CH716510A2 - Method for making an assembly of an elastic retaining member-timepiece component assembly with a support element. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing an assembly of an elastic holding member - timepiece component assembly with a support element (3), said elastic holding member being made of an electrically insulating material and said support (3) being made of an electrically conductive material, the method comprising the following steps: mounting said assembly with the support element (3) aimed at defining at least one zone for receiving at least one blocking element (11a , 11b) of a movement of said retaining member (1) relative to the support element (3), and production by galvanic metal growth of said at least one blocking element (11a, 11b) on at least one of said zones of reception.

Description

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a method for producing an assembly of an elastic retaining member assembly - watch component with a support element.

[0002] The invention also relates to such an assembly and to this set Elastic retaining member - watchmaking component.

[0003] Finally, the invention relates to a timepiece movement comprising this assembly as well as to a timepiece comprising such a movement.

Technological background

[0004] In the state of the art, methods are known for producing assemblies of an elastic retaining member assembly - watch component with a support element, in which the retaining member can be, for example, a ferrule and the support element a balance shaft. Traditionally, in these processes, the assembly of these two parts constituted by this assembly and the support element, is carried out according to a well-known driving-in technique.

[0005] However, the use in the context of the production of such assemblies of new so-called "fragile" materials which are devoid of plastic deformation properties, has made it necessary to implement new assembly techniques because these parts thus manufactured from these new materials cannot be driven out because they break easily.

[0006] Other methods are also known that are more suitable for producing assemblies in these new materials, which generally provide during assembly operations of such an assembly on the support element from the holding, a step of axial, radial and rotational blocking/fixing of the holding member relative to the support element.

[0007] However, one of the major drawbacks of such methods is due to the fact that they require numerous complex operations for carrying out this step of blocking the holding member with respect to the support element, such as operations for gluing the surfaces of contact between them and operations for maintaining the position of this holding member relative to the support element while the glue is drying.

The object of the invention is to provide an alternative to existing processes.

Summary of the invention

[0009] For this purpose, the invention relates to a method for producing an assembly of an elastic holding member assembly - timepiece component with a support element, said elastic holding member being made of an electrically insulating material and said support element being made of an electrically conductive material, the method comprising the following steps:

- mounting of said assembly with the support element aiming to define at least one zone for receiving at least one element for blocking movement of said holding member relative to the support element, and

- Realization by galvanic metal growth of said at least one blocking element on at least one of said reception areas.

[0010] Thus such characteristics make it possible to propose a method for producing such an assembly that is easy to implement in an industrial process thanks in particular to a simplification of an operation for mounting a holding member on a support element. which no longer requires a specific positioning of such a Body against the Tax base of the support element.

[0011] In other embodiments:

- the mounting step includes a sub-step of inserting the support element into the assembly holding member with minimal adjustment play;

- the insertion sub-step comprises a phase of elastic clamping of the support element in the holding member aimed at producing contact interfaces between the holding member and this support element;

- the production step comprises a sub-step of determining the location of said at least one zone for receiving at least one blocking element in a mounting zone of the support element;

- the determination sub-step comprises a phase of identification of delimitation zones of the contact interfaces;

- the production step comprises a sub-step of construction by galvanic metal growth of said at least one blocking element in at least one reception zone located in the mounting zone of the support element comprising at least one identified delimitation zone ;

- the construction sub-step comprises a phase of construction by galvanic metal growth of said at least one blocking element in at least one reception zone located in the mounting zone of the support element comprising identified delimitation zones of two contact interfaces these delimitation zones being arranged opposite one another;

- the construction sub-step includes a constitution phase by galvanic metal growth of said at least one blocking element in at least one reception zone located in the mounting zone of the support element comprising at least one delimitation zone identified by at least one contact interface, said at least one delimitation zone being arranged facing one of the two ends of the support element.

[0012] The invention also relates to an assembly for a clockwork movement of a timepiece comprising an elastic holding member assembly - timepiece component and a support element, said elastic holding member being made of a material electrically insulating and the support element made of an electrically conductive material, the assembly (120) being coupled with the support element from at least one blocking element included on at least one zone for receiving the element support.

[0013] The invention also relates to a timepiece movement comprising at least one such assembly.

The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising such a clockwork.

Brief description of figures

The invention will be described below in more detail with the aid of the appended drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a sectional view of an assembly comprising an elastic retaining member assembly

- watch component coupled to a support element, the assembly forming a toothed wheel integral with the holding member, according to the embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 shows a sectional view of an assembly comprising an elastic retaining member assembly

- watch component coupled to the support element, the assembly forming a wheel made in one piece with the holding member, according to the embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 3 shows a view on a larger scale of a part A of the assembly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprising locking elements of the holding member relative to the support element, according to a mode of realization of the invention;

- Figure 4 shows a view of this same part A of the assembly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 devoid of these locking elements, according to the embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 5 shows a sectional view of an assembly comprising an elastic retaining member assembly

- timepiece component coupled to the support element, the elastic holding member being a ferrule and the timepiece component a hairspring, according to one embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 6 is a schematic view of a timepiece comprising the assembly comprising the set of elastic retaining member - timepiece component coupled to the support element, according to the embodiment of the invention, and

- Figure 7 is a flowchart relating to a method of making such an assembly, according to the embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

[0016] FIGS. 1 to 5 present an embodiment of an assembly 130 comprising an elastic retaining member - timepiece component assembly coupled to the support element 3 from at least one locking element 11a, 11b provided to block/lock radially, axially and/or in rotation the support element 3 relative to the holding member 1. In this context, it will be noted that the elastic holding member has the sole function of ensuring the centering from the whole. Such a blocking element 11a, 11b is built on at least one reception zone 7a, 7b of the support element 3 by galvanic metal growth. It is therefore understood that this blocking element 11a, 11b is an outgrowth of metallic material present on a peripheral wall of one end of the support element 3 obtained by a metallic galvanic deposit or metallic growth on this reception zone 7a, 7b . The assembly 130 therefore comprises the assembly 120 elastic retaining member - timepiece component intended to be arranged in a timepiece movement 110 of a timepiece 100 visible in Figure 6, and also to be mounted on a support element 3. This assembly 120 comprises the elastic holding member 1 for fixing a timepiece component 2 on the support element 3. By way of example, the elastic holding member 1 can be a ring or even a ferrule or any parts capable of securing the timepiece component 2 such as a hairspring or even a wheel, to a support element 3 such as a shaft. This elastic retaining member 1 is made of an electrically insulating material which may be a so-called "fragile" material, preferably a micro-machinable material. Such a material may include quartz, corundum, ceramic, silicon carbide (Sic ), diamond, metallic glass or even an at least partially amorphous or similar material. In this configuration, the assembly 120 can be a one-piece piece and be made of a "fragile" material similar to that of the holding member. 1. It will be noted that in a variant of this assembly 120, only the elastic holding member 1 can be made of such a so-called "fragile" material, the watch component 2 then being made of another material, electrically insulating or not .

Note that the assembly 130 has here been designed for applications in the watchmaking field. However, this assembly 130 can perfectly be implemented in other fields such as aeronautics, jewelry, or even automobiles.

In this assembly 130, the holding member 1 comprises an upper face and a lower face preferably planar which are both included respectively in the first and second planes P1 and P2. This Member 1 also has a thickness which extends from the upper face to the lower face. In this holding member 1, the inner face 6 participates in defining a volume 5 in which are arranged at least three elastic arms 4 provided with free ends. Indeed, these elastic arms 4 each comprise two ends, a first end connected to the inner face 6 of the holding member 1 and a second end which is the free end. This free end comprises a contact face having a shape configured/adapted to cooperate with a corresponding contact portion 9 of a mounting zone 12 of the support element 3. By way of example in the present embodiment, when this assembly area 12 is defined on a part of the support element 3 having a circular section then the contact face of the arm has a compatible shape able to match the shape of this part, being for example here a face curved contact. This support element 3 comprises at least as many contact portions 9 as the holding member 1 comprises elastic arms 4. The free ends of these arms 4 together define an opening into which said support element can be inserted. 3. In this configuration, the contact faces of the free ends of these arms 4 form an internal wall of this opening. Such an opening has a section which is smaller than that of the mounting zone 12 included in one end of the support element 3 which is intended to be arranged there.

In this assembly 130, it will be noted that each arm 4 has an essentially curved or rectilinear shape with the free end constituting the part of the arm 4 closest to a central axis D of the opening. Each of these elastic arms 4 is capable of being deformed eccentrically relative to this central axis D of the opening. In other words, each of these arms 4 when it is subjected to a stress induced by the support element 3 as will be seen later, is capable of being deformed by passing from a rest position to a constrained position. . In this context, passing from this rest position to the constrained position, all or part of this arm 4 is then moved eccentrically relative to the central axis D and this, towards the inner face 6 of the holding member 1 Such arms 4 contribute to ensuring elastic clamping of the support element 3 in the opening with a minimum adjustment play by being configured to be deformed eccentrically with respect to the central axis D of said opening.

In this assembly 130, the support element 3 is made of an electrically conductive material. This support element 3 comprises the mounting zone 12 comprising the contact portions 9 intended to cooperate with the arms 4 of the holding member 1 and at least one reception zone 7a, 7b which is capable of receiving at least one element blocking 11a, 11b of a radial, axial and/or rotational displacement of this support element 3 relative to the holding member 1. This support element 3 has a preferably circular section but this section can in a Variant having the shape of a regular polygon comprising for example at least three sides and possibly having rounded vertices. It will be noted that the shape of the section of this support element 3 is preferably similar to that of the opening.

[0021] With reference to Figure 7, the invention also relates to a method for producing the assembly 130 comprising the assembly 120 elastic retaining member - timepiece component with the support element 3.

[0022] This method comprises a step 20 for mounting said retaining member 1 on the support element 3 aimed at defining at least one zone 7a, 7b for receiving at least one element 11a, 11b for blocking movement said holding member 1 relative to said support element 3. Such a step 20 includes a sub-step 21 for inserting the support element 3 into the holding member 1 with minimal adjustment play. This sub-step 21 comprises a phase of indexing 22 of the support element 3 with respect to the holding member 1. More precisely, during this phase 22, the end of the support element 3 comprising the zone assembly 12 is arranged in the opening defined by the free ends of the elastic arms 4 of the holding member 1. The arrangement of the support element 3 in this opening is carried out around an axis common to the end of this support element 3 and at the opening of the holding member 1. This common axis coincides with the central axis D. Such an arrangement around this common axis participates in an indexing of the end of the element of support 3 with respect to the opening. The insertion sub-step 21 also comprises a phase of elastic clamping 23 of the support element 3 in the holding member 1 aimed at producing contact interfaces 8 between the holding member 1 and this support member 3 Indeed, during the insertion of the support element 3 in the opening, its end comes into contact with the elastic arms 4 which then deforms radially with respect to the central axis of the opening until the contact portions 9 of the support element 3 are in contact with the contact faces of the elastic arms 4. In this configuration, the contact interfaces 8 between the holding member 1 and the support element 3 are created by the contact of the contact faces with the contact portions and the arrangement of the end in the opening is carried out with a minimum adjustment play aimed at ensuring an unblocked or unlocked holding of the support element 3 in this opening of the holding member 1.

Subsequently, the process comprises a step 24 of production by galvanic metal growth of at least one blocking element 11a, 11b on at least one of the reception zones 7a, 7b of the assembly zone 12 of the support element 3. This step 24 comprises a sub-step 25 of determining the location of said at least one receiving zone 7a, 7b of at least one blocking element 11a, 11b in the mounting zone 12 of the support element 3. Indeed, the position of the reception zone 7a, 7b is defined according to at least one contact interface 8 between the holding member 1 and the support element 3. This sub-step determination 25 comprises a phase of identification 26 of delimitation zones 10 of the contact interfaces 8. These delimitation zones 10 correspond to parts of the assembly zone 12 of the support element 3 comprising the edges/limits of each interface. of contact 8. Indeed, the blocking elements 11a, 11b are intended to be built on the reception zones 7a, 7b comprising these zones of

Claims (11)

delimitation 10 of the contact interfaces 8 and this, preferably in whole or in part on or near the edges/limits of each of these contact interfaces 8. Next, the production step 24 comprises a construction sub-step 27 by galvanic metal growth of at least one blocking element 11a, 11b in at least one of the reception zones 7a, 7b located in the zone of assembly 12 of the support element 3 comprising at least one delimitation zone 10 identified. This galvanic growth on said at least one reception zone 7a, 7b is preferably thin and has a thickness of between 0.5 and 20 μm, and is preferably 3 μm. [0025] Such a galvanic growth is performed only on the surface of the reception zone 7a, 7b of the support element 3, in fact no growth can occur on the free end of the elastic arms 4 of the organ holding 1 made of electrically insulating material. Subsequently, the construction sub-stage 27 includes a construction phase 28 by this metallic-galvanic growth of said at least one blocking element 11a in at least one reception zone 7a located in the assembly zone 12 of the support element 3 comprising delimitation zones 10 identified with two contact interfaces 8, these delimitation zones 10 being arranged opposite one another. During this phase 28, the blocking element 11a is then built between two contact interfaces 8 or even between the two contact portions 9 of the mounting zone 12 of the support element 3 which are provided to cooperate with the contact faces of the free ends of the elastic arms 4. In a variant, two blocking elements 11a can be constructed just on the two determined delimitation zones 10 which are included in the corresponding reception zone 7a. [0027] It is understood here that such a phase 28 therefore participates in the production of at least one blocking element 11a of the rotational and/or radial displacement of the support element 3 relative to the holding member 1. [0028] The construction sub-step 27 also includes a constitution phase 29 by galvanic metal growth of said at least one blocking element 11b in at least one reception zone 7b located in the mounting zone 12 of the support element 3 comprising at least one delimitation zone 10 identified with at least one contact interface 8, said at least one delimitation zone 10 being arranged facing one of the two ends of the support element 3. During this phase 29, the blocking element 11b is then built on the reception zone 7b between a contact interface 8 and one of the two ends of the support element 3 or even between this end of the support element 3 and a portion 9 of the mounting zone 12 of the support element 3 which is provided to cooperate with the contact face of the free end of the elastic arm 4. In a variant, two blocking elements 11 b can be constructed just on the two delimitation zones 10 determined which are included in the corresponding reception zone 7b, the two delimitation zones 10 determined being those which are arranged opposite the two corresponding ends of the support element 3. [0029] It is understood here that such a phase 29 therefore participates in the production of at least one blocking element 11b of the axial and/or radial displacement of the support element 3 relative to the holding member 1. [0030] In the present embodiment, locking elements 11a, 11b are built on all the delimitation zones 10 of the contact interfaces 8 defined between the elastic arms 4 and the mounting zone 12 of the support element 3 It is understood that in other variants, such blocking elements 11a, 11b can be constructed only for a given number of contact interfaces 8 and/or delimitation zone 10 determined according to, for example, the type of blocking of the displacement of the support element 3 relative to the holding member 1 to be configured. Claims 1. Method for producing an assembly (130) of an assembly (120) elastic holding member - watch component with a support element (3), said elastic holding member being made of an electrically insulating material and said support element (3) being made of an electrically conductive material, the method comprising the following steps: - mounting (20) of said assembly (120) with the support element (3) aimed at defining at least one reception zone (7a, 7b) of at least one blocking element (11a, 11b) of a displacement said holding member (1) relative to the support element (3), and - realization by galvanic metal growth of said at least one blocking element (11a, 11b) on at least one of said reception zones (7a, 7b). 2. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the assembly step (20) comprises a sub-step of insertion (21) of the support element (3) in the holding member (1) of the assembly (120) with minimal adjustment clearance. 3. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the insertion sub-step (21) comprises an elastic clamping phase (23) of the support element (3) in the holding member (1) aimed at making contact interfaces (8) between the holding member (1) and this support element (3). 4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the step of carrying out (24) comprises a sub-step of determining (25) the location of said at least one reception zone (7a, 7b) of at least one blocking element (11a, 11b) in a mounting zone (12) of the support element (3). 5. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the determination sub-step (25) comprises an identification phase (26) of delimitation zones (10) of the contact interfaces (8). 6. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the production step (24) comprises a construction sub-step (25) by galvanic metal growth of said at least one blocking element (11a, 11b) in at least one zone reception (7a, 7b) located in the mounting zone (12) of the support element (3) comprising at least one identified delimitation zone (10). 7. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the construction sub-step (27) comprises a construction phase (28) by galvanic metal growth of said at least one blocking element (11a) in at least one reception zone (7a) located in the mounting zone (12) of the support element (3) comprising delimitation zones (10) identified with two contact interfaces (8), these delimitation zones (10) being arranged opposite one the other. 8. Method according to any one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the construction sub-step (27) comprises a constitution phase (29) by galvanic metal growth of said at least one blocking element (11b) in at least one reception zone (7b) located in the mounting zone (12) of the support element (3) comprising at least one delimitation zone (10) identified with at least one contact interface (8), said at least one delimitation zone (10) being arranged facing one of the two ends of the support element (3). 9. Assembly (130) for a clockwork movement (110) of a timepiece (100) comprising an assembly (120) elastic holding member - clockwork component and a support element (3), said Elastic holding member (1) being made of an electrically insulating material and the support element (3) of an electrically conductive material, the assembly (120) being coupled with the support element (3) from at least at least one locking element (11a, 11b) included in at least one receiving zone (7a, 7b) of the support element (3). 10. Clock movement (110) comprising at least one assembly (130) according to the preceding claim. 11. Timepiece (100) comprising a timepiece movement (110) according to the preceding claim