Rotating Clockwork Mechanism with Ball-Bearing Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing timepiece mechanisms face limitations in guiding mobiles with lower inertia and higher angular speeds, as traditional guidance methods are not effective, and require precise axial holding, which is challenging for fragile materials and increases costs due to the need for shock absorbers and complex manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A ball-bearing guidance system with an internal and external track, utilizing a bridge and mobile assembly that allows for cantilevered mounting, reducing the need for guide shafts and enabling the use of materials like silicon or MEMS/LIGA technologies, ensuring perfect guidance and shock resistance across all positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional axis and pivot guidance is used for mobiles with lower inertia and higher angular speed, then the guidance can be implemented, but the axial holding requires high precision and additional axial holding means which increase complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical axis-pivot guidance system with a magnetic field-based guidance system. The mobile element incorporates a permanent magnet that interacts with a stationary magnet on the bridge, creating magnetic forces that provide both radial guidance and axial holding without physical contact. This substitution eliminates the need for precision axial holding means while maintaining reliable guidance for high-speed, low-inertia mobiles.
2Reliability
If shock absorbers are added to protect sensitive members such as regulator mechanism pivots, then the reliability improves, but the bulk and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical shock absorbers with a magnetic field-based support system. The mobile element is supported by magnetic forces between permanent magnets, eliminating mechanical contact and the need for separate shock absorption components. The magnetic field inherently provides shock protection by maintaining a non-contact support that can quickly respond to disturbances without the bulk of mechanical damping components.
3Reliability
If traditional guidance by axis and pivot is used, then the mobile can be guided, but the space required for guide shafts obstructs the insertion of complication mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical guide shafts and pivot structures with a magnetic field-based guidance system. The permanent magnet on the mobile element interacts with the stationary magnet on the bridge to provide guidance forces without requiring physical guide structures. This eliminates the space occupied by traditional guide shafts, allowing complication mechanisms to be inserted more freely into the movement architecture.
4Ease of operation
If cantilevered assemblies are used to clear space on one side of the mobile, then accessibility inside the movement improves, but the manufacture requires high care and incurs high cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal mounting system where the mobile element can be installed in multiple configurations (cantilevered or not) using the same magnetic field-based guidance principle. The stationary magnet on the bridge and mobile magnet on the moving element work together regardless of the specific mounting arrangement, allowing manufacturers to choose the most accessible configuration without incurring additional manufacturing complexity or cost.
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
This solution provides consistent guidance and reduced sensitivity to shocks, freeing up space for complications, allowing for more compact designs and easier assembly, while reducing the number of components and enhancing precision in adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
a ball bearing (10) in which a plurality of balls (11) can roll
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~6
Figure 7~8
AI summary
A clockwork mechanism (1) comprising a first guide surface (2) arranged to cooperate with a second guide surface (3) associated with a bridge (50), for pivoting said mechanism (1) relative to said bridge (50) about an axis (D). Said first guide surface (2) is unique, located on a median plane (P) of said mechanism (1) orthogonal to said axis (D), for maintaining said mechanism (1) either fixed or cantilevered relative to said bridge (50), and said mechanism (1) is free of a guide shaft on either side of said guide surface (2). Said mechanism (1) constitutes a ball bearing (10) of which said first guide surface (2) forms an internal raceway (9) for the bearing of balls (11), and of which an external cage (12) mounted on said bridge (50) comprises said second guide surface (3) forming an external raceway for the bearing of said balls (11).