EP1113346A1 - Wrist-watch with an antenna - Google Patents

Abstract

The watch bracelet (1) includes a box (2) which houses telephone equipment able to receive and transmit messages through an antenna (4). The antenna is integrated into a tongue shaped element (5) which is pivoted about an axis (9) above the bracelet/watchbox joint and able to lie flush with the bracelet or when in use to project at a large angle to it

Description

The present invention relates to a wristwatch containing a device telephone capable of receiving and transmitting received and transmitted radio messages by an antenna.

It has been proposed many times to attach a device to a wristwatch telephone adapted to receive and transmit high electromagnetic signals frequency. The continuous expansion of radio frequency communication systems, including mobile phone systems, leads to growing demand increasingly compact and lightweight portable communications equipment. In parallel with technological advances which have enabled the development of electronic circuits and radio frequency circuits of small size and development a high-performance energy source, low profile antennas have already been proposed adapted to be mounted on portable communication units.

For example, document EP 0 186 804 describes a wristwatch comprising a box and a bracelet associated with this box. The box includes a electric circuit provided with an integrated circuit and a display device, the box being closed by a mirror. The bracelet has two strips formed from a material flexible plastic and an antenna conductor, disposed between these two lamellae. One of the strips has a thick, domed area in which is made a transverse hole intended to receive a bar which serves as an articulation of the bracelet on the box.

Similarly, the document US Pat. No. 4,754,285 describes an antenna which winds through the bracelet of an instrument worn on the wrist.

The wristwatch described in document EP 0 339 482 also offers an antenna incorporated into the bracelet, but wound around the watch case.

In all the examples cited above, the antenna is placed close to the wrist of the wearer of the instrument and sticks to the skin in some way so. It follows that the available radio frequency signal is partly absorbed by the mass represented by the wrist which reduces the amplitude of the useful signal arriving to the telephone device. It will therefore be understood that the device cannot operate only if it is in a strong signal area, which limits the range geographic location in which this device operates safely.

To overcome the disadvantage described above and therefore increase the amplitude of the signal received or emitted by the radio frequency device, the wristwatch of the present invention is remarkable in that its antenna is integrated in a tongue, one end of which is attached to the bracelet or to the watch case, this tongue being able to be arranged in at least two positions, a first position for which it at least partially runs along the bracelet and is confused with it and a second position for which it departs from the bracelet and stands in the plane containing the circle defined by the bracelet when wearing it.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the end of the tongue is attached to the box by means of a joint located above the place where the bracelet is born on the watch case.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective de la montre-bracelet de l'invention, cette montre étant équipée d'une languette intégrant une antenne;
• la figure 2 est une coupe dans la montre illustrée à la figure 1, la languette étant montrée dressée sur le bracelet;
• la figure 3 est une coupe dan la montre illustrée à la figure 1, la languette étant montrée confondue avec le bracelet, et
• la figure 4 est une vue en plan illustrant d'une part l'articulation de la languette et d'autre part les connexions reliant l'antenne au dispositif électronique situé à l'intérieur de la boíte de montre.

The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will now emerge from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawing and giving, by way of explanatory example, but in no way limiting, an advantageous embodiment of the invention, drawing in which :

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of the wristwatch of the invention, this watch being equipped with a tongue incorporating an antenna;
• Figure 2 is a section in the watch illustrated in Figure 1, the tongue being shown upright on the bracelet;
• FIG. 3 is a section through the watch illustrated in FIG. 1, the tongue being shown to coincide with the bracelet, and
• Figure 4 is a plan view illustrating on the one hand the articulation of the tongue and on the other hand the connections connecting the antenna to the electronic device located inside the watch case.

Figure 1 is a perspective drawing illustrating wristwatch 1 of the invention. It consists of a box 2 and a bracelet 6. In a version preferred of the invention the box 2 and the bracelet 6 are made in one piece of material semi-rigid plastic. In addition to the components necessary for the timepiece function, the box contains a telephone device 3 capable of receiving and transmitting messages broadcast. The telephone device 3, not visible in FIG. 1, is sketched out Figure 4. The box still contains other elements essential to the function phone, but not shown here. The document EP 0 899 635 contains the way to integrate an earpiece and a microphone into the watch case. Many other documents describe the integration of a keyboard in said box. The messages radio broadcasts are received and transmitted by an antenna 4 which will now be described in detail since it constitutes the main object of the present invention.

As seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the antenna 4 is integrated in a tab 5. The antenna 4 is a film or a metallic sheet sandwiched between two elements 35 and 36 constituting the tongue 5. The element 36 can be a sheet of capton welded under the element 35 made for example of a plastic material polyimide.

The figures also show that one of the ends 7 of the tongue 5 is attached to the box 2 above the place where the bracelet 6 originates. According to an alternative embodiment, the tongue can of course be attached directly to bracelet 6. Thus constructed and attached, it will be understood that the tongue 5 can be arranged in at least two positions. The first position is illustrated in Figure 3 where the tongue 5 at least partially runs along the bracelet 6 and is finds him confused with him. By confused, we mean that the facing faces of the tab 5 of the associated bracelet strand is applied one against the other. The second position is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 where the tongue 5 deviates from the bracelet 6 and stands above in the plane containing the circle defined by the bracelet when wearing.

How to attach the tab to the box or bracelet and where takes place this attachment, in particular on the bracelet, can be imagined of various manners. Apart from the ways preferably used here and illustrated by the figures, we can consider a fastener which would use for example a semi-rigid plastic film, as well as a tie which would be, for example, halfway between the box and a clasp fitted to two strands of the bracelet.

However, in the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated by the figures, we see that the end 7 of the tongue 5 is attached to the box 2 at by means of a hinge located above the point 8 where the bracelet takes birth on box 2. This place 8 can be at noon, as shown in figure 1, or at six o'clock.

More specifically, the figures indicate that the joint consists of a bar 9, whose function is similar to that used to attach a bracelet to a box. For this purpose and as can be seen in Figure 4, the box 2 or, more precisely, the place 8 where the bracelet 6 originates on the box 2, is provided four horns 17, 18, 19 and 20 each pierced with a referenced hole respectively 10, 11, 12 and 13. For its part, the end 7 of the tongue 5 has three hinges 21, 22 and 23 each drilled with a hole referenced respectively 14, 15 and 16. Once the hinges are inserted between the horns, all the holes in them are are located in a row and the bar 9 can be inserted to make the expected joint. It should be noted here that the joint in question could not present that two horns cooperating with a single hinge.

Figure 4 shows the box 2 containing the telephone device 3 and the tongue 5 in which the antenna 4 is integrated. The tongue 5 is articulated on the box 2 at the place 8 where the bracelet is born and this by means of the bar 9. It is therefore a question of connecting the telephone device 3 to the antenna 4 by crossing the joint described above. To do this, the telephone device 3 is connected to the antenna 4 by means of a first blade 24 connected at 42 to said device and a second blade 25 connected at 41 to said antenna. Figure 4 shows that the blades 24 and 25 face each other in a plane perpendicular to the axis 26 which presents the bar 9. For this, a portion of the blade 25 is folded perpendicular to the plane of Figure 4 to face the other blade 24. The blades 24 and 26 are thus contact rotating one on the other and ensuring the connection between the antenna 4 and the device telephone 3.

More particularly, FIG. 4 shows that the first blade 24 runs along the horn 19 of the box 2 and that the second blade 25, in its folded part, runs along the hinge 22 of the tongue 5 at the place where the horn 19 turns against the hinge 22. For ensure elastic contact between the two blades, Figure 4 shows that the horn 19 is provided with a recess 40 located on the back of the blade 24 which ensures good rotating contact between the blade 25 and the blade 24, the latter being produced in a elastic material. To ensure a sealed passage of the blade 24 from the inside to the outside of the box 2, this blade can be overmolded with the material of the box or be glued to this box as indicated with reference 43 in FIG. 4.

Figure 4 shows another blade 44 coming out of the box 2 and along the horn 18 of this box. This blade 44 is connected at 45 to the ground of the device telephone 3. It is used to check the correct functioning of the device 3 before the tongue 5 is attached to the box 2.

If we now refer to Figures 2, 3 and 4, we see that the joint is provided with a notch system which keeps the tongue 5 in the first or second position. To hold this tab 5 in the first position combined with bracelet 6, FIGS. 3 and 4 show that the blade 24 is provided with a drop 27 held in a notch 29 formed in the hinge 22. For maintain the tongue 5 in the second position erected above the bracelet, the drop 27 cooperates with another notch 28 formed in the hinge 22 (see FIG. 2).

If you want to make sure that the tongue 5 is correctly applied against the bracelet 6 when this tongue is in the same position as the bracelet, we can, as shown only in figure 2, provide the tongue 5 with a hook 30 arranged to cooperate with a notch 31 arranged in the bracelet 6.

It was explained above that the tongue 5 carrying the antenna 4 is erected in second position to reduce the influence of the wearer's body and thus improve the amplitude of the radio frequency signal collected by the antenna. The upright position of the tongue can also correspond to a so-called communication state of the device telephone 3, state for which it is given full power supply. On the contrary, the folded position of the tongue can also correspond to a said standby state of the device 3, state for which a reduced power supply is given to it, this power being just sufficient to maintain the device 5 at listening to an incoming message. To switch from standby to state of communication, the bracelet 6 can be provided with a device 33 (see FIG. 1) sensitive to the proximity of an element 32 incorporated in the tongue 5. The device 33 could be a Hall probe and element 32 a magnet.

The four figures which illustrate this description show that the tongue 5 is arranged to be superimposed on bracelet 6 when said tongue is in its first position where it merges with the bracelet. For this purpose, the bracelet has a thickness reduced by a quantity at the place of the superposition substantially equivalent to the thickness of the tongue 5 as shown in the cross-sections 2 and 3. However, the invention is not limited to an overlap but could be a juxtaposition. For this purpose the tongue 5 could be the same thickness as the bracelet and be placed next to it, the essential residing in the fact that the tongue at least partially runs along the bracelet in a first position and deviates upward in a second position.

Claims (8)

Wrist watch (1) provided with a box (2) containing a device telephone (3) capable of receiving and transmitting received radio messages and emitted by an antenna (4), characterized in that this antenna (4) is integrated in a tongue (5) one of which (7) of the ends is attached to the bracelet (6) or to the box (2), this tongue can be arranged in at least two positions, one first position (Figure 3) for which it at least partially follows the bracelet and is confused with it and a second position (Figure 1 and Figure 2) for which it moves away from the bracelet and stands in the plane containing the circle defined by the bracelet when wearing. Wrist watch according to claim 1, characterized in that the end (7) of the tongue (5) is attached to the box (2) by means of a articulation located above (8) from where the bracelet originates on the box (2). Wristwatch according to claim 2, characterized in that the tongue (5) is arranged to overlap the bracelet (6) when it is in its first position (Figure 3), the bracelet presenting at the location of the overlapping a reduced thickness by an amount substantially equivalent to the thickness of the tongue. Wrist watch according to claim 2, characterized in that the joint consists of a bar (9) passing through holes (10, 11, 12, 13; 14, 15, 16) practiced in a row in both horns (17, 18, 19, 20) including the box (2) is provided and in hinges (21, 22, 23) that has the end (7) of the tab (5), the telephone device (3) being connected to the antenna (4) by means of a first blade (24) connected to said device and a second blade (25) connected to said antenna, these blades (24, 25) facing each other in a plane perpendicular to the axis (26) of the bar (9), said blades being in contact rotating one on the other. Wrist watch according to claim 4, characterized in that the first blade (24) runs along a horn (19) of the box (2) and that the second blade (25) runs along a hinge (22) of the tongue (5) at the place where said horn and said hinge rotate one against the other. Wrist watch according to claim 2, characterized in that the articulation is provided with a notch system (27, 28, 29) allowing to maintain the tongue (5) in the first or second position. Wristwatch according to claim 2, characterized in that the tongue (5) is provided with a hook (30) cooperating with a notch (31) arranged in the bracelet (6). Wrist watch according to claim 2, characterized in that the bracelet (6) is provided with a device (32, 33) for switching the device telephone (3) from a standby state to a communication state depending on whether the tab (5) is respectively in the first or second position.

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