Patents by Inventor Raymond Froidevaux

Raymond Froidevaux 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: 7154817
    Abstract: The apparatus includes at least one information storing unit, a unit for processing said information, a management and control unit receiving control signals from the processing unit and a supply unit controlled by said management unit and controlling the movement of said two stepping motors above a dial bearing markings Ri representative of said information. The apparatus is characterized in that said processing unit is provided with an algorithm or correspondence table between a marking Ri and angles ?i?i formed respectively by each hand from a measurement reference and in that the shape of said hands is such that when they have the angular orientations ?i ?i, their elongated parts can intersect above said marking Ri, or their tips can be aligned opposite said marking Ri. The apparatus may be a wristwatch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Born, Raymond Froidevaux, Gilles Rey-Mermet
  • Patent number: 7154815
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an electronic astronomical watch, in particular of the wristwatch type, said watch (1) being capable of indicating the position of celestial bodies in the heavens, said watch (1) including: a time base (48) for producing a standard frequency signal; means (50) for determining the current time and date from the standard signal means (28, 30) for selecting a celestial body; analogue time display means using two hands (10, 12); means (32) for determining the position of the selected celestial body in the heavens and indicating this position via the display means (10, 12), the watch (1) being wherein it includes a rotating dial (14) on which there is shown the map (16) of the heavens and in that the shape of the hands (10, 12) is such that their intersection or point of conjunction enables any point of the map of the heavens (16) to be designated on the dial (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Born, Raymond Froidevaux
  • Publication number: 20050013198
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an electronic astronomical watch, in particular of the wristwatch type, said watch (1) being capable of indicating the position of celestial bodies in the heavens, said watch (1) including: a time base (48) for producing a standard frequency signal; means (50) for determining the current time and date from the standard signal means (28, 30) for selecting a celestial body; analogue time display means using two hands (10, 12); means (32) for determining the position of the selected celestial body in the heavens and indicating this position via the display means (10, 12), the watch (1) being wherein it includes a rotating dial (14) on which there is shown the map (16) of the heavens and in that the shape of the hands (10, 12) is such that their intersection or point of conjunction enables any point of the map of the heavens (16) to be designated on the dial (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Applicant: Asulab S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Born, Raymond Froidevaux
  • Publication number: 20040120222
    Abstract: The apparatus includes at least one information storing unit (23), a unit (25) for processing said information, a management and control unit (20) receiving control signals from the processing unit (25) and a supply unit (27) controlled by said management unit and controlling the movement of said two stepping motors (24;26) above a dial bearing markings Ri representative of said information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Applicant: Asulab S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Born, Raymond Froidevaux, Gilles Rey-Mermet
  • Patent number: 5828628
    Abstract: Timepiece comprising a mechanical movement which includes a barrel (8) driving a mechanism formed by a gear train, said timepiece comprising a device for indicating the power reserve comprising a resilient element (6) rotatively coupling in a mechanical manner two coaxial wheels (2,4) of said gear train and a disk (4) and a hand (42) rotatively coupled to said two coaxial wheels respectively and arranged so as to indicate an angular displacement between said hand (42) and a reference mark associated to said disk (40) for indicating the moment of force exerted by said barrel on said gear train, said moment of force being representative of the power reserve of the timepiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Born, Raymond Froidevaux
  • Patent number: 5418417
    Abstract: A piezoelectric motor. Such motor includes a support (2), a stator (S2, S3) fixed to the support (2), piezoelectric means (10) adapted to be electrically excited so as to induce a vibratory motion in the stator (S2, S3), a rotor (R2, R3) mounted for rotation relative to the support (2), such rotor including a body on which transmission means (36) are arranged and adapted to transmit the vibratory motion of the stator (S2, S3) to the rotor (R2, R3) and in order to drive such rotor in rotation, and elastic support means (79) for the rotor on the stator, characterized in that the body of the rotor is formed by a structure (D2, D3) which is elastically deformable, at least in the direction of the stator, and which at least in part forms the support means (79). The invention is applied, for example, to a timepiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventors: Roland Luthier, Raymond Froidevaux
  • Patent number: 5369996
    Abstract: A measurement sensor 1 for sensing a physical magnitude and comprising a framework 2, a seismic mass 36 displaceable relative to the framework, and a support frame 8 for the mass 36. The support frame 8 is fixed to the framework and elastically deformable along a sensing axis X.sub.s by the physical magnitude. A transducer 20 is fixed to the support frame 8 for supplying a signal representative of the physical magnitude in response to a deformation of the support frame 8. An arrangement 50, 52, 54, 56 protects the transducer 20 against a force exhibiting at least one component in a plane substantially perpendicular to the sensing axis X.sub.s. The arrangement permits a reversible displacement of the mass 36 relative to the support frame 8 in the perpendicular plane during a shock without acting upon the transducer 20, and a positioning of the mass 36 relative to the support frame 8 in the absence of the shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventors: Michel Christen, Raymond Froidevaux
  • Patent number: 5269185
    Abstract: A sensor for measuring a physical parameter is described having a frame, at least one support which is resiliently flexible under the influence of a physical parameter and which is integral with the frame, and at least one resonator integral with the support for supplying a signal representative of the physical parameter in response to flection of the support, the sensor also having an abutment and counter abutment limiting the flextion of the support, in particular before it is fixed to the frame. This sensor has applications in the measurement of a physical parameter such as, for example, acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventor: Raymond Froidevaux
  • Patent number: 5239866
    Abstract: A measurement sensor is disclosed having a frame, a support which is resiliently flexible under the influence of a physical parameter and is fixed to the frame, a mass connected to the support, a housing which is formed by the frame and surrounds the mass to dampen movement of the mass and its support, a detection device for supplying a signal representative of the physical parameter in response to flection of the support. The sensor includes an assembly for precisely positioning the mass in the housing. The sensor has applications in the measurement of a physical parameter such as, for example, acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventor: Raymond Froidevaux
  • Patent number: 4412751
    Abstract: A jointed electronic watch comprises a plurality of watch cases each capable of bearing a different type of display and an energy source. Between the back covers (4, 5, 6) and case bands of each case are sandwiched seals (9, 10, 11) which are coupled together by isthmuses (12) at the line of articulation of the back covers and which are formed as a single piece. Within the isthmuses are arranged electrical conductors adapted to couple together the various electronic components within the plurality of cases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1983
    Assignee: Omega SA
    Inventors: Pierre Jeannet, Raymond Froidevaux, Claude-Andre Gygax