US 12,013,668 B2
Timepiece incorporating an actuator comprising an electromechanical device
Matthias Imboden, St-Blaise (CH); and Jean-Pierre Mignot, Pontarlier (FR)
Assigned to The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd, Marin (CH)
Filed by The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd, Marin (CH)
Filed on Feb. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/673,146.
Claims priority of application No. 21164369 (EP), filed on Mar. 23, 2021; and application No. 21205508 (EP), filed on Oct. 29, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0308527 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G04C 3/04 (2006.01); G04C 3/06 (2006.01); G04C 11/08 (2006.01)
CPC G04C 3/045 (2013.01) [G04C 3/047 (2013.01); G04C 3/066 (2013.01); G04C 11/084 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A timepiece, comprising:
an actuator including an electromechanical device, which comprises an electromagnetic system and a mechanical element that is mobile in translation and associated with the electromagnetic system, and an electric control circuit,
the electromagnetic system being formed by a permanent magnet and a coil, one out of the two of which is carried by a flexible member of the electromechanical device and the other by a support of this flexible member, said mechanical element being formed by said flexible member and the actuator being arranged in such a way as to allow, in response to an electric activation signal generated by the electric control circuit and provided to the coil to engender an electromagnetic force between this coil and said permanent magnet, a movement of the mechanical element from a rest position, in which it is provided that the mechanical element remains in the absence of an activation of the electromagnetic system, to a position of contact with a determined part of the timepiece,
wherein said flexible member is formed at least partially by an elastic element that is arranged to engender a mechanical force of return of the mechanical element in the direction of said rest position from said contact position for more than half the distance that the mechanical element travels from said contact position to said rest position, when the electric control circuit generates said electric activation signal, between the rest position and the contact position, this contact position ending said at least a majority of said distance, and
wherein the actuator further comprises a magnetic element arranged to interact with said permanent magnet to engender therebetween a magnetic force that is exerted on the mechanical element when the mechanical element is in the rest position, the magnetic force having a direction opposite to that of said electromagnetic force over at least an initial part of said distance from the rest position and an intensity which decreases, over said at least an initial part, when the mechanical element moves away from the rest position and which is less than the intensity that said electromagnetic force has for any position of said mechanical element in said at least an initial part.