Resonant member for a striking mechanism of a timepiece, striking mechanism comprising such a resonant member, and method for manufacturing such a resonant member

Abstract

One aspect of the invention relates to a resonating organ (100) of a striking mechanism (200) comprising a bell (110a, 110b) integral with a bell holder (120), characterized in that said bell (110a, 110b) has a notch (117) in which a stone (1) is housed and held integrally, said stone (1) having a table (3) having an impact surface adapted to be struck by a hammer (210a, 210b) of the striking mechanism (200).

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a resonating organ comprising at least one bell for a striking mechanism of a timepiece.

[0002] The invention also relates to a striking mechanism comprising such a resonating organ, as well as a clock movement comprising a striking mechanism.

[0003] The invention also relates to a timepiece comprising a clock movement equipped with a striking mechanism and a method for manufacturing a resonating organ for the striking mechanism of a timepiece. Technological background

[0004] In the field of watchmaking, a watch movement may include a striking mechanism. For this purpose, at least one gong, which is a metal wire usually circular in shape, for example made of steel, may be provided.

[0005] Generally, this metal wire is positioned around the movement inside the watch case in a plane parallel to the dial. This gong is attached, for example by welding or brazing, to a gong holder, which is itself fixed to the mainplate or the case middle. The gong and gong holder can also be made as a single piece.

[0006] The vibration of the snare drum is produced by the impact, usually near the snare frame, of at least one hammer. This vibration is composed of several natural frequencies and partials, the number and intensity of which, particularly in the audible range between 1 kHz and 20 kHz, depend on the geometry of the snare drum and the physical properties of the material used.

[0007] Typically, tuning snare drums involves adjusting the length of each snare or creating a groove in the snare joint to alter the perceived pitch. This generally shifts the frequencies of all the modes. While it's possible to tune one mode to a target frequency, the other partials will usually be a consequence and not controlled.

[0008] Other work has been carried out on the material of the timbre to modify the generated sound, influence the partials or improve the sound amplitude and therefore the sound perception outside the timepiece.

[0009] The efforts of recent years have been undertaken to enable the production of timbres generating a well-defined sound, particularly in terms of its pitch and frequency composition, notably through the choice of timbre material or through the choice of timbre geometry.

[0010] One example is patent document EP 2 107 436 B1, which proposes the use of a gold gong to enhance the partials in the sound vibration generated by the hammer strike. The creation of a gold gong greatly enriches the sound produced when a hammer strikes the striking mechanism. However, if several gold gongs are used in the striking mechanism to produce different notes, dissonance problems may arise during tuning or when the gongs are struck successively by a hammer, which is a drawback.

[0011] Patent application CH 707078 A1 describes the addition of a different material to an opening in a snare to modify the generated sound. To achieve this, each snare is configured to generate a specific sound with a particular pitch and frequency composition. Thus, to adjust a frequency difference or parameterize its vibratory behavior, the snare may include at least one opening in its main body that is filled with a material other than the snare's base material.

[0012] However, making openings in each timbre to be filled with another material complicates the adjustment of vibration frequency, which is a disadvantage.

[0013] The solutions of the prior art currently known either have a complex structure to realize preventing a suitable production of the timbres, or do not allow to obtain a timbre having all the desirable characteristics in terms of the quality of the sound produced.

[0014] Therefore, there is a need to improve the resonating organs for the striking mechanism of a timepiece. Summary of the invention

[0015] The invention therefore aims to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art described above by providing a resonant element for the striking mechanism of a timepiece capable of producing audible vibrations with a more intense and harmonious sound, without dissonance, with a greater resonance over time for at least certain frequency modes.

[0016] To this end, the invention relates to a resonating element of a striking mechanism comprising a bell attached to a bell holder, characterized in that said bell has a notch in which a stone is housed and held attached, said stone having a table having an impact surface adapted to be struck by a hammer of the striking mechanism.

[0017] The resonating organ equipped with a stone at the point of impact according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a more intense and more resonant sound, which makes it possible to improve the perception and perceived quality of a ringing mechanism equipped with such a resonating organ.

[0018] In addition to the characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the resonating organ according to the invention may have one or more additional characteristics from among the following, considered individually or in all technically possible combinations: said stone has a hardness greater than 7 Mohs; said stone is a precious, semi-precious, or synthetic stone; said stone is a diamond, ruby, or sapphire; said stone is secured in the notch by a bezel setting, a grain setting, or a baguette setting; said stone is secured in the notch by gluing or pressing; said stone is secured in the notch by ultrasonic pressing; said stone has a pavilion, a girdle, said pavilion being at least partially housed in the notch; the table has a flat impact surface or a curved impact surface; said gong has at least a circular shape; for example, the gong has a diameter corresponding to the diameter of a watch crystal, while describing a portion of a circle at an angle that may be between 150° and 360°; said gong has a circular or rectangular cross-section;said bell is a first bell, and said resonating organ comprises a second bell; said second bell is integral with said bell-holder.

[0019] The invention also relates to a ringing mechanism comprising a resonating organ according to the invention and a hammer comprising a striker configured to strike the impact surface of the stone table.

[0020] Preferably, the striker is made of carbon steel or tungsten carbide.

[0021] The invention also relates to a clockwork mechanism comprising a striking mechanism according to the invention.

[0022] The invention also relates to a timepiece, for example a wristwatch, comprising a timepiece movement according to the invention.

[0023] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a resonating organ according to the invention. The manufacturing method comprises: a step of supplying a resonating organ comprising a snare attached to a snare holder; a step of machining a notch in the material of the snare; a step of positioning a stone in said notch; a step of securing said stone in the notch of the snare.

[0024] Preferably, during the machining stage, the notch is machined by milling.

[0025] Preferably, the step of securing said stone is carried out by setting the stone in the notch, for example by a closed setting or a grain setting. Brief description of the figures

[0026] The aims, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, which refers to the following figures: there figure 1is a schematic, top-view representation of an example of an embodiment of a resonating organ according to the invention for a striking mechanism of a clockwork movement; the figure 2 represents a perspective view of the resonating organ according to the invention illustrated in the figure 1 ; there figure 3 is a detailed view of a portion of the resonating organ illustrated in the figure 1 showing more precisely the embedding of a stone in the material of the resonating organ; the figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along axis AA illustrated in the figure 3 representing the section of the resonating organ at the level of the stone inlay; the figure 5 is a partial and schematic representation, in top view, of an example embodiment of a ringing mechanism according to the invention comprising the resonating element illustrated in figures 1 to 3 ; there figure 6 represents a perspective view of the ringing mechanism according to the invention illustrated in the figure 5 ; there figure 7 is a detailed view of the figure 6 illustrating more specifically the impact zone of the resonating organ struck by a hammer of the striking mechanism; the figure 8 is a schematic representation of a timepiece incorporating a clock movement comprising a striking mechanism according to the invention; the figure 9 is a synoptic diagram illustrating the main steps of a manufacturing process for a resonating organ according to the invention; the Figure 10 represents a spectrogram of a sound generated by striking a state-of-the-art stoneless snare at the impact zone; the figure 11 represents, for comparison, a spectrogram of a sound generated by striking a gong according to the invention comprising a stone at the impact zone.

[0027] In all figures, common elements bear the same reference numbers unless otherwise specified. Detailed description of the invention

[0028] There figure 1 is a schematic representation, in top view, of an example of the realization of a resonating organ 100 according to the invention for a striking mechanism 200 of a clock movement 300.

[0029] There figure 2 represents a perspective view of the resonating organ 100 according to the invention illustrated in the figure 1 .

[0030] There figure 3 represents more particularly a detailed view of the resonating organ 100 at the level of a stone 1 embedded in the material of the resonating organ 100, located at the level of the impact zone of the resonating organ 100 struck by a hammer of a ringing mechanism.

[0031] There figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along axis AA of the resonating organ 100 illustrated in the figure 3 showing the section of the resonating organ 100 at the level of the inlay of the stone 1.

[0032] With reference to figures 1 to 4, the resonant organ 100 according to the invention has a resonant part 110 formed by one or more gongs 110a, 110b and a fixing part 120, called gong holder, in the extension of at least one end of the gongs 110a, 110b of the resonant organ 100.

[0033] Generally, the second end of the 110a, 110b gongs is free to allow the vibration of the 110a, 110b gongs to be promoted. However, the 110a, 110b gongs can be fixed to the fixing part 120 by their two ends.

[0034] The resonating organ 100 may include a plurality of timbres 110a, 110b which may be connected to one or more timbre holders 120. It is also possible that each timbre of the resonating organ 100 has a dedicated timbre holder 120.

[0035] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the resonating organ 100 has two snare drums 110a, 110b, each of the snare drums 110a, 110b being connected at one end to the same snare drum holder 120.

[0036] For example, the fixing part 120 and the resonating part 110 of the resonating organ 100 form a single piece, that is to say that the two parts are monoblocs and are made of the same material.

[0037] However, the mounting parts 120 and the resonating part 110 of the resonating organ 100 can also be made separately and then joined using a method known to those skilled in the art, for example, brazing or welding. This allows for the combination of snare drums made of different materials on the same drum holder. This approach is particularly useful when the resonating organ 100 incorporates several snare drums to generate a melody with different timbres. Thus, the material of the snare drum allows for modification of its sound.

[0038] Each 110a, 110b timbre comes in the form of a wire or a strip of predetermined length, width, and thickness, depending on the desired sound. The dimensions of each 110a, 110b timbre are determined according to the constraints and the desired sound.

[0039] Each timbre 110a, 110b is configured and shaped to generate a harmonious sound without dissonance. Preferably, each timbre 110a, 110b is configured to generate a sound different from the other timbres 110b, 110a constituting the resonating organ 110.

[0040] The two stamps 110a, 110b present, in a plane parallel to the plane referenced P1 on the figure 1 which represents a reference plane of the clockwork movement 300, a generally curvilinear shape, for example circular; however, other shapes are also possible without departing from the context of the invention. The two gongs 110a, 110b can be in different planes.

[0041] Preferably, the diameter of the circle formed by the lugs 110a, 110b corresponds approximately to the diameter of the crystal of the timepiece 10. The lugs 110a, 110b form an arc of a circle extending over a circular sector between 150° and 360°, preferably between 185° and 220°. Each lug is designed to surround at least a portion of the timepiece 300.

[0042] As shown in the figures, each stamp 110a, 110b can extend along one or more circles defined in the same plane, parallel to plane P1, and which have different diameters.

[0043] As depicted in the figure 1, each stamp 110a, 110b comprises a first proximal portion 111a, 111b of the stamp holder 120 which extends along a first circle C 1 of diameter d 1 and a second distal portion 112a, 112b of the stamp holder 120 which extends along a second circle C 2 of diameter d 2 or a third circle C 3 of diameter d 3, the diameter d 1 of circle C 1 being less than the diameters d 2 , d 3 of the second and third circles C 2 , C 3 . Preferably, the circles C 1 , C 2 , C 3 are concentric.

[0044] Stamps 110a, 110b may have a cross-section of curvilinear shape, for example circular, or a cross-section of polygonal shape, for example parallelepiped shape, preferably rectangular.

[0045] Stamps 110a, 110b may also feature a section with sectors of different shapes and / or different sizes.

[0046] In the embodiment shown, the stamps 110a, 110b are in the form of a rectangular cross-section plate. To this end, the stamp 110a, 110b has a radially internal vertical face 115, relative to the center of the stamp 110a, 110b, and a radially external vertical face 116, the two vertical faces being oriented perpendicularly to plane P1.

[0047] The 120 stamp holder is shown as a small plate, but other stamp holder shapes are possible. The thickness of the 120 stamp holder is preferably close to that of the 110a and 110b stamps.

[0048] The bell holder 120 has openings 121 for fixing, for example by means of screws, the resonating organ 100 on a plate (not shown) supporting the clock movement 300. According to an alternative embodiment, the bell holder 120 can also be fixed on a rim or a wall of the case of a case 11 of a clock part 10, such as a watch.

[0049] The resonating organ 100 is part of a striking mechanism 200 which preferably includes at least one hammer 210a, 210b per gong 110a, 110b configured and shaped to strike the gong 110a, 110b at predetermined times on a precise area of ​​the gong 110a, 110b.

[0050] Hammers 210a and 210b of the 200 striking mechanism are shown more particularly in figures 5, 6 and 7 .

[0051] There figure 5is a partial and schematic representation, in top view, of an example of an embodiment of a ringing mechanism 200 according to the invention comprising the resonating organ 100 described above.

[0052] There figure 6 represents a perspective view of the 200 ringing mechanism according to the invention illustrated in the figure 5 .

[0053] There figure 7 is a detailed view of the figure 6 illustrating more particularly the portion of the resonating organ 100 struck by a hammer 210a of the striking mechanism 200.

[0054] With the 110a, 110b gongs of the resonating organ 100, the striking mechanism 200 comprises two hammers 210a, 210b.

[0055] Each hammer 210a, 210b includes a striker 211 shaped to strike the snare 110a, 110b and generate a sound and set the snare 110a, 110b into vibration upon impact. This vibration is composed of several natural or partial frequencies, the number and intensity of which, particularly in the audible range between 1 kHz and 20 kHz, depend on the geometry of the snare and the physical properties of the material used.

[0056] Preferably the 211 striker is made of hardened steel and has a hardness greater than 600 HV, preferably greater than 1600 HV.

[0057] For example, the 211 striker is made of carbon steel or tungsten carbide.

[0058] Hammers 210a, 210b are mounted to rotate on the plate and are configured to strike each corresponding gong 110a, 110b at predetermined times to generate a sound and a melody.

[0059] Hammers 210a, 210b are set in motion in a conventional manner by the clockwork movement 300 by means of a dedicated or common energy source for the timekeeping gear of the clockwork movement 300.

[0060] According to the invention, each stamp 110a, 110b has a stone 1 positioned opposite the striker 211 of the hammer 210a, 210b so as to be struck by it.

[0061] Preferably, stone 1 is positioned at the proximal portion 111a, 111b of stamp 110a, 110b, near stamp holder 120.

[0062] With reference to the figure 3 , stone 1 is for example a cut stone having a table 3, a crown 4, a roundel 5 and a breech 6. The table 3 forms the impact surface receiving the striker 211 of the hammer 210a, 210b.

[0063] For example, table 3 is flat as shown in the figure 3 .

[0064] Table 3 can also be of any shape, for example table 3 can be a curved surface, for example spherical or cylindrical.

[0065] Preferably, the shape of table 3 is chosen to minimize the extent of the impact surfaces between table 3 and the striker 211 of hammer 210a, 210b.

[0066] In the example shown, stone 1 has a traditional shape of cut stone with a conical breech 6. However, stone 1 can have other shapes as long as the table 3 has an impact surface directed towards the striker 211 configured to receive the striker 211 of the hammer 210a, 210b.

[0067] According to an alternative embodiment, stone 1 can have a parallelepiped shape.

[0068] To inlay the stone 1, the stamp 110a, 110b has a non-through notch 117, made in the thickness of the stamp 110a, 110b by machining, for example by milling, micro-machining, by laser ablation, and configured to receive and house at least in part the pelasse 6 of the stone 1.

[0069] The geometry and shape of the notch 117 are adapted to the shape of the breech 6 of the stone 1 to be joined.

[0070] Preferably, the geometry and shape of notch 117 are shaped to maximize the contact surfaces at the interface between the breech 6 of stone 1 and notch 117 of stamp 110a, 110b.

[0071] Preferably, stone 1 is held securely to stamp 110a, 110b by crimping. According to an alternative embodiment, stone 1 can be secured by gluing in notch 117.

[0072] Preferably, stone 1 is held together with stamp 110a, 110b by a closed setting, a grain setting or a baguette setting.

[0073] According to an alternative embodiment, the stone 1 is driven into the notch 117 of the stamp 110a, 110b, for example by an ultrasonic driving process.

[0074] Table 3 of stone 1 protrudes from the surface of stamp 110a, 110b which has notch 117 so as to form an impact surface for striker 211 which protrudes from the radially internal surface 115 of stamp 110a, 110b.

[0075] Preferably, stone 1 has a hardness greater than 7 Mohs.

[0076] Preferably, stone 1 is a precious, semi-precious or synthetic stone, for example a diamond, a ruby ​​or a sapphire.

[0077] According to an alternative embodiment, stone 1 can be a metallic glass stone.

[0078] The resonating organ 100, or more specifically the timbre 110a, 110b, can be made of amorphous metal or metallic glass.

[0079] The resonating organ 100, or more specifically the timbre 110a, 110b, can be made of gold, platinum, brass, titanium, aluminum, or another metallic material or alloy.

[0080] Metallic glass can be based, for example, on zirconium, gold, platinum, gold with palladium, platinum, silver, or another metal capable of solidifying in an amorphous form.

[0081] Thanks to the invention, the snare generates a better vibration and the perceived acoustic level is improved. Thus, thanks to the stone 1 serving as the impact surface of the striker 211 of the hammer 210a, 210b, the sound generated by the vibration of the snare 110a, 110b has a higher acoustic level with an increase of at least 1dB.

[0082] The tests were carried out with a diamond stone set in a closed setting and resulted in a gain of 1.8 dB compared to a gong of the same shape and material without a stone.

[0083] The use of a stone 1 as the point of impact of the striker 211 makes it possible in particular to accentuate the low frequency modes, which reinforces the perception by using the sound generated by the vibration of the snare.

[0084] THE Figures 10 And 11 These represent two spectrograms obtained by impacting a stamp according to the prior art and a stamp according to the invention. The tests were carried out with the same striker and with identical stamp material and geometry.

[0085] There Figure 10 represents more specifically the spectrogram of the sound vibration of a timbre according to the state of the art and the figure 11represents the spectrogram of the sound vibration of a stamp according to the invention comprising a stone at the point of impact of the striker 211.

[0086] Spectrograms classically illustrate a sound vibration in three dimensions in which the ordinate axis represents the different frequencies composing the sound vibration, the abscissa axis represents time and the intensity in black and white represents the intensity or power of the different modes of the sound vibration.

[0087] It is particularly noticeable that in the timbre spectrogram according to the invention, low-frequency modes are favored. For example, the resonance of the 1.6 kHz mode is doubled compared to the prior art, and the resonance of the 2.2 kHz mode is tripled.

[0088] Thus, the invention makes it possible to increase both the duration and the power of certain modes of sound vibration, which results in a better perception of the vibration of the timbre by the user.

[0089] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing 400 of a resonant organ 100 according to the invention. The figure 9 illustrates the main stages of the manufacturing process 400 with a diagram.

[0090] The manufacturing process 400 includes a manufacturing step of a resonant organ 100 comprising a snare 110a, 110b attached to a snare holder 120. The resonant organ 100 can be obtained by an operation of molding, rolling, wire cutting, stamping of a plate of a metallic material, milling, laser machining, electro-erosion, casting or hot pressing.

[0091] Manufacturing process 400 also includes, in successive stages: a step 410 of machining a notch 117 in the material of the stamp 110a, 110b; the machining is carried out for example by milling, micro-machining, by laser ablation; a step 420 of positioning the stone 1 in the notch 117, so that the pelt of the stone 1 is housed at least partially in the notch 117; a step 430 of securing the stone 1 in the notch 117 of the stamp 110a, 110b to ensure its retention.

[0092] Preferably, the setting step is carried out by setting the stone 1, for example by a closed setting, a grain setting or a baguette setting.

[0093] However, according to an alternative embodiment, stone 1 can be glued or driven into notch 117.

[0094] For example, stone 1 is driven by ultrasound into notch 117.

Claims

1. Resonating element (100) of a striking mechanism (200) comprising a bell (110a, 110b) attached to a bell holder (120), characterized in that said bell (110a, 110b) has a notch (117) in which a stone (1) is housed and held securely, said stone (1) having a table (3) having an impact surface adapted to be struck by a hammer (210a, 210b) of the striking mechanism (200).

2. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said stone (1) has a hardness greater than 7 Mohs.

3. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stone (1) is a precious, semi-precious or synthetic stone.

4. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said stone (1) is a diamond, a ruby, or a sapphire.

5. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stone (1) is secured in the notch (117) by a closed setting, a grain setting or a baguette setting.

6. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said stone (1) is secured in the notch (117) by gluing or pressing.

7. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said stone (1) is secured in the notch (117) by ultrasonic insertion.

8. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stone (1) has a breech face (6), a rounder (5), said breech face (6) being at least partially housed in the notch (117).

9. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that table (3) has a flat impact surface or a curved impact surface.

10. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stamp (110a, 110b) has at least one part in a circular shape.

11. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stamp (110a, 110b) has a cross-section of circular or rectangular shape.

12. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said stamp (110a, 110b) is a first stamp and in that said resonating organ includes a second timbre (110b, 110a).

13. Resonating element (100) of a ringing mechanism (200) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said second stamp (110b, 110a) is attached to said stamp holder (120).

14. Ringing mechanism (200) comprising a resonating member (100) according to any one of the preceding claims and a hammer (210a, 210b) comprising a striker (211) configured to strike the impact surface of the table (3) of the stone (1).

15. Ringing mechanism (200) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the striker (211) is made of carbon steel or tungsten carbide.

16. Clock movement (300) comprising a striking mechanism (200) according to any one of claims 14 to 15.

17. Timepiece (10) comprising a timepiece movement (300) according to the preceding claim.

18. Method for manufacturing (400) a resonating organ (100) comprising a snare (110a, 110b) attached to a snare holder (120) characterized in thatThe manufacturing process (400) comprises: - a step (410) of machining a notch (117) in the material of the stamp (110a, 110b); - a step (420) of positioning a stone (1) in said notch (117); - a step (430) of securing said stone (1) in the notch (117) of the stamp (110a, 110b).

19. Method for manufacturing (400) a resonating organ (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that during the machining step (410), the notch (117) is machined by milling, micromachining or laser ablation.

20. Method for manufacturing (400) a resonating organ (100) according to any one of claims 18 to 19, characterized in that step (430) of securing said stone (1) is carried out by setting, by gluing or by pressing.

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