# US 2018/0024503 A1 · Component for a timepiece movement

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- Number: US 2018/0024503 A1
- Document ID: US20180024503A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/652,288
- Filed: 2017-07-18
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19
- Assignees: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
- Applicants: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
- Inventors: Christian CHARBON; Vincent FAYS; Marco VERARDO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180024503A1

## CPC

- G04B 1/16: Barrels; Arbors; Barrel axles (arrangements facilitating the removal of the mainspring G04B33/14)
- G04B 13/02: Wheels; Pinions; Spindles; Pivots (bearings G04B31/00 {; chain wheels, spindles for chain wheels, also chains and driving weights G04B1/08})
- G04B 13/022: {with parts made of hard material, e.g. silicon, diamond, sapphire, quartz and the like}
- G04B 15/14: Component parts or constructional details, e.g. construction of the lever or the escape wheel {(assembly and manufacture of the spring G04B1/145; assembly and manufacture of components, e.g. pinions, spindles G04B13/02; lubrication of clockwork bearings G04B31/008; oils for clockwork bearings in general G04B31/08)}
- G04B 17/32: Component parts or constructional details, e.g. collet, stud {, virole or piton}
- G04B 43/007: {Antimagnetic alloys (antimagnetic alloys with temperature compensation G04B17/227; apparatus for antimagnetising G04D9/00; alloys in general C22C)}
- 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

The invention relates to a timepiece component (1) comprising at least one portion (3) machined by chip removal. Said portion (3) is made of a non-magnetic copper alloy in order to limit its sensitivity to magnetic fields, said copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu. The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A timepiece component comprising at least one portion machined by chip removal, wherein said portion is made of a non-magnetic copper alloy in order to limit the sensitivity thereof to magnetic fields, said copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The timepiece component according to claim 1, wherein said copper alloy comprises lead, in an amount less than or equal to 0.02 wt %.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The timepiece component according to claim 1, wherein at least the portion machined by chip removal comprises a hardening layer deposited on an outer surface of said portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The timepiece component according to claim 1, wherein at least an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal is deep-hardened with respect to the core of the timepiece component to a predetermined depth.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The timepiece component according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined depth represents between 5% and 40% of the total diameter (d) of said portion machined by chip removal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The timepiece component according to claim 4, wherein the deep-hardened outer surface comprises diffused atoms of at least one chemical element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The timepiece component according to claim 1, wherein the component consists of a pivot arbor, the portion machined by chip removal being at least a pivot, a screw, a winding stem, a balance spring stud.

### Claim 8

A movement for a timepiece, wherein the movement comprises a timepiece component which comprises at least one portion machined by chip removal, wherein said portion is made of a non-magnetic copper alloy in order to limit the sensitivity thereof to magnetic fields, said copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu.

### Claim 9

A method for fabrication of a timepiece component for a timepiece movement comprising the following steps:
a1) taking an element machinable by chip removal, said element being made of a non-magnetic copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu)
b1) forming the timepiece component
c1) chip removal machining said timepiece component to form at least one portion of said timepiece component that is machined by chip removal and made of said non-magnetic copper alloy.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein the method comprises a step d) of depositing a hardening layer at least on an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein the method comprises a step e) of diffusing atoms to a predetermined depth in at least an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal in order to deep-harden the timepiece component in the main stress areas while maintaining high tenacity.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined depth represents between 5% and 40% of the total diameter (d) of said portion machined by chip removal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the diffusion step comprises the diffusion of atoms of at least one chemical element.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein step e) consists of a thermochemical diffusion treatment.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein step e) consists of an ion implantation process which may or may not be followed by a diffusion treatment.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein said portion machined by chip removal is subjected to a rolling/polishing step after step c1) or b2) or after step d) or e).

### Claim 17

A method for fabrication of a timepiece component for a timepiece movement comprising the following steps:
a2) taking an element machinable by chip removal, said element being made of a non-magnetic copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu
b2) chip removal machining said element to form at least one portion (3) of said timepiece component
c2) forming the timepiece component comprising said portion obtained in step b2).

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method according to claim 17, wherein the method comprises a step d) of depositing a hardening layer at least on an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method according to claim 17, wherein the method comprises a step e) of diffusing atoms to a predetermined depth in at least an outer surface of said portion machined by chip removal in order to deep-harden the timepiece component in the main stress areas while maintaining high tenacity.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method according to claim 19, wherein the predetermined depth represents between 5% and 40% of the total diameter (d) of said portion machined by chip removal.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The method according to claim 19, wherein the diffusion step comprises the diffusion of atoms of at least one chemical element.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The method according to claim 19, wherein step e) consists of a thermochemical diffusion treatment.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The method according to claim 19, wherein step e) consists of an ion implantation process which may or may not be followed by a diffusion treatment.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The method according to claim 17, wherein said portion machined by chip removal is subjected to a rolling/polishing step after step c1) or b2) or after step d) or e).