Electronic apparatus and timepiece

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus and a timepiece which can prevent the backlash of a dial plate.SOLUTION: The electronic apparatus comprises a wrist-watch case 1 with a switch part 6 provided on the outer circumference, and a dial plate 11 arranged inside this wrist-watch case 1. The dial plate 11 is provided with a projection piece 20 projecting from the outer circumference of a point opposite the switch part 6 and coming into contact with the inner circumference of the wrist-watch case. Therefore, the projection piece 20 provided projecting from the outer circumference of the dial plate 11 is diagonally opposite the switch part 6 provided on the wrist-watch case 1, so that the projection piece 20 can be brought into contact with the inner circumference of the wrist-watch case 1 when the switch part 6 is operated from the outside, thereby making it possible to prevent the backlash of the dial plate 11 in the radial direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to electronic devices such as wristwatches or measuring instruments such as meters, and timepieces. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in the case of a watch, as described in Patent Document 1, a structure is known in which, when positioning the dial in the watch frame, which is the watch case, a positioning tongue protruding from the outer periphery of the dial is engaged with a positioning hole provided on the inner periphery of the watch frame, thereby positioning the dial in the watch frame. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-22983 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In such watches, the positioning tabs on the dial are engaged with positioning holes in the watch frame, so while it is possible to prevent the dial from wobbling in the circumferential direction relative to the watch frame, it is difficult to reliably prevent the dial from wobbling in the radial direction.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electronic device and a timepiece capable of preventing rattling of the dial. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This invention is an electronic device comprising a case having a switch section on its outer periphery, and a dial placed within the case, the dial having a protruding piece that protrudes from the outer periphery at a point opposite the switch section and abuts against the inner periphery of the case. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to this invention, rattling of the dial can be prevented. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an enlarged front view showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a wristwatch. [Diagram 2] 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the wristwatch shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line AA. [Diagram 3] 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the wristwatch shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line BB. [Figure 4] 3 shows the timepiece module shown in FIG. 2, where (a) is an enlarged front view, (b) is an enlarged perspective view of the timepiece module disassembled into the dial and the module body, as seen obliquely from above, and (c) is an enlarged perspective view of the timepiece module disassembled into the dial and the module body, as seen obliquely from below. [Diagram 5] 5A, 5B, and 5C show an enlarged front view, an enlarged side view, and an enlarged rear view, of the module body shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 5A and 5B show the dial shown in FIG. 4, in which (a) is an enlarged front view, and (b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in (a). [Figure 7] 2 is an enlarged view showing a main part of the wristwatch shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] 2 is an enlarged rear view showing the dial of the watch module arranged inside the wristwatch case shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 9] 5 is an exploded perspective view of a disassembly jig for disassembling the watch module shown in FIG. 4, seen obliquely from above. [Figure 10] 5 is an exploded perspective view of a disassembly jig for disassembling the watch module shown in FIG. 4, seen obliquely from below. [Figure 11] 10 shows the disassembly jig shown in FIG. 9, where (a) is an enlarged oblique view showing the first jig part with the watch module placed therein, and (b) is an enlarged bottom view showing the state in which the second jig part is pressing the watch module towards the first jig part. [Figure 12]10A is an enlarged front view of the first jig part shown in FIG. 9, (b) is an enlarged side view of the first jig part, and (c) is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in (a). [Figure 13] 10A and 10B show a second jig part shown in FIG. 9, in which (a) is an enlarged front view thereof, and (b) is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line EE in (a). [Figure 14] 7A and 7B show a first modified example of the dial shown in FIG. 6, in which (a) is an enlarged front view, and (b) is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line FF in (a). [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is an enlarged front view showing a second modified example of the dial shown in FIG. 14(a). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a wristwatch will now be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 13. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, this wristwatch has a wristwatch case 1. This wristwatch case 1 has a main case 2 made of a metal such as stainless steel, and an exterior case 3 made of the same metal such as stainless steel.

[0010] 1 to 3, the main case 2 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, with band attachment parts 2a formed integrally on the outer periphery at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock sides. The exterior case 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape of substantially the same size as the main case 2, and is integrally fixed to the upper part of the main case 2 by welding such as laser welding or brazing.

[0011] 1 to 3, a watch crystal 4 is attached via a glass packing 4a to the upper opening of this watch case 1, i.e., the opening of the exterior case 3. A back cover 5 is attached via a waterproof ring 5a to the lower part of this watch case 1, i.e., the lower part of the main case 2.

[0012] 1 and 2, switch units 6 are provided on the 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, and 4 o'clock sides of wristwatch case 1, i.e., the 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, and 4 o'clock sides of main case 2. In this case, each of the switch units 6 on the 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock sides of main case 2 is a push button switch, and the switch unit 6 on the 3 o'clock side of main case 2 is a switch device such as a crown.

[0013] That is, as shown in Fig. 2, each switch section 6 on the 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock sides of the main case 2, which is a push button switch, has an operating shaft 6a and a head section 6b, which are slidably provided within a pipe section 6c fixed within a through hole 2c of the main case 2. In this case, with the operating shaft 6a disposed within the small diameter hole section of the pipe section 6c, the inner end section protrudes into the main case 2 and the outer end section protrudes into the large diameter hole section of the pipe section 6c.

[0014] 2, the head 6b is disposed so as to be able to appear and disappear within a large diameter hole of a pipe section 6c provided at the outer end of the operating shaft 6a. As a result, the two switch sections 6 are configured such that when the head 6b is pressed from the outside of the main body case 2, the inner end of the operating shaft 6a is pushed into the main body case 2, and this pushed-in inner end of the operating shaft 6a presses a contact section (not shown) of a timepiece module 8, which will be described later, to operate the switch.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a parting member 7 and a watch module 8 are provided inside this wristwatch case 1. The parting member 7 is formed in a ring shape, and is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the exterior case 3 with the parting member 7 placed on the underside of the watch crystal 4. On the upper surface of this parting member 7, a number of hour characters 7a are provided at equal intervals along the circumferential direction.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the watch module 8 includes a module body 10 and a dial 11, and is formed into a substantially circular disk shape overall. This watch module 8 is configured to be inserted into the main body case 2 from the back side (lower side) and placed within the main body case 2 by an inner frame 9. In this case, the inner frame 9 is a ring-shaped member made of synthetic resin, and is configured to be placed between the inner circumferential surface of the main body case 2 and the outer circumferential surface of the module body 10 of the watch module 8, fixing the watch module 8 within the main body case 2.

[0017] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the module body 10 includes a substantially disk-shaped base member 12. A solar panel 13 is provided on the front side (upper surface) of the base member 12. A circuit board 14 is attached to the back side (lower surface) of the base member 12 by a presser plate 15, and a battery 16 is attached by an electrode plate 17. In addition, although not shown, the base member 12 is provided with a plurality of clock movements for moving the hands and a plurality of sub-hands, a display unit for displaying information such as the date and day of the week, and the like.

[0018] In this case, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, in the center of the module body 10, a pointer axis 10a that moves the hands using one of the multiple clock movements is provided so as to protrude through the axis insertion hole 13a of the solar panel 13 to the front surface (top side) of the module body 10.

[0019] 4 and 5, between the 12 o'clock side of the module body 10 and the axis 10a, between the 6 o'clock side and the axis 10a, and between the 9 o'clock side and the axis 10a, a plurality of sub-hand axes 10b for moving a plurality of sub-hands by any of a plurality of timepiece movements are provided protruding from the front side of the module body 10 through a plurality of axis insertion holes 13b of the solar panel 13. Furthermore, on the 4 o'clock side of the module body 10, that is, on the 4 o'clock side of the solar panel 13, a rectangular display window 13c is provided corresponding to a display unit (not shown) provided on the 4 o'clock side of the module body 10.

[0020] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 2 to 4 and 6, dial 11 is made by laminating a highly decorative metal plate 18 such as aluminum and a light-transmitting resin sheet 19, and is configured to be attached to the surface (upper surface) of module body 10. Metal plate 18 is formed in a substantially circular plate shape whose outer diameter is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of module body 10. Resin sheet 19 is formed in a substantially circular plate shape whose outer diameter is the same as the outer diameter of metal plate 18.

[0021] 4 and 6, a main shaft hole 19a into which the pointer shaft 10a of the module body 10 is inserted is provided in the center of the resin sheet 19, corresponding to the shaft insertion hole 13a of the solar panel 13. Between the 12 o'clock side of this resin sheet 19 and the main shaft hole 19a, between the 6 o'clock side and the main shaft hole 19a, and between the 9 o'clock side and the main shaft hole 19a, secondary needle shaft holes 19b into which the secondary needle shaft 10b of the module body 10 is inserted are provided so as to correspond to the multiple shaft insertion holes 13b of the solar panel 13, respectively.

[0022] 4 and 6, a display window 19c is provided on the 4 o'clock side of the resin sheet 19 in correspondence with the display window 13c of the solar panel 13 which corresponds to the display portion of the module main body 10. A plurality of positioning protrusions 19d for positioning with respect to the module main body 10 are provided on the outer periphery of the resin sheet 19.

[0023] 4 and 6, a main shaft hole 18a into which the pointer shaft 10a of the module body 10 is inserted is provided in the center of the metal plate 18 of the dial 11, corresponding to the main shaft hole 19a of the resin sheet 19. In addition, a plurality of hand movement openings 18b through which a plurality of sub-hands moved by a plurality of timepiece movements move are provided between the 12 o'clock side of the metal plate 18 and the main shaft hole 19a, between the 6 o'clock side and the main shaft hole 19a, and between the 9 o'clock side and the main shaft hole 19a.

[0024] In this case, of the multiple hand operation openings 18b, the hand operation openings 18b on the 12 o'clock side and the 9 o'clock side are each formed in a substantially circular shape centered on each sub-needle shaft 10b of the module body 10 and each sub-needle shaft hole 19b of the resin sheet 19, as shown in Figures 4 and 6. The hand operation opening 18b on the 6 o'clock side is formed in a substantially semicircular shape centered on the sub-shaft hole 10b of the module body 10 and the sub-needle shaft hole 19b of the resin sheet 19. A one-step higher scale portion 18c is provided in a semicircular arc shape on the outer periphery of this hand operation opening 18b on the 6 o'clock side.

[0025] 4 and 6, the portions of resin sheet 19 corresponding to the multiple hand movement openings 18b are configured to transmit external light and irradiate it onto solar panel 13 of module body 10, causing solar panel 13 to generate electricity. Also, on the 4 o'clock side of this metal plate 18, display window 18d is provided in correspondence with display window 13c of solar panel 13 and display window 19c of resin sheet 19, which correspond to the display section of module body 10.

[0026] 4 and 6, a number of protrusions 20 are provided on the outer periphery of the dial 11, i.e., the outer periphery of the metal plate 18, protruding from the outer periphery of the module body 10. These protrusions 20 are anti-rattle features that regulate the radial position of the dial 11 relative to the wristwatch case 1, and are provided at five locations on the 1 o'clock side, between the 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock sides, the 5 o'clock side, the 8 o'clock side, and the 10 o'clock side.

[0027] That is, of these multiple protrusions 20, the two protrusions 20 on the 8 o'clock side and the 10 o'clock side are provided at positions diagonally opposite two switch units 6 located on the 2 o'clock side and the 4 o'clock side of the multiple switch units 6 provided on the watch case 1, as shown in Figures 1, 4, and 6. Also, of the multiple protrusions 20, the three protrusions 20 located on the 1 o'clock side, between the 2 o'clock side and the 3 o'clock side, and the 5 o'clock side are provided at positions that do not diagonally oppose the multiple switch units 6 provided on the watch case 1.

[0028] As a result, when the dial 11 is incorporated into the watch case 1 together with the module main body 10, as shown in Figures 2, 4, 6 and 8, the multiple protrusions 20 are configured to contact or approach the inner periphery of the watch case 1, i.e., the inner periphery of the main body case 2, thereby regulating the radial position of the dial 11 relative to the watch case 1.

[0029] In this case, as shown in Figures 2, 4, 6 and 8, when the dial 11 is incorporated into the watch case 1 together with the module body 10, that is, when there is no middle frame 9 provided on the outer periphery of the module body 10, and the switch unit 6 is pressed from the outside, the protrusions 20 located on the 8 o'clock and 10 o'clock sides abut the inner periphery of the watch case 1, thereby regulating the radial position of the dial 11 relative to the watch case 1.

[0030] 2, 4 and 6, each of the multiple protrusion pieces 20 has a mounting portion 20a that is arranged overlapping the front surface (top surface) of the module body 10, and a protrusion portion 20b that protrudes beyond the outer periphery of the module body 10 (see Figs. 6(a) and 6(b)), and no resin sheet 19 is arranged on the back surface (lower surface) of the mounting portion 20a and the protrusion portion 20b. As a result, each of the multiple protrusion pieces 20 is configured so that the outer peripheral end of the protrusion portion 20b is arranged in contact with or close to the inner periphery of the watch case 1.

[0031] 2, 4 and 8, the inner periphery of the watch case 1, i.e., the inner periphery of the main body case 2, is provided with a number of regulating recesses 2b into which the protrusions 20b of the protrusions 20 engage from the back side (underside) of the watch case 1. These regulating recesses 2b regulate the radial position of the dial 11 relative to the watch case 1, and like the protrusions 20 of the dial 11, are provided at five locations on the inner periphery of the watch case 1: on the 1 o'clock side, between the 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock sides, the 5 o'clock side, the 8 o'clock side, and the 10 o'clock side.

[0032] 4 and 6, each mounting portion 20a of the two protrusions 20 located on the 5 o'clock side and the 10 o'clock side, that is, each mounting portion 20a arranged to overlap the module body 10, is provided with a fixing pin 21. These two fixing pins 21 are configured to be press-fitted into two fixing holes 22 provided on the edge portion on the outer periphery side of the module body 10 to fix the dial 11 to the module body 10.

[0033] In this case, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, the two fixing pins 21 are formed to have a length equal to or slightly shorter than the vertical length (thickness) of the module body 10. Also, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the two fixing holes 22 are provided at two locations, located on the 5 o'clock side and the 10 o'clock side, on the edge of the outer periphery of the base member 12 of the module body 10, penetrating or not penetrating the front and back (top and bottom) of the base member 12.

[0034] Therefore, as shown in Figures 3 to 6, when the dial 11 is placed on the module body 10, the two fixing pins 21 provided on each mounting portion 20a of the two protrusions 20 are press-fitted into two fixing holes 22 in the module body 10, thereby fixing the dial 11 onto the module body 10.

[0035] Meanwhile, the watch module 8 in which the dial 11 is fixed onto the module body 10 is configured so that the dial 11 and the module body 10 can be disassembled by a disassembly jig 23, as shown in Figures 9 to 13. That is, the disassembly jig 23 is equipped with a first jig part 24 on which the front side of the watch module 8, i.e., the front side (top side) of the dial 11, is disposed, and a second jig part 25 on which the back side of the watch module 8, i.e., the back side (bottom side) of the module body 10, is disposed.

[0036] 9 to 12, first jig part 24 is formed in a cylindrical shape that is sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of watch module 8. One end face of first jig part 24, i.e., the center of the end face of first jig part 24 facing second jig part 25, is provided with an installation recess 24a in which the dial 11 side of watch module 8 is to be disposed.

[0037] As shown in Figures 9 to 12, this first jig part 24 is structured so that, on the outer periphery of the installation recess 24a, there are provided a plurality of support parts 26 that support the outer periphery of the module body 10 while avoiding the locations corresponding to the multiple protrusions 20 of the dial 11, two regulating pins 27 that regulate the position of the watch module 8, and two guide pins 28 that guide the second jig part 25 relative to the first jig part 24.

[0038] 9 to 12, the multiple support parts 26 are provided on the outer periphery of the installation recess 24a of the first jig part 24 at locations that do not correspond to the multiple protrusions 20 of the dial 11. That is, the multiple support parts 26 are provided at five locations on the outer periphery of the installation recess 24a of the first jig part 24, located between the 1 o'clock side and the 2 o'clock side, between the 3 o'clock side and the 5 o'clock side, between the 6 o'clock side and the 7 o'clock side, between the 8 o'clock side and the 10 o'clock side, and between the 11 o'clock side and the 12 o'clock side, and are configured to support the outer periphery of the module body 10 without contacting the dial 11.

[0039] 9 to 12, a plurality of first escape recesses 29 are provided on the outer periphery of the installation recess 24a of the first jig part 24 between the plurality of support parts 26. That is, the plurality of first escape recesses 29 are provided at five locations on the outer periphery of the installation recess 24a of the first jig part 24, located respectively between the 12 o'clock side and the 1 o'clock side, between the 2 o'clock side and the 3 o'clock side, between the 5 o'clock side and the 6 o'clock side, between the 7 o'clock side and the 8 o'clock side, and between the 10 o'clock side and the 11 o'clock side.

[0040] In this case, the axial length of each of the installation recess 24a, the multiple support portions 26, and the multiple first relief recesses 29 is formed to be a length (depth and height) slightly longer than the vertical length of the dial 11, that is, the sum of the thickness of the metal plate 18 of the dial 11 and the length of the fixing pin 21, as shown in Figures 9 to 12. As a result, the dial 11 is configured so that the multiple protrusions 20 are positioned together with the fixing pin 21 within the multiple first relief recesses 29 without coming into contact with each other.

[0041] Of these multiple first relief recesses 29, two first relief recesses 29 located on the 12 o'clock side and the 6 o'clock side are each provided with a restriction pin 27, as shown in Figures 9 to 12. These two restriction pins 27 are formed to have a length (height) slightly longer than the sum of the length (thickness) of the module main body 10 in the front-rear direction and the length (depth) of the first relief recesses 29 in the axial direction.

[0042] In this case, as shown in Figures 9 to 11, two regulating pins 27 of the first jig part 24 are respectively arranged on the outer periphery of the module main body 10, i.e., the outer periphery of the base member 12, so that a regulating groove 30 for regulating the position of the watch module 8 on the first jig part 24 is provided while avoiding the protrusion piece 20 of the dial 11 and the outer periphery of the dial 11.

[0043] That is, as shown in Figures 4, 5, and 9 to 11, the two restriction grooves 30 of the module body 10 are each grooves with a semicircular cross section, and are provided in two locations, on the 12 o'clock side and 6 o'clock side of the module body 10, so as not to overlap with the dial 11. As a result, when the watch module 8 is placed in the first jig part 24, the two restriction pins 27 of the first jig part 24 are inserted into each restriction groove 30 of the module body 10 from the front side (upper surface side) of the watch module 8, avoiding the dial 11, and are configured so as to be positionally restricted by the first jig part 24.

[0044] 9 to 13, the two guide pins 28 of the first jig part 24 are provided on two supports 26 located on the 4 o'clock and 9 o'clock sides of the outer periphery of the installation recess 24a of the first jig part 24. These two guide pins 28 are configured to guide the sliding movement of the second jig part 25 in the approaching and separating directions relative to the first jig part 24 by being slidably inserted into two guide holes 31 provided in the second jig part 25.

[0045] 9 to 11 and 13, second jig part 25 is formed in a cylindrical shape of the same size as first jig part 24. An installation hole 25a in which the back side (lower side) of module body 10 of watch module 8 is disposed is provided in the center of one end face of second jig part 25, that is, the end face of second jig part 25 facing first jig part 24.

[0046] As shown in Figures 9 to 11 and 13, this second jig part 25 has a structure in which, in addition to the two guide holes 31 mentioned above, a number of pressing parts 32 are provided on the outer periphery of the installation hole part 25a, which press each of the protrusions 20b of the multiple protrusion pieces 20 of the dial 11 protruding from the outer periphery of the module main body 10 toward the first jig part 24, thereby separating the dial 11 from the module main body 10.

[0047] As shown in Figures 9 to 11 and 13, these multiple pressing portions 32 are provided on the outer periphery of the installation hole portion 25a of the second jig part 25 at locations corresponding to the multiple protrusion pieces 20 of the dial 11, i.e., locations corresponding to the multiple first escape recesses 29 of the first jig part 24, while avoiding the multiple support portions 26 of the first jig part 24.

[0048] 9 to 11 and 13, the multiple pressing portions 32 are provided at approximately the same positions on the outer periphery of the installation hole 25a of the second jig portion 25, with sizes that are approximately the same as or slightly smaller than the multiple first relief recesses 29 of the first jig portion 24. That is, the multiple pressing portions 32 are provided at five locations on the outer periphery of the installation hole 25a of the second jig portion 25, located between the 12 o'clock side and the 1 o'clock side, between the 2 o'clock side and the 3 o'clock side, between the 5 o'clock side and the 6 o'clock side, between the 7 o'clock side and the 8 o'clock side, and between the 10 o'clock side and the 11 o'clock side.

[0049] In this case, as shown in Figures 9 to 11 and 13, a plurality of second relief recesses 33 are located between the pressing portions 32 on the outer periphery of the installation hole 25a of the second jig part 25, and are provided corresponding to the plurality of support portions 26 of the first jig part 24. That is, the plurality of second relief recesses 33 are provided at five locations on the outer periphery of the installation hole 25a of the second jig part 25, located between the 1 o'clock side and the 2 o'clock side, between the 3 o'clock side and the 5 o'clock side, between the 6 o'clock side and the 7 o'clock side, between the 8 o'clock side and the 10 o'clock side, and between the 11 o'clock side and the 12 o'clock side.

[0050] Of these second relief recesses 33, two second relief recesses 33 located on the 4 o'clock side and the 9 o'clock side are each provided with a guide hole 31 into which two guide pins 28 of the first jig part 24 are inserted, as shown in Figures 9 to 13. In this case, the installation hole part 25a, the multiple pressing parts 32, and the multiple second relief recesses 33 are formed so that their axial lengths are longer than the axial lengths of the installation recess 24a of the first jig part 24, the multiple support parts 26, and the multiple first relief recesses 29.

[0051] As a result, when placing the watch module 8 with the dial 11 attached to the module body 10 in the installation recess 24a of the first jig part 24, as shown in Figures 9 to 13, the disassembly jig 23 is configured so that the watch module 8 is positioned and regulated in position in the first jig part 24 by inserting the two regulating pins 27 into the regulating grooves 30 of the module body 10 with the dial 11 facing the bottom side of the installation recess 24a.

[0052] That is, as shown in Figures 9 to 13, this disassembly jig 23 is configured so that when the watch module 8 is positioned in the first jig part 24, each of the protrusions 20b of the multiple protrusion pieces 20 of the dial 11 corresponds to the multiple first escape recesses 29, and the outer periphery of the module body 10 is supported by the multiple support parts 26 while avoiding the dial 11.

[0053] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9 to 13, this disassembly jig 23 is configured such that, when the second jig part 25 is pressed against the first jig part 24, the two guide pins 28 of the first jig part 24 are inserted into the two guide holes 31 of the second jig part 25, so that the first jig part 24 and the second jig part 25 are guided relative to each other and move closer to each other.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9 to 13, when the first jig part 24 and the second jig part 25 approach each other and the multiple pressing parts 32 of the second jig part 25 are pressed against each of the protrusions 20b of the multiple protrusions 20 of the dial 11, with the outer periphery of the module main body 10 supported by the multiple support parts 26 of the first jig part 24, the multiple pressing parts 32 respectively press each of the protrusions 20b of the multiple protrusions 20 of the dial 11 into the multiple first escape recesses 29 of the first jig part 24.

[0055] As a result, as shown in Figures 9 to 13, the disassembly jig 23 is configured so that when the multiple pressing portions 32 push each of the protrusions 20b of the multiple protrusion pieces 20 of the dial 11 into the multiple first escape recesses 29 of the first jig portion 24, the multiple support portions 26 of the first jig portion 24 are pushed into the multiple second escape recesses 33 of the second jig portion 25, whereby the fixing pins 21 of the dial 11 are pulled out of the fixing holes 22 of the module main body 10, and the dial 11 is separated from the module main body 10.

[0056] Next, the operation of such a wristwatch will be described. When assembling this wristwatch, first the watch module 8 is assembled. In this case, the dial 11 is aligned with the front side (top side) of the module body 10, and two fixing pins 21 provided on the mounting portions 20a of two of the protrusions 20 located between the 5 o'clock and 6 o'clock sides and on the 10 o'clock side among the multiple protrusions 20 provided on the outer periphery of the dial 11 are inserted by press fitting into two fixing holes 22 provided on the edge of the outer periphery of the module body 10.

[0057] At this time, the two fixing pins 21 of the dial 11 can be pressed into the two fixing holes 22 of the module body 10 simply by pressing only the mounting portions 20a of the two protrusions 20, each of which has two fixing pins 21, toward the surface (top surface) of the module body 10. This allows the dial 11 to be well fixed to the module body 10 with good assembly workability and without damaging the surface (top surface) of the dial 11.

[0058] In this state, each of the protruding portions 20b of the multiple protruding pieces 20 of the dial 11 protrudes from the outer periphery of the module body 10. Also, in this state, the outer periphery of the module body 10 protrudes from the outer periphery of the dial 11 and is exposed, except for the locations corresponding to the multiple protruding pieces 20 of the dial 11.

[0059] As a result, the two restriction grooves 30 provided on the outer periphery of the module body 10 are exposed on the outer periphery side of the dial 11. In this state, a hand (not shown) is attached to the pointer shaft 10a of the module body 10, and sub-hands (not shown) are attached to each of the multiple sub-hand shafts 10b. In this way, the timepiece module 8 is assembled.

[0060] This watch module 8 is then assembled into the wristwatch case 1. In this case, the exterior case 3 is first integrally fixed to the top of the main case 2 by welding such as laser welding or brazing, and the wristwatch case 1 is assembled. A parting member 7 is placed inside the exterior case 3 of this wristwatch case 1, and the watch crystal 4 is fitted and fixed into the upper opening of the exterior case 3 together with the glass packing 4a.

[0061] In this state, the watch module 8 is inserted into the main body case 2 of the wristwatch case 1 from the back side (bottom side). At this time, as shown in Fig. 8, the multiple protrusions 20 of the dial 11 are engaged in correspondence with the multiple regulating recesses 2b provided on the inner periphery of the main body case 2. In this state, the outer ends of the protrusions 20b of the multiple protrusions 20 are placed in contact with or close to the inner periphery of the main body case 2 within the multiple regulating recesses 2b.

[0062] As a result, the dial 11 is disposed within the main body case 2 without any rattling in the radial direction relative to the main body case 2, and accordingly, the module body 10 is also disposed within the main body case 2 without any rattling in the radial direction relative to the main body case 2. In this case, of the multiple hand movement openings 18b provided in the metal plate 18 of the dial 11, the end of the one-step higher scale portion 18c provided on the outer periphery of the hand movement opening 18b located on the 6 o'clock side is disposed with a gap S from the inner circumferential surface of the parting member 7 (see FIG. 7).

[0063] Furthermore, both sides of each of the projections 20b of the multiple projections 20 are placed in contact with or close to both sides of the multiple restriction recesses 2b, thereby restricting the radial position of the dial 11, and therefore the radial position of the module body 10. In this state, the switch units 6 are assembled to the 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, and 4 o'clock sides of the watch case 1, respectively.

[0064] In other words, when the switch units 6 are assembled to the 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock sides of the wristwatch case 1, even if the watch module 8 is pressed by the operating shaft 6a of each switch unit 6, the protrusions 20b of each protrusion piece 20 of the dial 11 located diagonally across from these switch units 6 will abut against the inner surface of the main body case 2, so that even though an inner frame 9 is not provided on the outer periphery of the module main body 10, the watch module 8 will not rattle inside the wristwatch case 1.

[0065] Similarly, when assembling the switch unit 6 to the 3 o'clock side of the watch case 1, the protrusions 20b of each protrusion piece 20 of the dial 11 located diagonally across from each switch unit 6 located on the 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock sides of the watch case 1 each abut the inner surface of the main body case 2, so that even though an inner frame 9 is not provided on the outer periphery of the module main body 10, the watch module 8 does not rattle within the watch case 1.

[0066] For this reason, when the multiple switch units 6 are assembled to the watch case 1, the higher scale unit 18c arranged on the outer periphery of the hand movement opening 18b located on the 6 o'clock side among the multiple hand movement openings 18b arranged in the metal plate 18 of the dial 11 does not come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the parting member 7, thereby preventing damage to the scale unit 18c.

[0067] In this state, a gap is provided between the outer peripheral surface of module body 10 of watch module 8 placed inside wristwatch case 1 and the inner peripheral surface of main body case 2. For this reason, inner frame 9 is placed in the gap between the outer peripheral surface of module body 10 and the inner peripheral surface of main body case 2. This fixes watch module 8 inside main body case 2. After this, back cover 5 is attached to the bottom of main body case 2 together with waterproof ring 5a. This completes the assembly of the wristwatch.

[0068] Next, disassembly of the timepiece module 8 will be described. In this case, first, the watch module 8 is removed from within the wristwatch case 1. At this time, the back cover 5 is removed from the bottom of the main case 2 of the wristwatch case 1, and then the multiple switch units 6 are removed from the main case 2 of the wristwatch case 1.

[0069] In this state, the watch module 8 is removed from the wristwatch case 1 together with the inner frame 9, and the inner frame 9 is removed from the module body 10. After this, the hands (not shown) are removed from the hand shaft 10a of the module body 10, and the sub-hands (not shown) are removed from the multiple sub-hand shafts 10b.

[0070] The watch module 8 is then disassembled using the disassembly jig 23. In this case, the watch module 8 is placed in the installation recess 24a of the first jig part 24 of the disassembly jig 23. At this time, with the dial 11 facing the bottom side of the installation recess 24a, the two restriction pins 27 are inserted into the restriction grooves 30 provided on the outer periphery of the module body 10. As a result, the watch module 8 is placed in a position restricted by the first jig part 24.

[0071] When the watch module 8 is positioned relative to the first jig part 24 in this manner, the outer periphery of the module body 10 is supported by the multiple support parts 26 of the first jig part 24, avoiding the dial 11, with each of the protrusions 20b of the multiple protrusion pieces 20 of the dial 11 protruding from the outer periphery of the module body 10 corresponding to the multiple first escape recesses 29 of the first jig part 24.

[0072] In this state, the second jig part 25 is pressed against the first jig part 24. At this time, the two guide pins 28 of the first jig part 24 are inserted into the two guide holes 31 of the second jig part 25, respectively, to guide the first jig part 24 and the second jig part 25 relative to each other, and the first jig part 24 and the second jig part 25 are brought closer to each other.

[0073] Then, the multiple pressing portions 32 of the second jig portion 25 are pressed against the respective protrusions 20b of the multiple protrusions 20 of the dial 11. At this time, the outer periphery of the module body 10 is supported by the multiple support portions 26 of the first jig portion 24, avoiding the dial 11, with the respective protrusions 20b of the multiple protrusions 20 of the dial 11 corresponding to the multiple first relief recesses 29 of the first jig portion 24. In this state, the multiple support portions 26 of the first jig portion 24 correspond to the multiple second relief recesses 33 of the second jig portion 25, and the multiple pressing portions 32 of the second jig portion correspond to the multiple first relief recesses 29 of the first jig portion 24.

[0074] Therefore, when the multiple pressing portions 32 of the second jig part 25 are pressed against the protruding portions 20b of the multiple protruding pieces 20 of the dial 11, the multiple pressing portions 32 press the protruding portions 20b of the multiple protruding pieces 20 of the dial 11 into the multiple first escape recesses 29 of the first jig part 24, respectively, and the multiple support portions 26 of the first jig part 24 are pressed into the multiple second escape recesses 33 of the second jig part 25, respectively. As a result, the fixing pins 21 of the dial 11 come out of the fixing holes 22 of the module body 10, so that the dial 11 can be easily separated from the module body 10.

[0075] Thus, this wristwatch comprises a wristwatch case 1 having a switch section 6 on its outer periphery, and a dial 11 arranged within this wristwatch case 1, and dial 11 is provided with a protruding piece 20 that protrudes from the outer periphery at a point opposite switch section 6 and abuts against the inner periphery of the wristwatch case, thereby preventing radial rattling of dial 11.

[0076] In other words, in this watch, the protrusion 20 protruding from the outer periphery of the dial 11 faces the switch section 6 provided on the watch case 1, so that when the switch section 6 is pressed from the outside, the protrusion 20 can be brought into contact with the inner periphery of the watch case 1. This makes it possible to reliably prevent radial rattling of the dial 11 even though an inner frame 9 is not provided on the outer periphery of the module body 10.

[0077] In addition, in this watch, a regulating recess 2b is provided on the inner circumference of the watch case 1, with which a protrusion 20 of the dial 11 engages to regulate the radial position of the dial 11. Therefore, when the dial 11 is positioned within the watch case 1, the protrusion 20 of the dial 11 can be engaged with the regulating recess 2b provided on the inner circumference of the watch case 1, thereby preventing radial rattling of the dial 11 relative to the watch case 1.

[0078] Furthermore, in this wristwatch, dial 11 is positioned on the surface (top) of module body 10 which is housed within wristwatch case 1, and protrusion piece 20 protrudes from the outer periphery of module body 10. As a result, protrusion piece 20 provided on dial 11 can position module body 10 within wristwatch case 1 so that module body 10 does not come into contact with the inner periphery of wristwatch case 1. This makes it possible to prevent damage to module body 10 even if wristwatch case 1 is subjected to an impact or the like.

[0079] In this case, since the protrusion 20 of the dial 11 protrudes from the outer periphery of the module body 10, even if the fixing pin 21 of the dial 11 is pressed into the fixing hole 22 of the module body 10 and the dial 11 is firmly fixed to the module body 10, the protrusion 20 of the dial 11 protruding from the outer periphery of the module body 10 allows the dial 11 to be easily removed from the module body 10 without being damaged.

[0080] In addition, in this wristwatch, the switch sections 6 are provided at multiple locations on the wristwatch case 1, and the protrusion pieces 20 are provided at locations diagonally opposite at least two of the multiple switch sections 6, so that the protrusions 20b of each protrusion piece 20 on the dial 11 located diagonally opposite these two switch sections 6 can each be abutted against the inner surface of the main body case 2, thereby reliably preventing the watch module 8 from rattling within the wristwatch case 1.

[0081] In other words, in this wristwatch, switch units 6 are provided at three locations on the 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, and 4 o'clock sides of the wristwatch case 1, and protrusion pieces 20 are provided at locations diagonally opposite at least two of these switch units 6, the 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock sides. Therefore, even if these two switch units 6 are pressed from the outside to press the watch module 8, the protrusions 20b of each protrusion piece 20 of the dial 11 located diagonally opposite these two switch units 6 can be abutted against the inner surface of the main body case 2. Therefore, even if an inner frame 9 is not provided on the outer periphery of the module main body 10, it is possible to reliably prevent the watch module 8 from rattling inside the wristwatch case 1.

[0082] In this case, with this watch, even if the switch section 6 located on the 3 o'clock side of the watch case 1 is pressed from the outside, the protrusions 20b of each protrusion piece 20 of the dial 11 located diagonally across from each switch section 6 located on the 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock sides can each be abutted against the inner surface of the main body case 2, so that even though an inner frame 9 is not provided on the outer periphery of the module main body 10, the watch module 8 can be prevented from rattling inside the watch case 1.

[0083] For this reason, in this watch, even if a higher scale portion 18c is provided on the outer periphery of the hand movement opening 18b located, for example, on the 6 o'clock side among the multiple hand movement openings 18b provided in the dial 11, the higher scale portion 18c will not abut the inner peripheral surface of the parting member 7, so damage to the scale portion 18c can be prevented, and the watch module 8 can be smoothly incorporated into the watch case 1.

[0084] In this case, in this wristwatch, since the protrusion piece 20 is provided in a location other than that facing the multiple switch units 6, even if the dial 11 is pressed in a location other than that facing the multiple switch units 6, the protrusion piece 20 provided in a location other than that facing the multiple switch units 6 can be abutted against the inner surface of the wristwatch case 1. Therefore, even if an inner frame 9 is not provided on the outer periphery of the module main body 10, it is possible to reliably and effectively prevent the dial 11 from rattling within the wristwatch case 1, and thereby the watch module 8 can be stably positioned within the wristwatch case 1.

[0085] Furthermore, in this wristwatch, the dial 11 is incorporated into the wristwatch case 1 from the back side of the wristwatch case 1, which is located on the back (lower) side of the module body 10, so that the dial 11 can be easily and satisfactorily incorporated into the wristwatch case 1 together with the module body 10, thereby improving the ease of assembly of the watch module 8.

[0086] In the above-described embodiment, the circumferential lengths of the multiple protrusions 20 provided on the outer periphery of the dial 11 are all formed to be the same length. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the circumferential lengths of the multiple protrusions 20, 35 may be formed to be different lengths, for example, as in the first modified example shown in Figure 14.

[0087] That is, in the first modified example of the dial 11, as shown in Fig. 14(a), among the multiple protrusions 20, 35, the two protrusions 35 on which the fixing pins 21 are provided are formed so that their length in the circumferential direction of the dial 11 is shorter than the other multiple protrusions 20 on which the fixing pins 21 are not provided. As a result, the two protrusions 35 on which the fixing pins 21 are provided are more flexible than the other multiple protrusions 20 on which the fixing pins 21 are not provided.

[0088] In this case, as shown in Figures 14(a) and 14(b), at the locations of the dial 11 located on both sides of the base of the two protrusions 35 to which the fixing pins 21 are attached, cutouts 36 are provided so as to cut into the center of the dial 11. That is, these cutouts 36 are provided in the metal plate 18 and resin sheet 19 of the dial 11 to make the radial length of the dial 11 of the two protrusions 35 to which the fixing pins 21 are attached longer than the other protrusions 20 to which the fixing pins 21 are not attached, thereby making the protrusions 35 more flexible.

[0089] As a result, of the multiple protrusion pieces 20, 35, the two protrusion pieces 35 having the fixing pins 21 are formed so that their circumferential length in the dial 11 is shorter than the other multiple protrusion pieces 20 that do not have the fixing pins 21, and the cut-out portion 36 makes their radial length in the dial 11 longer than the other multiple protrusion pieces 20 that do not have the fixing pins 21. This makes them more flexible than the other multiple protrusion pieces 20 that do not have the fixing pins 21, making it easier for the fixing pins 21 to come out of the fixing holes 22 in the module body 10.

[0090] Furthermore, among the multiple protrusions 20, 35 on the dial 11, the two protrusions 35 on which the fixing pins 21 are provided are easily flexible, so that even if there is some error in the positions of the fixing pins 21 and the fixing holes 22, the fixing pins 21 can be easily fitted into the fixing holes 22 of the module body 10 by press-fitting.

[0091] 14(a) and 14(b), the case where the notches 36 are provided has been described, but the two protrusions 35 provided with the fixing pins 21 may simply be formed so that their length in the circumferential direction of the dial 11 is shorter than the other protrusions 20 not provided with the fixing pins 21, and the notches 36 may not be provided. The two protrusions 35 provided with the fixing pins 21 may also be formed so that their length in the circumferential direction of the dial 11 is the same as the other protrusions 20 not provided with the fixing pins 21, and the notches 36 may be provided.

[0092] In addition, in the second modified example of the dial 11, as shown in FIG. 15, of the multiple protrusions 20, 35, 37 which act as rattle prevention parts, the protrusion 37 (on the 8 o'clock side) which faces the switch section 6 is formed so that its length in the circumferential direction of the dial 11 is longer than the other multiple protrusions 20, 35.

[0093] As a result, the protrusion 37 facing the switch section 6 has improved impact resistance when it comes into contact with the inner circumference of the wristwatch case 1, compared to the other protrusions 20, 35. Also, the protrusion 35 (10 o'clock side) facing the switch section 6 as shown in Fig. 15 may be formed so that its length in the circumferential direction of the dial 11 is longer than the other protrusions 20, 35, just like the protrusion 37. In this case, a protrusion 35 with a fixing pin 21 may be formed in place of the protrusion 20 on the 1 o'clock side.

[0094] In the above embodiment, the fixing pins 21 are provided on two of the multiple protrusions 20 provided on the outer periphery of the dial 11, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured, for example, with fixing pins 21 provided on all of the multiple protrusions 20. In this case, a plurality of fixing holes 22 into which all of the fixing pins 21 are press-fitted may be provided on the edge on the outer periphery of the module body 10.

[0095] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the fixing pin 21 is provided on the protrusion 20, but the fixing pin 21 may be provided near the protrusion 20. For example, the fixing pin 21 may be provided on the outer periphery of the dial 11 at a position closer to the protrusion 20 on the 10 o'clock side than the midpoint between the 9 o'clock side between the protrusion 20 on the 10 o'clock side and the protrusion 20 on the 8 o'clock side. Also, the fixing pin 21 may be provided closer to the center of the dial 11 than the protrusion 20 on the 10 o'clock side.

[0096] In the above embodiment, the switch unit 6 is provided on the 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, and 4 o'clock sides of the watch case 1, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the switch unit 6 may also be provided on the 8 o'clock, 9 o'clock, and 10 o'clock sides, for example. In this case, protrusions 20 may be provided on the dial 11 at locations opposite the switch units 6 on the 8 o'clock, 9 o'clock, and 10 o'clock sides.

[0097] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to a wristwatch, but this invention does not necessarily have to be a wristwatch, and can be applied to various types of clocks, such as travel watches, alarm clocks, table clocks, wall clocks, etc. Also, this invention does not necessarily have to be a clock, and can be applied to instruments such as meters.

[0098] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and includes the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents. The invention as set forth in the claims of this application is set forth below.

[0099] (Additional Note) The invention described in claim 1 is an electronic device comprising a case having a switch section on its outer periphery and a dial arranged within the case, the dial having a protruding piece that protrudes from the outer periphery at a point opposite the switch section and abuts against the inner periphery of the case.

[0100] The invention described in claim 2 is an electronic device characterized in that, in the electronic device described in claim 1, an inner peripheral portion of the case is provided with a regulating portion that engages with the protrusion of the dial to regulate the radial position of the dial.

[0101] The invention described in claim 3 is an electronic device characterized in that, in the electronic device described in claim 1 or claim 2, the dial is arranged on one side of a module body stored in the case, and the protrusion piece protrudes from the outer periphery of the module body.

[0102] The invention described in claim 4 is an electronic device described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the switch units are provided in multiple locations on the case, and the protrusion pieces are provided in locations diagonally opposite at least two of the multiple switch units.

[0103] The invention as set forth in claim 5 is the electronic device as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that the protruding piece is provided in a location other than the location facing the switch portion.

[0104] The invention described in claim 6 is an electronic device described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the protrusion piece includes a protrusion piece provided at a position facing the switch unit and a protrusion piece provided at a position other than the position facing the switch unit, and the protrusion piece provided at the position facing the switch unit is formed so that the length in the circumferential direction of the dial is longer than the protrusion piece provided at the position other than the position facing the switch unit.

[0105] The invention described in claim 7 is an electronic device described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the dial is incorporated into the case from one side of the case that is located opposite the one side of the module body.

[0106] The invention described in claim 8 is a timepiece characterized in that the electronic device is any one of the electronic devices described in claims 1 to 7. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 1 watch case 2 Main unit case 2b Restriction recess 3 Outer case 6 Switch section 7. Trim material 7a Jiji 8 Clock Module 9. Middle Frame 10 Module body 11 Dial 18 metal plate 19 Resin sheet 20, 35, 37 protruding piece 20a Placement part 20b Protrusion 21 Fixing pin 22 fixing hole 23 Disassembly tool 24 First Jig Section 24a Installation recess 25 2nd Jig Section 25a Installation hole 26 Support part 27 Regulatory pin 28 Guide pin 29 First recess 30 Regulating groove 31 Guide hole 32 Presser section 33 Second recess 36 Cutting section

Claims

1. A case having a switch on the outer periphery; a dial disposed within the case; Equipped with 11. An electronic device comprising: a dial having a protruding piece that protrudes from an outer periphery of a portion facing the switch portion and abuts against an inner periphery of the case.

2. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein an inner periphery of the case is provided with a restricting portion that engages with the protruding piece of the dial to restrict a radial position of the dial.

3. 3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the dial is disposed on one surface of a module body housed in the case, and the protruding piece protrudes from an outer periphery of the module body.

4. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the switch section is provided at multiple locations on the case, and the protrusion piece is provided at a diagonally opposing location of at least two of the multiple switch sections.

5. 5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the protruding piece is provided at a location other than the location facing the switch portion.

6. In the electronic device described in any one of claims 1 to 3, the protrusion comprises a protrusion provided at a position facing the switch portion and a protrusion provided at a position other than the position facing the switch portion, and the protrusion provided at the position facing the switch portion is formed so that the length in the circumferential direction of the dial is longer than the protrusion provided at the position other than the position facing the switch portion.

7. 7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the dial is incorporated into the case from one side of the case that is located opposite the one side of the module body.

8. A watch comprising the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

Images