Timepiece assembly comprising a mechanical oscillator associated with a regulating device

A timepiece assembly, comprising:

• a mechanism;
• a mechanical resonator that oscillates along an oscillation axis about a neutral position corresponding to a minimum potential mechanical energy state of the mechanical resonator;
• a maintenance device that maintains the mechanical resonator, the maintenance device and the mechanical resonator together forming a mechanical oscillator that defines a working rate of the mechanism, each oscillation of the mechanical resonator exhibits two successive alternations between two end positions on the oscillation axis which define the oscillation amplitude of the mechanical oscillator;
• a regulating device that regulates a frequency of oscillation of the mechanical oscillator, the regulating device comprising an auxiliary oscillator, a regulation pulse application device that applies regulation pulses to the mechanical resonator, and an electronic control circuit that generates a control signal which is supplied to and activates the regulation pulse application device;
• and
• a sensor that detects a position of the mechanical resonator on the oscillation axis;
• wherein the regulating device comprises a measuring device that measures, on the basis of position signals supplied by said sensor, a time drift of the mechanical oscillator relative to the auxiliary oscillator,
• wherein the regulation pulse application device is formed by an electromechanical device that generates, in response to the control signal which is dependent on the time drift measured, mechanical braking pulses applied to a braking surface of the mechanical resonator,
• wherein at least one mechanical braking pulse applies a brake force on the braking surface when a time drift of the mechanical oscillator is detected, and
• wherein the braking surface includes a portion that extends along said oscillation axis and enables the application of the mechanical braking pulse during an alternation of the mechanical oscillator in an amplitude range corresponding to a usable operating range of the mechanical oscillator, and
• wherein said application of the mechanical braking pulse is applied at a selected time such that said mechanical braking pulse does not occur while the mechanical resonator passes the neutral position.