CH716986A2 - Flexible watch component and watch movement comprising such a component. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a flexible watch component, in particular for an oscillator mechanism or for a barrel of a watch movement, the component comprising at least one part made of a composite material (1), the composite material (1) comprising a die (2) and a multitude of nanowires (3) distributed in the matrix (2), the nanowires (3) being juxtaposed, the matrix (2) comprising a material (4) for filling the interstices between the nanowires (3) ) to join them to each other, each nanowire (3) forming a solid one-piece tube.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to watch components, in particular for an oscillator mechanism or for the barrel of a timepiece movement.

[0002] The invention also relates to a timepiece movement comprising such a component.

Background of the invention

[0003] Mechanical watch movements generally include a barrel, an escape mechanism and a mechanical oscillator mechanism. The barrel includes a spring to supply energy to the oscillator mechanism. The escape mechanism comprises, in particular, an anchor and an escape wheel, while the oscillator mechanism generally comprises a spiral spring associated with an oscillating inertial mass called a balance.

[0004] Technical progress in composite materials makes it possible to manufacture certain components in innovative and high-performance materials, which make it possible to do without, at least in part, purely metallic materials. Today, we are trying to use, for example, carbon nanotubes to make components. Such materials provide advantages in terms of lightness, strength, and simplicity of manufacture. Thus, document JP2008116205A describes a spiral spring comprising a matrix of graphite and amorphous carbon, reinforced by carbon nanotubes which are dispersed in the matrix and aligned in the longitudinal direction of the hairspring, ie in the direction of the main elastic stresses.

In the publication by N. Hutchison et al (MEMS 2009), a composite material is formed, on the one hand, from a forest of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNT), and on the other hand, from a second filling material between the nanotubes, mainly carbon, secondarily silicon, or even silicon nitride. The filling material primarily determines the mechanical properties of the composite material.

However, these materials are limited to the use of nanotubes, which are generally empty. However, it is not always easy to manufacture nanotubes in materials other than carbon.

Summary of the invention

[0007] An aim of the invention is therefore to provide a watch component which avoids the aforementioned problems.

[0008] To this end, the invention relates to a flexible watch component, in particular for an oscillator mechanism or for a barrel of a watch movement, the component comprising at least one part made of a composite material.

The component is remarkable in that the composite material comprises a matrix and a multitude of nanowires distributed in the matrix, the nanowires being juxtaposed, the matrix comprising a material for filling the interstices between the nanowires for join them to each other, each nanowire forming a solid one-piece tube.

[0010] Thus, thanks to such a composite material, one obtains solid monoblock nanowires, so that all kinds of materials can be used to manufacture these nanowires. It is also possible to manufacture nanowires easily, in a simpler manner than nanotubes in certain materials. Consequently, it is possible to produce certain elements of a watch movement, which must be able to flex, such as a spiral spring or a barrel spring.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the nanowires are arranged substantially parallel to an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the component.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the nanowires are made in an element to be chosen from the following list: gold, palladium, silicon, polycrystalline diamond, boron nitride, nitride gallium, silicon nitride, zinc oxide, gallium arsenide, tungsten sulfide, silver, copper, manganese arsenide, indium arsenide, nickel, platinum, germanium, cobalt-graphene, phosphorus-germanium, copper-silver, gold-silver, phosphorus-indium, nitrogen-gallium, nitrogen-indium compounds -gallium, nitrogen-arsenic-gallium, arsenic-gallium, phosphorus-indium-gallium, sulfur-cadmium, sulfur-cadmium-selenium, nitrogen-aluminum-gallium, cesium-lead, antimony telluride, bismuth telluride, silicon oxide, titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, indium oxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, tin oxide, oxy of zinc, lithium niobate, manganese oxide, inorganic compounds of the Li2Mo6Se6 or Mo6S9-xIx type. It is also possible to produce nanowires of amorphous or partially amorphous metal alloy.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment, the nanowires have a diameter ranging from 1 to 50 nm, preferably in a range ranging from 3 to 15 nm, or even from 5 to 10 nm.

[0014] According to an advantageous embodiment, the nanowires have a length ranging from 100 to 500 microns, preferably in a range ranging from 100 to 300 microns, or even from 150 to 200 microns.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the filling material is produced in an element to be chosen from the following list: tungsten, organic materials such as parylene, hexagonal boron nitride, polycrystalline ruby of the Al2O3 type , diamond, tungsten or molybdenum disulphides, graphite, lead, silicon carbide, nickel, indium phosphide, titanium oxide, poly-silicone, amorphous carbon, carbon amorphous DLC (Diamond-like-carbon) type, hafnium oxide, silicon oxide, polycrystalline silicon, strontium titanate, zinc oxide, oxide of 'indium, tungsten oxide, niobium oxide, cadmium oxide, magnesium fluoride, titanium nitride, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, galium nitride, hafnium nitride, calcium nitride, silver nitride, oxidized silicon nitride, platinum, palladium, molybdenum, tantalum e, zinc sulphide, molybdenum sulphide, germanium, hydrofluorocarbon, compounds of the type AIP, AIN, AIGaSb, AIGaAs, AlGaInP, AlGaN, AlGaP, GaSb, GaAsP, GaAs, GaN, GaP, InAlAs, InAlP, InSb, InGaSb, InGaN, GaInAlAs, GaInAlN, GaInAsN, GaInAsP, GaInAs, GaInP, InN, InP, InAs, InAsSb, ZnSe, HgCdTe, GeSbTe.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the component is a spiral spring of an oscillator mechanism.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the component is a barrel spring.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment, the component is an anti-shock device.

The invention also relates to a watch movement comprising a flexible watch component according to the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent on reading several embodiments given solely by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 schematically represents a through perspective view of a composite material according to the invention, FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of a balance provided with a spiral spring of a mechanical oscillator mechanism, FIG. 3 schematically represents a perspective view of a barrel provided with a spring of a barrel.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

In the description, we present components for a watch movement. The component is a flexible component to be chosen from a list comprising, for example, an oscillator mechanism spiral spring or a barrel spring.

The flexible component comprises at least a part made of a composite material 1, shown in Figure 1. Preferably, the component is made entirely of this composite material 1. Thus, the components of the preceding list can be made in this composite material 1.

The composite material 1 comprises a filling matrix 2 and a multitude of nanowires 3 distributed in said matrix 2. The matrix 2 has, for example, a generally flat shape extending in a plane A.

The nanowires 3 form a structure of the composite material 1, in which they are juxtaposed. They are regularly distributed so as to be homogeneously spaced from one another in the matrix 2. The term “nanowires” is understood to mean generally solid one-piece tubes. Thus, the interior 16 of the nanowires 3 comprises the same material as the outer casing.

The nanowires 3 are preferably arranged substantially parallel to each other. They are substantially perpendicular to the plane P of the component. They are arranged substantially parallel to an axis A, perpendicular to the plane P of the component. By substantially parallel is meant that the wires are oriented substantially in the same direction.

Advantageously, the composite material is made so that nanowires 3 are present throughout the mass of the matrix 2.

The nanowires 3 have, for example, a diameter D within a range from 2 to 50 nm. Preferably, the nanowires 3 have a diameter ranging from 3 to 15 nm, or even from 5 to 10 nm.

The nanowires 3 can have a length L within a range of 100 to 500 microns. Preferably, the nanowires 3 have a length within a range ranging from 100 to 300 microns, or even from 150 to 200 microns.

The nanowires 3 are made of a material to be chosen from the following list: gold, palladium, silicon, diamond, boron nitride, gallium nitride, silicon nitride, zinc oxide, gallium arsenide, tungsten sulfide, silver, copper, manganese arsenide, indium arsenide, nickel, platinum, germanium, alloys of cobalt-graphene, phosphorus-germanium, copper-silver, gold-silver, compounds of phosphorus-indium, nitrogen-gallium, nitrogen-indium-gallium, nitrogen-arsenic- gallium, arsenic-gallium, phosphorus-indium-gallium, sulfur-cadmium, sulfur-cadmium-selenium, nitrogen-aluminum-gallium, cesium-lead, antimony telluride, bismuth telluride , silicon oxide, titanium oxide, tungsten oxide, indium oxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, oxide of 'tin, zinc oxide, lithium niobate, manganese oxide e, inorganic compounds of the Li2Mo6Se6 or Mo6S9-xIx type. It is also possible to produce nanowires of amorphous or partially amorphous metal alloy. This list is not exhaustive, other materials are also possible.

The matrix 2 comprises a filling material 4 to fill the interstices 5 between the nanowires 3. The filling material 4 can advantageously include the nanowires 3, by being injected into the interstices 5 between the nanowires 3. This material 4 mainly determines the mechanical properties of the composite material 1, in particular to make the matrix 2 flexible.

The filling material 4 making up the matrix 2 is made with an element from the following list: tungsten, organic materials such as parylene, hexagonal boron nitride, polycrystalline ruby of Al2O3 type, poly diamond -crystalline, tungsten or molybdenum disulphides, graphite, lead, silicon carbide, nickel, indium phosphide, titanium oxide, poly-silicone, amorphous carbon, amorphous carbon DLC (Diamond-like-carbon) type, hafnium oxide, silicon oxide, poly-crystalline silicon, strontium titanate, zinc oxide, indium oxide , tungsten oxide, niobium oxide, cadmium oxide, magnesium fluoride, titanium nitride, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, galium nitride, nitride hafnium, calcium nitride, silver nitride, oxidized silicon nitride, platinum, palladium, molybdenum, tantalum, sulphide zinc, molybdenum sulphide, germanium, hydrofluorocarbon, compounds of the type AlP, AlN, AlGaSb, AlGaAs, AlGaInP, AlGaN, AlGaP, GaSb, GaAsP, GaAs, GaN, GaP, InAlAs, InAlP, InSb, InGaSb , InGaN, GaInAlAs, GaInAlN, GaInAsN, GaInAsP, GaInAs, GaInP, InN, InP, InAs, InAsSb, ZnSe, HgCdTe, GeSbTe. The filling material 4 can advantageously also consist of carbon. This list is not exhaustive, other materials are also possible.

The filling material 4 is flexible, the material 4 having mechanical properties allowing elastic deformation of the component. The flexibility is further obtained by virtue of the geometry of the component, in particular by the thickness of the component. The term “flexible material” is understood to mean a material which can be used to form a flexible watchmaking component, such as a hairspring or a spring. Flexibility also depends on the geometry of the component and the ratio of stiffness to density.

For certain filling materials, for example a metal, the material has a high modulus of elasticity, greater than 100 Gpa, preferably greater than 200GPa, and also has a high tensile limit, greater than 1GPa, of preferably greater than 2 GPa.

In other examples of filling materials, for example parylene, the material has a lower modulus of elasticity, between 0.1 Mpa and 100 Gpa, and has a lower breaking limit, between 200 MPa and 1GPa.

The component is for example a spiral spring 6 of an oscillator mechanism 8 of a timepiece movement, or a spring 7 of a barrel 10 of a timepiece movement.

We cite examples of association of filling materials and nanowires offering particularly advantageous properties.

A first example relates to copper nanowires and an alumina filling material (ruby, Al2O3), the copper making it possible to evacuate the electrostatic charges, while keeping the properties of rigidity and high resistance of the alumina for the component.

In a second example, the nanowires are made of metal and the filling material of Al2O3, the metal making it possible to modify the color of the component.

Silicon nanowires and a silicon oxide filling material make it possible to modify the thermal dependence of the elasticity, in particular to adjust the thermal compensation of the natural frequency of a mechanical oscillator.

Finally, a filling material made of parylene or another polymer (Teflon, POM, etc.) makes it possible to obtain a sliding component having a reduced coefficient of dry friction, which is useful for some of the applications where the friction between two moving parts must be reduced, and / or the addition of a standard lubricant would only degrade friction and increase wear, for example in an impact component.

According to the combinations, the composite material makes it possible in particular to manufacture springs. Figures 2 and 3 are examples of such springs for watchmaking. Other components are also possible, such as shock-resistant components, for example for a balance axis, or else a resonator element of a clock striking mechanism.

Figure 2 shows a mechanical clock oscillator, comprising a spiral spring 6 and a balance 8. The spiral spring 6 is made from such a flexible composite material. The spiral spring 6 is a low width to height ratio tape which is spirally wound so that there is a free space between the facing tape portions. Thus, by contraction and deformation of the spiral, the desired spring effect is obtained. The balance 8 comprises a circular ring 9 and a rectilinear arm 11 passing through the center of the ring 9 and connecting two opposite sides of the ring 9. The arm maintains an axis 12 substantially perpendicular to the plane of the ring 9. The axis 12 carries the spiral spring 6 in a plane parallel to that of the ring 9 by a first end. The second end is intended to be fixed to another fixed part 17 of the watch movement, called a piton.

Figure 3 shows a barrel spring 10 formed of a barrel spring 7 made from such a flexible composite material as described above. The barrel 10 comprises a substantially flat circular housing 13, provided with a gear tooth 15 on its external part, and an axis 14 passing through the center of the housing 13 perpendicular to the plane of the housing 13. The spring has the shape of a spiral substantially identical to that of the spiral spring described above for FIG. 2, but with different dimensions to meet its function of reserve and of supplier of mechanical energy to the clockwork movement. The spring 7 is arranged inside the housing 13 by being fixed on the one hand to the axis 14 by one end, and to the inner peripheral edge of the housing 13.

Regarding the manufacture of nanowires, conventional techniques related to the material chosen from the list are used, such as catalytic growth, chemical etching, electrochemical deposition (electrodeposition), or deep etching by reactive plasma. The deposition of thin layers is preferably used, for example by chemical deposition of CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) type or by physical deposition of PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) type. As in the first embodiment, photolithography methods are used to define the contours of the component on a substrate, for example made of silicon, where the nanowires are grown. After obtaining the nanowires, the flexible material is inserted between the nanowires. Finally, the component is detached from the substrate once it is complete.

International patent application WO 2014/172660 gives an exemplary embodiment of silica nanowires.

The nanowires 3 can also be produced by techniques other than catalytic growth, such as those described in the publication by N. Hutchison (MEMS 2009).

The filling material is inserted between the nanowires by methods of the ALD (atomic layer deposition), LPCVD (Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition), MOCVD (moderate pressure CVD) type, by electrochemical deposition (electro-deposition) , by CVD or by soaking in a liquid or gas phase.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the figures and variants could be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (9)

1. Flexible watch component (6, 7), in particular for an oscillator mechanism or for a barrel of a watch movement, the component comprising at least one part made of a composite material (1), characterized in that the composite material (1) comprises a matrix (2) and a multitude of nanowires (3) distributed in the matrix (2), the nanowires (3) being juxtaposed, the matrix (2) comprising a material (4) for filling the interstices ( 5) between the nanowires (3) to join them to each other, each nanowire (3) forming a solid one-piece tube. 2. Component (6, 7) according to claim 1, characterized in that the nanowires (3) are arranged substantially parallel to an axis (A) substantially perpendicular to the plane (P) of the component (6, 7) . 3. Component (6, 7) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the nanowires (3) are made in an element to be chosen from the following list: gold, palladium, silicon, diamond, boron nitride, gallium nitride, silicon nitride, zinc oxide, gallium arsenide, tungsten sulfide, silver, copper, manganese arsenide , indium arsenide, nickel, platinum, germanium, alloys of cobalt-graphene, phosphorus-germanium, copper-silver, gold-silver, phosphorus-indium compounds, nitrogen-gallium, nitrogen-indium-gallium, nitrogen-arsenic-gallium, arsenic-gallium, phosphorus-indium-gallium, sulfur-cadmium, sulfur-cadmium-selenium, nitrogen-aluminum -gallium, cesium-lead, antimony telluride, bismuth telluride, silicon oxide, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, l tungsten oxide, indium oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, lithium niobate, manganese oxide, inorganic compounds of the Li2Mo6Se6 or Mo6S9-xIx type., amorphous or partially amorphous metal alloys. 4. Component (6, 7) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nanowires (3) have a diameter (D) within an interval ranging from 2 to 50 nm, preferably in an interval ranging from 3 to 15 nm, or even from 5 to 10 nm. 5. Component (6, 7) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nanowires (3) have a length (L) within a range ranging from 100 to 500 microns, preferably in an interval ranging from 100 to 300 microns, or even from 150 to 200 microns. 6. Component (6, 7) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filling material (4) is produced in an element to be chosen from the following list: tungsten, organic materials such as parylene, hexagonal boron nitride, polycrystalline ruby type Al2O3, polycrystalline diamond, polycrystalline silicon, tungsten or molybdenum disulphides, graphite, lead, silicon carbide, nickel , indium phosphide, titanium oxide, poly-silicone, amorphous carbon, amorphous carbon of the DLC (Diamond-like-carbon) type, hafnium oxide, oxide of silicon, strontium titanate, zinc oxide, indium oxide, tungsten oxide, niobium oxide, cadmium oxide, magnesium fluoride, nitride titanium, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, galium nitride, hafnium nitride, calcium nitride, silver nitride, oxidized silicon, platinum, palladium, molybdenum, tantalum, zinc sulfide, molybdenum sulfide, germanium, hydrofluorocarbon, compounds of the type AlP, AlN, AlGaSb, AlGaAs, AlGaInP, AlGaN, AlGaP , GaSb, GaAsP, GaAs, GaN, GaP, InAlAs, InAlP, InSb, InGaSb, InGaN, GaInAlAs, GaInAlN, GaInAsN, GaInAsP, GaInAs, GaInP, InN, InP, InAs, InAsSb, ZnSe, HgCdTe, Ge. 7. Component (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a balance spring (8). 8. Component (7) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a barrel spring (10). 9. Watch movement, characterized in that it comprises a flexible watch component (6, 7) according to any one of the preceding claims.