Balance Wheel Fastening Assembly for Precise Swing Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Adjusting the balance wheel's swing in mechanical movements requires significant force, leading to degradation of components and instability during shocks.

Innovation Solution

A fastening device comprising an eyelet holder, bearing body, support member, and retaining member, allowing for adjustable axial play without exerting excessive force, ensuring stability and shock resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If significant force is exerted to adjust the balance wheel's swing, then the balance stud and balance damper can be positioned and locked, but the components and their environment suffer degradation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning precision of balance stud and balance damperVSAvoidcomponent durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustment mechanism is divided into separate functional components: the balance stud with threading for rotational adjustment, the balance damper with corresponding threading, and the balance bridge providing support. This segmentation allows each component to be adjusted independently through rotational movement rather than requiring significant axial force, preventing degradation while maintaining positioning precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The traditional mechanical adjustment method requiring high force is replaced with a threaded rotational mechanism. Instead of applying axial force to move and lock the balance stud and damper, the system uses rotational movement along threaded surfaces to achieve precise positioning. This substitution eliminates the need for excessive force, thereby preventing component degradation while maintaining adjustment precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If significant force is exerted to adjust the balance wheel's swing, then the balance stud and balance damper can be locked, but instability occurs during shocks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocking precision of balance stud and balance damperVSAvoidstability during shocks
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The balance bridge is designed with localized quality variations: a support surface providing stable support for the balance stud, and a retaining member with a retaining surface that secures the balance damper. These localized structural features provide targeted stability at critical points, allowing precise locking during normal operation while maintaining stability during shocks through the distributed support architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The balance bridge structure is designed beforehand to provide cushioning and shock absorption capabilities. The support surface and retaining member are positioned to absorb and distribute shock forces before they can affect the precision locking of the balance stud and damper. This prior cushioning design ensures that both precision locking and shock stability are achieved simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Device complexity

If a traditional fastening device is used to adjust the balance wheel, then the structure is simple, but excessive force degrades components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidcomponent durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The balance stud, balance damper, and balance bridge are merged into an integrated assembly where the balance bridge simultaneously provides support for the balance stud and retention for the balance damper. This merging of functions into a single component structure maintains relative simplicity while enabling force-distributed adjustment mechanisms that prevent component degradation through threaded rotational movement rather than high axial forces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables precise adjustment of the balance wheel's swing without degrading components, maintaining functionality and stability during shocks.

Implementation Method 1

said at least one bearing body being configured to move relative to said at least one stud carrier to adjust the axial play of said balance wheel and comprising a tapping or threading disposed on its external periphery

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThreading: Screw

Implementation Method 2

said at least one support member comprises a first support surface configured to support said at least one bearing body against said at least one stud holder and at least a second support surface configured to be in contact with said at least one retaining member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force Transmission: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP4006649B1Attachment device for adjusting the movement of a balance
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 ETA SA MFG HORLOGERE SUISSE
  • EP4006649B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The present invention relates to a fastening device (100) for adjusting the swing of a balance wheel (200). Said at least one fastening device (100) comprising at least one stud holder (110), at least one bearing body (120), at least one support member (130), and at least one retaining member (140). Said at least one bearing body (120) is configured to move relative to said at least one stud holder (110) so as to fix the swing adjustment of said balance wheel (200), and said at least one support member (130) is configured to press said at least one bearing body (120) against said at least one stud holder (110) before being held by said at least one retaining member (140).