Hairspring for timepiece resonator mechanism provided with means for adjusting the stiffness
The spiral spring with adjustable prestressing elements addresses the precision limitations of traditional balance spring adjustments, enabling precise stiffness modulation and enhanced timekeeping accuracy.
EP4357858B1Active Publication Date: 2026-06-03OMEGA SA
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- OMEGA SA
- Filing Date
- 2022-10-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-03
AI Technical Summary
Technical Problem
Existing methods for adjusting the stiffness of balance springs in mechanical watches are limited in precision and often disturb the balance wheel, making fine adjustments difficult to achieve.
Method used
A spiral spring with adjustable prestressing means comprising elongated flexible elements connected to a fixed support, allowing for precise adjustment of stiffness by applying variable forces to these elements without altering the ribbon's stiffness.
Benefits of technology
Enables highly accurate rate tuning of the resonator mechanism by subtly adjusting the spiral spring's stiffness, improving timekeeping precision without disturbing the balance wheel.
✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.
Smart Images
Figure IMGF0001
Abstract
The invention relates to a spiral spring, particularly for a resonator mechanism in watchmaking, the spiral spring (1) comprising a flexible ribbon (2) wound upon itself in several turns, the ribbon (2) having a predefined stiffness, the spiral spring (1) comprising means for adjusting its stiffness, characterized in that the adjustment means comprise a first elongated flexible element (5), and a second elongated flexible element (15) arranged in series with the ribbon (2), each elongated flexible element (5) connecting one end (4) of said ribbon (2) to a fixed support (11), so as to add additional stiffness to the ribbon (2), each elongated flexible element (5) preferably having a stiffness greater than that of the ribbon (2), the adjustment means comprising preload means (6) for applying at least two different adjustable forces,The two forces are applied to the first elongated flexible element (5) so as to vary the stiffness of the first elongated flexible element (5) according to the level of preload. The invention also relates to a clockwork resonator mechanism comprising such a balance spring (1).
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