# US 11,906,930 B2 · Elastic retaining member for fixing a timepiece component on a support element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,930 B2 - Document ID: US11906930B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/272,714 - Filed: 2019-09-04 - Published: 2021-07-15 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-21 - Assignees: Nivarox-FAR S.A. - Applicants: Nivarox-FAR S.A. - Inventors: Ivan Hernandez; Pierre Cusin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906930B2 ## CPC - G04B 17/34: for fastening the hairspring onto the balance - G04B 17/345: {Details of the spiral roll} - G04B: MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS (spring- or weight-driven mechanisms in general F03G; electromechanical clocks or watches G04C; electromechanical clocks with attached or built-in means operating any device at pre-selected times or after predetermined time intervals G04C23/00; clocks or watches with stop devices G04F7/08) ## Abstract An elastic retaining member for fixing a timepiece component on a support element includes an opening into which the support element can be inserted, and rigid arms and elastic arms defined between connection areas of the member. The rigid arms and the elastic arms are configured to ensure elastic clamping of the support element in the opening, each of the rigid arms being provided with a single flat contact area and configured to cooperate with a corresponding convex contact portion of the support element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An elastic retaining member for fixing a timepiece component on a support element, comprising: an opening configured to receive the support element; and rigid arms and elastic arms defined between connection areas of the member, the rigid arms and the elastic arms being configured to ensure elastic clamping of the support element in the opening, and each of the rigid arms being provided with a single flat contact area and configured to cooperate with a corresponding convex contact portion of the support element, wherein each of the elastic arms has a linear member with a first end connected to one of the rigid arms and a second end connected to another one of the rigid arms. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein the single flat contact area is distributed over an inner face of each of the rigid arms of the retaining member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein the single flat contact area is defined on a convex inner face of each of the rigid arms of the retaining member, extending over all or part of a thickness of the retaining member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein the single flat contact area is configured to cooperate with the corresponding contact portion of the support element and has a plano-convex-type contact configuration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein the elastic retaining member comprises a contact area for each contact portion of the support element. ### Claim 6 An elastic retaining member for fixing a timepiece component on a support element, comprising: an opening configured to receive the support element; and rigid arms and elastic arms defined between connection areas of the member, the rigid arms and the elastic arms being configured to ensure elastic clamping of the support element in the opening, and each of the rigid arms being provided with a single flat contact area and configured to cooperate with a corresponding convex contact portion of the support element, wherein the elastic retaining member comprises a number of rigid arms equal to a number of elastic arms. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein the rigid arms and the elastic arms are arranged successively and alternately in the retaining member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein each of the rigid arms has two opposing ends respectively connected to two different elastic arms. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein each of the rigid arms has a volume of material greater than a volume of material constituting each of the elastic arms. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein each of the elastic arms has a cross section which is smaller than a cross section of each of the rigid arms. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein each of the elastic arms has a body with a constant cross section. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein the elastic retaining member comprises a point of attachment with the timepiece component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein the elastic retaining member is a collet for fixing the timepiece component to the support element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The elastic retaining member according to claim 1, wherein the elastic retaining member is made of a silicon-based material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An elastic retaining member-timepiece component assembly for a horological movement of a timepiece comprising the retaining member according to claim 1. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the assembly is made in one piece. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) An assemblage for horological movement of the timepiece comprising the elastic retaining member-timepiece component assembly according to claim 15, wherein the assembly is fixed to the support element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The horological movement comprising at least one assemblage according to claim 17. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The timepiece comprising the horological movement according to claim 18. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) A method for assembling the elastic retaining member-timepiece component assembly with the support element according to claim 15, comprising: inserting the support element into the opening of the elastic retaining member of the assembly comprising elastically deforming the elastic retaining member provided with a phase of displacing the rigid arms of the elastic retaining member inducing a double elastic deformation of the elastic arms, and fixing the retaining member on the support element comprising performing a radial elastic clamping of the retaining member on the support element.