EP3545366B1 - Flexibly guided rotary resonator maintained by a free escapement with pallet - Google Patents

Description

Field of invention

The invention relates to a timepiece regulating mechanism, comprising, arranged on a plate, a resonator mechanism of a quality factor Q, and an escapement mechanism which is subjected to a torque of motor means comprising a movement, said resonator mechanism comprising an inertial element arranged to oscillate relative to said plate, said inertial element being subjected to the action of elastic return means fixed directly or indirectly to said plate, and said inertial element being arranged to cooperate with an escapement wheel and pinion comprising said escapement mechanism.

The invention also relates to a clockwork movement comprising drive means, and such a regulating mechanism, the escapement mechanism of which is subjected to the torque of these drive means.

The invention also relates to a watch, more particularly a mechanical watch, comprising such a movement, and/or such a regulating mechanism.

The invention relates to the field of watch regulation mechanisms, in particular for watches.

Background of the invention

Most mechanical watches have a sprung balance oscillator, cooperating with a Swiss lever escapement. The sprung balance constitutes the time base of the watch. It is called a resonator here. The escapement, for its part, fulfills two main functions, namely to maintain the back and forth movements of the resonator, and to count these back and forth movements. This escapement must be robust, not disturb the balance far from its point of equilibrium, withstand shocks, avoid jamming the movement (for example when it is overturned), and is therefore a critical component of the watch movement.

Typically, a sprung balance oscillates with an amplitude of 300°, and the lift angle is 50°. The lift angle is the angle of the balance at which the lever fork interacts with the balance pin, also called the ellipse. In most current Swiss lever escapements, the lift angle is distributed on either side of the balance balance point (+/- 25°), and the lever swings +/- 7°.

The Swiss anchor escapement belongs to the category of free escapements, because, beyond the half-lift angle, the resonator no longer touches the anchor. This characteristic is essential to obtain good chronometric properties.

A mechanical resonator comprises an inertial element, a guide and an elastic return element. Traditionally, the balance wheel constitutes the inertial element, and the hairspring constitutes the elastic return element. The balance wheel is guided in rotation by pivots, which turn in plain ruby bearings. The associated friction is the cause of energy losses and operating disturbances. The aim is to eliminate these disturbances, which, moreover, depend on the orientation of the watch in the gravitational field. The losses are characterized by the quality factor Q of the resonator. The aim is generally to maximize this quality factor Q, in particular to obtain the best possible power reserve. It is understood that the guide constitutes an essential factor of losses.

The use of a rotating flexible guide, instead of the traditional pivots and hairspring, is a solution that allows to maximize the quality factor Q. Flexible resonators, provided they are well designed, have promising chronometric properties, independent of the orientation in gravity, and have high quality factors, in particular due to the absence of pivot friction. In addition, the use of flexible guides eliminates the problems of wear of the pivots.

However, the flexible blades generally used in such rotating flexible guides are more rigid than hairsprings. This leads to working at a higher frequency, for example of the order of 20 Hz, and at a lower amplitude, for example from 10° to 20°. This seems at first glance to be incompatible with a Swiss lever type escapement.

A compatible operating amplitude for a rotating flexible guide resonator, especially with blades, is typically 6° to 15°. This results in a certain lift angle value, which must be twice the minimum operating amplitude.

Without special precautions, a low lift angle escapement can have poor performance and cause too much delay. However, the combination of high frequency and low amplitude allows for balance wheel passage speeds which are acceptable, without being too high, and therefore the efficiency of the escapement is not automatically poor.

The resonator must have an acceptable size, compatible with its housing in a clockwork movement, it is not possible to date to produce a flexible rotating guide of very large diameter, nor with several pairs of blade levels, which would theoretically allow, by placing successive flexible guides in series, to obtain an oscillation amplitude of the inertial element of several tens of degrees: it is therefore appropriate to use a flexible guide with one or two blade levels at most, for example as known from the document EP3035126 on behalf of THE SWATCH GROUP RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT Ltd.

In short, the effect of choosing a rotating flexible guide is that the amplitude of the balance is reduced, and that a traditional Swiss lever escapement can no longer be used, which requires a balance amplitude significantly greater than the half-lift angle, i.e. greater than 25°. A regulator incorporating a flexible-guided resonator therefore requires a special escapement mechanism, with a different dimensioning than a conventional Swiss lever escapement designed to operate with the same inertial element of the resonator.

The document EP2894520 on behalf of NIVAROX SA presents a mechanism according to the preamble of claim 1 annexed.

Summary of the invention

The present invention has the overall objective of increasing the power reserve and the precision of current mechanical watches. To achieve this objective, the invention combines a rotating flexible guide resonator with an optimized lever escapement to maintain acceptable dynamic losses and limit the chronometric effect of the clearance.

In the absence of teaching in the prior art for the dimensioning of both the resonator and the escapement mechanism, calculations of an analytical model and a simulation campaign have made it possible to highlight parameters of the resonator and the escapement, which are compatible with acceptable efficiency and delay.

These calculations and simulations demonstrate that the relationship between the inertia of the inertial element, in particular a balance wheel, and the inertia of the anchor, is decisive.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a regulating mechanism according to claim 1.

Such resonators with rotating flexible guidance have very high quality factors, for example of the order of 3000, compared with a quality factor of 200 for a usual watch. However, dynamic losses (kinetic energy of the escapement wheel and the anchor at the end of the impulse) are independent of the quality factor. These losses can therefore become too significant, at a high quality factor, in relative level compared to the energy transmitted to the balance.

For the mechanism to function correctly, a plate pin secured to the inertial element must penetrate a certain amount, called penetration, into the opening of the anchor fork. Similarly, to ensure safety features on release, this plate pin must then be able, after release of the pin, to be maintained at a certain distance, called safety, from the horn of the fork opposite to that on which it was in contact immediately before its release.

Also, the invention further seeks to impose a particular relationship between the dimensions of the anchor fork, the penetration and safety values, and the values of the lifting angles of the anchor and the inertial element, to ensure that the pin retracts correctly from the fork, once the half lifting angle has been covered.

The invention also relates to a clockwork movement comprising drive means, and such a regulating mechanism, the escapement mechanism of which is subjected to the torque of these drive means.

The invention also relates to a watch, more particularly a mechanical watch, comprising such a movement, and/or such a regulating mechanism.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 comporte un double graphique comportant sur la même abscisse le rapport entre l'inertie de l'élément inertiel du résonateur et l'inertie de l'ancre, et qui, en ordonnée montre, pour un exemple particulier de mécanisme, d'une part au niveau du graphique supérieur en partie positive l'allure du rendement du régulateur en %, et au niveau du graphique inférieur en partie négative l'allure du retard en secondes par jour; ces graphiques supérieur et inférieur sont établis pour une même géométrie d'échappement donnée, avec des valeurs particulières de facteur de qualité, d'angle de levée d'ancre, et d'amplitude de fonctionnement;
• la figure 2 représente, de façon schématisée, partielle, et en perspective, un mouvement d'horlogerie, avec une platine porteuse d'un mécanisme régulateur selon l'invention, comportant un résonateur à guidage flexible avec deux lames flexibles disposées sur deux niveaux parallèles et croisées en projection, fixées à la platine par l'intermédiaire d'un élément élastique, ce résonateur comportant un élément inertiel de grande étendue, en forme de lettre oméga, et dont la partie centrale, portée par les deux lames flexibles, porte une cheville agencée pour coopérer avec une ancre symétrique, dont le pivotage par un arbre métallique sur la platine n'est pas représenté, qui coopère elle-même avec une roue d'échappement classique;
• la figure 3 représente, en vue en plan, le seul mécanisme régulateur de la figure 2, agencé sur la platine du mouvement;
• la figure 4 représente, en vue en plan, le détail du mécanisme régulateur de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 5 représente, en perspective partiellement éclatée, le mécanisme régulateur de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 6 représente, en vue en plan, un détail de la zone de coopération entre la cheville de plateau de l'élément inertiel du résonateur, et la fourchette de l'ancre, représentée dans une position de butée sur une goupille de limitation;
• la figure 7 représente, en vue en plan, l'ancre du mécanisme de la figure 2, en forme de cornes de bovin watusi ;
• la figure 8 représente, en vue en plan, le guidage flexible du mécanisme de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 9 représente, en vue en plan, une exécution particulière d'un niveau du guidage flexible du mécanisme de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 10 représente, en vue de côté, le mécanisme régulateur de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 11 représente, en perspective, un détail du mécanisme régulateur de la figure 2, concernant des butées anti-choc au niveau de sa platine;
• les figures 12 à 14 sont des graphiques comportant en abscisse le couple appliqué au mobile d'échappement, et en ordonnée, respectivement l'amplitude mesurée en degrés sur la figure 12, le retard en secondes par jour sur la figure 13, et le rendement du régulateur en % sur la figure 14 ;
• la figure 15 est un schéma-blocs qui représente une montre comportant un mouvement avec des moyens moteurs et un mécanisme régulateur selon l'invention ;
• les figures 16 à 19 représentent, en vue en plan, des étapes de la cinématique, déjà symbolisée par la figure 6, au niveau de l'ellipse de balancier, de la fourchette de l'ancre de la figure 7, et du mobile d'échappement ici constitué par une roue d'échappement traditionnelle :
• figure 16 : repos de la roue d'échappement sur la palette d'entrée, arc libre du résonateur;
• figure 17 : dégagement ;
• figure 18 : début de l'impulsion ;
• figure 19 : repos de la roue d'échappement sur la palette de sortie, arc libre du résonateur, et mise en sécurité.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, where:

• there figure 1 includes a double graph showing on the same abscissa the ratio between the inertia of the inertial element of the resonator and the inertia of the anchor, and which, on the ordinate, shows, for a particular example of mechanism, on the one hand at the level of the upper graph in positive part the shape of the efficiency of the regulator in %, and at the level of the lower graph in negative part the shape of the delay in seconds per day; these upper and lower graphs are established for the same given escapement geometry, with particular values of quality factor, anchor lift angle, and operating amplitude;
• there figure 2 represents, in a schematic, partial, and perspective manner, a clockwork movement, with a plate carrying a regulating mechanism according to the invention, comprising a flexible-guided resonator with two flexible blades arranged on two parallel levels and crossed in projection, fixed to the plate by means of an elastic element, this resonator comprising a large inertial element, in the shape of an omega letter, and the central part of which, carried by the two flexible blades, carries a pin arranged to cooperate with a symmetrical anchor, the pivoting of which by a metal shaft on the plate is not shown, which itself cooperates with a conventional escape wheel;
• there figure 3 represents, in plan view, the only regulatory mechanism of the figure 2 , arranged on the movement plate;
• there figure 4 represents, in plan view, the detail of the regulating mechanism of the figure 2 ;
• there figure 5 represents, in partially exploded perspective, the regulatory mechanism of the figure 2 ;
• there figure 6 represents, in plan view, a detail of the cooperation zone between the plate pin of the inertial element of the resonator, and the fork of the anchor, represented in a stop position on a limiting pin;
• there figure 7 represents, in plan view, the anchor of the mechanism of the figure 2 , in the shape of watusi cattle horns;
• there figure 8 shows, in plan view, the flexible guidance of the mechanism of the figure 2 ;
• there figure 9 represents, in plan view, a particular execution of a level of the flexible guidance of the mechanism of the figure 2 ;
• there figure 10 represents, in side view, the regulatory mechanism of the figure 2 ;
• there figure 11 represents, in perspective, a detail of the regulatory mechanism of the figure 2 , concerning anti-shock stops at the level of its plate;
• THE Figures 12 to 14 are graphs with the torque applied to the escapement wheel on the abscissa, and the amplitude measured in degrees on the ordinate, respectively. figure 12 , the delay in seconds per day on the figure 13 , and the regulator efficiency in % on the figure 14 ;
• there figure 15 is a block diagram which represents a watch comprising a movement with motor means and a regulating mechanism according to the invention;
• THE Figures 16 to 19 represent, in plan view, stages of the kinematics, already symbolized by the figure 6 , at the level of the balance ellipse, of the fork of the anchor of the figure 7 , and the escapement wheel here constituted by a traditional escape wheel:
• figure 16 : rest of the escape wheel on the entry pallet, free arc of the resonator;
• figure 17 : clearance;
• figure 18 : start of the pulse;
• figure 19 : resting of the escape wheel on the output pallet, free arc of the resonator, and safety.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

The invention combines a rotating flexible-guided resonator, in order to increase the power reserve and precision, with an anchor escapement optimized to maintain acceptable dynamic losses and limit the chronometric effect of the clearance.

The invention thus relates to a regulator mechanism 300 for a watch, comprising, arranged on a plate 1, a resonator mechanism 100 with a quality factor Q, and an escapement mechanism 200, which is subjected to a pair of motor means 400 which comprise a movement 500.

This resonator mechanism 100 comprises an inertial element 2 which is arranged to oscillate relative to the plate 1. This inertial element 2 is subjected to the action of elastic return means 3 fixed directly or indirectly to the plate 1. The inertial element 2 is arranged to cooperate indirectly with an escape wheel 4, in particular an escape wheel, which the escape mechanism 200 comprises, and which pivots around an escape axis DE.

The resonator mechanism 100 is a rotary resonator with a virtual pivot, around a main axis DP, with flexible guidance comprising at least two flexible blades 5, and comprises a plate pin 6 secured to the inertial element 2. The escapement mechanism 200 comprises an anchor 7, which pivots around a secondary axis DS and comprises an anchor fork 8 arranged to cooperate with the plate pin 6, and is thus a free escapement mechanism: in its operating cycle, the resonator mechanism 100 has at least one freedom phase where the plate pin 6 is at a distance from the anchor fork 8. The resonator lift angle β, during which the plate pin 6 is in contact with the anchor fork 8, is less than 10°.

Given a particular escapement geometry, and a particular operating amplitude, in particular 8°, dynamic multi-body simulations (i.e. relating to a set of several components each of which is assigned a particular mass and inertia distribution) make it possible to evaluate the efficiency and delay of this escapement mechanism as a function of the inertia ratio between the inertia of the inertial element and the inertia of the anchor, which standard kinematic simulations do not make it possible to establish. As seen in the figure 1 , we note that, under simulation conditions, there is a threshold of good efficiency, greater than 35%, and of low delay, less than 8 seconds per day, for an inertia of the inertial element, in particular of a balance wheel, which is 10,000 times greater than the inertia of the anchor.

The analytical model of the system thus showed that, if we want to limit dynamic losses, a particular condition links the inertia of the anchor, the inertia of the inertial element, the quality factor of the resonator, and the lifting angles of the anchor and the inertial element: for a coefficient ε of dynamic losses, the inertia I _B of the inertial element 2 with respect to the main axis DP on the one hand, and the inertia I _A of the anchor 7 with respect to the secondary axis DS on the other hand, are such that the ratio I _B /I _A is greater than 2Q.α ² /(ε.π.β ² ), where α is the lifting angle of the anchor which corresponds to the maximum angular travel of the anchor fork 8.

More particularly, if we want to limit the dynamic losses to a factor ε=10%, the inertia I _B of the inertial element 2 with respect to the main axis DP on the one hand, and the inertia I _A of the anchor 7 with respect to the secondary axis DS on the other hand, are such that the ratio I _B /I _A is greater than 2Q.α ² /(0.1.π.β ² ), where α is the lifting angle of the anchor which corresponds to the maximum angular travel of the anchor fork 8.

More particularly, the resonator lift angle β, which is an overall angle, taken on either side of the rest position, is less than twice the amplitude angle by which the inertial element 2 deviates at most from a rest position, in only one direction of its movement.

More particularly, the amplitude angle, from which the inertial element 2 deviates as much as possible from a rest position, is between 5° and 40°.

More particularly, during each alternation, in a contact phase the plate pin 6 penetrates into the anchor fork 8 with a penetration stroke P greater than 100 micrometers, and in a release phase the plate pin 6 remains at a distance from the anchor fork 8 with a safety distance S greater than 25 micrometers.

Fork 8 of lever 7 is thus widened compared to what would be a classic Swiss lever fork, much narrower and allowing less freedom to ellipse 6, which would not be able to enter and exit the fork of a classic Swiss lever with such a small angular amplitude. This concept of widened fork makes it possible to operate a lever escapement even though the amplitude of the resonator is much lower than in a classic balance spring, which is particularly interesting for resonators with flexible guides, which have a low amplitude, as in this case. Indeed, it is important that, during the operating cycle, the balance is completely free at certain times.

And the plate pin 6 and the anchor fork 8 are advantageously dimensioned so that the width L of the anchor fork 8 is greater than (P+S)/sin(α/2+β/2), the penetration stroke P and the safety distance S being measured radially relative to the main axis DP.

The useful width L1 of the plate pin 6, visible on the figure 6 , is slightly less than the width L of the anchor fork 8, and, more particularly, less than or equal to 98% of L. This plate pin 6 is advantageously tapered behind its surface of useful width L1, the pin may in particular have a prismatic shape of triangular section as suggested in the figure, or similar.

Observation of the figures shows a complementary action on the positioning of ellipse 6, located much further from the axis of rotation of balance 2 than in a conventional escapement mechanism: the upper radius combined with a lower pivot angle makes it possible to maintain an equivalent curvilinear travel of ellipse 6, which is necessary to enable it to perform its distribution-counting function. The use of a large-diameter balance is therefore particularly interesting.

More particularly, the eccentricity E2 of the ellipse 6 relative to the balance axis, and the eccentricity E7 of the fork horn 8 relative to the balance axis anchor 7, are between 40% and 60% of the center distance E between the axis of anchor 7 and the axis of the balance. More particularly, the eccentricity E2 is between 55% and 60% of the center distance E, and the eccentricity E7 is between 40% and 45% of the center distance E. More particularly, the interference zone between ellipse 6 and fork 8 extends over 5% to 10% of the center distance E.

Thus, the invention defines, by construction, a new pin-fork layout, which has a very particular characteristic, according to which the horns of the fork are further apart, and the pin is wider, than for a Swiss anchor mechanism of known type with a usual lifting angle of 50°.

Thus, by significantly widening the anchor fork compared to the usual proportions, it is still possible to size a Swiss anchor escapement with a very small lift angle, for example of the order of 10°.

There figure 6 shows that, even with very small pivot angles, we can enter the ellipse 6 into the range 8 with good penetration P, and exit it with sufficient safety S.

THE Figures 16 to 19 illustrate the kinematics and show that adequate penetrations P and safety devices S are available, with this combined design of the ellipse 6 very far from the balance axis, and of the anchor 7 of a particular shape and in particular with an enlarged fork.

And we understand the interest, to maximize the efficiency of the resonator, of the particular relationship, exposed above and which links the inertia of the inertial element and the inertia of the anchor, in a ratio greater than 10000.

It is therefore particularly interesting to have an anchor that is both very small and very light, and a balance wheel of large dimensions and high mass.

More specifically, the anchor 7 is made of silicon, which allows a miniaturized and very precise execution, with a density less than a third of that of steel. Having a silicon anchor allows to reduce its inertia compared to a metal anchor. A low inertia of the anchor with respect to the balance is crucial to have a correct performance at low amplitude and high frequency, in the present case of resonators with flexible guides.

The balance wheel is, when the watch range allows it, advantageously made of a heavy metal or alloy, including gold, platinum, tungsten, or similar, and may include weights of similar constitution. Failing this, the balance wheel is conventionally made of CuBe2 copper-beryllium alloy, or similar, and weighted with balancing weights and/or adjustment weights made of nickel silver or other alloy.

More particularly, this anchor 7 is on a single level of silicon, attached to a shaft, metallic or similar, such as ceramic, or other, pivoted relative to the plate 1.

More specifically, escapement wheel 4 is a silicon escape wheel.

More particularly, the escapement wheel 4 is an escape wheel which is perforated to minimize its inertia relative to its pivot axis DE.

More particularly, the anchor 7 is perforated to minimize its inertia I _A relative to the secondary axis DS.

Preferably, the anchor 7 is symmetrical with respect to the secondary axis DS, so as to avoid any imbalance, and to avoid parasitic torques during linear impacts, in particular in translation. An additional advantage is then the great ease of assembly of this very small component, which the operator carrying out the assembly can handle from any side.

There figure 7 shows the two horns 81 and 82 arranged to cooperate with the chainring pin 6, the pallets 72 and 73 arranged to cooperate with teeth of the escapement wheel 4, and false horns 80 and false pallets 70 whose sole role is perfect balancing,

More particularly, the largest dimension of the inertial element 2 is larger than half of the largest dimension of the plate 1.

More particularly, the main axis DP, the secondary axis DS and the pivot axis of the escapement wheel 4 are arranged according to a right-angle pointing whose apex is on the secondary axis DS. It is understood that thus, with reference to a classic Swiss anchor in the shape of a T with a rod and two arms, the rod is removed, which becomes one of the two arms 76, visible on the figure 7 , which carries the horns 81 and 82 and the output pallet 72 almost merged with the horn 82, the other arm 75 carrying the input pallet 73.

The comparison with the Swiss anchor is to be continued, as regards the means of preventing overturning, usually constituted by a dart located on a plane offset from the anchor. This function is important to avoid any jamming of the balance. In particular, the balance is devoid of small plate and therefore a plate notch designed to cooperate with such a dart. Here, due to the small pivot angles, the ellipse is never far from the fork.

According to the invention as claimed, the anti-overturning function is then advantageously fulfilled by the combination of the circular arc-shaped circumference 60 of the ellipse 6, and by the corresponding surface 810, 820, of the relevant anchor horn 81, 82: this horn plays the usual role of a dart, and the circumference of the ellipse plays the role of the small plate. The additional advantage which results from this is that, as regards its cooperation with the anchor of a single level, the balance can also be, locally, at a single level, which simplifies its manufacture and reduces its cost.

The design of a single-level anchor, which greatly simplifies the manufacture of the anchor, is possible only because overturning is thus prevented by the low amplitude of the resonator, combined with the large width of the ellipse (width approximately equal to the enlarged fork).

More particularly, the flexible guide comprises two flexible blades 5 crossed in projection on a plane perpendicular to the main axis DP, at the virtual pivot defining the main axis DP, and located in two parallel and distinct levels. More particularly still, the two flexible blades 5, in projection on a plane perpendicular to the main axis DP, form between them an angle of between 59.5° and 69.5°, and cross between 10.75% and 14.75% of their length, so as to provide the resonator mechanism 100 with a voluntary isochronism defect opposite to the escapement delay defect of the escapement mechanism 200.

The resonator thus has an anisochronism curve which compensates for the delay caused by the escapement. That is to say that the free resonator is designed with an isochronism defect opposite to the defect caused by the lever escapement. The escapement delay is therefore compensated for by the design of the resonator.

More particularly, the two flexible blades 5 are identical and are positioned symmetrically. More particularly still, each flexible blade 5 belongs to a single-piece assembly 50, in a single piece with two solid parts 51, 55, and with its first alignment means 52A, 52B, and fixing means 54 on the plate 1, or, advantageously and as visible on the figure 10 , for fixing on an intermediate elastic suspension blade 9 fixed to the plate 1 and which is arranged to allow movement of the flexible guide and the inertial element 2 in the direction of the main axis DP, so as to provide good protection against impacts of direction Z perpendicular to the plane of such a single-piece assembly 10, and therefore to avoid breaking the blades of the flexible guide. This intermediate elastic suspension blade 9 is advantageously made of “Durimphy” alloy or similar. In the non-limiting variant illustrated by the figures, the first alignment means are a first V 52A and a first flat 52B, and the first fixing means comprise at least a first bore 54. A first plating blade 53 provides support on the first fixing means. Similarly, the single-piece assembly 50 comprises, for its fixing on the inertial element 2, second alignment means which are a second V 56A and a second flat 56B, and the second fixing means comprise at least a second bore 58. A second plating blade 57 provides support on the second fixing means.

The flexible guide 3 with crossed blades 5 is advantageously made up of two identical 50-piece silicon monobloc assemblies, assembled symmetrically to form the crossing of the blades, and precisely aligned with each other thanks to the integrated alignment means and to auxiliary means such as pins and screws, not shown in the figures.

Thus, more particularly, at least the resonator mechanism 100 is fixed on an intermediate elastic suspension blade 9 fixed to the plate 1 and arranged to allow a movement of the resonator mechanism 100 in the direction of the main axis DP, and the plate 1 comprises at least one shock-absorbing stop 11, 12, at least in the direction of the main axis DP, and preferably at least two such shock-absorbing stops 11, 12, which are arranged to cooperate with at least one rigid element of the inertial element 2, for example a flange 21 or 22 added during the assembly of the inertial element with the flexible guide 3 comprising the blades 5.

The elastic suspension blade 9, or a similar device, allows movements of the entire resonator 100 substantially in the direction defined by the virtual axis of rotation DP of the guide. The purpose of this device is to prevent the blades 5 from breaking in the event of a transverse impact in the direction DP.

There figure 11 illustrates the presence of shock-absorbing stops limiting the travel of the inertial element 2 in the three directions in the event of an impact, but located at a sufficient distance so that the inertial element does not touch the stops under the effect of gravity. For example, the flange 21 or 22 has a bore 211 and a face 212, capable of cooperating respectively in shock-absorbing support with a journal 121 and a complementary surface 122 at the level of the stop 21 or 22.

More particularly, the inertial element 2 comprises weights 20 for adjusting the speed and the imbalance.

More particularly, the tray pin 6 is a single piece with a flexible blade 5, or more particularly, such a single piece assembly 50 as illustrated in the figures.

More particularly, the anchor 7 comprises bearing surfaces arranged to cooperate in bearing with teeth that the escapement wheel 4 comprises and to limit the angular travel of the anchor 7. These supports make it possible to limit the angular travel of the anchor, as would do pins. The angular travel of the anchor 78 can also be conventionally limited by limiting pins 700.

More particularly, the flexible guide 3 is made of oxidized silicon to compensate for the effects of temperature on the operation of the regulating mechanism 300.

The invention also relates to a clockwork movement 500 comprising motor means 400, and such a regulating mechanism 300, the escapement mechanism 200 of which is subjected to the torque of these motor means 400.

The graphs of the Figures 12 to 14 present a series of simulation results in which Q=2000, I _B =26550 mg.mm ² , frequency of 20Hz, escapement wheel comprising 20 teeth, more particularly the lifting angle α of the anchor is 14°, and the resonator lifting angle β is 10°.

The invention also relates to a watch 1000, more particularly a mechanical watch, comprising such a movement 500, and/or such a regulating mechanism 300.

In short, the present invention makes it possible to increase the power reserve and/or the precision of current mechanical watches. For a given movement size, the autonomy of the watch can be quadrupled and the regulating power of the watch doubled. This amounts to saying that the invention allows a gain of a factor of 8 on the performance of the movement.

Claims (10)

1. Horological regulator mechanism (300) comprising, arranged on a plate (1), a resonator mechanism (100) with a quality factor Q, and an escapement mechanism (200) which is arranged to be subjected to a torque from drive means (400) comprised in a movement (500), said resonator mechanism (100) comprising an inertial element (2) arranged to oscillate with respect to said plate (1), said inertial element (2) being subjected to the action of resilient return means (3) directly or indirectly attached to said plate (1), and said inertial element (2) being arranged to cooperate indirectly with an escape wheel set (4) comprised in said escapement mechanism (200), wherein said resonator mechanism (100) is a resonator with a virtual pivot rotating about a main axis (DP), with a flexure bearing comprising at least two flexible blades (5), and comprising an impulse pin (6) integral with said inertial element (2), wherein said escapement mechanism (200) comprises a pallet-lever (7) pivoting about a secondary axis (DS) and comprising a pallet-lever fork (8) arranged to cooperate with said impulse pin (6), and is a detached escapement mechanism, in the operating cycle of which, said resonator mechanism (100) has at least one phase of freedom in which said impulse pin (6) is at a distance from said pallet-lever fork (8), wherein said pallet-lever (7) is arranged in a single level and, in order for it to cooperate with said single-level pallet-lever (7), the balance (2) is also, locally, arranged in a single level, characterised in that the anti-overbanking function of said resonator mechanism (100) is ensured by the combination of an arcuate periphery (60) of said impulse pin (6), and by the corresponding antagonistic surface (810; 820) of a relevant horn (81; 82) of said pallet-lever (7).
2. Regulator mechanism (300) according to claim 1, characterised in that the overall angle of resonator lift (β), during which said impulse pin (6) is in contact with said pallet-lever fork (8), is less than 10°.
3. Regulator mechanism (300) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, during each vibration, in a contact phase, said impulse pin (6) penetrates said pallet-lever fork (8) with a depth of travel (P) greater than 100 micrometres, and in a release phase, said impulse pin (6) remains at a distance from said pallet-lever fork (8) with a safety distance (S) greater than 25 micrometres, and in that said impulse pin (6) and said pallet-lever fork (8) are dimensioned so that the width (L) of said pallet-lever fork (8) is greater than (P+S)/sin(α/2+β/2), said depth of travel (P) and said safety distance (S) being measured radially with respect to said main axis (DP), where α is the overall pallet-lever lift angle which corresponds to the maximum angular travel of said pallet-lever fork (8), and where β is the overall resonator lift angle, during which said impulse pin (6) is in contact with said pallet-lever fork (8).
4. Regulator mechanism (300) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said pallet-lever (7) is made of a single level of silicon, attached to an arbor pivoted with respect to said plate (1).
5. Regulator mechanism (300) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that said escape wheel set (4) is a silicon escape wheel.
6. Regulator mechanism (300) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that said escape wheel set (4) is an escape wheel which is openworked to minimise its inertia relative to its pivot axis.
7. Regulator mechanism (300) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that said pallet-lever (7) is openworked to minimise its inertia (I_A) relative to said secondary axis (DS).
8. Regulator mechanism (300) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that said pallet-lever (7) is symmetrical with respect to said secondary axis (DS).
9. Horological movement (500) comprising drive means (400) and a regulator mechanism (300) according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which said escapement mechanism (200) is subjected to the torque from said drive means (400).
10. Watch (1000) comprising a movement (500) according to claim 9, and/or a regulator mechanism (300) according to one of claims 1 to 8.

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