Patents Examined by Edith S. Jackmon
  • Patent number: 4182108
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece correction circuit for a digital display electronic timepiece wherein the same digital display is utilized with timekeeping circuitry capable of producing two types of time information to display both types of time information is provided. Mode select circuitry that is coordinately disposable between a timekeeping mode and a correction mode is disposed intermediate a manually actuatable control circuit and the timekeeping circuitry and digital display. When the mode select circuitry is disposed in a timekeeping mode, actuation of the control circuitry will result in the digital display changing from a display of the first type of time information to a display of the second type of time information produced by the timekeeping circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1980
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Chihara
  • Patent number: 4182113
    Abstract: The device includes indicator elements capable of sequentially indicating the output of a counter in the forming of a plurality of time bands; an operation command signal distributor capable of generating an output for the performance of an operation having any given object corresponding to one selected from said indicator elements; and operating members for optionally selecting and causing the generation of command signals for the performance of an operation having any given object. The operation command signal distributor is enabled by an operating member when a specified indication element is lighted, to thereby command a selected operation having any given object, the command generation being a function of which indicator element is lighted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1980
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Kashio
  • Patent number: 4181058
    Abstract: An electrical string-instrument having a plurality of conductive strings, a support member stretching the strings, electromechanical transducers respectively corresponding to the strings, magnetic field generating means for generating a constant magnetic field to cover therewith the strings, an electrical circuit for producing feedback signals from the outputs of the electromechanical transducers, and feedback signal supply means for supplying the feedback signals to flow feedback currents in the strings, and vibrate continuously in cooperation with the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventor: Noboru Suenaga
  • Patent number: 4180970
    Abstract: A wristwatch having a sound-emitting device or alarm therein includes a watch case, a cover glass and a case back. The sound-emitting device is mounted in the watch case from the back side in a mounting opening formed in the watch case. The watch case is formed with a sound-emitting aperture on the top surface over at least a portion of the mounting opening of smaller size than the mounting opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tokunaga, Hideaki Uchiyama, Yoshiaki Fujimori
  • Patent number: 4179970
    Abstract: The present invention is an arpeggio system for use in a musical instrument having a multiplexed keyboard, wherein operated playing keys are represented by cyclic pulses in corresponding time slots in a serial time division multiplex data format, connected over a single bus to a multiplexed pitch generator system for producing tones at pitches corresponding to the time slots in the serial data stream in which the cyclic pulses representing operated playing keys appear. The arpeggio system is connected in the serial data path in repeater fashion so as to be operated under control of the serial data stream received from the keyboard to selectively retransmit cyclic pulses in the serial time division multiplex data format to the pitch generator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1979
    Inventor: Alfred H. Faulkner
  • Patent number: 4177634
    Abstract: A multi-reflection clock having a two way mirror mounted over the face of the clock, a one way mirror as the face of the clock with the reflecting surface of the one way mirror on the rear side of the face of the clock and sources of light arranged in a circle between the two mirrors whereby reflections of the sources of light appear to an observer in a plurality of substantially symmetrically disposed lines about the clock converging together toward the rear of the clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1979
    Inventor: Miguel Calienes
  • Patent number: 4176518
    Abstract: The present invention is an electronic time indicating signal clock of a hand indication type. It has a time indicating signal generating function marking time by one or more electronic tones and a correction function in which the number of tones made for a set time may be easily corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1979
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hakuhei Kawakami, Takeshi Ishihara, Kenzo Hatada
  • Patent number: 4176517
    Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises components for the basic functions of a timepiece and additional components for controlling the operation mode of the basic components. By properly controlling the operation mode of the basic components, the integrated circuit can be applied to two or more types of timepieces, thereby reducing the kinds of the integrated circuits that need to be prepared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1979
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Yoshida
  • Patent number: 4175374
    Abstract: Timepiece comprises an upper case, a middle plate connected to the upper case, and a lower case connected to the upper case. Gear train and driving mechanism of the timepiece are supported by the upper case and the middle plate. Thus inspection and repair can be done very easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1979
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Seikosha
    Inventor: Keiichi Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 4175375
    Abstract: An electronic watch comprising a level setting circuit which consists of a resistive device and a switching element connected between a switch and a power source. The resistance value of the switching element is much smaller than that of the resistive device and the switching element is rendered non-conductive when the switch is in its on state and is rendered conductive when the switch is in its off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1979
    Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuneo Takase
  • Patent number: 4175372
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece is disclosed which has at least one display function in addition to an ordinary time display function and comprises a sole electro-mechanical transducer for dividing a kept time and driving a first display function and a second display function separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1979
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Munetaka Tamaru, Kazunari Kume, Minoru Watanabe, Hideshi Ohno, Minoru Natori
  • Patent number: 4175378
    Abstract: A timekeeping instrument is disclosed which is suitable for teaching a new system of timekeeping, namely, decimal time. By decimal time is meant the division of a day into decimal components rather than the conventional division of the day into hours, minutes and seconds. The teaching instrument disclosed has a single hand which corresponds to the hour hand of a conventional clock and the dial or face of the instrument bears indicia of the normal hourly divisions, that is, the twenty-four hours in a day. The face of the teaching instrument also bears indicia of the decimal divisions of the day. The face may also be provided with a digital display which presents a readout in decimal form of the precise time of day, and the day of the year. Another timekeeping instrument is disclosed which is suitable for timekeeping in decimal time. The instrument disclosed has a single hand and a dial or face having circumferentially disposed decimal divisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1979
    Inventor: Vernon E. Shelton
  • Patent number: 4174607
    Abstract: In an automatic winding mechanism for a wristwatch, the motion of the oscillating off-center rotor is transmitted to a ratchet wheel which drives a planetary reduction gear winding the mainspring, by means of an improved single piece rocking arm. The rocking arm is made from a single stamping and includes spring loaded pawls, tabs to support it in place, and a spring clip retaining the off-center rotor in its bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1979
    Assignee: Timex Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Wuthrich
  • Patent number: 4171610
    Abstract: Driving mechanism for a calendar watch mechanism including indicia of day and date, a display window and means to advance said day and date indicia to said window, characterized by a calendar wheel which makes one revolution each 24 hours, a drive element on that wheel, a rapid advance member, a cocking element, the rapid advance member being elastically acted on and having a ramp which cooperates with the cocking element to control the rotation of the calendar wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1979
    Assignee: A. Schild S.A.
    Inventor: Beat Gilomen
  • Patent number: 4170870
    Abstract: An electronic time display is provided with two manual switches and a cour for making time corrections. One switch advances the counter to select either the seconds, minutes, hours, or calendar (day) display for correction. The second switch is then used to effect the correction. In order to reduce power consumption and circuit complexity, provision is made for displaying at any particular time either all or a part of the total information available for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1979
    Assignee: Societe Suisse pour l'Industrie Horlogere Management Services S.A.
    Inventor: Michel Burdet
  • Patent number: 4168607
    Abstract: The illustrated embodiment of my invention is a wrist watch having a watch case and a fixed seat outside of it. The watch case is movably mounted relative to the seat and is recessed within that seat. A spring normally holds the case in a rest position recessed within the seat. The case contains a quartz crystal, a circuit board, and an electro-optical data display at a window in the case. Manual actuation of a press-on member, specifically here a push button, against the resisting spring causes the case to move and thereby close a switch that causes the current time reading to appear on the display. Other displays occur successively if the case is soon enough manually moved part of the way back to its rest position and allowed to pop back up from there.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1979
    Assignee: Wells Benrus Corporation
    Inventor: Howard M. Friedman
  • Patent number: 4164844
    Abstract: The invention concerns a solid state timepiece which provides chronograph nctions and in which a single display unit is adapted to display either an elapsed time or the time of day. To distinguish when the chronograph function is being carried out within the timepiece signalling means is provided which may, for instance, take the form of an index symbol on the face of the display and indicates that the chronograph function is in operation even although the display may continue to display the normal time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1979
    Assignee: Societe Suisse pour l'Industrie Horlogere Management Services S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Jaunin
  • Patent number: 4163407
    Abstract: A programmable rhythm unit is disclosed for electrically simulating sounds of a plurality of rhythm instruments being played in selected ones of a plurality of different rhythmic patterns. A variable frequency oscillator cooperates with a counter/divider and decoder circuit to provide a predetermined number of beats or pulses per measure at a tempo which may be varied by the user. Also provided is a plurality of keyed audio circuits which each produce a characteristic burst of output signals that simulate the audible output or voice of a corresponding rhythm instrument. Switching means are provided whereby the user can select any of the voices to play at any beat position. In addition an alternate beat pulse source is provided which can be selected by the switching means to play any of the voices at a particular beat position every other measure. A pseudo-random generator is also included which may be selected to play any of the voices at a random beat position in each measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1979
    Assignee: The Wurlitzer Company
    Inventor: Peter E. Solender
  • Patent number: 4161098
    Abstract: A clock having at least one indicator device possessing at least one linear scale subdivided into time minutes and at least one indicator or pointer movable along the scale under the action of a drive mechanism. The indicator is followingly driven at least along a part of its path of travel at the scale along the movement of the sun during a day.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1979
    Inventor: Kurt Ingendahl
  • Patent number: 4151668
    Abstract: A calculator for use by an individual on a strict diet such as a diabetic to expedite food item selection for a complete single meal in accordance with a predetermined calorie, carbohydrate, protein and fat diet plan. The device includes a plurality of smaller diameter circular discs having viewing apertures rotatably affixed to a larger disc which cooperate for rapid selective registration of complete daily meals from a plurality of entrees or primary foods, the device including daily meal plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The device, through movement of the discs, also allows for individual food item exchange per meal in accordance with a particular dietetic plan to allow the individual a variety in the selection of food items to be consumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1979
    Inventor: Daniel C. Hungerford