CH709731A2 - photostructurable timepiece component in glass base. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a watch component (31) comprising a first piece (33, 35) based on photostructurable glass and at least one second piece (33, 35) based on at least one second material. According to the invention a surface (31) of the first piece is secured to a surface of the second piece to form a monobloc watch component. The invention also relates to methods of manufacturing such a monobloc watch component.

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a watch component based on photostructurable glass and in particular such a component comprising at least one photostructurable glass-based part and at least one other piece based on silicon, metal or ceramic.

Background of the invention

In the horological field, a growing proportion of watch components are formed using fragile materials such as those based on silicon or ceramic. One can, for example, consider forming the hairspring, the pendulum or the anchor.

However, the etching techniques of these fragile materials limit the possibilities as to the possible forms of the components.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to overcome all or part of the disadvantages mentioned above by providing a watch component which is less limited in its shape while having the ability to always use silicon-based or ceramic parts.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a watch component comprising a first piece based on photostructurable glass, at least a second piece based on at least a second material characterized in that a surface of the first piece is secured to a surface of the second piece to form a monobloc watch component.

Advantageously according to the invention, it is understood that the watch component is of the composite type, that is to say formed of photostructurable glass and at least one other material. It is therefore understood that particular shapes can be obtained by the photostructurable glass piece while keeping a functional element based on silicon, metal or ceramic.

According to other advantageous variants of the invention: said at least one second material is based on silicon and comprises monocrystalline silicon, doped monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, doped polycrystalline silicon, porous silicon, silicon oxide, quartz, silica, silicon nitride or silicon carbide; said at least one second material is based on ceramics and comprises photostructurable glass, borosilicate, aluminosilicate, quartz glass, zerodur, monocrystalline corundum, polycrystalline corundum, alumina, oxide of aluminum, aluminum nitride, monocrystalline ruby, polycrystalline ruby, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, titanium nitride, titanium carbide, tungsten nitride, carbide tungsten, boron nitride or boron carbide; said at least one second material is based on metal and comprises an iron alloy, a copper alloy, nickel or one of its alloys, titanium or one of its alloys, gold or one of its alloys, silver or one of its alloys, platinum or one of its alloys, ruthenium or one of its alloys, rhodium or an alloy thereof, or palladium or an alloy thereof; said at least one second material further comprises at least one partial coating of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide or a carbon allotrope; the first piece and / or the second piece is a spiral, an ankle, a balance, an axis, a plate, an anchor such as a rod, a rod, a fork, a pallet and a dart, a mobile like a wheel, a shaft and a pinion, a bridge, a plate, an oscillating weight, a winding stem, a bearing, a bearing, a toothing or a column.

The invention relates to a timepiece characterized in that it comprises a watch component according to one of the preceding variants.

In addition, according to a first embodiment, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a monoblock watch component comprising the following steps: <tb> a) <SEP> provide a first plate based photostructurable glass having a first etched pattern; <tb> b) <SEP> provide at least a second wafer in at least a second material having at least a second etched pattern; <tb> c) <SEP> secure the first wafer to the said at least one second wafer to make a substrate and, by superposition of the said patterns, form a monoblock watch component comprising a first thickness based on photostructurable glass and at least a second thickness said at least one second material; <tb> d) <SEP> release the monobloc watch component from the substrate.

According to a second embodiment, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a monoblock watch component comprising the following steps: <tb> e) <SEP> joining a first photostructurable glass plate to at least a second plate in at least a second material to make a substrate; <tb> f) <SEP> etching a pattern in each of the wafers of the substrate and, by superposition of said patterns, forming a monoblock watch component comprising a first thickness based on photostructurable glass and at least a second thickness of said at least one second material ; <tb> g) <SEP> release the monoblock watch component from the substrate.

Finally, whatever the embodiment, several watch components are made on the same substrate in order to manufacture them in series.

Brief description of the drawings

Other features and advantages will clearly be described in the following description, by way of indication and in no way limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: <tb> figs. 1 to 4 <SEP> are perspective representations of watch components according to the present invention; <tb> figs. 5 to 7 <SEP> are views of steps of a method of manufacturing a watch component according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

As explained above, the invention relates to a component formed using a first piece based on photostructurable glass with a second part comprising the same type of material or another type of material, c. that is to say based on silicon, metal or ceramic.

This component has been devised for applications in the horological field and is made necessary by the structuring limitation of fragile materials such as those based on silicon or ceramic. By way of example, it is possible to envisage forming the hairspring, the balance, the anchor, the bridges, the oscillating weight or even the mobiles such as the escape wheels totally or partially based on fragile materials.

Therefore, the invention relates to a watch component comprising a first photostructurable glass-based part, at least a second part based on at least a second material, characterized in that a surface of the first piece is secured to a surface of the second piece to form a monobloc watch component.

Advantageously according to the invention, it is understood that the first piece may have a greater possibility of shape while keeping a second piece using the advantages of its material. In addition, there is a wide variety of possible processes of joining a photostructurable glass. In fact, it is not mandatory to bring material to secure the two parts as for gluing or the use of an intermediate part. Thus, for example, two surfaces of corresponding shapes is sufficient to secure the first piece with the second piece.

As explained above, the one-piece watch component can be formed totally or partially based on photostructurable glass. Thus, said at least one second material may be based on silicon, metal or ceramic. In addition, said at least one second material may also optionally comprise an intermediate material intended to promote bonding between two difficult to attach materials. Thus, according to the joining technique chosen, this intermediate material can be likened to a solder intended to attach two materials by joint adhesion to the intermediate material, or, conversely, to form a layer intended to induce a sufficiently intense heating to generate the fusion of the two materials.

When said at least one second material is based on silicon, it may comprise monocrystalline silicon, doped monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, doped polycrystalline silicon, porous silicon, silicon oxide, quartz. , silica, silicon nitride or silicon carbide.

When said at least one second material is based on ceramics, it may comprise photostructurable glass, borosilicate, aluminosilicate, quartz glass, zerodur, monocrystalline corundum, polycrystalline corundum, alumina, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, monocrystalline ruby, polycrystalline ruby, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, titanium nitride, titanium carbide, nitride tungsten, tungsten carbide, boron nitride or boron carbide.

When said at least one second material is metal-based, it may comprise an iron alloy such as 15P steel, 20AP or 316L, a copper alloy such as brass, a nickel alloy such as nickel silver, titanium or one of its alloys, gold or one of its alloys, silver or one of its alloys, platinum or one of its alloys, ruthenium or one of its alloys, rhodium or any of its alloys alloys or palladium or one of its alloys.

In addition, said at least one second material, also based on silicon, metal or ceramic, may also comprise at least one partial coating of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide or silicon carbide. an allotrope of carbon.

Advantageously according to the invention, the first piece and / or the second piece can form a wide variety of watch components for a timepiece. By way of non-limiting examples and with reference to FIG. 1, the first piece and / or the second piece can thus form in particular a hairspring 1, an ankle 2, a rocker 3, an axis 4, a plate 5, an anchor 6 such as a rod 7, a rod 8, a fork 9 , a pallet 10 and a dart 11, a mobile 12 such as a wheel 13, a shaft 14 and a pinion 15, a bridge 16, a plate 17, an oscillating mass 18, a winding rod 19 or a pad 20.

By way of example, FIG. 2 shows a clock component forming a mobile resonator 21. The mobile 21 comprises a first piece 23 forming a set of teeth 24 secured to a second annular piece 25 based on silicon, metal or ceramic having a hole 26.

FIG. 3 shows another example of a clock-making component forming a column wheel 31. The column wheel 31 comprises a plurality of first pieces 33 based on photostructurable glass forming the asymmetric columns secured to a second annular piece 35 based on silicon, metal or metal. ceramic having a central hole 34 and a peripheral toothing 36.

FIG. 4 shows a last example of a watch component forming a double wheel 41. The double wheel 41 comprises a first piece 43 based on photostructurable glass forming a toothing 44 secured to a second annular piece 45 based on silicon, metal or ceramic comprising a hole 46 provided with central elastic means 48 and arms 47 forming a peripheral toothing.

As explained above, the first piece and / or the second piece can form a variety of watch components. As additional examples in FIGS. 2 to 4, an anchor 6 could be formed from a first piece forming the rod 8, the pallets 10 and the fork 9 and a second piece forming the dart 11.

In addition, a first part could form a plate 5 and be integral with a second piece forming an ankle 2, a first piece could form a plate 17 or a bridge 16 and be secured to several second pieces forming pads 20 or a first piece could form an oscillating mass 18 and be integral with a second piece forming an additional mass on the peripheral portion.

According to a first preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method comprising a first step a) intended to be provided with a first plate 51 based on photostructurable glass having a first pattern 53 etched. Such glasses are for example available from Schott A.G. under the tradename Foturan <®> from Hoya Corp. under the reference PEG3 <®> or at LifeBioScience Inc. under the brand name Apex ™.

Advantageously according to the invention, the photostructuration of a photostructurable glass allows a greater variety of shape than etching materials based on silicon or ceramic. The photostructuring process consists in a first phase in an illumination at a wavelength corresponding to the photostructurable glass through a partially opaque mask at said wavelength. Depending on the amount, orientation and distribution of the illumination, areas in the photostructurable glass plate are structured.

It is thus understood that by using a mask with variable areas of opacity and / or a source with a controllable focus can create shapes such as the toothing 24 or asymmetric column 33 cited above. The illumination source may for example be a UV lamp whose spectral distribution peak is between 200 and 400 nm.

A second phase consists in subjecting the photostructurable glass plate to a heat treatment. The heating temperature varies according to the photostructurable glass and can reach the order of 600 ° C. This heat treatment makes the illuminated areas more selective for the last phase of elimination by chemical etching. This etching can be carried out, for example, in a bath of about 10% hydrofluoric acid at room temperature and under ultrasound. A wafer 51 is thus obtained as shown in FIG. 5.

A second step b) is intended to provide at least a second wafer 55 in at least a second material having at least one second pattern 57 etched. By way of no limitation, mention may be made of dry etching such as deep reactive ion etching (DRIE), laser etching or plasma etching. It is also perfectly possible to use a wet etching such as a chemical etching or even a new photostructuration as explained above. Finally, a photostructuration mixing a photolithography of a resin followed by a dry or wet etching can also be carried out.

A third step c) is intended to secure the first plate 51 to the said at least one second plate 55 to produce a substrate and, by superposition of the said patterns 53, 55, to form a monoblock watch component comprising a first thickness based on photostructurable glass and at least a second thickness of said at least one second material based on silicon, metal or ceramic.

Depending on the materials used, several fastenings are possible. By way of non-limiting example, the direct welding of surfaces by electromagnetic radiation by means of a laser can be mentioned, as for example explained in the document EP 1 436 830 incorporated by reference in the present description. It is also perfectly conceivable to use solidarization by an electric field (anodic bonding), fusion bonding, thermocompression bonding (thermocompression bonding), reflow bonding, and eutectic bonding (eutectic). bonding), a solidarisation by vibratory waves (ultrasonic bonding) or a bonding combining heating, vibratory waves and compression (thermosonic bonding).

Finally, the method comprises a final step d) for releasing the monoblock watch component from the substrate. Advantageously according to the invention, a wide variety of materials can therefore be used to form watch components in an industrial manner. As shown in fig. 4, one can for example obtain the mobile 41 having a first thickness 43 based on photostructurable glass and at least a second thickness 45 of said at least second material.

According to an alternative of the first embodiment, step b) may consist of forming a plurality of second platelets formed from the same material or from several different materials. In this alternative of the first embodiment, it is therefore understood that it is possible to obtain, during step c), a substrate with three integral inserts enabling then to form a clock component comprising a first thickness based on photostructurable glass and at least two second layers formed from the same or different materials.

According to a second embodiment, the invention relates to a manufacturing method comprising a first step e) intended to join a first photostructurable glass-based plate to at least one second plate in at least one second material for to make a substrate using the same methods described in step c) of the first embodiment.

The second embodiment continues with step f) for engraving a pattern in each of the wafers of the substrate and, by superposition of said patterns, forming a monoblock watch component comprising a first thickness based on photostructurable glass and on least a second thickness of said at least one second material using the same methods described in steps a) and b) of the first embodiment.

Finally, the method comprises a final step g) for releasing the monoblock watch component from the substrate. Advantageously according to the invention, a wide variety of materials can therefore be used to form watch components in an industrial manner. As shown in fig. 4, one can for example obtain the mobile 41 having a first thickness 43 based on photostructurable glass and at least a second thickness 45 of said at least second material.

According to an alternative of the second embodiment similar to that of the first embodiment, step f) may also consist of producing a substrate with the aid of several second plates formed from the same material or from several materials. different. In this alternative of the second embodiment, it is therefore understood that a substrate with three integral plates can be obtained, which then makes it possible to form a clock component comprising a first thickness based on photostructurable glass and at least two second thicknesses formed from the same material or several different materials.

Of course, whatever the embodiment, the method can make it possible to manufacture several watch components 61 on the same substrate 63 as illustrated in FIG. 7.

The present invention is not limited to the example shown but is susceptible of various variations and modifications that will occur to those skilled in the art. In particular, if the same pattern is desired for each piece, a platelet bonding can be performed and then a single engraving can be provided.

Similarly, as for the example of the multiple columns 33 of the column wheel 31, the method using platelets is preferred, that is to say that all the columns 33 are structured in the same glass plate photostructurable and secured to another plate. However, nothing prevents the columns 33 from being detached one by one in order to fasten them as one goes to another finished part such as a toothed wheel 35.

Claims (10)

1. Watch component (21, 31, 41, 61) comprising a first piece (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 25, 27, 33, 35, 43, 45) based on photostructurable glass, at least one second part (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 25, 27, 33, 35, 43, 45) based on at least one second material characterized in that that a surface (24, 28, 30, 31) of the first piece is secured to a surface of the second piece to form a one-piece horological component (21, 31, 41, 61). 2. Watchmaking component (21, 31, 41, 61) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said at least one second material is silicon-based and comprises monocrystalline silicon, doped monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, silicon doped polycrystalline, porous silicon, silicon oxide, quartz, silica, silicon nitride or silicon carbide. 3. watch component (21, 31, 41, 61) according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one second material is based on ceramic and comprises photostructurable glass, borosilicate, aluminosilicate, glass of quartz, zerodur, monocrystalline corundum, polycrystalline corundum, alumina, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, monocrystalline ruby, polycrystalline ruby, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, titanium nitride, titanium carbide, tungsten nitride, tungsten carbide, boron nitride or boron carbide. 4. Watchmaking component (21, 31, 41, 61) according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one second material is metal-based and comprises an iron alloy, a copper alloy, nickel or one of its alloys, titanium or one of its alloys, gold or one of its alloys, silver or one of its alloys, platinum or one of its alloys, ruthenium or one of its alloys, rhodium or one of its alloys or palladium or one of its alloys. 5. watch component (21, 31, 41, 61) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one second material further comprises at least a partial coating of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, of silicon carbide or a carbon allotrope. 6. Watchmaking component (21, 31, 41, 61) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first piece and / or the second piece form is a spiral (1), an ankle (2), a pendulum (3), an axle (4), a plate (5), an anchor (6), a rod (7), a rod (8), a fork (9), a pallet (10), a dart (11) ), a mobile (12), a wheel (13), a shaft (14), a pinion (15), a bridge (16), a plate (17), an oscillating weight (18), a winding stem ( 19), a bearing, a bearing (20), a toothing (24) or a column (33). 7. Timepiece characterized in that it comprises a timepiece component (21, 31, 41, 61) according to one of the preceding claims. 8. A method of manufacturing a one-piece horological component (21, 31, 41, 61) comprising the following steps: a) providing a first plate (51) based on photostructurable glass having a first pattern (53) etched; b) providing at least a second wafer (55) with at least one second material having at least one second engraved pattern (57); c) securing the first plate (51) to the said at least one second plate (55) to produce a substrate (63) and, by superposition of the said patterns (53, 57), forming a clock component (21, 31, 41, 61 ) monoblock having a first thickness based on photostructurable glass and at least a second thickness of said at least one second material; d) releasing the one-piece horological component (21, 31, 41, 61) from the substrate (63). 9. A method of manufacturing a monoblock watch component comprising the following steps: e) attaching a first plate (51) based on photostructurable glass to at least a second wafer (55) of at least a second material for producing a substrate; f) etching a pattern (53, 57) in each of the wafers (51, 55) of the substrate (63) and, by superimposing said patterns, forming a monobloc timepiece component (21, 31, 41, 61) having a first thickness to photostructurable glass base and at least a second thickness of said at least one second material; g) releasing the one-piece horological component (21, 31, 41, 61) from the substrate (63). 10. Manufacturing process according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that several watch components (21, 31, 41, 61) are formed on the same substrate (63).