Method for manufacturing shock-proof bearing for mechanical watch, involves machining elastic structure and blind hole in single crystal quartz wafer by introducing wafer in chemical etching bath adapted to anisotropic etching of quartz

摘要

#CMT# #/CMT# The method involves producing a single crystal quartz wafer (6) having main faces that are oriented perpendicular to an optical axis of a crystal structure. A mask (20) is formed on one of the faces, where the mask is photolithographically structured to define side edges of an elastic structure (10) and a blind hole (16A) on the face. The structure and the hole in the wafer are machined by introducing the wafer in a chemical etching bath adapted to anisotropic etching of single crystal quartz strongly favoring an attack along the axis. The mask is selected to resist the attack of the bath. #CMT# : #/CMT# An independent claim is also included for a shock-proof bearing for a timepiece. #CMT#USE : #/CMT# Method for manufacturing a shock-proof bearing arranged in a bridge or plate of a timepiece i.e. mechanical watch. #CMT#ADVANTAGE : #/CMT# The method enables industrially machining the elastic structure and the blind hole to receive pivot of rotating mobile unit at low cost with high quality. The blind hole has a shape to ensure better centering of the axis of the rotating mobile pivoted in the blind hole and minimize friction. The shock-proof bearing possesses aesthetic appearance. #CMT#DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS : #/CMT# The drawing shows a schematic sectional view of a plate after machining in a chemical bath for anisotropic etching of quartz. 6 : Single crystal quartz wafer 10 : Elastic structure 14 : Central portion 16A : Blind hole 20 : Mask.