Flexible Pivot Watch Oscillator with Virtual Axis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing watch oscillators with flexible pivots face challenges in energy efficiency and compactness, as high-stiffness pivots require significant energy to operate and low-stiffness designs are difficult to implement and lack compactness.
Innovation Solution
A horological oscillator with a flexible pivot comprising monolithic parts connected by elastic strips, where the elastic blades intersect without contact to define a virtual axis of rotation, reducing stiffness and allowing for easy manufacturing and compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If flexible pivots with high stiffness are used, then the oscillator maintains stability and prevents tilting, but it requires a large amount of energy to pivot the component
Solution Approach 1:
The oscillator is divided into two separate monolithic parts (first and second parts) that are assembled together. Each part contains its own elastic strip, creating a segmented structure where the first elastic strip connects rigid parts within the first monolithic part, and the second elastic strip connects rigid parts within the second monolithic part. This segmentation allows for optimized energy characteristics while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic strips are arranged to intersect without contact, defining a virtual axis of rotation in three-dimensional space. This spatial arrangement allows the oscillator to pivot around a virtual axis rather than a physical one, reducing friction and energy consumption while maintaining stability through the perpendicular stiffness of the intersecting elastic strips.
2Use of energy by moving object
If flexible pivots with low stiffness are used, then energy consumption is reduced, but the design becomes difficult to implement and lacks compactness
Solution Approach 1:
Each monolithic part integrates multiple functions: it contains rigid parts for structural support, elastic strips for flexibility and energy storage, and mounting features for assembly. The first and second monolithic parts are assembled together with their respective components integrated, creating a compact design that reduces manufacturing difficulty while maintaining low energy consumption characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The oscillator structure nests components within monolithic parts, where elastic strips are embedded within the rigid structure of each monolithic part. The first and second monolithic parts are then assembled together with their components nested within them, creating a compact integrated design that is easier to manufacture while maintaining the low-stiffness, low-energy characteristics.
3Use of energy by moving object
If separate crossed blades are used to reduce stiffness, then energy consumption decreases, but the design becomes difficult to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the elastic strip functionality into integrated monolithic parts rather than using separate crossed blades. Each monolithic part combines rigid structural elements with embedded elastic strips, eliminating the need for separate blade components and simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining the low energy consumption characteristics of flexible pivots.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic strips provide dynamic flexibility within the rigid monolithic parts, allowing the oscillator to adapt its stiffness characteristics during operation. This dynamic behavior enables easy manufacturing with standardized monolithic parts while achieving the low energy consumption goals of flexible pivot designs.
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 enables a watch oscillator that pivots without friction or play, conserves energy, and maintains high stiffness perpendicular to the plane, preventing tilting and ensuring accurate operation of components like clutch wheels.
Implementation Method 1
a first monolithic part defining a first rigid part and a second rigid part connected by at least one first elastic strip, and a second monolithic part defining a third rigid part and a fourth rigid part connected by at least one second elastic strip
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~9
AI summary
The invention relates to a flexible pivot watch component consisting of an oscillator (25) fulfilling the function of a balance wheel and hairspring. This component comprises a first monolithic part (26) defining a first rigid section and a second rigid section connected by at least one first elastic leaf (32a), and a second monolithic part (27) defining a third rigid section and a fourth rigid section connected by at least one second elastic leaf (32b). The first and second monolithic parts (26, 27) are assembled to each other such that the first and third rigid sections are fixed to each other, the second and fourth rigid sections are fixed to each other, and the first and second elastic leaves (32a, 32b) intersect without contact and define a virtual axis of rotation (Z) for the second and fourth rigid sections relative to the first and third rigid sections.