Accuracy improvement device for mechanical watches

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to provide an accuracy improvement device that solves the accuracy problems of conventional mechanical watches without significantly altering the existing watch structure, and that achieves accuracy comparable to that of a quartz watch. [Solution] A mechanical watch incorporates an external oscillator separate from the balance wheel. Its pulse is converted into mechanical vibrations using a piezoelectric element, and this vibrational energy is transmitted to the balance wheel. This transmits mechanical vibrations to the balance wheel, causing it to resonate through the pull-in phenomenon. This resonance forces the balance wheel's vibrations to synchronize with the frequency of the quartz oscillator, significantly improving accuracy.

Claims

1. A device for improving the accuracy of a watch, characterized by incorporating an external oscillator that operates separately from the balance wheel into a mechanical watch, converting the pulse of the external oscillator into mechanical vibrations using an actuator, and transmitting the vibrational energy of these mechanical vibrations to the balance wheel.

2. The accuracy improvement device for a clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuator is at least one selected from a piezoelectric element, a transducer other than a piezoelectric element, and a micromachine.

3. The accuracy improvement device for a clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the frequency and waveform of the balance wheel and the oscillation interval, frequency, and waveform of the external oscillator are adjusted or set in advance or dynamically so that forced synchronization occurs due to the pull-in phenomenon.

4. The accuracy improvement device for a clock according to claim 3, characterized in that the pulse of the external oscillator is emitted at intervals that are integer multiples of the period of the balance wheel.

5. The accuracy improvement device for a clock according to claim 4, characterized in that it detects the pulse of the balance wheel using a vibration sensor attached to the mechanical clock, detects a state of being out of step, and provides feedback control of the frequency of the actuator, the waveform of the actuator, or the oscillation interval of the external oscillator based on the result of the detection.

6. The accuracy-improving device for a clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the power supply for the accuracy-improving device consists of one or more combinations selected from a primary battery, a secondary battery, a supercapacitor, a vibration generator, a barrel generator, and a solar panel.

7. The accuracy improvement device for a clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuator and the balance wheel share a highly rigid mount in order to efficiently synchronize the actuator and the balance wheel.

8. The accuracy improvement device for a clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuator and the balance wheel are connected by a vibration transmission arm in order to efficiently synchronize the actuator and the balance wheel.

9. The accuracy improvement device for a clock according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it has a structure that isolates the total inertia of the vibrating components of the balance unit, including the actuator and the balance wheel, from the inertia of the entire clock, in order to promote resonance between the actuator and the balance wheel.

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