Process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component

Abstract

Process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component, comprising structuring at least one wafer ( 14 ) of a first micromachinable material so as to form at least one through-opening ( 15 ) within the wafer ( 14 ), said structured wafer ( 14 ) being intended to form a first part ( 4 ) of the hybrid timepiece component; and depositing a metal by electroforming, so that the metal extends through the through-opening ( 15 ) and over the two upper and lower faces of the wafer ( 14 ) as a single piece resulting from one and the same electroforming step, the electroformed metal being intended to form a second part ( 8 ) of the hybrid timepiece component.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A hybrid timepiece component comprising:
 a first part made of a first micromachinable material;   a second part made of metal material different from the first material, the second part extending continuously as a single piece over an upper surface of the first part, through a through-opening of the first part then over a lower surface of the first part, so that the first part is framed on either side by the second part, so as to ensure the mechanical holding between the two parts.   
     
     
         14 . The hybrid timepiece component as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the second part extends through the through-opening and over two upper and lower surfaces of the first part as a single piece resulting from electroforming. 
     
     
         15 . The hybrid timepiece component as claimed in  claim 13 , comprising a cylindrical through-opening within the second part so as to form a metal insert capable of receiving a rotating shaft or for driving in the hybrid timepiece component. 
     
     
         16 . The hybrid timepiece component as claimed in  claim 15 , comprising a rotating shaft arranged in the through-opening within the second part. 
     
     
         17 . The hybrid timepiece component as claimed in  claim 15 , comprising another part on which the hybrid timepiece component is driven by the cylindrical through-opening within the second part. 
     
     
         18 . The hybrid timepiece component as claimed in  claim 13 , which is:
 a hand with metal insert for driving in, or   a pallet with metal insert for driving in, or   a balance spring with metal inserts for driving in on a balance spring support, or   a balance spring with metal insert for driving in to a collet.   
     
     
         19 . The hybrid timepiece component as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the second part is arranged to balance a weight of the hybrid timepiece component. 
     
     
         20 . The hybrid timepiece component as claimed in  claim 13 , which is:
 a hand with counterweight for balancing, or   a balance with an optimized inertia/weight ratio.   
     
     
         21 . The hybrid timepiece component as claimed in  claim 13 , which is:
 a pallet with metal pallet stones, or   a pallet wheel with metal inserts, or   a pallet wheel with flexible metal structure, or   a balance spring with flexible metal collet, or   a balance spring with metal balance spring support, or   a spring with a functional part made of silicon and an attachment part made of metal.   
     
     
         22 . The hybrid timepiece component as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the second part comprises a metal structure forming a wheel, wherein the wheel is not in direct contact with the first part. 
     
     
         23 . The hybrid timepiece component as claimed in  claim 13 , which is selected from the group consisting of a hand, a pallet, a balance, a pinion, a pallet wheel, a balance spring, and a spring. 
     
     
         24 . A timepiece movement comprising a hybrid timepiece component as claimed in  claim 13 . 
     
     
         25 . A timepiece comprising a timepiece movement as claimed in  claim 24 .