Patents Examined by Daniel Wicklund
  • Patent number: 9535402
    Abstract: A timepiece indicates the sunrise and sunset taking into account seasonal variations. The timepiece includes a sphere representing the Earth, a shell arranged concentrically to the sphere and arranged to delimit a part of the globe where it is night time from another part where it is daytime by indicating the position of the Earth's terminator. The shell can pivot around the globe along two perpendicular axes. The shell is driven by the movement in order to revolve at the rate of one revolution every 24 hours around the polar axis. A differential mechanism is controlled by a year cam that has a profile representing the inclination of the sun in relation to the equatorial plane. The differential mechanism controls the inclination of the shell around the axis by a drive shaft concentric to the polar axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Beat Gilomen, Michel Willemin, Dominique Lechot
  • Patent number: 9529328
    Abstract: Timepiece brake wheel assembly, including an arbor comprising a first surface cooperating, to guide pivoting, with a second surface of a wheel pivotally mounted on the arbor around a pivot axis, this second surface including one braking surface comprised in a brake shoe subjected to the action of a first spring, in one-piece with the wheel, and arranged to exert a radial force with respect to the pivot axis on the first surface, this assembly including notches forming a comb or a toothing, arranged to retain a finger-piece for discrete value adjustment of the friction exerted by the braking surface on the first surface, this assembly being arranged to be included in a timepiece mechanism or in a timepiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventor: Raphael Courvoisier
  • Patent number: 9523964
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dial plate of an intelligent wristwatch, which includes a body, a first screen, a second screen, and a third screen. The first screen is rotatably connected to the body by a first rotary axle. The second screen is rotatably connected to the body by a second rotary axle. The third screen is rotatably connected to the body by a third rotary axle. The second rotary axle and the third rotary axle are opposite to and parallel to each other. The first rotary axle is perpendicular to the second rotary axle. Vertical distances of the first rotary axle, the second rotary axle, and the third rotary axle from the body are reduced in sequence so that the first screen, the second screen, and the third screen are allowed to overlap each other on the body. Also disclosed is an intelligent wristwatch having an expandable display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Yanxue Zhang
  • Patent number: 9519270
    Abstract: Timepiece power reserve indicator for the display of the power reserve indication of a plurality of energy accumulators each including one indicator cooperating with one accumulator input of a differential mechanism comprised in the power reserve indicator, and wherein one output of the differential mechanism cooperates with a mechanism for the display of the total power reserve of the plurality of energy accumulators, and at least two of the inputs are coaxial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventor: Ivan Villar
  • Patent number: 9513603
    Abstract: The present invention provides a timepiece which can lightly rotate an operation member to rotate an display body, while exhibiting a high level of waterproof performance around the operation member. One of the pipe and a shaft portion of the operation member inserted into the pipe has a first annular contact surface, and a second annular contact surface that have different diameters A packing capable of elastic deformation and configured to effect waterproofing between the pipe and the shaft portion is mounted. In operation, the packing is selectively brought into contact with the first and second contact surfaces such that the packing is pressed harder on one of the first and second contact surfaces than on the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Haruki Hiranuma, Masahiro Ishida
  • Patent number: 9507324
    Abstract: A smart watch is provided, which is used for being worn on a wrist part and includes a main body part, wherein the main body part includes a main display screen used for displaying an operation interface, an auxiliary display screen used for displaying time and a connection display part connected with the main display screen and the auxiliary display screen, the main display screen and the auxiliary display screen are both rigid, and the connection display part is flexible, such that after the smart watch is worn on the wrist part, an angle may be formed between the display surface of the main display screen and the display surface of the auxiliary display screen. The smart watch is convenient for a user to read time, which provides a new choice for users and meets the demand of market diversification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Renwei Guo, Xue Dong
  • Patent number: 9494921
    Abstract: Device for protecting a timepiece balance spring (1) against interfering magnetic fields comprising a balance (2) made of amorphous ferromagnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Dionne
  • Patent number: 9483024
    Abstract: A wristwatch includes a bracelet or strap, a plastic case, a watch crystal, a back cover and pairs of horns to which the ends of the bracelet or strap are attached. It also includes a top half shell made of metal which covers the top of the case and a portion of the case middle and which has an opening revealing the crystal. It further includes a crown or a control push-button protruding from the case middle. The wristwatch further includes a bottom half shell covering the back cover and a portion of the case middle. The top half shell and the bottom half shell respectively have two, substantially symmetrical, peripheral rims which extend facing each other, the crown or the control push-button being located in an elongated space extending between the rims of the two half shells. The elongated space also reveals a portion of the case middle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Management Services AG
    Inventors: Damien Goyet, Silvano Bonadei
  • Patent number: 9483026
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device for regulating the relative angular speed between a magnetic structure and a resonator magnetically coupled to each other and forming an oscillator which defines a magnetic escapement. The magnetic structure includes at least one annular magnetic path at least partially formed of a magnetic material of which one physical parameter is correlated to the magnetic potential energy of the oscillator, the magnetic material being arranged along the annular path so that the physical parameter varies angularly in a periodic manner. The annular path includes, in each angular period, an area of accumulation of magnetic potential energy in the oscillator, radially adjacent to an impulse area. The magnetic material, in each accumulation area, is arranged so that the physical parameter of said magnetic material gradually increases angularly or gradually decreases angularly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd.
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Pascal Winkler, Jerome Favre, Jean-Luc Helfer, Baptiste Hinaux, Dominique Lechot, Patrick Ragot, Fanel Piccini
  • Patent number: 9465366
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device for regulating the relative angular speed between a magnetic structure and a resonator magnetically coupled to each other and forming an oscillator which defines a magnetic escapement. The magnetic structure includes at least one annular magnetic path at least partially formed of a magnetic material and the resonator includes at least one element for magnetic coupling to the annular magnetic path, this coupling element being formed of a magnetic material having a physical parameter correlated to the magnetic potential energy of the oscillator. The radial dimension of the annular magnetic path is smaller than a corresponding dimension of the coupling element, and the magnetic material is arranged so that the physical parameter of said magnetic material gradually increases angularly or gradually decreases angularly in order to obtain an angularly extended magnetic potential energy area in each angular period of the annular magnetic path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Pascal Winkler, Jerome Favre, Jean-Luc Helfer, Baptiste Hinaux, Dominique Lechot, Patrick Ragot, Fanel Piccini
  • Patent number: 9448536
    Abstract: An exemplary mechanical watch has a face including an indicator of current time and one or more indicators of physical activity of a wearer of the mechanical watch. The watch further includes a mainspring to store energy and transfer the energy to a balance wheel and gear train to measure the passage of time, a rotor to rotate about a pivot point in response to movements of a wrist of the wearer of the mechanical watch, a rotor gear coupled to the rotor, and an activity-tracking wheel coupled to one of the one or more indicators of physical activity. Movement of the rotor causes the rotor gear to translate the movement of the rotor into winding of the mainspring and into an indication of physical activity of a wearer of the mechanical watch by causing or controlling rotation of the activity-tracking wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: DP TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Philippe Kahn, Mark Andrew Christensen, Arthur Kinsolving
  • Patent number: 9448539
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece has a receiver device that receives at least a first satellite signal containing a first leap second value and a second satellite signal containing a second leap second value; a timekeeping device that keeps time according to the current leap second; an evaluation condition setting unit that sets an evaluation condition of the correctness of the first leap second value and the second leap second value based on the timing of first satellite signal and second satellite signal reception; and a leap second correction unit that corrects the current leap second based on the first leap second value or the second leap second value when the first leap second value and the second leap second value satisfy the set evaluation condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshikazu Akiyama
  • Patent number: 9448541
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece can determine the reception state in detail, and can display the reception state with high precision. A GPS wristwatch 1 has a reception unit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite; a reception level calculating unit 47 that calculates a reception level from the signal strength of the satellite signal; and a reception level display unit 48 that displays the reception level calculated by the reception level calculating unit 47. The reception level calculating unit 47 selects a specific number of satellite signals received from the positioning information satellites in order of greatest signal strength, and calculates the reception level from the signal strengths of the selected satellite signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshikazu Akiyama, Katsuyuki Honda, Norimitsu Baba, Jun Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 9429915
    Abstract: The electronic module (1) includes a quartz or MEMS resonator (3), which is confined within a resonator case (5), which is provided with electrical contact pads (15) over at least one external surface for the electrical connection of the resonator. A printed circuit board (6) is also provided for carrying the resonator case (5) and it includes electrical connection terminals (18) for connection to the electrical connection pads (15) of the resonator case. The resonator case (5) is fixedly held inside a case structure (6, 9) of the electronic module (1), via at least one mechanical shock damping element (7). The damping element 7) may be an elastomer element, which includes metal wires (17) for the electrical connection of the resonator case (5) across the printed circuit board (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventor: Francois Klopfenstein
  • Patent number: 9411316
    Abstract: A coupling device for timepieces that includes an entry wheel, a coupling wheel, and a first exit wheel. The coupling wheel is disposed substantially coplanar to the plane of rotation of the entry wheel and of the first exit wheel and is adapted to tilt relative to the plane of rotation to occupy a first coupling position in which the coupling wheel meshes with the first exit wheel and a second coupling position in which the coupling wheel is decoupled from the first exit wheel. The device also includes a movable element to control the change of position between the first and the second position of the coupling wheel. The coupling wheel defines an axis of rotation that can be inclined relative to the normal to the plane of rotation of the entry wheel and of the first exit wheel by being mounted pivotably at each of the ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Société anonyme de la Manufacture d'horlogerie Audemars Piguet & Cie
    Inventors: Marc-Olivier Pages, Giulio Papi, Lauren Musitelli, Johan Montet
  • Patent number: 9389592
    Abstract: A timer assembly is configured with a motor with slim construction so as to provide a thinner and more compact timer assembly. A timer assembly with a thinner profile and reduced thickness is achieved by incorporating the motor within the timer's baseplate. Additional advantages may be achieved by positioning the motor within an area defined by the baseplate and the time indicator, or by mounting the motor in an offset manner with respect to the baseplate. Further, the orientation of the motor may be changed to mount the motor to the front or rear of the baseplate to provide for an additional thickness reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Reliance Controls Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Baldwin, John Klein, Ryan Liebengood
  • Patent number: 9342055
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic watch capable of surely acquiring a movement start position and a stop position of a hand when the hand moves at high speed such as a case of manual correction by a winding stem or the like, while reducing a load on a CPU. The electronic watch includes: a decode circuit for outputting data corresponding to regions acquired by segmenting a movement range of the hand; and a position information circuit for automatically acquiring region data corresponding to the movement start position of the hand and region data corresponding to the stop position thereof and sending a notification to the CPU when acquiring both the data. In this manner, the CPU can stop until the acquisition of both the data, thereby reducing the load on the CPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignees: CITIZEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuneharu Kasai, Masahiro Mamiya, Michihiro Enokida, Tetsuro Maruyama, Fumio Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9335738
    Abstract: A timepiece barrel includes a drum defining a first compartment and a superimposed second compartment; a first tubular hub secured to a first cover and housed at least partially in the first compartment; a second tubular hub secured to a second cover housed at least partially in the second compartment. Each compartment contains a spring wound into a spiral and an inner first end of which collaborates with the first and second hubs respectively and a second end of which collaborates with the drum. The compartments are open on the side of the covers and the first and second covers are free with reference to the drum and are each provided with peripheral teeth, while the drum has no teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: SOWIND SA
    Inventors: Stephane Oes, Laurent Calame
  • Patent number: 9323221
    Abstract: A timepiece wheel overmolded onto an arbor. The wheel is plastic injection overmolded onto a washer fitted onto the arbor. This washer has a lower density than the arbor. This washer includes at least one plane surface forming a bearing and sealing surface for cooperating in a sealed manner with an injection mold for the overmolding operation. The timepiece wheel may be an escape wheel whose teeth are formed during overmolding onto the arbor and the washer, and it includes an escape pinion mounted and abutted to the washer or integral with the washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGERE SUISSE
    Inventors: Ivan Villar, Laurent Kaelin, Xavier Tinguely
  • Patent number: 9323220
    Abstract: The invention relates to a timepiece fitted with a lever escapement wherein the end of contact angles ?1 and ?2 between the pallet stones and the escapement wheel are respectively higher than the locking-angles ?2 and ?1 of the two locking positions of the lever. This escapement requires neither adjustment nor final alteration of the position of the pallet stones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: DETRA SA
    Inventor: Xuan Mai Tu