Anti shock protection for a resonator mechanism with a rotary flexure bearing

1. A timepiece resonator mechanism comprising:

a structure and an anchor unit to which is suspended at least one inertia element arranged to oscillate with a first rotational degree of freedom RZ about a pivot axis extending in a first direction Z, said inertia element being subjected to return forces exerted by a flexure pivot comprising a plurality of substantially longitudinal elastic strips, each fixed, at a first end to said anchor unit, and at a second end to said inertia element, each said elastic strip being deformable essentially in a plane XY perpendicular to said first direction Z,

wherein said anchor unit is suspended to said structure by a flexible suspension system arranged to allow said anchor unit mobility in five flexible degrees of freedom of the suspension system, which are a first translational degree of freedom in said first direction Z, a second translational degree of freedom in a second direction X orthogonal to said first direction Z, a third translational degree of freedom in a third direction Y orthogonal to said second direction X and to said first direction Z, a second rotational degree of freedom RX about an axis extending in said second direction X, and a third rotational degree of freedom RY about an axis extending in said third direction Y, and

wherein said flexible suspension system includes, between said anchor unit and a first intermediate mass, which is fixed to said structure directly or via a plate that is flexible in said first direction Z, a transverse translation table with a flexure bearing and including transverse strips or transverse flexible shafts which are rectilinear and extend in said second direction X and symmetrically around a transverse axis crossing said pivot axis.

2. The resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said flexible suspension system comprises, between said anchor unit and a second intermediate mass, a longitudinal translation table with a flexure bearing and comprising longitudinal strips or longitudinal flexible shafts which are rectilinear and extend in said third direction Y symmetrically about a longitudinal axis crossing said pivot axis, and comprises said transverse translation table between said second intermediate mass and said first intermediate mass.

3. The resonator mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein said longitudinal axis crosses said transverse axis.

4. The resonator mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein said longitudinal translation table and said transverse translation table each comprise at least two said flexible strips or shafts, each said strip or shaft including a thickness thereof in said second direction X when said strip or shaft extends in said third direction Y or conversely, a height thereof in said first direction Z, and a length thereof in the direction in which said strip or shaft extends, said length being at least five times greater than said height and said height being at least as great as said thickness.

5. The resonator mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein said longitudinal translation table includes at least two said longitudinal flexible strips or shafts, which are parallel to each other and of the same length.

6. The resonator mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein said longitudinal strips or shafts of said longitudinal translation table have a first plane of symmetry parallel to said longitudinal axis and passing through said pivot axis, and/or a second plane of symmetry parallel to said longitudinal axis and orthogonal to said pivot axis, and/or a third plane of symmetry perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and parallel to said pivot axis.

7. The resonator mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein said transverse strips or shafts of said longitudinal translation table extend over at least two parallel levels, each said level being perpendicular to said pivot axis.

8. The resonator mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein the arrangement of said transverse strips or shafts of said longitudinal translation table is identical on each of said levels.

9. The resonator mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein said longitudinal strips or rectilinear flexible shafts are flat strips whose height is at least five times greater than the thickness thereof, or shafts of square or circular cross-section whose height is equal to the thickness thereof.

10. The resonator mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein said resonator mechanism includes a one-piece assembly, which contains at least said anchor unit, a base of said at least one inertia element, said flexure pivot, said flexible suspension system, said first intermediate mass and said transverse translation table, and includes at least one breakable element arranged to secure the components of said one-piece assembly to each other during assembly thereof on said structure, and the breaking of which releases all the movable components of said one-piece assembly, and wherein said one-piece assembly also includes at least said second intermediate mass and said longitudinal translation table.

11. The resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said transverse translation table includes at least two said transverse flexible strips or shafts, which are parallel to each other and of the same length.

12. The resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said transverse strips or shafts of said transverse translation table have a first plane of symmetry parallel to said transverse axis and passing through said pivot axis, and/or a second plane of symmetry parallel to said transverse axis and orthogonal to said pivot axis, and/or a third plane of symmetry perpendicular to said transverse axis and parallel to said pivot axis.

13. The resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said transverse strips or shafts of said transverse translation table extend over at least two parallel levels, each said level being perpendicular to said pivot axis.

14. The resonator mechanism according to claim 13 , wherein the arrangement of said transverse strips or shafts of said transverse translation table is identical on each of said levels.

15. The resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said transverse strips or rectilinear flexible shafts are flat strips whose height is at least five times greater than the thickness thereof, or shafts of square or circular cross-section whose height is equal to the thickness thereof.

16. The resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said resonator mechanism includes axial stop means including at least a first axial stop and a second axial stop to limit the translational travel of said inertia element at least in said first direction Z, said axial stop means being arranged to abuttingly engage with said inertia element for the protection of said longitudinal strips at least against axial impact in said first direction Z.

17. The resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said resonator mechanism includes a plate comprising at least one flexible strip or a plurality of coplanar flexible strips, extending in a plane perpendicular to said pivot axis, said plate being fixed to said structure and to said first intermediate mass and arranged to allow said first intermediate mass mobility in said first direction Z.

18. The resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said resonator mechanism includes a one-piece assembly, which contains at least said anchor unit, a base of said at least one inertia element, said flexure pivot, said flexible suspension system said first intermediate mass and said transverse translation table, and includes at least one breakable element arranged to secure the components of said one-piece assembly to each other during assembly thereof on said structure, and the breaking of which releases all the movable components of said one-piece assembly.

19. The resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein said resonator mechanism includes at least two superposed basic one-piece assemblies, which each contain one level of said anchor unit, and/or of a base of said at least one inertia element and/or of said flexure pivot, and/or of said flexible suspension system, and/or of said first intermediate mass, and/or of said transverse translation table, and/or of a breakable element.

20. A timepiece movement comprising:

at least one of the resonator mechanism according to claim 1 , and/or at least one timepiece oscillator mechanism comprising the timepiece resonator mechanism and an escapement mechanism, which are arranged to cooperate with each other.

21. A watch comprising:

at least one of the movement according to claim 20 .