The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

Montres Breguet S.a.

Patrick Ragot

Jean-Jacques Born

Gianni Di Domenico

Dominique Lechot

Jerome Favre

Baptiste Hinaux

Jean-Luc Helfer

Pascal Winkler

Fanel Piccini

Thierry Conus

Michel Willemin

Davide Sarchi

Eric Goeller

Cedric Nicolas

Jérôme Favre

Sylvain Marechal

Cédric Nicolas

Francois Klopfenstein

Jan Pittet

François Klopfenstein

Dominique LÉCHOT

Sylvain MARÉCHAL

A device for winding automatic watches, including an electrical energy source and a receptacle support including a surface configured to receive in abutment a back cover of a watch, the device configured to generate a magnetic and/or electrostatic field or eddy currents, in a fixed position underneath the bearing surface and generate, on a substantially annular angular sector, a magnetic and or electrostatic field that varies as a function of time and whose direction is orthogonal to the bearing surface, or generating eddy currents that vary as a function of time. The device can be provided for a watch including an automatic winding mechanism with an oscillating weight including a first ferromagnetic inner part and a second heavy metal peripheral part, and possibly with a paramagnetic conductive disc coaxial to the oscillating weight.

Winding device for self-winding automatic watch

The invention concerns a device for regulating the relative angular speed between a magnetic structure and a resonator magnetically coupled to each other and forming an oscillator which defines a magnetic escapement. The magnetic structure includes at least one annular magnetic path at least partially formed of a magnetic material of which one physical parameter is correlated to the magnetic potential energy of the oscillator, the magnetic material being arranged along the annular path so that the physical parameter varies angularly in a periodic manner. The annular path includes, in each angular period, an area of accumulation of magnetic potential energy in the oscillator, radially adjacent to an impulse area. The magnetic material, in each accumulation area, is arranged so that the physical parameter of said magnetic material gradually increases angularly or gradually decreases angularly.

Angular speed regulating device for a wheel set in a timepiece movement including a magnetic escapement mechanism

The invention concerns a device for regulating the relative angular speed between a magnetic structure and a resonator magnetically coupled to each other and forming an oscillator which defines a magnetic escapement. The magnetic structure includes at least one annular magnetic path at least partially formed of a magnetic material and the resonator includes at least one element for magnetic coupling to the annular magnetic path, this coupling element being formed of a magnetic material having a physical parameter correlated to the magnetic potential energy of the oscillator. The radial dimension of the annular magnetic path is smaller than a corresponding dimension of the coupling element, and the magnetic material is arranged so that the physical parameter of said magnetic material gradually increases angularly or gradually decreases angularly in order to obtain an angularly extended magnetic potential energy area in each angular period of the annular magnetic path.

The invention concerns a magnetic device for regulating the relative angular velocity of a wheel and of at least one magnetic dipole integral with an oscillating device. The wheel or the dipole is driven by a driving torque. The wheel includes a periodic, ferromagnetic pole path which alternates according to a center angle and the at least one dipole is arranged to permit magnetic coupling with the ferromagnetic path and oscillation of the dipole at the natural frequency of the oscillating element during the relative motion of the wheel and of the magnetic dipole to regulate the relative angular velocity. The wheel further includes an assembly to dissipate the kinetic energy of the at least one dipole when it moves away from the ferromagnetic path.

Regulating device

A bracelet including flexible end parts arranged to overlap each other in the closed position of the bracelet. The bracelet includes a first magnetic circuit portion integrated in one of the end parts and a second magnetic circuit portion integrated in the other end part, the magnetic circuit portions being arranged to mutually attract each other to unite the two end parts in the closed position of the bracelet. One end part includes second magnetic circuit portions which are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other to enable the length to be selected. The magnetic circuit portions include a soft ferromagnetic alloy yoke arranged transversely to the bracelet and parallel to the surface of the end part in which the magnetic circuit portion is integrated. The first magnetic circuit portion includes bipolar magnets arranged between the yoke and the contact surface of the end part.

Magnetic clasp

A timepiece wheel governor for regulating the pivoting speed (&#x3c9;) of a wheel set, about a pivot axis, including a pivoting inertia-block. It includes a spring to return this block towards this axis, and, when the wheel set pivots at a lower speed than a reference speed (&#x3c9;c), this block remains confined within a first volume of revolution, and, when the wheel set pivots at a higher speed than the reference speed (&#x3c9;c), this block is engaged, in one peripheral portion thereof, in a second volume contiguous with and external to the first one, this peripheral portion cooperating in this second volume with a regulator arranged to brake the wheel set and return the pivoting speed (&#x3c9;) thereof to the reference speed (&#x3c9;c), and to dissipate the surplus energy.

Governor for a timepiece wheel set or strike wheel set

Growing community of inventors

Fontainemelon, Switzerland

Patrick Ragot