Patents Examined by Edwin A. Leon
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Patent number: 11914327Abstract: A timepiece indexing element (10), coaxially cooperating with a component (20) including an indexing relief (30), including indexing parts (13) cooperating with this indexing relief (30) for their relative indexing in a plurality of indexing positions, and carried by first elastic arms (14) each including a first indexing surface (15), each first elastic arm (14) being arranged to exert a pushing force that is substantially radial relative to this component (20), and this indexing element (10) includes at least a first bearing surface (11) arranged, in the free state in a service position, to remain at a distance from a second complementary bearing surface (21) that a component (20) includes, and in the event of impact, to cooperate in abutment and/or guide bearing with the second complementary bearing surface (21), each first bearing surface (11) being carried by a second elastic bearing arm (40) cantilevered in the indexing element (10).Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2021Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: ETA SA MANUFACTURE HORLOGÈRE SUISSEInventor: Julien Saglini
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Patent number: 11914330Abstract: A timepiece including: a dial; a windshield glass having a plurality of curved surfaces that differ from each other in curvature; and a hand disposed between the dial and the windshield glass, wherein the windshield glass includes: a first curved surface having a first curvature and including a center of the windshield glass; a second curved surface disposed adjacent to the first curved surface and having a second curvature larger than the first curvature; and a third curved surface disposed adjacent to the second curved surface and having a third curvature larger than the second curvature, a thickness of the first curved surface and a thickness of the second curved surface are equal, and in plan view, a distal end of the hand is disposed on a center C side of the windshield glass with respect to a boundary between the second curved surface and the third curved surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2021Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Koki Hayashi, Kenichiro Matsumoto, Kazunori Hoshino, Hiroshi Watanabe
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Patent number: 11908643Abstract: The application relates to a spring mechanism for a dual power transfer switch and a dual power transfer switch. The spring mechanism includes: a base mounted on a housing of the dual power transfer switch; and a spring mounted on the base. The spring includes a first leg configured to contact and exert a pressure on an indicator of the dual power transfer switch, so as to generate a frictional force between the first leg and the indicator and reduce a rebound of the indicator upon the indicator moving between a first indicating position and an intermediate indicating position, the first indicating position indicates that the dual power transfer switch is in a first power-on position, and the intermediate indicating position indicates that the dual power transfer switch is in a dual-off position.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2022Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SASInventors: Junjie Zhou, Xi Xie, Xiaoqin Wang
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Patent number: 11906935Abstract: A removable case back of an electronic or electromechanical watch case, the case back allows the wireless charging or recharging of a power source. The case back includes a first multi-function sub-assembly having a buzzer, an inductive coil on or integrated in a printed circuit board, the inductive coil being covered by a magnetic shield on an inner side of the watch case, and a second multi-function sub-assembly on the first multi-function sub-assembly having an enclosure structure for accommodating the power source, such as a battery or an accumulator.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2020Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Marc Schenk, Laurent Mouche
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Patent number: 11906930Abstract: An elastic retaining member for fixing a timepiece component on a support element includes an opening into which the support element can be inserted, and rigid arms and elastic arms defined between connection areas of the member. The rigid arms and the elastic arms are configured to ensure elastic clamping of the support element in the opening, each of the rigid arms being provided with a single flat contact area and configured to cooperate with a corresponding convex contact portion of the support element.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2019Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.Inventors: Ivan Hernandez, Pierre Cusin
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Patent number: 11906931Abstract: Disclosed is a timepiece component including at least one housing intended to receive at least one precious or non-precious stone and including at least one first end, referred to as the setting end, and a rail. The rail is located on the periphery of the housing, and is arranged to allow the stone or stones to be inserted into the rail at the first end of the housing, such that the stone or stones can slide in the rail along the longitudinal axis of the housing, and to hold the stone or stones once inserted into the rail in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2018Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: PATEK PHILIPPE SA GENEVEInventor: Eric Le Gall
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Patent number: 11906933Abstract: A dial including a base member having a sheet shape containing reinforced fibers, and a decorative member provided on one surface of the base member containing a brittle material.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2020Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masao Amano
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Patent number: 11906937Abstract: An electronic watch includes a housing defining a side surface of the electronic watch, a transparent cover coupled to the housing and defining a front surface of the electronic watch, an image-sensing element, and a crown extending from the side of the housing and defining an imaging surface. The crown may include a light-directing feature configured to direct, onto the image-sensing element, an image of an object in contact with the imaging surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2023Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Michael J. Beyhs
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Patent number: 11906932Abstract: A dial for a timepiece, preferably a watch, the dial being provided with a relief portion which is made as an assembly of pieces on different levels, juxtaposed on a base, such that the relief portion is formed by the upper surfaces of the pieces. A method for manufacturing the dial with several separate pieces, the upper surfaces of the pieces being subjected to a polishing step and/or possibly an enamelling step. The pieces are then cut along a defined contour and then assembled edge-to-edge on a base, so as to create the relief portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2020Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Omega SAInventors: Frederic Jeanrenaud, Gregory Kissling
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Patent number: 11906929Abstract: A detent escapement includes an escape wheel with teeth regularly spaced along a perimeter and a balance having an impulse pallet and receiving driving impulses via the teeth, the balance performing an alternation during which it receives a driving impulse and an alternation without a driving impulse, the detent escapement also including a hook pivotally mounted on the balance and held bearing by an elastic member against an abutment, the detent escapement including a pivotable detent which includes a first arm which collaborates with the escape wheel to block the latter before the start of the driving impulse, as well as a second arm to allow the escape wheel to disengage from its engagement with the first arm at the start of the driving impulse, and which limits the pivoting of this detent to only part of the oscillation of the balance, the detent being configured to again block the escape wheel after the latter has finished providing the driving impulse to the impulse pallet of the balance.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2021Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.Inventors: Alain Zaugg, Jérôme Macé, Benoît Légeret
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Patent number: 11908654Abstract: To realize both toughness and size reduction of a safety switch. A safety switch is a safety switch into and from which a bolt of an actuator is inserted and pulled out. The safety switch includes a casing having a shape elongated along a first direction, a metal head having a receiving space for receiving the bolt of the actuator and provided on a first end side of the casing in the first direction, a detector for detecting a first state in which the bolt is received in the receiving space, a lock mechanism, a switching device and a first attachment portion provided in the head and having a first attachment hole into which a first attachment member is inserted.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2022Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: KEYENCE CORPORATIONInventors: Choryon Oh, Yu Babasaki, Lye Tatt Cheah
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Patent number: 11899408Abstract: A pointer controller includes at least one processor; and a display that includes a pointer. The at least one processor is configured to control the display so as to display an elapsed time, switching between (i) a first display mode for display of the elapsed time cumulatively by causing, upon resumption of display, movement of the pointer that inherits a previous display time and (ii) a second display mode for display of the elapsed time non-cumulatively by causing, upon resumption of display, movement of the pointer that does not inherit the previous display time. The movement of the pointer controlled by the at least one processor is such that the first display mode and the second display mode differ from each other in a way of movement that indicates how the pointer moves.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoki Ishikawa, Shuto Oikawa, Hitoshi Tanaka, Chiharu Shiratori
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Patent number: 11901660Abstract: A broadside coupled connector assembly has two sets of conductors, each separate planes. By providing the same path lengths, there is no skew between the conductors of the differential pair and the impedance of those conductors is identical. The conductor sets are formed by embedding the first set of conductors in an insulated housing having a top surface with channels. The second set of conductors is placed within the channels so that no air gaps form between the two sets of conductors. A second insulated housing is filled over the second set of conductors and into the channels to form a completed wafer. The ends of the conductors are received in a blade housing. Differential and ground pairs of blades have one end that extends through the bottom of the housing having a small footprint. An opposite end of the pairs of blades diverge to connect with the wafers.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Amphenol CorporationInventors: Thomas S. Cohen, Huilin Ren, Marc B. Cartier, Jr., Trent K. Do, Mark W. Gailus
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Patent number: 11899403Abstract: A method (P1) for coding a solar time, called the initial solar time (Hs1), associated with a geographical location (Loc) and with a day (J1) of the year, wherein the method includes selecting SEL(Href, Nb1) a reference time (Href) and an initial number of bits (Nb1) as a function of the type of initial solar time (Hs), computing CALC(Nm1) a number of minutes (Nm1) separating the initial solar time (Hs1) and the reference time (Href), coding COD(Hs1) the number of minutes (Nm1) in the initial number of bits (Nb1).Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2019Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere SuisseInventors: Thierry Bonnet, Jiri Husak
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Patent number: 11899405Abstract: An electronic watch includes a driver controlled to be in an ON state in which a drive current is supplied to a coil of a motor and an OFF state in which the drive current is not supplied to the coil, a target current value setter configured to set a target current value in accordance with a drive voltage for driving the motor, and a driver controller configured to compare a detected current value of a current flowing to the coil with the target current value, control the driver to be in the ON state or the OFF state in accordance with a result of the comparison, and switch polarity of the drive current when detecting that an ON time, which is a duration of the ON state of the driver, meets a predetermined condition or an OFF time, which is a duration of the OFF state of the driver, meets a predetermined condition.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2020Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Inventor: Tomoki Okuhata
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Patent number: 11894204Abstract: A switch assembly includes a switch and a servo drive system. The drive system includes: a drive shaft connecting the drive system to the switch; a motor driving the switch; a power section supplying power to the motor; a feedback system; and a programmable safety controller. The feedback system determines at least two values for an absolute position of the drive shaft; and generates a feedback signal on the basis of the values. The controller controls the power section depending on at least one desired value; influences an operation of the motor depending on the feedback signal; and identifies the presence of at least one safety-relevant event, and based thereon, transmits a control signal to the power section. The power section is initiates/carries-out at a safety measure depending on the control signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2020Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: MASCHINENFABRIK REINHAUSEN GMBHInventors: Sebastian Schmid, Benjamin Dittmann, Eugen Nagel
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Patent number: 11892807Abstract: A method for measuring the medium frequency of a digital signal derived from a reference periodic signal generated by an electronic oscillator (quartz oscillator) forming a timepiece (2) which includes an analogue time display device and a continuous rotation electromechanical transducer (generator or continuous rotation motor) which is kinematically linked to this display device and wherein the medium rotational speed is regulated by a regulation device. The medium frequency of the digital signal is determined by a measurement device (70) without galvanic contact with the movement of the timepiece. The measurement method makes it possible to determine the rate of the timepiece and the precision of the electronic oscillator based on regulation impulses detected by a magnetic sensor (72) and over a measurement period limited to the duration of an inhibition cycle of periods of the reference periodic signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2020Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Jean-Jacques Born, Laurent Nagy
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Patent number: 11886149Abstract: An electronic watch may include a tactile switch and/or one or more sensors for detecting rotational and translational inputs. The watch may include a display configured to produce graphical outputs that may change in response to rotational inputs, translational inputs, and/or touch inputs received at the display. The watch include a crown positioned along an exterior of the watch enclosure and a shaft coupled to the crown and extending into the enclosure. The tactile switch and/or the one or more sensors may be used to detect rotational and/or translational inputs provided at the crown.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Colin M. Ely, John B. Morrell, Duncan Kerr, Camille Moussette
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Patent number: 11886146Abstract: A horological movement includes an escapement with a magnetic system to generate magnetic force impulses, so as to sustain the oscillation of the mechanical resonator associated with the escapement. In order to make possible an effective self-starting of the assembly formed of the mechanical resonator and of the escapement during a winding of the barrel, after a stop of the horological movement due to the unwound barrel spring, the escape wheel includes teeth and the pallet assembly includes two mechanical pallet-stones arranged to receive, upon starting, at least one mechanical force impulse of the escape wheel via one of the teeth thereof, the mechanical force impulse generating a starting force torque on the pallet assembly that is transmitted to the balance of the mechanical resonator to begin an oscillation of the latter so that the assembly can operate normally after a starting phase.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2021Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Dominique Lechot, Marc Stranczl, Benoît Légeret
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Patent number: 11886150Abstract: A push button system for activating an actuation member, the system including a button head, a pusher actuator integral with the button head, a first hollow guide member, the pusher actuator being mounted to slide inside the first hollow guide member, the first hollow guide member being intended to be secured to a fixed element relative to the button head and to the pusher actuator, a second hollow guide member arranged in the button head, and a pin mounted to slide inside the second hollow member, and intended to be secured to the fixed element. The pusher actuator has an upper portion provided on the periphery thereof with a collar intended to cooperate with an internal face of the first hollow guide member to guide the pusher inside the member.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2020Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Meco SAInventors: Herve Avril, Samuel Geiser