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US 2016/0327909 A1Published application
General Two Degree of Freedom Isotropic Harmonic Oscillator and Associated Time Base
AssigneeEcole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne (Epfl)
InventorsSimon Henein, Lennart Rubbert, Ilan Vardi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The mechanical isotropic harmonic oscillator comprises at least a two degrees of freedom linkage supporting an orbiting mass with respect to a fixed base with springs having isotropic and linear restoring force properties wherein the mass has a tilting motion. The oscillator may be used in a timekeeper, such as a watch.
Claims19
1-17. (canceled)
18:
- A mechanical isotropic harmonic oscillator comprising:
- at least a two degrees of freedom linkage supporting an orbiting mass with respect to a fixed base with at least one spring element having isotropic and linear restoring force properties.
19:
- The oscillator defined in claim 18, wherein the at least two degrees of freedom linkage provides a tilting motion of the orbiting mass such that the orbiting mass travels along an orbit while keeping a fixed orientation.
20:
- The oscillator as defined in claim 18, wherein the orbiting mass includes a single mass or a plurality of masses.
21:
- The oscillator as defined in claim 19, wherein the orbital mass is a solid sphere or a spherical shell, or a dumbbell, with a center of gravity of the orbital mass at a center of the tilting motion.
22:
- The oscillator as defined in claim 19, wherein the orbital mass is a solid sphere or a spherical shell with a center of gravity of the orbital mass at a center of the tilting motion, and with a restoring force provided by equatorial springs or by a polar spring.
23:
- The oscillator as defined in claim 18, wherein the at least one spring element includes at least one flexible rod or a plurality of flexible rods.
24:
- The oscillator as defined in claim 18, wherein the spring element is a flexible membrane.
25:
- A system comprising:
- an oscillator as defined in claim 18;
- and
- a mechanism for continuous mechanical energy supply to the oscillator.
1 more element
26:
- The system as defined in claim 25, wherein the mechanism applies a torque or an intermittent force to the oscillator.
27:
- The system as defined in claim 25, wherein the mechanism comprises:
- a variable radius crank which rotates about a fixed frame through a pivot;
- and
- a prismatic joint allowing an extremity of the variable radius crank to rotate with a variable radius.
1 more element
28:
- The system as defined in claim 25, wherein the mechanism comprises:
- a fixed frame holding a crankshaft on which a maintaining torque M is applied;
- a crank which is attached to the crankshaft and equipped with a prismatic slot;
- and
- a rigid pin with a spherical tip fixed to the orbiting mass of the oscillator, the rigid pin engaging in the prismatic slot.
2 more elements
29:
- The system as defined in claim 25, wherein the mechanism comprises:
- a detent escapement for intermittent mechanical energy supply to the oscillator.
30:
- The system as defined in claim 29, wherein the detent escapement comprises:
- two parallel catches which are fixed to the orbiting mass,
- wherein one catch displaces a detent which pivots on a spring to release an escape wheel, and
- wherein the escape wheel impulses on the other catch to restore lost energy to the oscillator.
1 more element
31:
- A timekeeper comprising an oscillator as defined in claim 18, the oscillator serving as a time base.
32:
- The timekeeper as defined in claim 31, wherein the timekeeper is a wristwatch.
33:
- A time base for a chronograph measuring fractions of seconds requiring only an extended speed multiplicative gear train having an oscillator according to claim 18.
34:
- The time base according to claim 33, wherein the extended speed multiplicative gear train obtains 100 Hz frequency so as to measure 1/100th of a second.
35:
- A speed regulator for striking or musical clocks and watches, as well as music boxes, thus eliminating unwanted noise and decreasing energy consumption, and also improving musical or striking rhythm stability, having an oscillator according to claim 18.