Timepiece resonator with crossed strips

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9836024-B2
Application number	US-201515114336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2015
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A timepiece or watch includes at least one resonator, which includes at least one weight that oscillates with respect to a connecting element fixed to a structure of a timepiece movement. The weight is suspended from the connecting element by resilient crossed strips which extend at a distance from each other in two parallel planes. The projections of the strips on one of the parallel planes intersect at a virtual pivot axis of the weight, and define a first angle which is the apex angle opposite which there extends the portion of the connecting element that is located between the attachments of the crossed strips to the connecting element. The first angle is between 68° and 76°.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A timepiece resonator, comprising:
at least one weight oscillating with respect to a connecting element comprised in said resonator and which is arranged to be directly or indirectly secured to a structure of a timepiece movement, said at least one weight being suspended from said connecting element by crossed strips which are resilient strips that extend at a distance from each other in two parallel planes, and projections of the directions of said strips on one of said parallel planes intersect at a virtual pivot axis of said weight, and define together a first angle which is apex angle, from said virtual pivot axis, opposite which there extends the portion of said connecting element that is located between attachments of said crossed strips to said connecting element, wherein said first angle is comprised between 68° and 76°.

2. The resonator according to claim 1 , wherein said first angle is between 70° and 76°.

3. The resonator according to claim 2 , wherein said first angle is between 70° and 74°.

4. The resonator according to claim 3 , wherein said first angle is equal to 71.2°.

5. The resonator according to claim 4 , wherein said resonator includes at least two oscillating weights, in a tuning fork structure.

6. The resonator according to claim 1 , wherein said strips are dimensioned with an inner radius ri between said virtual pivot axis and a point of attachment of said strips to said connecting element, with an outer radius re between said virtual pivot axis and a point of attachment of said strips to said weight, and with a total length L=ri+re, so that a ratio Q=ri/L, is between 0.12 and 0.13.

7. The resonator according to claim 6 , wherein said ratio is equal to 0.1264.

8. The resonator according to claim 7 , wherein said resonator includes at least two oscillating weights, in a tuning fork structure.

9. The resonator according to claim 1 , wherein said strips are dimensioned with an inner radius ri between said virtual pivot axis and a point of attachment of said strips to said connecting element, with an outer radius re between said virtual pivot axis and a point of attachment of said strips to said weight, with a thickness e in the plane of each said strip, such that a ratio Qm=(ri+e/2)/(ri+e/2+re), is between 0.12 and 0.13.

10. The resonator according to claim 9 , wherein said ratio is equal to 0.1264.

11. The resonator according to claim 10 , wherein said resonator includes at least two oscillating weights, in a tuning fork structure.

12. The resonator according to claim 1 , wherein, in projection on one of said parallel planes, said resonator is symmetrical with respect to the bisector of said first angle when the resonator is in the rest position.

13. The resonator according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one weight is a balance wheel.

14. The resonator according to claim 1 , wherein said crossed strips are each anchored in said connecting element on a surface of said connecting element which is orthogonal to an end of said strip concerned at an anchoring point thereof.

15. The resonator according to claim 1 , wherein said resonator is in one-piece.

16. The resonator according to claim 15 , wherein said resonator is made of silicon or of silicon oxide or of metallic glass or of quartz or of DLC.

17. A timepiece movement, comprising:
a structure to which is fixed, directly or indirectly, a least one connecting element comprised in said resonator according to claim 1 .

18. A timepiece or watch, comprising:
the movement according to claim 17 .

19. A timepiece or watch, comprising:
said resonator according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Di Domenico Gianni
• Hinaux Baptiste
• Klinger Laurent
• Helfer Jean-Luc

Classifications

• G04B17/045 Primary

  with oscillating blade springs (mechanical oscillations maintained by electro-magnetic means, e.g. tuning forks G04C3/10) · CPC title

• G04B17/04 Primary

  Oscillators acting by spring tension · CPC title

• G04B17/28

  for the effect of imbalance of the weights, e.g. tourbillon · CPC title