CH717145A2 - A method of manufacturing a one-piece mechanical timepiece. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a one-piece mechanical timepiece formed by a gear of clockwork mechanisms, a wheel of clockwork mechanisms and / or a pinion of clockwork mechanisms, and its related method. The method of manufacturing (500) the one-piece mechanical timepiece by laser light comprises the steps of providing (510) a piece of one-piece material, of oscillation and / or of rotation of the rotating element and of forming the one-piece mechanical timepiece by modulating the laser light in power and time.

Description

Technical area

The field of the invention relates to that of manufacturing processes for timepieces.

Technological background

The machining of timepieces is carried out in several stages, such as, for example, the manufacture first of all of the pinion and of the axis of rotation and in a second step the assembly of a wheel with the pinion and axle.

This method has many limits such as for example that of alignment so that the pinion and the wheel mesh simultaneously, not to mention the orientation, the flatness of the parts and their centering.

When small parts are intended for a clockwork mechanism, the force exerted during the machining of these parts is sometimes not suitable because it is too large and deforms them, thus limiting the accessible dimensions.

[0005] Furthermore, the assembly of the wheel on the axis of rotation requires a certain force on the parts and can cause the deformation of the wheel or of the axis.

Finally, the fact that some parts must be machined separately, then assembled to form a system, imposes certain dimensions allowing assembly, for example by driving, and therefore can weaken their respective mechanical strength.

Summary of the invention

The present invention proposes to resolve all or part of these drawbacks by means of a timepiece manufactured according to a manufacturing process (500) of a one-piece mechanical timepiece by laser light; said manufacturing process (500) comprising steps of: -providing (510) a single piece of material, preferably crystalline, composite and / or amorphous; -emission of a first modulation (520) of said laser light in power, geometry and time; and, -exposing at least a first portion (530) of said at least one integral part to said first modulation (520) of said laser light so as to form at least a first volume; -emission of a second modulation (540) of said laser light in power, geometry and time; and, -exposing at least a second portion (550) of said at least one integral part to said second modulation (540) of said laser light so as to form at least a second volume.

Thanks to this arrangement, it is possible to manufacture one-piece mechanical timepieces without misalignment between the different parts of the mechanical timepiece or deformation of the latter, and making it possible to maximize their dimensions to increase their mechanical robustness. , because the limitations of an assembly are no longer necessary. The example of an axis whose maximum diameter must allow a pinion to be driven out with the standard approach, is no longer limited with the proposed approach allowing a larger diameter pin which is in one piece with the pinion .

[0009] According to one embodiment, said manufacturing method (500) comprises a step of rotating during said at least one step of exposing at least a first portion of said at least one integral part and / or during said at least one step of exposing at least a second portion of said at least one integral part.

[0010] Thanks to this arrangement, it is possible to manufacture one-piece mechanical timepieces having symmetry.

According to one embodiment, said manufacturing method (500) comprises at least one step of forming at least a first relief, in particular at least a first convex relief or at least a first concave relief, and / or at at least one step of forming at least one second relief, in particular at least one second convex relief or at least one second concave relief.

Thanks to this arrangement, it is possible to manufacture one-piece mechanical timepieces with at least one relief.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the crystalline, composite or amorphous material is ceramic, quartz, glass, precious stone, metal, silicon, polymer, biological material and / or cermet.

According to one embodiment, said step of transmitting a first modulation and / or a second modulation of the laser light in power and in time is configured to manufacture an axis of clockwork mechanisms, a pivot of clockwork mechanisms, a stem of clockwork mechanisms, a pin of clockwork mechanisms, a gear of clockwork mechanisms, a wheel of clockwork mechanisms and / or a pinion of clockwork mechanisms or a combination of these mechanical timepieces, preferably an axis-pivot-pinion or axis-pinion-wheel.

Thanks to this arrangement, it is possible to manufacture one-piece mechanical timepieces without misalignment between the different parts of the mechanical timepiece or deformation of the latter, while ensuring the maximum dimensions for improved robustness.

[0016] According to one embodiment, said step of modulating the laser light in power and in time is configured to smooth and / or polish a surface of said one-piece mechanical timepiece.

Thanks to this arrangement, the smoothing and / or polishing step can be carried out by the same process.

[0018] According to one embodiment, said first modulation and / or second modulation of the laser light in power and in time is configured to satin-finish and / or mattify a surface of said one-piece mechanical timepiece.

Thanks to this arrangement, it is possible to satin and / or mattify a surface of said one-piece mechanical timepiece.

[0020] According to one embodiment, said manufacturing method comprises at least one step of structuring, coloring, marking, cutting, drilling, etching and / or ablation.

Thanks to this arrangement, it is possible to structure, mark, color, cut, drill and / or engrave.

The present invention relates to the use of a laser light source to form at least a first relief, in particular at least a first convex relief or at least a first concave relief, at least a second relief, in particular at least one second convex relief or at least one second concave relief and / or for structuring, coloring, marking, cutting, drilling, engraving and / or sculpting a one-piece mechanical timepiece.

Thanks to this arrangement, it is possible to manufacture one-piece mechanical timepieces without misalignment between the different parts of the mechanical timepiece or deformation of the latter, while ensuring the maximum dimensions for improved robustness.

Brief description of the figure

The invention will be described below in more detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, in which: FIG. 1 shows a method of manufacturing 500d'a mechanical part of monobloc watchmaking by laser light according to the invention FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate a pinion 911, seen from the side and from the front, of which the diameter of the hole for the axis 912est close to the hollow between two teeth; FIGS. 3A-3C show a pinion 921, seen from the side and from the front, with an axis 922 comprising a shoulder; and, FIGS. 4A and 4B show a one-piece mechanical timepiece 100, seen from the side and from the front, produced by said manufacturing method according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention relates to the use of a laser light source to form a one-piece mechanical timepiece comprising at least a first portion 530 with at least a first volume and at least a second portion 550 with a second volume.

[0026] In fact, said timepiece is manufactured according to a manufacturing process 500 by laser light described below.

First, it is necessary to provide 510a single piece of crystalline material, composite or amorphous, which can be, depending on the part that is to be manufactured, ceramic, quartz, glass, precious stone, metal, silicon , polymer, biological material such as wood, mother-of-pearl to name a few, and / or cermet.

Said one-piece mechanical timepiece is placed on the path of said laser light which emits a first modulation 520 in power, in geometry and in time. Indeed, said laser light is modulated according to certain parameters so that upon exposure of at least a first portion 530 of said one-piece part, a first volume is formed. Furthermore, it is also possible to configure said first modulation 520 of the laser light in power and time so as to satin-finish and / or mattify a surface of said one-piece mechanical timepiece, preferably at the end of the formation of the first volume.

Then, said one-piece mechanical timepiece is placed on the path of said laser light which emits a second modulation 540 in power, in geometry and in time, preferably different from the first modulation 520. During exposure of d 'at least a second portion 550de said one-piece part to said second modulation 540, a second volume is formed. Furthermore, it is also possible to configure said second modulation 540, just like said first modulation 520, of the laser light in power and time so as to satin-finish and / or mattify a surface of said one-piece mechanical timepiece, and this, preferably, at the end of the formation of the second volume.

According to the embodiments, during said at least one step of exposing at least a first portion and / or during said at least one step of exposing at least a second portion, said at least a one-piece part is rotated 560 in order to obtain one-piece mechanical timepieces having symmetry.

To this can be added a structuring step 570, coloring, marking, cutting, drilling, etching and / or ablation, which can be inserted at any time of said manufacturing process 500, such as for example during the emission of the first modulation (520) and / or of the second modulation (540) of said laser light in power. One of the advantages of structuring a one-piece mechanical timepiece is to allow better inertia of the part, for example.

Thus the result or the product of this manufacturing process can be in the form of an axis of clockwork mechanisms, of a pivot of clockwork mechanisms, of a stem of clockwork mechanisms, a pin for clockwork mechanisms, a gear for clockwork mechanisms, a wheel for clockwork mechanisms and / or a pinion for clockwork mechanisms or a combination of these mechanical parts clockwork, such as preferably a pivot-pinion or pinion-wheel axle.

One of the advantages of this process is the manufacture of a one-piece mechanical timepiece having a difference in thickness and / or height, between a pinion and an axis for example, minimal.

Furthermore, the one-piece mechanical timepiece parts, produced by said method of the invention, are manufactured without misalignment between the different parts of the mechanical timepiece or deformation of the latter, and making it possible to maximize their dimensions to increase their mechanical robustness, because the limitations of an assembly are no longer necessary. The example of an axis whose maximum diameter must allow a pinion to be driven out with the standard approach, is no longer limited with the proposed approach allowing a larger diameter pin which is in one piece with the pinion .

In fact, on certain one-piece mechanical timepiece, current manufacturing methods require the machining of a pinion and an axle, then assembly of the pinion with the axle.

However, when the diameter of the pinion hole, see figs. 2A and 2B, which will be used for the passage of the axis 912 represented in FIG. 2C is close to the hollow between two teeth, the machining operation is very delicate or even impossible without deforming either the teeth of the pinion 911 or the pinion 911 itself.

It is also possible to drill a hole in a pinion 921, see figs. 3A and 3B, further from the teeth. However, it is necessary to provide a shoulder on the axis 922, fig. 2C, to allow the passage of said axle 922. A major drawback is misalignment because the more wheels or pinions there are on the axle, the more complicated the alignment becomes on the one hand and, on the other hand, the axle 922 is weakened due to its difference in diameter which leads to torsions on the axle not to mention the lovemaking which may appear at the level of the wheel and / or the pinion.

[0038] By way of comparison, FIGS. 4A and 4B show a one-piece mechanical timepiece 100 produced by said manufacturing process according to the invention which makes it possible to manufacture one-piece mechanical timepieces, with a wheel and a pinion for example, without misalignment between the different parts of the watch. mechanical timepiece or deformation of all or part of the latter, and with optimal dimensions allowing reduced bulk but improved mechanical robustness.

Claims (9)

1. A method of manufacturing (500) a one-piece mechanical timepiece by laser light; said manufacturing process (500) comprising steps of: -supply (510) of a single piece of material, preferably crystalline, composite and / or amorphous; -emission of a first modulation (520) of said laser light in power, geometry and time; and, -exposing at least a first portion (530) of said at least one integral part to said first modulation (520) of said laser light so as to form at least a first volume; -emission of a second modulation (540) of said laser light in power, geometry and time; and, -exposing at least a second portion (550) of said at least one integral part to said second modulation (540) of said laser light so as to form at least a second volume. 2. The manufacturing method (500) according to claim 1, which comprises a step of rotating (560) during said at least one step of exposing at least a first portion of said at least one single piece and / or during said at least one step of exposing at least a second portion of said at least one single piece. 3. The manufacturing method (500) according to claim 1 or 2, which comprises at least one step of forming at least a first relief, in particular at least a first convex relief or at least a first concave relief, and / or at least a step of forming at least one second relief, in particular at least one second convex relief or at least one second concave relief. 4. The manufacturing method (500) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the crystalline, composite or amorphous material is ceramic, quartz, glass, precious stone, metal, silicon, polymer, biological material and / or cermet. 5. The manufacturing method (500) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said step of transmitting a first modulation (520) and / or a second modulation (540) of the laser light in power and in time is configured to manufacture a clockwork mechanism axis, a clockwork mechanism pivot, a clockwork mechanism rod, a clockwork mechanism pin, a clockwork mechanism gear, a mechanism wheel clockwork and / or a pinion of clockwork mechanisms or a combination of these mechanical clockwork parts. 6. The manufacturing method (500) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first modulation (520) and / or second modulation (540) of modulating the laser light in power and time is configured to smooth and / or polishing a surface of said one-piece mechanical timepiece. 7. The manufacturing method (500) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first modulation (520) and / or second modulation (540) of the laser light in power and time is configured to satin and / or mattify. a surface of said one-piece mechanical timepiece. 8. The manufacturing method (500) according to any one of the preceding claims, which comprises at least one step of structuring, coloring, marking, cutting, drilling, etching and / or ablation. 9. Use of a laser light source to form at least a first relief, in particular at least a first convex relief or at least a first concave relief, at least a second relief, in particular at least a second convex relief or at least one. second concave relief and / or for structuring, coloring, marking, cutting, drilling, engraving and / or sculpting a one-piece mechanical timepiece.