Balance-Spring Stud-Holder Retaining Abutment for Silicon Hairspring
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Solution Overview
Problem
The de-pegging process of the balance-spring stud from the balance-spring stud-holder in mechanical watches is challenging, especially with silicon hairsprings, as it often results in abrupt relaxation and breakage due to the delicate nature of silicon, whereas steel hairsprings can be rewound but not easily manipulated.
Innovation Solution
A balance-spring stud-holder design that includes a retaining abutment, specifically a bend, to block the balance-spring stud extracted from the notch, preventing abrupt relaxation and allowing for controlled removal without risking breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the balance-spring stud is removed from the notch during de-pegging, then the hairspring can be disassembled for adjustment, but the hairspring undergoes abrupt relaxation that causes breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing a retaining abutment that proactively prevents the balance-spring stud from escaping during de-pegging. The abutment is positioned in advance to intercept the stud before it can be fully removed from the notch, thereby controlling the release process and preventing abrupt relaxation that would cause breakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining abutment acts as an intermediary element between the balance-spring stud and the notch. It mediates the removal process by providing a controlled transition state where the stud is partially released from the notch but retained by the abutment, allowing safe disassembly without abrupt stress release.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If silicon is used for the hairspring, then magnetism and corrosion resistance are improved, but the hairspring becomes more prone to breakage during de-pegging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by using the retaining abutment to counteract the harmful effect of abrupt relaxation before it can occur. The abutment pre-establishes a constraint that prevents the sudden release of stored energy in the silicon hairspring, thereby protecting against breakage while allowing the material's inherent advantages to be utilized.
3Strength
If steel alloy is used for the hairspring, then breaking strength is improved through quenching and annealing, but magnetization occurs that deteriorates timepiece accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from steel alloy to silicon material for the hairspring. This material substitution changes the fundamental parameters of the hairspring, eliminating magnetization while maintaining sufficient strength through the protective mechanism of the retaining abutment that prevents breakage during handling.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a balance-spring stud-holder for a mechanical timepiece movement, which comprises a pair of tabs, namely a front tab and a rear tab, jointly defining a notch, the tabs being arranged in such a way that a balance-spring stud can be held in the notch, wherein the rear tab of the balance-spring stud-holder comprises an extension which defines, beyond the notch, a bend forming a retaining abutment for the balance-spring stud after said balance-spring stud has been extracted from the notch.