Elastic retaining member for attaching a watch part to a support element

Abstract

To overcome all or some of existing drawbacks by proposing an elastic holding member with high holding torque, in particular for facilitating / simplifying the work of mounting an assembly of a set consisting of an elastic holding member and horological component on a support element, as well as ensuring sufficient strength to guarantee holding in position in the plane and to guarantee its angular position throughout the life of the component.SOLUTION: An elastic holding member 1 is provided, including a body provided with rigid portions 6 and deformable portions 7, each being provided with a through hole 4, the member being intended for attaching a horological component to a support element 3 and including an opening 5, the contour of which includes three contact zones 13 intended to come into abutment on the support element, the contact zones each being included on an internal face 14 of a reception region 8a of each deformable portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an elastic holding member, for example a collet for mounting a watch part, which is adapted to participate in the mounting of the watch part on a support element. [Background technology]

[0002] In the prior art, elastic retaining members such as watch collets by means of elastic clamps are known which are responsible for assembling the hairspring to the balance shaft in a watch movement.

[0003] However, such elastic retaining members have the major drawback that they have a weak and limited retaining torque on the balance shaft, requiring complex, lengthy and costly assembly operations in the context of the manufacture of such assemblies. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The object of the present invention is to overcome all or part of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing an elastic retaining element with a high retaining torque, in particular to facilitate / simplify the mounting of the set assembly consisting of the elastic retaining element and the watch part on the support element, and to ensure sufficient strength to ensure that it is held in the correct position in a plane and to guarantee its angular position throughout the part's useful life. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to an elastic retaining member comprising a body provided with a rigid part and with deformable parts each provided with a through hole, said part intended for attaching a watch part to a support element, and comprising an opening, the contour of which comprises three contact zones intended to abut against said support element, said contact zones respectively being included in the inner surface of the receiving area of ​​each of the deformable parts.

[0006] In another embodiment, The body of said elastic retaining member is rigid except for the deformable portion it contains. Each deformable portion extends between an inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential wall of the body of the elastic retaining member. · The transformable parts are identical. Each deformable portion is disposed on the body of the elastic retaining member equidistant from each of the other deformable portions disposed in its immediate vicinity on the body. Each deformable portion is configured to change a volume defined within its throughbore when the portion is stressed by the support element. Each deformable portion is comprised of different regions, the different regions being configured to deform in different ways as soon as the different regions are stressed by the support element. The through holes of each deformable portion occupy 20% to 80% of the area of ​​the body of the elastic retaining member that constitutes said deformable portion. The elastic retaining member includes an attachment point for the watch component. The elastic retaining member is a collet for mounting a watch part, such as a hairspring, onto a support element, such as a balance shaft. The elastic retaining member is manufactured from a silicone-based or silicone-based material.

[0007] The invention also relates to a set of an elastic retaining member for a timepiece movement of a timepiece and a timepiece part, comprising said retaining member.

[0008] Advantageously, this set is a single piece.

[0009] The invention also relates to an assembly for a clock movement of a timepiece, comprising said set of an elastic retaining member and a clock part, said set being attached to a support element.

[0010] The invention also relates to a clock movement including at least one assembly as described above.

[0011] The invention also relates to a timepiece including such a timepiece movement.

[0012] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such an assembly of a set of elastic retaining members and watch parts with a support element, comprising the steps: a step of inserting support elements into openings of the set of elastic retaining members, the step comprising a sub-step of elastic deformation of the elastic retaining members, the sub-step comprising a stage of deformation of the deformable parts of the elastic retaining members, causing a radial movement of each deformable part relative to the rotation axis of the elastic retaining member; a step of attaching the holding member to the support element, the step including a sub-step of radially elastically clamping the holding member to the support element; The present invention relates to a method comprising the steps of: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] Other particularities and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and in no way limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] 1A-1C are diagrams of an elastic retaining member for attaching a watch part to a support element according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 shows a timepiece including a timepiece movement provided with at least one assembly including a set of an elastic retaining member and a timepiece part attached to a support element according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] A method for manufacturing such an assembly of an elastic holding member and a support element for a set of watch parts is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] 1 shows an embodiment of an elastic retaining member 1 for mounting a watch part 2 on a support element 3. By way of example, the elastic retaining member 1 can be a collet for mounting a watch part 2, such as a hairspring, on a support element 3, such as a balance shaft.

[0015] In this embodiment, this retaining member 1 may be included in a set 120 of elastic retaining members and watch parts, as seen in Fig. 2 and designed to be placed in the watch movement 110 of a watch 100. Such an assembly 120 may be a single part manufactured from a so-called "fragile" material, preferably a material that can be micromachined. Such materials may include silicon, quartz, corundum or ceramics.

[0016] In the context of the present invention, this holding member 1 has a thickness of between 50 μm and 150 μm. Such a thickness is preferably of the order of 100 μm.

[0017] It should be noted that in this variant of set 120, only the elastic retaining member 1 can be manufactured from such a so-called "fragile" material, the watch part 2 being consequently manufactured from another material.

[0018] This set 120, while attached to the support element 3 by means of an elastic clamp for example, can form part of an assembly 130 for a watch movement 110. It should be noted that this assembly 130 is envisaged for use in the watch sector, however the invention can also be perfectly used in other sectors such as aviation, jewellery or automotive.

[0019] Such a retaining member 1 comprises an opening 5, also called "central opening", into which the support element 3 is intended to be inserted. This opening 5 defines a volume in the retaining member 1 that is smaller than the volume of the connection of the end of the support element 3 designed to be placed in the retaining member 1. It should be noted that this connection has a circular cross section and comprises entirely or partly a contact portion defined in the peripheral wall of the support element 3.

[0020] Such a member 1 also comprises upper and lower surfaces 12, preferably both planar, contained respectively in a first plane P1 and a second plane P2 parallel to each other as seen in FIG.

[0021] The member 1 also comprises an inner peripheral wall 9a and an outer peripheral wall 9b which connect the upper and lower faces 12 to one another. The outer peripheral wall 9b comprises a surface which externally bounds the contour of the retaining member 1. This outer peripheral wall 9b gives the member 1 an essentially hexagonal shape. As for the inner peripheral wall 9a, this comprises a surface which bounds the contour of the opening 5 of the retaining member 1. As will be seen below, this inner peripheral wall 9a comprises a contact zone 13 intended to abut against the support element 3. It should be noted that the lateral dimension of the outer peripheral wall 9b or the inner peripheral wall 9a parallel to the axis of rotation A of the retaining member 1 corresponds here to the thickness of the member 1.

[0022] This retaining member 1 comprises a body provided with three deformable parts 7, also called "flexible parts" or "elastic parts". Each deformable part 7 is configured to regain its original shape after being deformed. In other words, these parts are reversibly deformable parts 6. The body of this member 1 is rigid, i.e. mainly rigid, except for the deformable parts 7 which it comprises. In other words, this body comprises a deformable part 7 and a rigid part 6. The rigid part 6 should be understood to mean a part 6 that withstands pressure or deformation, i.e. a part that cannot be deformed. In the retaining member 1, the rigid part 6 is essentially configured to be acted upon under traction. In this configuration, the rigid part 6 withstands pressure or deformation under traction.

[0023] It will therefore be understood that in the body of this member 1, the deformable portions 7 are separated from one another by rigid portions 6. It can also be said that these deformable portions 7 are connected to one another by these rigid portions 6. It should be noted that each deformable portion 7 is disposed in the body of said member 1 at an equal distance from each of the other deformable portions 7 disposed in its immediate vicinity or closest proximity in said body.

[0024] In this configuration, each deformable portion 7 extends between the inner peripheral wall 9a and the outer peripheral wall 9b of the body of the member 1. It should be noted that such deformable portions 7 are similar to each other. In this member 1, these portions 7 form protrusions on the inner peripheral wall 9a of the body of the member 1, which extend in the direction of the center O of the retaining member 1.

[0025] Each deformable part 7 comprises a receiving area 8a, two connection areas 8b and an outer area 8c, which together define the peripheral boundary of the through hole 4 of this part 7.

[0026] In this configuration, the receiving area 8a is located between the inner circumferential wall 9a of the member 1 and a part of the periphery of the through hole 4, connected to the two connection areas 8b of this deformable part 7. This receiving area 8a is provided with an inner surface 14 constituting a contact zone 13 of each deformable part 7. This inner surface 14 is formed by a part of the inner circumferential wall 9a included in this part 7. In other words, this inner surface 14 is included in the end of the projection forming this deformable part 7, opposite the centre O of the retaining member 1. In this configuration, the contact zone 13 is a rounded or convex surface disposed between two hollow or concave portions of the inner surface 14, or · Planar or essentially planar surfaces may have the following structure:

[0027] This contact zone 13 comprises a substantially hollow or substantially concave portion in which two bearing zones are included. These two bearing zones can cooperate with corresponding convex contact portions of the support element 3. Such bearing zones are defined / included in a surface of this contact zone 13, extending substantially over the entire or part of the thickness of the retaining member 1. These bearing zones are also flat and each comprise a wholly or partly planar surface. In the contact zone 13, the two bearing zones are each included in different planes that together form an obtuse angle. These two bearing zones are separate and spaced apart from each other. In other words, the contact zone 13 comprises a zone connecting the two bearing zones. This connecting zone preferably has a rounded shape.

[0028] These bearing zones are designed in particular to cooperate with the contact parts in a planar-convex or planar-cylindrical contact configuration, taking into account the cylindrical shape of the support element 3. In this configuration, a planar surface of each bearing zone cooperates with a corresponding convex contact part of the support element 3. It should be mentioned here that this convex shape of each contact part is assigned to a planar surface of each corresponding bearing zone, opposite which this part is located. It should be noted that this planar surface of each bearing zone forms a plane tangent to the diameter of the support element 3. In other words, the planar surface is perpendicular to the diameter of the support element 3 and therefore perpendicular to the radius.

[0029] In this configuration, the presence of two flat bearing zones in each contact zone 13 of the retaining member 1 makes it possible to realize a contact pressure between the retaining member 1 and the support element 3 when forming a mechanical connection between the bearing zones and the support element 3, while significantly reducing the intensity of stresses in the corresponding contact portions of these bearing zones and the support element 3 during assembly and / or mounting of the retaining member 1 and the support element 3, which could damage the retaining member 1 by the appearance of splits / cracks or cracks.

[0030] The presence of this contact zone 13 on the inner surface 8 of each deformable portion 7 in this member 1 makes it possible to realize a contact pressure between this member 1 and the support element 3 when forming a mechanical connection between them, while significantly reducing the intensity of stresses in this contact zone 13 and in the corresponding contact portion of the support element 3 when assembling and / or mounting this member 1 with the support element 3. Said stresses could damage the member 1 by the appearance of splits / cracks or cracks.

[0031] Thus, as seen, these deformable portions 7 only comprise contact zones 13 with the support element 3 of the member 1, which contact zones 13 may be defined on all or part of the inner surface 8 of these portions 7. With reference to Figure 1, these contact zones 13 are three in number and may participate in achieving an exact centering of a watch part 2, such as a hairspring, in a watch movement 110.

[0032] In each deformable part 7, the outer region 8c is located between the outer wall 9b of the member 1 and a part of the periphery of the through hole 4, while also being connected to two connection regions 8b. These two connection regions 8b are located between the end of the rigid part 6, a part of the outer wall 9b and a part of the periphery of the through hole. It should be noted that these two connection regions also connect the receiving region 8a and the outer region 8c to each other.

[0033] In the member 1, the deformable portion 7 comprises a through hole 4, also called a recess, defined by the thickness of the member 1. This through hole 4 appears both on the upper and on the lower surface 10 of the member 1. It can also be said that this through hole 4 appears at one end on the upper surface of the deformable portion 7 and at the other end on the lower surface 10 of this portion 7. This hole 4 extends in the direction of the axis of rotation A from the upper surface towards the lower surface 10 or vice versa. In other words, this hole 4 connects these two surfaces 10 to each other. This through hole 4 defines a void volume, i.e. a volume that is empty of material or where no material is present. It will therefore be understood that this volume corresponds to a variable or settable volume. This volume includes an open chamber bounded by the peripheral wall of this hole 4. Such a through hole 4 occupies approximately 20% to 80% of the body of the deformable portion 7. Preferably, this through hole 4 occupies 30% of this body.

[0034] It should be noted that under these conditions, each deformable portion 7 is configured to change the volume defined by its through hole 4 when this portion 7 is stressed by the support element 3 .

[0035] In this member, the rigid portions 6 extend between the inner peripheral wall 9a and the outer peripheral wall 9b of the body of the member 1. These rigid portions 6 preferably have an elongated shape, since each rigid portion extends longitudinally between the two deformable portions 7 to which it is connected. It will therefore be understood that each rigid portion 6 is directly connected at each of its two opposite ends to the two deformable portions 7. It will also be noted that the deformable portions 7 and the rigid portions 6 are therefore arranged in succession and alternating fashion in the retaining member 1. Each rigid portion 6 is connected to two different deformable portions 7, said deformable portions 7 being "directly" connected to the other rigid portions 6 of the member 1. It should be noted that the rigid portions 6 are here non-deformable or nearly non-deformable and play the role of reinforcing elements of the retaining member 1.

[0036] Moreover, in each deformable part 7, the receiving area 8a, the two connection areas 8b and the outer area 8c bound / surround / delimit the through hole 4. More precisely, these areas 8a-8c are configured to deform in different ways as soon as they are stressed by the insertion of the support element 3 in the opening 5 of the component 1. This means that, for each deformable part 7, each of these areas 8a-8c has a deformation coefficient C rr , C rl , C re and as the regions 8a, 8b, 8c move away from the contact zone 13 of the receiving region 8a, the deformation coefficient C rr , C rl , C re In other words, the average deformation coefficient C of the receiving area 8a becomes smaller. rr Also called the deformation coefficient C rr is the coefficient C of the two connecting regions 8b rl and the coefficient C of the outer region 8c re The coefficient C of the two connection regions 8b is greater than or higher than the value of rl is the coefficient C of the outer region 8c re In other words, the average deformation modulus C of these regions 8a, 8b, 8c has a similar value or a substantially similar value higher than the value of rr , C rl , C re The relationship can be defined according to the following formula: C rr >C rl >C re

[0037] It should be noted that the deformation of these regions 8a, 8b, 8c induces radial movements of the respective regions with respect to the axis of rotation A. The magnitude / strength of these radial movements is of course the average deformation coefficient C of these regions 8a, 8b, 8c rr , C rl , C re is determined by.

[0038] In this retaining member 1, these rigid portions 6 and deformable portions 7 are essentially provided in the retaining member 1 and make it possible to perform an elastic clamping type attachment of the support element 3 in the opening 5 defined by the inner peripheral wall 9a of the retaining member 1.

[0039] As has been seen, these deformable parts 7 only comprise a contact zone 13 with the support element 3 of the retaining member 1, which contact zone 13 can be defined on all or part of an inner surface 14 of these deformable parts 7. The contact zone 13 of each deformable part 7 is designed to cooperate with a corresponding contact area defined on the peripheral wall 10 of the connection of the support element 3, in particular on the peripheral wall 10 of this support element 3. In this connection, the retaining member 1 thus comprises three contact zones 13 involved in achieving an exact centering of a timepiece part 2, for example a hairspring, in the timepiece movement 110.

[0040] In this configuration, the elasticity or flexibility of the member 1 is defined relative to the contact zones 13 of this member 1, and more precisely relative to the intensity of deformation of the deformable portions 7 when a force is applied to these contact zones 13.

[0041] Also, in this holding member 1, the rigid part 6 and the deformable part 7 allow the holding member 1 to store more elastic energy for the same clamp than a conventional holding member. It should be noted that this greater energy storage is particularly related to the volume of material forming the holding member 1 provided with the through hole 4 and the rigid part 6 acting under traction. Such an amount of elastic energy stored in the holding member 1 consequently makes it possible to obtain a greater holding torque of the holding member on the support element 3 in the assembly 130 of the set 120 of the holding member and the watch part with this support element 3. It should also be noted that such a configuration of the holding member 1 makes it possible to store an elastic energy ratio six to eight times greater than that of the holding members of the prior art.

[0042] It should be noted that the arrangement of the rigid portions 6 and the deformable portions 7 in the retaining member 1 allows deformation of each deformable portion 7 during insertion by the clamp and allows the overall deformation of the retaining member 1 to be adapted to the geometric shape of the connection of the support element 3 to which it is assembled.

[0043] It should also be noted that the through holes 4 of the retaining member 1 are configured to help inhibit, and in particular reduce, movement of the deformable portion 7 so that the deformable portion 7 in combination with the rigid portion 6 can store a maximum amount of elastic energy during actuation of the member 1 to the support element 3, thus enhancing the retention of this member 1 to this element 3.

[0044] With reference to figure 3, the invention also relates to a method for manufacturing an assembly 130 of an elastic retaining member and a support element 3 of a set 120 of watch parts. This method comprises a step 20 of inserting the support element 3 into an opening 5 of the retaining member 1. During this step 20, an end of the support element is presented at the inlet of the opening 5 defined in the underside 12 of the retaining member 1 in preparation for inserting the connection of this support element 3 into the volume defined by this opening 5. This step 20 comprises a sub-step 21 of elastic deformation of the retaining member 1, in particular of the central zone of this retaining member 1 including said opening 5, caused by the application of a contact force F by the contact part of the peripheral wall 10 of the connection of the support element 3 to the contact zone 13 of the deformable part 7. This elastic deformation of the central zone actually causes deformation of the various areas 8a, 8b, 8c of each deformable part 7 including the contact zone 13.

[0045] The deformation sub-step 21 of the method comprises a stage 22 of moving the deformable parts 7 under the action of a contact force F applied to them. Such movement of these deformable parts 7 is performed in a radial direction R relative to a rotation axis A common to the support element 3 and to the retaining member 1. The contact force F is preferably perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to said contact zone 13. When this stage 23 is performed, the rigid parts 6 are not deformed.

[0046] The method then comprises a step 23 of mounting the retaining member 1 on the support element 3. Such mounting step 23, in particular by radial elastic clamping, comprises a sub-step 24 of radial elastic clamping of the retaining member 1 on the support element 3. It will therefore be seen that in such a stress state the retaining member 1 stores a large amount of elastic energy which serves to provide the retaining member 1 with a large holding torque enabling an optimal fixation, in particular by elastic clamping.

Claims

1. An elastic retaining member (1) for attaching a watch part (2) to a support element (3), comprising: said elastic retaining member (1) comprises a body provided with three rigid parts (6) and three deformable parts (7) each provided with a through hole (4), and an opening (5) intended for said support element (3) to be inserted; The elastic retaining member (1) includes an upper surface and a lower surface, and an inner peripheral wall (9a) and an outer peripheral wall (9b) connecting the upper surface and the lower surface to each other, said inner circumferential wall (9a) defining the contour of said opening (5) comprises three contact zones (13) intended to abut against said support element (3), said contact zones (13) being respectively formed by portions of said inner circumferential wall (9a) included in each of said deformable portions (7); The deformable portions (7) are arranged alternately with the rigid portions (6) between the inner peripheral wall (9a) and the outer peripheral wall (9b), an elastic retaining member (1).

2. The elastic retaining member (1) according to claim 1, wherein the body of the elastic retaining member (1) is rigid except for the deformable portion (7) which it comprises.

3. An elastic retaining member (1) as described in claim 1, wherein each contact zone (13) includes two bearing zones, each bearing zone including a planar surface cooperating with a corresponding convex contact portion of the support element (3).

4. The elastic retaining member (1) according to claim 1, wherein said deformable portions (7) are identical in shape.

5. The elastic retaining member (1) of claim 1, wherein each deformable portion (7) is positioned on the body of the elastic retaining member (1) at an equal distance from each of the other deformable portions (7) positioned in the immediate vicinity of each deformable portion (7) on the body.

6. The elastic retaining member (1) according to claim 1, wherein each deformable portion (7) is configured to change the volume defined within its through hole (4) when the deformable portion (7) is subjected to stress by the support element (3).

7. 2. The elastic retaining member (1) according to claim 1, wherein each deformable portion (7) consists of a plurality of regions (8a, 8b, 8c) configured to deform so as to induce radial movements of different magnitudes relative to the rotation axis (A) of the elastic retaining member (1) as soon as the plurality of regions (8a, 8b, 8c) are stressed by the support element (3).

8. The elastic retaining member (1) according to claim 1, wherein the through holes of each deformable portion occupy between 20% and 80% of the portion of the body of the elastic retaining member that constitutes the deformable portion.

9. The elastic retaining member (1) according to claim 1, wherein the elastic retaining member (1) comprises an attachment point (11) with the watch part (2).

10. The elastic retaining member (1) according to claim 1, wherein the elastic retaining member (1) is a collet for mounting the watch part (2) on a support element (3).

11. The elastic retaining member (1) according to claim 1, wherein the elastic retaining member (1) is manufactured from a silicon-based or silicon-made material.

12. A set (120) for a clock movement (110) of a clock (100), comprising an elastic holding member (1) according to claim 1 and a clock part (2).

13. 13. The set (120) according to claim 12, wherein the elastic holding member (1) and the watch part (2) are made in one piece.

14. Assembly (130) for a clock movement (110) of a clock (100), comprising a set (120) according to claim 12, said set (120) being fixed to a support element (3).

15. A clock movement (110) comprising at least one assembly (130) according to claim 14.

16. A watch (100) including a watch movement (110) according to claim 15.

17. A method of manufacturing the assembly (130) of claim 14, comprising the steps of: a step (20) of inserting the support elements (3) into the openings (5) of the elastic retaining members (1) of the set (120), comprising a sub-step (21) of elastic deformation of the elastic retaining members (1) with a stage (22) of deformation of the deformable portions (7) of the elastic retaining members (1), causing a radial movement of each deformable portion (7) relative to the axis of rotation (A) of the elastic retaining members (1); a step (23) of attaching said elastic retaining member (1) to said support element (3), comprising a sub-step (24) of performing a radial elastic clamping of said elastic retaining member (1) to said support element (3); The method includes:

Images