Hand And Dial Patents (Class 368/80)
  • Patent number: 11940763
    Abstract: There is provided a display assembly for a wearable device, the display assembly comprising: a solar cell layer; and a touch sensor layer, wherein the solar cell layer is arranged above the touch sensor layer, wherein the solar cell layer comprises photovoltaic material arranged at an edge region of the display assembly leaving a uniform central region of the touch sensor layer uncovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Suunto Oy
    Inventors: Ari Hurtta, Tapio Savolainen, Kari Mäkeläinen
  • Patent number: 11921467
    Abstract: A watch includes a crystal oscillator, a controller including an oscillation circuit configured to cause the crystal oscillator to oscillate, wiring that couples the crystal oscillator with the controller, and the crystal oscillator, a storage container that stores the crystal oscillator, the wiring, and the controller, and an outer case that stores the storage container, in which the crystal oscillator and the controller are placed side by side inside the storage container in plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeaki Seki, Yutaka Yamazaki, Atsushi Miyazaki, Toshiya Usuda
  • Patent number: 11906934
    Abstract: 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 watch motor, and an OFF state in which the drive current is not supplied, a current detector that detects a current value flowing through the coil, a driver controller that controls the driver, a polarity switching controller that alternately switches a polarity of the drive current to a first polarity and a second polarity, a sampling controller that, at a sampling cycle, intermittently causes the current detector and the driver controller to operate, and a sampling cycle setting controller that detects a sampling cycle setting condition and changes the sampling cycle in at least two stages of a first cycle and a second cycle longer than the first cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 11899405
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Inventor: Tomoki Okuhata
  • Patent number: 11803160
    Abstract: There is provided a solar panel including: solar cells each of which is formed in a belt-shape extending in a predetermined direction on a plate-shaped surface and which are disposed in rows in a cell-width direction; a partition area that divides the solar cells from each other; and a connecting part that connects adjoining solar cells among the solar cells electrically in series at respective ends in the extending direction. The solar cells have, across at least two of the solar cells, a transparent power generation area in which a power generation area and a transparent area are alternately disposed in the extending direction. The transparent power generation area extends over an entire cell width of at least one of the solar cells, and the connecting part is disposed at each of opposite ends in the extending direction of the at least one solar cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuta Saito
  • Patent number: 11799042
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solar panel being divided into a plurality of cells and including: a light transmissive power generation region which is a central region in a diameter direction of a ring-shaped member and in which extending thin line power generators are arranged in parallel in a direction substantially orthogonal to the extending direction; and a periphery power generation region which is a periphery region of the light transmissive power generation region and in which a part of the cells is arranged along a circumferential direction. The cells include a composite cell including at least a part of the periphery power generation region and at least a part of the light transmissive power generation region. A first cell and a second cell different from the first cell are respectively arranged on one end side and on the other end side in the diameter direction of the ring-shaped member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta Saito, Takashi Sano
  • Patent number: 11774909
    Abstract: A horological display mechanism with an elastic hand (1) for driving, about a shaft (D), pipes mounted at the ends of a flexible blade (3), arranged to deform the flexible blade (3), including a mechanism acting on the drive train of the first pipe (2) and of the second pipe (4) and which includes two planetary wheels (82; 84) for driving the pipes (2; 4), and an input planet-carrier chassis (180) for driving the hand (1), and rotatable with a regulation cam (801), the track (802) of which includes a rising edge and falling edge. An elastic arm (803) has a distal end which cooperates with the track and a rising edge of which raises the elastic arm (803) away from the axis of the cam to consume torque, and a falling edge which makes the elastic arm move back towards the axis to restore torque to the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventor: Christophe Bifrare
  • Patent number: 11774912
    Abstract: A device is for fastening a back on a middle of a watch. The back has a shoulder forming a cover arranged to cover entirely partly with the middle and a body arranged to rest in the middle. The device includes at least one pin integral with the middle, a seal mounted between the back and the middle. The back includes, near its periphery, at least one groove, the pin being arranged to slide in the groove between a first position, called the insertion position in which the back is free, and a second position called locking position in which the back is locked and positioned angularly relative to the middle. The groove includes at least one bump to form a hard point and increase the torque when the pin passes through the bump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Joël Allimann, Benjamin Chartrel
  • Patent number: 11706839
    Abstract: A portable communication device cooperation system includes a slave portable communication device that can communicate with a master portable communication device. Each of a plurality of slave-side slots of a slave-side storage unit included in the slave portable communication device stores a slave application program transferred from a master-side slot disposed in the master portable communication device. The slave application program includes part of information of a master application program, and causes the slave portable communication device to operate by being executed by a slave-side control unit of the slave portable communication device. As a result, the portable communication device cooperation system, the master portable communication device, and the slave portable communication device exhibit an effect of enabling the slave portable communication device to be variously used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD
    Inventors: Daisuke Matsuoh, Ryutaro Uemura
  • Patent number: 11693368
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic timepiece capable of suppressing variation in the drive speed of a rotor, and driving a motor at a constant speed. The electronic timepiece has a driver; a controller that controls the driver to the on state or the off state according to a current flowing through a coil of a motor; a detection signal output device configured to output a detection signal when the on time or the off time, which are the continuous time of the on state and off state of the driver, meets a specific condition; a reference signal output device that outputs a reference signal used as a reference of a drive speed of the motor; and a drive cycle adjuster that compares the output timing of the detection signal and the reference signal, shortens the drive cycle when the detection signal is output after the reference signal, and when the detection signal is output before the reference signal, lengthens the drive cycle of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Inventor: Takashi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 11664752
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electronic watch is a method for controlling an electronic watch having a control device, the method comprising: when performing a first control processing, operating a first driving circuit to output a first motor drive signal, and rewriting a first polarity information in accordance with an output of the first motor drive signal, when ending output of the first motor drive signal, matching a second polarity information with the first polarity information, when performing a second control processing, operating a second driving circuit to output a second motor drive signal, and rewriting the second polarity information in accordance with an output of the second motor drive signal, and when ending output of the second motor drive signal, matching the first polarity information with the second polarity information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Inventor: Naohiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11650545
    Abstract: An analogue information display system for a watch provided with a mechanical movement includes a display dial including a plurality of apertures, a moving display part supporting graphical representations, disposed in such a way that the graphical representations supported thereby appear in the plurality of apertures in order to generate the information, and an indicator member configured so as to designate a piece of information generated in an aperture to be notified to the wearer of the watch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Tissot SA
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Koller
  • Patent number: 11609643
    Abstract: An optical processing apparatus and a light source luminance adjustment method adapted to detect a rotational displacement and a pressing state are provided. The optical processing apparatus includes a light source unit, a processing unit, and an image sensing unit, wherein the processing unit is electrically connected to the light source unit and the image sensing unit. The light source unit provides a beam of light. The processing unit defines a frame rate, defines a plurality of time instants within a time interval, and sets the light source unit to a luminance value at each of the time instants. A length of the time interval is shorter than the reciprocal of the frame rate. The luminance values are different and are within a range. The image sensing unit captures an image by an exposure time length at each of the time instants, wherein the exposure time lengths are the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Chung-Ting Yang, Ching-Lin Chung
  • Patent number: 11586157
    Abstract: An electrical time measuring device, intended to conserve processor cycles and memory when used in indicating time interval durations, includes a computer system with a processing system having a hardware processor and a memory accessible to the processing system, a user interface controller under control of the processing system, and logic, under control of the processing system. The user interface presented thereby has various regions including an ante meridiem events region and a post meridiem events region that share a common center. Arciforms indicate the time duration of events. In various embodiments, an arciform has a first start point in one of the regions and connected to an initial arc of points that are equidistant from the common center, and a final arc of points that are equidistant from the common center connected to a first end point in a different one of the regions, with a transition indicator linking the initial arc with the final arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: SAMRAT SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Samrat Dudhat
  • Patent number: 11513659
    Abstract: A method for executing a function of an electronic device is provided. The method includes the operations of displaying a virtual clock user interface (UI) indicating a virtual time, and an icon list UI including icons corresponding to a plurality of functions, respectively, acquiring first input data according to a user input for selecting one time by using the displayed virtual clock UI, and second input data according to a user input for selecting one icon from the icon list UI, performing control, on the basis of the first input data and the second input data, so that a function corresponding to the selected icon is executed at the selected one time, and highlighting the selected icon as the virtual time reaches the one time, and executing the function corresponding to the selected icon as the current time reaches the one time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaok Koo, Sunmi Jin, Suhyun Na, Pius Lee, Jongkee Lee, Heeyoung Chung
  • Patent number: 11500335
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes a first display section including a first rotatable part and a processor. In the first display section, a predetermined number of display contents being a same display content is simultaneously displayed at predetermined angle intervals in a rotation angle range of the first rotatable part, wherein the predetermined number is two or more. The first display section makes a display pattern that shows change in the display content appear the predetermined number of times cyclically according to rotation of the first rotatable part. When causing the first display section to display a first display content of first display contents included in the display pattern, the processor selects an angular position from angular positions for the first display content in the predetermined number of display patterns, and causes the first rotatable part to rotate to the selected angular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirohisa Maruyama, Kosuke Hasegawa, Noriyuki Kitta, Hirofumi Nagareda
  • Patent number: 11495699
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a thin-film photovoltaic cell with a high photoelectric conversion rate and a preparation process thereof. The thin-film photovoltaic cell comprises a transparent substrate and photovoltaic units which are disposed on the transparent substrate and arranged toward the display module, and the photovoltaic unit disposed in the display area comprises a transparent front electrode disposed on the transparent substrate, a light absorption layer disposed on the transparent front electrode and a transparent back electrode disposed on the light absorption layer; and the photovoltaic unit disposed in the non-display area comprises a transparent front electrode disposed on the transparent substrate, a light absorption layer disposed on the transparent front electrode and a metal back electrode disposed on the light absorption layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TRUWIN OPTO-ELECTRONICS LIMITED
    Inventors: Bin Sui, Weicang Zhang, Xiongcai Xie, Wenjin Zhang, Liang Yang
  • Patent number: 11435701
    Abstract: An electronic watch includes a dial, an antenna, a solar panel, a circuit board, and a connection member. The antenna includes an antenna electrode. On the solar panel, a first solar cell and a second solar cell, are arranged continuously along an outer circumference of the antenna electrode, are connected in series via a third solar cell, which is not arranged along the outer circumference of the antenna electrode. The connection member is configured to connect the solar panel and the circuit board, and is arranged in a region different from a region in which the antenna is arranged when the dial is divided into two regions by a second virtual straight line, which is orthogonal to a first virtual straight line and passes through a center of the dial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Inventor: Yasuo Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11424702
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus including a driving circuit for supplying a first pulse with which a first coil included in a two-phase stepping motor generates a first magnetic flux, a second pulse with which a second coil included in the stepping motor generates a second magnetic flux opposite to the first magnetic flux, a third pulse with which the first coil generates the second magnetic flux, and a fourth pulse with which the second coil generates the first magnetic flux, to the stepping motor. The driving circuit supplies the second pulse, the third pulse, and the fourth pulse in this order to the stepping motor in a state of being stopped to start the stepping motor, and supplies the first pulse, the second pulse, the third pulse, and the fourth pulse in this order to the stepping motor after starting to continuously drive the stepping motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Nobe, Satoshi Sakai, Kazumi Sakumoto, Kosuke Yamamoto, Akihito Okumura
  • Patent number: 11356052
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes an energy device with a solar module having a form factor configured to be inserted into and to match an inner portion of a coin-type cell holder of an electronic device. The solar module includes one or more photovoltaic cells to capture energy from ambient light and a pair of electrodes. The energy device may be configured to provide, to the electronic device via contact with the coin-type cell holder, electric energy produced from the ambient light energy. The solar module may include a converter module to convert the ambient light energy into the electric energy. The energy device may also include an energy storage module and/or a power management module that are stackable below the solar module with electrical connectivity to the solar module, and that combined with the solar module have the appropriate form factor for the coin-type cell holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: UTICA LEASECO, LLC
    Inventor: Aarohi Surya Vijh
  • Patent number: 11281161
    Abstract: A running equation of time mechanism includes civil hour and minute hands to indicate civil time and a concentric true minute hand to indicate true time. The running equation of time mechanism includes an equation of time cam and a differential gear device, a first input of which is formed by a civil minute pipe on which a civil minute hand is pressed, and a second input of which is formed by the equation of time cam. The differential gear device includes a planetary reducer wheel set via which the civil minute pipe drives a civil hour pipe on which is pressed the civil hour hand, and a planetary multiplier wheel set via which the civil hour pipe drives a true minute pipe on which is pressed the true minute hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Sylvain Dauby, Alain Zaugg
  • Patent number: 11152877
    Abstract: A method for determining an error in the angular position measurement of a timepiece motor having one or more phases, including: detecting (3) each instant (14) when the value of one of the back electromotive forces is zero, storing (4) a time corresponding to each detected instant, measuring (5) several time intervals between two instants (14) detected in the same revolution of the motor, comparing (6) the measured time intervals to reference time intervals to deduce the reference intervals to which they correspond, and determining (7) an angular position measurement error if the measured intervals do not correspond to the expected reference intervals. The invention also relates to a method for correcting the angular position measurement. Also, a determination and correction system for implementing the methods and a timepiece including such a system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: David Hoover
  • Patent number: 11119447
    Abstract: A timepiece including a case middle closed by a glass and the following elements positioned in the case middle: a dial, a rigid mounting plate extending under the dial, a module including an electric motor, referred to as the motor module, a printed circuit board, of which at least a first portion is interposed between the mounting plate and the motor module, means for the assembly of the motor module on the mounting plate through the first portion of the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Raphael Balmer, Pascal Lagorgette
  • Patent number: 11029764
    Abstract: An optical detection device capable of detecting a pointer position of a turntable watch includes an optical receiver and a processor. The optical receiver is disposed inside the turntable watch and adapted to receive an optical reflecting signal. The processor is electrically connected to the optical receiver and adapted to compare a physical quantity of the optical reflecting signal with a predefined condition for determining whether a pointer of the turntable watch is located above the optical receiver. The optical detection device further includes an optical emitter electrically connected to the processor and adapted to emit an optical detecting signal. The optical detecting signal is projected onto the pointer to generate the optical reflecting signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-Ting Yang, Kai-Ho Tsai, Yen-Min Chang
  • Patent number: 10996633
    Abstract: A timepiece including a dial defining an XY plane, an automaton disposed above the dial, the automaton having at least one first member and one second member, which are articulated in order to reproduce beating movements, and a driving mechanism of the automaton. The first member is provided in order to pivot about a first axis which is non-parallel to the XY plane and the second member is provided in order to pivot about a second axis which is different from the first axis. The driving mechanism of the automaton includes actuators of the first and second members, provided in order to make the first and second members respectively pivot according to non-symmetrical pivoting movements and in order to coordinate the pivoting movements of the first and second members so that the combination thereof gives a beating effect of the first and second members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Montres Jaquet Droz SA
    Inventors: Bernat Monferrer, Edmond Capt
  • Patent number: 10254714
    Abstract: A running equation of time mechanism includes civil hour and minute hands to indicate civil time and a concentric true minute hand to indicate true time. The running equation of time mechanism includes an equation of time cam and a differential gear device, a first input of which is formed by a civil minute pipe on which a civil minute hand is pressed, and a second input of which is formed by the equation of time cam. The differential gear device includes a planetary reducer wheel set via which the civil minute pipe drives a civil hour pipe on which is pressed the civil hour hand, and a planetary multiplier wheel set via which the civil hour pipe drives a true minute pipe on which is pressed the true minute hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Sylvain Dauby, Alain Zaugg
  • Patent number: 10185289
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece that has a plurality of operation modes and uses a secondary battery as a power supply includes a 2 o'clock side information display unit that displays a residual quantity of the secondary battery, a navigation start switch that receives a user manipulation, and a control unit that decides an execution operation mode to be executed by the electronic timepiece among the plurality of operation modes according to the user manipulation received by the navigation start switch and switches display of a residual quantity of a battery in the 2 o'clock side information display unit according to the execution operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Nozawa
  • Patent number: 9310773
    Abstract: An analog electronic timepiece includes a stepping motor, a gear train mechanism having gears, a pointer, a drive control unit, a control content changing unit, and a pointer position adjustment unit. If an operational command to rotate the pointer to a different moving target position is obtained while an operational control for rotating the pointer to a certain moving target position is in progress, the control content changing unit terminates the control and changes a control content to an operational control according to the command. If the reverse rotation driving operation is being performed, the pointer position adjustment unit performs an adjustment operation for removing shifting between a predicted position of the pointer and an actual position of the pointer which occurs because of rotational input from the stepping motor not being transmitted to the pointer due to gaps relating to the mesh of the gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jyunichi Hirokawa, Shigeki Hisada, Teruhisa Tokiwa
  • Patent number: 9261860
    Abstract: An analog electronic timepiece, including: a stepping motor; a first indicating unit which makes a step rotation by a predetermined first rotation angle according to the step drive; a second indicating unit which makes a step rotation by a second rotation angle which is smaller than the first rotation angle in conjunction with the step rotation of the first indicating unit; an independent rotation control unit; an interlocking rotation control unit; and a rotation selection unit which activates the independent rotation control unit when current processing is in an operation mode where the rotation position of the first indicating unit is changed or in an operation state where the rotation position of the first indicating unit is temporarily changed and which activates the interlocking rotation control unit when a setting relating to a final rotation position of the first indicating unit is fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kosuke Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9244436
    Abstract: A timepiece includes a representation of a non-rectilinear object, the representation particularly including a movable element kinematically connected to a drive mechanism. The representation also includes at least one second movable element, the drive mechanism being arranged such that the movable elements each move, simultaneously and in synchronization, between a first and a second end position, and vice versa, the movable elements forming the representation at a first size and at a second size greater than the first, respectively, when the movable elements are in the first and second end positions thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Inventors: Paul Hartzband, Bernard Barbu
  • Patent number: 9151642
    Abstract: A measuring instrument includes a display on which measurements are displayed. The display is provided by an organic electroluminescent panel or an electronic paper including an assembly of organic electroluminescence devices and includes: a display controlling section that displays a plurality of scale segment images at an equal interval and a pointer image at a position corresponding to the measurements among display areas displayed by the plurality of scale segment images; and a scale information input section that specifies at least one of the display areas and inputs scale interval information of the scale segment images on the specified area. The display controlling section includes a scale interval changing section that, based on the scale interval information, displays the scale segment images on the specified area commanded by the scale information input section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Teppei Ohno, Kazuo Asahi, Munenori Ishii
  • Publication number: 20150131413
    Abstract: The invention concerns a timepiece comprising a timepiece movement cooperating with a display device, the timepiece movement comprising a mechanical energy source and a system of energy transmission from the energy source to at least one resonator including a first distribution device controlled by the at least one resonator. According to the invention, the timepiece also comprises a counting system mounted between the at least one resonator and the display device, and including a second distribution device controlled by the at least one resonator and cooperating with the display device to uncouple the energy transmission means from the counting means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Jean-Luc HELFER, Pascal Winkler, Thierry Conus
  • Patent number: 9019801
    Abstract: Electromechanical timepiece fitted with a gear train including an hour hand and a minute hand for the current time display on the dial side of the timepiece. The timepiece is arranged to provide at least one additional piece of information relating to a magnitude of time, or to a non-time related piece of information. The timepiece further includes an additional indicator hand arranged to display the additional information, the additional indicator hand being mounted on the back cover side of the timepiece on an arbour of the gear train of the timepiece, so that the additional indicator hand and the hour hand and/or minute hand rotate at the same time and at the same angle, the hour hand and/or the minute hand being driven either to display the current time, or to enable the additional indicator hand to indicate the additional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Emmanuel Fleury, Andre Zanetta, Martin Bisig
  • Patent number: 9010996
    Abstract: Device for detecting and synchronising the position of at least one first wheel (16) of a timepiece mechanism (1) for an electronic analogue watch, wherein this first wheel (16) extends in one plane, the detection and synchronisation device (30) comprises at least one light source (32) emitting a light beam (34) and at least one light detection system (36), and this detection and synchronisation device is characterised in that a first light-reflecting element (40) projects from one of the upper or lower surfaces of the first wheel (16) of the timepiece mechanism (1), wherein the light source (32) and the light detection system (36) are arranged so that in a determined position of the first wheel (16) of the timepiece mechanism (1), the light beam (34) emitted by the light source (32) is reflected by the first reflective element (40) in the direction of the light detection system (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd.
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Born, Pierpasquale Tortora, Cedric Nicolas, Pascal Lagorgette
  • Publication number: 20150092522
    Abstract: Disclosed is a stepping motor including a rotor, a stator which includes a rotor accommodating hole, a pair of outer notches to determine positions of saturated magnetic fluxes and inner notches disposed on an inner periphery of the stator around the rotor accommodating hole, the inner notches determining stably stationary positions of the rotor, and a coil block configured by a coil wound around a coil core which is magnetically coupled to the stator, and the outer notches are disposed on an outer periphery of the stator on opposite sides of the rotor accommodating hole. And a line that connects narrowest portions between the outer notches and the rotor accommodating hole and extends through a center of the rotor accommodating hole shifts by a predetermined angle from a line that extends through the center of the rotor accommodating hole and is orthogonal to an extending direction of the stator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta SAITO, Hiroyuki HOSOBUCHI, Junro YANO
  • Patent number: 8988974
    Abstract: A display apparatus characterized by having a scale mark display section which is provided in a predetermined display area; a pointer which moves on the scale mark display section and indicates a scale mark in the scale mark display section; a stepping motor which drives the pointer; a stopper section which is positioned in an end section of the scale mark display section and which restricts movement range of the pointer; and a movable supporting section which movably supports the stopper section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Takenawa
  • Patent number: 8976631
    Abstract: With the conventional timepiece, when watching the timepiece at a casual glance, it has not been easy to comprehend the starting point of a physical quantity indicated at the present time by the timepiece, and the physical quantity at the present time. To solve the problem, a timepiece is provided, comprising; a dual-purpose scale, indicating time and a below-mentioned physical quantity; a driving unit for hand, driving a hand for pointing the dual-purpose scale according to time; an acquisition unit for physical quantity, acquiring information of the physical quantity from predetermined time designated as a starting point; and a driving unit for indicator of physical quantity, driving an indicator of physical quantity for indicating the acquired physical quantity on the dual-purpose scale, where a position on the dual-purpose scale pointed to by the hand at the predetermined time is designated as an original position for the physical quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Nihon Techno Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiichi Umamoto
  • Patent number: 8976629
    Abstract: Clockwork movement for a wristwatch, comprising a kinematic chain including at least one belt (20, 21) for transmitting the movements and/or couples between at least two pulleys. The pulleys are held on the bottom plate or the bridges by ball bearings (151, 161, 171, 181). The movement is rewound by means of linear oscillating mass (14) charging four barrels (15, 16, 17, 18) through a couple distributor (40). The barrels are non-parallel to one another. The back cover is covered by inclined glasses (110, 120, 130) allowing the barrels, the linear oscillating mass and at least certain pulleys to be seen. The regulating organ (51) is removable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: LVMH Swiss Manufactures SA
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Ruchonnet
  • Patent number: 8976630
    Abstract: A dial assembly held within a timepiece case together with a movement for which the hour hand and minute hand are supported to be able to rotate is provided. The movement supports at least one miniature hand to be able to rotate at a position different from the hour hand and minute hand. The dial assembly comprising includes a first dial that is light transmissive, a second dial arranged on the back surface side of the first dial, and at last one spacer forming a ring shape arranged between the first dial and the second dial. The miniature hand rotates within a space enclosed by the first dial, the second dial, and the spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takumi Oshio
  • Patent number: 8953418
    Abstract: A timepiece includes two hands (14, 16) advancing in superposition to display a first item of information regarding the current time. On demand, by operating a control (17), one of the two hands moves relative to the first to display a second item of information regarding the current time, the two hands returning to a superposed position when the control is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: La Montre Hermes SA
    Inventor: Frederic Crettex
  • Publication number: 20150016230
    Abstract: A mechanism (3?) for correcting a device for displaying time information, the display device comprising a first display member (M) for displaying first time information and a second display member (M?) for displaying the stored first information, notably a second display member (M?) of the retrograde type, the mechanism comprising an isolating device (LI) for isolating the first and second display members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: ROLEX SA
    Inventors: Pierre-Alain Graemiger, Marco La China
  • Patent number: 8934321
    Abstract: The invention provides an analog quartz timepiece, comprising a housing; one or more hands; a drive movement comprising gears and drive motors associated with the hands for timekeeping; a position sensor comprising a light transmitter and a light receiver positioned to define a reflective area on the dial, where the light transmitter transmits a beam of light to any one of the hands passing through the reflective area and the light receiver receives the light reflected from the passing hand; and a processor programmed to determine a position of the passing hand in the reflective area in correspondence to the reflection of the light from the hand, and to drive the movement to move the hand to a correct time position responsive to the determined position. The invention also relates to a method for providing time-correction of an analog quartz timepiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Inventor: Wai Tong Fung
  • Publication number: 20140355393
    Abstract: Mechanism (3) for indicating and storing time information, the mechanism comprising: a member (H) for displaying the hours, and/or a member (M) for displaying the minutes, and/or a member (S) for displaying the seconds, and a member (H?) for displaying the stored hours, and/or a member (M?) for displaying the stored minutes, and a member (S?) for displaying the stored seconds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: ROLEX SA
    Inventor: Pierre-Alain Graemiger
  • Publication number: 20140355394
    Abstract: Clock movement (2) comprising a mechanism (3) for indicating and storing the time information, the mechanism comprising a member (S?) for displaying the stored seconds and/or stored fractions of seconds, a first device (MEM1) for storing seconds and/or fractions of seconds, the storage device comprising a first storage mobile (M1) provided with a first storage element (MC1) in direct mesh with an element (12) of a geartrain (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) of the clock movement or a first storage element fixed to an element of a geartrain of the clock movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: ROLEX SA
    Inventor: Pierre-Alain Graemiger
  • Publication number: 20140340998
    Abstract: A single hand timepiece having a single hand, which is movable into a plurality of hand positions, a clockwork for mechanically moving the hand so that the hand is located in a hand position which corresponds to a current time of day, characterized in that the single hand timepiece has an actuating element connected to the clockwork, and the clockwork is designed to change, upon actuation of the actuating element, from a first operating state into a second operating state and to move the hand so that the hand position in the first operating state displays minute information and in the second operating state displays hour information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Andreas Funk, Marco Biegert
  • Publication number: 20140328148
    Abstract: The present invention provides a wristwatch structure, an electronic core for a wristwatch, and a method for manufacturing the wristwatch. The wristwatch structure comprises: a dial; an indicator designed with the dial; an electric driving component connected to the indicator, for driving the indicator and actuating it; and an electronic core having an integrated circuit unit packaged therein, the electronic core also having a plurality of two-dimensional joints distributed on an external surface thereof, wherein the electric driving component is electrically connected to the integrated circuit unit of the electronic core via one set of joints among the two-dimensional joints. The present invention can improve compatibility for various designs, thereby shortening the product development cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Princo Middle East FZE
    Inventors: Chih-Kuang YANG, Yeong-yan GUU, Cheng-yi CHANG, Gan-how SHAUE
  • Patent number: 8861314
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for displaying the time of day. Reference points, including fixed reference points and movable reference points, can be used to display time information in a way that makes it easier for a vision impaired individual to read the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher Arabian, Logan Arabian
  • Patent number: 8848492
    Abstract: When recovering power from a motor driver, a forward voltage across a parasitic diode can reduce the recovery efficiency, and control of a power recovery operation can take an unnecessarily long time. In order to address this problem, the power recovery operation is performed as follows without being affected by a parasitic diode: near a peak position of a waveform of an induced current resulting from free oscillation of a rotor after a drive pulse is output, a recovery pulse having such a level that the rotor does not rotate is output from a terminal different from a motor driver terminal to which the drive pulse was output. Also, by adjusting the width and output timing of the recovery pulse based on a power supply voltage, the power recovery can be optimized for the power supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignees: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd., Citizen Watch Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Masaaki Namekawa, Yu Takyo
  • Patent number: 8848491
    Abstract: An analog electronic timepiece includes a plurality of hands; a dial plate having scales for time display; a driving unit that drives the hands so that the hands are driven independently of each other; and a control unit that transmits a drive signal to the driving unit and moves the hands to allow the hands to point to positions set for the respective hands. The control unit (i) allows each hand to point to one of positions of one o'clock to nine o'clock and twelve o'clock among the scales to indicate that a digit in a predetermined place represented by each hand is one of “1” to “9” and “0”; and (ii) expresses a numerical value by a combination of digits corresponding to the respective positions pointed by the respective hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Miyake
  • Patent number: 8848488
    Abstract: A timepiece mechanism for a secondary display of a first physical quantity, wherein a push-button activates first mechanism for the coupling/uncoupling of the secondary display to or from a movement including a first display, and a pivoting first physical quantity cannon-pinion heart, wherein the first mechanism controls the coupling/uncoupling to or from the movement. A second push-button controls the zero reset of the secondary display, by uncoupling the first coupling/uncoupling mechanism, and returning the heart-piece to the original position thereof. A second coupling/uncoupling control mechanism includes either a pivoting time zone wheel set including a friction wheel, meshing with the movement, and a time zone wheel which, when the wheel set is in the coupling position, drives a second physical quantity cannon-pinion heart and/or a third physical quantity cannon-pinion heart, the friction wheel and time zone wheel being coaxial and cooperating via friction; or an inter-time zone mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Blancpain S.A.
    Inventor: Vincent Calabrese