Timepiece

Abstract

A timepiece capable of improving time accuracy is provided. The timepiece has a quartz oscillator, a control device having an oscillation circuit that causes the quartz oscillator to oscillate, a wiring that connects the quartz oscillator and the control device, a housing container that houses the quartz oscillator, the wiring, and the control device, and an outer case that houses the housing container, and the quartz oscillator and the control device are arranged side by side in the housing container in plan view.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to clocks and watches. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a clock configured to adjust the rotation period of the hands by means of an IC and a quartz oscillator provided in a rotation control device.

[0003] In the clock described in Patent Document 1, a drive IC and a quartz oscillator are used to cause the quartz oscillator to oscillate. Furthermore, the rotation period of the pointer can be adjusted with high precision according to the oscillation frequency of the quartz oscillator.

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-141848

[0005] In the clock of Patent Document 1, the oscillation characteristics of the quartz oscillator are affected by the variation of the parasitic capacitance of the wiring connecting the quartz oscillator and the IC. For example, in the clock of Patent Document 1, the quartz oscillator and the IC are separately configured and electrically connected by wiring. Furthermore, parasitic capacitance is generated in this wiring. The parasitic capacitance of the wiring varies due to environmental factors such as solid deviation, temperature, and humidity, and this variation affects the oscillation characteristics of the quartz oscillator. As a result, there is a problem of deterioration in the accuracy of the pointer's rotation period. Therefore, a clock that can reduce the variation of the parasitic capacitance of the wiring connecting the quartz oscillator and the IC, thereby improving time accuracy, is desired. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The clock disclosed herein includes: a quartz oscillator; a control device having an oscillation circuit for oscillating the quartz oscillator; wiring connecting the quartz oscillator and the control device; a storage container for housing the quartz oscillator, the wiring, and the control device; and an outer housing for housing the storage container, wherein, when viewed from above, the quartz oscillator and the control device are arranged side by side within the storage container. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a front view of a clock representing one implementation.

[0008] Figure 2 It is a top view showing the main parts of a watch movement.

[0009] Figure 3 This is a top view showing the main part of the storage container.

[0010] Figure 4 This is an enlarged sectional view showing the main part of the storage container.

[0011] Figure 5 It is a block diagram representing the general structure of a clock.

[0012] Figure 6 This is a top view showing the main part of the storage container in the modified example.

[0013] Label Explanation

[0014] 1: Clock; 2: Outer case; 3: Dial; 3A: Date window; 3B: Hour markers; 3C: Sub-dials; 4A: Hour hand; 4B: Minute hand; 4C: Second hand; 5: Power reserve hand; 6: Date wheel; 7: Crown; 8A: First mounting part; 8B: Second mounting part; 9: Watch strap; 10: IC (control unit); 10A: IC electrode (control unit electrode); 11: Oscillation circuit; 12: Frequency divider circuit; 13: Rotation detection circuit; 14: 15: Braking control circuit; 20: Constant voltage circuit; 21: Temperature compensation function unit; 30: Temperature compensation function control circuit; 31: Temperature sensor; 32: Temperature calibration meter storage unit; 33: Individual difference correction data storage unit; 35: Calculation circuit; 36: Logic speed circuit; 55: Frequency adjustment control circuit; 40: Barrel wheel; 41: Mainspring; 42: Transmission gear; 43: Bar shank; 44: Barrel gear; 50: Gear train 51: Wheel No. 2; 52: Wheel No. 3; 53: Wheel No. 4; 54: Wheel No. 5; 55: Wheel No. 6; 61: Large steel wheel; 62: Square hole drive wheel; 62A: Rotating shaft; 63: Carton drive wheel; 63A: Rotating shaft; 63B: Protruding shaft; 64: Handle shaft; 65: Clutch wheel; 66: Vertical wheel; 67: Small steel wheel; 68: Square hole intermediate wheel; 70: Display unit; 80: Generator; 81: Rotor; 82: Stator; 83: Coil; 84: Stator Main body; 90: Quartz oscillator; 91: Quartz oscillator main body; 92: Quartz oscillator electrode; 93: Fixing part; 100, 100A: Storage container; 101: Storage container main body; 102: Storage container cover; 103, 103A: Wiring; 110: Rectifier circuit; 120: Power supply circuit; 130: Base plate; 150: Mechanism; 621: Drive wheel; 631: Driven wheel; L: Imaginary line; P1: Terminal 1; P2: Terminal 2. Detailed Implementation

[0015] [Implementation Method]

[0016] Hereinafter, a clock 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a front view of clock 1. In this embodiment, clock 1 is configured as an electronically controlled mechanical clock.

[0018] like Figure 1As shown, watch 1 is a wristwatch worn on a user's wrist, having a cylindrical outer casing 2, with a dial 3 arranged on the inner circumference of the outer casing 2. The front opening of the outer casing 2 is covered by a glass cover, and the back opening is covered by a back cover.

[0019] The watch 1 has a movement 150 housed within the outer casing 2 (see reference). Figure 2 The dial 3 includes hour hand 4A, minute hand 4B, and second hand 4C for displaying time information. A calendar window 3A is provided on the dial 3, through which the date wheel 6 can be seen. Furthermore, the dial 3 features hour markers 3B for indicating the time, and a fan-shaped sub-dial 3C using the power reserve hand 5 to indicate the duration.

[0020] A first mounting portion 8A is provided on the 12 o'clock side of the outer casing 2, and a second mounting portion 8B is provided on the 6 o'clock side. Furthermore, one end of the watch strap 9 is mounted on the first mounting portion 8A, and the other end of the watch strap 9 is mounted on the second mounting portion 8B. That is, in this embodiment, the watch strap 9 is mounted on both the 12 o'clock side and the 6 o'clock side of the outer casing 2.

[0021] Additionally, a crown 7 is provided on the side of the outer casing 2 at the 3 o'clock position. The crown 7 can be pulled out from the 0 position, which is pressed in toward the center of the clock 1, and moved to the 1 and 2 positions.

[0022] When crown 7 is pulled to position 1 and rotated, the date wheel 6 moves to align with the date. When crown 7 is pulled to position 2, the second hand 4C stops. Rotating crown 7 at position 2 moves the hour hand 4A and the minute hand 4B to align with the time. The correction method for the date wheel 6, hour hand 4A, and minute hand 4B based on crown 7 is the same as that for existing clocks, so the explanation is omitted.

[0023] Furthermore, rotating the crown 7 at the 0 position winds the mainspring 41, which will be described later. The energy storage needle 5 moves in conjunction with the winding of the mainspring 41. With the mainspring 41 fully wound, the clock 1 of this embodiment can maintain a lifespan of approximately 40 hours.

[0024] [Motion]

[0025] Figure 2 This is a top view showing the main parts of movement 150.

[0026] The movement 150 has a barrel wheel 40, a large steel wheel 61, a square hole drive wheel 62, a barrel drive wheel 63, a wheel train 50, and a storage container 100.

[0027] The barrel wheel 40 has a mainspring 41 ( Figure 5 ), transmission gear 42, bar shaft 43 and bar box gear 44.

[0028] The outer end of the mainspring 41 is fixed to the barrel gear 44, the inner end is fixed to the barrel shaft 43, and it is housed in the barrel wheel 40.

[0029] The transmission gear 42 is formed to be smaller in diameter than the carton gear 44 and meshes with the carton drive wheel 63.

[0030] The bar spool 43 is supported on the base plate 130 and the gear train clamp (not shown), and can rotate relative to the drive gear 42 and the barrel gear 44. That is, by rotating the bar spool 43, the mainspring 41 is wound, and by unwinding the wound mainspring 41, the barrel gear 44 is driven to rotate.

[0031] The barrel gear 44 meshes with the gear train 50, and drives the gear train 50 to rotate by releasing the mainspring 41.

[0032] The large steel wheel 61, having the same diameter as the transmission gear 42, is fixed to the bar spool 43. This large steel wheel 61 is rotated by the winding mechanism of the mainspring 41 and engages with a pawl (not shown). The pawl is a stop that restricts the large steel wheel 61 from rotating in the unwinding direction of the mainspring 41 by engaging with it. The winding mechanism includes a shank 64, a clutch wheel 65, a vertical wheel 66, a small steel wheel 67, and a square-hole intermediate wheel 68.

[0033] Furthermore, by rotating the crown 7, the stem 64 rotates, thereby rotating the large steel wheel 61 via the clutch wheel 65, the upright wheel 66, the small steel wheel 67, and the square-hole intermediate wheel 68. The rotation of the large steel wheel 61 causes the bar arbor 43 to rotate, thus winding the mainspring 41.

[0034] Furthermore, the rotation of the barrel gear 44, driven by the release of the mainspring 41, is accelerated via a gear train 50, which consists of a second gear 51, a third gear 52 meshing with the second gear 51, a fourth gear 53 overlapping with the second gear 51 and meshing with the third gear 52, a fifth gear 54 meshing with the fourth gear 53, and a sixth gear 55 meshing with the fifth gear 54. This rotation is then transmitted to the rotor 81 of the generator 80.

[0035] A minute hand 4B is mounted on the minute wheel (not shown) which is integrated with wheel 51, and an hour hand 4A is mounted on the hour wheel, whose rotation is transmitted from the minute wheel via the intermediate wheel. A second hand 4C is mounted on the front end of the axle of wheel 53. Furthermore, the rotation of the highest-speed wheel 55, wheel 55, is transmitted to the rotor 81 of the generator 80.

[0036] The generator 80 is configured to have a rotor 81, a stator 82 on which the rotor 81 is rotatably disposed, and a coil 83 wound on a portion of the stator 82.

[0037] The stator 82 has a pair of stator bodies 84 with a rotor 81 disposed at one end. Furthermore, coils 83 are wound on the stator bodies 84 respectively.

[0038] The electrical energy generated by the generator 80 is supplied to IC 10 and quartz oscillator 90, which will be described later. IC 10 is configured to generate braking force by short-circuiting the coil 83 of the generator 80, thereby controlling the rotation of the rotor 81 and regulating the speed of the gear train 50.

[0039] The square-hole drive wheel 62 has an integrally formed rotating shaft 62A. This rotating shaft 62A is supported by a rotating hammer support (not shown) via a bearing. The square-hole drive wheel 62 meshes with a large steel wheel 61.

[0040] A drive wheel 621 is integrally formed on the rotating shaft 62A. Alternatively, the drive wheel 621 and the square-hole transmission wheel 62 can be formed separately and fixed in a state where they are not rotating relative to the rotating shaft 62A.

[0041] When the mainspring 41 is wound, the square-hole drive wheel 62 rotates due to the rotation of the large steel wheel 61. At the same time, the drive wheel 621 rotates together with the square-hole drive wheel 62 around the rotating shaft 62A.

[0042] The carton drive wheel 63 is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft 63A that is coaxially arranged with the rotating shaft 62A of the square hole drive wheel 62, and meshes with the drive gear 42 of the carton wheel 40. In addition, a protruding shaft 63B protruding toward the square hole drive wheel 62 is integrally provided on the carton drive wheel 63.

[0043] A driven wheel 631, which meshes with the drive wheel 621, is rotatably supported on the protruding shaft 63B. That is, the drive wheel 621 and the driven wheel 631 are arranged between the carton drive wheel 63 and the square hole drive wheel 62.

[0044] [Storage Container]

[0045] Figure 3 This is a top view showing the main parts of the storage container 100. Figure 4 This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the storage container 100. Furthermore, in this embodiment, it will be described as a top view, taken from a direction perpendicular to the dial 3. Additionally, in Figure 4 In order to make it easier to understand, the thicknesses of IC 10, IC electrode 10A, quartz oscillator body 91, quartz oscillator electrode 92, fixing part 93, etc. are exaggerated.

[0046] like Figures 2-4As shown, the storage container 100 is disposed on a circuit board (not shown) and is formed into a box shape having a storage container body 101 and a storage container cover 102. In this embodiment, the bottom of the storage container body 101 is composed of a multilayer substrate.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the interior of the storage container 100 is sealed, and inside this sealed interior, the quartz oscillator 90 and the IC 10 are arranged side by side when viewed from above. This allows the IC 10 and the quartz oscillator 90 to be arranged close together, reducing variations in wiring parasitic capacitance compared to the prior art method where the quartz oscillator and IC are separately arranged and connected to each other via wiring. Additionally, the IC 10 is an example of a control device disclosed herein.

[0048] IC 10 and quartz oscillator 90 are electrically connected. Specifically, IC 10 has IC electrode 10A connected to quartz oscillator 90. Quartz oscillator 90 has quartz oscillator body 91, quartz oscillator electrode 92 connecting quartz oscillator body 91 and IC 10, and fixing portion 93. IC electrode 10A and quartz oscillator electrode 92 are connected via wiring 103. In this embodiment, wiring 103 is constructed using wire bonding, through-holes, and wiring patterns. Specifically, wiring 103 disposed on the surface side of IC 10 is constructed using wire bonding, and wiring 103 disposed within the bottom of the housing body portion 101 is constructed using through-holes and wiring patterns. Furthermore, IC electrode 10A is an example of a control device electrode of this disclosure.

[0049] In this embodiment, the IC electrode 10A and the quartz oscillator electrode 92 are arranged adjacent to each other when viewed from above. This shortens the wiring 103 connecting the IC electrode 10A and the quartz oscillator electrode 92. Therefore, the variation in the parasitic capacitance of this wiring 103 can be reduced, thus stabilizing the oscillation characteristics of the quartz oscillator 90. Furthermore, arranging the quartz oscillator 90 and IC 10 side-by-side when viewed from above also contributes to a thinner profile.

[0050] [Quartz oscillator configuration]

[0051] like Figure 3 , 4 As shown, the quartz oscillator 90 is fixed to the bottom of the storage container body 101 by a fixing part 93 provided at one end along its length. That is, the quartz oscillator 90 is cantilevered by the storage container body 101. In this embodiment, the fixing part 93 is made of a conductive adhesive. However, the fixing part 93 is not limited to the above structure; for example, it may be made of a metallized pattern or solder.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as Figure 2As shown, the quartz oscillator 90 is configured such that its length direction intersects the imaginary line L connecting the 12 o'clock side and the 6 o'clock side of the clock 1 (i.e., the imaginary line L connecting the first mounting part 8A and the second mounting part 8B). Specifically, the quartz oscillator 90 is configured such that its length direction is perpendicular to the imaginary line L.

[0053] Here, when the clock 1 falls, sometimes the outer casing 2 collides with the ground or other surfaces facing downwards. In this case, if the outer casing 2 falls with its 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock side facing downwards, as described above, a watch strap 9 is mounted on the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock sides of the outer casing 2 via mounting portions 8A and 8B. Therefore, in this situation, when the watch strap 9 collides with the ground or other surfaces, the impact of the fall is mitigated by the watch strap 9.

[0054] On the other hand, if the watch case 2 falls downwards from the 3 o'clock side or the 9 o'clock side, the impact will not be mitigated by the watch strap 9, and the impact will be greater. That is, in this case, a large stress will be generated along the line segment connecting the 3 o'clock side and the 9 o'clock side of the watch 1.

[0055] At this point, assuming the quartz oscillator 90 is configured with its length direction parallel to the imaginary line L, then the length direction of the quartz oscillator 90 is perpendicular to the direction of the aforementioned stress. Therefore, as described above, since the quartz oscillator body 91 of the quartz oscillator 90 is cantilevered by the fixing part 93 at one end along its length, a large torque is exerted on the fixing part 93 by this stress. Consequently, the fixing part 93 is prone to damage.

[0056] In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the quartz oscillator 90 is configured such that its length direction is perpendicular to the imaginary line L. That is, the length direction of the quartz oscillator 90 is parallel to the direction of the stress. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the large torque exerted on the fixing part 93 due to the stress, and to improve the durability relative to the torque.

[0057] [The general structure of a clock]

[0058] Figure 5 This is a block diagram representing the general structure of clock 1.

[0059] like Figure 5 As shown, clock 1 includes a storage container 100, an IC 10, a mainspring 41, a gear train 50, a display unit 70, a generator 80, a quartz oscillator 90, a rectifier circuit 110, and a power supply circuit 120. Furthermore, in this embodiment, clock 1 is configured to maintain time accuracy known as an annual timekeeping clock.

[0060] The quartz oscillator 90 is driven by the oscillation circuit 11 described later to generate an oscillation signal.

[0061] As described above, the gear train 50 connects the mainspring 41 and Figure 2 The generator 80 shown has a rotor 81. Furthermore, the gear train 50 connects the rotor 81 and... Figure 1 The pointers 4A to 4C and 5 are shown. Thus, the mainspring 41 drives the pointers 4A to 4C and 5 via the gear train 50.

[0062] The display unit 70 is configured to have Figure 1 The pointers 4A to 4C shown are used to display the time. In addition, the display unit 70 has a power storage pointer 5.

[0063] The rectifier circuit 110 consists of boost rectification, full-wave rectification, half-wave rectification, transistor rectification, etc., which boosts and rectifies the AC output from the generator 80 and supplies power to the power supply circuit 120.

[0064] [IC]

[0065] IC 10 includes an oscillation circuit 11, a frequency divider circuit 12, a rotation detection circuit 13, a braking control circuit 14, a constant voltage circuit 15, and a temperature compensation function unit 20. Additionally, IC is an abbreviation for Integrated Circuit.

[0066] The oscillation circuit 11 is driven when the voltage of the power supply circuit 120 becomes high, causing the quartz oscillator 90, which serves as the source of the oscillation signal, to oscillate. Then, the oscillation signal (32768Hz) of the quartz oscillator 90 is output to the frequency divider circuit 12, which is composed of a flip-flop.

[0067] The frequency divider circuit 12 divides the oscillation signal to generate multiple clock signals (e.g., 2kHz to 8Hz), and outputs the necessary clock signals to the braking control circuit 14 and the temperature compensation function unit 20. Here, as described later, the clock signal output from the frequency divider circuit 12 to the braking control circuit 14 is a reference signal fs1, which serves as the rotation control reference for the rotor 81. Furthermore, the frequency divider circuit 12 is connected to a first terminal P1. The first terminal P1 is exposed on the outer surface of the housing 100. Therefore, the reference signal fs1 output from the frequency divider circuit 12 can be output to the outside via this first terminal P1.

[0068] The rotation detection circuit 13 consists of a waveform shaping circuit (not shown) and a monostable multivibrator connected to the generator 80, and outputs a rotation detection signal FG1 representing the rotation frequency of the rotor 81 of the generator 80.

[0069] The braking control circuit 14 compares the rotation detection signal FG1 output from the rotation detection circuit 13 and the reference signal fs1 output from the frequency divider circuit 12, and outputs a braking control signal for speed regulation of the generator 80 to the braking circuit (not shown). The reference signal fs1 corresponds to the reference rotational speed (e.g., 8Hz) of the rotor 81 during normal needle movement. Therefore, the braking control circuit 14 changes the duty cycle of the braking control signal based on the difference between the rotor 81's rotational speed (rotation detection signal FG1) and the reference signal fs1, controlling the braking circuit to adjust the braking force and control the movement of the rotor 81.

[0070] The constant voltage circuit 15 is a circuit that converts the external voltage supplied from the power supply circuit 120 into a constant voltage. In this embodiment, the constant voltage circuit 15 drives the oscillation circuit 11 and the frequency divider circuit 12 with a constant voltage. Furthermore, the constant voltage circuit 15 is connected to a second terminal P2. Like the first terminal P1 described above, the second terminal P2 is exposed on the outer surface of the storage container 100. Therefore, the driving voltage of the constant voltage circuit 15 can be confirmed from the outside of the storage container 100 via this second terminal P2.

[0071] [Temperature Compensation Function Department]

[0072] The temperature compensation function unit 20 compensates for the temperature characteristics of the quartz oscillator 90 and the like to suppress the variation of the oscillation frequency, and has a temperature compensation function control circuit 21 and a temperature compensation circuit 30.

[0073] When the specified time is reached, the temperature compensation function control circuit 21 causes the temperature compensation circuit 30 to activate.

[0074] The temperature compensation circuit 30 includes a temperature sensor 31 as a temperature measuring unit, a temperature calibration table storage unit 32, an individual difference correction data storage unit 33, an arithmetic circuit 35, a logic speed circuit 36, and a frequency adjustment control circuit 37.

[0075] Temperature sensor 31 inputs an output corresponding to the temperature of the environment in which clock 1 is used to the arithmetic circuit 35. Temperature sensor 31 can be a temperature sensor using a diode or a temperature sensor using a CR oscillation circuit, and the current temperature can be detected by utilizing the output signal that changes according to the temperature characteristics of the diode or CR oscillation circuit. In this embodiment, a CR oscillation circuit, which can be immediately used for digital signal processing if the output signal is waveform shaped, is used as temperature sensor 31. That is, the frequency of the signal output from the CR oscillation circuit changes according to the ambient temperature, and the temperature is detected based on this frequency. Furthermore, if the CR oscillation circuit is configured to drive with a constant current, the drive current of temperature sensor 31 is determined by the constant current value, so the current value can be controlled by design, and low current consumption is easily achieved. A constant current driven CR oscillation circuit can achieve low voltage drive and low current consumption, making it suitable as temperature sensor 31 when adding temperature compensation function to clock 1.

[0076] The temperature calibration table storage unit 32 stores a temperature calibration table that specifies the amount of compensation steps required at a certain temperature under ideal conditions of the quartz oscillator 90 and the temperature sensor 31. In other words, the temperature calibration table storage unit 32 stores a temperature calibration table shared by both the quartz oscillator 90 and the temperature sensor 31. Furthermore, the temperature calibration table is an example of the temperature calibration data disclosed herein.

[0077] Furthermore, individual differences arise in the quartz oscillator 90 and the temperature sensor 31 due to manufacturing processes. Examples of these individual differences include, for instance, the quadratic coefficient of the temperature characteristics of the quartz oscillator 90, the peak temperature of the quartz oscillator 90, the peak step size of the quartz oscillator 90, the output frequency of the temperature sensor 31, and the load capacitance of the oscillation circuit 11. Therefore, based on the characteristics of the quartz oscillator 90 and the temperature sensor 31 measured in advance during the manufacturing or inspection process, individual difference correction data, specifying the amount of individual difference to be corrected, is written into the individual difference correction data storage unit 33. In this embodiment, the action of compensating for the aforementioned individual differences in the quartz oscillator 90 and the temperature sensor 31 during the temperature compensation function operation is referred to as the individual difference temperature compensation operation.

[0078] The temperature calibration meter storage unit 32 utilizes a mask ROM. Mask ROMs are used because they are the simplest type of semiconductor memory, thus improving integration density and reducing area.

[0079] The individual difference correction data storage unit 33 is composed of non-volatile memory, and FAMOS is specifically used. This is because FAMOS has a low current value after writing, and data can be written at a relatively low voltage in non-volatile memory.

[0080] The arithmetic circuit 35 calculates the step size correction amount using the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 31, the temperature correction table stored in the temperature correction table storage unit 32, and the individual difference correction data stored in the individual difference correction data storage unit 33. Furthermore, the arithmetic circuit 35 outputs the calculation result to the logic speed circuit 36 ​​and the frequency adjustment control circuit 37.

[0081] The logic speed-up circuit 36 ​​is a circuit that digitally extends or shortens the period of the reference signal fs1 by inputting set or reset signals to each division stage of the frequency divider circuit 12 at a predetermined timing. For example, if the period of the reference signal fs1 is shortened by approximately 30.5 μsec (1 / 32768 Hz) every 10 seconds, then the clock cycle is shortened 8640 times in one day, so the signal change is accelerated by 8640 times × 30.5 μsec = 0.264 seconds. That is, the time is advanced by 0.264 seconds / day. Furthermore, sec / day (s / d) is the step size, representing the time deviation within one day.

[0082] As described above, the frequency adjustment control circuit 37 adjusts the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit 11 by adjusting the additional capacitor of the oscillation circuit 11. If the additional capacitor of the oscillation circuit 11 is increased, the oscillation frequency decreases, thus delaying the time. Conversely, if the additional capacitor is decreased, the oscillation frequency increases, thus advancing the time.

[0083] Thus, in this embodiment, the combinational logic fast / slow circuit 36 ​​and the frequency adjustment control circuit 37 are used to adjust the step size.

[0084] [Terminal 1 and Terminal 2]

[0085] Next, the method for confirming the oscillation characteristics of terminal P1 and terminal P2 will be explained.

[0086] As described above, IC 10 can output the reference signal fs1 from the frequency divider circuit 12 to the outside via the first terminal P1. Therefore, by gradually reducing the power supply voltage of the power supply circuit 120 while checking the reference signal fs1 output from the frequency divider circuit 12, the oscillation stop voltage of IC 10 can be confirmed.

[0087] In addition, as described above, the driving voltage of the constant voltage circuit 15 of the drive oscillation circuit 11 and the frequency divider circuit 12 can be confirmed from outside the storage container 100 via the second terminal P2.

[0088] Therefore, by subtracting the oscillation stop voltage of IC 10 from the driving voltage of constant voltage circuit 15, the oscillation margin of IC 10, i.e., the oscillation characteristics of IC 10, can be confirmed.

[0089] Thus, in this embodiment, even if the wiring used to confirm the oscillation characteristics of the quartz oscillator 90 is not connected to the wiring connecting the quartz oscillator 90 and the oscillation circuit 11, the oscillation characteristics can still be confirmed.

[0090] In addition, the usual practice is to connect wiring for checking the oscillation characteristics of the quartz oscillator between the wiring connecting the quartz oscillator 90 and the oscillation circuit 11 and lead it to the outside of the housing container 100. However, in this disclosure, no checking wiring is connected to the wiring connecting the quartz oscillator 90 and the oscillation circuit 11. As described above, the combined characteristics of the quartz oscillator 90 and the oscillation circuit 11 can be checked through the first terminal P1 connected to the frequency divider circuit 12, and the individual characteristics of the oscillation circuit 11 can be checked through the second terminal P2 connected to the constant voltage circuit 15. Furthermore, the individual characteristics of the quartz oscillator 90 can also be checked using the check results of the first terminal P1 and the second terminal P2. By setting the check terminals in this way, the total wiring length between the quartz oscillator 90 and the oscillation circuit 11 can be shortened compared to the prior art, and the influence of parasitic capacitance can be reduced.

[0091] [Effects of the Implementation Method]

[0092] According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0093] The clock 1 of this embodiment includes: a quartz oscillator 90; an IC 10 having an oscillation circuit 11 for oscillating the quartz oscillator 90; wiring 103 connecting the quartz oscillator 90 and the IC 10; a storage container 100 for storing the quartz oscillator 90, wiring 103, and the IC 10; and an outer casing 2 for housing the storage container 100. Furthermore, when viewed from above, the quartz oscillator 90 and the IC 10 are arranged side-by-side.

[0094] This shortens the wiring 103 connecting the quartz oscillator 90 and IC 10, thus reducing the variation in the parasitic capacitance of this wiring. Consequently, the oscillation characteristics of the quartz oscillator 90 can be stabilized, thereby improving timing accuracy.

[0095] Furthermore, when viewed from above, the quartz oscillator 90 and IC 10 are arranged side by side, so the thickness of the storage container 100 can be reduced compared to the case where the quartz oscillator 90 and IC 10 are arranged overlapping. Therefore, the clock 1 can be made thinner.

[0096] In this embodiment, IC 10 has IC electrode 10A connected to quartz oscillator 90, and quartz oscillator 90 has quartz oscillator electrode 92 connected to IC 10. Furthermore, IC electrode 10A and quartz oscillator electrode 92 are arranged adjacent to each other when viewed from above.

[0097] This shortens the distance between IC electrode 10A and quartz oscillator electrode 92, thus shortening the wiring 103 connecting quartz oscillator 90 and IC 10. Consequently, the oscillation characteristics of quartz oscillator 90 can be stabilized, improving timing accuracy.

[0098] In this embodiment, the storage container 100 is provided with a first terminal P1 connected to the frequency divider circuit 12 and a second terminal P2 connected to the constant voltage circuit 15.

[0099] Therefore, even without connecting wiring for verifying oscillation characteristics to the wiring connecting the quartz oscillator 90 and the oscillation circuit 11, the oscillation characteristics can still be verified. Thus, the variation in the parasitic capacitance of the quartz oscillator 90 wiring can be reduced, thereby improving time accuracy.

[0100] In this embodiment, the quartz oscillator 90 is configured such that its length direction intersects with the imaginary line L connecting the first mounting portion 8A and the second mounting portion 8B.

[0101] It can improve the durability of the fixing part 93 of the quartz oscillator 90 against the torque applied to it by the impact when it falls.

[0102] [Variation Example]

[0103] Furthermore, this disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and any modifications, improvements, etc., that can achieve the purpose of this disclosure are included within this disclosure.

[0104] In the described embodiment, the quartz oscillator 90 is configured such that its length direction is perpendicular to the imaginary line L, but is not limited thereto. For example, the quartz oscillator 90 may also be configured such that the angle between the imaginary line L and the length direction is 60° or more and 120° or less.

[0105] Therefore, the torque acting on the fixing part 93 due to the stress generated when the watch 1 falls downwards from the 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock side of the outer casing 2, as described above, can be reduced. Specifically, compared to the case where the quartz oscillator 90 is configured with its length direction parallel to the imaginary line L, the torque acting on the fixing part 93 can be reduced to less than half, thus improving the durability against impacts such as when the watch 1 falls.

[0106] In the embodiment described, the clock 1 is configured to have one mainspring 41, but is not limited thereto; for example, it may also be configured to have two mainsprings.

[0107] In the described embodiment, clock 1 is configured as an electronically controlled mechanical clock with a generator 80 and a gear train 50, but is not limited thereto. For example, the clock may also be configured as an analog quartz clock with a battery, a motor, a quartz oscillator, etc., or a digital quartz clock with a digital display. In this case, the battery may be a secondary battery, or it may have a power generation mechanism such as a solar cell for charging the secondary battery. Furthermore, it may be configured to have functions such as hand position detection, radio wave reception, and communication.

[0108] In the described embodiment, the wiring 103 connecting the quartz oscillator 90 and IC 10 is composed of lead bonding, through holes and wiring patterns, but is not limited thereto.

[0109] Figure 6 This is a top view showing a modified example of the storage container 100A. (Example) Figure 6 As shown, the quartz oscillator 90 and IC 10 can also be connected by wiring 103A, which consists of lead bonding and wiring patterns.

[0110] In the described embodiment, the temperature compensation circuit 30 is configured to have a temperature calibration table storage unit 32 and an individual difference correction data storage unit 33, but is not limited thereto. For example, the temperature compensation circuit 30 may be configured to have either the temperature calibration table storage unit 32 or the individual difference correction data storage unit 33. Furthermore, this disclosure also includes a case where the temperature compensation circuit 30 is not present.

[0111] In the described embodiment, the temperature compensation circuit 30 is configured to adjust the step size using a combinational logic speed control circuit 36 ​​and a frequency adjustment control circuit 37, but is not limited thereto. For example, the temperature compensation circuit 30 may also be configured to adjust the step size using either the logic speed control circuit 36 ​​or the frequency adjustment control circuit 37.

[0112] In the embodiment described above, the temperature calibration meter storage unit 32 is composed of a mask ROM and the individual difference calibration data storage unit 33 is composed of a FAMOS, but it is not limited to these; they can be appropriately set during implementation.

[0113] In the embodiment described above, the constant voltage circuit 15 is configured as a drive oscillation circuit 11 and a frequency divider circuit 12, but it is not limited to this. The object driven by the constant voltage circuit can be appropriately set during implementation.

[0114] In the embodiment described, the clock 1 is configured to have a quartz oscillator 90, but is not limited thereto; for example, it may also be configured to have an AT oscillator and a MEMS oscillator.

[0115] [Summary of this disclosure]

[0116] The clock disclosed herein includes: a quartz oscillator; a control device having an oscillation circuit for oscillating the quartz oscillator; wiring connecting the quartz oscillator and the control device; a storage container for housing the quartz oscillator, the wiring, and the control device; and an outer housing for housing the storage container, wherein, when viewed from above, the quartz oscillator and the control device are arranged side by side within the storage container.

[0117] This shortens the wiring connecting the quartz oscillator and the control device, thus reducing variations in the parasitic capacitance of the wiring. Consequently, the oscillation characteristics of the quartz oscillator can be stabilized, thereby improving time accuracy.

[0118] Furthermore, when viewed from above, the quartz oscillator and control device are arranged side by side, thus reducing the thickness of the storage container compared to an overlapping arrangement. This allows for a thinner timepiece.

[0119] In the clocks disclosed herein, the control device may also have a control device electrode connected to the quartz oscillator, and the quartz oscillator may have a quartz oscillator electrode connected to the control device, wherein the control device electrode and the quartz oscillator electrode are arranged adjacent to each other when viewed from above.

[0120] This shortens the distance between the control device electrodes and the quartz oscillator electrodes, thus reducing the wiring between the quartz oscillator and the control device. Consequently, the oscillation characteristics of the quartz oscillator can be stabilized, improving time accuracy.

[0121] In the clocks disclosed herein, the control device may also include: a frequency divider circuit that divides the oscillation signal output from the oscillation circuit and outputs a reference signal; and a constant voltage circuit, wherein a first terminal connected to the frequency divider circuit and a second terminal connected to the constant voltage circuit are provided in the storage container.

[0122] Therefore, the oscillation characteristics can be confirmed even without connecting wiring to the quartz oscillator for confirming oscillation characteristics. This reduces variations in the parasitic capacitance of the quartz oscillator's wiring, thus improving time accuracy.

[0123] In the clocks disclosed herein, there may also be a watch strap mounted on the outer casing, with a first mounting portion on the outer casing for mounting one end of the watch strap and a second mounting portion for mounting the other end, and the quartz oscillator is configured such that its length direction intersects with an imaginary line connecting the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion.

[0124] This improves the durability against the torque applied to the fixed part of the quartz oscillator due to the impact of falling.

[0125] In the clocks disclosed herein, the quartz oscillator may also be configured such that the angle between the imaginary line and the length direction is 60° or more and 120° or less.

[0126] This allows the torque applied to the fixed part of the quartz oscillator to be reduced to less than half, thus improving durability.

Claims

1. A clock, characterized in that, This clock features: Quartz oscillator; A control device having an oscillation circuit that causes the quartz oscillator to oscillate; Wiring that connects the quartz oscillator and the control device; A storage container for housing the quartz oscillator, the wiring, and the control device; as well as An outer casing is provided to house the storage container. Viewed from above, the quartz oscillator and the control device are arranged side by side inside the storage container. The control device includes: a frequency divider circuit that divides the oscillation signal output from the oscillation circuit and outputs a reference signal; and a constant voltage circuit that drives the oscillation circuit and the frequency divider circuit with a constant voltage. The storage container is provided with a first terminal connected to the frequency divider circuit and a second terminal connected to the constant voltage circuit. The constant voltage circuit is configured to output the driving voltage of the oscillation circuit and the frequency divider circuit to the outside of the storage container via the second terminal.

2. The clock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control device has control device electrodes connected to the quartz oscillator. The quartz oscillator has quartz oscillator electrodes that are connected to the control device. The control device electrode and the quartz oscillator electrode are arranged adjacent to each other when viewed from above.

3. The clock according to claim 1, characterized in that, The watch has a watch strap that is mounted on the outer casing. The outer casing is provided with a first mounting part for mounting one end of the watch strap and a second mounting part for mounting the other end. The quartz oscillator is configured such that its length direction intersects with the imaginary line connecting the first mounting part and the second mounting part.

4. The clock according to claim 2, characterized in that, The watch has a watch strap that is mounted on the outer casing. The outer casing is provided with a first mounting part for mounting one end of the watch strap and a second mounting part for mounting the other end. The quartz oscillator is configured such that its length direction intersects with the imaginary line connecting the first mounting part and the second mounting part.

5. The clock according to claim 3, characterized in that, The quartz oscillator is configured such that the angle between the imaginary line and the length direction is greater than 60° and less than 120°.

6. The clock according to claim 4, characterized in that, The quartz oscillator is configured such that the angle between the imaginary line and the length direction is greater than 60° and less than 120°.

7. The clock according to claim 1, characterized in that, This clock features: The barrel wheel, which has a mainspring; and The gear train, driven by the carton wheel, The control device adjusts the speed of the gear train.

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