JP6646743B2 - Vibrator for mechanical clock movement - Google Patents

Description

  TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a vibrator for controlling a timepiece movement that allows a swing frequency having an upper limit of 5 kHz, for better stability and traveling accuracy of the vibrator when mounted. The transducer also allows for a larger Q value while reducing the need for tuning. The transducer is designed to replace a conventional transducer that includes, inter alia, a spring-temp assembly and an ankle escapement that pivots about its own axis. The present invention also relates to a timepiece movement including such a vibrator.

  In a watch movement, the function of the escapement is to transmit the energy received by the gear train itself driven by the main spring to the resonator constituted by the spring-temp assembly. Generally, this escapement includes a swinging independent ankle about an axis that is pivoted on a plate. The mechanical coupling between the ankle and the resonator, constituted by a plate supporting pins that contact each corner of the ankle, is relatively complicated. In addition, spring balance assemblies require delicate adjustments. Finally, such resonators are generally limited to oscillation frequencies of at most 10 Hz.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an escapement device including an pallet integrated with a vibration member, wherein the pallet is arranged to swing vertically with respect to the plane of the escape wheel & pinion. Have been. The ankle is fixed by embedding or welding and is fixed at the end of the buried vibrating blade by an end on a rigid support. A tuning fork or resonator based on a tuning fork is used in place of a vibrating blade having one of the branches supporting the ankle and another branch which oscillates freely while being synchronized with the first branch. Is possible.

  Patent Document 2 discloses that a tuning fork which operates as a primary resonator and an ankle provided with two ankle stones at an end portion which operates as a secondary resonator are fixed radially opposite to the center of an escape wheel & pinion. An escapement including a vibrating blade is described. Under the effect of the impact of the escape wheel teeth against one of the lifts, the oscillating blade oscillates, the amplitude of which oscillates, so that the ankle also oscillates at its own frequency out of the fork branch. Lightly hitting one end of the

  Patent Document 3 describes a mechanical resonator including a tuning fork swing that can cooperate with a rotatingly mounted ankle to lock and unlock an escape wheel & pinion by an angular position. I have. The disadvantage of this resonator is that a phase loss occurs at each alternation of the vibrator due to the gap required for so-called free operation between the member attached to the branch of the tuning fork and the element of the ankle, in this case, the tuning fork. have. These phases are known in the field of watchmaking as lossy orbits. On the other hand, the implementation of this system is very sensitive, depending on the number of parts and their settings.

  In an improved variant of the patent document 4, in particular of FIG. 11, shown in FIG. 11, the ankle is movably mounted on a resilient arm and has a conventional arrangement for counting the latter oscillations. Work with The ankle section should be as light as possible, especially in the vertical position, in order to minimize disturbance of the oscillation of the resonator. The arms supporting the ankle can have a bistable type of behavior, an energy intensive configuration at each alternation, and the energy received from the gear can be transferred from one bistable state to another. Does not allow the swing of the pendulum to be maintained if it is less than the required energy.

  U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,086 discloses a mechanical resonance maintained in a swing with a flexible blade by fixing to a base in motion, having a flexible blade that allows the resonator to swing about a virtual point of rotation. A vessel is disclosed. This document offers the possibility of providing a part that moves with a member having the usual function of a plate pin for cooperating with an escapement. Thus, the arrangement of the present invention always includes an ankle separate from the resonator which does not reduce the number of parts and the number of destructive friction at each contact between the parts.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,815 Swiss Patent No. 442153 WO 2013/045573 European Patent Publication No. 2645189 European Patent Application Publication No. 2911012 Swiss Patent No. 656044 Swiss Patent No. 699780

  An object of the present invention is to eliminate the conventional disadvantages.

  The present invention is a vibrator for adjusting a mechanical timepiece movement, the vibrator includes an escape wheel & pinion, and a resonator constituting a time reference of the vibrator. A mass element maintained to oscillate by at least two oscillating elements, the mass element for maintaining oscillation of the resonator and moving the escape wheel with each of the alternating oscillations. And the at least one ankle portion configured to cooperate directly with the escape wheel and the first resonator further includes a base set to be fixed or movable in the timepiece movement. , The mass element being supported only by the base via the vibration element.

  Mechanical movements, whether using the same time base or not, use chronographs, alarms, using adjusting mechanisms, in particular the main wheels of watch movements, and additional wheels or modules that use such adjustments. Or any watchmaking mechanism such as, but not limited to, a striking mechanism, such as that encountered in a minute repetition mechanism.

  The vibrator according to the present invention allows a high rocking frequency and better stability and traveling accuracy when mounted.

  In the vibrator of the present invention, the ankle portion is integrated with the mass element. Therefore, the vibrator of the present invention has a small installation area and requires a smaller number of parts as compared with a conventional vibrator, particularly, compared to a conventional vibrator provided with a spring balance, an ankle, and an escape wheel & pinion. .

  Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the description given by the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a resonator including a resonator including a vibration element according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a resonator according to one embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a resonator according to another embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a resonator according to yet another embodiment. It is a figure which shows the different form of a vibration element schematically. FIG. 3 illustrates a resonator having a vibrating element according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 illustrates a resonator having a vibrating element according to another embodiment. FIG. 4 illustrates a resonator having a vibrating element, according to various embodiments. FIG. 4 illustrates a resonator having a vibrating element, according to various embodiments. FIG. 4 illustrates a resonator cooperating with an escape wheel & pinion, according to one embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a vibrator according to another embodiment. It is a figure which shows the detail of the resonator of the vibrator of FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a vibrator according to another embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a vibrator according to another embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a vibrator according to another embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a vibrator according to another embodiment. It is a figure which shows another structure of a vibrator. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a vibrator according to another embodiment. FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the vibrator of FIG. 14. FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the vibrator of FIG. 14. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a vibrator according to another embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating the vibrator of FIG. 16. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating the vibrator of FIG. 16. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a vibrator according to another embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a vibrator according to another embodiment. FIG. 11 is a view showing a vibrator according to still another embodiment. FIG. 4 illustrates an on / off mechanism for a transducer according to another embodiment. A detailed view of the teeth of the escape wheel & pinion of an oscillator is shown, according to one embodiment. A detailed view of the teeth of the escape wheel & pinion of an oscillator is shown, according to one embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a resonator according to another embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a resonator according to another embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a vibrator according to one embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vibrator 1 according to one embodiment. The vibrator 1 includes an escape wheel & pinion 5 and a resonator 3 constituting a time reference of the vibrator. The resonator 3 includes a mass element 32 which is maintained in an oscillating state by at least two oscillating elements 31. The mass element 32 is set to cooperate directly with the escape wheel & pinion 5 to maintain the oscillation of the first resonator 3 and to be able to move the escape wheel & pinion 5 with each alternation of oscillation. Ankle portion 4.

  In particular, the resonator 3 is formed by three vibrating elements 31 extending in the radial direction from the center portion 12 on the plane P. For the remainder of the description, in a non-limiting manner, a transverse direction "x" and a longitudinal direction "y" defining a reference plane P on which the transducer 1 extends, as represented by the coordinate system shown in the figure, and a longitudinal direction And an axis "z" perpendicular to the lateral direction.

  The vibrating elements 31 are angularly spaced from each other by about 120 °. At its base (near the center 12), each vibrating element 31 has a base 2 or another fixed part of a watch movement set to be mounted on the plate 10 or an intermediate part mounted on the watch movement itself. Fixed to the frame. The end 35 of each vibration element 31 is fastened to the mass element 32. Therefore, each vibration element 31 can freely vibrate or swing between its base and end. Generally, and independently of the arrangement of the vibration element 31, the mass element 32 is supported only by the base 2 via the vibration element 31.

  According to one embodiment, the mounting means 20 can be provided on the base 2 for fixing the base 2 to the frame 10. The frame 10 can include a cage as shown in FIG. The frame 10 is set so as to be fixedly or movably attached to a timepiece movement (not shown). Alternatively, the base 2 is mounted directly on a watch movement, for example a plate or a bridge.

  The frame 10 has the advantages of assembling, disassembling, adjusting, and spending work in the after-sales system of the vibrator 1. Frame 10 can take the shape of a cage or capsule (as in FIG. 1). The frame 10 can be mounted and adjusted on a part of the movement, for example on a plate, in order to cooperate with a gear for adjusting the movement. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 also, the escape wheel & pinion is the escape wheel & pinion 5 pivotally mounted around a shaft 54 which is itself mounted on a fixed bridge 21 having a base 2. The bridge may include an upper bridge 21 and a lower bridge 21 '.

  FIG. 2 shows another example of the resonator 3 in which the vibration element 31 does not exist. In this example, the base 2 extends to form a lower bridge 21 'to which the base 2 can attach the lower pivot of the shaft 54.

  FIG. 3 shows another example in which the base 2 of the resonator 3 extends to form a lower bridge 21 ′ including a guide stone 55 for receiving the lower pivot of the shaft 54.

  Thus, the pivot of the shaft 54 can be attached directly (FIG. 2) or by a guide stone 55 (FIG. 3). Therefore, in the examples of FIGS. 2 and 3, the bridges 21 and 21 ′ can be regarded as elements of the frame 10 forming a part of the resonator 3. On the other hand, the frame can also include the resonator 2 and the base 2 of the resonator 3 extending in the plane P to receive one of the pivots of the shaft 54 of the escape wheel 5. In other words, the frame 10 on which the resonator 1 is mounted according to the invention can be partly integrated in the resonator 3. In the example shown in FIGS. 15 and 13, one of the pivots of the shaft 54 of the escape wheel & pinion 5 can be attached to the bridge 21 ′, while the other pivot is attached to the timepiece movement. It is held by a part of the frame 10.

  The mass element 32 includes three parts 32 'of the mass element which also extend radially from the base 2 centered on the center part 12 in the plane P. The portions 32 'are angularly spaced from each other by approximately 120 [deg.]. In such a configuration, the mass element 32 is fixed to the base 2 and thus to a part of the movement when the vibrator 1 is mounted on the movement, using the resonator 3, here the vibration element 31. ing. When these elements vibrate, the vibrating element 31 also causes the mass element 32 to vibrate.

  In the example of FIG. 1, the three parts 32 'of the mass element 32 are configured with a so-called skeleton openwork structure. This skeletal watermark construction includes a number of recesses 36. Thus, the mass or inertia of the mass element 32 is mainly determined by the wall 33 of the portion 32 '. Each vibrating element 31 can be housed inside each part 32 ', for example in a housing 38 formed in the wall 33 as shown in FIG. Each vibrating element 31 includes a vibrating blade.

  The ankle portion 4 comprises a circular segment between two adjacent portions 32 'and a member 40 supported by each adjacent portion 32'. In this configuration, the escape wheel & pinion 5 is housed in the internal space 11 defined by the ankle portion 4 in order to cooperate with the ankle portion 4.

  In operation, swinging of the vibrating element 31 causes the portion 32 'and the ankle portion 4 including the member 40 to swing. The vibrating element 31, the portion 32 ′, and the pallet 4 oscillate around the center 12 in the same plane P. The members 40 of the ankle part 4 are connected to the teeth 50 of the escape wheel 5 in order to maintain the oscillation of the first resonator 3 and to advance the escape wheel 5 by one tooth 50 by each alternation of the oscillation. Work together. In particular, the member 40 alternately locks and unlocks the escape wheel 5 and alternately receives pulses from the teeth 50 of the escape wheel 5 in order to maintain the periodic oscillation of the resonator 3. Therefore, the vibrator 1 enables the teeth 50 to continuously escape so that the escape wheel & pinion 5 advances in the reciprocating motion of the ankle portion 4. The escape wheel & pinion 5 turns on the same plane P as the plane on which the first resonator 3 and the ankle portion 4 swing.

  FIG. 4 shows a resonator 3 according to another embodiment in which the member 40 is arranged at the end of the part 32 '. In this configuration, each section 32 is such that the escape wheel & pinion 5 can be mounted in one or the other of the interior space 11 defined by each ankle section 4 between two respectively adjacent sections 32 '. 'Includes the member 40.

  In general, the vibrating element 31 of the resonator 3 is set up for utilization and utilization at beam frequencies, vibrating blades, or at frequencies including within the desired range of 10-5000 Hz with high Q values. Various shapes are possible, including other shapes that meet the footprint requirements.

  As schematically illustrated in FIG. 5, the vibrating element 31 can be configured to limit stress, particularly at its ends (base and tip). This can be achieved by using distributed load beams (FIG. 5b), multi-plate vibrating elements (FIGS. 5a and 5d), or by providing local openings such as holes (FIG. 5e). This can be done by modifying the local part. It is also possible to extend the active length of the blade without increasing the length of the oscillating member by forming a "winding" type structure (FIG. 5c) which can reduce the loading in a very important way. It is possible. Finally, it is possible to reduce the risk of breakage at the time of embedding by dulling the acute angle, which is generally the cause of fracture or fatigue.

  On the other hand, vibrational phenomena have shown that the presence of nodes along the vibrating structure, and their spacing, is a direct function of the resonance frequency. Thus, it is possible to vary the section along the blade (FIG. 5b) to encourage certain frequencies and / or eliminate harmonics and thus maximize the energy and Q of the resonator. Obviously, a combination of the several measures described above can also be considered in order to combine these advantages.

  As a non-limiting illustration, a mass resonator M formed by a single beam of strength k (expressed in mN · m / rad) and including several vibrating elements 31 characterized by height h and thickness e In the case of (expressed in g), when the ratio of k / M is 0.1 to 1.0 and the ratio of h / e is 3 to 20, particularly satisfactory defects can be obtained.

  For example, in the example of FIG. 1, the vibration element 31 is a blade. According to another embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each vibrating element 31 includes a blade having a fold 31 ', for example of a meandering or serpentine type. In the example of FIG. 6, the bent portion 31 ′ includes a fold oriented in the radial direction, but in the example of FIG. 7, the bent portion 31 ′ includes a fold oriented in the angular direction with respect to the center 12. In.

  Other examples of the resonator 3 are shown in FIGS. 8, 9a, 9b, 10 and 11. According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9a, the mass element 32 includes two diametrically opposed parts 32 '. Each section 32 'includes two vibrating elements 31 having the shape of a single blade in FIG. 8 and having a fold 31' in FIG. 9a.

  FIG. 9 b shows a resonator cooperating with the escape wheel & pinion 5 via two ankle members 40. The escape wheel & pinion 5 is integrated with the resonator 3 and attached to the bridge 21.

  FIG. 10 shows an oscillator 1 according to another embodiment, in which the mass element 32 of the resonator 3 includes four parts 32 ′ angularly spaced from each other by about 90 °, each part comprising: The vibration element 31 is included. A resonator cooperating with the escape wheel & pinion 5 via two ankle members 40 is shown. The resonator 3 is mounted on a frame 10 including an upper part 14 forming the cage of the vibrator 1. FIG. 11 shows details of the resonator of the vibrator of FIG. 10 in which the vibrating element 31 is not present.

  According to the other embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 12 a to 12 d, the resonator also includes a mass element 32 a having a substantially annular shape 32. The ankle part 4 includes two members 40 fixed to the mass element 32. The escape wheel movable portion (wheel) 5 is pivotally mounted below the resonator 3 in the illustrated example on a plane P ′ parallel to the plane P on which the first resonator 3 swings. Therefore, the member 40 of the ankle part 4 is arranged to cooperate with the teeth 50 of the escape wheel & pinion 5 located in the lower plane P 'by extending downward in the axial direction with respect to the mass element, for example. In operation, the escape wheel & pinion 5 turns in a plane P 'parallel to the swing plane P of the mass element 32a.

  In the example of FIG. 12a, the vibrating element 31 has an arcuate shape. FIG. 12b shows the resonator of FIG. 12a comprising two pairs of vibrating elements 31, each pair comprising two opposing circular vibrating elements 31 of cylindrical shape. FIG. 12c shows the resonator of FIG. 12a including three pairs of vibrating elements 31 according to FIG. 12b. FIG. 12d shows the resonator of FIG. 12a, where each vibrating element 31 comprises two radially arranged parallel blades 31 '. The resonator 3 includes a segment 39 having a smaller diameter than the latter, which is arranged concentrically with the outer edge 32a. During the oscillation of the resonator 3, the segment 39 will press against one of the blades 31 ′ in the direction of the pivot of the resonator 3. Due to the restoring force of the blade 31 ', the segment 39 is pressed in the opposite direction to swing the resonator 3.

  In the various embodiments of the oscillator 1 described thus far, the mass element 32 of the resonator 3 is driven in a swing in a rotational movement, ie in a swiveling movement around its center 12.

  The advantages of these arrangements in which the resonator 3 is driven in a rocking motion by rotary movement include the position of the mileage between different positions of the transducer 1 during a gravitational field or impact.

  FIG. 13 shows another configuration of the vibrator 1, in which the mass element 32 includes two parts 32 ′ that extend in the same plane P in a semicircle with respect to the central part 12. . The escape wheel & pinion 5 is arranged in an internal space 11 defined by mass portions 32 ′ each supporting a member 40 of the ankle portion 4. The escape wheel & pinion 5 is mounted such that the teeth (not shown) of the escape wheel & pinion 5 rotate around the center portion 12 so as to cooperate with the member 40. The escape wheel 5 is in the same plane P as the escape wheel 5, the latter being concentric with the circle inscribed by the mass 32 '. The oscillating element 31 is arranged on a star-shaped member (here three blades are angularly spaced at about 120 °) and fixed at its base to the base 2 having the shape of a circular segment 31 ′. Contains. The end 35 of the blade 31 ′ is fastened to the mass element 32 via the leg 9. In operation, oscillating blade 31 'results in an oscillating movement in plane P, as indicated by arrow 90 in FIG.

  Further, the superposition of the center of rotation and the center of gravity of the resonator 3 of the transducer 1 of FIG. 13 minimizes the sensitivity of the system to accelerations on which the system can be subject.

  However, the resonator 1 of the present invention can also include a resonator in which the mass element 32 can be maintained in a rocking motion.

  Such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 14, wherein the resonator comprises a vibrating element 31 formed by two blades 31 ′ attached to the base 2 at the base. Each of the two blades 31 ′ supports, at an end 35, a mass portion 32 ′ including the member 40 of the ankle portion 4. The escape wheel & pinion 5 is arranged between the two mass portions 32 'so as to cooperate with the member 40. The oscillating element 31 swings from its base and drives the two mass parts 32 'in a translational movement in a reciprocating movement. In particular, the members 40 alternately lock and unlock the escape wheel & pinion 5 and alternately receive pulses from the teeth (not shown) of the escape wheel & pinion 5 to maintain the periodic oscillation of the resonator 3.

  The efficiency of the resonator 3 can be disturbed by vibrating elements 31 that resonate at different frequencies. The efficiency of the resonator 3 is due to the resonance of the vibrating element 31, which is clamped at one of its ends to the same base 2 and at the other end to the same mass element 32 and oscillating at different amplitudes. Can also be disturbed. Therefore, it is advantageous for the vibration element 31 to resonate substantially with substantially the same amplitude (radial or lateral).

  In the example of FIG. 14, since the two mass portions 32 'are fixed, the blade 31' and the mass portion 32 'swing at substantially the same frequency and the same amplitude.

  With the vibrating element 31 oscillating at substantially the same frequency, it is possible to absorb losses due to asynchronous movement of one or the other of the vibrating elements 31. Therefore, in order to obtain the best Q value, it is essential that all the vibration devices resonate at the same frequency.

  Most of the manufacturing processes that can be used for the production of the transducer 1 make it possible in principle to guarantee a complete replication of the geometry of the vibrating element 31, but a {001} oriented single crystal The use of a material having an anisotropic structure, such as silica, does not allow for full dimensional reproduction. In this case, if the vibrating elements are composed of a large number of vibrating elements distributed such that they are not all on the same crystallographic axis due to geometrical correction, compensation for dimensional variations is made and all vibrations are compensated. It may be possible to guarantee a natural resonance frequency of the element.

  In the case of the vibrator 1 made of a material having at least partially a paste-like structure, such as a glass, it is possible to locally use the structural change of the material by exposing it by irradiation with a femtosecond laser. is there.

  In particular, the vibrator 1 of the present invention is set for a high frequency range of 10 to 5000 Hz, which has an ideal frequency range of 10 to 400 Hz.

  15a and 15b are bottom views of the vibrator 1 of FIG. 14, illustrating the reciprocating translation of the mass element 32 having the respective members 40 of the ankle portion 4 which engage or disengage with the teeth of the escape wheel & pinion 5. Is shown.

  In a further embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the vibrator 1 is an escape wheel & pinion that turns in a plane substantially perpendicular to a plane P in which the first resonator 3 swings the mass element 32 and the ankle portion 4. 5 is included.

  In particular, the resonator 3 includes two blades 31 'which oscillate in a plane P with a twist around the axis 91. The end 35 of each blade 31 'is fastened to a mass element 32 in the form of an outer edge. The member 40 of the ankle part 4 is attached to, for example, the inner peripheral part of the mass element 32. The escape wheel & pinion 5 can be housed inside the mass element 32 so as to cooperate with the member 40 of the ankle part 4. In this configuration, the vibration element and the mass element 32 formed by the two blades 31 'swing like a torsional pendulum. Blade 31 'can be comprised of a double blade that is excited at a frequency where the mode is asymmetric and out of plane P.

  17a and 17b are side views of the vibrator 1 of FIG. 16 and coincide with the Y axis of the mass element 32 having the respective members 40 of the ankle portion 4 that engage or disengage with the teeth of the escape wheel & pinion 5. The swing motion about the axis 91 is illustrated.

  The teeth 50 can be alternately separated by the ankle part 4 having the two members 40, while changing the distance between the members 40 so that the escape wheel & pinion 5 moves at different speeds, so that more members 40 are provided. May be provided.

  According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 18 a and 18 b, each ankle part 4 is two-piece so that only one member 40 of the four cooperates with the teeth 50 of the escape wheel 5 in each swing. And four members 40 are provided. With such an arrangement, it is possible to obtain half the advance of the teeth alternately, ie one advance for every two alternations.

  Similarly, the frequency of rotation can be further reduced by adding more than two members 40 per ankle portion 4, 4 '. In this case, some components are involved in the release of the escape wheel & pinion 5 while others are involved in the release and the impulse, i.e. the so-called lost beat escape, which is generally of higher performance than in the case of a detent escapement. It is easy to change the function of the member 40 so as to be involved in the maintenance of the resonator 3 for gaining momentum.

  Such variants of the escapement may be other types different from those shown in FIGS. 1 and 18, such as, but not limited to, an ankle, detent, cylindrical or tangential type escapement, or magnet It is clear that the required adaptation to a non-contact escapement, such as an escapement, also applies equally well.

  The vibrator 1 is manufactured from a single substrate of a base material, in which the fine-grained material is preferably non-magnetic, with reduced and / or additional micro-machining processes or a combination thereof, preferably a non-magnetic material or combined with each other. It is possible to be. The material selected may be metal, non-metal or a combination thereof.

  Non-magnetic metal materials include metal materials, such as at least partially metal alloys, and composites that include at least one metal that is at least partially amorphous and a metal alloy.

  Non-metallic non-magnetic materials selected include glass (including quartz), ceramics, glass-ceramics, anti-metals such as silicon, and non-metallic composites.

  Preferably, the transducer 1 consists of a single substrate, preferably of glass, ceramic, glass-ceramic or silicon, the latter preferably being in the form of a wafer or of high precision and / or repeatability. It is selected in a form suitable for micromachining operations such as DRIE known as ISLE (Volume Selective Etching) or selective volume etching micromachining, which combines femtosecond laser irradiation with chemical etching and is particularly suitable for a group of glasses .

  Some non-metallic materials are more brittle and provide at least a partial coating of the finished component surface with a layer of protective material, such as diamond, which provides a hard protective layer and has advantageous tribological properties. It can be used. Diamond is used in particular for coating certain silicon components.

  Advantageously, the frequency of the vibrator 1 can be controlled by changing the size of the vibrating element 31 and / or the size of the mass element 32.

  The rocking frequencies of the various rocking modes depend on the geometry of the vibrator 1 and can be adjusted by changing the moment of inertia of the mass element 32. For this purpose, and also to change the ratio between its inertia and volume depending on the nature of the substrate used to manufacture the resonator 3, the inertia of the resonator, in particular its mass element 32 May need to be changed.

  The larger moment of inertia of the mass element 32 results in a lower oscillation frequency of the oscillator 1 and a longer oscillation time (slower de-energization of the oscillation).

  The moment of inertia of the mass element 32 can be changed by adding or removing blocks of inertia in the mass element 32. Returning to FIG. 1, such an inertial block 34 is housed in a recess 36. A block or blocks of inertia 34 can be added to and removed from the mass element 32 so that the moment of inertia of the mass element 32 can be changed. The inertia block or inertia blocks 34 allow the moment of inertia of the mass element 32 to be changed, and therefore the moment of inertia of the resonator to be changed without substantially increasing the volume of the resonator 1 It is.

  Thus, it is possible to use a permanently provided inertial block 34 that can be assembled by means adapted to the selected material and the required positioning and dimensional tolerances. The inertial block 34 may be glued, brazed, after covering the substrate with a suitable layer if necessary, or after treating its surface to optimize adhesion or to enhance partial spreading. It can be connected to the mass element 32 by a gluing, welding or gluing process.

  By increasing the material, for example by galvanic growth, by sintering or other additional processes applicable to the micro-components on one or more faces of the resonator 3 (eg the mass element 32), It is also possible to change the moment of inertia. It is also possible to use mechanical assembling methods such as screwing, crimping or riveting, pinning or fastening to the elastic structure.

  Advantageously, inertial block 34 is made of a material having a higher density than the material used for the other parts of resonator 3. For example, inertial block 34 can be constructed of gold or other dense metal or alloy. Depending on the amount of inertia to be modified, an inertial block having a density equal to or rather lower than the density of the resonator material can also be used, in which case the fineness of the adjustment is improved.

  If the required inertial blocks 34 have the same density as the density of the base material, they will be integrally made of the same material while considering them as inertial blocks, as long as the dimensions are chosen to fulfill the functions described above. It is possible to be.

  Modifying the inertia of the mass element 32 and / or the inertial block 34 in order to adjust the frequency after the production of the resonator 3, in particular in order to coordinate a cooperating mechanism such as a timepiece movement which adjusts the mechanism. Is possible. In particular, the frequency may be increased by the removal of material in mass element 32 and / or inertial block 34.

  Material removal may be by machining (mechanical, laser, chemical or otherwise), by cutting a removable element (eg, as described in US Pat. It can be done. If removable elements are used, these elements can be formed during the same operation as the manufacturing operation of the resonator 3.

  The inertial blocks 34 can have all the same size and the same mass. Alternatively, inertial blocks 34 having different masses can be used to obtain finer adjustments over a larger range. By way of example, inertial block 34 can be sized to five different masses to accommodate 1 s / d, 2 s / d, 4 s / d, 8 s / d and 16 s / d corrections, respectively. . In this way, it is possible to correct from 1 to 31 s / day by removing an appropriate combination of elements.

  Another way of changing the oscillation frequency of the resonator 3 consists in changing the stiffness of the vibrating element 31 and / or the local stiffness of the material, preferably by changing the second moment.

  FIG. 19 shows a vibrator 1 according to another embodiment. The vibrator 1 includes a first resonator 3 configured similarly to that shown in FIG. The vibrator 1 further includes a second resonator 7. The second resonator 7 has no ankle portion 4 and does not cooperate with an escape wheel & pinion (not shown in FIG. 19). The second resonator 7 is set so as to be able to swing freely, that is, so as not to be disturbed by the ankle portion 4 of the first resonator 3.

  The second resonator 7 can be associated with the oscillation of the first resonator 3 of the vibrator 1 due to resonance. Therefore, the second resonator 7 can reduce the interference caused by the ankle portion 4 during the operation of the vibrator 1, for example, the impact caused by the impact of the teeth 50 of the escape wheel 5 on the member 40 of the ankle portion 4. .

  The transmission and coupling (association) of the vibration between the first resonator 3 and the second resonator 7 cooperating with the escape wheel & pinion 5 uses the surrounding fluid (acoustic resonance) of the support structure (mechanical resonance). Or by magnetic coupling. In the case of a coupling via the surrounding fluid, the surface of the adjusting element 1 can be modified (for example by means of nanostructures) in order to increase the pressure of the displacement wave and thus promote quality synchronization. Alternatively or in combination, the geometry of the transducer 1 can be changed. In the case of magnetic coupling, the free second resonator 7 is mounted under a controlled atmosphere, for example in a magnetically permeable capsule (not shown), in order to improve the Q value of the adjusting element 1. It is possible that Generally, the second vibrator 7 contributes to improvement of the Q value of the resonator 3.

  In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 20, the vibrator 1 is actuated by a pull-tab 62 of a time setting mechanism and the two extremes of the resonator 3 in a normal operating mode to provide a self-starting function of the timepiece movement. The vibrator 1 is stopped by stopping the vibrating element 31 of the vibrator 1 at an unbalanced position corresponding to one of the positions (or an eccentric position with respect to the escape wheel & pinion 5), and is maintained in a shutdown state. And an on / off mechanism 60 including a lever 61 set to operate. Preferably, the vibrator 1 is turned on in the first swing mode. In order to avoid excessive displacement of the resonator during an impact, a stopper (not shown) is used to limit the movement of the vibrator 1 along the “x axis”, “y axis” and “z axis” during a severe impact. (Shown).

  Advantageously, the self-starting function is facilitated by the formation of a unique geometry in the members of the ankle part 4 of the resonator and the teeth 50 of the escape wheel & pinion, which, in combination, fulfill the required escapement function. In addition, the unstable position of the oscillator, which displaces the two elements together from the balanced position of the resonator, especially when the resonator does not cooperate with other instruments, is promoted.

  21a and 21b show a detailed view of the teeth 50 of the escape wheel & pinion 5 according to one embodiment. Each tooth 50 of the escape wheel & pinion 5 includes an inclined plane of an impulse surface 51 and a stationary surface 52. Each lift 40 also includes a sloped stationary surface 41, but no pulsed surface, and the top 42 of the lift 40 has a rather sharp shape that can have a rather distinct rounded end. ing. The configuration of the teeth 50 and the lift 40 of the escape wheel 5 in this embodiment allows the lift 40 to receive the pulse from the teeth 50 and maintain the oscillation of the resonator 3 while the escape wheel 5 advances. Is possible.

  To limit possible rebound of the lift 40 during an impulse at the teeth 50 of the escape wheel 5, the escape wheel 5 can be provided with resilient arms 53 to absorb the impact of the lift 40 on the teeth 50.

  Transducer 1 includes a thermal compensation, including a compensating coating, a material having zero thermoelastic coefficient, a locally modified structural material, and other similar means used in the balance, such as a bimetallic structure or the like. Means can be included.

  For example, if the vibrator 1 is made of silicon, the vibrator may include a silicon dioxide coating deposited on at least a part of its surface. Alternatively, the thermal compensation means of the adjustment member 1 made of silicon may be one of the means described in Patent Document 7 of the present applicant.

  In another embodiment, the adjustment member is composed of a group of glass materials, and the thermal compensation is provided by a coating based on aluminum oxide, which has a thermoelastic coefficient that tends to be opposite to that of the substrate. can get.

  In yet another embodiment, the resonator is comprised of a glass material having a first thermoelastic coefficient, and the thermal compensation is provided in a portion of the member with a second compensating for the first thermoelastic coefficient. It is obtained by local modification of a part of the member to provide a thermoelastic coefficient, which modification is preferably obtained by irradiation.

  The resonator 3 can be made of silicon, and the thermal compensation is obtained by adding a material having a thermoelastic coefficient that tends to be opposite to the thermoelastic coefficient of silicon, and the surface of the vibration element 31 and / or Equally or discontinuously distributed in the component materials.

The thermal compensation material can be silicon dioxide (SiO ₂ ).

  In the resonator 3 described here, the ankle part 4 is integrally fixed to the mass element 32. The ankle part 4 is integrated with the mass element 32 by suitable means. For example, the ankle part 4 is integrally formed with the mass element 32 by gluing, welding or other means for fixing the ankle part 4 to the mass element 32. The ankle part 4 can also be formed integrally with the mass element 32, in particular during the manufacture of the transducer 1. Therefore, the resonator 3 advantageously does not require the addition of another ankle portion in order to reduce the number of components and the amount of destructive friction in each contact between the components.

  In order to reduce the number of parts in the gear train and / or to simplify the number that determines the gear ratio between the movable wheels of the cooperating gear train, for example to display information of a specific cycle, the escape wheel The transducer can be dimensioned to give a single rotational speed. For example, the escape wheel & pinion can rotate in one second or in integral or fractional multiples.

  In particular, the oscillator 1 is set such that its escape wheel 5 cooperates with the resonator 3 in several modes, so as to transition into a pairing between the resonator 3 and the escape wheel 5. To this end, FIG. 22 shows a resonator 3 with three pallets 4 similar to the resonator of FIG. 11, each pallet having two adjacent masses 32 ′. (Only one ankle part 4 is completely visible). For example, such an arrangement can include an ankle 4 for each internal space 11. This arrangement makes it possible to position the resonator 3 at three different angular positions with respect to the escape wheel & pinion 5 and to cooperate with the optimum ankle part 4 to achieve the desired performance.

  Similarly, FIG. 23 shows a resonator 3 having four ankle parts 4, each of which is set to cooperate with the escape wheel & pinion 5 in four different modes.

  While these variants offer advantageous pairing possibilities, for example in the case of inner diameters which have close pairs but whose distance does not allow the same transducer to be used, the transducer is moved to a watch movement There are other ways of pairing the two members together to make them more widely usable over a wider area.

  Thus, the escape wheel & pinion 5 itself can be dimensioned by several variants which can extend the pairing of the transducer to more grades.

  In another method, FIG. 24 shows a cross-sectional view of the vibrator 1 facing a plane passing through two members 40 of the ankle part 4 cooperating with the escape wheel & pinion 5 according to one embodiment. The resonator 3 includes a plurality of ankle portions 4 having different geometric shapes at the height but capable of cooperating with the same escape wheel & pinion 5. Thus, by changing the position of the escape wheel & pinion 5 in the Z plane of the resonator 3, it is possible in special cases to obtain an additional variant in which the progress of the watch can be adapted to the mounting by the owner. It is.

  Referring to FIG. 24, which shows the escape wheel having a flexible mounting plate and supported in a plurality of sheets cut at its shaft, the choice of the stage 8 of the resonator 3 cooperating with the escape wheel 5 is different. Each sheet can support one or several surfaces or flat parts set to ensure a rotational drive of both without sliding. In this case, the pinion of the escape wheel is directly mounted and fixed directly on the wheel, while the watchmaker can appropriately move the plate of the escape wheel 5 to cooperate with the appropriate ankle part 4 It is.

  The ease of implementation of this solution in terms of operation and flexibility (no integration / removal required) is specifically intended for tasks where such tasks are disadvantageous (industrialization, after-sales service, etc.). .

  Alternatively, referring again to FIG. 24, the escape wheel & pinion 5 is positioned outside the median plane of the resonator 3 having an ankle portion 4, 40 defining a first plane at the location of the median plane of the resonator. It is possible to cooperate with the provided ankle parts 4,40. Resonator 3 then has this first of the median surfaces with ankle portions 4, 40 arranged antisymmetrically (to ensure the same function if the member does not allow a reversible function). It includes a second pallet 4,40 for each pallet 4,40 arranged in a plane. The pairing is effected by reversing the mounting direction of the resonator 3 and, preferably, of the escape wheel & pinion 5 having the escapement movable part which is mounted in alignment with the shaft 54 thereof.

  In order to further extend the range of the pairing, all the pairing solutions proposed above can of course be combined, the combination of different escape wheels 5 and suitable ankle parts 4, 40 of the resonator 3 Thereby, it is possible to obtain the same frequency range for the variable torque transmitted to the escape wheel & pinion 5.

  The case where the resonator 3 has several ankle portions 4 which may be different (in the case of pairing) or identical. The latter variant uses the same resonator 3 to adjust several separate gears, in this case by vibrator 1 comprising a plurality of escape wheel 5 cooperating with a dedicated gear train. It has the advantages that it can.

  It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and that various simple modifications and variations can be envisaged by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

  For example, the geometry of the transducer 1 and, in particular, the geometry of the vibration element 31 can be changed in different ways. For example, each resonator 3, each mass element 32 and / or each ankle part 4 can be fused together as a single element or a vibrating element of the transducer.

  Furthermore, the member 40 of the ankle part 4 adapted to cooperate with the teeth 50 of the escape wheel & pinion 5 can take different shapes.

  In another alternative embodiment, not shown, a stop limits lateral movement in plane P. Such a stop can be oriented on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the movable escapement and can be mounted on a frame set to receive the transducer 1. The stopper can also be integrated directly into the geometry of the resonator 3, preferably into its movable part, ie the mass element 32 or the ankle part 4, without excluding other solutions.

  The adjusting member and the escapement of the present invention also have a design, and the adjusting member and the escapement are advantageously designed so that they can be seen by a watch wearer in a sense. Can be incorporated into the movement. For example, the adjustment member and the escapement can be mounted above or below the drive member of the movement. To display seconds as well, the escape wheel & pinion can be adapted to rotate at a speed of 1 rpm.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 vibrator 10 frame 11 internal space 12 central part 14 lower part of frame 2 base 20 assembly means 21 bridge, upper bridge 21 ′ lower bridge 3 first resonator 31 vibrating element 31 ′ bent part, blade 32 mass element 32 ′ mass Part 33 Wall 34 Inertial block 35 End 36 Recess 37 Removable element 37 'Reduced part of removable element 38 Housing 39 Segment 4 Ankle 40 Lift 41 Stationary surface of lift 42 Top of tooth 5 Escape wheel 50 Escape wheel teeth 51 Tooth impulse surface 52 Tooth stationary surface 53 Escape wheel arm 54 Shaft 6 Stopper 60 On / off mechanism 61 Lever 62 Pull tab 7 Second resonator 8 Stage 9 Leg 90 Swing direction 91 Axis P plane P 'parallel plane

Claims (31)

  A vibrator for adjusting a mechanical timepiece movement, said vibrator (1) comprising an escape wheel (5) and a first resonator (3) constituting a time reference of said vibrator (1). ), Wherein the first resonator (3) comprises a mass element (32) maintained to oscillate by at least two vibrating elements (31), said mass element (32). Are integrated with the mass element (32) to maintain the oscillation of the first resonator (3) and to move the escape wheel (5) with each of the alternate oscillations, 5) comprising at least one ankle part (4) configured to cooperate directly with the base (5), wherein the first resonator (3) is fixed or movable in the timepiece movement. 2) wherein the mass element (32) is Vibrator, characterized in that it is supported only by the via the vibration element (31) base (2).   The vibrator according to claim 1, wherein the at least two vibrating elements (31) have oscillations having substantially the same natural frequency and / or the same amplitude.   The at least two vibrating elements (31) extend radially from the base (2) in a plane (P) and the mass element (32) at at least one end of each vibrating element (31). The vibrator according to claim 1, wherein the vibrator is attached to the vibrator.   The at least one ankle part (4) includes at least two members (40) configured to cooperate with the escape wheel & pinion (5). The vibrator according to claim 1.   The escape wheel & pinion (5) is substantially on the same plane (P) as the plane on which the first resonator (3) swings, or on the plane (P) on which the first resonator (3) swings. The vibrator according to claim 1, wherein the vibrator rotates in a plane parallel to P ′).   5. The wheel of claim 1, wherein the escape wheel (5) pivots substantially in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane (P) in which the first resonator (3) oscillates. The vibrator according to claim 1.   The first resonator (3) extends radially in the plane (P) from the base (2) and the mass element (35) at an end (35) of each of the vibrating elements (31). Vibrator according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the at least two vibrating elements (31) attached to a (32).   The mass element (32) includes at least two portions (32 ') extending radially between the base (2) and the end (35) of the vibrating element (31). The vibrator according to claim 5, wherein:   The vibrator according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the ankle portion (4) includes at least two members (40).   The vibrator according to claim 1, wherein each of the vibrating elements includes a vibrating plate or beam.   Vibrator according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each said vibrating element (31) comprises a meandering or meandering type of bend (31 ').   The vibrator according to claim 1, wherein each of the vibrating elements has an arcuate shape.   The vibrator according to claim 1, wherein each of the vibrating elements has a cylindrical shape.   Vibrator according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each said vibrating element (31) comprises at least two radially arranged parallel blades (31 ').   The at least one ankle part (4) is set to cooperate directly with the teeth (50) of the escape wheel (5) in order to rotate the escape wheel (5) by each respective swing. The vibrator according to claim 1, wherein:   The ankle part (4) includes at least two members (40), of which only one member (40) cooperates with each tooth (50) of the escape wheel (5) in each swing. The vibrator according to claim 15, characterized in that the escape wheel (5) is pivoted by half the teeth (50) with each alternating swing.   The oscillating blade is a rectangular portion having a stiffness to mass ratio of 0.1 to 1.0, wherein the height to thickness ratio includes 3 to 20. The vibrator according to any one of Items 1 to 16, wherein   The vibrator according to claim 1, wherein the first resonator oscillates at a frequency of 10 to 5000 Hz.   At least one inertia block (34) that can be added to and removed from the mass element (32) so that the mass element (32) can change the moment of inertia of the mass element (32). The vibrator according to any one of claims 1 to 18, comprising:   20. The frame according to claim 1, further comprising a frame (10) arranged to receive the vibrator (1) and set to be fixed or movable in the timepiece movement. 4. The vibrator according to claim 1.   The resonator according to claim 1, wherein the resonator is thermally compensated.   The resonator (3) is made of silicon, and the thermal compensation is obtained by providing a thermal compensation material having a thermoelastic coefficient having a tendency opposite to that of silicon. Item 22. The vibrator according to item 21.   The resonator according to claim 22, wherein the heat compensation material is silicon dioxide.   The vibrator according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein a swing frequency of the vibrator (1) is adjustable by changing a mass of the mass element (32). According to any one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that it includes a second resonator tied to swing (7) further in the resonant Thus the first resonator (3) Vibrator. Swinging ties includes a magnetic coupling between, in any one of claims 1 to 25, characterized in that said second oscillator (7) is mounted under a controlled atmosphere The described oscillator. It further includes an on / off mechanism configured to stop and hold the resonator (3) in the unbalanced position and to provide a self-starting function of the resonator (1). The vibrator according to any one of claims 1 to 26 . 28. The method according to claim 27 , wherein the geometry of the ankle part (4) and / or the geometry of the escape wheel & pinion (5) are selected to provide self-starting when the wheel is subjected to torque. The described oscillator. Vibrator according to any one of claims 1 to 28, characterized in that it includes several sets of members intended to the resonator cooperating with some of the escape wheel. A watch movement having at least one gear, comprising the vibrator (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 29 . Includes transducer (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 29, characterized in that said oscillator cooperates with a number of wheels which are intended to cooperate with a separate escape wheel Watch movement.

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