The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

Asulab S.a.

Francois Gueissaz

Lionel Tombez

Alexandre Haemmerli

Michel Willemin

Jean-Claude Martin

Alain Jornod

Jean-Luc Helfer

Gianni Di Domenico

Pascal Winkler

Yves Winkler

Baptiste Hinaux

Lionel Paratte

Donald William Corson

Silvio Dalla Piazza

Yves Theoduloz

Bernhard Schnyder

Thierry Hessler

Yvan Ferri

A balance for timepieces includes a rim, a hub, and at least one arm connecting the hub to the rim. At least one portion of the balance is made of an at least partially amorphous metal alloy. The at least partially amorphous metal alloy is based on an element chosen from the group consisting of platinum, zirconium and titanium, and has a coefficient of thermal expansion comprised between 7 ppm/&#xb0; C. and 12 ppm/&#xb0; C. The balance can be manufactured by moulding. A resonator can include such a balance and a monocrystalline quartz balance spring.

Balance for timepieces and method for manufacturing the same

A process for producing a metal alloy balance wheel by molding includes a) making a mold in the negative shape of the balance wheel; b) obtaining a metal alloy that has a thermal expansion coefficient of less than 25 ppm/&#xb0; C. and is able to be in an at least partly amorphous state when it is heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature; c) putting the metal alloy into the mold, the metal alloy being heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature so as to be hot-molded and to form a balance wheel; d) cooling the metal alloy to obtain a balance wheel made of the metal alloy; and e) releasing the balance wheel obtained in step d) from its mold. The process also includes a step for over-molding flexible centering components in the hub.

Process for producing a balance wheel for a timepiece

A thermoelectric watch including a thermoelectric module including a hot plate and a cold plate connected by semiconductor pillars, wherein the hot plate is thermally connected to the back cover of the watch, the cold plate is thermally connected to the case middle of the watch via a support element with at least two branches, at least two branches have a common end on which is held the cold plate of the thermoelectric module, and at least two branches are flexible to absorb shocks.

Thermoelectric watch

A thermoelectric watch includes a thermoelectric generator; a voltage booster connected to the thermoelectric generator, and an energy management circuit connected to the voltage booster and configured to control the charging of at least one energy storage element. The energy management circuit includes an output configured to change from a first logic state to a second logic state when the thermoelectric generator starts generating electrical energy, and to change from the second logic state to the first logic state when the thermoelectric generator finishes generating electrical energy.

User-testable thermoelectric watch

A thermoelectric watch including a thermoelectric generator; a voltage booster connected to the thermoelectric generator; an energy management circuit connected to the voltage booster and configured to control the charging of at least one energy storage element, the energy management circuit including an output configured to change from a first logic state to a second logic state when the thermoelectric generator starts generating electrical energy, and to change from the second logic state to the first logic state when the thermoelectric generator finishes generating electrical energy.

Thermoelectric watch testable in production or after-sales service

A process for producing a metal alloy balance wheel by molding, the process including the following steps: a) making a mold in the negative shape of the balance wheel, b) getting hold of a metal alloy that has a thermal expansion coefficient of less than 25 ppm/&#xb0; C. and is able to be in an at least partly amorphous state when it is heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature, c) putting the metal alloy into the mold, the metal alloy being heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature so as to be hot-molded and to form a balance wheel, d) cooling the metal alloy to obtain a balance wheel made of the metal alloy, e) releasing the balance wheel obtained in step d) from its mold.

A force sensor including: a first part including a detection coil; a second part positioned opposite the first part and including: a ferromagnetic plate translationally movable relative to the first part to move towards the first part when a force is transferred to the sensor and to reduce reluctance of a magnetic circuit formed by the first and second parts in series with a variable gap; and an electronic detection circuit configured to generate a signal dependent on the reluctance of the magnetic circuit. The ferromagnetic plate is formed by an amorphous metal alloy.

Force sensor, particularly for a touch pad

A thermoelectric generator includes a voltage source including a thermoelectric element, a starting circuit connected to the voltage source, a DC to DC converter circuit connected to the voltage source, an output connected to the starting circuit and connected to the DC to DC converter circuit, and a controller having an input connected to the voltage source, and outputs connected to the starting circuit and to the DC to DC converter circuit. The controller deactivates the starting circuit and activates the DC to DC converter circuit when a voltage at the output or when a voltage provided by the voltage source rises above a predefined upper voltage threshold. Additionally, the controller reactivates the starting circuit and deactivates the DC to DC converter circuit when a voltage at the output or when a voltage provided by the voltage source drops below a predefined lower voltage threshold.

Thermoelectric generator with starting circuit

A piezoelectric element for an automatic frequency control circuit, the element including: a balance spring formed of a strip of piezoelectric material; at least a first electrode, configured to be connected to the circuit and being disposed on all or part of one side of the strip; at least a second electrode configured to be connected to the circuit and being disposed on all or part of another one side of the strip distinct from the one side on which the first electrode is disposed, the piezoelectric material being a piezoelectric crystal or a piezoelectric ceramic; and at least two discontinuous layers of an insulating material, each discontinuous layer being disposed on at least one side of the strip and separating the first electrode from the second electrode, the layers of insulating material being distributed on predetermined portions of the balance spring substantially forming arcs in a predetermined angular periodicity.

Piezoelectric element for an automatic frequency control circuit, oscillating mechanical system and device comprising the same, and method for manufacturing the piezoelectric element

A device is provided, including a housing having a cavity that is open to an exterior of the housing; an electrical element positioned inside the housing; and an actuation system configured to actuate the element and including a thermoelectric module including first and second electrically insulating plates substantially parallel to one another and each bear electrically conductive terminal blocks, and semiconductive pillars that extend between the respective blocks of the first and second plates, the module housed inside the cavity such that the second plate is positioned against walls of the cavity and the first plate is accessible from outside the housing, and an electronic transmission circuit linking at least two of the blocks of the second plate to the element, and where the system extends beyond the exterior of the housing in a direction perpendicular to a plane aligned with a surface of the exterior of the housing.

Watch provided with a thermoelectric button

A piezoelectric element for an automatic frequency control circuit. The element includes a balance spring formed of a piezoelectric crystal strip, a first electrode connected to the automatic control circuit, and disposed on at least a first side of the strip, and a second electrode connected to the automatic control circuit and disposed on at least a second side of the strip. The first and second electrodes are placed on one portion or over the entire length of the balance spring in a predetermined angular distribution.

Piezoelectric element for an automatic frequency control circuit, oscillating mechanical system and device comprising the same

A detector circuit for detecting a variation in inductance of the magnetic circuit of an inductive displacement sensor, the detector circuit including: a first flip flop arranged to supply a first signal including a voltage pulse of necessary and sufficient duration to charge a coil to a threshold current, wherein the first signal is applied to a first terminal of the coil; a pulse generator configured to supply a reference signal comprising a reference pulse; a clock signal generator arranged to trigger the voltage pulse and the reference pulse periodically and simultaneously; and a second flip flop arranged to generate an output signal taking a status of the first signal on a trailing edge of the reference pulse.

Detector circuit for an inductive displacement sensor, in particular for a touch plate

A watch or timepiece regulating member includes a balance, a balance-cock, at least one light energy source, and at least one balance spring attached between the balance and the balance-cock. The balance spring is made of quartz or of glass or of ceramic or is partially transparent to visible and/or ultraviolet wavelengths or made of an at least partially amorphous material and transmits and diffuses light emitted by the light energy source.

Illuminated balance spring

A portable instrument for measuring a physiological quantity arranged to contact with the surface of organic tissue includes, essentially arranged in the same plane: an illumination device including at least one light source with an illumination surface for subjecting a portion of organic tissue to light emission in at least one wavelength range; and a detection device distant from the illumination device for detecting intensity of light emission produced by the illumination device after propagation in the organic tissue. The illumination device includes an optical element forming a guide coupled to the at least one light source for guiding light emission from the source by total internal reflection in a substantially parallel direction to the surface of the organic tissue and for distributing light emission into several illumination zones on the surface of the organic tissue over a substantially broader area than the illumination surface of the light source.

Portable instrument for measuring a physiological quantity, including a device for illuminating the surface of an organic tissue

The invention concerns a timepiece including a mechanical power source () coupled, on the one hand, to first means () displaying time related information and, on the other hand, to a generator (), a regulator circuit () for enslaving the generator frequency to a reference frequency, said regulator circuit including switching means () arranged for electrically braking the generator when the generator frequency is higher than the reference frequency, and second power-reserve display means () controlled by means for measuring the power-reserve (), said timepiece being characterized in that it further includes means () for accumulating the electrical energy dissipated during the generator braking periods and means () for actuating said second display means to display the power-reserve by means of the electrical energy accumulated.

Growing community of inventors

Cormondreche, Switzerland

Francois Gueissaz