Method for preparing a reed for a three-valve brass instrument from nanoporous copper
By preparing the reeds for minute repeaters using nanoporous copper, the problems of insufficient crispness, poor stability, and short lifespan of traditional reed materials have been solved, resulting in improved sound quality, enhanced stability, and extended service life. This technology can be applied to the acoustic and mechanical design of minute repeaters.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- 孔雀表业(集团)有限公司
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-26
AI Technical Summary
Traditional minute repeater reeds suffer from problems such as insufficiently crisp sound quality, poor stability, and short service life, especially due to deformation and contact issues caused by the material's own weight and elastic modulus.
The method for preparing a minute repeater reed using nanoporous copper includes raw material smelting, ingot preparation, hot rolling and trimming, cold rolling, dealloying and etching, precision forming and surface protection. By controlling the ratio of Cu and Al elements and process parameters, a porous structure is formed and covered with an alumina film.
It improves the crispness and stability of the sound reed, extends its service life, and the porous structure and low elastic modulus of nanoporous copper effectively absorb sound waves, reduce energy loss, maintain acoustic performance for a long time, and has excellent anti-relaxation performance.
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of watch gongs, specifically to a method for preparing gongs for minute repeaters using nanoporous copper. Background Technology
[0002] A minute repeater, also known as a three-gong watch, is a complex mechanical watch that chimes the time by striking a gong with a hammer. The gong in a minute repeater is typically made of metal, and its acoustic characteristics directly affect the crispness and stability of the chime. Traditional gong materials, such as 20AP steel bars, while possessing certain acoustic properties, still have room for improvement in terms of chime quality and resistance to relaxation. Furthermore, the gong may undergo excessive deformation due to its own weight. Because of the limited space within the case where the gong resides, it is prone to unwanted contact with adjacent components. This constitutes a drawback for gongs made of gold or any metal with high density and low elastic modulus, leading to problems such as insufficiently crisp chime quality, poor stability, and short lifespan. Summary of the Invention
[0003] This invention aims to solve the problems of insufficiently crisp sound quality, poor stability, and short service life of the reeds. It proposes a method for preparing the reeds of a three-part repeater using nanoporous copper, which includes the following steps: S1: Raw material smelting, using electrolytic copper and aluminum ingots as raw materials, the raw materials are put into a smelting furnace for melting; S2: Raw material billet production: The smelted raw material is cast using a crystallizer, then milled using a milling machine, and finally sawn into billets of uniform length. S3: Hot rolling and trimming of raw materials: The billet is hot rolled to a thickness of 2.1mm, and then trimmed to remove waste material around the billet. S4: Cold rolling of raw materials. The billet after trimming is annealed and cleaned, and then subjected to multiple cold rolling passes until the billet is rolled to a thickness of 0.32mm. S5: Dealloying corrosion of raw materials. The billet sample is placed in 1M NaOH for dealloying reaction. When no more bubbles emerge, the corrosion is over. The billet sample is then taken out for cleaning and drying. S6 precision forming, centrifugal laser cutting process cuts the etched ingot into preset sound reeds; S7: Shaping and reinforcement: The cut reeds are bent and shaped in a mold, and the root of the reeds is locally densified. S8: Surface protection, a 5-10nm aluminum oxide film is deposited on the surface of the reed through atomic layer deposition.
[0004] A further provision of the present invention is that: in step S1, before the raw material exits the furnace, the content of Cu and Al elements is checked, and the atomic percentage of Cu is ultimately controlled to be 20-40% and the atomic percentage of Al is 60-80%.
[0005] A further provision of the present invention is that: in step S4, six rolling passes are performed, wherein the thickness of the billet after each rolling pass is 1.05 mm, 0.85 mm, 0.65 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.39 mm, and 0.32 mm, respectively.
[0006] The beneficial effects of this invention are: improved sound quality, enhanced stability, and extended service life of the watch spring disclosed in this application. Detailed Implementation
[0007] Those skilled in the art can refer to the content of this document and appropriately improve the process parameters to achieve the desired results. It should be particularly noted that all similar substitutions and modifications are obvious to those skilled in the art and are considered to be included in this invention. The methods and applications of this invention have been described through preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make modifications or appropriate alterations and combinations to the methods and applications described herein without departing from the content, spirit, and scope of this invention to implement and apply the technology of this invention.
[0008] This invention proposes a method for preparing a reed in a three-part repeater using nanoporous copper, comprising the following steps:
[0009] S1: Raw material smelting, using electrolytic copper and aluminum ingots as raw materials, and putting the raw materials into the smelting furnace for melting.
[0010] S2: Raw material billet production involves casting the smelted raw materials using a crystallizer, then milling the surface using a milling machine, and finally sawing them into billets of uniform length.
[0011] S3: Hot rolling and trimming of raw materials. The billet is hot rolled to a thickness of 2.1mm, and then trimmed to remove waste material around the billet.
[0012] S4: Cold rolling of raw materials. The billet after trimming is annealed and cleaned, and then subjected to multiple cold rolling passes until the billet is rolled to a thickness of 0.32mm.
[0013] S5: Dealloying corrosion of raw materials. The ingot sample is placed in 1M NaOH for dealloying reaction. When no more bubbles emerge, the corrosion is complete. The sample is then removed and cleaned and dried.
[0014] S6 precision forming uses centrifugal laser cutting technology to cut the etched ingot into preset reeds.
[0015] S7: Shaping and reinforcement: The cut reeds are bent and shaped in a mold, and the root of the reeds is locally densified.
[0016] S8: Surface protection, a 5-10nm aluminum oxide film is deposited on the surface of the reed through atomic layer deposition.
[0017] In step S1, before the raw materials exit the furnace, the content of Cu and Al elements is checked, and the atomic percentage of Cu is ultimately controlled to be 20-40% and the atomic percentage of Al is 60-80%.
[0018] In step S4, six rolling passes are performed, and the thickness of the billet after each rolling pass is 1.05mm, 0.85mm, 0.65mm, 0.5mm, 0.39mm, and 0.32mm, respectively.
[0019] The heating temperature of the melting furnace is set at 1200℃. After complete melting, the furnace is held at this temperature for 25 minutes and then electromagnetically stirred. The heating temperature for hot rolling is 800℃, and the single-pass deformation rate is controlled at 15%-20%. When cold-rolled to thicknesses of 0.85mm and 0.5mm, intermediate annealing is performed to eliminate work hardening.
[0020] It should be noted that during the dealloying process, aluminum will dissolve preferentially, leaving a porous copper structure. By adjusting the dealloying time and solution concentration, the final pore size and structure can be adjusted, ultimately forming a composite nanoporous copper.
[0021] Nanoporous copper, as a novel material, possesses unique physical and chemical properties. Its high surface area and porous structure make it excellent for marking in acoustic applications. The low elastic modulus and high amplitude stability of nanoporous copper enable it to provide a crisper and more stable chime sound in reed applications. Furthermore, the excellent anti-relaxation properties of nanoporous copper also help extend the service life of reeds.
[0022] In the application of minute repeater reeds, the porous structure of nanoporous copper can effectively absorb and conduct sound waves, reducing energy loss and improving the clarity and loudness of the sound. The application of nanoporous copper reeds in minute repeater surfaces brings new possibilities to the design and manufacture of minute repeaters.
[0023] In summary, the present invention uses nanoporous copper to prepare the reeds for a minute repeater, which mainly produces the following advantages:
[0024] (1) Sound quality improvement
[0025] The porous structure of nanoporous copper gives it excellent acoustic performance. The porous structure effectively absorbs and conducts sound waves, reducing energy loss and thus improving clarity and loudness. Traditional reed materials, such as 20AP steel rods, may experience significant energy loss during chiming, resulting in a less crisp sound. Nanoporous copper, due to its unique structure, conducts sound waves better, producing a clearer and more pleasant chime. Furthermore, the high surface area of nanoporous copper helps improve sound wave propagation efficiency. Sound waves travel through the porous structure, coming into contact with more surfaces, thus reducing attenuation. This characteristic allows nanoporous copper reeds to produce a louder and clearer sound during chiming, improving the overall sound quality of the minute repeater; measured surface density is reduced to 2.5-3.2 g / cm³. 3 It also has a nanoporous structure of 30-80nm, which improves the sound propagation efficiency by 20% compared with traditional materials.
[0026] (2) Enhanced stability
[0027] The low elastic modulus and high amplitude stability of nanoporous copper allow it to remain stable during long-term use. Traditional reed materials may experience a decline in sound quality due to material fatigue or relaxation after prolonged use. However, nanoporous copper, due to its excellent mechanical properties, can maintain its acoustic performance unchanged over extended periods of use; its elastic modulus is only 10-25 GPa, and combined with the damping characteristics of its nanoporous structure, it results in a longer reverberation.
[0028] Specifically, the low elastic modulus of nanoporous copper allows it to better absorb and buffer impact forces when subjected to external forces, thereby reducing material fatigue and damage. This characteristic enables nanoporous copper reeds to maintain their shape and performance over long-term use, ensuring the stability of the chiming sound quality.
[0029] (3) Extended service life
[0030] The superior anti-relaxation properties of nanoporous copper help extend the lifespan of sound reeds. Traditional sound reed materials may experience a decline in sound quality or even failure after prolonged use due to material relaxation. However, nanoporous copper, with its unique porous structure and excellent mechanical properties, can maintain its shape and performance over extended periods, thus extending the lifespan of the sound reeds. The anti-relaxation properties of nanoporous copper are mainly reflected in its porous structure, which effectively disperses stress, reducing material fatigue and damage. Furthermore, the high conductivity of nanoporous copper helps reduce resistance loss and improve energy transmission efficiency, further extending the lifespan of the sound reeds. Because the nanoporous structure effectively disperses stress, the fatigue life is increased by more than 200% compared to traditional 20AP steel.
[0031] (5) Broad application prospects
[0032] The application of nanoporous copper reeds in minute repeaters not only improves the crispness and stability of the chime sound but also significantly extends the reed's lifespan. This innovative material opens up new possibilities for the design and manufacture of minute repeaters and injects new vitality into the high-end mechanical watchmaking industry. With further development of nanoporous copper preparation technology, its potential in acoustic and mechanical applications will be more widely explored and applied.
[0033] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method for preparing a reed in a three-part repeater using nanoporous copper, characterized in that, It includes the following steps: S1: Raw material smelting, using electrolytic copper and aluminum ingots as raw materials, the raw materials are put into a smelting furnace for melting; S2: Raw material billet production: The smelted raw material is cast using a crystallizer, then milled using a milling machine, and finally sawn into billets of uniform length. S3: Hot rolling and trimming of raw materials: The billet is hot rolled to a thickness of 2.1mm, and then trimmed to remove waste material around the billet. S4: Cold rolling of raw materials. The billet after trimming is annealed and cleaned, and then subjected to multiple cold rolling passes until the billet is rolled to a thickness of 0.32mm. S5: Dealloying corrosion of raw materials. The billet sample is placed in 1M NaOH for dealloying reaction. When no more bubbles emerge, the corrosion is over. The billet sample is then taken out for cleaning and drying. S6: Precision forming, centrifugal laser cutting process cuts the etched ingot into a preset sound reed; S7: Shaping and reinforcement: The cut reeds are bent and shaped in a mold, and the root of the reeds is locally densified. S8: Surface protection, a 5-10nm aluminum oxide film is deposited on the surface of the reed through atomic layer deposition.
2. The method for preparing a three-part reed in a minute repeater using nanoporous copper according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, before the raw material exits the furnace, the content of Cu and Al elements is checked, and the atomic percentage of Cu is ultimately controlled to be 20-40% and the atomic percentage of Al is 60-80%.
3. The method for preparing a three-part reed in a minute repeater using nanoporous copper according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S4, six rolling passes are performed, and the thickness of the billet after each rolling pass is 1.05mm, 0.85mm, 0.65mm, 0.5mm, 0.39mm, and 0.32mm, respectively.