Abstract:
A timepiece movement comprising including a sprung balance resonator mounted between a bar and a bottom plate wherein the balance is formed from a ferromagnetic material. The timepiece movement includes a magnetic polarizing device for the balance spring for maintaining a predefined state of polarization in the balance spring and including a permanent magnetizing device which forms a magnetic field in the plane of the balance spring so as to totally or almost totally magnetically saturate the balance spring in the absence of an external magnetic field.
Abstract:
Time-keeping mechanism having magnetic operating parts but exhibiting truly non-magnetic properties. All parts of the mechanism that are mounted on the balance staff and the pallet arbor, the escapement wheel as well as at least the main portion of the balance staff are made of a material having a magnetic permeability of less than 1.01.
Abstract:
A balance spring for a balance with a blank containing: niobium: the remainder to 100 wt %, titanium: between 40 and 60 wt %, traces of elements selected from the group formed of O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, between 0 and 1600 ppm by weight individually, and less than 0.3 wt % combined, a step of β-quenching the blank with a given diameter, such that the titanium of the alloy is essentially in solid solution form with β-phase niobium, the α-phase titanium content being less than or equal to 5% by volume, at least one deformation step of the alloy alternated with at least one heat treatment step such that the niobium and titanium alloy obtained has an elastic limit higher than or equal to 600 MPa and a modulus of elasticity lower than or equal to 100 GPa, a winding step to form the balance spring being performed prior to the final heat treatment step, prior to the deformation step, a step of depositing, on the alloy blank, a surface layer of a ductile material such as copper, the surface layer of ductile material being retained on the balance spring, the thermoelastic coefficient of the niobium and titanium alloy being adapted accordingly.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a pivot arbor (1) for a timepiece movement comprising at least one pivot (3) made of a first non-magnetic metal material (4) at at least one of the ends thereof in order to limit the sensitivity thereof to magnetic fields, at least the outer surface of said pivot (3) being coated with a first layer (5) of a second material selected from the group comprising Ni, NiB and NiP, and preferably chemical NiP. At least the first layer (5) of second material is at least partially coated with a second layer (6) of a third material selected from the group comprising gold, silver, copper, platinum, rhodium, palladium and their alloys.The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a timepiece movement (1) comprising a sprung (7) balance (5) resonator (3) mounted between a bar (2) and a bottom plate (4) wherein the balance (7) is formed from a ferromagnetic material. According to the invention, the timepiece movement includes a magnetic polarising device (15) for said balance spring for maintaining a predefined state of polarisation in the balance spring (7) and including permanent magnetising means which forms a magnetic field in the plane of the balance spring so as to totally or almost totally magnetically saturate the balance spring (7) in the absence of an external magnetic field.The invention concerns the field of timepieces.
Abstract:
A wrist watch with hour and minute hands in the form of rotatable circular films, having an electrostatic shielding device which grounds a glass of the watch through a back cover of the watch, to eliminate static electricity produced in the glass. Also, because of the use of thin rotatable circular films for the minute and hour hands, the thickness of the watch can be considerably reduced.
Abstract:
A CASE FOR WATCHES FORMED FROM A NON-CORROSIVE FERRITE STAINLESS STEEL PREFERABLY AN FE-CR-MO-NB ALLOY OR FE-CR-MO-TI WHEREBY SAID CASE HAS A HIGH RESISTANCE TO CORROSION AND A HIGH PERMEABILITY TO PROTECT THE MOVEMENT OF THE WATCH FROM AN EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELD.
Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a balance spring for a balance, which includes creating a blank from an alloy containing: niobium: the remainder to 100 wt %, titanium: between 40 and 60 wt %, traces of elements selected from the group formed of O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, between 0 and 1600 ppm by weight individually, and less than 0.3 wt % combined; β-quenching the blank, such that the titanium of the alloy is essentially in solid solution form with β-phase niobium, the α-phase titanium content being less than or equal to 5% by volume, at least one deformation step of the alloy alternated with at least one heat treatment step such that the niobium and titanium alloy obtained has an elastic limit higher than or equal to 600 MPa and a modulus of elasticity lower than or equal to 100 GPa, a winding step to form the balance spring being performed prior to the final heat treatment step, prior to the deformation step, a step of depositing, on the alloy blank, a surface layer of a ductile material such as copper, to facilitate the wire shaping process, the thickness of the deposited ductile material layer is chosen such that the ratio of the area of ductile material to the area of NbTi alloy for a given cross-section of wire is less than 1.
Abstract:
A pivot arbor for a timepiece movement including at least one pivot made of a non-magnetic metal material at at least one of its ends in order to limit its sensitivity to magnetic fields. The non-magnetic metal material is a non-magnetic light metal or a non-magnetic alloy of the light metal, and at least the external surface of the pivot is coated with an anodic oxide layer of the material, obtained by anodic growth.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a pivot arbor (1) for a timepiece movement comprising at least one pivot (3) made of a first non-magnetic metal material (4) at one of the ends thereof in order to limit the sensitivity thereof to magnetic fields. At least the outer surface of said pivot (3) is coated with a layer (5) of a second material selected from the group comprising Ni and NiP, and preferably chemical NiP.The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.