HK1215605B - One-piece composite impulse pin-safety roller component - Google Patents

Description

Single-piece composite impact nail-safety disc component

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a one-piece composite timepiece component, and more particularly to such a component intended to replace a safety disc-impact pin/disc pin assembly.

Background

In swiss lever escapements, it is known to employ a double disc-striker assembly as shown in fig. 1. The assembly comprises a strike plate B carrying a strike pin a and a safety plate C having an indentation E cooperating with the prong pin of the pallet. Impulse pin a is fixed below impulse plate B and cooperates with the fork of the same pallet.

In addition to the significant height of the double disc-striker assembly, it is also difficult to properly position the striker a relative to the notch E of the rupture disc C.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to overcome all or part of the above drawbacks by proposing a component as an alternative to a double disc-impact pin assembly, wherein said component is more compact and more precise and free from deterioration in terms of friction.

To this end, the invention relates to a one-piece composite micromechanical timepiece component comprising a first functional level and a second functional level, said first functional level comprising an impact pin made of a first material and arranged to cooperate with a component, said first functional level further comprising an electroformed portion made of a second metal material, which partially overlaps the impact pin, and said second functional level comprising only an electroformed portion forming a disc also arranged to cooperate with said component, said first material being different from said second metal material.

Advantageously according to the invention, it is thus possible to decouple the main tribological function of the impact pin from the main attachment function of the electroformed segment by choosing a material that is perfectly adapted to its own function. Furthermore, compared to a double disc-impact pin assembly, it is evident that the component according to the invention is more compact, without loss in the friction properties or the attachment quality of the impact pin, while ensuring better positioning between multiple levels and multiple functions.

According to other advantageous features of the invention:

the impact pin comprises a protrusion not covered by the electroformed portion, which narrows to a base from which at least two strip portions extend substantially symmetrically, said at least two strip portions being partially covered by the electroformed portion;

-the at least two belt portions of the impact pin each extend along an arc of a circle;

-the first and second functional levels are traversed by a single aperture;

-the single hole comprises a circular cross-section;

-the cross section of the single hole is substantially constant for each of the first and second functional levels or is different in each of the first and second functional levels, so as to adjust the component in two planes or in the plane of only one of the first and second functional levels;

-the wall of the component surrounding the single hole is formed by the electroformed portion only;

-the first material is formed from doped or undoped monocrystalline silicon, doped or undoped polycrystalline silicon, silicon dioxide, quartz, silica, monocrystalline corundum, polycrystalline corundum, alumina, ruby, silicon nitride or silicon carbide;

-the first material is at least partially coated with an allotrope of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide or carbon.

Finally, the invention relates to a timepiece assembly including a sprung balance resonator assembly mounted on an arbour, characterized in that it further includes a single-piece composite micromechanical component according to any one of the preceding variants, which is mounted on the arbour by being pushed against said electroformed portion and is arranged to cooperate with an escapement system.

Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the following description, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional double disc-striker assembly;

figure 2 is a perspective view of a one-piece composite component according to the invention;

figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a timepiece assembly according to the invention.

Detailed Description

The invention concerns a single-piece composite micromechanical horological part 1, i.e. comprising a plurality of different materials, i.e. materials having different properties and fixed to each other. As shown in FIG. 2, component 1 preferably includes at least two different functional levels N₁、N₂。

Thus, the first function level N₁Comprising an impulse pin 3, which impulse pin 3 is made of a first material and is arranged to cooperate with a member, such as a fork of a pallet fork. First function level N₁An electroformed portion 5 made of a second metallic material is also included. It is evident that the portion 5 is made in one piece, since the portion 5 is electroformed on top of the impact pin 3 during the electroforming process. Thus, the electroformed portion 5 partially overlaps the impact pin 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, component 1 includes a second functional level N₂This second functional level comprises only an electroformed portion 5 forming a disc also arranged to cooperate with the same member (for example the fork pin of a pallet). It is apparent that the resulting component is much more compact than the double disc-impact pin assembly shown in fig. 1. Furthermore, since the portion 5 is electroformed on top of the impact pin 3 during the electroforming process, at each level N₁、N₂The positioning in between is inherently very accurate.

Preferably, the impact pin 3 comprises a protrusion 7 not covered by the electroformed portion 5. As shown in fig. 2, the free end of the projection 7 narrows to a base 9 from which at least two strip portions 6, 8 extend substantially symmetrically, said at least two strip portions being partially covered by the electroformed portion 5.

Of course, the base 9 and/or the strip portions 6, 8 may alternatively be completely covered by the electroformed portion 5. In fact, in order to improve the visibility of the impact pin 3 in fig. 2, the top portion of the impact pin is not covered by the electroformed portion 5.

As can be seen in fig. 2, the at least two strip portions 6, 8 of said impact stud 3 each extend along an arc of a circle without meeting in order to allow a certain elasticity of the first material with respect to the second metal material.

Preferably, according to the invention, the first and second functional level N₁、N₂Traversed by a single hole 11 to allow, for example, a spindle or pin to be mounted in said hole. In the example shown in fig. 2, the single hole 11 comprises a circular cross-section. However, it should be understood that other cross-sectional shapes are also contemplated, such as cloverleaf (cloverleaf), polygonal, and the like.

Furthermore, according to a first alternative, the cross section of a single hole 11 is for the first and second functional levels N₁、N₂Is substantially constant so as to be at the first and second function levels N₁、N₂The component 1 is adjusted in two planes.

However, according to a second alternative, the cross-section of the single hole 11 is at a first and a second level N₁、N₂Is different in each of them, so as to be preferred in the first and second functional levels N₁、N₂In-plane adjustment member 1.

Finally, the wall 10 of the component 1 surrounding the single hole 11 is formed only by the electroformed portion 5, so as to allow the component 1 to be pushed, for example, against a mandrel or pin. It is therefore clear that the electroformed portion 5 is plastically deformed to secure the one-piece component 1 against, for example, a mandrel or pin. It is also advantageous that the at least two band portions 6, 8 of the impact stud 3 allow sufficient elasticity to follow the deformation of the wall 10.

Advantageously according to the invention, it is thus possible to decouple the main tribological function of the impact pin 3 from the main attachment function of the electroformed portion 5. It can also be seen that the electroformed portion 5 is at a second level N₂Two notches 13, 15 are formed, the notch 13 having the same function as the notch E of a conventional double disc-striker assembly, i.e. for example cooperating with the fork pin of a pallet.

Thus, the first material of the impact pin 3 may be formed of doped or undoped monocrystalline silicon, doped or undoped polycrystalline silicon, silicon dioxide, quartz, silica, monocrystalline corundum, polycrystalline corundum, alumina, ruby, silicon nitride or silicon carbide. The first material may even be at least partially coated (in particular at the projections 7) with an allotrope of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide or carbon, in order to improve the tribological properties of the first material. Finally, as an example, the electroformed portion 5 made of a metallic material may comprise nickel, a nickel-cobalt alloy, or a nickel-phosphorus alloy.

As shown in fig. 3, the invention also relates to a timepiece assembly 21 including a resonator 23 with a balance 25-balance spring 27 assembly mounted on an arbour 29. The assembly 21 also comprises a single-piece composite micromechanical component 1 according to the invention, this component 1 being mounted on a arbour 29 so as to cooperate, for example, with a swiss lever escapement system.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples shown, but is capable of numerous modifications and alternatives that may occur to one skilled in the art. In particular, the component 1 may comprise more than two functional levels N₁、N₂。

It is also conceivable that the hole 11 is open, i.e. it comprises a slot, for example in the direction of the recess 15, so that the component 1 can be resiliently mounted on a spindle or pin.

Claims (11)

1. A single-piece composite micromechanical timepiece component (1) comprising a first functional level (N)₁) And a second function level (N)₂) Said first functional level comprising an impulse pin (3) made of a first material and arranged to cooperate with a component of the escapement system, said first functional level (N)₁) Further comprising an electroformed portion (5) made of a second metallic material, which partially overlaps said impact pin, said second functional level (N)₂) Comprising only an electroformed portion forming a disc which is also arranged to cooperate with said memberIn cooperation, the first material is different from the second metallic material.

2. Timepiece component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the impact stud (3) comprises a projection (7) not covered by the electroformed portion (5), which narrows to a base (9) from which at least two band portions (6, 8) extend substantially symmetrically, said at least two band portions being partially covered by the electroformed portion (5).

3. Timepiece component (1) according to claim 2, wherein each of the at least two band portions (6, 8) of the impact nail (3) extends along an arc of a circle.

4. Timepiece component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first and second functional levels (N)₁、N₂) Through a single hole (11).

5. Timepiece component (1) according to claim 4, wherein the single hole (11) comprises a circular cross section.

6. Timepiece component (1) according to claim 4, wherein the cross section of the single hole (11) is for a first and a second functional level (N)₁、N₂) Each of which is substantially constant.

7. Timepiece component (1) according to claim 4, wherein the cross section of the single hole (11) is in the first and second functional levels (N)₁、N₂) Is different in each of them, so as to be only in the first and second function levels (N)₁、N₂) In the plane of one of the timepiece components (1).

8. Timepiece component (1) according to claim 4, wherein the wall (10) of the timepiece component (1) surrounding the single aperture (11) is formed only by the electroformed portion (5).

9. Timepiece component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first material is formed by doped or undoped monocrystalline silicon, doped or undoped polycrystalline silicon, silicon dioxide, quartz, silica, monocrystalline corundum, polycrystalline corundum, alumina, ruby, silicon nitride or silicon carbide.

10. Timepiece component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first material is at least partially coated with an allotrope of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide or carbon.

11. A timepiece assembly (21) including a resonator (23) with a balance (25) -balance spring (27) assembly mounted on an arbour (29), characterized in that the timepiece assembly (21) further includes a one-piece, composite, micromechanical timepiece component (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, mounted on the arbour by being pushed against the electroformed portion and arranged to cooperate with an escapement system.