Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B15/00—Escapements
  • G04B15/14—Component parts or constructional details, e.g. construction of the lever or the escape wheel
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B31/00—Bearings; Point suspensions or counter-point suspensions; Pivot bearings; Single parts therefor
  • G04B31/08—Lubrication

Definitions

• the invention relates to a micromechanical component, in particular a horological mobile with optimized contact surface, in particular an escapement mobile.
• the invention also relates to a timepiece escapement mechanism comprising at least one non-magnetic mobile constituting an escape wheel or an anchor.
• the invention relates to the field of timepiece mechanisms, and more particularly escapement mechanisms comprising at least one escape wheel and at least one anchor, at least one of which is non-magnetic.
• the Swiss lever escapement wheels are historically made of nickel-plated steel, and are sensitive to magnetic fields.
• the invention proposes to solve the technical problem of the behavior of the usual watch lubricant, and more particularly to guarantee an epilame effect, under the usual climatic conditions, on components in LIGA NiP12, or similar, non-ferromagnetic, especially on Swiss lever escape wheels.
• the invention relates to a micromechanical component with optimized contact surface, in particular a horological mobile, in particular an escapement mobile, according to claim 1.
• the invention also relates to a timepiece escapement mechanism comprising at least one such mobile constituting an escape wheel or an anchor.
• the invention relates to the field of micromechanical components, and more particularly to watch mobiles.
• the invention proposes to solve in particular the technical problem of the behavior of the usual watchmaking lubricant, in the usual climatic conditions, on components made of LIGA NiP12, or similar, non-ferromagnetic, in particular on the wheels of an escapement mechanism. Swiss anchor.
• the contact between the lever's ruby lever and the tooth of the escapement wheel is particularly sensitive.
• this involves preventing any pollution of the pallet, in particular the pallet fork, and ensuring the presence of lubricant on the contact surfaces of the escape wheel and the pallet, and reduce the aging of the escape wheel and pallet.
• the main problem is the loss of epilame effect on the escape wheel plate, which causes oil spreading and loss of lubrication at the contact between the wheel tooth and the ruby lift.
• the stability of the lubrication in contact between the lifts of the anchor and the escapement wheel must make it possible to guarantee the constancy of the amplitude.
• the addition of a layer of galvanic nickel (Ni), or of chemical nickel (for example NiP6-9), or even of nickel-boron deposited by chemical means, on an escape wheel in LIGA NiP12 greatly improves movement performance. It has been demonstrated by various tests that this significant improvement is linked to better resistance of the epilame in climatic conditions, in particular temperature and humidity, better attachment of the epilame to the material, when the quantity of phosphorus on the surface is reduced, and the holding of the lubricant is all the better as the quantity of phosphorus is low.
• the tribological behavior of a surface layer of pure nickel is better than that of an NiP6-9 layer, the behavior of which is itself better than that of an NiP12 or NiP13 layer.
• the galvanic nickel coating may be an alloy, for example Ni-Fe, or Ni-W, or other.
• the invention relates to a micromechanical component, in particular a clockwork mobile.
• This component can advantageously be produced by a process for manufacturing a watch mobile, according to which a substrate is produced with a first material comprising at least nickel and phosphorus, this substrate is shaped to the geometry of the mobile, and a coating of the substrate, by galvanic and/or chemical means, at the level of at least one surface of the substrate of the mobile, with at least one second material of low thickness, in particular less than 10 micrometers, which constitutes the peripheral layer of the mobile at level this at least one surface of the substrate of the mobile, and which comprises at least nickel and which is poorer in phosphorus than the first material, or which comprises nickel and is devoid of phosphorus.
• this first material is non-magnetic.
• this second material is non-magnetic.
• nickel is not non-magnetic, and that NiP6-9% is not necessarily so, it is the low thickness of the deposit that keeps the part non-magnetic
• the substrate is a nickel-phosphorus of NiPx formulation, with x between 1% and 15% by mass, limits included, or more particularly with x between 10% and 15% by mass, limits included, this last range to guarantee the non-magnetic nature of the coating.
• This substrate is covered with a coating low in phosphorus, according to the invention, the thickness of which is more particularly and not limitingly between 0.2 micrometer and 5.0 micrometer, limits included, and, more particularly still between 0.2 micrometer and 2.0 micrometer , terminals included.
• the coating treatment with a coating low in phosphorus, according to the invention, can be carried out by galvanic means.
• the coating treatment with a coating low in phosphorus can be done chemically, according to a method of applying chemical nickel, which can be pure nickel, or else a nickel-phosphorus low in phosphorus, for example NiP6-9, with 6% to 9% by mass of phosphorus, or even a nickel-boron NiB.
• chemical nickel which can be pure nickel, or else a nickel-phosphorus low in phosphorus, for example NiP6-9, with 6% to 9% by mass of phosphorus, or even a nickel-boron NiB.
• the epilame used is a fluorine-based formulation.
• the lubricant can also be deposited on an escapement wheel set with a supplement in the form of a paste based on molybdenum disulphide MoS2, which acts as a lubricant and a lubricant sponge.
• the escapement wheel concerned has a geometry making it possible to reduce the contact surfaces to a minimum, for example the use of a cradled anchor is preferred, which is an anchor whose active faces of the fork, intended to come into contact with the ellipse and the stops, are rounded, which makes it possible to have a point of contact instead of a line of contact.
• a cradled anchor is preferred, which is an anchor whose active faces of the fork, intended to come into contact with the ellipse and the stops, are rounded, which makes it possible to have a point of contact instead of a line of contact.
• An innovative embodiment of an escapement mechanism comprises an anchor in LIGA, or an anchor whose pallets at least are in LIGA.
• the LIGA parts of the anchor are subject to the same problem, and the same solution is applicable.
• the invention makes it possible to guarantee normal aging conditions, constant amplitude, and the absence of shutdown, in particular in the presence of cradled LIGA nickel-phosphorus anchors, which provide better shock resistance than anchors silicon, for example.
• this coating of the substrate is carried out, at the level of at least one surface adjoining a friction surface of the mobile, with this at least one second material, which constitutes the peripheral layer of the mobile at the level of this at least one surface adjoining a rubbing surface.
• “adjoining” is meant that the two surfaces are contiguous, or at least tangent, their intersection is not empty, even if it is limited to an isthmus of very small section.
• Such a micromechanical component in particular a clockwork mobile, thus comprises an optimized contact surface.
• This micromechanical component and more particularly this clockwork mobile, comprises a substrate in a first material comprising at least nickel and phosphorus. According to the invention, this substrate is covered, at at least one surface of the mobile substrate, by a coating of a second material comprising at least nickel and poorer in phosphorus than the first material, or devoid of phosphorus , and the second material constitutes the peripheral layer of the mobile at the level of the at least one surface of the substrate.
• the coating of the substrate covers the substrate at surfaces of the mobile other than the guide surfaces of the mobile for its pivoting or for its guidance according to a single degree of freedom. More particularly still, the coating of the substrate covers the substrate at the level of all the surfaces of the mobile other than the guide surfaces.
• the substrate is covered, at at least one surface adjoining a friction surface of the mobile, by a coating of a second material comprising at least nickel and poorer in phosphorus than the first material, or devoid of phosphorus , and the second material constitutes the peripheral layer of the mobile at the level of the at least one surface adjoining a friction surface.
• the coating of the substrate covers the substrate at the level of surfaces adjoining rubbing surfaces of the mobile other than the guide surfaces of the mobile for its pivoting or for its guidance according to a single degree of freedom.
• the coating of the substrate covers the substrate at the level of all the surfaces adjoining the friction surfaces of the mobile other than the guide surfaces of the mobile for its pivoting or for its guidance according to a single degree of freedom.
• the coating of the substrate covers the substrate at all the surfaces adjoining the sliding surfaces of the mobile including the guide surfaces of the mobile for its pivoting or for its guidance according to a single degree of freedom.
• the coating of the substrate covers the substrate at the level of all the surfaces of the mobile including the guide surfaces of the mobile for its pivoting or for its guidance according to a single degree of freedom.
• the first material comprises only nickel and phosphorus.
• the first material comprises phosphorus with a mass proportion of between 1% and 15%, limits included. More particularly still, the first material is non-magnetic and comprises phosphorus with a mass proportion of phosphorus of between 10% and 15%, limits included.
• the second material is chosen with a phosphorus mass proportion of less than or equal to 15%. More particularly, the second non-magnetic material is chosen with a mass proportion of phosphorus of between 10% and 15%, limits included.
• the second material is chosen with a mass proportion of phosphorus of between 6% and 12%, limits included. In another alternative, the second material is chosen with a mass proportion of phosphorus of between 1% and 6%, limits excluded. In yet another alternative, the second material is chosen with a mass proportion of phosphorus of between 0% and 1%, limits included.
• the second material comprises only nickel and phosphorus.
• the second material comprises boron. More particularly still, the second material comprises only nickel and boron.
• the second material consists of pure nickel.
• the second material has a thickness of less than 10 micrometers. More particularly still, the second material has a thickness of less than 5 micrometers. Even more particularly, the second material has a thickness comprised between 0.2 micrometer and 2.0 micrometer, limits included.
• the second material is applied with a thickness of between zero and 0.2 micrometer, limits excluded, in particular in the vicinity of 0.1 micrometer.
• the invention also relates to a clockwork mechanism, in particular but not limited to an escapement mechanism.
• the timepiece escapement mechanism comprises at least one such wheel set, constituting an escape wheel or an anchor.
• this mobile comprises a substrate with a first material comprising at least nickel and phosphorus, and whose substrate is covered, at all the surfaces adjoining the rubbing surfaces of the mobile, by a coating of a second material comprising at least nickel and poorer in phosphorus than the first material, or devoid of phosphorus, and the second material constitutes the peripheral layer of the mobile at the level of the surfaces adjoining the rubbing surfaces that the mobile has to cooperate with an anchor or an escapement wheel or a pendulum.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Micromachines (AREA)
• Lubricants (AREA)
• Gears, Cams (AREA)
• Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
• Other Surface Treatments For Metallic Materials (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=72521412

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications After (1)

Country Status (6)

Citations (4)

• 2020
  • 2020-09-15 EP EP20196229.7A patent/EP3968096A1/fr active Pending
• 2021
  • 2021-08-31 US US18/041,584 patent/US20230305492A1/en active Pending
  • 2021-08-31 JP JP2023511636A patent/JP2023539069A/ja active Pending
  • 2021-08-31 EP EP21769740.8A patent/EP4214580A1/fr active Pending
  • 2021-08-31 WO PCT/EP2021/074026 patent/WO2022058159A1/fr unknown
  • 2021-08-31 CN CN202180055060.1A patent/CN116018564A/zh active Pending
  • 2021-08-31 KR KR1020237008248A patent/KR20230047479A/ko unknown

Patent Citations (4)

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