EP2397919B1 - Manufacturing method for a hairspring assembly of a timepiece made of micro-machinable material or silicon - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a micro-mechanical assembly made of micro-machinable material or silicon comprising at least a first planar component made of micro-machinable material or silicon produced in a wafer of micro-machinable material or in silicon of given crystalline orientation, said first component extending on one side of a base plane.

The invention relates more particularly to a method of manufacturing a spiral watch-timepiece assembly made of micro-machinable material or silicon comprising at least one planar spiral spring made of a micro-machinable material or silicon made of a material wafer. micro-machinable or silicon of given crystalline orientation, said coil spring extending from one side of a base plane.

The invention also relates to a spiral assembly comprising a planar spiral spring and a terminal curve.

The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising at least one attachment point which comprises fixing means.

The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising at least one stud for hooking a hairspring, said peg comprising fixing means.

The technical field is that of micro-mechanical components, and in particular that of timepieces made of micro-machinable material or silicon, or the like.

More particularly, the field is that of three-dimensional components such as certain components of regulating and especially the spirals. The invention will be described more particularly for the preferred application of a spiral made of silicon.

Some watch spirals, such as Breguet spirals have an external terminal curve of particular shape, bent, or in a particular curve such as Phillips curve, this terminal curve being fixed to a peak. This peak, in the case of a flat hairspring, is in a plane other than that of the spring, and the projection of its position in the plane of the spring can be located anywhere in relation to this one, to the inside or outside the range of movement of the spring. In the case of a cylindrical hairspring, or other, the bolt can occupy any position in space.

The use of silicon has made great advances in watchmaking, in particular by using silicon spiral springs for high oscillation frequencies, especially 10 Hz.

Silicon implementation techniques make it possible to produce planar components by deep-etching ion etching (DRIE) and to obtain complex geometries. For three-dimensional components, the manufacturing possibilities are limited to parallel multi-layer components, and it is possible to combine different manufacturing processes: assembly, multi-level engraving, wafer-bonding, or others. These manufacturing methods are generally limited to putting together flat subcomponents, which can be staged, assembled at different levels.

These techniques do not allow the manufacture of a bent spiral, with an external terminal curve rising gently towards the upper level of pitonnage. And a fortiori they do not allow the realization of components with strong curvatures.

Indeed, if the peak is located much higher than the plane of the spiral, the terminal curve must allow to make a correct junction between the spiral body and the peak.

It is therefore necessary to be able to produce complex parts in silicon, in three dimensions, in order to solve such mechanical problems.

• on réalise au moins un premier composant plan constitué par un ressort spiral en matériau micro-usinable ou en silicium réalisé dans un wafer de matériau micro-usinable ou en silicium d'orientation cristalline donnée, ledit premier composant s'étendant d'un côté d'un plan de base;
• on réalise une courbe terminale;
• on effectue l'assemblage dudit ressort spiral et de ladite courbe terminale au niveau d'une zone de jonction par des moyens d'assemblage.

The patent application EP 2 184 652 in the name of WATCHES BREGUET proposes a paraxial solution with a junction of two parallel plane curves of micro-machinable material by a splice perpendicular to the planes of these two flat curves, which represents a significant progress compared to the prior art. In particular, this document discloses a method for manufacturing a spiral watchmaking assembly made of micro-machinable material or silicon, in which:

• at least one first planar component consisting of a spiral spring of micro-machinable material or of silicon made of a wafer of micro-machinable material or of silicon with a given crystalline orientation, said first component extending on one side of a basic plan;
• a terminal curve is made;
• the assembly of said spiral spring and said end curve is performed at a junction zone by assembly means.

The patent application EP 2 196 867 A1 in the name of WATCHES BREGUET describes a spiral curve elevation, made of silicon-based material, comprising an elevating device between the outer turn and the end turn of the spiral.

The patent application EP 1 843 227 A1 on behalf of The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd describes a coupled resonator comprising a hairspring and a tuning fork, resonating at different frequencies, and having permanent mechanical coupling means.

The present invention proposes to make the junction of a flat spiral spring micro-machinable material with a peak, a curve of strong curvature developing in space in a plane other than that of the spiral spring.

To this end, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a spiral watch assembly, this method being defined in independent claim 1. Variants of the invention are defined in the dependent claims 2 to 12. The invention also relates to a spiral watch assembly as defined in the independent claim 13. The invention also relates to a timepiece as defined in dependent claims 14 and 15. Thus, by using sub-components each made in a wafer, and assembled to each other perpendicularly to each other, it is possible to integrate curved elements, or elements of dimensions incompatible with traditional techniques, often limited to dimensions. diagonals of wafers between 100 and 300 mm.

In particular, the invention makes it possible to attach a planar spiral spring made of silicon to a pin situated much higher than its plane, and whose projection in the plane of this spiral spring is situated outside the latter.

The method according to the invention also advantageously makes it possible to assemble subcomponents which are derived from wafers of different crystalline orientations, which makes it possible to take advantage of the elastic properties according to the needs.

• la figure 1 représente, de façon schématisée et en perspective, un ensemble spiral en silicium pour pièce d'horlogerie réalisé selon l'invention, dans une première variante de réalisation, et comportant une courbe terminale dans un plan perpendiculaire à celui du ressort, représentée dans une position de pitonnage avec un piton éloigné du plan du ressort, cette courbe terminale ayant la plus petite dimension de sa plus petite section qui correspond à la plus petite dimension d'un wafer dont elle est issue ;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématisée de face de l'ensemble spiral spiral de la figure 1, pitonné au même piton ;
• la figure 3 représente, de façon schématisée, partielle, et en perspective, de façon analogue à la figure 1, un ensemble spiral en silicium, pitonné à un piton d'une pièce d'horlogerie, dans une deuxième variante de réalisation, cette courbe terminale ayant la plus grande dimension de sa plus petite section qui correspond à la plus petite dimension d'un wafer dont elle est issue ;
• la figure 4 est une vue schématisée, partielle, et de face de l'ensemble spiral de la figure 3, pitonné au même piton d'une pièce d'horlogerie.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• the figure 1 represents, schematically and in perspective, a spiral assembly made of silicon for a timepiece made according to the invention, in a first embodiment, and having a terminal curve in a plane perpendicular to that of the spring, shown in a pitoning position with a pin remote from the plane of the spring, this terminal curve having the smallest dimension of its smallest section which corresponds to the smallest dimension of a wafer from which it comes;
• the figure 2 is a schematic front view of the spiral spiral assembly of the figure 1 , pitoned to the same piton;
• the figure 3 represents, schematically, partially, and in perspective, in a similar way to the figure 1 , a spiral assembly made of silicon, pitoned at a peak of a timepiece, in a second variant embodiment, this end curve having the largest dimension of its smallest section which corresponds to the smallest dimension of a wafer from which it comes;
• the figure 4 is a schematic, partial, and front view of the spiral assembly of the figure 3 , pitoned at the same piton of a timepiece.

The technical field is that of micro-mechanical components, and in particular that of timepieces made of micro-machinable material or silicon, or the like. More particularly, the field is that of three-dimensional components such as certain components of regulating members and in particular the watch spirals. The invention is described here more particularly for the preferred application of a spiral assembly 1 of micro-machinable material or silicon, having a terminal curve 4 junction with a peak 5 of a timepiece 10, this peak 5 being offset with respect to the plane of a spiral spring 2 plan, to perform the peeling of this spiral assembly 1.

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a micromechanical or watchmaking assembly of micro-machinable material or silicon and three-dimensional. By "three-dimensional" it should be understood that this set develops in space not only according to a thickness, but that perpendiculars to surfaces which the component comprises cut it at several points, and that this set can not be obtained with a machining or a shaping of plane type allowing only contouring or machining pockets in a single direction perpendicular to a plane.

According to this method, a preliminary phase of study succeeds a sub-component manufacturing phase, then a phase of assembly of the completed component.

• on décompose le volume de l'ensemble en volumes élémentaires. Ces volumes élémentaires sont inscrits chacun dans un prisme élémentaire parallélépipédique, correspondant chacun à un wafer déterminé de par son épaisseur et son orientation cristalline. Certains de ces prismes élémentaires sont obliques par rapport à d'autres. Ces prismes élémentaires sont sécants au moins deux à deux au niveau d'une zone de jonction, il y a naturellement autant de zones de jonction que d'intersections entre les prismes;
• on dessine, correspondant à chaque prisme élémentaire, un sous-composant comportant, à chaque zone de jonction avec un prisme adjacent, des moyens de jonction qui sont agencés pour coopérer avec des moyens de jonction complémentaires que comporte un sous-composant adjacent dessiné dans ce prisme adjacent ;
• on vérifie par calcul la géométrie du composant constitué par assemblage aux différentes zones de jonction de ces sous-composants ;
• on choisit un mode d'assemblage pour chaque zone de jonction, on choisit pour chaque sous-composant une orientation cristalline particulière, et on vérifie par calcul l'obtention des propriétés mécaniques et de l'élasticité requises pour le composant final.

For the study phase, the process implements an iterative design process:

• we break down the volume of the set into elementary volumes. These elementary volumes are each inscribed in a parallelepipedic elemental prism, each corresponding to a wafer determined by its thickness and its crystalline orientation. Some of these elementary prisms are oblique to others. These elementary prisms are intersecting at least two by two at a junction zone, there are naturally as many junction zones as there are intersections between the prisms;
• a subcomponent is provided corresponding to each elemental prism, comprising, at each junction zone with an adjacent prism, junction means which are arranged to cooperate with complementary junction means comprising an adjacent subcomponent drawn in this section. adjacent prism;
• the geometry of the component constituted by assembly is checked by calculation at the different junction zones of these subcomponents;
• an assembly mode is chosen for each junction zone, a particular crystalline orientation is chosen for each subcomponent, and the mechanical properties and elasticity required for the final component are computationally checked.

During the sub-component manufacturing phase, each sub-component is manufactured in a wafer of crystalline orientation corresponding to that chosen for this subcomponent. It is understood that the concept of parallelepipedic prism, including rectangle, is used for the design phase alone, since for the manufacturing phase it is necessary to accommodate the format of the available wafers, which may in particular be disks.

During the assembly phase of the completed assembly, this assembly is assembled by assembling the sub-components in pairs according to the assembly mode determined for each junction zone.

In a preferred embodiment of the method, to facilitate implementation, all elementary prisms are perpendicular to each other.

In a particular embodiment, during the iterative design process, the number of subcomponents is minimized.

In another particular embodiment, during the iterative design process, the thicknesses of the subcomponents are minimized.

In yet another embodiment, during the iterative design process, the manufacturing cost is minimized by choosing the minimum cumulative cost during a simulation in which both the number and the thicknesses of the subcomponents are varied. .

The assembly at the junction zones can be achieved by any means compatible with the technology of the micro-machinable material or silicon.

• on décompose cet ensemble en sous-composants réalisables chacun dans un wafer de matériau micro-usinable ou en silicium d'orientation cristalline donnée, chaque dit wafer s'étendant parallèlement à un plan de wafer ;
• on définit des zones de jonction où ces sous-composants sont assemblés deux à deux, et où, de part et d'autre de cette zone de jonction, les normales aux plans des wafers dont sont issus chacun de ces sous-composants sont obliques l'une part rapport à l'autre ;
• on réalise au moins un de ces sous-composants pour former un deuxième composant joignant ce au moins un premier composant plan à un point situé, en projection sur ledit plan de base, en-dehors de ce premier composant ;
• on effectue l'assemblage de ces sous-composants au niveau de ces zones de jonction par des moyens d'assemblage.

The invention thus relates to a method of manufacturing a micro-mechanics assembly made of micro-machinable material or silicon comprising at least a first planar component made of micro-machinable material or silicon produced in a wafer of micro-machinable material. machinable or silicon of given crystalline orientation, this first component extending on one side of a base plane, characterized in that:

• this set is subdivided into sub-components, each of which can be produced in a wafer of micro-machinable material or in silicon of given crystalline orientation, each said wafer extending parallel to a wafer plane;
• junction zones are defined where these subcomponents are assembled in pairs, and where, on either side of this junction zone, the normals at the wafer planes from which each of these subcomponents are derived are oblique. one part to another;
• performing at least one of these subcomponents to form a second component joining this at least one first planar component to a point located, in projection on said base plane, outside this first component;
• these sub-components are assembled at these junction zones by assembly means.

In one embodiment of the invention, the wafer planes of some of these subcomponents are perpendicular to one another.

In particular, the wafer plane of the second component is perpendicular to that of the first component.

Advantageously, allowing the resolution of many junction or latching problems in space, the second component has the shape of a curve, and comprises at least one curvature in the plane between the two faces closest to the wafer from which it comes, and whose center of curvature is located between these parallel faces.

In a first embodiment, the smallest section of the second component has its smallest dimension which corresponds to the smallest dimension of the wafer from which it is derived.

In a second variant embodiment, the smallest section of the second component has its largest dimension corresponding to the smallest dimension of the elementary prism from which it is derived.

• un mode d'assemblage est réalisé par collage entre des moyens de jonction d'un composant et des moyens de jonction complémentaires que comporte un sous-composant adjacent, ces moyens de jonction et moyens de jonction complémentaires étant conçus avec un jeu d'assemblage adapté à ce collage ;
• un mode d'assemblage est réalisé par pincement entre des moyens de jonction d'un composant et des moyens de jonction complémentaires que comporte un sous-composant adjacent. Au moins les moyens de jonction ou bien les moyens de jonction complémentaires comportent au moins un élément élastique agencé pour immobiliser, respectivement, les moyens de jonction complémentaires ou les moyens de jonction. Naturellement, les moyens de jonction et les moyens de jonction complémentaire peuvent comporter chacun un tel élément élastique.

Among the various possible assembly methods, it is more particularly preferred to use at least one of the following assembly modes, which can naturally be differentiated according to the location and the constraints of the junction zone:

• an assembly method is achieved by gluing between junction means of a component and complementary junction means that comprises an adjacent subcomponent, these joining means and complementary junction means being designed with a suitable assembly set to this collage;
• an assembly mode is achieved by clamping between junction means of a component and complementary junction means that comprises an adjacent subcomponent. At least the joining means or the complementary joining means comprise at least one elastic element arranged to immobilize, respectively, the complementary joining means or the joining means. Naturally, the connecting means and the complementary joining means may each comprise such an elastic element.

To facilitate assembly, and in particular to ensure perfect reproducibility of a component assembled to the other, advantageously at least one of the junction areas comprises first stop means that comprise means for joining a component, and which are arranged to cooperate with first complementary stop means that comprise complementary junction means that comprises an adjacent subcomponent.

In a particular variant embodiment, these first stop means and / or these first complementary stop means are completed by second stop means, which are arranged to immobilize together the subcomponent and the adjacent subcomponent.

Due to the elasticity of the micro-machinable material, especially when it is constituted by silicon, it is particularly advantageous that these second stop means comprise at least one elastic element arranged to allow the assembly of the subcomponent and the adjacent subcomponent, and to prevent their disassembly. For example, with a junction zone of eye type as visible in the figures, one of the subcomponents, for example a flat spiral spring, comprises an eyelet into which is inserted the end of another sub-component. -composing, for example a terminal curve: this end comprises a stop, not shown in the figures, constituting first stop means, which cooperate with first complementary stop means constituted by one of the faces of the eyelet, and it further comprises, not shown in the figures, an elastic blade eclipsable by compression in a corresponding housing of the terminal curve during its insertion into the eyelet, and recalled in the stop position behind the other face of the eyelet, with which it cooperates with a free end in return. Thus, both accuracy and assembly safety are assured.

Preferably, all the components of this set are made of silicon.

More particularly, the invention has been developed for the development of a method of manufacturing a spiral assembly 1 of a timepiece 10 of micro-machinable material or silicon. Such a spiral assembly 1 comprises at least one such first component constituted by a spiral spring 2 plan of micro-machinable material or silicon, which is made in a wafer of micro-machinable material or silicon of given crystalline orientation, this spiral spring 2 extending from one side of a base plane P. This spiral spring plane 2 is arranged to cooperate on the side of its inner coil with a ferrule, or comprises at the end of its inner coil a ferrule. The spiral assembly 1 according to the invention associates with this spiral spring 2 means for its indirect hooking with a stud 5, belonging to a timepiece 10, and offset from it.

• on décompose cet ensemble spiral 1 en sous-composants réalisables chacun dans un wafer de silicium d'orientation cristalline donnée, chaque wafer s'étendant parallèlement à un plan de wafer qui lui est propre;
• on définit des zones de jonction 3 où ces sous-composants sont assemblés deux à deux, et où, de part et d'autre de la zone de jonction d'assemblage entre deux sous-composants particuliers, les normales aux plans des wafers dont sont issus chacun de ces sous-composants sont obliques l'une part rapport à l'autre ;
• on réalise au moins un de ces sous-composants pour former un tel deuxième composant constitué par une courbe terminale joignant ce au moins un ressort-spiral plan à un piton, piton qui est situé, en projection sur le plan de base, en-dehors du ressort-spiral, à l'extérieur de son emprise;
• on effectue l'assemblage de ces sous-composants au niveau de ces zones de jonction 3 par des moyens d'assemblage.

According to the invention:

• this spiral assembly 1 is subdivided into subcomponents which can each be produced in a silicon wafer of given crystalline orientation, each wafer extending parallel to a wafer plane of its own;
• junction zones 3 are defined in which these subcomponents are assembled in pairs, and where, on either side of the junction joining zone between two particular subcomponents, the normal to the plane of the wafers of which are each of these subcomponents are oblique to each other;
• at least one of these subcomponents is formed to form such a second component constituted by an end curve joining this at least one spiral spring plane to a piton, which is located, in projection on the base plane, outside spiral spring, outside its right-of-way;
• these sub-components are assembled at these junction zones 3 by means of assembly.

In particular for a simplified embodiment, the wafer planes of some of said subcomponents are perpendicular to each other. In a particular embodiment, they are all perpendicular two by two.

In a preferred embodiment, the wafer plane of the terminal curve 4 is perpendicular to that of the planar spiral spring 2, that is to say to the basic plane P.

Two variants of embodiment are shown in the figures, which differ by the relative position of the stud 5 and the spiral spring 2: on the Figures 1 and 2 the end curve 4 is substantially tangential to the spiral spring 2, and the stud 5 is located substantially on a plane tangential to the outermost turn 8 of the spiral spring 2, while on the Figures 3 and 4 the peak 5 occupies a substantially radial position with respect to the end 9 of the outermost turn 8, and the terminal curve 4 extends substantially perpendicular to the latter. We see well it is possible to adjust the morphology of the terminal curve 4 as a function of the position of the peak 5.

In these two embodiments, preferably and as shown in the figures, the terminal curve 4 comprises at least one curvature in the plane between the two faces closest to the wafer from which it is derived, and whose center of curvature is located between these parallel faces.

In a first variant embodiment, as visible on the Figures 1 and 2 , the smallest section of the terminal curve 4 has its smallest dimension which corresponds to the smallest dimension of the wafer from which it is derived.

In a second variant embodiment, as visible on the Figures 3 and 4 , the smallest section of the terminal curve 4 has its largest dimension which corresponds to the smallest dimension of said elementary prism from which it is derived.

In a preferred manner and as visible in the figures, the spiral assembly 1 comprises only the end curve 4 and the plane spiral spring 2.

The stud 5, which is part of the timepiece 10 in which is incorporated the spiral assembly 1, comprises fastening means 6 for the attachment of the latter. The end curve 4 preferably comprises, at its second end 11 opposite the flat spiral spring 2, complementary fastening means 7 arranged for its assembly and attachment to the fixing means 6 of the stud 5, and which preferably comprise a profile. complementary arranged to cooperate by interlocking or gluing with a profile that comprises the fixing means 6 of the peak. For example the fixing means 6 of the stud 5 are a notch, and the complementary fastening means 7 are a tenon. Naturally first and second stop means similar to those described above can equip this particular junction.

Regarding such a hairspring, the implementation of the invention also makes it possible to arrange the inner end 12 of the hairspring 2, on the side of the shell. In particular, by the same method the spiral spring 2 can still be assembled, on the side of its inner turn, with a subcomponent constituting an inner curve type "Grossmann curve".

In the same way, the spiral spring 2 can be assembled, on the side of its inner coil, with a subcomponent constituting a ferrule with a thickness greater than that of the spiral spring 2.

The junction of the subcomponents can be made by interlocking, with or without clipping, gluing or welding or brazing, these assembly methods being cumulative.

The assembled spiral assembly 1 can be made with a spiral spring 2 and a terminal curve 4 from the same wafer. But, as we have seen, it may be advantageous to favor, in certain configurations, particular crystalline orientations for certain subcomponents, so as to make the best use of their elastic properties in particular directions.

Preferably, all the components of this set are made of silicon.

The invention thus relates to a spiral assembly 1 comprising a spiral spring plane 2 and a terminal curve 4. It is achieved by the implementation of the method according to the invention. Its end curve 4 and its planar spiral spring 2, each made of micro-machinable material or silicon, are assembled together at a junction zone 3 and are in oblique planes, one for each other. report to the other. In a preferred embodiment, all the components of this spiral assembly 1 are made of silicon.

The invention also relates to a timepiece 10 comprising at least one attachment point 5 which comprises fastening means 6. According to the invention this timepiece 10 comprises at least a set 1 made by the method described above, in any of its variants, and comprises at least one such first component 2 and at least one such second component 4, the second component 4 for the attachment of this set 1 at this point of attachment 5. And this second component 4 comprises complementary fastening means 7 arranged for its assembly and its attachment to the fastening means 6 of the attachment point 5.

The invention also relates to a timepiece 10 comprising at least one peg 5 for the attachment of a hairspring, this peg 5 comprising fastening means 6, this timepiece 10 comprising at least one spiral assembly 1 obtained by the method according to the invention, and comprising a planar spiral spring 2 and an end curve 4, each made of micro-machinable material or silicon, and whose end curve 4 comprises complementary fastening means 7 arranged for its assembly and its attachment to the fixing means 6 of the peak 5.

Claims (15)

1. Method of fabricating a timepiece balance spring assembly (1) in micro-machinable material or in silicon and in three dimensions, including the following steps:

   - there is made at least a first flat component formed by a hairspring (2) in micro-machinable material or in silicon made in a wafer of micro-machinable material or in silicon with a given crystalline orientation, said first component extending on one side from a base plane (P);

   - there is made at least one sub-component of said balance spring assembly (1), called the second component (4), which is flat, inscribed in an elementary parallelepiped prism, secant with said hairspring (2) in a junction area, said second component (4) being made in a wafer of micromachinable material or in silicon, said second component (4) forming a terminal curve of said balance spring assembly (1) and directly joining said at least one flat hairspring (2) at a point in space, the projection of which onto said base plane (P) is located external to said hairspring (2), said terminal curve (4) being in an orthogonal plane to that of said at least one hairspring (2);

   - said hairspring (2) and said terminal curve (4) are assembled at said junction areas by assembling means.
2. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said terminal curve (4) includes at least one curvature in the plane located between the two parallel faces closest to said wafer from which it originates, and whose centre of curvature is located between said parallel faces.
3. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said terminal curve (4) joins said at least one flat hairspring to a stud (5) located, in projection onto said base plane (P), outside said hairspring (2).
4. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said terminal curve (4) has a profile of the Phillips curve type.
5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said balance spring assembly (1) includes only said terminal curve (4) and said flat hairspring (2).
6. Method according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said flat hairspring (2) is arranged to cooperate on the inner coil side thereof with a sub-component formed by a collet.
7. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the smallest dimension of the smallest section of said terminal curve (4) corresponds to the smallest dimension of the wafer from which it originates.
8. Method according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the largest dimension of the smallest section of said terminal curve (4) corresponds to the smallest section of said elementary prism from which it originates.
9. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that assembly of said sub-components is achieved by clamping between the junction means of one component and complementary junction means comprised in an adjacent sub-component, at least said junction means or said complementary junction means including at least one elastic element arranged for immobilising, respectively, at least said complementary junction means or said junction means.
10. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one said junction area includes first stop means which are comprised in the junction means of one component and arranged for cooperating with complementary first stop means comprised in complementary junction means comprised in an adjacent sub-component.
11. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said first stop means and/or said complementary first stop means are completed by second stop means arranged for immobilising together said sub-component and said adjacent sub-component.
12. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said second stop means include at least one elastic element arranged to allow the assembly of said sub-component and said adjacent sub-component and to prevent the disassembly thereof.
13. Timepiece balance spring assembly (1) made of micro-machinable material or of silicon and in three dimensions comprising at least a first flat component formed by a hairspring (2) in micro-machinable material or in silicon made in a wafer of micro-machinable material or in silicon with a given crystalline orientation, said first component extending on one side from a base plane (P), characterized in that said balance spring assembly includes at least one second component (4), which is flat, inscribed in an elementary parallelepiped prism, formed from a wafer of micro-machinable material or in silicon, said second component (4) forming a terminal curve (4) of said balance spring assembly (1) and directly joining said at least one hairspring (2) at a point in space, the projection of which onto said base plane (P) is located external to said hairspring (2), said terminal curve (4) being in an orthogonal plane to that of said at least one hairspring (2), said terminal curve (4) of said second component being secant with said hairspring (2) in a junction area, and assembled thereto in said junction area by assembling means.
14. Timepiece (10) including at least one point of attachment (5) which includes securing means (6), characterized in that the timepiece includes at least one balance spring assembly (1) according to the preceding claim, arranged such that the projection of said point of attachment (5) onto said base plane (P) and said hairspring (2) are external to one another, the projection of said point of attachment (5) onto said base plane (P) being located outside said hairspring (2), and further characterized in that said terminal curve (4) is assembled and secured to said point of attachment (5) by the cooperation between complementary securing means (7) comprised in said terminal curve (4) and said securing means (6) of said point of attachment (5).
15. Timepiece (10) according to the preceding claim, including at least one stud (5) for attaching a balance spring, said stud (5) comprising securing means (6), characterized in that said timepiece includes at least one balance spring assembly (1) according to claim 13, and in that said terminal curve (4) includes complementary securing means (7) arranged for the assembly and securing thereof to said securing means (6) of said stud (5).

Images