Metal matrix composite material for horological part
AssigneeRolex SA
InventorHossein Meidani
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Abstract
The metal matrix composite material for a horological component comprises a metal alloy based on gold, with at least 75% by weight of gold, or based on platinum, with at least 95% by weight of platinum, or based on palladium, with at least 95% by weight of palladium, the composite material further including between 0.1% and 2% by weight, or even between 0.5% and 2% by weight, or even between 0.5% and 1.5% by weight, or even between 0.5% and 1.25% by weight, or even between 0.5% and 1% by weight, of at least one hardening element, and a reinforcing material, in a proportion by mass of between 1% and 10%, or even between 1% and 5%, the reinforcing material including ceramic particles.
Claims20
A metal matrix composite material for a horological component, wherein the composite material comprises:
- a metal alloy
- based on gold, the composite material comprising at least 75% by weight of gold, or
- based on platinum, the composite material comprising at least 95% by weight of platinum, or
- based on palladium, the composite material comprising at least 95% by weight of palladium,
- at least one hardening element, the composite material comprising from 0.1% to 2% by weight of the at least one hardening element;
- and
- a reinforcement material, the composite material comprising from 1% to 10% by weight of the reinforcement material, wherein the reinforcement comprises ceramic particles.
A horological comprising the composite material as claimed in 1.
A method of manufacturing a metal matrix composite material for a horological component, wherein the method comprises:
- preparing a metal alloy
- based on gold, so that the composite material comprises at least 75% by weight of gold, or
- based on platinum, so that the composite material comprises at least 95% by weight of platinum, or
- based on palladium, so that the composite material comprises at least 95% by weight of palladium,
- the metal alloy further comprising a hardening element, so that the composite material comprises from 0.1% to 2% by weight of the at least one hardening element;
- producing a metal powder from the metal alloy;
- mixing the metal powder with a reinforcing powder comprising ceramic particles, so that the composite material comprises from 1% to 10% of the reinforcing powder, to obtain a powdered composite material;
- and
- densifying the powdered composite material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.