The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

Asulab S.a.

François Gueissaz

Jean-Jacques Born

Jean-Luc Helfer

Gianni Di Domenico

Thierry Conus

Pascal Winkler

Michel Willemin

Thierry Hessler

Lionel Tombez

Yves Winkler

Jean-Claude Martin

Yvan Ferri

Alain Jornod

Pierry Vuille

Baptiste Hinaux

Silvio Dalla Piazza

Matthias Imboden

Jean-Paul Randin

Simon Bourquin

Lionel Paratte

Christophe Germiquet

Bernat Monferrer

Yves Theoduloz

Jean-Pierre Mignot

Alexandre Haemmerli

David Benjamin Kraehenbuehl

Donald William Corson

Alexandre Didier

Milan Calic

Elias Laforge

Bernhard Schnyder

Dominique Piguet

Luc Testa

A piezoelectric balance spring () for a circuit () for self-regulating an oscillation frequency of an oscillating mechanical system (), or an energy recovery circuit or a motor circuit for actuating the movement or for the automatic maintenance thereof. The piezoelectric balance spring () includes at least one piezoelectric layer (') provided on a top face () or bottom face of a certain number of coils of the spring in a plane, and at least two pairs of electrodes (), whereby the electrodes of each pair are provided on two opposing faces of the same piezoelectric layer or respectively two piezoelectric layers so as to apply a reverse bias voltage on each pair of electrodes.

Piezoelectric balance spring, and method for manufacturing the balance spring

A wearable object () including an electronic unit and a power supply unit formed by an electromechanical converter (A) which includes a rotor () carrying first magnets (A), a mechanical resonator (A) provided with an inertia mass () capable of oscillating at a relatively high resonant frequency and carrying second magnets (), and coils arranged so that, when the mechanical resonator is oscillating, an induced voltage is generated in these coils. The electromechanical converter is arranged so that the first magnets and the second magnets can, during a rotational drive of the rotor, interact magnetically so as to apply to the inertia mass, momentarily or temporarily, a magnetic force torque allowing to excite the mechanical resonator, in order to generate at least one oscillation of this mechanical resonator at its resonant frequency in order to generate a relatively high induced voltage allowing to recharge an accumulator.

Wearable object, in particular watch bracelet, comprising a power supply device provided with an electromechanical converter

An annular fluidic device includes a closed annular tube, wherein the tube includes at least one portion of transparent wall and contains a rigid torus bathed in a fluid filling the internal volume of the tube, in that the torus is arranged to be movable in the tube, and wherein at least one permanently polarised magnetic element integral with the torus allows it to undergo a moment of force causing it to be aligned in the direction of the external magnetic vector. A watch case can include this device.

Annular fluidic system with compass function

A power management method for a solar watch or a solar automatic watch. The power management method including at least one providing a primary power supply from at least one energy supplier. The primary power supply is converted to a secondary power supply when the primary power supply reaches at least one primary threshold and/or at least one secondary threshold. A motor is supplied with the secondary power supply such as to wind a mainspring via the motor.

Power management method for a solar watch

A testability method () for testing the operation of a thermoelectric element () of a thermoelectric watch () including the thermoelectric element (), a power circuit supplied by primary storage elements () and secondary storage elements () so as to move at least one moveable element () or display information on an electro-optical display device. The testability method () includes steps of applying a heat source () to the thermoelectric element () so as to make it possible to electrically charge () or recharge () the secondary storage elements () in order to move at least one moveable element () or display information on an electro-optical display device, and thus check the functionality of the thermoelectric element ().

Test method of a thermoelectric element

A watch includes a control member, for example a crown or a head of a push-piece, which is mounted in a resilient manner on the outer end of an elongated element projecting outside the middle, such that a user can tilt in a self-reverting manner the control member in two dimensions orthogonal and perpendicular to the central axis of the elongated element. At least one proximity sensor is incorporated into the middle of the watch, in a location allowing this proximity sensor to produce an electric signal that represents the tilting of the control member about an axis that is perpendicular to the central axis. A processor generates at least one instruction on the basis of the electric signal provided by at least one proximity sensor, for example to allow the user to browse a menu or a calendar displayed on a digital screen.

Watch provided with a control member

A watch including a control member that is able to manage at least one first function of the watch and at the same time to control one or more additional electronic functions. The control member, for example a crown or a push-piece head, is mounted on the elongate element defining a central axis and passing through a wall of the watch middle. At least one strain gauge is mounted around the elongate element and arranged so as to produce an electrical signal representing a radial force exerted by the elongate element on the strain gauge when a user laterally exerts a force on the control member. A processor generates at least one command on the basis of the electrical signal, for example to enable the user to navigate in a menu or a calendar displayed on a digital screen.

In order to check the hermeticity of a closed cavity of at least one micrometric component, said component includes a structure made over or in one portion of a substrate, a cap fixed to one zone of the substrate to protect the structure, and an indicator element whose optical or electrical properties change in the presence of a reactive fluid. The indicator element may be a copper layer for an optical check or a palladium resistor for an electrical check. The micrometric component is placed in a container which is then hermetically closed. This container is filled with a reactive fluid under pressure, which is oxygen for the optical check and hydrogen for the electrical check. The component in the container is subjected to a reactive fluid pressure higher than 10 bars for a determined time period, and to thermal (T&#x3e;100&#xb0; C.) or optical (&#x3bb;&#x3c;500 nm) activation. After this time period, an optical or electrical check of the indicator element determines the hermeticity of said cavity.

Method of checking the hermeticity of a closed cavity of a micrometric component and micrometric component for the implementation of the same

Method of checking the hermeticity of a closed cavity of a micrometric component and micrometric component for the implementation of same

The magnetic control device () for a timepiece comprises a sealed tube () which comprises a blind end inserted into an opening of the timepiece, whereas the other end of the tube opens towards the outside. A control stem () is provided in order to slide inside the tube (). It carries a magnet () which is displaced integrally with the stem inside the tube. By manipulating the end of the stem which emerges from the tube (), the wearer of the watch can make the magnet selectively occupy three positions. A first and a second magnetic sensor () with two states are disposed inside the timepiece along the sealed tube so that three different combinations of a state of the first sensor () with a state of the second sensor () are respectively associated with three predefined positions of the first magnet ().

Magnetic control device for timepiece

The invention concerns a device for data entry into a portable object, in particular a watch, with display screen comprising a control button () consisting of an elastic mass () wherein is housed a permanent magnet () and a positioning analogue magnetic sensor () with Hall effect for example, arranged inside the object opposite to and spaced apart from said control button (), said sensor being adapted to measure the movements of the magnet () in at least one direction for data entry. The control button () is arranged in a blind housing () of a non-magnetic wall () of the object structure, to be mechanically uncoupled from the sensor, said wall not in contact with said sensor acting as sealing protection for the sensor.

Device for data input into a portable object

Growing community of inventors

Wavre, Switzerland

François Gueissaz