Ultra-flat Watch Oscillator Escapement Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Watch oscillators with traditional escapements require a significant height to prevent overturning and stopping, making it difficult to integrate them into ultra-flat movements without additional components like small plates and stingers, which increase the overall height.
Innovation Solution
A watch oscillator design featuring a locking pinion and escape wheel with elastic blades and hooks that eliminate the need for additional components, ensuring secure locking and impulse phases without increasing height, and a control pin that occupies a single level, allowing for a compact and secure integration into ultra-thin movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional escapements (Swiss anchor or expansion) are used, then reliable operation is achieved, but height requirement increases due to multiple levels and additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the control pin, impulse transmission, and locking functions into a single-level integrated escapement mechanism. The control pin simultaneously performs control, impulse delivery, and locking actions, eliminating the need for separate small plates and stingers required in traditional multi-level escapements, thereby reducing height while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from the vertical multi-level arrangement of traditional escapements to a horizontal single-level configuration. By redistributing functions along the horizontal plane rather than stacking them vertically, the patent achieves reliable operation without increasing height requirement
2Stability of the object's composition
If additional components (small plate, stinger) are added to prevent overturning, then stability is improved, but device complexity and height increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control pin is designed to inherently perform multiple functions including self-locking and self-stabilization during its oscillation cycle. The geometry and positioning of the control pin enable it to automatically prevent overturning without requiring external stabilizing components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining stability
Solution Approach 2:
The control pin serves multiple functions simultaneously: it controls the escape wheel, transmits impulse to the balance, and provides locking action. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate dedicated components for each function, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining all necessary stability features
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
The solution provides a compact and secure watch oscillator that can be integrated into ultra-flat movements without the risk of overturning, eliminating the need for additional components and ensuring precise positioning and operation, thus achieving a reduced height requirement while maintaining reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The teeth of the escape wheel are backlash-adjusting teeth formed by an alternation of rigid teeth and elastic blades
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The clock oscillator (1) according to the invention comprises a regulating member including a balance wheel; a control element (4) integral with the balance wheel; an escape wheel (6); a locking member (8) for locking/unlocking the escape wheel; and a toothing (28, 30) comprising an alternation of impulse teeth (28) and release teeth (30), the release teeth being retractable.The clock oscillator is arranged so that, during a first alternation of each oscillation of the regulating member, the control element (4) acts on one of the release teeth (30) to control the release of the escape wheel (6) by the blocking member (8), then receives an impulse from the escape wheel (6) by one of the impulse teeth (28), and during a second alternation of each oscillation of the regulating member, where the escape wheel (6) is blocked by the blocking member (8), one of the release teeth (30) retracts as the control element (4) passes through to allow the control element (4) to pass without releasing the escape wheel (6).