Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

Raphael Balmer

Pascal Lagorgette

Damien Schmutz

Vittorio Zanesco

Jean-Bernard Peters

Pascal Meyer

Laurent Kaelin

Yvan Ferri

Ivan Villar

Joel Maridor

Francois Klopfenstein

Stéphane Claude

Vincent Meyer

Laurent Mouche

Raphael Haenni

Fabian Dubois

A control device () mounted in an opening () in a middle () and including a support () and a rotatable part, which has a shaft (), a gripping member () and a control member () forming a rotation sensor (). The sensor includes a magnetic detector provided inside the watch case in a radial peripheral region of the control member. On a first side of a circular opening (), the support has a cavity () which is open in the axial direction. The cavity is configured to house the control member fixedly mounted on the shaft, such that this control member can be momentarily retracted, at least for the most part, into the cavity following an axial movement of the shaft into a position in which the magnetic detector is mounted inside the watch case.

Horological control device

A motor group including motor modules, each including a motor device driving a display wheel set, with a center pipe fixed on a plate, including a device for rotational guiding, about a main axis, of a display wheel set internal or external to the center pipe, this module includes an axial stop arranged to limit to a predetermined value the axial play in the direction of the main axis between the center pipe and the display wheel set, wherein a protruding surface of the center pipe or of the display wheel set, or an added axial stop, captively mounted between the center pipe and the display wheel set, or fixed to the display wheel set.

Motor group for watches

A timepiece includes a drive module, a dial including a central opening, an hour pipe passing through the central opening of the dial and driven in rotation by the drive module, and a dial attachment device. The attachment device includes a holding tube arranged around the hour pipe and mechanically connected to the drive module. The holding comes to bear against the dial or against a dial support to which the dial is attached.

Timepiece comprising a dial attachment device

An assembly including horological movement support, a motor plate of a timepiece and a fastener fastening the support to the plate. The fastener includes a self-tapping screw having a body that passes through a hole in the support. A recess in the plate or support is tapped when the screw is screwed into the recess. The shape of the recess has a variable width, which is wider at the opening extending to a smaller diameter at the bottom of the recess, the shape corresponding to that of the body of the screw.

Assembly comprising a support, a plate and fastening means, in particular for a timepiece

A timepiece including a timepiece movement and sunrise and sunset indicating device that take account of the date and geolocation of the user, the device including a first device for receiving the current date, a second device for receiving a geolocation signal, and a disc bearing a representation of the sun, arranged to be capable of pivoting about an axis passing through the centre of the disc. The sunrise and sunset indicating device include a movable horizon arranged to move above the disc and to indicate the position of the sun with respect to the horizon.

Timepiece capable of indicating the position of the sun with respect to the horizon anywhere in the world

A portable object including a control stem, actuation of which in rotation can control at least one electronic or mechanical function of the portable object, a magnetized ring driven in rotation by the control stem, rotation of the magnetized ring and position of the magnetized ring being detected by two inductive sensors configured to be sensitive to a variation in magnetic induction in only two directions in space that are parallel to each other or that converge on a same point, with exception of a case in which these two directions are perpendicular to each other.

Portable object comprising a rotating control stem whose actuation is detected by means of two inductive sensors

A watch case including a thumbwheel for controlling a watch function, configured to be manipulated by a user, movable inside a housing and configured to allow a limited translational motion of one portion of the thumbwheel in a radial direction of the case, against an elastic return configured to move the portion away from an interior of the case. The housing includes a control detector detecting presence of the portion close to the center of the case when pressure is applied by a user, and configured to activate or deactivate a sensor included in the case in proximity to the housing, configured, when a rotational movement is imparted to the thumbwheel by the user, to detect passage of a transmitter included in the thumbwheel.

Watch case with a control thumbwheel

The present invention relates to a method for setting a quartz watch, the watch comprising an optical sensor and a microcontroller configured to receive electrical signals generated by the optical sensor, the method being performed by way of a portable electronic appliance comprising a point light source and a microcontroller configured to control said point light source, the method comprising the following steps:

Method for setting a quartz watch

A timepiece including a case middle closed by a glass and the following elements positioned in the case middle: a dial, a rigid mounting plate extending under the dial, a module including an electric motor, referred to as the motor module, a printed circuit board, of which at least a first portion is interposed between the mounting plate and the motor module, means for the assembly of the motor module on the mounting plate through the first portion of the printed circuit board.

Timepiece comprising an electric motor fixed to a mounting plate

A device for controlling at least two electronic and/or mechanical functions of a portable object of small dimensions includes a control stem that is axially movable between at least a first and a second position. The control stem is provided at a first end with an actuation member, and is provided towards a second end with a position indexing plate arranged to cooperate with an elastic member in order to match each of the first and second positions of the control stem with one of the mechanical or electronic functions.

Device for controlling at least two electronic and/or mechanical functions of a portable object

A push-piece winding button control device is for a portable object of small dimensions. This device includes a pivoting control stem axially movable between at least a transitory first position and a stable second position. The device further includes a position indexing plate arranged to be integral in translation with the control stem, while keeping the same orientation relative to the frame. The device also includes a cam follower arranged to cooperate with a longitudinal cam path formed in the position indexing plate. The cam path includes a recess defining the stable position of the control stem, and a ramp-shaped profile portion which rises from the recess towards the transitory position.

Push-piece winding button control device for a portable object of small dimensions

A motor group including motor modules, each including a motor device driving a display wheel set, with a centre pipe fixed on a plate, including a device for rotational guiding, about a main axis, of a display wheel set internal or external to the centre pipe, this module includes an axial stop arranged to limit to a predetermined value the axial play in the direction of the main axis between the centre pipe and the display wheel set, wherein a protruding surface of the centre pipe or of the display wheel set, or an added axial stop, captively mounted between the centre pipe and the display wheel set, or fixed to the display wheel set.

A method of detecting a movement of a timepiece setting stem arranged to be moved axially along and/or rotated about its longitudinal axis. The method includes a light source illuminating a portion of the setting stem; a light detector receiving a reflected or diffracted light pattern from the setting stem; a processor forming a first pixel pattern representative of the reflected light pattern at a first time instant; the processor forming a second pixel pattern representative of the reflected light pattern at a second, later time instant; and determining that the setting stem has been moved, if the second pixel pattern is different or shifted with respect to the first pixel pattern.

Optical position detection of a timepiece crown stem

The invention relates to a portable electronic device including a case and a watchband link attached to said case, the case comprising a pair of horns, between which is disposed a female electrical connector, the link comprising a male electrical connector disposed at the end of the link and adapted to make an electrical connection with the female electrical connector when the link is mounted on the case. According to the invention, each horn comprises a bar intended to come to be housed in an opposite housing of the watchband, the bars engaging successively in a guide groove and then in a locking groove formed in the link, the device comprising a manual actuation member for moving the bars into a retracted position.

Fixing device

Portable object comprising a frame arranged to serve as a cradle for a control stem, the actuation in rotation of which makes it possible to control at least one electronic or mechanical function of the portable object, a magnetized ring being driven in rotation by the control stem, the rotation of the magnetized ring being detected by at least one inductive sensor disposed inside a housing of the frame inside which the inductive sensor is held by elastic means.

Growing community of inventors

Vicques, Switzerland

Raphael Balmer