Patents by Inventor Nobuhiro Koike

Nobuhiro Koike has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11022940
    Abstract: A timepiece movement includes second, minute, and hour hand wheels with second, minute, and hour hand arbors; a 24-hour hand wheel with a 24-hour hand arbor; and a first to third guides that guide an arbor to which a hand attaches. The minute, hour, and 24-hour hand arbors have tubular configurations and are disposed coaxially to the second hand arbor. The minute hand arbor has a diameter greater than the second hand arbor, the hour hand arbor has a diameter greater than the minute hand arbor, and the 24-hour hand arbor has a diameter greater than the hour hand arbor. The first guide is between the second hand arbor and the minute hand arbor, the second guide is between the minute hand arbor and the hour hand arbor, and the third guide is between the hour hand arbor and the 24-hour hand arbor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 10908556
    Abstract: A timepiece movement includes: an hour wheel and pinion; a minute wheel and pinion; a winding stem; a time difference correction train; a date indicator; and a date change mechanism. The hour wheel and pinion includes an hour wheel that rotates with the minute wheel and pinion, an hour jumper, an hour jumper pinion, and an hour wheel body that turns with the hour wheel via the hour jumper and hour jumper pinion, and turns with the time difference correction train. The date change mechanism includes a date change wheel that turns with the hour wheel body, a date change lever, a date change cam that flexes the date change lever by rotating with the date change wheel, and turns in response to the flexed date change lever spring force, and a date change pawl that rotates with the date change cam, and advances the date indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 10809665
    Abstract: A timepiece movement includes a date indicator for date display, a date indicator driving wheel for advancing the date indicator, a lunar age indicator for lunar age display, and a lunar age indicator driving wheel for rotating the lunar age indicator. The date indicator and the lunar age indicator are coaxially disposed, and the date indicator driving wheel and the lunar age indicator driving wheel are coaxially disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Koike
  • Publication number: 20190094807
    Abstract: A timepiece movement includes: an hour wheel and pinion; a minute wheel and pinion; a winding stem; a time difference correction train; a date indicator; and a date change mechanism. The hour wheel and pinion includes an hour wheel that rotates with the minute wheel and pinion, an hour jumper, an hour jumper pinion, and an hour wheel body that turns with the hour wheel via the hour jumper and hour jumper pinion, and turns with the time difference correction train. The date change mechanism includes a date change wheel that turns with the hour wheel body, a date change lever, a date change cam that flexes the date change lever by rotating with the date change wheel, and turns in response to the flexed date change lever spring force, and a date change pawl that rotates with the date change cam, and advances the date indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventor: Nobuhiro KOIKE
  • Publication number: 20190094804
    Abstract: A timepiece movement includes second, minute, and hour hand wheels with second, minute, and hour hand arbors; a 24-hour hand wheel with a 24-hour hand arbor; and a first to third guides that guide an arbor to which a hand attaches. The minute, hour, and 24-hour hand arbors have tubular configurations and are disposed coaxially to the second hand arbor. The minute hand arbor has a diameter greater than the second hand arbor, the hour hand arbor has a diameter greater than the minute hand arbor, and the 24-hour hand arbor has a diameter greater than the hour hand arbor. The first guide is between the second hand arbor and the minute hand arbor, the second guide is between the minute hand arbor and the hour hand arbor, and the third guide is between the hour hand arbor and the 24-hour hand arbor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventor: Nobuhiro KOIKE
  • Publication number: 20180348706
    Abstract: A timepiece movement includes a date indicator for date display, a date indicator driving wheel for advancing the date indicator, a lunar age indicator for lunar age display, and a lunar age indicator driving wheel for rotating the lunar age indicator. The date indicator and the lunar age indicator are coaxially disposed, and the date indicator driving wheel and the lunar age indicator driving wheel are coaxially disposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Nobuhiro KOIKE
  • Patent number: 9019802
    Abstract: The solar battery includes a plurality of cells having a same electromotive force with each other. The display device further includes a display means to display time, and a control means to control operation of the display means. The electromotive force of the solar battery is lower than a deterioration-start voltage of the rechargeable battery. The electromotive force of the cells is higher than a lower-limit driving voltage of the display device, in which a number of such cells equals a total number of cells include in the solar battery minus one. A driving voltage of the display means is lower than the aforementioned lower-limit driving voltage, and an operational voltage of the control means is lower than the aforementioned lower-limit driving voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 7364352
    Abstract: A mechanism having at least a function of measuring an arbitrary elapsed time is provided, which disables the function from being reset after the function is started, and enables the function to be reset after the function is stopped. The function is continuously held in an electrical ON state after being started, except when being normally stopped. This provides a time measurement device and method in which an electrical operating state and a mechanical operating state can coincide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiro Akahane, Kenichi Okuhara, Akihiko Maruyama, Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 7215603
    Abstract: A timing device includes a time display section and a drive unit. The time display section has a dial with a measurement indicator from a zero time position to a maximum measurable time position, and pointers capable of rotating above the dial in a fan-shaped trajectory. The drive unit drives the pointers above the dial from the zero time position to the maximum measurable time position, and stops the pointers above an extra display section in a position past the maximum measurable time after the maximum measurable time has passed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 6973010
    Abstract: In a generator 120 in an electronic-controlled mechanical timepiece, the winding core 133b of a coil 134 arranged nearer to the perimeter of a base plate 2 is made shorter than the winding core 123b of a coil 124 arranged more inside. Accordingly, it is possible to make the area of an opening 2c can be made smaller in comparison with the prior art, and make the timepiece more small-sized by making smaller the outer diameter of the base plate 2 as keeping the distance D1 between the corner part of the opening 2c and the perimeter of the base plate 2 to the same degree as the prior art and thereby securing the strength of the base plate 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Koike, Mamoru Miyasaka, Osamu Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20050047281
    Abstract: A timing device includes a time display section and a drive unit. The time display section has a dial with a measurement indicator from a zero time position to a maximum measurable time position, and pointers capable of rotating above the dial in a fan-shaped trajectory. The drive unit drives the pointers above the dial from the zero time position to the maximum measurable time position, and stops the pointers above an extra display section in a position past the maximum measurable time after the maximum measurable time has passed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 6724692
    Abstract: A mechanism having at least a function of measuring an arbitrary elapsed time is provided, which disables the function from being reset after the function is started, and enables the function to be reset after the function is stopped. The function is continuously held in an electrical ON state after being started, except when being normally stopped. This provides a time measurement device and method in which an electrical operating state and a mechanical operating state can coincide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiro Akahane, Kenichi Okuhara, Akihiko Maruyama, Nobuhiro Koike
  • Publication number: 20030137900
    Abstract: A mechanism having at least a function of measuring an arbitrary elapsed time is provided, which disables the function from being reset after the function is started, and enables the function to be reset after the function is stopped. The function is continuously held in an electrical ON state after being started, except when being normally stopped. This provides a time measurement device and method in which an electrical operating state and a mechanical operating state can coincide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Inventors: Hidehiro Akahane, Kenichi Okuhara, Akihiko Maruyama, Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 6567345
    Abstract: A timepiece has an ordinary time measuring section including an ordinary time display unit for measuring an ordinary time and time information (i.e., chronograph) measuring sections including chronograph displays for measuring time information other than the ordinary time (i.e., chronograph information). The timepiece is configured such that the ordinary time display unit and the chronograph display units, are disposed on a display surface of the timepiece without overlapping each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuneaki Furukawa, Nobuhiro Koike, Eiichi Hiraya, Akihiko Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6466518
    Abstract: A time measurement device includes a first motor (1300) for indicating standard time, a second motor (1400) for indicating a chronograph, a generator (1600) which generates driving power for driving the first and second motors by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, and a zero reset mechanism (1200) for mechanically resetting the chronograph to zero. A compact time measurement device, operable from a low power, is thus provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiro Akahane, Kenichi Okuhara, Akihiko Maruyama, Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 6370087
    Abstract: In a time measurement device (1000) having, at least, both a function of measuring standard time and a function of measuring any elapsed time, when a predetermined amount of time passes from a temporary suspension of a watch hand in position in the middle of the measurement of the elapsed time, the suspension of the watch hand is automatically released and the watch hand is driven to a watch hand position indicating the elapsed time. Provided thereby is the time measurement device which automatically releases the temporary suspension state in time measurement after the predetermined amount of time, thereby shortening the temporary suspension time and reducing power consumed to drive the watch hand to an originally expected watch hand position at the release of the temporary suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiro Akahane, Kenichi Okuhara, Akihiko Maruyama, Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 6097672
    Abstract: A display device that prevents display jumping and corrects the display that includes a displaying transmission wheel which is meshed with a drive wheel and a displaying follower wheel is pressed by a spring toward the area between the drive wheel and the displaying follower wheel so as to elastically take up the play between the drive wheel and the displaying follower wheel. During feeding, the displaying follower wheel is positioned by the displaying transmission wheel. If a crown is pulled out and rotated, the displaying follower wheel is rapid-fed and corrects the display without the aid of the drive wheel and the displaying transmission wheel. At the same time, however, the displaying transmission wheel receives a force in the direction in which it is pressed out of a gap, whereby the engagement with the displaying follower wheel is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Joji Kitahara, Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 5617376
    Abstract: A gear train structure of an electronic watch which is high in hand indication accuracy and which eliminates the occurrence of stopping of the watch due to dust, nap or the like. The electronic watch gear train structure includes a second wheel 13 having a minute hand attached thereto, and a braking wheel 15 for applying to the second wheel 13 a rotary torque of a reverse direction to a direction of rotation of the second wheel 13. The braking Wheel 15 includes a gear adapted to mesh with the second wheel 13, a spring 21 having one end thereof fastened to a shaft of the gear, and a balance spring frame 23 having a circumferential wall surface for contacting with the free end side of the spring 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toyoshige Honzawa, Kuniharu Natori, Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 5506820
    Abstract: A gear train structure of an electronic watch which is high in hand indication accuracy and which eliminates the occurrence of stopping of the watch due to dust, nap or the like. The electronic watch gear train structure includes a second wheel 13 having a minute hand attached thereto, and a braking wheel 15 for applying to the second wheel 13 a rotary torque of a reverse direction to a direction of rotation of the second wheel 13. The braking Wheel 15 includes a gear adapted to mesh with the second wheel 13, a spring 21 having one end thereof fastened to a shaft of the gear, and a balance spring frame 23 having a circumferential wall surface for contacting with the free end side of the spring 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toyoshige Honzawa, Kuniharu Natori, Nobuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 5339297
    Abstract: A multifunction analog electronic watch includes a battery, a circuitry block and a base plate made from a polymeric other electrically non-conductive material. A switching device for controlling application of the voltage from the power source to the circuitry block includes a switching member and two electrode patterns. The first electrode pattern is electrically coupled to the power source and the second electrode pattern is electrically coupled to the circuitry block. The switching member, which is normally biased away from the first electrode pattern and second electrode pattern is operable in response to external pressure for contacting the first electrode pattern and the second electrode pattern so as to provide an electrical path between the first electrode pattern and the second electrode pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Suzuki, Shigeru Aoki, Akihiko Maruyama, Nobuhiro Koike