Method for producing timepiece spring, device for producing timepiece spring, timepiece spring, and timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9823624-B2
Application number	US-201314017681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2013
Priority date	Sep 5, 2012
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A method for producing a timepiece spring includes a step for producing, by casting, a metallic glass raw material constituted of a metallic glass; a step for heating the metallic glass raw material to achieve a superplastic state; and a step for rolling the metallic glass raw material in a superplastic state to produce a sheet material. A timepiece spring is characterized by being obtained by the method for producing a timepiece spring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing a timepiece spring, comprising:
producing, by quenching, a metallic glass raw material constituted of a metallic glass;
heating the metallic glass raw material by a heater to increase temperature of the metallic glass raw material to achieve a superplastic state; and
rolling the metallic glass raw material in the superplastic state to produce a sheet material,
the rolling of the metallic glass raw material including passing the metallic glass raw material in the superplastic state between a pair of rotating rollers that is oppositely facing with each other and has different rotational speed from each other to simultaneously produce and deform the sheet material such that the sheet material has a curved longitudinal axis that is curved towards one of the rotating rollers.

2. The method for producing a timepiece spring as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
a convexity is provided to a predetermined position on an outer peripheral surface of one of the rotating rollers and a concavity that fits with the convexity is provided to a position that faces the convexity on an outer peripheral surface of the other one of the rotating rollers, and
the metallic glass raw material in the superplastic state is rolled and sandwiched between the convexity and the concavity while passing between the rotating rollers.

3. The method for producing a timepiece as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
the metallic glass raw material is a sheet of material produced by a single-roll liquid quenching process.

4. The method for producing a timepiece as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
the metallic glass raw material is a wire of material produced by spinning in a rotating liquid.

5. A timepiece spring obtained by the method for producing a timepiece spring as set forth in claim 1 .

6. A timepiece including the timepiece spring as set forth in claim 5 .

7. A method for producing a timepiece spring, comprising:
producing, by quenching, a metallic glass raw material constituted of a metallic glass;
heating the metallic glass raw material by a heater to increase temperature of the metallic glass row material to achieve a superplastic state; and
rolling the metallic glass raw material in the superplastic state to produce a sheet material,
the rolling of the metallic glass raw material including passing the metallic glass raw material in the superplastic state between a pair of rotating rollers,
a convexity being provided to a predetermined position on an outer peripheral surface of one of the rotating rollers and a concavity that fits with the convexity being provided to a position that faces the convexity on an outer peripheral surface of the other one of the rotating rollers,
the metallic glass raw material in the superplastic state being rolled and sandwiched between the convexity and the concavity while passing between the rotating rollers,
the outer peripheral surface of the one of the rotating rollers having a larger diameter at the convexity than at a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the one of the rotating rollers other than the convexity in a cross section taken along an imaginary plane that is perpendicular to a rotational axis of the one of the rotating rollers, and
the outer peripheral surface of the other one of the rotating rollers having a smaller diameter at the concavity than a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the other one of the rotating rollers other than the concavity in a cross section taken along the imaginary plane.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Tsuchiya Kazuhiro
• Takeuchi Masao
• Moteki Masatoshi
• Nagao Shoichi

Classifications

• G04B1/145 Primary

  Composition and manufacture of the springs (compositions and manufacture of components, wheels, spindles, pivots, or the like G04B13/02; compositions of component escapements G04B15/14; composition and manufacture or hairsprings G04B17/066; compensation for the effects of variations of temperature of springs using alloys, especially for hairsprings G04B17/227; materials for bearings of clockworks G04B31/00; heat treatment and chemical or mechanical treatment for control of the structure C21D8/00; iron and steel alloys C22C; non-ferrous alloys C22C and B22F) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49579

  Watch or clock making · CPC title

• G04B1/10

  with mainspring {(synchronous motors with power reserve G04C15/0054; springs in general F16F)} · CPC title

• G04D3/0076 Primary

  for components of driving mechanisms, e.g. mainspring · CPC title

• Y10T29/53

  Means to assemble or disassemble · CPC title