Abstract: A control device for a stepping motor provided with a coil and a rotor performing a rotary movement when a current passes through the coil, comprising means for producing a plurality of time base signals, means for producing pulses for controlling the motor in response to said time base signals, means responsive to the control pulses for supplying the motor while maintaining the current in the coil at a substantially constant and given value. The device also comprises means for analyzing the voltage signal present on the coil or a signal which is representative thereof, and for supplying data concerning the voltage induced in the coil by the rotor movement.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece having a stepping motor includes a power source, an oscillating circuit, a dividing circuit connected to the oscillating circuit, and a wave shaping circuit receptive of a plurality of output signals produced from the dividing circuit to produce a plurality of controlling signals. A controlling circuit receives the controlling signals and controls a driving circuit. The power source is connected to a detecting voltage circuit by which the variation of the supply voltage of the power source is detected, and a normal waveform or an intermittent waveform is selectively applied to the stepping motor according to the variation of the supply voltage. As a result, the power consumption of the steppng motor is controlled at a constant level, even if the supply voltage of the power source is higher than the optimum voltage of the stepping motor and even if the supply voltage varies.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece comprising a power source, an electronic circuit, a stepping motor, and a detecting device for detecting a rotor movement after the stepping motor is driven. The electronic circuit includes a power source voltage detecting circuit and driving power controlling device which intermits driving pulses of the stepping motor according to an output of the voltage detecting circuit so that the driving force is substantially constant and the power consumption is decreased.

Abstract: The present invention comprises measuring, upon application of a drive pulse to the actuating coil 5 of the stepping motor, the variation in the magnetic induction flux in the stator of the motor, and interrupting the drive pulse when the variation in flux reaches a predetermined value. Measurement of the variation in flux may be effected, for example, by detecting the current in the actuating coil and integrating the difference between the supply voltage of the actuating coil and the product of the current by the d.c. resistance of the coil, or by providing an auxiliary detection coil 71 and integrating the voltage induced therein in an integrator 73, 74. When the integrator outputs exceeds the magnitude of either a positive or negative reference voltage, a comparator circuit 78, 79, 81 provides the signal to a circuit 13 to terminate the drive pulse.

Abstract: The watch casing 102 is made of plastics material. The stator 2 of the motor serves at the same time as the support for the rotor 32 and as a plate for the spindles 18, 22, 24 for the hands and the gear train 48, 46, 47, 20. The printed circuit 304 is secured to the bottom 104 of the casing by heat-sealing. The cell is housed in a chamber 262 disposed in a thick portion of the bottom of the casing.

Abstract: The timepiece includes a detector of the direction of the current in the winding of the motor which is used to detect the first reversal in current direction after the end of the driving pulse and to deliver a signal which is representative of this current direction. A comparator circuit (34-36, 38, 39, 48) is used to compare the moment of the appearance of this signal with a reference time which is fixed in relation to the driving pulse and to control a circuit (28-31, 33, 40, 44, 51, 46, 47) which controls the duration of the driving pulses in such a way that the instant at which the signal appears coincides with the reference time. This enables minimum energy to be imparted to the motor for a given variable load.

Abstract: For performing a very precise detection of the position of at least one hand, the watch is provided with an electro-optical detection device.The detection device comprises a wheel 8 carrying a mirror 26. The wheel 8 is intermittently driven by the driving member 6 for defining n angular positions of the mirror 26. The member 6 is meshing with the gear train 12 of the watch. It further comprises a light emitter 30 and a light receiver 32 which receives a light beam when the mirror 26 is in an angular position corresponding to the reference position of the hand. The number n is inferior to the number of steps performed by the hand during a complete revolution of said hand.

Abstract: A plug-in electronic clock being operated either by a commercial power source in a normal state or by a D.C. power source in case of a power failure, said electronic clock having means for generation of a pulse train used for a computation of time information in case of a power failure and means for stopping generation of the said pulse train in a case where the commercial power is active so as to prevent interference noise against radio receivers or television receivers, with a correct time information computation being assured when the commercial power source is recovered.

Abstract: Electronic clocks with analog time displays and a vibrating quartz crystal (1) as a time standard, as well as electronic frequency dividers (6, 7). The display elements are driven by an electronically controlled motor (SM), said motor comprising a power winding (87) and a control winding (68). The control and regulating circuit for the electronically controlled motor (SM) is so designed that only one rpm above the rated rpm is controllably adjustable and, when the frequency of the clock varies, correcting signals are supplied to the AC drive pulses in power winding (87) through a bistable flip-flop (50), said flip-flop being subjected to real pulses derived from frequency dividers (6,7) and pulses derived from motor (SM), a NOR element (58) connected to the output of flip-flop (50) and an additional frequency divider (59), a field effect transistor (88), and a resistor (89).

Abstract: An electronic timepiece comprising a step motor composed of an electromagnetic coil excited by two phase alternating driving signals, characterized by comprising means for changing over the electromagnetic coil from a closed circuit condition to an open circuit condition and vice versa, means for detecting shocks, means for discriminating the shock direction, and means for controlling the driving signal.

Abstract: A quartz crystal analog watch has a circuit block and mechanical elements on one side of a frame plate and the battery power source resting on an insulating plate on the other side of the frame plate. The diameter of the movement approximates the battery diameter.

Abstract: An electronic watch comprising a stepping motor for driving a mechanism for displaying the time information, a quartz oscillator, a frequency divider with an adjustable division factor, a circuit for adjusting the division factor, a memory containing data relating to the magnitude of said adjustment and a logic circuit which, in response to an interrogation signal, produces a measuring signal which is supplied to the coil of the stepping motor and which comprises pulses whose distribution is representative of the division factor and the frequency of the oscillator and whose duration is sufficiently short so as not to cause the motor to turn and sufficiently long to cause a magnetic stray field of the coil of the motor which can be detected by an external apparatus for measuring the rate of the watch.

Abstract: In an analog electronic watch having a calendar display the power required during change of the calendar display, about 6 hours out of 24, is greater than at other times. In order to effect economy in power consumption, the pulse for driving the watch motor during the time other than the period in which the calendar display is being changed is only sufficient to drive the time indicating means. In case the motor fails to step when such pulse is applied, this is detected by a detecting circuit and a corrective drive pulse is applied to the motor so as to drive it.

Abstract: In a circuit for the actuation of a stepping motor for battery-operated instruments, in particular watches, the length of motor drive pulses is altered for the purpose of saving energy. In the process, different loads on the stepping motor and variable battery voltages are taken into consideration. This feature is accomplished by measuring a signal proportional to the current flowing through the field coil of the stepping motor and interrupting the drive pulse to the motor when a predetermined change occurs in the signal. The drive pulses are further limited as to both minimum and maximum length. Advantageously, the stepping motor is actuated and the signal processed by means of a digital circuit technology, in order to provide for complete integration of the circuit.

Abstract: An improved electrical drive circuit for a reversible electric stepping motor of the type having a coil supplied with electrical pulses to cause step-by-step rotation of a magnetized rotor, where the rotor includes additional magnetic poles for locking the rotor between steps in a stable equilibrium located so as to reduce the energy of pulses required to produce normal forward rotation of the rotor. Forward rotation is produced by a switching circuit which periodically connects a voltage source and energy dissipating means in circuit with the coil for pre-determined time intervals in a forward switching cycle. The reverse rotation switching cycle includes one or more pulse portions in the forward rotation to pre-position the rotor for reversal. Preparatory to reversal, the reverse switching cycle applied to the motor coil includes a train of high frequency pulses which reduce the electromagnetic torque in the forward rotational direction and control coil current.

Abstract: A step motor driving control mechanism for use in an electronic timepiece for reducing the current consumption thereof is provided. Load detection circuitry detects the load condition of the step motor and selectively produces a load condition signal representative of a predetermined load condition thereof. Driving and control circuitry is provided for receiving a low frequency timekeeping signal produced by a divider circuit and a load detection signal when same is selectively produced by the load detection circuitry. In response to the presence or absence of a load detection signal applied thereto, the drive and control circuitry is adapted to vary the duration of the pulse width of a drive signal applied to the step motor to effect a driving of same.

Abstract: An analog electronic timepiece has a stepping motor for rotationally driving the timepiece hands. The motor is driven by normal driving pulses during normal load conditions and in the event the normal driving pulses are unable to effect rotation of the motor, correction driving pulses of longer pulse width than the normal driving pulses are used. A detection circuit detects whether or not the motor has rotated by switching a resistance element in series with the motor drive coil after the application of each normal driving pulse. Rotation and non-rotation of the motor is determined by measuring the voltage across the resistance element and comparing the measured voltage with a reference voltage.

Abstract: A miniature electronic timepiece whose analog-display time-indicating hands are driven by the rotor of a stepping motor actuated by low-frequency periodic timing pulses derived by frequency division from a high-frequency crystal-controlled time base. This motor, in addition to a stator coil wound on a core, includes an auxiliary coil wound on the same core to define a transformer whose primary is the auxiliary coil and whose secondary is the stator coil. To power the electronic watch, a voltage at a predetermined level is required, this being supplied by a converter formed by an electronic chopper interposed between the primary of the transformer and a d-c source whose output is at a different voltage level. The d-c voltage applied to the primary is periodically interrupted, the resultant a-c voltage yielded by the secondary being rectified to provide the desired power voltage.

Abstract: In a circuit for driving a pulse motor of an electronic timepiece, the initial part or entirety of each drive pulse is modulated to form a group of high frequency pulses thereby reducing an initial surge of current while rotor of motor is still stationary. Modulation can be controlled according to load placed on motor to provide increased drive energy for heavy loading.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece has a stepping motor comprised of a stator, rotor and coil, and circuitry for producing and applying driving pulses to the coil to effect stepwise rotation of the rotor. The presence of an external alternating magnetic field is detected by switching the coil from an open-circuit condition to a low impedance loop comprised of the coil and a low impedance element. The rotation of the rotor is detected by alternately switching the coil between the low impedance loop and a high impedance loop comprised of the coil and a high impedance element. Control circuitry controls the switching operations to ensure that the magnetic field detection and the rotor rotation detection are carried out at different times.

Abstract: The watch comprises a detecting device including a resilient blade, the free end of which cooperates with a disk. When a slot in the edge of the disk is oriented in the direction of the blade, the latter vibrates owing to its own resiliency. The two edges of the slot are preferably bent in opposite directions in order to increase the bending stress on the blade just before its abrupt release into the slot. A piezoelectric strip fixed to the blade registers voltage fluctuations, the polarity of which corresponds to the direction in which the blade moves.

Abstract: A feed arrangement enabling detection of the movement of a stepping motor d providing such motor with a series of long duration pulses in the event of failure to step responsive to a short duration pulse. The detector comprises means for sampling a first signal developed by the current in the motor winding and generating a second signal which is the integral of the first, in order to detect whether or not the motor has stepped. The invention is intended for use with micromotors as found in timepieces.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece havig a stepping motor driving time indicating hands is provided with a system whereby the stepping motor is selectively driven at one of three different drive power levels, in accordance with the load currently being applied to the motor. Detection of the load level is performed by momentarily sampling a voltage induced in the motor drive coil during a short time interval following a drive pulse. The system provides rapid response to changes in load level, highly stable control, and excellent tolerance to variations in characteristics of different stepping motors and circuit components.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece having a stepping motor including a stator, rotor and coil, a driving circuit for applying driving pulses to the coil, an oscillating circuit for generating a time standard signal and a dividing circuit for dividing the time standard signal, is provided with a pulse combining circuit receptive of the output of the dividing circuit for producing a correction driving pulse having sufficient effective power to drive the motor under worst case conditions, a detector for detecting the rotation or non-rotation condition of the rotor after the application to the coil by the driving circuit of a normal driving pulse having less effective power than the correction driving pulse, and a controller for the driving circuit to apply normal driving pulses to the coil and responsive to the output of the detector to apply a correction driving pulse when a non-rotation condition is detected.

Abstract: In an electronic timepiece, a motor is driven by a pulse having a shorter pulse width than the conventional driving pulse and afterwards, a detection pulse is applied to the motor coil so as to determine rotation of the rotor. If the rotor fails to rotate a correction is effected by driving the motor by a pulse having a pulse width greater than the normal driving pulse.

Abstract: An electrical swing mechanism having a drive device with a rotor and a stator. The drive device carries out self-returning reciprocation with a rotation angle of the rotor. An intermittent drive transmission device transmits the rotation of the drive device to a utilization mechanism. An electric source unit is used for exciting the stator with a pulse current. The drive device has a rotor which is magnetized so that the same poles are formed on a diametral line intersecting the rotation axis thereof and a magnetization angle between different poles is 2 .alpha., and a stator whose magnetic pole angle .beta. is larger than said magnetization angle 2 .alpha.. The intermittent drive transmission device comprises a cut disk member having a ratchet pawl and is reciprocated by the drive device. A ratchet plate member having ratchet teeth are moved one pitch by one pitch by the ratchet pawl.

Abstract: An improved electronic timepiece transducer wherein the construction of the permanent magnet rotor and a magnetic permeable stator effects a reduction in energy consumption during operation. In particular, the rotor is characterized by a predetermined thickness and at least two concentric circular equal radii surfaces having the same radius. Similarly, the stator includes highly permeable stator poles having a predetermined thickness and two symmetrical equal radii semi-circular stator surfaces having the same radius and surrounding the rotor. The ratio of the rotor radii to the stator radii and the ratio of the rotor thickness to the stator thickness define a specific relationship that effects a reduction in the energy consumed by the step motor during operation.

Abstract: A step motor driving and control mechanism for use in an electronic timepiece for reducing the current consumption thereof is provided. Load detection circuitry detects the load condition of the step motor by detecting the signals induced in the drive coil of the step motor after each stepping of the rotor. The load detection circuitry selectively produces a load condition signal in response to detecting current peaks representative of a predetermined load condition of the step motor. The load detection circuitry is characterized by the use of MOS transistors therein for accurately detecting the occurrence of the current peaks. Driving and control circuitry is provided for receiving a low frequency timekeeping signal produced by a divider circuit and a load detection signal, when same is selectively produced by the load detection circuitry.