Component for a timepiece movement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018024503-A1
Application number	US-201715652288-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 18, 2017
Priority date	Jul 19, 2016
Publication date	Jan 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a timepiece component ( 1 ) comprising at least one portion ( 3 ) machined by chip removal. Said portion ( 3 ) is made of a non-magnetic copper alloy in order to limit its sensitivity to magnetic fields, said copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu.
The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A timepiece component comprising at least one portion machined by chip removal, wherein said portion is made of a non-magnetic copper alloy in order to limit the sensitivity thereof to magnetic fields, said copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu.

2 . The timepiece component according to claim 1 , wherein said copper alloy comprises lead, in an amount less than or equal to 0.02 wt %.

3 . The timepiece component according to claim 1 , wherein at least the portion machined by chip removal comprises a hardening layer deposited on an outer surface of said portion.

4 . The timepiece component according to claim 1 , wherein at least an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal is deep-hardened with respect to the core of the timepiece component to a predetermined depth.

5 . The timepiece component according to claim 4 , wherein the predetermined depth represents between 5% and 40% of the total diameter (d) of said portion machined by chip removal.

6 . The timepiece component according to claim 4 , wherein the deep-hardened outer surface comprises diffused atoms of at least one chemical element.

7 . The timepiece component according to claim 1 , wherein the component consists of a pivot arbor, the portion machined by chip removal being at least a pivot, a screw, a winding stem, a balance spring stud.

8 . A movement for a timepiece, wherein the movement comprises a timepiece component which comprises at least one portion machined by chip removal, wherein said portion is made of a non-magnetic copper alloy in order to limit the sensitivity thereof to magnetic fields, said copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu.

9 . A method for fabrication of a timepiece component for a timepiece movement comprising the following steps:
a1) taking an element machinable by chip removal, said element being made of a non-magnetic copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu) b1) forming the timepiece component c1) chip removal machining said timepiece component to form at least one portion of said timepiece component that is machined by chip removal and made of said non-magnetic copper alloy.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the method comprises a step d) of depositing a hardening layer at least on an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal.

11 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the method comprises a step e) of diffusing atoms to a predetermined depth in at least an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal in order to deep-harden the timepiece component in the main stress areas while maintaining high tenacity.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the predetermined depth represents between 5% and 40% of the total diameter (d) of said portion machined by chip removal.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the diffusion step comprises the diffusion of atoms of at least one chemical element.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein step e) consists of a thermochemical diffusion treatment.

15 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein step e) consists of an ion implantation process which may or may not be followed by a diffusion treatment.

16 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein said portion machined by chip removal is subjected to a rolling/polishing step after step c1) or b2) or after step d) or e).

17 . A method for fabrication of a timepiece component for a timepiece movement comprising the following steps:
a2) taking an element machinable by chip removal, said element being made of a non-magnetic copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu b2) chip removal machining said element to form at least one portion ( 3 ) of said timepiece component c2) forming the timepiece component comprising said portion obtained in step b2).

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the method comprises a step d) of depositing a hardening layer at least on an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the method comprises a step e) of diffusing atoms to a predetermined depth in at least an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal in order to deep-harden the timepiece component in the main stress areas while maintaining high tenacity.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the predetermined depth represents between 5% and 40% of the total diameter (d) of said portion machined by chip removal.

21 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the diffusion step comprises the diffusion of atoms of at least one chemical element.

22 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein step e) consists of a thermochemical diffusion treatment.

23 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein step e) consists of an ion implantation process which may or may not be followed by a diffusion treatment.

24 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein said portion machined by chip removal is subjected to a rolling/polishing step after step c1) or b2) or after step d) or e).

Assignees

• Nivarox Far Sa

Inventors

• Charbon Christian
• Fays Vincent
• Verardo Marco

Classifications

• G04B17/32

  Component parts or constructional details, e.g. collet, stud {, virole or piton} · CPC title

• G04B43/007

  Antimagnetic alloys (antimagnetic alloys with temperature compensation G04B17/227; apparatus for antimagnetising G04D9/00; alloys in general C22C) · CPC title

• G04B15/14

  Component parts or constructional details, e.g. construction of the lever or the escape wheel {(assembly and manufacture of the spring G04B1/145; assembly and manufacture of components, e.g. pinions, spindles G04B13/02; lubrication of clockwork bearings G04B31/008; oils for clockwork bearings in general G04B31/08)} · CPC title

• G04B13/022 Primary

  with parts made of hard material, e.g. silicon, diamond, sapphire, quartz and the like · CPC title

• G04B13/026

  Physics · mapped topic