Abstract: The motor comprises a stator formed in one piece and having an opening formed therein, a yoke of high magnetic permeability and a coil wound round the yoke. The rotor comprises a shaft and a bar magnet. The opening has a first part all points of which are disposed at a first distance from the rotation axis of the rotor and a second part the points of which are disposed at second distances, different from the first distance, from that rotation axis. The invention is applicable particularly to stepping motors having a low consumption of electric current, e.g. for time pieces.

Abstract: The watch has a winding weight comprising an arm 10a and an oscillating mass 10b. The arm is mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of a toothed ring 12 by way of which the spring barrel 20 is kept wound and which axis is offset with respect to the watch hand axis X, X'. The oscillating mass 10a is at the same level relative to the case back 6 as the spring barrel 20. The length L' of the winding weight is greater than the offset L and more than half the largest dimension of the case 6. The oscillating mass 10b thus occupies substantially half the casing of the watch and is almost as thick as the distance between the glass and the back 6 which is also the rear plate of the movement.

Abstract: The case 1 of the watch comprises elements consisting of ribbed zones 3, 4 and 5 of different structures which can supply mechanical vibrations when they are rubbed by the user of the watch.A transducer transforms these acoustic vibrations into an electric signal. An electronic circuit comprising generator means, a pulse shaper, counters, a register and a comparator allows the vibration message generated by the activation of one or the other of the ribbed zones 3, 4 and 5 to be decoded and one or the other of the functions appearing on the display 2 of the watch to be controlled.

Abstract: A multistage counter 3, 5, 7, 10 normally counts seconds pulses from a frequency divider 2. Counters 5 and 7 are units and tens minutes counters and are set by shifting a counter 21 by button B to provide a "1" on output 21d. When a button A is then held down the seconds pulses pass through gates 17 and 22 and count the units counter 5 up to the numeral 0. A flip-flop 19, 26 is then set to disable gate 22 and enable gate 23 so that the units counter stays at the numeral 0 and the tens counter advances to the desired value, when button A is released, which resets the flip-flop. Button A is pressed again to count the units counter from the numeral 0 to the desired value. The invention in one embodiment simplifies the setting of a digital watch and reduces the time (number of pulses) needed to preset the units and tens of minutes counters. The invention can be extended to more than two counters and used for counters other than in clocks and watches.

Abstract: A composition for use in an electro-optical device, particularly a display device, contains anthraquinone pleochroic dye of formula (I): ##STR1## where R.sub.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted amino group or a hydroxy group; R.sub.2 is a hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted amino, a hydroxy or a cyano group; each of R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, which are identical or different, is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted amino group, a hydroxy, a nitro or a cyano group; R is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a hydroxy, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy group; n is 1, 2, 3 or 4, the Rs being identical or different when n is 2, 3 or 4; and X is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a hydroxy or mercapto group, a straight, branched or cyclic C.sub.1-16 alkyl radical, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a group of formula OR', OAr, SR', SAr, COOR', COOAr, COO--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --R', OOCR', OOCAr, OOC--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --R', CONHR', CONHAr, NHR', NHAr, NHCOR', NHCOAr, OCOOR', OCOOAr, CH.dbd.N--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --R', N.dbd.

Abstract: The display device comprises a cell having two levels, between two polarizers 1 and 7, the directions of polarization of which are at an angle of 120.degree. to each other. The two-level cell comprises two liquid crystal layers 5 and 6, each of which, in the rest condition, causes rotation of the plane of polarization of the light through 60.degree.. The orientation of the molecules of the input surface of the first layer 5 is parallel to the direction of polarization P1 of the first polarizer 1. The orientation of the molecules of the input surface of the second layer 6 is parallel to the orientation of the molecules on the output face of the first layer 5. The orientation of the molecules of the output surface of the second layer 6 is parallel to the direction of polarization P2 of the second polarizer 7.

Abstract: An electrochromic display cell has several electrode segments 1 spaced from a common counter-electrode 3 by an electrolyte 2 and disposed to represent different symbols according to those segments on which a coloured or effaced state is conferred by application of a current in one direction or in the other between the segments and the counter-electrode. To achieve one of the current directions a bias voltage provided by a generator 16 is applied for a fixed time by a switching circuit T1, T2 to a field-effect transistor T6 which completes a circuit through the cell 4, electrode 3, electrolyte 2 and segment 1. The transistors 6 have channel widths proportional to the segment areas so that all segments receive the same charge per unit area. The segments whose state is to change in the other direction are short-circuited with the counter-electrode by transistors T7. The display is particularly useful for the display of time data on watches.

Abstract: The watch comprises an oscillator, a frequency divider, display means capable of displaying at least hours and minutes, and a correction circuit controlled by a rotary time setting stem which is capable of assuming at least two axial positions, one being a rest position which is occupied by the stem when the watch is functioning normally and an operative position for jointly correcting the minutes display and the hours display. The correction circuit is so arranged as to provide for correction of hours display alone in response to a particular rotary movement of the stem in its rest position.This particular rotary movement may comprise, in regard to the stem, rotating at least through a minimum angle in a time interval which is less than a predetermined period, for example at least two revolutions in less than two seconds. The minutes and hours displays are changed and the hours display is corrected in the forward direction or the backward direction depending on the direction of rotation of the stem.

Abstract: An electrochromic display cell comprises a frame interposed between an ionic conductor and an annular soldered zone sealing a cover of the cell to a substrate of the cell. The frame is squeezed between the cover and the substrate to tightly separate the ionic conductor and the solder, preventing any reaction therebetween. In a preferred embodiment, the frame is made of a thermofusible material. It partially melts during the sealing of the cell, adhering thus very tightly to the cover and to the substrate.

Abstract: A tuning fork resonator has electrodes 7 and 8 on the opposite main surfaces of each tine and lateral electrodes 9 and 11 along the edges of each tine. The electrodes 7 and 8 of one tine are connected to the electrodes 9 and 11 of the other tine and to one pole of the supply. The other electrodes are similarly connected to the other pole. The electric fields extend parallel to the main surfaces of the tines. In order to improve the uniformity and density of the fields, grooves 4 and 5 are etched along one main surface of each tine and the electrode 8 has parts extending into the grooves. Various modifications are possible including omission of the part of the central electrode between the grooves, provision of a single, central longitudinally groove and the provision of opposing grooves in both main surfaces. Electrical power consumption is reduced.

Abstract: An electronic watch comprising a stepping motor for driving a mechanism for displaying the time information, a quartz oscillator, a frequency divider with an adjustable division factor, a circuit for adjusting the division factor, a memory containing data relating to the magnitude of said adjustment and a logic circuit which, in response to an interrogation signal, produces a measuring signal which is supplied to the coil of the stepping motor and which comprises pulses whose distribution is representative of the division factor and the frequency of the oscillator and whose duration is sufficiently short so as not to cause the motor to turn and sufficiently long to cause a magnetic stray field of the coil of the motor which can be detected by an external apparatus for measuring the rate of the watch.

Abstract: The watch of the invention contains a power cell 46, a quartz crystal 44, a step-by-step motor 42, a gear train 32 and a device for the analog display of the time constituted by two coaxial discs provided with index marks 24, 26 and each having external teeth so that they can be driven by the gear train. These components are all located inside a casing 10, 12 with a transparent window 14 and whose back acts as a bottom plate. All "thick" elements of the watch (cell 46, crystal 44, motor 42, gear train 32) are outside the periphery of the discs without overlapping, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the front plate of the watch, and are partially recessed into the underside of the rim 12 of the casing. The integrated circuit 50 may be hidden by the discs or also outside their periphery.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises commutating means 10 operated by the rotation in one direction or the other of the watch spindle 1, which rotation produces trains of commutation pulses that are phase-displaced with respect to each other. The watch circuit produces from the trains of commutation pulses a signal indicating the direction of rotation of the spindle and produces selection or correction pulses. The commutating means comprise two cams 2, 3 mechanically coupled to the rotatable spindle 1, angularly displaced one with respect to the other and arranged to actuate two resiliently flexible strips 4, 5 which are fixed at one of their free ends and the other free ends of which are alternately brought into contact with and removed from respective fixed contacts 7, 8. The watch circuit can include means for rendering ineffective a predetermined number of selection pulses at the beginning of the rotation of the spindle in one direction or the other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a piezo-electric crystal reasonator comprising a tuning fork having two tines, one on each side of an axis of symmetry, having in addition to the excitation electrodes formed on the tines, auxiliary electrodes comprising conductive coatings formed, with the same axis of symmetry, on the same crystal which interconnects the two tines and further relates to a method for making such tuning fork resonator including the detection of asymmetry by applying an excitation voltage to the excitation electrodes to cause the resonator to oscillate, and while it is oscillating, detecting a voltage appearing between the auxiliary electrodes to indicate asymmetrical oscillation of the tines.In addition to excitation electrodes (5, 6, 7) on the tines (2, 3) of the tuning fork, auxiliary conductive electrodes (17, 18, 19, 21) are formed on a part of the resonator which interconnects the two tines.

Abstract: A composition for use in an electro-optical device, particularly a display device, contains anthraquinone pleochroic dye of formula (I): ##STR1## where R.sub.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted amino group or a hydroxy group; each of R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, which are identical or different, is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted amino group, a hydroxy group or a nitro group; R is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a hydroxy, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy group; n is 1, 2, 3 or 4, the Rs being identical or different when n is 2, 3 or 4; X is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a hydroxy or mercapto group, a straight, branched or cyclic C.sub.1-16 alkyl radical, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a group of formula ##STR2## where R' is a hydrogen atom or a straight, branched or cyclic C.sub.

Abstract: A device for supplying the watch movement which comprises a time base (1) and a frequency divider (2) producing at least two signals (c), (d) at different frequencies. The two signals supply a logic selection device (3) of which the output supplies the circuit (5) for controlling the display of the timepiece movement.An actuating device (4) controls the selection device (3) in such a way that a pulse in the supply voltage causes the circuit (5) for controlling the display to be supplied by one signal (c) or the other signal (d) of the frequency divider (2) and thus causes the display to operate at different speeds.

Abstract: An electromagnetic stepping motor has a stator with an armature having the shape of an isosceles trapezoid the base of which is interrupted by a central gap and which is provided with three pole faces. The rotor comprises a permanent magnet. The stator comprises two coils one of which is located between a pole face opposite said gap and one of the other two pole faces. The other coil is located between the pole face opposite said gap and the other of said other two pole faces. When a current passes through the coils, the rotor is subjected to magnetic fields having directions which are oblique to each other and which are symmetrical with respect to a diameter of the rotor. The sense of the coil currents determines the sense of the fields. The arrangement is such that one can create in the zone of the rotor a resultant magnetic field which can extend in any one of four different directions dependent on the sense of the currents passing through the coils.

Abstract: A circuit for producing a numerical signal representative of the value of the physical parameter which is to be displayed and which can assume a given number of values. The signal is applied to a decoder for controlling the display cell.The decoder is so arranged as to render visible a single display element for certain values of the numerical signal and two adjacent elements for other values. The cell therefore comprises a small number of display elements than there are different values to be displayed.

Abstract: Driving device especially for a timepiece, constituted by a stepping motor the stator of which comprises a coil having a single winding and the rotor of which is constituted of a permanent magnet and of a control electronic circuit able to deliver pulses of current to the motor. The motor includes precise positioning magnets for its rotor which are active in the absence of the pulses. The electronic control circuit is arranged in such a way that the pulses are delivered in pairs, with opposed polarities in each pair, the order of succession of the polarities in a pair determining the sense of rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: Extra-flat electromechanical watch, in which the dial is situated substantially at mid-height of the watch. The elements of the movement are situated, in a radial direction, beyond the space of the passage of the hands (26) and, in elevation, partially at the level of the passage of the hands. This arrangement permits the realization of a watch the thickness of which is about 2 mm, for example.