Modular timepiece movement with functional modules
AssigneeETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
InventorsJean-Bernard Peters, Laurent Kaelin, Ivan Villar, Raphael Balmer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mechanical timepiece movement in the form of a modular unit. The movement includes at least one modular unit for performing a particular timepiece function, which is irremovably pre-adjusted by irremovably securing adjustment and/or assembling components included in the functional module after the particular horological function has been adjusted and function checked on the test bench. The pre-adjusted functional module is irremovably secured to a plate included in the movement or included in another pre-adjusted functional module of the movement, or irremovably secured to another pre-adjusted functional module included in the movement.
Claims30
A mechanical timepiece movement in the form of a modular unit, wherein said movement includes a plurality of mechanical functional modules each performing a particular timepiece function, said functional modules being irreversibly adjusted prior to securing of adjustment and assembly components comprised in said functional modules, wherein no further adjustment of said functional modules is possible after said adjustment and assembly components are irremovably secured such that said functional modules cannot be dismantled from said movement, wherein each of said adjusted functional modules is irremovably secured to a plate comprised in said movement or comprised in another adjusted functional module of said movement, or is irremovably secured to another adjusted functional module comprised in said movement, and wherein at least one of said adjusted functional modules is irremovably secured to a front of the plate and at least one of said adjusted functional modules is irremovably secured to a back of the plate.
A mechanical timepiece movement in the form of a modular unit, wherein said movement includes a plurality of mechanical functional modules each performing a particular timepiece function, said functional modules being irreversibly adjusted prior to securing of adjustment or assembly components comprised in said functional modules, wherein no further adjustment of said functional modules is possible after said adjustment or assembly components are irremovably secured such that said functional modules cannot be dismantled from said movement, wherein each of said adjusted functional modules is irremovably secured to a plate comprised in said movement or comprised in another adjusted functional module of said movement, and is irremovably secured to another adjusted functional module comprised in said movement, and wherein at least one of said adjusted functional modules is irremovably secured to a front of the plate and at least one of said adjusted functional modules is irremovably secured to a back of the plate.
A method for fabricating mechanical modular units each for a particular horological function, said method comprising:
- adjusting said particular horological function of each of said modular units;
- checking said particular horological function;
- and
- irreversibly adjusting said modular units prior to irremovably securing said modular units, wherein no further adjustment of said modular units is possible after said modular units are irremovably secured,
- wherein the irremovably securing said modular units includes irremovably securing at least one of said adjusted modular units to a front of a plate comprised in a timepiece movement and irremovably securing at least one of said adjusted modular units to a back of the plate.
A method for fabricating a timepiece movement including a plurality of mechanical modular units each for a particular horological function, said method comprising:
- adjusting said particular horological function of each of said modular units;
- checking said particular horological function on a test bench;
- and
- irreversibly adjusting said modular units prior to irremovably securing adjustment or assembling components comprised in said modular units, wherein no further adjustment of said modular units is possible after said adjustment or assembling components comprised in said modular units are irremovably secured,
- wherein each of said irreversibly adjusted and secured mechanical modular units is irremovably secured to a plate comprised in said movement or comprised in another said irreversibly adjusted and secured mechanical modular unit of said movement, or is irremovably secured to another adjusted functional module comprised in said movement, and
- wherein the irremovably securing includes irremovably securing at least one of said adjusted modular units to a front of the plate and irremovably securing at least one of said adjusted modular units to a back of the plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.