Mainspring Winders Patents (Class 81/7.5)
  • Patent number: 11860582
    Abstract: A winding device includes a motor for driving a watch holder carrying at least one automatic watch with a mobile oscillating mass, and a multimeter for measuring a variation in a resistive torque opposed to the motor by the watch holder equipped with watches, depending on a degree of winding of the watches. The multimeter includes a speed meter to determine a speed and/or a variation in the speed of the motor, a torque meter to determine a value of a torque and/or a variation in the torque at the watch holder, and/or a current meter to determine a value of a current and/or a variation in the current of an electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Michel Willemin, Jérôme Favre, Nicolas Livat
  • Patent number: 11687037
    Abstract: A device (1000) for the winding and time-setting of a watch (1) with an oscillating resonator (2), which includes: an automatic winding mechanism (304) for a mechanical or automatic watch, which includes at least one watch reception support (305), a viewing system (1002), a stoppage monitor (500) to observe the stoppage of a resonator (2), and a controller (900) arranged to identify the stoppage time displayed by the watch (1) in the stoppage position thereof, to compute the time remaining until a synchronization between the actual time indicated by the clock (1001) and the stoppage time, and, when the remaining time has elapsed, to activate the automatic winding mechanism (304) for rewinding the power storage device of the watch (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Baptiste Hinaux, Jérôme Favre
  • Patent number: 11669050
    Abstract: A watch self-winding device with rotary motion, including a base carrying a motor driving in rotation a support carrying a watch and includes an upper watch holder with a surface in direct contact with a watch, this support includes a microphone for listening to a watch and an embedded electronic circuit processing the signal from the microphone, the device includes, in order to supply power to the embedded electronic circuit, a first coil fixed to the base and powered by a power source carried or relayed by the base, and a second coil embedded in the support, coaxial to the first coil and arranged to transmit power to the embedded electronic circuit, which is arranged to exchange information with a static electronic circuit in the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jérôme Favre, Cedric Nicolas, Jean-Jacques Born
  • Patent number: 10642224
    Abstract: A watch winding apparatus for winding a wrist watch with mechanical self-winding eccentrics and having a bracelet is provided. The watch winding apparatus includes a carrier adapted for mounting the wrist watch therein. The carrier also includes a bracelet holding mechanism arranged inside a hollow cylindrical housing, which in an open position thereof is disposed providing a gap with respect to an inner wall, and in the closed position thereof is disposed with the said gap being narrower with respect to the inner wall. The carrier is adapted to receive the wrist watch therein with the bracelet being slided through the said gap and being snugly supported with the bracelet holding mechanism disposed in the closed position thereof. Further, the watch winding apparatus includes a rocker device configured to rotate the carrier to activate the mechanical self-winding eccentrics for winding of the wrist watch mounted therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Inventor: Fernando Macias Garza
  • Publication number: 20150143957
    Abstract: A watch winder case is disclosed to include two opposite end plates connected to each other through two first support bars and two second support bars. Two first side plates are respectively abutted and inserted between one of the two first support bars and one of the two second support bars, and a second side plate is abutted and inserted between the two second support bars. Thus, the structural strength and structural stability of the watch winder case can be enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: Gooten Innolife Corporation
    Inventors: Yi-Wei LIAO, Shang-Yi LIU
  • Patent number: 8714813
    Abstract: A watch winder includes a housing, a power supply disposed in the housing, a transmitter coil mounted at one side of the housing and electrically connected with a circuit board of the power supply, and a receiver coil mounted at another side of the housing and electrically connected with a circuit board of the power supply. The fist coil can be actuated by the power supply to transmit a signal, and the receiver coil can be used to receive a signal and convert the signal into an electrical current that can be transmitted to the circuit board for charging the power supply. Therefore, the electrical energy of the watch winder can be wireless transmitted through a non-contact interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Gooten Innolife Corporation
    Inventor: Been-Tzaw Liao
  • Patent number: 8579499
    Abstract: A device for winding watches, particularly manually-wound watches, comprising a containment structure which accommodates a motor, transmission means and a motor controller. The transmission means transfer the rotation of the motor, provided with power supply means, to a coupling which can be associated with the crown of the watch to be wound. The rotation is controlled by the controller. The device comprises a seat for stably accommodating the watch to be wound, the seat being defined on a surface of the containment structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: MCM Milano S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alberto Moroni, Mario Moroni, Fabrizio Ceraolo
  • Patent number: 8408784
    Abstract: Provided is the assembly of a watch winder with a moveable attention-attracting mechanism driven from the motor of the watch winder through a transmission mechanism. The attention-attracting mechanism comprises a multilink mechanism that includes a device in the form of a human being, wherein the first link is formed as hands, the second link as a body, and the base support as legs. Rotation of the crank may be further transmitted to another attention-attracting mechanism that is formed as a Ferris wheel. According to the second modification, the multilink mechanism is formed as an oil-extracting pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Inventor: Valentin Balter
  • Patent number: 7927009
    Abstract: A watch winder comprising plural watch winder units and a power supply. The plural watch winder units are assembled by connectors in such a manner that the watch winders units are electrically connected to one another, and the power supply is electrically connected to one of the watch winder units to supply power to all the electrically-connected watch winder units. By such arrangements, the respective watch winder units are not required to be provided with one power supply, thus saving the manufacturing cost, satisfying the requirements of environmental protection, and the watch winder units can be assembled as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Abest Products Resourcing Inc.
    Inventor: Wen-Hsin Huang
  • Patent number: 7575367
    Abstract: A controllable watch winder for a self-winding mechanical watch, in which a turntable is provided to hold and rotate the watch, including a programmable microprocessor circuit configured to count the number of rotations executed by the turntable. In one aspect, the watch winder is configured to introduce, after the electronic circuit is activated, a delay period before the turntable commences rotating. In another aspect, the circuit may be configured to interrupt the rotation of the turntable with pauses, to break up the rotation into cyclical sets. The circuit may be configured to automatically predetermine the number of rotations in each set. In yet another aspect, the watch winder may be configured to be manually adjustable, to variably predetermine before use, the number of rotations to be executed by the turntable and the length of any pause between rotations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Wolf Designs, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon P. Wolf, V, Tony Ming Sang Ng
  • Patent number: 7530733
    Abstract: An improved watch-winding apparatus comprising: a bottom support; a body; a lid cover with a glass window; and a plurality of tabbed spring cushions. A solid direct drive system drives the rotating tray. An electronic system keeps the rotating tray swinging per the intended program. Where a drawer is employed, a catch lock mechanism is also provided to prevent the drawer from automatically sliding open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Hero Team Corporation Limited
    Inventor: Lip Man Louie
  • Patent number: 7410289
    Abstract: A watchwinder adapted for home use or in a retail store environment includes a horizontal dovetail groove or channel on the top, bottom and side surfaces of the watchwinder housing which cooperates with a removable interlocking bar or rail of mating dovetail shape to selectively and detachably interconnect adjacent watchwinders arranged in a vertical or side-by-side relation. The grooves preferably extend across the horizontal dimension of the watchwinder to a point short of the front of the housing for concealment purposes, and are made relatively wide in relation to the dimensions of the housing to improve rigidity of an interlocked grouping of watchwinders and to simplify assembly. Preferably, the channels are of equal size and shape and spaced equidistantly apart. An array of interlocked watchwinders can be built up to varying size and shape, and one or more of the watchwinders can be selectively removed from anywhere within the array without disturbing the others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Wolf Designs, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul D. Hill
  • Patent number: 7270474
    Abstract: A watch winder includes a watch carrier having a longitudinal axis, a continuous outer wall having a plurality of detectable features, and a watch holder to support the watch relative to the longitudinal axis so that the watch rotates upon rotation of the carrier about the longitudinal axis; a drive means within a circuit including a controller to control the rotation of the watch carrier through successive winding cycles; and a sensor to detect the position of the detectable features, the controller stopping the carrier at the end of each cycle in response to detection of a given number of detectable features by the sensor, the feature detected at the end of each cycle being different from the feature detected by the sensor at the end of the immediately preceding cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Inventor: Charles Agnoff
  • Patent number: 7198401
    Abstract: A watch winder can automatically wind numerous kind/brand of self-winding watch and maintains the main-spring in ideal tension range. The watch in winding can always be positioned in its favorable showing orientation. The watch in winding can be mounted or dismounted easily. The noise produced by the winder is reduced significantly to a low level. The winder comprises a rotary bowl with central rectangular recess for receiving a cushion holder inserted on the bowl. An electrical noise-proof motor-gear system drives the rotary bowl. An IC circuitry installed under the panel controls the rotation mode of the motor-gear system. A length-wise retractile cushion holder is inserted in the recess with its width tightly fitted for carrying the watch in place. A switch means is installed on the panel with an indicating means for selecting a respective mode to drive the rotary base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Hero Team Corporation Limited
    Inventor: Lip Man Louie
  • Patent number: 7025495
    Abstract: A device for supporting and winding-up automatic wrist watches comprises a base including a plurality of rotary supporting elements, each provided with latching means for housing a wrist watch therein, the supporting elements being rotatively driven by a geared-motor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Inventor: Sandro Colarieti
  • Patent number: 6964513
    Abstract: A watch winder includes a watch carrier that is freely supported on a rest for ease in mounting and removing the carrier and for reversing the direction of winding by simply turning the watch carrier end-to-end. The watch carrier includes a cylinder and a watch holder insertable into the interior of the cylinder. The rest is adapted to support the cylinder in a horizontal position, and includes first and second support sections having parallel longitudinal axes spaced from each other at a distance less than the diameter of the cylinder. Each section includes a housing having rollers or other support surfaces adjacent the ends of the housing, with at least one of the rollers being driven by an electric motor to rotate the cylinder at predetermined times when the cylinder is supported on the rollers. A feature of the cylinder may be detected to stop rotation at a predetermined orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Inventor: Charles Agnoff
  • Patent number: 6910802
    Abstract: Automatic watches use the movements of the wrist to re-wind the barrel spring and thus supply the necessary energy for the correct functioning of the watch. When the user cannot wear the watch it is proposed to place it on an automatic re-winding device. The device according to the invention is compact and modular. Furthermore, in order to avoid any error of manipulation, the starting and stopping of the re-winding device is done automatically by means of a detection of the presence of the watch (3). The passing of the strap in the detachable base (2) produces the tension of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Underwood (London) Ltd.
    Inventor: Alessandro Rustioni
  • Patent number: 6439761
    Abstract: A winder for mechanical manually-wound watches is described that includes a housing, with a watch support in front of the housing front wall to support a watch with its stem aligned along a first given longitudinal axis. A support shaft extending from the housing front wall has an outer end attached to the watch support and is moveable along a parallel second given longitudinal axis. A rotatable shaft having a front end with a crown collet extends from the front wall along the first longitudinal axis to attach the watch crown to the crown collet. The rotatable shaft is rotated on a timed sequence by a motor that is in a circuit with a potentiometer which detects when the motor load increased, indicating that the watch spring is fully wound. A controller disconnects the motor when the potentiometer detects that the watch is fully wound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventor: Charles Agnoff
  • Patent number: 6254270
    Abstract: An orbital watch-winding apparatus includes a base unit and a mandrel rotatably mounted to the base unit. The mandrel is inclined at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane. A watch is supported on the outer surface of the mandrel so that it is radially spaced from the axis of rotation. When activated, the watch moves in a circular path about the inclined axis of rotation. The orbital motion of the watch about the inclined axis causes the self-winding mechanism to swing back and forth to simulate the effect produced by normal arm movements when the watch is worn by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Orbita Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Agnoff
  • Patent number: 6240611
    Abstract: A tool for coiling spring and holding the coiled spring for replacing strip type spring used in equipment such as chain saws, weed cutting implements, etc. The spring is coiled within a cap that has an ejector plate provided therein as well as a spring holder. Once the spring is wound within the cap, the spring holder is moved relative to the cap to release the inner end of the spring and the ejector plate is used for pushing the plate out of the cap into a pull cord starting housing of an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Inventor: Donald L. Chase