Watch winding device

Abstract

A watch winding device comprising a housing (1), a drive unit (2) located in the housing, a control unit (4) and a data storage unit (7) being stationary with respect to the housing, a power supply, a cuff holding element (3) connected to the drive unit (2) and rotatable relative to the housing (1), a cuff (5) connected to the cuff holding element (3), the cuff (5) comprising a microphone (10). The cuff (5) further comprises an optical signal emitting unit (20) provided with at least one light emitting diode (22) for transmitting signal of the microphone (10), the control unit (4) comprises an optical signal receiving unit (30) for receiving light signals of the optical signal emitting unit (20), the optical signal receiving unit (30) comprising a plurality of phototransistors (32) arranged along a circle, so as to detect light signals of the at least one light emitting diode (22).

Description

[0001] Watch winding device

[0002] The present invention relates to a watch winding device.

[0003] In the case of automatic watches, in order to supply the energy required for the operation of the watch, the movement of the wearer is converted into mechanically stored energy by the rotor located in the watch and the watch mechanism, thus ensuring the continuous operation of the watch. If the watch is not worn, the energy supply is not ensured, causing the watch to stop after a certain time. Furthermore, regular monitoring of the physical parameters of the watch as part of a diagnostic procedure is essential to preserve the mechanical properties of the watch. Watch winding devices processing the sound signals of the watch allow to prevent the watch from stopping and to regularly monitor the watch.

[0004] Such a device is disclosed, for example, in the patent document US 2021 / 0181687 Al. The watch winding device described herein comprises a rotating motor, a base supporting the motor and a watch holding unit as well as an upper watch holder rotatable relative to the watch holding unit, the surface of which directly contacting the watch. The upper watch holder comprises a microphone for measuring sounds of the watch and an embedded electronic circuit for processing the signal from the microphone. The device comprises, in order to supply power to the embedded electronic circuit, a first coil fixed to the base, which is powered by a power source carried or relayed by the base, and a second coil, which is coaxially embedded with the first coil in the upper watch holder and is configured to supply power to the embedded electronic circuit by inductive coupling. The embedded electronic circuit located in the watch holder is in communication with the electronic circuit in the base. This prior art solution enables to measure the sound signals of the watch only in a given position of the rotatable upper watch holder.

[0005] It is an object of the invention to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and to provide a watch winding device having a compact configuration and being easy to manufacture.

[0006] The above objects are achieved by providing a watch winding device as defined in claim 1. Various preferred embodiments of the invention are specified by the dependent claims. The present invention will now be described, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] - Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a possible embodiment of the watch winding device according to the invention.

[0008] - Fig. 2 illustrates a circuit diagram of the optical signal emitting unit and the optical signal receiving unit of the watch winding device according to the invention.

[0009] - Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the microphone and the sound conducting rod of the watch winding device according to the invention.

[0010] - Figs. 4A and 4B are perspective views of a possible embodiment of the cuff of the watch winding device according to the invention, the sound conducting rod being in the retracted end position and in the lifted end position, respectively.

[0011] Fig. 1 illustrates the architecture of the watch winding device according to the invention. The watch winding device comprises a housing 1 and a drive unit 2, typically formed as an electric motor, located in the housing 1. The watch winding device further comprises a control unit 4, a data storage unit 7 and a power supply. A cuff holding element 3 connected to the drive unit 2 and rotatable relative to the housing 1 is arranged in the housing 1. A cuff 5 is connected to the cuff holding element 3, on which a watch can be placed. The cuff 5 rotatable relative to the housing 1 is provided with a microphone 10, which enables the detection of sound signals generated during operation of the watch arranged on the cuff 5. A signal processing circuit of the control unit 4 may be used for processing the detected sound signals. The control unit 4 may further be connected to a communication unit, which is, for example, in wireless communication with a server.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 2, the cuff 5 further comprises an optical signal emitting unit 20 for transmitting signal of the microphone 10. The optical signal emitting unit 20 is provided with at least one light emitting diode 22, which may be connected to the microphone 10 via an amplifier 23. In addition, a switch 24 is located in the circuit arranged in the cuff 5. The control unit 4 includes an optical signal receiving unit 30 for receiving light signals of the optical signal emitting unit 20. The optical signal receiving unit 30 includes a plurality of phototransistors 32, which are arranged along a circle, so as to detect light signals of the at least one light emitting diode 22. The phototransistors 32 may be connected via an amplifier 33 to the signal processing circuit of the control unit 4 not shown in Fig. 2.

[0013] The arrangement of the phototransistors 32 enables the light signal of the at least one light emitting diode 22, corresponding to the sound signal detected by the microphone 10, to be received at different angular positions of the rotatable cuff 5. Preferably, eight phototransistors 32 are arranged along a circle angularly spaced with an angular distance of 45 degrees.

[0014] The vertical direction and thus the orientation of the housing 1 is typically determined by an acceleration sensor arranged in the housing 1.

[0015] The power supply of the watch winding device is ensured by the power supply unit, to which a coil 41 arranged stationary with respect to the housing 1 may be connected. A coil 42 may be arranged in the cuff 5 rotatable relative to the housing 1 in front of the coil 41. The inductive coupling thus formed ensures the power supply of the circuit in the cuff 5.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 3, the microphone 10 may be connected to a sound conducting rod 15 in a sound transmitting manner. The sound conducting rod 15 is typically provided with a conical outer end 16, the material of which having a Mohs hardness of at most 6. The sound conducting rod 15 may be movable with respect to the cuff 5 between a retracted end position shown in Fig. 4 A and a lifted end position shown in Fig. 4B.

[0017] The operation of the watch winding device will be described below. As shown in Fig. 4A, before a watch is placed on the cuff 5, in the initial position, the sound conducting rod 15 is in the retracted end position. At this time, the microphone 10 is switched off. Thus, when the watch is placed on the cuff, the sound conducting rod 15 does not come into contact with the watch and does not scratch the watch. After the watch has been placed on the cuff 5, the sound conducting rod 15 is moved to the lifted end position, at which the outer end 16 of the sound conducting rod 15 contacts the case of the watch. At this time, the microphone 10 is switched on. Thus, the sound transmission between the watch and the microphone 10 takes place mechanically. The drive unit 2 rotates the unit comprising the cuff holding element 3 and the cuff 5 in such a way that the light emitting diode 22 is located in front of one of the phototransistors 32. In this angular position of the cuff 5, the sound signals of the watch are continuously measured by the microphone 10. In response to the voltage outputting from the microphone 10, the light emitting diode 22 emits a light signal, which is received by the phototransistor 32 located in front of it. The output voltage signal is transmitted to the signal processing circuit of the control unit 4 via the amplifier 33.

[0018] After the measurement performed in the initial angular position, the cuff 5 is rotated by the drive unit 2 by an angle equal to the angular distance between the phototransistors 32 so that the light emitting diode 22 is located in front of another phototransistor 32, preferably the following phototransistor 32, in order to detect sound signals of the watch in a different angular position of the cuff 5. The sound detection performed in each angular position typically consists of ten measurement series. During each measurement, 100 sound signals may be recorded at an interval of 2-3 minutes. The sound signals processed by the control unit 4 are stored and are preferably transmitted by the data storage unit 7 via the communication unit to a server for further processing.

[0019] The advantage of the watch winding device according to the invention is that it enables detection of sound signals of the watch at different angular positions. Furthermore, the watch winding device has a compact design thanks to the microphone connected to the optical signal emitting unit and the optical signal receiving unit being coupled to each other.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A watch winding device comprising:- a housing (1),- a drive unit (2) located in the housing,- a control unit (4) and a data storage unit (7) being stationary with respect to the housing,- a power supply,- a cuff holding element (3) connected to the drive unit (2) and rotatable relative to the housing (1),- a cuff (5) connected to the cuff holding element (3),- wherein the cuff (5) comprises a microphone (10),- characterised in that the cuff (5) further comprises an optical signal emitting unit (20) provided with at least one light emitting diode (22) for transmitting signal of the microphone (10),- the control unit (4) comprises an optical signal receiving unit (30) for receiving light signals of the optical signal emitting unit (20), the optical signal receiving unit (30) comprising a plurality of phototransistors (32) arranged along a circle, so as to detect light signals of the at least one light emitting diode (22).

2. The watch winding device according to claim 1, characterised in that the microphone (10) is connected in a sound transmitting manner to a sound conducting rod (15) which is movable with respect to the cuff (5) between a lifted end position and a retracted end position.

3. The watch winding device according to claim 2, characterised in that the outer end (16) of the sound conducting rod (15) is made of a material having a Mohs hardness of at most 6.

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