Timepiece resonator mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9971303-B2
Application number	US-201715400327-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2017
Priority date	Jan 29, 2016
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A timepiece resonator mechanism with a pivoting weight pivoting about a virtual axis, and including a flexure pivot mechanism and a first and second fixed support to which is attached, by a first resilient assembly and respectively a second resilient assembly which together define the virtual axis, a rotary support carrying the pivoting weight, this flexure pivot mechanism is planar, the first resilient assembly includes, on either side of the virtual axis, a first outer flexible strip and a first inner flexible strip, joined to each other by a first intermediate strip stiffer than each of the latter, together defining a first direction passing through the virtual pivot axis, and the second resilient assembly includes a second flexible strip defining a second direction passing through the virtual pivot axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A timepiece resonator mechanism comprising a pivoting weight arranged to rotatably pivot about a virtual pivot axis, said resonator mechanism comprising a first fixed support and a second fixed support, wherein a flexure pivot mechanism is attached to said second fixed support, wherein said flexure pivot mechanism comprises a rotary support connected to said first fixed support by a first resilient assembly and connected to said second fixed support by a second resilient assembly, wherein said second resilient assembly defines said virtual pivot axis with said first resilient assembly, said pivoting weight being attached to said rotary support or formed by said rotary support, wherein said flexure pivot mechanism is planar, wherein said first resilient assembly includes, on either side of said virtual pivot axis, a first outer flexible strip and a first inner flexible strip, joined to each other by a first intermediate strip stiffer than each of the latter, together defining a first direction passing through said virtual pivot axis, and wherein said second resilient assembly includes a second flexible strip defining a second direction passing through said virtual pivot axis, and wherein said second flexible strip is clamped in said second fixed support at a second outer clamping point, and in said rotary support at a second inner clamping point, and wherein said second outer clamping point and said second inner clamping point are located on either side of a straight line parallel to said first direction and passing through said virtual pivot axis.

2. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said first outer flexible strip and said first inner flexible strip are disposed on either side of said virtual pivot axis.

3. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said second outer clamping point and said second inner clamping point are located on either side of a straight line parallel to said first direction defined by said first resilient assembly, and passing through said virtual pivot axis.

4. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said second outer clamping point and said second inner clamping point are aligned with said virtual pivot axis.

5. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said first outer flexible strip and said first inner flexible strip are each remote from said second flexible strip.

6. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said virtual pivot axis passes through the material of said second flexible strip.

7. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said first outer flexible strip and said first inner flexible strip constitute the most flexible parts of said first resilient assembly.

8. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said second resilient assembly includes a second outer flexible strip and a second inner flexible strip on either side of a second intermediate strip that is stiffer than each of the latter and forms therewith said second flexible strip.

9. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein there said first direction is straight.

10. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein there said second direction is straight.

11. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said first direction is straight and forms the rectilinear direction of at least one elastic strip which is a straight strip, and said second direction is straight and forms the rectilinear direction of at least one elastic strip which is a straight strip.

12. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said first resilient assembly surrounds said second resilient assembly in the plane of said flexure pivot mechanism.

13. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the center of inertia of the assembly formed by said pivoting weight and said rotary support is located on said virtual pivot axis.

14. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the least flexible parts of said first resilient assembly and/or of said second resilient assembly are skeletal to minimize the mass thereof and to prevent undesirable fundamental modes of vibration.

15. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the outer ends of said first resilient assembly and of said second resilient assembly are rigidly connected respectively to said first fixed support and to said second fixed support, and wherein the inner ends of said first resilient assembly and of said second resilient assembly are rigidly connected to said rotary support.

16. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 9 , wherein said second direction is straight and wherein said first direction and second direction form with each other an angle comprised between 70° and 87°.

17. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said first outer flexible strip is rigidly connected to said first intermediate strip at a first outer clamping point, wherein said first inner flexible strip is rigidly connected to said first intermediate strip at a first inner clamping point, and wherein, in projection in said first direction which is straight, a first intermediate distance defined by the space between said first outer clamping point and said first inner clamping point, and a first total distance defined by the space between, on the one hand a first outer clamping point between said first outer strip and said first fixed support, and on the other hand, a first inner clamping point between said first inner strip and said rotary support, define a ratio d 1 /L 1 comprised between 0.05 and 0.25.

18. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 17 , wherein, in projection in said first direction, a first radius defined by the space between said first inner clamping point and said virtual pivot axis and said first total distance, define a ratio r 1 /L 1 comprised between 0.05 and 0.3.

19. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said second outer flexible strip is rigidly connected to said second intermediate strip at a second outer clamping point, wherein said second inner flexible strip is rigidly connected to said second intermediate strip at a second inner clamping point, and wherein, in projection in said second direction which is straight, a second intermediate distance defined by the space between said second outer clamping point and said second inner clamping point, and a second total distance defined by the space between, on the one hand a second outer clamping point between said second outer strip and said second fixed support, and on the other hand, a second inner clamping point between said second inner strip and said rotary support, define a ratio d 2 /L 2 comprised between 0.05 and 0.25.

20. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 19 , wherein, in projection in said second direction, a second radius defined by the space between said second inner clamping point and said virtual pivot axis, and said second total distance, define a ratio r 2 /L 2 comprised between 0.05 and 0.3.

21. The timepiece resonator mechanism according to claim 17 , wherein said second outer flexible strip is rigidly connected to said second intermediate strip at a second outer clamping point, wherein said second inner flexible strip is rigidly connected to said second intermediate strip at a second inner clamping point, a

Assignees

• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse
• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse

Inventors

• Helfer Jean-Luc
• Di Domenico Gianni
• Winkler Pascal

Classifications

• G04C3/02

  wherein movement is regulated by a pendulum · CPC title

• G04B17/10

  Oscillators with torsion strips or springs acting in the same manner as torsion strips, e.g. weight oscillating in a horizontal plane {(electrically driven torsion pendulum G04C3/033)} · CPC title

• G04B17/06 Primary

  Oscillators with hairsprings, e.g. balance {(electrically driven balances G04C3/04; contacts actuated by a balance G04C13/065)} · CPC title

• G04B17/045

  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