Abstract: An electronic timepiece in which a gear train is driven and the hand is moved by a stepping motor and, more particularly, the timepiece which surely permits time correcting owing to the simple structure even if the gear train is formed of plastic materials. One end of the third wheel and pinion engaged with the center wheel is guided or held by the operating lever interlocked with the external control member. When the external operating member is moved into the axis direction, this operating lever is rotated and the third wheel and pinion is radially removed from the engagement of the center wheel and pinion.

Abstract: In a time-setting mechanism for an analog time-piece, when an operation member is moved in its axial direction, a pinion provided on the operation member is brought into mesh with a gear which is normally rotated in an interlocked relation to hands. When the operation member is turned in this state, the torque thereof is transmitted via the pinion and gear to the hands for time-setting. The pinion and gear are made of synthetic resins, and the pinion is made of a resin material having higher flexibility than the resin material of the gear.

Abstract: In a drive gear structure for an electronically controller watch which includes a stepping motor having a drive pinion in engagement with an intermediate gear disc and a center gear in engagement with an intermediate gear pinion associated with the intermediate gear disc, a reducing gear structure is provided which has a reducing gear disc which is also in engagement with the same center gear disc and a reducing gear pinion which is in engagement with the minute gear of the watch. The single center gear disc is somewhat larger in width than the corresponding second gear disc of a corresponding watch with second hand indicator but not as wide as a second gear disc and second gear pinion used for a corresponding watch with second hand. The intermediate gear pinion and the reducing gear disc which are both in engagement with the second gear disc have the same pitch.

Abstract: A movement for a three hand quartz analog timepiece has an energy cell supplying power to a timekeeping circuit which periodically steps the rotor of a Lavet type stepping motor. The stepping motor rotor drives a "seconds" wheel assembly attached to the "seconds" hand spindle through one or more intermediate wheel assemblies of gear, pinion, and spindle. A first intermediate wheel spindle of non-magnetic material is journaled such that its axis extends through the circumferential gap carrying magnetic flux between the rotor and the stator of the stepping motor. Several alternative means of journaling the first intermediate wheel assembly within the active flux gap of the stepping motor are shown and described, as well as movements having two intermediate wheel assemblies. The arrangement allows a small diameter "seconds" wheel and a relatively large energy cell, which provides a long running time for the movement.

Abstract: In an arrangement for limiting the axial play of gears of a watch time indicating mechanism with drive gears rotatably supported on a support plate with axis extending normal thereto and an adjustment shaft extending parallel to the support plate, a cover plate is mounted on the support plate so as to overlay the gears with arms engaging the gears and further is provided with an arm bent-over into engagement with the adjustment shaft to limit their axial play. The cover plate is U-shaped and has edge portions thereof resiliently received under projections of the support plate for firmly retaining the cover plate on the support plate.

Abstract: An hour gear structure of a watch operating mechanism which comprises a sleeve shaft carrying an hour gear disc and serving as a bearing for the shaft of a minute gear structure, the hour gear is mounted on the sleeve shaft off its axial center so that, when mounted on the base plate of a watch's operating mechanism, its projection length from the base plate may be made different for different applications depending on whether the longer or shorter sleeve shaft section is inserted through the support opening in the base plate.

Abstract: A magnetic brake for a timepiece including a seconds wheel and a fixed magnet. The wheel is fashioned from magnetic steel. The magnet is located in vicinity of the wheel periphery and radially offset with respect to the teeth thereon.

Abstract: The base plate bears on one of its surfaces a motor for counting off current time and two motor units for counting off minutes and hours of measured time intervals. On the lower surface it bears a motor for counting off seconds of measured time and a motor for counting off hundredths of seconds of measured time, these latter being partially superposed over the motors on the other surface. A tube is placed so as to locate and guide by its outer surface the display wheel train driven by the current time motor and by its inner surface the display wheel train driven by the motors which count seconds and hundredths of seconds of measured time. Two substrates placed respectively above and below the motors are connected by contact blocks. A control circuit and a quartz resonator are fastened to the lower substrate. The battery is accommodated in a lodging adapted thereto and its thickness extends to both surfaces of the base plate.

Abstract: A digital clock construction, a pinion gear therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the clock construction comprising a frame, first and second time indicating drums each being rotatably carried by the frame, and a pinion gear rotatably carried by the frame and having driving gear teeth disposed in meshing relation with an annular internal gear of the second drum whereby rotation of the pinion gear causes rotation of the second drum, the pinion gear having locking teeth extending from certain of the driving teeth thereof, the first drum having an annular internal locking surface that is adapted to slide against a pair of locking teeth to hold the pinion gear from rotation thereof while the first drum is being rotated through certain timed increments of movement thereof, the first drum having a pair of kicker teeth for meshing with the driving teeth of the pinion gear to rotate the pinion gear when the first drum is being rotated through a particular one of the timed increments of movement thereo

Abstract: A clock construction, a Geneva clutch therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the clock construction comprising a frame, a drive unit carried by the frame, a time indicating unit carried by the frame, and a Geneva clutch carried by the frame and operatively interconnecting the drive unit to the time indicating unit so that the drive unit can drive the time indicating unit in a timed sequence thereof, the clutch comprising a shaft rotatably carried by the frame, a pair of leaf springs each having opposed ends with a longitudinal axis therebetween, one of the opposed of each leaf spring being fixed to the shaft so that the leaf springs rotate in unison therewith, and a Geneva pinion rotatably disposed on the shaft and having a multi-sided section engaged by the leaf springs to tend to cause the shaft to rotate in unison with the pinion about an axis of rotation as the pinion is being rotated by the drive unit, the leaf springs each having the longitudinal axis thereof disposed substantially transv

Abstract: A clock for representing twenty-five (25) simulated hours in a twenty-four (24) hour real-time day is provided. The clock preferably includes a clock face having indicia printed thereon at twenty-five (25) equally-spaced intervals, each of the intervals representing a simulated hour in a twenty-five (25) hour simulated day. The clock includes a conventional hour and minute hand for cooperating with the clock face to provide a time indication. A clock drive mechanism simultaneously drives the minute hand around the clock face, and the hour hand between spaced intervals, in 1/25th of the twenty four hour real-time day. The clock may also be provided with a second hand driven by the clock drive mechanism around the clock face in 24/25th's of a real-time minute.

Abstract: The components of a mechanical watch are mounted inside a supporting structure comprising a stack of transparent plates made of corundum, spinel or quartz. Some of the plates are formed with cut-outs which define in the assembled structure housings for accommodating said components.

Abstract: A precision, reliable, analog timepiece uses plastic frame elements reinforced with metal, and plastic wheel and pinions pivoting in holes formed in the plastic of the frame elements. The plastic frame elements are separated into portions corresponding to the functional timepiece portions. Exposed areas of the reinforcing metal provide reference locations in molding the frame elements and for component mounting. The entire timepiece is assembled from one side of a base frame element.

Abstract: The stator (10) of the motor serves as a single plate, not only for the rotor, wheels and spindles for hands, but also for the rocker (72), the pulling crank (70) and the setting pinion of the minutes wheel. The stator is shaped locally to form, on the one hand, a groove which guides the end of the setting stem (64) and, on the other hand, a boss (84) into which is driven a pin (82) serving as a spindle for the setting pinion (80).

Abstract: A battery operated time piece including a movement casing, slip means for the minute wheel, terminal members, correction means for the minute wheel, a sounder, an adjuster to control the level of the sounder. All these elements are of simple structure which eliminates the need for troublesome assembly procedure.

Abstract: In the movement for an electronic watch with analogue display, hand-carrying arbors 20, 22 have pinions 20a, 22a of very small diameter, rather than wheels. The cell 10 has a diameter which is substantially equal to the radius of the movement plate 2, since the cell extends from the periphery of the movement up to the pinions 20a, 22a. The wheels 28, 30, 34, 40, 42 which drivably connect the motor 8 to the pinions 20a, 22a are arranged in such a manner that there is no overlapping between the cell 10 and the wheels. This makes possible a movement which is both of small diameter and thin.

Abstract: Motor-driven movement for timepieces wherein stator block core is formed in ring-shape with a magnetic material of a rounded bar, magnetic poles formed at both core ends are disposed as directed radially inward of the core and rotary shaft of minute hand wheel of output gear train meshing with a rotor disposed between the poles is radially displaced from the center of the core to the side opposite the magnetic poles, whereby internal space of the ring-shaped core having a coil wound thereon is efficiently utilized for arranging all internal components substantially within dimensions of the coil and minimizing the entire size of the movement.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece of analog display type is provided with at least one other additional function mode such as an alarm mode in addition to a current time mode of operation. When changeover from one function mode to another is performed, by actuation of an external operating member, information indicated by the timepiece analog display is rapidly changed over to correspond to information for the new function mode, e.g. is rapidly changed over to indicate an alarm time when changeover from the current time mode to the alarm time mode is performed, and rapidly changed to indicate current time when the reverse mode changeover is performed.

Abstract: The invention provides a positioning mechanism for a center wheel in a tiiece enabling precision positioning for the seconds or minutes hand relative to the dial divisions. It comprises a jumper spring (1) friction mounted onto the base plate and cooperating with the teeth (3) of the center wheel (4) and a wheel member (29) interposed between the center wheel (4) and the motor pinion (14). The wheel member includes a pinion (17) meshing with the center wheel as well as a gear (16) friction mounted relative to said pinion and meshing with the motor pinion. The positioning method consists of immobilizing the motor pinion then turning the center wheel to bring the end of the jumper spring into coincidence with a tooth space thereof. The invention is employed to position exactly the seconds or minutes hand of an electronic timepiece having a stepping motor.

Abstract: The timepiece comprises a first motor (8) driving the seconds hand (s) independently from the other hands indicating the minutes and the hours which are driven by a second motor (4). A logic circuit (5) is capable of controlling the first motor (8) in response to the actuation of control elements (C,S1, S2) external to the electronic circuit of the timepiece or by means (6) internal to this electronic circuit and in response to time base signals delivered by a frequency divider (2) so that the seconds hand indicates informations which are different from the ones for the display of which it is normally provided.

Abstract: The clock comprises an electronic part including a quartz oscillator controlling a motor. The motor drives, through a wheelwork, both continually running hands and stoppable hands. By means of a manually operated actuator, the stoppable hands can be operatively connected to, or disconnected from, the motor, or reset to zero. With the motor running, the continually running hands can be set to a desired time by means of a hand setting actuator. The crystal-controlled drive provides for high accuracy and the analog indication of the time and of the clocked intervals make reading convenient and fast.

Abstract: A thin movement for a stepping motor watch employs a single frame member a peripheral front frame portion surrounding and connected to a back frame portion and stepping motor stator, affixed to the frame member, pins fixed in the back frame portion and stepping motor stator, gear members including the stepping motor rotor and gear train driving the watch hands rotatably mounted on said pins, a dial for the timepiece supported on the front frame portion, the dial serving to control axial movement of the gear members on the pins. Only two layers of gear members are required in the space between the back frame portion and the dial.

Abstract: The reduction gear of an electronic wristwatch comprises three concentric output shafts adapted to be rotated at different speeds and operatively connected with each other and with the shaft of a stepping motor through gear wheels. A shaft making one revolution per hour has mounted thereon a friction wheel and a bearing means made in the form of a supporting bush press fitted in a bore of the plate of the wristwatch. The bush is mounted so that a portion thereof projects from the plate toward the bridge of the wristwatch, coordinated with respect to the plate and attached thereto by threaded means. The shaft passes freely through a bore in the supporting bush and is restricted from an unlimited axial displacement in one direction by an end face of the supporting bush, and in the other direction by the end face of that pinion which is mounted on the shaft with interference fit.

Abstract: A quartz analog watch has a disc with a minute hand thereon driven directly at its periphery by the rotor of a stepping motor. A single intermediate gear and pinion assembly performs a gear reduction to drive a conventional hour hand rotatably mounted on a center spindle which also supports the minute disc. The stepping motor watch internal components, including battery, stepping motor, intermediate gear assembly and integrated circuit are all partially hidden beneath the minute disc. A special watch crystal functions also as a top frame member controlling "endshake" of the movement members in conjunction with the caseback. A special metal clip provides a push button contact for electrically setting the watch and also holds the intermediate gear assembly in place.

Abstract: The size of an electronic timepiece is decreased through improvement in the design of the gear train. The improvements are directed primarily to the number of teeth on the wheel attached to the seconds hand and the relation of the pitch interval of this wheel to that of the wheel which drives the seconds wheel.

Abstract: An improved quartz crystal wristwatch having an analog display and a reduced thickness is provided. The wristwatch includes a battery for powering a circuit and driving coil of a step motor for operating a gear train which are all arranged on a main plate so as not to overlap in plan view. The battery is disposed adjacent to a winding stem which is provided in the longitudinal direction of a diameter or line bisecting the main plate. A center wheel bridge is mounted on the main plate and a pillar-shaped member having a tubular region and a perpendicular disc-shape region is mounted in an opening in the center wheel bridge for supporting the cannon pinion which passes through the main plate about the tubular portion of the pillar-shaped member.

Abstract: The fifth or intermediate wheel and pinion assembly of a gear train cooperates directly with the motor rotor pinion and the fourth wheel to provide a full stepdown in angular rotation between the motor rotor and a second hand. The upper tenon of the fourth wheel and pinion is supported on a third wheel bridge, and the upper tenon of the fifth wheel and pinion is supported on a fifth wheel bridge with the fifth wheel overlapping the tenon of the fourth wheel and pinion. This overlapping and elimination of wheels provides a compact, reliable and durable gear train for a timepiece of reduced dimensions.

Abstract: A stepping motor causes a driving pinion to rotate by steps of 90.degree., he stopping position being such that a driven pinion is blocked with a very small backlash by the pressure of a tooth of the driven pinion against the top face of one of the teeth of the driving pinion. Both pinions have simple teeth with conventional profiles capable of being cut by means of a worm-hob. The pitch of the driving pinion is between one and two times that of the driven pinion, and the layouts of the teeth are such that the arc along which a tooth of the driving pinion engages the teeth of the driven pinion includes a portion tranversed freely and a portion along which the driving pinion rotates the driven pinion by one step of its toothing.

Abstract: An electronic or mechanical timepiece of the analog display type provided with a gear train for driving timekeeping hands. The gear train includes a center pipe affixed to an intermediate bridge secured to the base plate, a free cannon pinion being rotatably supported on the pipe and having a center wheel mounted thereon which is disposed in the space between the bridge and a section of the base plate, thereby providing a dependable support for the cannon pinion without the need for enlarging the diameter of the center wheel or of the drive pinion intermeshing therewith.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece equipped with calendar display means adapted to be driven by a drive motor means provided independently of a drive motor means adapted for driving time indicating hands. The drive motor means for driving the calendar display means is driven by a drive system which comprises a calendar memory circuit responsive to a reference signal, i.e., a 00:00 AM signal indicative of midnight, to update the content of the calendar memory circuit, a drive signal setting circuit coupled to said calendar memory circuit and generating a calendar information signal in response to the content of said calendar memory circuit, and a driver circuit responsive to said calendar information signal to generate a drive signal for energizing said drive motor means for driving said calendar display means.

Abstract: A movement structure for an electronic timepiece, in which a wheel train of a time indicating mechanism is supported between a wheel train bridge and a base plate. The base plate carries thereon a stepping motor connected to the time indicating mechanism, and the wheel train bridge carries thereon an integrated circuit chip.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece having a frequency standard, a frequency converter, a control circuit responsive to a low frequency time unit signal to provide first and second output signals, and a driver circuit responsive to the first and second output signals to provide first and second drive signals, which timepiece comprises a reversible electro-mechanical transducer rotatable in a clockwise direction in response to the first drive signal and in a counter-clockwise direction in response to the second drive signal, first and second wheel trains driven by the electro-mechanical transducer independently from each other, and first and second time indicating means actuated by the first and second wheel trains, respectively.

Abstract: A watch having epicyclic speed reduction gearing to drive the hour hand from the minute hand with quick hour setting device to change the hour hand without affecting the timekeeping function being measured by the minute hand.

Abstract: A stepping motor driven by a time-based electrical driving signal periodically rotates an overhung gear train directly driving the hour and minute hands mounted on a main arbor. The arbor is rotatably mounted in two spaced journals in a single tapered bearing hole in the frame. An intermediate arbor is similarly journaled. The gear train is assembled from only one side of the timepiece. The main arbor, center gear assembly, hands and dial are all added as a subassembly.

Abstract: A device for continuously and automatically graphically displaying an individual's biorhythm functions. The device comprises a generally cubicle enclosure in which a plurality of endless loops are rotatably disposed. Separate, preferably translucent loops provided to indicate the physical, emotional, and intellectual biorhythm functions are marked with a sinusoidal waveform corresponding to the particular biorhythm function displayed. The loops over-lie each other throughout a substantial portion of their length to provide a composite graphical biorhythm display which is visible through an illuminated viewing area provided at the front of the device. An internal motor is provided to continuously drive suspension spools on which the loops are mounted.

Abstract: A unidirectional gear transmission of reduced axial thickness advantageou employed in timepieces is adapted to be driven by a stepping motor. The driving gear is provided with an alternating pattern of teeth having a first thickness and spacing and sets of two teeth having greater thickness and spacing. The driven gear is provided with an alternating pattern of teeth corresponding to the first thickness teeth of the driving gear and two spaces corresponding to the greater thickness teeth of the driving gear separated by a single tooth. Regular stepping rotation in either sense can be transmitted from the driving gear to the driven gear, but transmission of rotation from driven to driving gear is prevented.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece having a reversible stepping motor to actuate time-indicating hands to provide a time display, which comprises a driver circuit to produce driving current pulses composed of compound pulses appearing each time unit. A rotor of the stepping motor rotates a plurality of steps during each time unit to cause one of the time-indicating hands to advance through unequal intervals to provide a modulated display.