EP4449207A1 - Balancier pour mouvement d'horlogerie - Google Patents
Balancier pour mouvement d'horlogerieInfo
- Publication number
- EP4449207A1 EP4449207A1 EP22830249.3A EP22830249A EP4449207A1 EP 4449207 A1 EP4449207 A1 EP 4449207A1 EP 22830249 A EP22830249 A EP 22830249A EP 4449207 A1 EP4449207 A1 EP 4449207A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- assembly according
- balance
- less
- alloy
- serge
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
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
- G04B17/00—Mechanisms for stabilising frequency
- G04B17/04—Oscillators acting by spring tension
- G04B17/06—Oscillators with hairsprings, e.g. balance
- G04B17/063—Balance construction
-
- 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
- G04B43/00—Protecting clockworks by shields or other means against external influences, e.g. magnetic fields
-
- 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
- G04B13/00—Gearwork
- G04B13/02—Wheels; Pinions; Spindles; Pivots
-
- 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
- G04B17/00—Mechanisms for stabilising frequency
- G04B17/04—Oscillators acting by spring tension
- G04B17/06—Oscillators with hairsprings, e.g. balance
-
- 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
- G04B43/00—Protecting clockworks by shields or other means against external influences, e.g. magnetic fields
- G04B43/007—Antimagnetic alloys
Definitions
- the invention relates to a balance wheel for a timepiece, as well as to an axis/balance wheel assembly.
- the regulating organ of a timepiece generally comprises a flywheel called a balance wheel. This part is decisive for the quality of the rate of the timepiece. Indeed, the combination of a balance wheel and a spiral spring forms an oscillator which makes it possible to regulate the movement at a determined frequency.
- the rim and the arms are made from a copper-based alloy, in particular cupro-beryllium, brass, nickel silver or Declafor.
- the cupro-beryllium which is mainly used offers an advantageous combination of qualities which include, in particular, non-magnetism, good chemical stability and sufficient mechanical characteristics.
- the density of these alloys is generally greater than 8.
- the materials used for the balance rim are usually non-magnetic: brass, nickel silver, cupro-beryllium, but they have good electrical conductivity.
- the inventors have discovered that this drift can be attributed to the influence of eddy currents. These appear when a conductive material is in motion in a magnetic field gradient or when a balance wheel is rotating in a constant field parallel to the rim of the balance wheel, which also influences the rate of the balance wheel.
- balance wheels of which at least the rim is made of ceramic or diamond material.
- ceramic or diamond material Although non-magnetic, such materials are very difficult to machine for making balance wheels and make manufacturing costs very high.
- An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a balance devoid of known limitations by using a specific non-magnetic alloy and insensitive to eddy currents, while having a density greater than 6.5 to allow the integration of the balance in the space available for a given movement. Indeed, if the density is too low, as is generally the case for ceramics, the balance wheel becomes too large for a given inertia and can no longer be accommodated in the movement.
- the invention solves the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a balance made of a non-magnetic material, with a density greater than 6.5, and electrically insulating.
- the present invention relates to a pendulum comprising a hub connected to a serge by at least one arm, and in which at least the serge is made of a material whose relative magnetic permeability is less than 1.01, with a density greater than 6.5, and electrically non-conductive.
- the material preferably has an electrical conductivity less than or equal to 2.5MS/m, and more preferably less than 1.5MS/m; the material is chosen from: metals or metal alloys, ceramics, ceramic-metal composites, non-magnetic hard metals; the material is an alloy which contains as main constituents chromium, iron, nickel and/or cobalt; the material has a face-centered cubic crystalline structure; the material is an austenitic alloy; the austenitic alloy preferably has a chromium content greater than 10%, preferably greater than 15%; the austenitic alloy is chosen from: 316L steel, 904L steel, Phynox or MP35N.
- the invention relates to an assembly comprising a balance according to the invention and an axis arranged to receive said balance, the axis also being made of a material whose relative magnetic permeability is less than 1.01, of density greater than 6.5, and electrically insulating.
- the invention also relates to a watch movement comprising a balance according to the invention.
- the invention also relates to a watch comprising a movement equipped with a balance wheel according to the invention.
- the invention relates to a balance wheel which comprises an axis made of non-magnetic material.
- the axis supports a balance wheel comprising a serge and at least one arm made in one piece with the serge.
- the arms extend from the hub located in the center of the balance, and in which the axis is driven against a shoulder.
- the shaft Conventionally, the shaft further supports a ferrule, intended for fixing a hairspring, not shown.
- the serge is made of a non-magnetic material, with a density greater than 6.5, and electrically insulating.
- non-magnetic material is meant within the meaning of the present invention, a material whose relative magnetic permeability is less than 1.01.
- electrically insulating material is meant a material which is weakly or very weakly electrically conductive.
- the material in which the serge is made has an electrical conductivity less than or equal to 2.5MS/m, and preferably, the electrical conductivity is less than or equal to 1.5MS/m.
- electrical conductivity makes it possible to limit the influence of eddy currents and thus rate drifts when the watch is under a magnetic field.
- the balance is made of a material chosen from metals, metal alloys, ceramics such as ytterbium oxide, Europium (III) oxide, dysprosium oxide, cerium oxide (IV) or neodymium oxide, ceramic-metal composites or non-magnetic hard metals such as tungsten carbide with a Nickel binder.
- the balance wheel is made from an alloy which contains iron, chromium, nickel and/or cobalt as main constituents, and has a cubic crystalline structure facing centered.
- the balance is made of an austenitic alloy chosen from 316L steel, 904L steel, Phynox or MP35N.
- austenitic alloys chosen from 316L steel, 904L steel, Phynox or MP35N.
- other austenitic alloys with similar properties can be used without particular difficulty for those skilled in the art.
- Such an austenitic alloy preferably has a chromium (Cr) content greater than 10%, preferably greater than 15%.
- the alloy used to make the balance wheel is 316L steel made up of a maximum of 0.02% carbon (C), a maximum of 1% silicon (Si), a maximum of 2% manganese (Mn), a maximum of 0.04% phosphorus (P), a maximum of 0.03% sulfur (S), between 16% and 18% chromium (Cr), between 2 and 2.5% molybdenum (Mo), and between 10.5% and 13% nickel (Ni).
- the balance wheel is coated with a layer, in particular decorative, by electroplating, PVD or CVD deposition.
- the invention also relates to an axle and balance wheel assembly in which the axle receiving the balance wheel is made of a material of the same type as the material from which the balance wheel is made, namely a material whose relative magnetic permeability is lower to 1.01, from density greater than 6.5, and electrically insulating.
- a 316L steel balance could be mounted on a 904L steel axle.
- the shaft can be coated with a layer, in particular of chemical NiP or NiB to improve its properties, in particular its hardness, its resistance to wear and friction.
- the invention also relates to a timepiece movement and a timepiece equipped with a balance according to the invention.
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Metallurgy (AREA)
- Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
- Soft Magnetic Materials (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP21214801.9A EP4198642A1 (fr) | 2021-12-15 | 2021-12-15 | Balancier pour mouvement d'horlogerie |
| PCT/EP2022/084457 WO2023110502A1 (fr) | 2021-12-15 | 2022-12-05 | Balancier pour mouvement d'horlogerie |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| EP4449207A1 true EP4449207A1 (fr) | 2024-10-23 |
Family
ID=79021710
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP21214801.9A Withdrawn EP4198642A1 (fr) | 2021-12-15 | 2021-12-15 | Balancier pour mouvement d'horlogerie |
| EP22830249.3A Pending EP4449207A1 (fr) | 2021-12-15 | 2022-12-05 | Balancier pour mouvement d'horlogerie |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP21214801.9A Withdrawn EP4198642A1 (fr) | 2021-12-15 | 2021-12-15 | Balancier pour mouvement d'horlogerie |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US20250138486A1 (fr) |
| EP (2) | EP4198642A1 (fr) |
| JP (2) | JP2024541107A (fr) |
| CN (1) | CN118401905A (fr) |
| WO (1) | WO2023110502A1 (fr) |
Family Cites Families (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP2006234528A (ja) * | 2005-02-24 | 2006-09-07 | Seiko Instruments Inc | 調速機構およびこれを備えた機械式時計 |
| EP2757423B1 (fr) * | 2013-01-17 | 2018-07-11 | Omega SA | Pièce pour mouvement d'horlogerie |
| EP3208664B1 (fr) * | 2016-02-19 | 2023-08-16 | Omega SA | Mecanisme horloger ou horloge sans signature magnetique |
| EP3709099B1 (fr) * | 2019-03-13 | 2023-06-07 | WCP (Watch Connaisseur Project) SA | Système oscillant thermocompense |
| CH716862B1 (fr) * | 2019-11-27 | 2024-07-31 | Oris Holding AG | Mouvement horloger résistant aux perturbations magnétiques et piece d'horlogerie le comportant. |
-
2021
- 2021-12-15 EP EP21214801.9A patent/EP4198642A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
-
2022
- 2022-12-05 WO PCT/EP2022/084457 patent/WO2023110502A1/fr not_active Ceased
- 2022-12-05 JP JP2024531705A patent/JP2024541107A/ja not_active Withdrawn
- 2022-12-05 EP EP22830249.3A patent/EP4449207A1/fr active Pending
- 2022-12-05 US US18/701,650 patent/US20250138486A1/en active Pending
- 2022-12-05 CN CN202280081108.0A patent/CN118401905A/zh active Pending
-
2026
- 2026-01-09 JP JP2026002729A patent/JP2026063051A/ja active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP4198642A1 (fr) | 2023-06-21 |
| US20250138486A1 (en) | 2025-05-01 |
| JP2024541107A (ja) | 2024-11-06 |
| CN118401905A (zh) | 2024-07-26 |
| WO2023110502A1 (fr) | 2023-06-22 |
| JP2026063051A (ja) | 2026-04-10 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: UNKNOWN |
|
| STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION HAS BEEN MADE |
|
| PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
| STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: REQUEST FOR EXAMINATION WAS MADE |
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| 17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 20240715 |
|
| AK | Designated contracting states |
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| DAX | Request for extension of the european patent (deleted) | ||
| P01 | Opt-out of the competence of the unified patent court (upc) registered |
Free format text: CASE NUMBER: APP_9441/2025 Effective date: 20250226 |