Abstract: A solar-powered LCD device, e.g., for a clock, includes a solar cell arrangement and a liquid crystal display. The solar cell arrangement includes an at least partially transparent carrier and at least one solar cell provided with at least one at least partially transparent contact, at least one first polarizer, a first at least partially transparent carrier, a first at least partially transparent contact, a liquid crystal, a second transparent contact, a second transparent carrier, a second polarizer, and a reflector in a stacked arrangement. The carrier of the solar cell arrangement is one of the carriers of the liquid crystal display.

Abstract: A radio-controlled wrist watch includes a watch case in which are housed a brass dial and a signal-receiving antenna, such as a lamellar antenna. The dial defines a center axis, and the antenna is spaced at an axial distance from the dial of more than 0.5 mm, e.g., 1 to 4 mm, more preferably 1 to 3 mm.

Abstract: A wristwatch is converted into an emergency call device by unscrewing a rear cover from the back of the wristwatch housing and screwing in a transmitter housing that carries a signal-emitting mechanism.

Abstract: A wristwatch is converted into an emergency call device by unscrewing a rear cover from the back of the wristwatch housing and screwing in a transmitter housing that carries a signal-emitting mechanism.

Abstract: A radio-controlled timepiece is controlled by time telegrams emitted by a regional transmitter. When the timepiece is out of the effective range of the regional transmitter, the timepiece is controlled by a local (i.e., close-range) transmitter which transmits time telegrams that have the same frequency and encoding as the time telegrams from the regional transmitter. The local transmitter receives time information from a remote source, such as navigational satellites, or alternatively a time server by way of the internet, in order to create the local time telegrams.

Abstract: A radio-controlled wristwatch includes a casing. A central portion of the casing disposed generally centrally with reference to a longitudinal center axis of the casing is formed of metal at least on the exterior thereof. An antenna core is disposed within a chamber defined by the casing. The antenna core lies on a plane oriented transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis. A spacer ring is disposed in the chamber between the central portion and the antenna core, the spacer ring formed of electrically non-conductive material.

Abstract: In a solar-powered, radio-controlled timepiece an incorrect display can occur before the operating voltage definitively falls below the switch-off level if each pulse for the electromechanical transducer is no longer sufficient for advancing the display. A step monitor senses such an insufficient pulse and triggers a reset command in order to switch on the radio signal receiver for automatically correcting the hands position to the absolute time which is decoded from the current time telegram.

Abstract: A radio-controlled wristwatch includes a casing, a printed circuit board disposed in the casing, and an antenna disposed in the casing. The antenna includes a core and a coil carried by the core. The core comprises a stack of soft-iron strips stacked in a direction parallel to a plane of the circuit board. The stack is arranged in a curved shape extending along and adjacent to an outer peripheral edge of the circuit board. The core is bonded to a surface of the circuit board and supports the coil within a pocket formed in the circuit board.

Abstract: A radio controlled timepiece movement includes a carrier structure and a wheel train mounted thereon. The wheel train includes a plurality of rotatable wheels each having a wheel aperture formed therein. The apertures are alignable with one another. A printed circuit board is mounted on the carrier structure and has a board aperture formed therethrough. An end of the board aperture disposed farthest from the wheels is covered by a portion of a conductor of the circuit board. A light beam transmitter is mounted on that conductor and disposed in the board aperture. A wire extends from the element to the second conductor. The transmitter and wire are embedded within a radiation-permeable material which fills the board aperture.

Abstract: A timepiece, such as a wristwatch, includes a casing, a carrier disc disposed in the casing, a glass mounted elastically to the casing in front of the carrier disc, and control switches in the form of piezoelectric sensors each sandwiched between an outer edge of the glass and a forwardly facing edge of the carrier disc. The sensors are electrically connected to an electrical control circuit of the timepiece and are actuable in response to being compressed by a rearward pressure applied to the outer edge of the glass.

Abstract: A wristwatch bracelet segment includes a core and decorative elements mounted thereon in longitudinally spaced relationship. The core comprises first and second flexible core elements. The first core element is elastically stretchable and includes longitudinally spaced enlargements that define recesses therebetween. The decorative elements are mounted in respective recesses. The second core element is somewhat stiffer than the first core element and is installed through a longitudinal passage formed in the first core element. The first core element is stretched longitudinally to reduce its cross-sectional shape in order to enable the decorative elements (preferably of tubular shape) to be slid onto the first core element. The ends of the second core element are configured to receive connecting pins for connecting a clasp to the bracelet segment, and connecting the bracelet segment to a wristwatch casing.

Abstract: A radio-controlled timepiece comprises an antenna in the form of a core on which a coil is mounted. The core includes a hole spaced from the coil and defining an axis oriented perpendicular to the coil axis. A printed circuit board is disposed in the hole such that electrically conductive tracks thereof are arranged in a plane lying within a center plane of the core.

Abstract: A radio timepiece is disclosed which receives and decodes a time information signal from a remote transmitter and displays a time information. The timepiece includes a manual time zone switching circuitry deigned to permit use of the timepiece in time zones adjacent to the one in which the transmitter is located, while providing a user-friendly selection and display of the time information. The timepiece includes an electro-optical display providing a cartographical representation of the transmitter time zone and several adjacent time zones. A summing register is provided to manually offset the received time information and actuate a graphic display indicative of the time zone to which the offset time display corresponds. The summing register may be cyclically incremented by a single switch, or incremented, decremented or zeroed by appropriate actuation of two switches.

Abstract: A radio-controlled timepiece includes an antenna ferrite core which also serves as a base plate having recesses into which the thicker clockworks components, such as a hands mechanism are disposed. Thinner clockworks parts, such as strip conductors, circuits and optronic display modules are mounted directly to the surface of the core. Plastic inserts are affixed to the bottoms of the recesses and includes holes in which the thicker clockworks parts are mounted.

Abstract: An autonomous radio timepiece (11) with a magnetic antenna (14) located in the vicinity of a electromechanical transducer (25) for driving a time display (19), in order to obtain a radio timepiece with a small volume and operable in a compact manner. To avoid electromagnetic interference with the antenna inlet of a tuned radio-frequency receiver (12), the transducer (25) is deactivated while the receiver (12) is actuated for the reception and coding of an absolute time information (15) transmitted by radio. A subsequent recovery of the transducer drive pulses (42) for autonomous time keeping corrects the display (19). However, a transducer (25.

Abstract: A radio-controlled timepiece contains a mechanism for the detection and correction of a hands setting. The mechanism includes a sender and a receiver for sending and receiving, respectively, a radiation beam. A hands setting mechanism includes an hour wheel, a minute wheel, and a seconds wheel, each possessing an aperture therethrough. The hour wheel has a front mirror located proximate the beam sender for reflecting a beam to the receiver. The front mirror has an interruption defined by the aperture of the hour disk in order to pass the beam through that aperture to a rear mirror disposed remote from the sender, such that a beam reflects from the rear mirror only after passing through aligned apertures in the disks. The hour wheel is movable independently of the minute wheel and seconds wheel, and the minute wheel and seconds wheel are rotatably interconnected.

Abstract: A autonomous radio timepiece (11), in particular in the form of a small travel clock or a wristwatch, is designed to operate for an extended period of time with a small battery, and to provide a reliable time display when traveling outside the reception range of a transmitter of coded time telegrams set for a certain geographical time zone. The timepiece casing (20) is equipped with a multifuncton switching device (21) and an associated decoder (23), which evaluates the combination of the momentary actuation of push buttons (22). It is thus possible by means of the switching device (21) to switch into a power saving storage state if the timepiece is not in use, and to return to normal operations.

Abstract: A radio-controlled timepiece includes a clock face, a hands assembly mounted for rotation about an axis in front of the clock face, and an alarm setting mechanism. The alarm setting mechanism comprises a minute setting disk which is driven by an hour setting disk. A manually rotatable transparent support disk is mounted in front of the clock face for rotation about the same axis as the hands assembly. The support disk carries a marker which, when the support member is rotated, is moved to indicate a particular hour and minute indicator on the clock face. The support disk is connected to the hour setting disk to rotate the latter which, in turn, rotates the minute setting disk. The support disk is accessible to rotation at the front of the clock. The hour and minute setting disks are preferably connected to an alarm time storage device by means of conductive fingers which are mounted on the disks and which are engageable with concentric conductive strips mounted on a stationary part of the clock.