With Alarm Or Striking Attachment Patents (Class 368/315)
  • Patent number: 11640142
    Abstract: A striking watch is provided with an acoustic radiating membrane made of metallic material or amorphous metal. The membrane takes the form of a loop with walls of a certain thickness to be connected by a first edge portion to a middle part of a watch case and by a second edge portion to a bezel fixed to a watch crystal. The bezel connected to crystal is movable with respect to the case middle via the membrane during the vibration of membrane once a sound is generated by a watch striking mechanism in the watch case. The membrane is configured with a wall of a specific thickness in an active region dependent on the mass of the bezel connected to the crystal, to obtain a frequency f0 of a first vibration mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Blancpain SA
    Inventors: Alain Delizee, Mehdi Denden, Jerome Favre
  • Patent number: 8851743
    Abstract: A trigger mechanism for remotely operating the chronograph functions of a watch. A lever mounted to the watchcase is swingable about a pivotal connection for rotating a cylindrical cam. A rotary cam follower is displaced by the cam. A striker member extending from the cam follower actuates a pushbutton for controlling the chronograph functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Invicta Watch Company of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Eyal Lalo
  • Patent number: 8770833
    Abstract: The musical or striking watch includes a watch case, which is formed of a middle part and a back cover, provided with side apertures and removably secured in a sealed manner to the middle part. A crystal closes the case in a sealed manner. A timepiece movement is held inside the watch case and provided with a striking mechanism that can be actuated at determined times to produce notes or music. The watch further includes at least one removable acoustic radiating membrane, which is arranged in the watch case. The removable membrane includes, in a central position, a retaining member. This retaining member is arranged with play in a housing in an inner stop member of the back cover. Owing to the cooperation between the retaining member and the stop member, the bending of the membrane is limited following excess pressure or vacuum pressure according to environmental conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Montres Breguet SA
    Inventors: Fabio Sciascia, Jan Pittet, Beat Gilomen, Dave Mangin
  • Patent number: 8582398
    Abstract: The striking mechanism (1) of a watch includes at least one gong (3, 4, 5) fixed at one end to a gong-carrier (2) integral with a bottom plate, at least one hammer mounted on the plate for striking the gong, and a gong noise insulator arrangement (6, 7). At least one insulator part (6) of the insulator arrangement is configured to be moved in rotation by drive means (9, 11, 12) so that one U-shaped portion (16) of the insulator part comes into contact with the gong in an idle mode or is at a distance from the gong in striking mode. A rotatably mounted, opposite insulator counterpart (7) with a rod (17) is provided so that the insulator part (6) and the opposite counterpart form a clamp for imprisoning the gong in an idle mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Montres Breguet SA
    Inventor: Eric Goeller
  • Patent number: 8540420
    Abstract: Gong mounting device designed to bear against a crystal (10) closing a striking-watch case. This device comprises a block (20) for immobilizing at least one end (1, 2) of a gong (T1, T2) inside the watch case, and a means (30) for mounting this block (20) on said crystal (10). The mounting means (30) is a clamping-type mounting means enabling the block (20) to exert pressure on the crystal (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Bulgari Horlogerie S.A.
    Inventors: Philippe Morata, Gérald Roden
  • Patent number: 8537642
    Abstract: The watch striking mechanism (1) includes at least one gong (11) fixed to a gong-carrier (12) and at least one hammer (2) for activating the vibration of the gong. The striking mechanism includes a first magnetic element (20) in the form of a moving micro-magnet, which is arranged on a striking portion of the hammer, and a second magnetic element (21) in the form of a fixed micro-magnet, which is arranged in one part of the gong. The second magnetic element is at least partly opposite the first magnetic element and is capable of generating a magnetic field of opposite polarity to the magnetic field of the first magnetic element. In a striking mode, said hammer may be driven in the direction of the gong to activate the vibration of said gong via a magnetic impulse due to the repulsion force of the two magnetic elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Montres Breuguet SA
    Inventors: Nakis Karapatis, Davide Sarchi
  • Publication number: 20120243389
    Abstract: The musical or striking watch includes a watch case, which is formed of a middle part and a back cover, provided with side apertures and removably secured in a sealed manner to the middle part. A crystal closes the case in a sealed manner. A timepiece movement is held inside the watch case and provided with a striking mechanism that can be actuated at determined times to produce notes or music. The watch further includes at least one removable acoustic radiating membrane, which is arranged in the watch case. The removable membrane includes, in a central position, a retaining member. This retaining member is arranged with play in a housing in an inner stop member of the back cover. Owing to the cooperation between the retaining member and the stop member, the bending of the membrane is limited following excess pressure or vacuum pressure according to environmental conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: Montres Breguet SA
    Inventors: Fabio Sciascia, Jan Pittet, Beat Gilomen, Dave Mangin
  • Patent number: 7944779
    Abstract: A multifunction time display device includes a main body, a first element, a second element, and an indication element. The main body includes a casing, and the casing possesses a transparent portion. The first element moves inside the casing as time goes by. The second element is removably attached to any position of the transparent portion of the casing. The indication element is triggered when the first element moves to overlap the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Pegatron Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Ying Lee, Yen-Chiu Hsu, Ai-Ling Lu, Mei-Lin Chan
  • Publication number: 20100232262
    Abstract: Gong mounting device designed to bear against a crystal (10) closing a striking-watch case. This device comprises a block (20) for immobilizing at least one end (1, 2) of a gong (T1, T2) inside the watch case, and a means (30) for mounting this block (20) on said crystal (10). The mounting means (30) is a clamping-type mounting means enabling the block (20) to exert pressure on the crystal (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: DANIEL ROTH & GERALD GENTA HAUTE HORLOGERIE SA
    Inventors: Philippe Morata, Gérald Roden
  • Patent number: 7708458
    Abstract: The invention concerns a watch with a striking work including a bottom plate and a gong including two ends, the gong being secured via a first end to the bottom plate. According to the invention, the second end of the gong is also secured to said bottom plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventor: Nakis Karapatis
  • Patent number: 7522478
    Abstract: A timepiece has a timekeeping mechanism for keeping and displaying the time, a hammer, a bowl-shaped sound source that sounds when struck by the hammer, a sound source mounting member for fastening the bowl-shaped sound source to the timekeeping mechanism, and a striking control means for causing the hammer to operate. The bowl-shaped sound source has a bottom part and a side wall part. The hammer, the striking control means, and at least a part of the timekeeping mechanism are disposed in an internal space between the bottom part and the side wall part of the bowl-shaped sound source. The sound source mounting member is attached to the center of the bottom part of the bowl-shaped sound source, and fastens the bowl-shaped sound source to the timekeeping mechanism so that the bowl-shaped sound source can move a prescribed distance within a range not contacting the case of the timepiece or the timekeeping mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masatoshi Moteki
  • Publication number: 20090059736
    Abstract: A timepiece having a movement having a hammer and a hammer drive device that drives the hammer, a case that houses the movement, a sound source that produces sound by vibrating when struck by the hammer, and a striking force transmission member that can move bidirectionally between the hammer and the sound source, and transmits the striking force of the hammer to the sound source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi MOTEKI, Noriaki OZAWA
  • Patent number: 6540396
    Abstract: The watch includes an electric battery housed in a removable drawer (6) engaged in the case (2), said drawer further including an additional electric apparatus powered by the battery. This apparatus may be a device operating in conjunction with the clockwork movement, for example an acoustic or tactile alarm member, or an independent device, for example a sensor or a data transmission device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Eta SA Fabriques d'Ebauches
    Inventor: David Barras
  • Patent number: 4449833
    Abstract: A clock which comprises a clock face, a casing, and a clock mechanism positioned within the casing. In accordance with this invention the casing defines separable walls, and latch means for retaining the walls in an integral, casing-defining position, with the latch means being openable to allow separation of the walls. A striker member is operatively connected through a linkage to the latch means whereby striking of the striker member can open the latch means to permit the walls to move from their integral, casing-defining position to their separated positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1984
    Inventors: John R. Montgomery, IV, Donald R. Richardson
  • Patent number: 4332019
    Abstract: A delay device in combination with an alarm turn-off element for the purpose of requiring a delay period to turn off an alarm clock. The delay feature may take various forms and incorporate a puzzle requiring a period of concentration, a combination lock, the requirement of pushing a sequence of numbers, a dash pot, etc. The purpose is to prevent unconscious turning off of the alarm and falling asleep again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1982
    Inventor: Michael T. Lynches
  • Patent number: 4203279
    Abstract: A timepiece which permits freely adjusting the level of sounds produced therein and given out thereof. In this timepiece, the sounds produced in a mechanical unit contained in a timepiece body are conveyed to the outside of the timepiece via a sound level adjusting means by utilizing mechanical vibrations or vibrations of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Inventor: Minoru Kamiya
  • Patent number: 4197697
    Abstract: An alarm watch has an electro-acoustic transducer with a sound releasing cavity containing a vibrating plate for releasing an audible alarm sound. The surface of the vibrating plate exposed to the open air is treated with a water-repellant material having the property to shed or repel water so that when water enters into the sound releasing cavity and wets the vibrating plate, the vibrating plate readily throws off the water thereby obtaining rapid recovery of the alarm sounding function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1980
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Daini Seikosha
    Inventors: Shigeo Mori, Fumikazu Murakami, Yoshiaki Hara, Ichiro Horikoshi, Souya Takahashi