Process for producing a balance wheel for a timepiece
US11640140B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 11, 2022 |
| Grant date | May 2, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 11, 2042 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG04C3/04
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process for producing a metal alloy balance wheel by molding includes a) making a mold in the negative shape of the balance wheel; b) obtaining a metal alloy that has a thermal expansion coefficient of less than 25 ppm/° C. and is able to be in an at least partly amorphous state when it is heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature; c) putting the metal alloy into the mold, the metal alloy being heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature so as to be hot-molded and to form a balance wheel; d) cooling the metal alloy to obtain a balance wheel made of the metal alloy; and e) releasing the balance wheel obtained in step d) from its mold. The process also includes a step for over-molding flexible centering components in the hub.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.