Abstract:
A balance spring intended to be fitted to a timepiece balance having fixed inertia, the balance spring being formed of a core having lateral faces connecting an upper face to a lower face, the balance spring including on one of the lateral faces in one portion of the outer coil, a coating formed of one or more layers, the coating including two layers with a first electrically conductive layer coated with a second outer layer made of a ceramic, or a combined layer, made of an electrically conductive ceramic. Also a method of manufacturing this balance spring.
Abstract:
A timepiece assembly including a first component and a second component assembled under stress, wherein at least one part of the surface of the assembly is coated with a protective layer intended to cover defects such as cracks or incipient cracks after assembly. It also relates to the method for manufacturing this assembly.
Abstract:
A balance spring (1) intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the balance spring (1) is made of a niobium and titanium alloy containing: niobium: the remainder to 100 wt %; titanium with a weight percentage that is greater than or equal to 1 wt % and less than 40 wt %; traces of other elements chosen from among O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu and Al, each of said elements being in the range 0 to 1,600 ppm of the total weight, and the sum of said trace elements being less than or equal to 0.3 wt %.
Abstract:
A mainspring including a spiral metal strip and a hooking area formed in an inner face of an inner end of the strip, the hooking area including at least one shaped portion and/or at least one cavity comprised in the inner face of the inner end.
Abstract:
Method for fabrication of an antiferromagnetic and temperature compensated timepiece balance spring, including the steps of: selecting an amagnetic iron-chromium-nickel-manganese-beryllium compensating alloy, comprising, by mass percent, between and including: from 21.0% to 25.0% of manganese, from 9.0% to 13.0% of nickel, from 6.0% to 15.0% of chromium, from 0.2% to 2.0% of beryllium, the remainder iron, the total of nickel and manganese being higher than or equal to 33.0%, working the alloy to obtain a blank, shaping the blank by casting and/or forging and/or wire drawing and/or rolling and/or drawing, to obtain a blank of spring wire; winding the wire on a winder to obtain a balance spring, subjecting the spiral spring to at least a heat setting treatment, by annealing at a temperature comprised between 540° C. and 650° C., for a duration of 30 to 200 minutes, to obtain a balance spring.
Abstract:
A timepiece component comprising a dry, self-lubricating surface layer, consisting entirely of boric acid, having a thickness of 50 nanometres to 1 micrometre. A method for coating a timepiece component with a self-lubricating surface layer, including dissolving, at ambient temperature, boric acid H3BO3 granules or powder in a solvent chosen from among water, isopropanol, propanol, methanol, methyl propanol, glycol ethylene, glycerol, acetone, in a proportion of 0.01% to 1.0% by mass; mixing and agitating the solution; dipping the component to be coated in this solution; removing the component from the solution and allowing the liquid phase to evaporate, with the surface forming the surface layer kept away from any foreign bodies, until evaporation is complete; and repeating the dipping and evaporation steps until the desired layer thickness is obtained, from 10 nanometres to 1 micrometer, or more particularly from 50 nanometres to 1 micrometre.
Abstract:
A method for fabrication of a micromechanical part made of a one-piece synthetic carbon allotrope based material, the method including: forming a substrate with a negative cavity of the micromechanical part to be fabricated; coating the negative cavity of the substrate with a layer of the synthetic carbon allotrope based material in a smaller thickness than the depth of the negative cavity; and removing the substrate to release the one-piece micromechanical part formed in the negative cavity.
Abstract:
A micromechanical component for a timepiece movement including a metal body formed using a single material. The single material is of high-interstitial austenitic steel type including at least one non-metal as the interstitial atom in a proportion between 0.15% and 1.2% with respect to total mass of the material.
Abstract:
A method for treating at least one balance spring intended to equip a horological movement, said balance spring being made from an Nb—Ti alloy, the method comprising a step of steaming, called climatic steaming, in a temperature range comprised between 30 and 100°° C. in an atmosphere having a relative humidity comprised between 60 and 99%.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a spiral spring for a balance wheel made of an alloy of niobium and titanium with an essentially single-phase structure, and the method of manufacture thereof which comprises: a step of producing a blank in a niobium-based alloy consisting of: niobium: balance to 100 wt %, titanium: between 40 and 49 wt %, traces of elements selected from the group consisting of O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, between 0 and 1600 ppm by weight individually, and cumulatively less than 0.3 wt %, a step of type β hardening of said blank at a given diameter, in such a way that the titanium of the niobium-based alloy is essentially in the form of a solid solution with niobium in β phase, the content of titanium in α phase being less than or equal to 10 vol %, at least one deformation step of said alloy alternating with at least one step of heat treatment, the number of steps of heat treatment and of deformation being limited so that the niobium-based alloy obtained retains a structure in which the titanium of the niobium-based alloy is essentially in the form of a solid solution with niobium in β phase, the content of titanium in α phase being less than or equal to 10 vol % and it has an elastic limit greater than or equal to 600 MPa and an elastic modulus less than or equal to 100 GPa, a step of winding to form the spiral spring being carried out before the last heat treatment step.