Abstract: In an electronic device having a stepping motor which can be driven more quickly than in a normal driving operation without causing a significant increase in power consumption, a detecting coil control circuit is provided which controls a connection circuit serving to open and close a detecting coil that is wound coaxially with a driving coil, in such a manner that the detecting coil is opened during the period in which a quick driving pulse is supplied to the driving coil. After supplying the quick driving pulse, a driving controller controls a driving circuit so as to open the driving coil, while the driving controller closes the detecting coil so that a voltage induced in the detecting coil by an electromotive force is detected by a position detecting circuit thereby determining the position of a rotor. The chance that the driving coil and the detecting coil act as electromagnetic brakes is minimized thereby ensuring that the quick driving operation is performed with low power consumption.

Abstract: An oscillation circuit including an electrostatic protective circuit connected between a signal path and this constant voltage V.sub.reg. It comprises a first electrostatic protective circuit portion that causes any electrostatic voltage of a first polarity that invades the signal path to be selectively diverted through a diode to the constant voltage V.sub.reg side of the circuit, and any electrostatic voltage of a second polarity that invades the signal path to be selectively diverted through another diode to the ground side. This ensures that the oscillation circuit is not affected by fluctuations in the power voltage from the main power source, enabling it to oscillate at a stable frequency.

Abstract: A power-saving controller for controlling a stepping motor mounted in an electronic wristwatch. A pulse signal generator in the controller combines two pulse signals GPi and GPi+2 having different duty factors using a compositing signal CP, based on a reference signal BP, thereby compositing a pulse signal GPi+1 having an intermediate duty factor. Even if the frequency of the reference signal BP is lowered, a step size for controlling the duty factor of a drive pulse is prevented from expanding, thereby keeping the driving power required by the stepping motor from increasing. The lowering of the frequency of the reference signal BP reduces the power consumption of the circuit of the wristwatch, and thus of the controller.

Abstract: A lockup piston is provided with a damper. This lockup piston is useful in a torque converter having a lockup clutch. The lockup piston is composed of a disk-shaped core plate, which has an outer peripheral flange and a friction member fixedly secured on a side of the core plate, and of a retainer plate fixedly secured on an opposite side of the core plate and carrying a spring thereon. The disk-shaped core plate is provided thereon with convexities along opposite radial edges of the retainer plate, respectively.

Abstract: A damper apparatus for a torque converter having a lock-up mechanism provided with a direct-coupled clutch displaceable between a joined state and a liberated state, and a torque converter body for transmitting power by a fluid, comprises a reaction ring movably fitted to an input piston of the direct-coupled clutch, a clutch plate attached to an output turbine hub on an inner diameter side of the reaction ring, and a pair of retainer plates for holding the reaction ring and the clutch plate and also sandwiching an inner peripheral spring and an outer peripheral spring therebetween. The inner and outer peripheral springs are held in corresponding windows of the retainer plates, and they are constructed and arranged to operate serially.

Abstract: A crystal oscillation circuit that oscillates stably with a low power consumption includes an inverting amplifier, a crystal oscillator, and a feedback circuit that inverts the phase of an output from this inverting amplifier and feeds it back as an input. The inverting amplifying includes first and second semiconductor switching elements. The sum of the absolute value of the threshold voltage of the first semiconductor switching element and the absolute value of the threshold voltage of the second semiconductor switching element is set to be greater than or equal to the absolute value of the potential difference between first and second potentials, in order to prevent the first and second semiconductor switching elements from being on simultaneously.

Abstract: Disclosed is a balancer for a damper in a lock-up clutch. An unbalance-correcting weight which is to be mounted on a retainer plate of the lockup clutch is in a folded form of an E shape formed of a central insert portion and riding portions located on opposite sides of the central insert portion. The retainer plate is provided with a raised portion formed therein. The unbalance-correcting weight is mounted on the retainer plate by inserting the insert portion outwardly in a radial direction between a piston of the lock-up clutch and the raised portion of the retainer plate.

Abstract: An oscillation circuit is driven at reduced power by a constant voltage V.sub.reg having an absolute value that is lower than that of a power voltage V.sub.ss of a main power source. An electrostatic protective circuit provided in this oscillation circuit is connected between a signal path and this constant voltage V.sub.reg. It comprises a first electrostatic protective circuit portion that causes any electrostatic voltage of a first polarity that invades the signal path to be selectively diverted through a diode to the constant voltage V.sub.reg side of the circuit, and any electrostatic voltage of a second polarity that invades the signal path to be selectively diverted through another diode to the ground side. This ensures that the oscillation circuit is not affected by fluctuations in the power voltage from the main power source, enabling it to oscillate at a stable frequency.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a spring of a clutch has a guide plate which is disposed in an annular recessed portion on a rear side of a clutch plate. A coil spring circumferentially extends in contact with the guide plate. A retainer has a pair of end surface holding portions to contact both ends of the coil spring and a peripheral holding portion to contact a periphery of the coil spring. The guide plate and the retainer are mounted on the clutch plate. A connecting piece is continuously provided on each circumferential end of the guide plate such that the connecting pieces are fit onto the end surface holding portions of the retainer.

Abstract: A spring damper device includes cylindrical outer coil springs and inner springs inserted in the outer coil springs, respectively. The cylindrical outer coil springs are held in the form of arcs of a circle at angular intervals therebetween by a retainer plate, whereas the inner springs have a length shorter than the outer coil springs so that the inner springs are actuated a predetermined angle later compared with their corresponding outer coil springs. Each of the inner springs has a diameter smaller at opposite end portions thereof than at a central portion thereof.

Abstract: In a lock-up piston and damper device for a torque converter, a divider member is provided between the retainer plate and the lock-up piston for supporting springs of an internal circumference in series with springs of an external circumference, thereby obtaining a large torsion angle.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus with a fitting band has a structure for containing conductive members in the fitting band which permits easy production of the fitting band and which improves the durability, design, fitting properties and so on of the fitting band containing the conductive members.An end piece plate (21a) which forms an end piece (21) has recessed portions (21c) formed for holding pipes (50) and conductive wires (30) under predetermined pressure. A piece plate (31a) which forms a piece member (31) has recessed portions (31c) formed for containing, with play, the pipes (50) and the conductive wires (30). The conductive wires (30) which are passed through the pipes (50) are mounted on the end piece plate (21a) and the piece plate (31a) so as to rotatably connect the end piece (21) and the piece member (31) after assembly. Since the end piece (21) is fixed to the case band of a wrist watch, no load is applied to the connection portion at the ends (30a) of the conductive wires (30).

Abstract: A digital trimming circuit is used to produce a stable time reference signal. This type of reference time signal can be used in equipment, such as watches, which have motors and acoustic outputs that interfere with producing the time reference signal. A basic oscillation frequency, which is produced by an oscillator circuit, is frequency divided to form the generic time reference signal. The digital trimming circuit generates a control signal to shorten the period of the time reference signal by predetermined amounts based on correction data. The control signal is in the form of pulses which can be dispersively applied to create substantially equal intervals between pulses during one time period of the time reference time signal. While maintaining the necessary digital trimming amount in one digital trimming time period, an expansion/reduction amount of the time reference signal is suppressed at one digital trimming time instant.

Abstract: A digital trimming circuit is used to produce a stable time reference signal. This type of reference time signal can be used in equipment, such as watches, which have motors and acoustic outputs that interfere with producing the time reference signal. A basic oscillation frequency, which is produced by an oscillator circuit, is frequency divided to form the generic time reference signal. The digital trimming circuit generates a control signal to shorten the period of the time reference signal by predetermined amounts based on correction data. The control signal is in the form of pulses which can be dispersively applied to create substantially equal intervals between pulses during one time period of the time reference time signal. While maintaining the necessary digital trimming amount in one digital trimming time period, an expansion/reduction amount of the time reference signal is suppressed at one digital trimming time instant.

Abstract: A multifunction electronic analog timepiece includes a face and a plurality of indicators positioned on the face for displaying at least two time keeping functions. At least two step motors are provided for driving the plurality of time keeping function indicators. The time keeping function indicators are arbitrarily disposed about the face dependent upon the number of step motors and position of step motors required to drive the indicators. A microcomputer is provided and includes a program memory for storing software instructions for controlling the step motors.

Abstract: A multifunction electronic analog timepiece includes a face and a plurality of indicators positioned on the face for displaying at least two time keeping functions. At least two step motors are provided for driving the plurality of time keeping function indicators. The time keeping function indicators are arbitrarily disposed about the face dependent upon the number of step motors and position of step motors required to drive the indicators. A microcomputer is provided and includes a program memory for storing software instructions for controlling the step motors.

Abstract: An electronically correcting electronic timepiece is provided having indicating hands for indicating the time of day or the passage of time. At least one step motor is provided for driving the indicator. A correction signal forming circuit produces drive pulses for driving the step motor to correct the indicator. A control circuit controls the correction signal forming circuit to accelerate and decelerate the indicator in a step manner during correction of the indicator.

Abstract: A speed responsive centrifugal clutch having a one-way clutch function and suitable for use as a lock-up clutch of a torque converter is provided. The one-way clutch is provided not as a separate component but as structurally integrated in the clutch. The speed responsive centrifugal clutch includes a clutch plate fixedly mounted on a rotating shaft, a damper plate supported to be rotatable relative to the clutch plate and carrying damper elements, a reaction ring supported to be rotatable over a predetermined angle range relative to the damper plate, a plurality of shoe assemblies supported by the reaction ring to be displasable radially outwardly due to centrifugal forces, and a one-way clutch mechanism incorporated between the clutch plate and the damper plate. Because of the provision of such a one-way clutch mechanism in this particular manner, the overall size of the clutch can be minimized and transmission of rotating force can be carried out extremely smoothly.

Abstract: An electronic timekeeping apparatus includes a temperature value generating circuit for generating a temperature value, a temperature value converting circuit including a slope adjusting circuit which provides a slope corrected output in accordance with a frequency versus temperature characteristic of the apparatus in response to the temperature value, a pace compensation data circuit for producing pace compensation data corresponding to the slope corrected output, and a pace compensating circuit for compensating pace of the apparatus in accordance with the pace compensation data. An offset adjustment circuit may operate on said temperature value or said slope corrected output.

Abstract: Rate change in a quartz crystal timepiece due, for example, to aging of a capacitance used for correcting the frequency-temperature characteristic of the crystal oscillator of the timepiece, is corrected by dividing the oscillator output signal to provide a minimum rate adjustment unit signal and a rate adjustment timing signal. A rate adjustment step width signal consisting of a number of minumum rate adjustment unit signals is predetermined for all of the timepieces in a production run. The number controls the repeated counting of unit signals to produce a series of step width signals. The rate adjustment required for correct timekeeping is determined as an integral number of step width signals. The latter number is set into a second counter in the timepiece to generate a rate adjustment signal. The rate adjustment signal controls the duty cycle of a switch which adds reactance to the crystal oscillator circuit to effect the rate change.