Watch Movement Sealed Oscillator Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical watch movements designed for reduced pressure or controlled atmospheres face challenges in maintaining perfect sealing over time, particularly due to the vulnerability of electrical connections for oscillator maintenance, which is not suitable for mechanical watches.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical timepiece movement where only the mechanical oscillator is housed in a sealed enclosure at reduced pressure or controlled atmosphere, while the rest of the movement operates at ambient pressure, using anodic bonding for sealing and a Benoît-type translation escapement to maintain isolation without external connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the entire watch movement is housed in a sealed enclosure at reduced pressure or controlled atmosphere, then chronometric precision is improved, but sealing reliability deteriorates over time due to vulnerability of electrical connections and complex sealing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The watch movement is divided into two separate sealed enclosures: a first sealed enclosure housing the oscillator (balance wheel and hairspring) at reduced pressure or controlled atmosphere, and a second sealed enclosure housing the rest of the movement at atmospheric pressure. This segmentation allows each enclosure to be optimized independently - the oscillator enclosure maintains chronometric precision while the larger movement enclosure avoids complex sealing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The oscillator is extracted from the main movement and placed in a separate sealed enclosure. This extraction allows the oscillator to operate in the optimal reduced pressure or controlled atmosphere environment while the rest of the movement operates at atmospheric pressure, eliminating the need to seal the entire movement and thus improving sealing reliability.
2Device complexity
If only the oscillator is housed in a sealed enclosure at reduced pressure, then sealing complexity is reduced, but chronometric precision may deteriorate due to exposure to atmospheric conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The movement is segmented into two sealed enclosures, allowing the oscillator to be isolated in a first sealed enclosure with controlled atmosphere or reduced pressure, while the rest of the movement resides in a second sealed enclosure at atmospheric pressure. This ensures the oscillator maintains chronometric precision without requiring the entire movement to be sealed.
Solution Approach 2:
The oscillator is extracted and placed in a dedicated sealed enclosure with controlled atmospheric conditions. This extraction ensures that only the precision-critical components are exposed to the optimized environment, maintaining chronometric precision while minimizing the volume and complexity of the sealed enclosure.
3Duration of action of moving object
If electrical connections are used for oscillator maintenance in reduced pressure enclosures, then oscillator functionality is maintained, but sealing reliability deteriorates due to vulnerability of electrical connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical connections with a purely mechanical coupling system. The escape wheel, which is mechanically driven by the going train, engages with the oscillator through direct mechanical interaction (teeth engagement or lever mechanism). This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for electrical connections penetrating the sealed enclosure, thereby maintaining sealing reliability while ensuring oscillator functionality through mechanical energy transmission.
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 design allows for a mechanical watch movement to maintain chronometric precision and power reserve similar to fully sealed low-pressure or controlled atmosphere movements, while simplifying after-sales service by avoiding the need for complex sealing of the entire case.
Implementation Method 1
The fixing of this bell 9b on the plate 9a of the escape wheel can be done, with or without seal, by mechanical fixing, for example screws, by gluing, by welding or preferably by anodic bonding or "anodic bonding".
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a mechanical clock movement comprising a frame (1), a driving element (2) connected to an escape wheel (7) by a finishing gear (3 to 6), a mechanical oscillator (8) and an escapement (10). The mechanical oscillator (8) is disposed in a sealed enclosure (9) carried by said escape wheel (7).