Glass-Ceramic Watch Movement Component with Metal Inertia Fill
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Solution Overview
Problem
Watch movement components made from traditional metal alloys face issues like internal stresses, oxidation, limited hardness, wear sensitivity, high density, and magnetic field sensitivity, while non-metallic materials like ceramics and silicon are difficult to shape, fragile, and challenging to assemble. Additionally, they lack sufficient inertia and decoration complexity.
Innovation Solution
A watch movement component made from glass-ceramic with a mica structure, which includes a crystalline phase representing at least 50% by volume, allowing for conventional machining techniques and combining the density and hardness of metal alloys with the stability of glass-ceramic, featuring cavities filled with metal-based materials for enhanced properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional metal alloys are used for watch movement components, then sufficient inertia and hardness are achieved, but internal stresses, oxidation, wear sensitivity, and magnetic field sensitivity occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining glass-ceramic (providing hardness, chemical stability, and wear resistance) with metal alloys (providing density and inertia). This is achieved through hybrid construction where metal components are integrated into or onto the glass-ceramic substrate, allowing the component to simultaneously exhibit the advantageous properties of both materials while avoiding their individual drawbacks.
2Reliability
If non-metallic materials like ceramics or silicon are used, then resistance to oxidation and wear is improved, but difficulty in shaping and assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials combining glass-ceramic and metal alloys, where the glass-ceramic provides oxidation and wear resistance while the metal components facilitate conventional manufacturing and assembly processes, thereby maintaining reliability while improving ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by selecting glass-ceramic with specific crystalline phase compositions (at least 50% crystalline phase with specific types) that optimize both the mechanical properties for wear resistance and the machinability for conventional shaping operations.
3Strength
If non-metallic materials like ceramics or silicon are used, then hardness is improved, but fragility and difficulty in assembly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining glass-ceramic (providing hardness) with metal alloys (providing ductility and ease of assembly). The hybrid structure allows the component to maintain high hardness while the metal portions enable conventional assembly techniques such as driving in or screwing, thereby improving ease of operation without sacrificing strength.
4Ease of manufacture
If glass-ceramic with high crystalline phase content is used, then machinability is improved, but density and inertia are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials combining glass-ceramic (providing machinability) with metal alloys (providing density and inertia). The hybrid construction allows the component to be machined using conventional techniques on the glass-ceramic portions while incorporating metal elements that contribute the necessary mass and inertia for proper timepiece function.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3c
Figure 3d~3g
AI summary
The watch movement component (10, 20, 30, 40, 50) according to the invention comprises a glass-ceramic including a crystalline phase representing at least 50% by volume of said glass-ceramic, the remainder of the glass-ceramic being a glass matrix, said crystalline phase being at least 50% mica. The component includes at least one cavity (33, 43, 53) hollowed out at least partially in the glass-ceramic and a second material (34, 44, 54) filling at least partially said cavity.