Magnetic and/or electrostatic resonator

• US 9,651,920 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nivarox-Far S.A. (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Nivarox-Far S.A. (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Stranczl, Marc, Di Domenico, Gianni, Winkler, Pascal
• Primary Examiner(s): Kayes, Sean
• Application Number:
  US15/102,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20160313704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 15/14 Component parts or constructional details, e.g. construction of the lever or the escape wheel assembly and manufacture of the spring G04B1/145; assembly and manufacture of components, e.g. pinions, spindles G04B13/02; lubrication of clockwork bearings G04B31/008; oils for clockwork bearings in general G04B31/08
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 5/005 Magnetic or electromagnetic means

Abstract

A timepiece resonator including a mobile component ring-shaped about an axis and capable of oscillation about an axis, and a drive member subjected to a torque inside a timepiece movement. The resonator is an annular magnetic or electrostatic resonator whose mobile component is periodically excited under action induced by motion of the drive member. The drive member can exert a contactless effort on the mobile component. The mobile component includes a first quantity of first pole pieces magnetically or electrically charged at a first pitch angle, and the drive member includes a second quantity of second pole pieces magnetically or electrically charged at a second pitch angle different from the first pitch angle, arranged to cooperate in attraction or in repulsion with the first pole pieces, such that the mobile component and the drive member together form a speed reducing or increasing mechanism.

Claims

1. A timepiece resonator comprising:

a mobile component ring-shaped about an axis and capable of oscillation; and

a drive member subjected to a torque inside a timepiece movement;

wherein the resonator is a substantially annular magnetic or electrostatic resonator;

wherein the mobile component is periodically excited under action induced by movement of the drive member, the drive member is arranged to exert a contactless effort on the mobile component, the mobile component being flexible and deformable in a plane perpendicular to the axis and in which the mobile component oscillates;

the mobile component comprising a first area magnetically or electrically charged at a first pitch angle, and the drive member comprising a second area magnetically or electrically charged at a second pitch angle different from the first pitch angle, arranged to cooperate in attraction or in repulsion with the first area, such that the mobile component and the drive member together form a speed reducing or increasing mechanism; and

wherein speed of the drive member defines a speed of propagation of a wave of deformation in a material of the mobile component all round the mobile component, or defines a standing wave of oscillation of the mobile component between repetitive shapes corresponding to standing modes.

2. The timepiece resonator according to claim 1, wherein the mobile component includes a first quantity of first pole pieces magnetically or electrically charged at a first pitch angle, and wherein the drive member comprises a second quantity of second pole pieces magnetically or electrically charged at a second pitch angle different from the first pitch angle, arranged to cooperate in attraction or in repulsion with the first pole pieces, such that the mobile component and the drive member together form a speed reducing or increasing mechanism.

3. The timepiece resonator according to claim 2, wherein the drive member includes, on a second level, parallel to that of the second pole pieces, a toothed wheel integral with the drive member, and wherein the mobile component includes stops in a form of pins which, in normal operation, oscillate with the mobile component without touching the toothed wheel, and hook the toothed wheel in event of loss of synchronization, to prevent racing.

4. The timepiece resonator according to claim 2, wherein the first quantity differs from the second quantity.

5. The timepiece resonator according to claim 4, wherein the first quantity differs from the second quantity by one unit.

6. The timepiece resonator according to claim 1, wherein the speed of the drive member defines a standing wave of oscillation of the mobile component between repetitive shapes corresponding to standing modes.

7. The timepiece resonator according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the drive member includes at least one pivoting motion.

8. The timepiece resonator according to claim 7, wherein the movement of the drive member is a pivoting motion about the axis.

9. The timepiece resonator according to claim 1, wherein the mobile component is secured to a plate included in the timepiece movement by a plurality of flexible strips, more flexible than the mobile component, arranged to maintain the mobile component substantially centered on the axis, and to restrict motions of the mobile component in a same plan perpendicular to the axis with limited displacements of the center of inertia of the mobile component less than one tenth of a smallest external dimension of the mobile component in the plane.

10. The timepiece resonator according to claim 1, wherein the mobile component is secured to a plate included in the timepiece movement by a plurality of flexible strips, more rigid than the mobile component, arranged to maintain the mobile component substantially centered on the axis, and to restrict motions of the mobile component in a same plan perpendicular to the axis with limited displacements of the center of inertia of the mobile component less than one tenth of a smallest external dimension of the mobile component in the plane.

11. The timepiece resonator according to claim 1, wherein the mobile component is weighted on a periphery thereof, in a continuous or periodic manner.

12. The timepiece resonator according to claim 11, wherein the mobile component is weighted by a plurality of inertia-blocks.

13. The timepiece resonator according to claim 1, wherein the mobile component includes variable sections and/or thicknesses along a periphery thereof.

14. The timepiece resonator according to claim 1, wherein the mobile component is made of micromachinable material or silicon and includes a rectangular section in every plane passing through the axis.

15. The timepiece resonator according to claim 14, wherein the mobile component is made integral with a plurality of flexible strips for connection to a plate included in the timepiece movement.

16. The timepiece resonator according to claim 15, wherein the mobile component is integral with the plurality of flexible strips and with the plate.

17. The timepiece resonator according to claim 1, wherein, in an unrestricted free state, the mobile component has a polygonal or polylobate shape in a plane orthogonal to the axis.

18. The timepiece resonator according to claim 1, wherein the mobile component is a ring coaxial to the drive member.

19. The timepiece resonator according to claim 1, wherein the drive member is an escape wheel.

20. A timepiece movement comprising, secured on a plate, an energy storage means to deliver torque to a gear train for actuating a mechanism including an annular resonator according to claim 1, with the mobile component is secured by flexible strips to the plate, the drive member is driven by the gear train, and the drive member controls a display means of the movement.

21. A timepiece comprising a movement according to claim 20, wherein the timepiece is a watch.