742results about "Clock driving mechanisms" patented technology

A portable device comprising a modular movement is disclosed. The modular movement has a body housing a plurality of layers that include a top layer of glass, and a movement subassembly for displaying information, including time, wherein the modular movement includes all parts necessary for power and operation, including the displaying of the information, such that the modular movement is fully functional standalone. The portable device further includes a case, which includes a receptacle for removably receiving the modular movement without need for a tool, such that the modular movement is user-interchangeable with another case of another portable device.

A portable device comprising a modular movement is disclosed. The modular movement has a body housing a plurality of layers that include a top layer of glass, and a movement subassembly for displaying information, including time, wherein the modular movement includes all parts necessary for power and operation, including the displaying of the information, such that the modular movement is fully functional standalone. The portable device further includes a case, which includes a receptacle for removably receiving the modular movement without need for a tool, such that the modular movement is user-interchangeable with another case of another portable device.

A timepiece with a wireless function, including a movement for displaying time; a conductive case that holds the movement; a crystal that is disposed on the face side of the case and covers the face side of the movement; a conductive plate that is electrically conductive, disposed between the movement and the crystal, and reflects radio waves; and an antenna that has a substantially annular, conductive antenna electrode, and is disposed along the outside edge of the conductive plate between the conductive plate and the crystal.

The watch with a metallic case including an electronic module for storing data, which is mounted in an external cavity in the back cover of a case. The module can communicate via broadcast signals with a read and / or write apparatus for said data. The module includes a base on which are mounted an integrated circuit chip having at least two bumps and a coil acting as a transmission and / or reception antenna. The coil is formed by an electrically conductive wire having two ends respectively connected to said bumps of said integrated circuit chip. The coil surrounds a space in which said chip is placed. The dome-shaped base of the electronic module is a metallic element that conducts magnetic flux to insulate the module coil magnetically from the metallic case during data communication between a read / write apparatus and said module. The base of the module can be covered by a protective cover.

A controllable watch winder for a self-winding mechanical watch, in which a turntable is provided to hold and rotate the watch, including a programmable microprocessor circuit configured to count the number of rotations executed by the turntable. In one aspect, the watch winder is configured to introduce, after the electronic circuit is activated, a delay period before the turntable commences rotating. In another aspect, the circuit may be configured to interrupt the rotation of the turntable with pauses, to break up the rotation into cyclical sets. The circuit may be configured to automatically predetermine the number of rotations in each set. In yet another aspect, the watch winder may be configured to be manually adjustable, to variably predetermine before use, the number of rotations to be executed by the turntable and the length of any pause between rotations.

A device comprises a basic clock movement MB whose time indicators are driven by a first barrel connected to a first wheelwork and a first regulator organ, and an autonomous chronograph module MCA whose indicators are driven by a second barrel independent from the first, connected to a second wheelwork and a second regulator organ. The chronograph module is exclusively composed of mechanical elements. The frequency of oscillation supplied by its regulator is equal N times the frequency of oscillation supplied by the regulator of the base movement, with the coefficient N being definable according to a specific application of the chronograph, so that any chronograph module thus previously defined can work with-the same base movement. The chronograph regulator remains constantly engaged with the corresponding wheelwork. The chronograph module allows a time interval to be read with a minimum precision of a hundredth of second. The organs of the base movement and of the chronograph module are arranged in such a way that in assembled state, the height and overall diameter do not exceed 7.75 mm and 30 mm respectively, the dimensions of the chronograph itself being not greater than 4 mm (height) and 30 mm (diameter) when its elements are mounted on a bottom plate, so that the device can advantageously be integrated in the case of a wrist-watch and affords an aesthetic exterior.

A wristwatch having a display unit with memory that retains the display state of a last preceding display update operation, and a solar cell for displaying operating power at least to the display unit with memory during the display update operation. The display unit with memory and the solar cell render a dial or a display panel.

The electronic circuit (1) controls the operation of the peripheral members of a watch. The circuit (1) includes a processor (2) connected to a non-volatile memory (3), which contains instructions to be carried out, peripheral member controllers (4) for interacting with peripheral members of the watch and connecting means (6a, 6b, 7). These connecting means (6a, 6b, 7) are arranged to enable the peripheral member controllers (4), the non-volatile memory and the processor (2) to communicate data relating to the operation of said watch to each other. This electronic circuit (1) further includes initialising means (8) able to act on the peripheral member controllers (4) to initialise said controllers so that they can execute operations independently of the processor (2) and / or the non-volatile memory (3).

The present invention is directed to a housing unit, which allows an electronic device such as a portable digital audio player to be substantially hermetically sealed within an audio device. The electronic device is controllable by a user while housed with the housing unit. The audio device is able to be used in a vehicle such as a car, a camper, or a boat or in other common consumer products.

The manual control device for executing functions of an electronic watch (1) particularly a diary watch, includes a certain number of sensors (C1 to C7) wherein one touch sensitive pad of each sensor is placed for example on an internal face of the crystal (4). When a user's finger (20) is placed on the watch crystal in a determined zone of the sensitive pad of a sensor to be activated, it causes an electronic circuit (14) of the device to execute an instruction or a function. In a first mode selected by the electronic circuit, at least two sensors are grouped such that the electronic circuit executes the same operation when a finger is placed on the crystal in a determined zone of the sensitive pad of one sensor or the other. However, in a second mode selected by the electronic circuit, each sensor (C1 to C7) activated by the finger (20) provides measuring signals to the electronic circuit (14) for the execution of a different specific operation for each sensor.The sensitive pads of the sensors are distributed on the internal face of the crystal for the purpose of allowing data to be entered into the watch, pre-stored data to be consulted or different function menus to be consulted.

A display plate for a solar cell device provided with a solar cell on the bottom surface side includes a light transmission substrate, a light transmission reflecting plate that is disposed on the bottom surface side of the light transmission substrate, and a decorative member that is disposed on the top surface side of the display plate. The light transmission substrate is provided with a reflecting surface on the bottom surface side or on the top and bottom surface sides of the light transmission substrate. The reflecting surface of the light transmission substrate is made of a prism reflecting surface.

The invention relates to a process for fabricating a monolayer or multilayer metal structure in LIGA technology, in which a photoresist layer is deposited on a flat metal substrate, a photoresist mold is created by irradiation or electron or ion bombardment, a metal or alloy is electroplated in this mold, the electroformed metal structure is detached from the substrate and the photoresist is separated from this metal structure, wherein the metal substrate is used as an agent involved in the forming of at least one surface of the metal structure other than that formed by the plane surface of the substrate.

The micro-mechanical part, for example a horological movement part, includes a silicon core (1) all or part of the surface (3) of which is coated with a thick amorphous material (2). This material is preferably silicon dioxide and has a thickness which is five times greater than the thickness of native silicon dioxide.

A controllable watch winder for a self-winding mechanical watch, in which a turntable is provided to hold and rotate the watch, including a programmable microprocessor circuit configured to count the number of rotations executed by the turntable. In one aspect, the watch winder is configured to introduce, after the electronic circuit is activated, a delay period before the turntable commences rotating. In another aspect, the circuit may be configured to interrupt the rotation of the turntable with pauses, to break up the rotation into cyclical sets. The circuit may be configured to automatically predetermine the number of rotations in each set. In yet another aspect, the watch winder may be configured to be manually adjustable, to variably predetermine before use, the number of rotations to be executed by the turntable and the length of any pause between rotations.

When an electronic timepiece is in a power-saving mode in which the current time display is suspended, it is determined whether or not the charge voltage supplied from a high-capacity capacitor is higher than a predetermined reference voltage, and if higher, enough electrical energy is stored in the high-capacity capacitor to return from the power-saving mode to the display mode, so that a current time restoration process is performed upon detecting power generation. On the other hand, if the charge voltage is less than or equal to the predetermined reference voltage, the supply of the power supply voltage to the control circuits is stopped to prevent the electrical energy stored in the high-capacity capacitor from being consumed needlessly. As a result, the electronic timepiece can be reactivated quickly when the power generating device begins to generate power.

An electronic charge retention circuit for time measurement, including: at least a first capacitive element, a first electrode of which is connected to a floating node (F); at least a second capacitive element, a first electrode of which is connected to the floating node, the first capacitive element having a leakage through its dielectric space and the second capacitive element having a capacitance greater than the first; and at least a first transistor having an isolated control terminal connected to the floating node.

To extend the clock operation duration of a multi-functional rechargeable electronic watch, and to provide a rechargeable electronic watch that would not affect the feeling of use of said rechargeable electronic watch. A rechargeable electronic watch (10) operating with an energy source comprising a power supply (26) including a power generation means (1) and a power storage means (2) charged with electric energy from said power generation means (1), said rechargeable electronic watch comprising a watch circuit (5) for counting or operating hour information or function information or the like and outputting information, a display means (11) for displaying hour information or function information or the like based on output signal from said watch circuit, a power generation magnitude detecting means (3) for detecting the power generation volume of said power generation means (1), and a control means (5) for controlling the operation of said watch circuit (5) according to said power generation magnitude, wherein said watch circuit (5) is driven by at least one clock operation mode selected from a plurality of clock operation modes different in power consumption provided by said watch circuit (5).

A mainspring used as a power source for a driving mechanism is made of an amorphous metal sheet, and has an S-shaped free-exploded shape. The curvature changing point where the curving direction of the free-exploded shape changes is formed on the inner end side of a middle point between the inner end on the winding side and the outer end serving as the other end of the inner end. Because of the high tensile stress and a low Young's modulus, the amorphous metal permits increase in mechanical energy stored in the mainspring.

A timepiece having at least one quartz oscillator and / or at least one transducer. A method for authenticating a timepiece includes measuring acoustic vibrations emitted by the timepiece to obtain an electrical signal, performing a transform of said electrical signal into at least one domain, extracting identification information from the transformed electrical signal, comparing the extracted information with at least one reference information, and determining an authenticity of said timepiece based on the comparing.

There is disclosed a wristwatch having a case containing a mechanical watch movement (10) driven by a spring barrel (14) and provided with a mechanical regulator with a balance and balance-spring, which is associated, via electromagnetic coupling, with an electronic regulator driven by a quartz resonator. The rim of the balance (13) is provided with a pair of permanent magnets (38, 39). The electronic regulator includes a fixed coil (12) arranged for cooperating with said magnets via electromagnetic coupling, a rectifier (58) provided with at least one capacitor, and a circuit (60) for enslaving the frequency of the mechanical regulator to the frequency of the oscillator by braking obtained by briefly short-circuiting the coil. In order to enable a common type of mechanical movement to be used, only the balance of which is altered, the electronic regulator is formed by a structural module (11) that is entirely separate from the mechanical watch movement (10). This module can be fixed to the movement plate, or, conversely, carried by the watchcase independently of said movement, in particular via a casing ring (26). Apart from the coil, all of the rest of the electronic module (11) is preferably located outside the mechanical movement.

The invention concerns a watch with a mechanical movement of the type comprising at least two regulating systems (SR1, SR2) each including a mechanical oscillator and an escapement. The movement includes as many sub-assemblies (SE1, SE2) as there are regulating systems, each of said sub-assemblies including a regulating system (SR1, SR2), a barrel (B1, B2) and a going train transmitting energy from the barrel to the regulating system inside the sub-assembly. A differential display gear (Da) connects the barrel or the going train of each sub-assembly to the display (A) to average out the rate of the two sub-assemblies. In a preferred embodiment, the two sub-assemblies are mounted on a common rotating support (5) and their regulating systems are tourbillons which make an orbital movement about the centre of the watch dial.

A timepiece, in particular a wristwatch, includes a constant-force device for acting on an oscillating system, the constant-force device including a switching unit and a tensioning module having a primary spring-energy store and a secondary spring-energy store. A seconds shaft bearing a seconds wheel and a cam plate is driven to rotate constantly by the secondary spring-energy store. The seconds wheel drives the oscillating system, and the cam plate acts on the switching unit for the periodic tensioning of the secondary spring-energy store by the primary spring-energy store.

An indicating plate for a timepiece is provided which is so structured as to prevent viewing of the solar cell and other items arranged thereunder through the indicating plate, which permits the same design expression as realized by the conventional metallic indicating plate and extensively increases a design variation inclusive of a ton (delicate hue) and pattern with superior-quality appearance and which has an excellent appearance quality to thereby ensure and enhance commercial value. The indicating plate for the timepiece is a timepiece indicating plate arranged on the front surface side of a solar cell housed in a timepiece. The timepiece indicating plate comprises a resin substrate through which light can be transmitted and metallic thin film layer coating formed on at least one side of the resin substrate by dry plating. The timepiece indicating plate not only is capable of preventing viewing of the solar cell from outside thereof through the timepiece indicating plate but also has a light transmission at least sufficient to cause the solar cell housed under the timepiece indicating plate to generate power.

The timepiece includes a chronograph whose hands are driven by a first gear train (4), which in turn drives a first resonator (5) and a watch whose hands are driven by a second gear train (8) independent of the first gear train, wherein the second gear train in turn drives a second resonator (9). The first (4) and second (8) gear trains are driven from a single energy source (10).

When a time keeping apparatus is in a power saving mode, performing time display is stopped, and the apparatus periodically receives a time data from outside and sets the data to a second time counter 98 and an hour-and-minute time counter 99. When the operation mode of the time keeping apparatus is switched from the power saving mode to the display mode, the apparatus resumes to display the current time based on the counted values in the second time counter 98 and the hour and minute time counter 99.