Displacement device, rotation device, and timepiece

Abstract

To easily switch a position of a cover member between a position at which an operation part is operable and a position at which the operation part is guarded.SOLUTION: A displacement device includes a device main body 1 provided with an operation part 15 on an outer peripheral side, and a cover member (a rotation member 3 and a displacement member 400) which is provided on one surface side of the device main body 1, is movable in a direction substantially parallel to the one surface of the device main body 1, and may take a guard position at which the operation part 15 can be guarded and an open position at which the operation part 15 is opened to be operable. Either one of the device main body 1 or the cover member (the rotation member 3 and the displacement member 400) has a recess 4 formed along a movable direction of the cover member and having a length corresponding to a movable amount of the cover member. The other of the device main body 1 or the cover member is provided with a restriction member 2 disposed within the recess 4. The cover member is movable with respect to the device main body 1 only within a range corresponding to the length of the recess 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a displacement device, a rotation device, and a timepiece. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 describes a displacement device (rotating bezel structure) that includes a device main body (watch case) and a cover member (rotating bezel) that is provided on one side of the device main body and moves in a direction approximately parallel to the one side of the device main body, with a recess (groove) formed in the cover member and a regulating member (contact body) that is partially positioned within the recess. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-87539 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, it was not anticipated that the cover member would be used to guard the operating portion or to open the operating portion so that it could be operated. The present invention is made to improve and solve the problems of such situations, and is made so that the cover member can take a position where it guards the operating portion and a position where it is possible to operate the operating portion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, the displacement device of the present invention comprises a device main body having an operating unit on its outer periphery, and a cover member that is provided on one side of the device main body and that can move in a direction approximately parallel to the one side of the device main body to take a guard position that can guard the operating unit and an open position that opens the operating unit so that it can be operated, wherein a recess of a length corresponding to the amount of movement of the cover member is formed in the movable direction of the cover member in either the device main body or the cover member, and a regulating member that is disposed within the recess is provided in the other of the device main body or the cover member, and the cover member is movable relative to the device main body only within a range corresponding to the length of the recess. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an effect that the cover member can take a position where it guards the operation unit and a position where it is possible to operate the operation unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a timepiece including a rotating device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view of a rotating member of the rotating device shown in FIG. 1, as viewed from the side where it is attached to the device main body. FIG. [Figure 3] 10 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an image of a restricting member that moves within a recess of a rotating member relative to the recess; FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA shown in FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a front view of the timepiece showing the state in which the rotating member of the rotating device has been rotated clockwise by approximately 22.5 degrees from the state in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 2 is a front view of the timepiece showing the state in which the rotating member of the rotating device has been rotated 45 degrees clockwise from the state in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 9]FIG. 10 is a front view of a timepiece equipped with a rotating device according to a modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a front view of a timepiece equipped with a displacement device according to this embodiment, showing the state in which the displacement member is in the open position. [Figure 12] 12 is a front view of a timepiece equipped with the displacement device shown in FIG. 11, showing the state in which the displacement member is in the guard position. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] 1 to 8, an embodiment of a timepiece including a rotation device (displacement device) according to the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, a case where a rotation device is applied to a wristwatch (hereinafter simply referred to as a timepiece) worn on the wrist is illustrated. Note that the embodiment described below is subject to various technically preferable limitations for carrying out the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment and illustrated examples.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, the rotation device (displacement device) in this embodiment includes a device main body 1 and a rotation member 3, which is a cover member. A timepiece 100 includes at least a rotation device (displacement device). In the following embodiment, the timepiece 100, including the rotation device, has a substantially circular device main body 1. Note that, hereinafter, the state in which the rotation member 3 is positioned so that a first index 321 of the rotation member 3, which will be described later, is located at the 12 o'clock position and the 6 o'clock position on the timepiece (the state shown in FIG. 1) is referred to as the reference position. As will be described later, the rotation member 3 can rotate circumferentially from this reference position, which serves as the starting point (0 degree position) for rotation, to a position 45 degrees clockwise (the end point of rotation). In addition, in FIGS. 1, 5, and 7, the line connecting the 12 o'clock position and the 6 o'clock position on the timepiece is indicated by a dashed line. Furthermore, in FIGS. 1, 5 and 7, components that are provided on the back side of the rotary member 3 and do not actually appear on the front side (that is, the restricting member 2 and recessed portion 4 described below) are indicated by dashed lines.

[0010] In this embodiment, the device body 1 constitutes the main body of the timepiece 100. The device body 1 includes a main body case 11 made of, for example, various synthetic resins. The material for the main body case 11 is not limited to resin, but may be, for example, metals such as stainless steel or titanium, or ceramics. In this embodiment, the main body case 11 is formed in the shape of a hollow short column with openings at the top and bottom in the height direction H of the timepiece (thickness direction; see FIG. 4, etc.). A crystal member 12 made of, for example, transparent glass is attached to the opening on the front side (viewing side) of the main body case 11, closing the opening on the front side. The opening on the back side of the main body case 11 is closed by a back cover member 13 (see FIG. 4, etc.). The timepiece 100 incorporates a module including a display (not shown) inside the main body case 11, below the crystal member 12. The display may be an analog display with hands (not shown), or a digital display with, for example, an LCD display. It may also be a hybrid display that combines both digital and analog formats.

[0011] Furthermore, the main body case 11 has a pair of band attachment portions 14 at opposing positions. "Opposite positions" are, for example, the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock ends of an analog timepiece. In FIG. 1, the band attachment portion 14 provided at the 12 o'clock end is referred to as band attachment portion 14a, and the band attachment portion 14 provided at the 6 o'clock end is referred to as band attachment portion 14b. In this embodiment, band attachment portion 14a and band attachment portion 14b have the same shape and configuration. Note that when simply referring to "band attachment portion 14," this includes band attachment portions 14a and 14b. By attaching a band (not shown) to band attachment portion 14, the timepiece 100 including the device main body 1 can be worn on the arm (wrist, etc.).

[0012] A side portion (outer periphery of the main body case 11) of the main body case 11 is provided with a plurality of operation units 15 configured to allow various operation instructions, such as an instruction to set the time or an instruction to switch the display on the display unit, to be input. In the embodiment, the operation units 15 are, for example, operation buttons that a user presses to perform various input operations. Note that the operation units 15 are not limited to operation buttons and may be, for example, a crown or the like. In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, four operation units 15 are arranged at approximately equal intervals (in the illustrated example, they are arranged between the 1 o'clock position and the 2 o'clock position, between the 4 o'clock position and the 5 o'clock position, between the 7 o'clock position and the 8 o'clock position, and between the 10 o'clock position and the 11 o'clock position on the analog timepiece, respectively). Note that it is sufficient for there to be at least one operation unit 15 on the side portion of the main body case 11, and the number and arrangement of the operation units 15 are not limited to the illustrated example. When a rotating member 3 (described later) is in the reference position shown in FIG. 1, the top side (the viewing side of the timepiece) of the operation units 15 is opened and operable. Furthermore, when the rotary member 3 is rotated about 45 degrees clockwise from the reference position (the state shown in FIG. 7), the upper surface side of the operation unit 15 is covered by the rotary member 3 and is thus in a guarded state.

[0013] Hereinafter, the operation unit located between the 1 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions of an analog timepiece will be referred to as operation unit 15a, the operation unit located between the 4 o'clock and 5 o'clock positions as operation unit 15b, the operation unit located between the 7 o'clock and 8 o'clock positions as operation unit 15c, and the operation unit located between the 10 o'clock and 11 o'clock positions as operation unit 15d. Note that the term "operation unit 15" refers to these four operation units 15a to 15d. While all operation units 15 may have the same color or shape, it is preferable that frequently used operation units 15 or operation units 15 assigned important functions be colored in a highly visible, eye-catching color, such as orange, to easily distinguish them from other operation units 15. An example of a frequently used operation unit 15 is an operation unit 15 assigned to a frequently used function, such as the start / stop button of a stopwatch. In this embodiment, only operation unit 15b located between the 4 o'clock and 5 o'clock positions is colored orange. The conspicuous color is not limited to orange and may be, for example, various fluorescent colors. Furthermore, by indicating functions by color differences or the like rather than by using unnecessary text to indicate functions on the operation unit 15, the operation unit 15 can be operated intuitively. Furthermore, by adding a contrasting color to the top (surface) of the operation unit 15, which is the visible side, it is easy to see whether the operation unit 15 is released and operable or hidden and guarded by the rotating member 3, allowing the user to visually and intuitively grasp the state change. In the present application, the index 32, the hour character 50 at the 12 o'clock position, and the operation unit 15 are colored in a highly visible color, such as orange. When the button guard is released (reference position) as shown in FIG. 1 , the orange index 32 on the rotating member 3 is positioned at the same position as the orange hour character (hour character 50 at the 12 o'clock position) on the watch, making it easy to see that the orange operation unit 15 can be used. Aligning the index 32 with the hour character 50 at the 12 o'clock position serves as a marker indicating that the rotating member 3 cannot be rotated any further. In addition, when the button is guarded as shown in Figure 7 (the upper surface of the operating unit 15 is covered and guarded by the rotating member 3), the orange indicator 32 of the rotating member 3 is shifted 45 degrees clockwise from the orange hour character on the watch (hour character 50 at the 12 o'clock position).Therefore, when the user looks at the device from above, the orange operating unit 15 is hidden under the rotating member 3, making it easy for the user to recognize that the device cannot be used.

[0014] Furthermore, recesses 16 having a depth in the height direction H (see FIG. 4, etc.) are formed in two locations on the top surface of the device body 1 that are approximately point-symmetric, and a restricting member 2 is disposed in each recess 16. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, recesses 16 are provided on the 12 o'clock side and the 6 o'clock side of the timepiece. The recess 16 provided on the 12 o'clock side and the recess 16 provided on the 6 o'clock side have approximately the same configuration and shape. Furthermore, the restricting members 2 disposed in each recess 16 also have approximately the same configuration and shape.

[0015] The regulating member 2 is a shaft member that is long in the height direction H of the timepiece 100 (thickness direction, see Figure 4, etc.). The regulating member 2 is made of, for example, a hard synthetic resin. Note that the material from which the regulating member 2 is made is not limited to this, and it may be made of, for example, various metals. A flange portion 21 that protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the regulating member 2 is provided in approximately the center of the height direction H of the regulating member 2. A biasing member 17, such as a coil spring, is arranged in the recess 16. When the regulating member 2 is arranged in the recess 16, the part of the regulating member 2 below the flange portion 21 is fitted inside the biasing member 17 (for example, inside the coil spring), and the upper end of the biasing member 17 abuts against the underside of the flange portion 21.

[0016] In the assembled state, the regulating member 2 is biased upward in the height direction H by the biasing member 17. As described above, the rotating member 3 is disposed on the top surface of the main body case 11 of the device body 1 in the assembled state. Recesses 4 having lengths corresponding to the amount of rotation of the rotating member 3 are formed along the rotation direction of the rotating member 3 (i.e., the circumferential direction of the substantially annular rotating member 3) on the surface of the rotating member 3 facing the device body 1, at positions corresponding to the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock sides of the timepiece. In the assembled state, the regulating member 2 is disposed at positions corresponding to one end of the recess 4 (the right end of the recess 4 on the 12 o'clock side and the left end of the recess 4 on the 6 o'clock side in the illustrated example). As a result of being biased upward in the height direction H by the biasing member 17, the upper tip 22 of the regulating member 2 protrudes from the recess 16 and fits into the interior of the recess 4 (described later) of the rotating member 3 disposed on the top surface of the device body 1.

[0017] The regulating member 2 is biased in the height direction H (protruding direction) by the biasing member 17, causing the regulating member 2 to protrude toward and be pressed against the bottom surface of the recessed portion 4. When the rotating member 3 rotates, the regulating member 2, while pressed against the bottom surface of the recessed portion 4 by the biasing member 17, slides along the bottom surface of the recessed portion 4, changing its position relative to the recessed portion 4. The tip 22 (the end on the protruding side) of the regulating member 2 has a rounded shape, as shown in, for example, Figures 3 and 4 . Therefore, even when the tip 22 of the regulating member 2 protrudes into the recessed portion 4, the load resistance during movement can be minimized, allowing the rotating member 3 to rotate with little resistance. Furthermore, the entire regulating member 2 is a cylindrical shaft and is rotationally symmetrical about the central axis. By shaping the regulating member 2 in this way, it has only vertical directionality and does not require positioning in the rotational direction. This reduces the workload when assembling the regulating member 2 to the device main body 1.

[0018] The rotating member 3 is a substantially annular member rotatably mounted on the top surface of the device body 1. The rotating member 3 is a cover member that can be displaced by rotating around its annular center, and can assume a guard position that protects the operating unit 15 and an open position that opens the operating unit 15 for operation. As shown in FIG. 1 , the rotating member 3 has portions cut out at its outer periphery between the 3 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions, between the 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, between the 9 o'clock and 12 o'clock positions, and between the 12 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions of an analog timepiece, forming cutouts 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d, respectively. As a result, the outer periphery edges of the rotating member 3 corresponding to the four cutouts 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d are positioned inward of the outer periphery edges at the 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, 9 o'clock, and 12 o'clock positions. Generally, rotating members such as rotating bezels are circular, but by cutting out a portion of the rotating member 3, the outer shape can be made rectangular or octagonal. By making the outer shape of the rotating member 3 non-circular, fingers can be more easily gripped when rotating, improving operability. Furthermore, by slimming down the shape of the rotating member 3, especially on the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock sides, it is possible to reduce the risk of the sleeves getting caught when putting on or taking off a jacket.

[0019] When the rotating member 3 is in the reference position shown in FIG. 1, the notches 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d are located at positions corresponding to the operation units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d of the device main body 1, respectively. Therefore, when the rotating member 3 is in the reference position, the upper sides of the operation units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d are open and operable. This state shown in FIG. 1 is referred to as the state in which the rotating member 3 is in the open position. In this state, the operation unit 15 is largely exposed, thereby improving the visibility of the operation unit 15.

[0020] In contrast, when the rotating member 3 rotates clockwise approximately 45 degrees from the reference position (starting point of rotation), as shown in FIG. 7 , the portions other than the notches 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d are positioned at positions corresponding to the operation units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d. In this state, the upper sides of the operation units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d are covered and guarded by the rotating member 3. This state shown in FIG. 7 is referred to as the state in which the rotating member 3 is in the guard position. In this state, the operation units 15 are hidden beneath the rotating member 3, making the time display and other information on the timepiece 100 relatively more visible. This is expected to improve the readability of the time and other information. Furthermore, by being able to guard the operation units 15 with the rotating member 3 as in the embodiment, it is possible to eliminate the risk of the operation units 15 getting caught on the sleeves of clothing, even if they are formed relatively large. Therefore, when the rotary member 3 is in the open position, the operation portion 15 is easier to press, and can be easily operated even when wearing gloves, for example.

[0021] Indicators 32 indicating various positions and the like are provided along the circumferential direction on the surface of the rotating member 3. The indicators 32 may be provided by printing, or by laser processing or the like. In this embodiment, the indicators 32 are arranged as follows: That is, a first indicator 321 is provided at positions on the rotating member 3 corresponding to the 12 o'clock position and the 6 o'clock position, respectively. Furthermore, a second indicator 322 is provided at positions on the rotating member 3 corresponding to the 3 o'clock position and the 9 o'clock position, respectively. Furthermore, a third indicator 323 is provided between the first indicator 321 and the second indicator 322, respectively.

[0022] Of these, the first index 321 indicates the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions, which serve as references for checking the time, and is therefore preferably provided larger and more conspicuous than the other indexes, as shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the rotating member 3 is rotatable within a 45-degree range from the state shown in FIG. 1 (the state where the rotating member 3 is at the starting point of rotation), as will be described later. When the first index 321 is positioned at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions, the rotating member 3 can rotate clockwise but cannot rotate any further counterclockwise. The first index 321 also functions as an index indicating the rotatable direction of the rotating member 3 and the movable range of the rotating member 3.

[0023] When the first index 321 is positioned at the 12 o'clock position or the 6 o'clock position as shown in FIG. 1 , the rotary member 3 is in the open position, which allows the operation unit 15 to be operated. The first index 321 also functions as an indicator indicating whether the rotary member 3 is in the open position or the guard position. That is, when the first index 321 is positioned at the 12 o'clock position or the 6 o'clock position as shown in FIG. 1 , the user can recognize that the rotary member 3 is in the open position, which allows the operation unit 15 to be operated. When the rotary member 3 is in the reference position as shown in FIG. 1 , the third index 323 is positioned at positions corresponding to the operation units 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d provided on the device body 1. This allows the user to easily determine the position of the operation unit 15 by looking at the rotary member 3. In this embodiment, the third index 323 is a triangular icon, which also serves as an auxiliary indicator for indicating the direction in which the operation unit 15 is pressed. Furthermore, when the rotating member 3 is in the guard position, the third indicators 323 are located at the 3 o'clock position, 6 o'clock position, 9 o'clock position, and 12 o'clock position, respectively, and therefore also function as an aid for reading the time.

[0024] Furthermore, on the back side (the side facing the device body 1) of the rotating member 3 in this embodiment, a recess 4 is formed along the rotation direction of the rotating member 3, with a length corresponding to the amount of rotation of the rotating member 3. As described above, in the assembled state, the regulating member 2 protrudes into the recess 4 from the device body 1 side. The outer periphery of the recess 4 forms a standing wall that is approximately perpendicular to the upper surface of the device body 1, and the regulating member 2 cannot climb over this standing wall. The rotating member 3 is rotatable relative to the device body 1, but the range of its rotation is limited to a range in which the regulating member 2 does not hit the standing wall of the recess 4.

[0025] The ends 41 on both sides of the recess 4 in the longitudinal direction are deeper in the height direction H of the watch 100 (the thickness direction, the direction in which the regulating member 2 protrudes; see Figures 3 and 4, etc.) than the center part in the longitudinal direction. As mentioned above, when the rotating member 3 rotates, the regulating member 2 provided on the device main body 1 side changes position relative to the recess 4. As mentioned above, the regulating member 2 is urged by the urging member 17 toward the upper side of the device main body 1, i.e., toward the rotating member 3, and remains pressed against the bottom surface of the recess 4 even when the rotating member 3 is rotating. For this reason, when the depth of the recess 4, which is located at a position corresponding to the regulating member 2, changes, the amount by which the regulating member 2 protrudes into the recess 4 also changes accordingly.

[0026] The relationship between the recess 4 and the restricting member 2 will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the embodiment, the recess 4 is formed on the rear surface side of the rotating member 3, in a range of 0 to 45 degrees in the circumferential direction, centered on a position corresponding to the portion where the first index 321 is provided on the front surface side. More specifically, in the illustrated example, the recess 4 is a substantially arc-shaped groove that extends from the position corresponding to the first index 321 in a range of approximately 22.5 degrees in the clockwise direction and approximately 22.5 degrees in the counterclockwise direction (approximately 0 to 45 degrees as shown in FIG. 3 ). Note that in FIG. 3 , the displacement of the arc-shaped recess 4 is actually shown as a linear schematic for the sake of explanation.

[0027] The 0-degree position in FIG. 3 is the starting position of the rotation of the rotating member 3, and FIGS. 1 and 4 correspond to a state in which the rotating member 3 is at the 0-degree position. The 45-degree position in FIG. 3 is the end position of the clockwise rotation of the rotating member 3, and FIGS. 7 and 8 correspond to a state in which the rotating member 3 is at the 45-degree position. As shown in FIGS. 3, 1, 4, 7, and 8, when the rotating member 3 is in the reference position before rotation (the 0-degree position in FIG. 3) and when it has rotated the full length of the recessed portion 4 (the 45-degree position in FIG. 3), the end portion 41, which is the deepest part of the recessed portion 4, is located above the restricting member 2. Therefore, the restricting member 2, which is biased upward by the biasing member 17, protrudes up to the upper end (bottom surface) of the end portion 41.

[0028] In contrast, at the midpoint between these two points, the depth in the height direction H of the recess 4 is shallower than at both ends (ends 41). Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the amount of protrusion of the regulating member 2 into the recess 4 is also smaller than the amount of protrusion at the end 41. As described above, even when the rotating member 3 rotates and displaces, the regulating member 2 is pressed against the upper end (bottom surface) of the recess 4 by the biasing member 17, and its tip is maintained in a state of tracing the bottom surface of the recess 4. Therefore, when the regulating member 2 moves from the shallow portion to the deep end 41, the regulating member 2 is pushed toward the end 41 by the biasing member 17, generating a clicking sensation. In addition, on the bottom surface of the recess 4, inclined surfaces 42 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) are formed between one end (end 41) in the longitudinal direction and the center side in the longitudinal direction, and between the other end (end 41) in the longitudinal direction and the center side in the longitudinal direction. As a result, even when the regulating member 2 moves relatively from both ends (ends 41) of the recess 4, which are deep in the height direction H, to a shallower portion midway between the ends as the rotating member 3 rotates, the regulating member 2 can overcome the step along the inclined surface 42. This reduces the amount of catching or resistance encountered when the rotating member 3 moves, allowing for smooth movement. Furthermore, stop surfaces 43 are formed at one and the other ends of the recess in the length direction, at an angle that is steeper with respect to the bottom surface of the recess than the inclined surface 42. The stop surfaces 43 have an angle that is, for example, perpendicular to the bottom surface of the recess 4. As a result, the regulating member 2 does not go beyond the stop surfaces 43 of the recess 4.

[0029] Next, the operation of the rotating device and timepiece 100 including the rotating device of this embodiment will be described. When assembling the rotating device and timepiece 100 including the rotating device, first, the operating unit 15 is attached to the outer part of the device body 1, the module and other components are housed in the main case 11, and the crystal member 12 and back cover member 13 are attached. Next, the biasing member 17 is placed in the recess 16 formed in the device body 1, and the regulating member 2 is placed in the recess 16 so that the flange portion 21 rests on the biasing member 17. Then, the rotating member 3, which has recesses 4 formed at positions that correspond to the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions in the reference position in the assembled state, is placed on the device body 1 with the surface on which the recesses 4 are formed facing the top surface of the device body 1. At this time, the rotating member 3 is attached so that the first index is in the reference position that coincides with the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions on the watch. This places the regulating member 2 within the ends 41 of the recesses 4, respectively, completing the assembly of the rotating device and timepiece 100 including the rotating device.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 1, when the rotating member 3 is oriented so that the first indicators 321 are located at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions on the timepiece (when the rotating member 3 is in the reference position), the regulating member 2 protruding from the device body 1 is located at one end of the recess 4 formed on the back side of the rotating member 3 (end 41 near the 1 o'clock side and end 41 near the 7 o'clock side of the recess 4 in the example shown in Fig. 1), as indicated by the dashed lines in Fig. 1. In this state, when the rotating member 3 is attempted to be rotated counterclockwise, the regulating member 2 abuts against the stop surface (standing wall) 43 of the recess 4. Therefore, the counterclockwise movement of the rotating member 3 is restricted.

[0031] When the rotating member 3 is in the reference position, as shown in Fig. 1, the notches 31 of the rotating member 3 are located at positions corresponding to the operation units 15 provided on the device body 1. This leaves the upper sides of all operation units 15 open, allowing the user to operate them. Furthermore, when the rotating member 3 is in the reference position, the third index 323 is located at a position that corresponds approximately to each operation unit 15. Therefore, the user can recognize the position of the operation unit 15 simply by checking the position of the third index 323.

[0032] Furthermore, the end 41 of the recess 4 of the rotating member 3 is deepest in the height direction H of the recess 4. Therefore, when the end 41 is located at a position corresponding to the regulating member 2, the amount of protrusion of the regulating member 2 toward the rotating member 3 when biased by the biasing member 17 is large, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 . When the rotating member 3 is rotated clockwise from this state, a shallower portion of the recess 4 is located at a position corresponding to the regulating member 2. In this state, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 , the regulating member 2 and the biasing member 17 are compressed by the bottom surface (top surface) of the recess 4. Note that an inclined surface 42 is provided in the intermediate portion between the deep end 41 and the shallow central portion of the recess 4, inclining relative to the central portion. Therefore, even when the intermediate portion from the end 41 to the central portion passes through the portion where the regulating member 2 is located, the rotating member 3 can smoothly climb over the tip 22 of the regulating member 2.

[0033] 7 and 8, when the rotating member 3 is further rotated clockwise and displaced to a position at approximately 45 degrees from the reference position, the restricting member 2 fits into the end 41 on the opposite side of the recess 4. At the moment when the portion of the recess 4 corresponding to the restricting member 2 changes from a shallow portion to a deep portion (end 41) in the height direction H, the restricting member 2 is pushed into the end 41 by the biasing member 17, generating a clicking sensation.

[0034] When the rotating member 3 rotates 45 degrees from the starting position (0 degrees in FIG. 3 ) of the rotation to a position where the restricting member 2 fits into the end 41, the restricting member 2 hits the stop surface (standing wall) 43 of the end 41, preventing the rotating member 3 from rotating further clockwise. When the rotating member 3 is in a position rotated 45 degrees from the starting position of the rotation, as shown in FIG. 7 , the upper side of the operating unit 15 provided on the device body 1 is covered by the rotating member 3, creating a guard state in which it cannot be freely operated. To return the operating unit 15 to an operable state from this state, the rotating member 3 is rotated counterclockwise by approximately 45 degrees to the state shown in FIG. 1 (the reference position of the rotating member 3). When the rotating member 3 is returned to the reference position, the portion of the recess 4 corresponding to the restricting member 2 is displaced from a shallow portion to a deep portion (end 41) in the height direction H. As a result, the moment the end portion 41 is placed at a position corresponding to the restricting member 2, the restricting member 3 is pushed into the end portion 41 by the biasing member 17, and a clicking sensation is generated.

[0035] As described above, in this embodiment, the rotating member 3 can rotate clockwise up to about 45 degrees from the start position of the rotation, and at the start and end positions of the rotation, the restricting member 2 abuts against the stop surface (standing wall) 43 of the recess 4, restricting the movement of the rotating member 3 to the range in which the recess 4 is provided. This allows the rotating member 3 to move only within a predetermined range. At the start position of the rotation, the operating unit 15 can be operated, and at the end position of the rotation, the operation of the operating unit 15 is restricted, allowing the user to change the position of the rotating member 3 as needed.

[0036] As described above, in this embodiment, an apparatus such as a timepiece 100 includes a rotation device including a device body 1 having an operating unit 15 on its side, and a rotating member 3 that is a substantially annular member rotatably mounted on the top surface of the device body 1 and that is displaceable by rotating around the center of the annular ring as a rotation center, and that can assume a guard position that protects the operating unit 15 and an open position that opens the operating unit 15 for operation. The rotating member 3 of the rotation device according to this embodiment is formed with a recess 4 that is aligned with the rotation direction of the rotating member 3 and has a length corresponding to the amount of rotation of the rotating member 3. The device body 1 is provided with a restricting member 2 that is disposed within the recess 4, and the rotating member 3 is rotatable relative to the device body 1 within a range corresponding to the length of the recess 4. This allows the rotating member 3 to be rotated within a predetermined range relative to the device body 1 (for example, a range of up to 45 degrees clockwise, assuming that the reference rotation start position is 0 degrees), and the position of the rotating member 3 can be easily switched between a position where the operating unit 15 can be operated and a position where the operating unit 15 is guarded. This makes it possible to simply and reliably prevent the operation unit 15 from being carelessly operated and the settings and the like from being unintentionally changed.

[0037] Furthermore, the regulating member 2 in the embodiment protrudes toward the bottom surface of the recessed portion 4 (the upper surface in Figures 3 and 4, etc.) and is biased in the protruding direction so as to follow the bottom surface of the recessed portion 4. In this way, in the embodiment, when the device body 1 and the rotating member 3 move relative to each other, the regulating member 2 is guided along the recessed portion 4. Therefore, the rotatable range of the rotating member 3 can be easily restricted to a range in which the regulating member 2 does not hit or come off the recessed portion 4, and the rotating member 3 can be accurately operated within the limited range between the open position and the guard position of the operating portion 15.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, both longitudinal ends (ends 41) of the recess 4 are deeper in the direction in which the restricting member 2 protrudes (height direction H of the timepiece 100) than the longitudinal center. This makes it possible to generate a clicking sensation when the restricting member 2 fits into the ends 41.

[0039] In addition, in the embodiment, the bottom surface of the recess 4 is formed with inclined surfaces 42 that incline toward the longitudinal center between one longitudinal end 41 and the longitudinal center, and between the other longitudinal end 41 and the longitudinal center. Therefore, even after the regulating member 2 is once fitted into the end 41 of the recess 4, the rotating member 3 can be moved smoothly. That is, as shown in FIG. 3 and other figures, even if the position within the recess 4 corresponding to the regulating member 2 shifts from the end 41 to the central portion of the recess 4, which is shallower than the end 41, as the rotating member 3 rotates, the regulating member 2 does not get caught, and the rotating member 3 can be moved smoothly. Furthermore, stop surfaces (standing walls) 43 that are at a steeper angle with respect to the bottom surface of the recess 4 than the inclined surfaces 42 are formed on one and the other longitudinal end sides of the recess 4 of the rotating member 3, which is the cover member. The restricting member 2 cannot climb over the stop surface (standing wall) 43, and when the restricting member 2 hits the stop surface (standing wall) 43, the rotating member 3 cannot be moved any further. Therefore, the movement of the rotating member 3 is restricted to the range in which the recessed portion 4 is provided.

[0040] Furthermore, in the embodiment, an indicator 321 is provided on the surface of the rotating member 3, which indicates that the rotating member 3 is in the open position when the rotating member 3 is displaced to the open position. This makes it easy to check, by simply looking at the rotating member 3, whether the operating unit 15 in the rotating device is in an operable state.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an index 321 indicating the movable range of the rotation member 3 is provided on the surface of the rotation member 3. This makes it easy to check whether the rotation member 3 can be further rotated simply by looking at the index 321 on the rotation member 3. This prevents the user from forcibly rotating the rotation member 3 beyond the movable range, which could result in damage to the device.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an index 323 indicating the position of the operation unit 15 is provided on the surface of the rotation member 3. This allows the user to easily confirm the position of the operation unit 15 just by looking at the index 323 on the rotation member 3.

[0043] Furthermore, the timepiece 100 in this embodiment includes a rotating device that is equipped with the device body 1 and the rotating member 3. Therefore, simply by rotating the rotating member 3, it is possible to easily switch between a state in which the operating unit 15 can be operated and a state in which the operating unit 15 is protected from inadvertent operation.

[0044] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0045] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was given in which there are provided four operating units 15 that can be switched between an open state and a guard state by the rotating member 3, but it is sufficient to provide at least one operating unit 15. The rotating member 3 is only required to be capable of taking a guard position that can guard the operating units 15 and an open position that opens the operating units 15 and makes them operable, and the shape of the rotating member 3 and the positions and ranges of the recesses 4 can be changed as appropriate depending on the number and arrangement of the operating units 15.

[0046] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which only both end portions of the recess 4 are deep in the height direction H, but the shape of the recess 4 is not limited to this. For example, deep and shallow portions in the height direction H may be alternately provided in the recess 4, so that small clicking sensations can be generated by moving the rotating member 3 little by little.

[0047] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the rotating member 3 covers only the top surface of the operating unit 15 in the guard position has been exemplified, but the state in which the operating unit 15 is guarded is not limited to the state in which the top surface is covered. For example, the rotating member 3 may have a side wall portion that extends down from all or part of its outer periphery toward the device main body 1. In this case, when the rotating member 3 is placed in the guard position, the operating unit 15 is guarded not only from the top surface but also from the side surface, which more reliably prevents unintended operation.

[0048] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was given in which a recess 4 is formed in the rotating member 3 and a regulating member 2 is provided in the device main body 1 and placed in the recess 4, but it is sufficient that the recess is provided in either the device main body 1 or the rotating member 3, and the regulating member is provided in the other of the device main body 1 or the rotating member 3.

[0049] For example, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , a timepiece 200 may include a rotating device having a device main body 10 with a recess 5 and a rotating member 30 with a regulating member 6. A recess 35 is formed in the rotating member 30 at the position where the regulating member 6 is to be provided, and the regulating member 6 is disposed within the recess 35 via a biasing member 17. As a result, the regulating member 6 is biased downward in the height direction H from the rotating member 30 side toward the device main body 10 side by the biasing member 17. In this case, except for the positional relationship between the member where the recess 5 is provided and the member where the regulating member 6 is provided, which differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 , the rest of the structure is the same. For this reason, similar members are designated by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted.

[0050] In this case, as shown in FIG. 9 , recesses 5 are formed on the top surface of the device body 10 near the operating portion 15a corresponding to the notch 31a of the rotating member 3 at the reference position, and on the top surface of the device body 10 near the operating portion 15c corresponding to the notch 31c of the rotating member 3. Furthermore, recesses 5 are provided on the rear side of the rotating member 30 (the side corresponding to the top surface of the device body 10) at positions corresponding to the ends of the recesses 5 on the device body 10 side. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9 , the restricting member 6 corresponding to the recess 5 on the operating portion 15a side is disposed at the left end of the recess 5, and the restricting member 6 corresponding to the recess 5 on the operating portion 15c side is disposed at the right end of the recess 5. Note that, in this case, both ends of the recess 5 in the length direction may be deeper in the height direction H (see FIG. 10 ) than the center portion. Although not shown, when the depth of the recess 5 at both ends in the length direction is deepened in this way, it is preferable to provide an inclined surface between the both ends of the recess 5 in the length direction and the center portion of the recess 5, which is shallower in the height direction H, as in the embodiment.

[0051] In this way, even when the recess 5 is provided on the device body 10 side and the restricting member 6 is provided on the rotating member 30 side, the rotating member 30 can be rotated within a predetermined range relative to the device body 10 (for example, a range of up to 45 degrees clockwise when the reference rotation start position is 0 degrees), and the position of the rotating member 30 can be easily switched between a position where the operating unit 15 can be operated and a position where the operating unit 15 is guarded. This makes it possible to simply and reliably prevent the operating unit 15 from being carelessly operated and causing settings and the like to be unintentionally changed.

[0052] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a rotating device and a watch 100 including a rotating device were described that include a device main body 1 that has an operating unit 15, and a rotating device 3 that can be displaced by rotating to take a guard position that can guard the operating unit 15, and an open position that opens the operating unit 15 so that it can be operated. However, the same effect as this embodiment can also be achieved with a displacement device and a watch 300 that includes a displacement device that has a displacement member that can take a guard position that can guard the operating unit 15, and an open position that opens the operating unit 15 so that it can be operated.

[0053] In this case, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the device main body (main body case 301) is formed, for example, in a rectangular shape. For example, the timepiece 300 shown in Figures 11 and 12 shows an example in which the operation units 15 are provided on both sides of the upper side (12 o'clock side) of the main body case 301. Note that the position and number of the operation units 15 are not limited to the illustrated example. For example, the operation units may be provided on only one side of the main body case. Furthermore, the operation units may be provided on a side, such as the lower side (6 o'clock side) of the main body case.

[0054] Furthermore, the displacement member (cover member) 400 of the displacement device provided in the timepiece 300 is a frame-shaped member provided on the top surface of the device body (main body case 301), as shown in, for example, FIGS. 11 and 12 . In the illustrated example, the displacement member 400 of the displacement device is formed long in the horizontal direction of the device body (main body case 301) (the horizontal direction in FIGS. 11 and 12 ). The displacement member 400 moves relative to the device body by sliding in the vertical direction (the direction indicated by the thick arrow in FIGS. 11 and 12 ) from the 12 o'clock side to the 6 o'clock side of the analog timepiece. It is preferable that at least the portion of the displacement member 400 that overlaps with the display, etc., be made of a transparent material so that the surface side of the main body case 301 (the display, etc. provided on the surface side) is not hidden even when the displacement member 400 moves on the top side of the main body case 301. Alternatively, the vertical frame portion in the illustrated example may be made as small (thin) as possible to minimize the portion of the displacement member 400 that overlaps with the display, etc. In this case as well, a recess is provided on either the top surface of the device body (body case 301) or the displacement member 400, and a regulating member is provided on the other of the top surface of the device body or the displacement member 400 at a position corresponding to the recess.

[0055] 11 and 12 illustrate an example in which the restricting member 302 is provided on the top surface of the main body case 301 and the recess 401 is provided on the back surface of the displacement member 400. In the illustrated example, the recess 401 is formed long in the horizontal direction, and the restricting member 302 is disposed on the top surface of the main body case 301 at a position corresponding to the recess 401, such as approximately the center in the vertical direction. Note that the illustrated example shows a case in which the restricting member 302 and the recess 401 are disposed only on the 3 o'clock side of the watch, but the locations and numbers of the restricting member 302 and the recess 401 are not limited to the illustrated example. For example, the restricting member 302 and the recess 401 may be disposed on the 9 o'clock side of the watch, or may be disposed on both the 3 o'clock side and the 9 o'clock side. Arranging the restricting member 302 and the recess 401 at symmetrical positions allows for more stable sliding movement. In either case, the displacement member 400 is configured to be movable relative to the device main body (main body case 301) within a range corresponding to the length of the recess 401.

[0056] The sliding direction of the displacement member is not limited to the vertical direction as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 . For example, if the operating unit 15 is provided on either the 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock side of the device body (main body case 301), the displacement member of the displacement device may be elongated in the vertical direction of the device body (main body case 301) (the vertical direction in FIGS. 11 and 12 ) so that it slides horizontally from the 3 o'clock side to the 9 o'clock side of an analog clock and moves relative to the device body. In this case, the recess is formed elongated in the vertical direction, and the regulating member is placed on the top surface of the main body case 301 at a position corresponding to the recess, such as approximately the center in the horizontal direction. In this case, a recess is also formed on either the top surface of the device body or the displacement member, and a regulating member is placed on the other of the top surface of the device body or the displacement member at a position corresponding to the recess. The displacement member is then configured to be movable relative to the device body within a range corresponding to the length of the recess.

[0057] For example, in the case of a displacement device equipped with a displacement member that is displaced by sliding vertically or horizontally as described above, even when the device has a rectangular main body case as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the displacement member can be used to easily switch between a guard position that can guard operation unit 15 and an open position that opens operation unit 15 to enable operation. Therefore, a structure that can easily switch the state of operation unit 15 can be widely applied to devices such as rectangular watches in which it is difficult to place a rotating member, thereby improving the freedom of external design of watches and the like.

[0058] Note that the rotating member shown in FIGS. 1 to 10 and the displacement member shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, which are cover members, do not necessarily have to be sized to cover the entire top surface of the device body. That is, the rotating member or displacement member (cover member) may be configured to be able to assume a guard position where it can guard the operation unit 15 by displacement and an open position where it opens the operation unit 15 and allows operation. For example, the rotating member or displacement member (cover member) may be a part of the top surface of the device body and be able to assume a position where it can guard the operation unit 15 and an open position where it allows operation. The operation unit does not have to be provided on the outer peripheral side of the device body 1. As long as the cover member can assume a guard position where it can guard the operation unit and an open position where it opens the operation unit and allows operation, the operation unit may be provided on the outer peripheral top surface of the device body 1. Furthermore, the operation unit is not limited to buttons and may be a display unit such as a touch panel.

[0059] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the rotation device and displacement device are applied to a timepiece, but the device to which the rotation device and displacement device are applied is not limited to a timepiece. For example, the rotation device and displacement device may be a pedometer, a heart rate meter, an altimeter, a barometer, or a so-called smart watch.

[0060] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1 Device body, 15 Operation unit, 2 Restriction member, 3 Rotation member (cover member), 4 Recess, 100 Clock

Claims

1. a device body having an operation unit on the outer periphery thereof; a cover member that is provided on one surface of the device body and that can be moved in a direction substantially parallel to the one surface of the device body to take a guard position that can guard the operation unit and an open position that opens the operation unit to make it operable; Equipped with a recess having a length corresponding to the movable amount of the cover member along a movable direction of the cover member is formed in either the device body or the cover member; the other of the device body and the cover member is provided with a restricting member that is disposed within the recess; the cover member is movable relative to the device body only within a range corresponding to the length of the recess. A displacement device characterized by:

2. the outer circumferential side of the device body is a side portion of the device body, One end of the movable range of the cover member is in the guard position, and the other end is in the open position.

2. The displacement device according to claim 1.

3. the cover member is a substantially annular rotating member rotatably provided on the top surface of the device body, and is displaced by rotating about a center of the annular center; the recess is movable within the range of the length corresponding to the rotation amount of the rotary member along the rotation direction of the rotary member.

2. The displacement device according to claim 1.

4. The restricting member protrudes toward the bottom surface of the recess and is biased in the protruding direction so as to trace the bottom surface of the recess.

2. The displacement device according to claim 1.

5. The recess has a depth in the protruding direction of the restricting member that is relatively greater at both ends in the length direction than at a center portion in the length direction.

2. The displacement device according to claim 1.

6. The bottom surface of the recess has an inclined surface inclined toward the center in the longitudinal direction between one end portion in the longitudinal direction and the center in the longitudinal direction, and between the other end portion in the longitudinal direction and the center in the longitudinal direction.

2. The displacement device according to claim 1.

7. a stop surface formed on one end side and the other end side of the recess in the length direction of the cover member, the stop surface being at an angle steeper with respect to the bottom surface of the recess than the inclined surface; 7. The displacement device according to claim 6.

8. an indicator is provided on a surface of the rotary member to indicate that the rotary member is in the open position when the rotary member is displaced to the open position; 4. The displacement device according to claim 3.

9. An index indicating a movable range of the rotating member is provided on the surface of the rotating member.

4. The displacement device according to claim 3.

10. An index indicating the position of the operation unit is provided on the surface of the rotating member.

4. The displacement device according to claim 3.

11. A timepiece, characterized in that it includes a displacement device according to any one of claims 1 and 10.

12. a device body having an operation unit on the outer periphery thereof; a rotating member that is provided on one side of the device body and that can be rotated around an annular center as a rotation center to take a guard position that can guard the operation unit and an open position that opens the operation unit to make it operable; Equipped with a recess having a length corresponding to the rotation amount of the rotary member is formed in either the device body or the rotary member along the rotation direction of the rotary member; the other of the device body and the rotating member is provided with a restricting member disposed in the recess; the rotating member is rotatable relative to the device body only within a range corresponding to the length of the recessed portion; A rotating device characterized by:

13. A timepiece comprising a rotating device according to claim 12.

14. the rotating member of the rotating device is a displacement member, An index is provided on the surface of the rotating member, When the indicator is at the 12 o'clock position, the operation unit is in the open position where it is open.

14. The watch according to claim 13.

Images