EP0308879B2 - Two-motor movement, in particular for a radio clock - Google Patents

Two-motor movement, in particular for a radio clock Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0308879B2
EP0308879B2 EP88115449A EP88115449A EP0308879B2 EP 0308879 B2 EP0308879 B2 EP 0308879B2 EP 88115449 A EP88115449 A EP 88115449A EP 88115449 A EP88115449 A EP 88115449A EP 0308879 B2 EP0308879 B2 EP 0308879B2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
wheel
radio
controlled clock
clock according
motors
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP88115449A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0308879B1 (en
EP0308879A2 (en
EP0308879A3 (en
Inventor
Wolfgang Ganter
Jürgen Allgaier
Wolfram Hodapp
Arthur Kopf
Roland Maurer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Junghans Uhren GmbH
Original Assignee
Junghans Uhren GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=6812342&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=EP0308879(B2) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by Junghans Uhren GmbH filed Critical Junghans Uhren GmbH
Publication of EP0308879A2 publication Critical patent/EP0308879A2/en
Publication of EP0308879A3 publication Critical patent/EP0308879A3/en
Publication of EP0308879B1 publication Critical patent/EP0308879B1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0308879B2 publication Critical patent/EP0308879B2/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G04HOROLOGY
    • G04CELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C3/00Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
    • G04C3/14Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means incorporating a stepping motor
    • G04C3/143Means to reduce power consumption by reducing pulse width or amplitude and related problems, e.g. detection of unwanted or missing step
    • GPHYSICS
    • G04HOROLOGY
    • G04CELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C3/00Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
    • G04C3/001Electromechanical switches for setting or display

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a radio clock according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • Such a radio clock is known from EP-A 0 180 880 (corresponding to US-A 4,645,357).
  • a motor drives the part of the gear train via which the minute wheel and the hour wheel are coupled to one another, while the second wheel is assigned its own second motor.
  • each motor is assigned its own light barrier, with regard to the adjustment requirements, complex redirection light guides are required if the transmission and reception elements of the two light barriers are arranged on the same circuit board to simplify the electrical circuit should be.
  • Such a two-motor radio clock has proven itself as a consumer clock. However, it still has functional manufacturing disadvantages.
  • the adjustment of the pinhole gears is critical so that the rotation of the hour wheel coupled to the minute hand movement leads to a response of this light barrier that is precise to one motor step, so that the hour hand and the minute hand simultaneously have their reference position when the light barrier responds.
  • the movement resolution of the minute hand which is desirable for clear dial positions, is limited so that the hour hand does not rotate too long (as is necessary for winter time or time zone correction), since, on the other hand, the speed of rotation of the minute wheel is not arbitrarily increased for gearbox reasons can.
  • the power distribution is not optimal with regard to the required torques.
  • the invention has for its object to develop a radio clock of the generic type in such a way that more favorable conditions for turning the pointers into defined positions can be realized in terms of energy and time requirements and at the same time simpler possibilities for the implementation of the light barriers and for gear function tests are opened.
  • each of the motors only has to deliver a relatively low torque.
  • the hour bike is operated from its own motor, which at the same time enables a high degree of movement resolution (number of steps for further movement by an hour division) without taking into account the gear conditions of the rest of the gear train.
  • the other motor is to be designed anyway for the torque required to move the longest of all hands, the second hand, and the movement of the minute hand derived therefrom in the gear ratio 60: 1 does not represent any noticeable additional load for the other motor in these reduction conditions from the own drive of the second hand minute hand wheel part, a fine step division and thus a very precise minute display on the minute track of the watch, because moving from one minute mark to the next minute mark is resolved to 60 increments.
  • the separate drive of the hour wheel also opens up a particularly simple implementation option for the light barrier for angular position detection, because the query of the positioning of the hour indicator is not necessary for one motor step, so that simply the position of a single aperture hole in the hour wheel is queried using a compact reflex light barrier can be. Since no other wheels of the factory are included in this light barrier query, the hour wheel can be set in any angular position, regardless of the current position of any other wheels of the factory, i.e. without the need for a wheel pre-adjustment during factory assembly.
  • Transmitter and receiver of the light barriers can be mounted on a common circuit board, which also carries the other circuits, to reduce the manufacturing and assembly work, with the beam path reflectors being formed by metal mirrors on the walls of the movement housing beyond the respective sub-gear train.
  • an urgent correction of the hour display (for example for the change from summer time to winter time or to the change of time zone) can be done without impairing the momentary setting of the minute and hour hands. be carried out in an optimally short time, since this requires only the fastest possible activation of the hour wheel motor in order to carry out the corresponding number of steps. Because, accordingly, rapid advancement by 11 hours can easily be implemented, the effort of a bidirectional drive for the correction by "one hour back" is eliminated without requiring unreasonably long periods of time for this correction.
  • the gear train 11 of a radio-controlled clock 10 is constructed in a movement housing 12 essentially with a floating bearing on a carrier plate 13 with axial play limitation of the bearing position by appropriate distance dimensioning to the housing rear wall 14, as explained in more detail in detail in US Pat. No. 4,465,378.
  • a motor 15 preferably embodied as a miniature stepper motor operated in a time-keeping manner, uses its pinion 16 to drive an intermediate wheel 17 for the movement of a second wheel 18, which in turn is geared to the minute wheel 20 via a small bottom wheel 19 for reducing the movement.
  • the turning of the hour wheel 21 into a certain angular position with respect to the work housing 12 is detected by means of a reflex light barrier 27, which is designed as a compact transmitter-receiver module , if the beam path 28 - without interruption by the hour wheel 21 - is given continuously via a reflector 29.
  • This passage of the beam path 28 can only be achieved in an angular position of the hour wheel 21, namely when an aperture hole 30 formed in the hour wheel 21 has just pivoted in via the reflector 29 with a sufficient projection surface.
  • the reflex light barrier 27 is equipped with a capture circuit 31 which the response of the light barrier 27 when screwing in the aperture hole 30 ensures.
  • a deflection is independent of the hour wheel light barrier 27 in the illustrated design of the gear train.
  • Light barrier 33 is provided, the beam path 34 of which leads through structurally predetermined holes 35 in the carrier plate 13 and in a circuit board 36 held in front of it - with the saving of a space for the minute wheel 20 - and via deflection reflectors 37 on the rear housing wall 14. This beam path 34 is only released if it also leads through aperture 38 of all gear wheels protruding here.
  • the defined angular position on the part of the seconds and minutes wheel 18, 20 is reached when one of two aperture holes 38 provided in the minute wheel 20 simultaneously with the aperture hole 38 provided in the intermediate wheel 17 and with the aperture wheel 38 provided in the secondary wheel 18 in the path of the steel gear 34 lies.
  • the reflectors 29, 37 can simply be designed as small, optionally surface-treated metal parts attached to the corresponding wall 14, 40 of the work housing 12; the deflecting reflectors 37 can be designed as angled ends of a metal strip 41 (as indicated in the drawing) or as individual metal plates inserted into rear wall holding slots 42.
  • the control circuits 31, 32 and the light barriers 27, 33 are arranged so that all wiring can be realized as printed line lamination on the printed circuit board 36.
  • This also expediently carries a test circuit 43 (possibly integrated in one of the other circuits), which delivers a pulse packet with a predetermined number of motor control pulses during commissioning. This number is predetermined so that the corresponding part of the gear train 11 would have to rotate straight out of one detection position into the next detection position (ie until the next occurrence of the uninterrupted beam path 28 or 34). As a result, it can be determined in a particularly simple manner and independently of one another for the hour hand and for the minute hand whether there are gear or other errors in the gear train 11.
  • a time zone correction circuit 44 can be provided which, when changing the time zone, rotates the hour stepper motor 24 (and only this one) by one or more hours (30 degree angle) for further rotation of the hour wheel 21, or by rotates one hour or eleven hours to switch between summer time and winter time. Because the entire gear train 11 does not have to be moved for such hour jump time display corrections, but only the hour wheel 21 is driven, this can be achieved particularly quickly with low energy requirements.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)

Description

Die Erfindung betrifft ein Funkuhr gemäß dem Oberbegriff des Anspruches 1.The invention relates to a radio clock according to the preamble of claim 1.

Eine solche Funkuhr ist aus der EP-A 0 180 880 (entsprechend der US-A 4,645,357) bekannt. Dort treibt ein Motor den Räderwerksteil, über den das Minutenrad und das Stundenrad getrieblich miteinander gekoppelt sind, während dem Sekundenrad ein eigener, zweiter Motor zugeordnet ist. Für die Detektion einer vorbestimmten Räderwerks- und damit Zeigerstellung ist jedem Motor eine eigene Lichtschranke zugeordnet, wobei hinsichtlich der Justage-Erfordernisse fertigungstechnisch aufwendigee Umlenk-Lichtleiter benötigt werden, wenn zur Vereinfachung der elektrischen Schaltung die Sende- und Empfangselemente der beiden Lichtschranken auf derselben Leiterplatte angeordnet sein sollen. Eine solche Zweimotoren-Funkuhr hat sich zwar an sich als Konsumuhr bewährt. Sie weist aber noch funktionale fertigungstechnische Nachteile auf. So ist die Justage der Räderwerkslochblenden kritisch, damit die an die Minutenzeiger-Bewegung gekoppelte Drehung des Stundenrades zu einem auf einen Motorschritt genauen Ansprechen dieser Lichtschranke führt, damit der Stundenzeiger und der Minutenzeiger bei Ansprechen der Lichtschranke gleichzeitig exakt ihre Referenzstellung innehaben. Außerdem ist die für eindeutige Zifferblatt-Positionen wünschenswerte Bewegungsauflösung des Minutenzeigers beschränkt, damit ein Umlauf des Stundenzeigers (wie er zur Winterzeit- oder Zeitzonen-Korrektur erforderlich wird) nicht zu lange dauert, da andererseits aus getrieblichen Gründen die Drehgeschwindigkeit des Minutenrades nicht beliebig erhöht werden kann. Schließlich ist bei einer solchen Motor-Zuordnung die Leistungs-Aufteilung hinsichtlich der erforderlichen Drehmomente nicht optimal.Such a radio clock is known from EP-A 0 180 880 (corresponding to US-A 4,645,357). There, a motor drives the part of the gear train via which the minute wheel and the hour wheel are coupled to one another, while the second wheel is assigned its own second motor. For the detection of a predetermined gear train and thus pointer position, each motor is assigned its own light barrier, with regard to the adjustment requirements, complex redirection light guides are required if the transmission and reception elements of the two light barriers are arranged on the same circuit board to simplify the electrical circuit should be. Such a two-motor radio clock has proven itself as a consumer clock. However, it still has functional manufacturing disadvantages. The adjustment of the pinhole gears is critical so that the rotation of the hour wheel coupled to the minute hand movement leads to a response of this light barrier that is precise to one motor step, so that the hour hand and the minute hand simultaneously have their reference position when the light barrier responds. In addition, the movement resolution of the minute hand, which is desirable for clear dial positions, is limited so that the hour hand does not rotate too long (as is necessary for winter time or time zone correction), since, on the other hand, the speed of rotation of the minute wheel is not arbitrarily increased for gearbox reasons can. Finally, with such an engine assignment, the power distribution is not optimal with regard to the required torques.

Noch ungünstiger sind allerdings die Räderwerks-Lichtschranken-Verkopplungen bei einer Funkuhr, wie sie aus der DE-A 35 13 961 bekannt sind. Denn dort sind die beiden von unterschiedlichen Motoren angetriebenen Rädergruppen über eine gemeinsame Reflex-Lichtschranke funktional miteinander verkoppelt. Daraus resultiert, daß selbst dann wenn die für die Lichtschrankenfunktion benötigten Räder nicht einfach als Lochblendenscheiben ausgebildet sind, ein sehr großer zeitlicher und steuerungstechnischer Aufwand für das Einschwenken der von den beiden Motoren angetriebenen drei Zeiger in eine definierte Referenzstellung anfällt. Denn dafür muß zunächst jeder Motor abwechselnd solange betrieben werden, bis die Lichtschranke einmal Durchgang hat, und dann muß jeder Motor nacheinander über eine undurchsichtige Marke auf einem aus durchsichtigem Material bestehenden Rad hinweggedreht werden. Da dieses Abschattungs-Kriterium aber nicht eindeutig ist, muß zusätzlich für eine Strichmuster-Codierung der einzelnen Räder und für deren opto-elektronische Auswertung gesorgt werden. Dieser Ablauf ist nicht nur zeitaufwendig, sondern auch sehr störanfällig; und für das Langzeitverhalten muß berücksichtigt werden, daß die Zahnräder einerseits mechanisch stabil ausgeführt sein und andererseits aus einem Material bestehen müssen, das trotz unausweichlicher Alterungserscheinungen eine hohe Strahlendurchlässigkeit bei geringer Reflektionsneigung behält.However, the gear train light barrier couplings in a radio clock, as are known from DE-A 35 13 961, are even less favorable. Because there the two groups of wheels, driven by different motors, are functionally coupled to one another via a common reflex light barrier. The result of this is that even if the wheels required for the light barrier function are not simply designed as perforated diaphragm disks, there is a very high expenditure in terms of time and control technology for pivoting the three pointers driven by the two motors into a defined reference position. For this purpose, each motor must first be operated alternately until the light barrier has one passage, and then each motor must be rotated one after the other over an opaque mark on a wheel made of transparent material. However, since this shading criterion is not unambiguous, a line pattern coding of the individual wheels and their opto-electronic evaluation must also be provided. This process is not only time-consuming, but also very prone to failure; and for the long-term behavior it has to be taken into account that the gearwheels on the one hand have a mechanically stable design and on the other hand have to be made of a material which, despite the inevitable signs of aging, maintains a high level of radiation transmission with a low tendency to reflect.

Für die Positions-Detektierung, beispielsweise zur Synchronisation einer Datums-Umschaltung, ist es aus der EP 0 082 821 A1 bekannt, das Getriebe zusätzlich mit einem Detektorrad auszustatten, das in einer definierten Winkelstellung verspiegelt ist. Ein solches zusätzliches Rad allein für Detektionserfordernisse stellt aber eine erhebliche Verteuerung des Räderwerkes in Hinblick auf das Erfordernis an Einzelteilen und auch in Hinblick auf die erforderliche Antriebsenergie dar.For position detection, for example for synchronizing a date changeover, it is known from EP 0 082 821 A1 to additionally equip the transmission with a detector wheel that is mirrored in a defined angular position. However, such an additional wheel alone for detection requirements represents a considerable increase in the cost of the gear train with regard to the requirement for individual parts and also with regard to the required drive energy.

Der Erfindung liegt die Aufgabe zugrunde, eine Funkuhr gattungsgemäßer Art dahingehend weiterzubilden, daß sich hinsichtlich des Energie- und Zeitbedarfs günstigere Verhältnisse für das Eindrehen der Zeiger in definierte Stellungen realisieren lassen und zugleich einfachere Möglichkeiten für die Realisierung der Lichtschranken und für getriebliche Funktionstests eröffnet werden.The invention has for its object to develop a radio clock of the generic type in such a way that more favorable conditions for turning the pointers into defined positions can be realized in terms of energy and time requirements and at the same time simpler possibilities for the implementation of the light barriers and for gear function tests are opened.

Diese Aufgabe wird erfindungsgemäß im wesentlichen dadurch gelöst, daß die gattungsgemäße Funkuhr gemäß dem Kennzeichnungsteil des Anspruches 1 ausgelegt ist.This object is essentially achieved in that the generic radio clock is designed according to the characterizing part of claim 1.

Nach dieser Lösung hinsichtlich der getrieblichen Aufteilung braucht jeder der Motoren nur ein relativ geringes Drehmoment zu liefern. Denn einerseits wird das Stundenrad aus einem eigenen Motor betrieben, was zugleich eine hohe Bewegungsauflösung (Anzahl der Schritte für die Weiterbewegung um eine Stundenteilung) ohne Rücksichtnahme auf die getrieblichen Gegebenheiten des übrigen Räderwerks ermöglicht. Andererseits ist der andere Motor ohnehin auf das erforderliche Drehmoment zur Bewegung des längsten aller Zeiger, des Sekundenzeigers auszulegen, und die im Übersetzungsverhältnis 60:1 daraus abgeleitete Bewegung des Minutenzeigers stellt bei diesen Untersetzungsgegebenheiten keine spürbare zusätzliche Belastung für den anderen Motor dar. Ferner ergibt sich aus dem eigenen Antrieb des Sekundenzeiger-Minutenzeiger-Räderwerksteiles eine feine Schritt-Teilung und damit eine sehr genaue Minutenanzeige auf der Minuterie der Uhr, weil das Weiterbewegen von einer Minutenmarke zur nächsten Minutenmarke auf 60 Teilschritte aufgelöst ist. Dadurch entfallen die Justageprobleme, die auftreten, wenn der Minutenzeiger nur in sehr großen zeitlichen Intervallen (beispielsweise nur alle 20 Sekunden) angesteuert wird, weil dann eine Fehljustage um einen Teilschritt bereits eine Fehlanzeige um eine drittel Minute und damit eine den Betrachter durchaus störende Divergenz zwischen voller Minutenanzeige des Sekundenzeigers und Minutenschritt des Minutenzeigers erbringt.According to this solution with regard to the gear division, each of the motors only has to deliver a relatively low torque. On the one hand, the hour bike is operated from its own motor, which at the same time enables a high degree of movement resolution (number of steps for further movement by an hour division) without taking into account the gear conditions of the rest of the gear train. On the other hand, the other motor is to be designed anyway for the torque required to move the longest of all hands, the second hand, and the movement of the minute hand derived therefrom in the gear ratio 60: 1 does not represent any noticeable additional load for the other motor in these reduction conditions from the own drive of the second hand minute hand wheel part, a fine step division and thus a very precise minute display on the minute track of the watch, because moving from one minute mark to the next minute mark is resolved to 60 increments. This eliminates the adjustment problems that occur when the minute hand is only in very large time intervals (for example, only every 20 seconds) because a misalignment by one sub-step already results in a false display by a third minute and thus a divergence between the full minute display of the second hand and the minute increment of the minute hand.

Der getrennte Antrieb des Stundenrades eröffnet auch eine besonders einfache Realisierungsmöglichkeit für die Lichtschranke zur Winkelstellungsdetektion, weil die Abfrage der Positionierung des Stundenanzeigers nicht auf einen Motorschritt genau erforderlich ist, so daß dafür einfach die Stellung eines einzigen Blendenloches im Stundenrad mittels einer kompakten Reflex-Lichtschranke abgefragt werden kann. Da in diese Lichtschranken-Abfrage keine weiteren Räder des Werkes eingehen, kann das Setzen des Stundenrades in beliebiger Winkelstellung, ohne Rücksichtnahme auf die Momentanstellung irgendwelcher anderen Räder des Werkes, erfolgen, also ohne Erfordernis einer Räder-Vorjustierung bei der Werk-Montage.The separate drive of the hour wheel also opens up a particularly simple implementation option for the light barrier for angular position detection, because the query of the positioning of the hour indicator is not necessary for one motor step, so that simply the position of a single aperture hole in the hour wheel is queried using a compact reflex light barrier can be. Since no other wheels of the factory are included in this light barrier query, the hour wheel can be set in any angular position, regardless of the current position of any other wheels of the factory, i.e. without the need for a wheel pre-adjustment during factory assembly.

Sender und Empfänger der Lichtschranken können zur Reduzierung des Fertigungs- und Montageaufwandes auf einer gemeinsamen, auch die übrigen Schaltungen tragenden Leiterplatte montiert sein, mit Ausbildung der Strahlengang-Reflektoren durch Metallspiegel an den Werkgehäuse-Wänden jenseits des jeweils zugehörigen Teil-Räderwerks.Transmitter and receiver of the light barriers can be mounted on a common circuit board, which also carries the other circuits, to reduce the manufacturing and assembly work, with the beam path reflectors being formed by metal mirrors on the walls of the movement housing beyond the respective sub-gear train.

Weil nach der erfindungsgemäßen Lösung keine getriebliche Kopplung zwischen dem Stundenrad einerseits und andererseits dem Minuten- bzw. Sekundenrad mehr gegeben ist, kann ohne Beeinträchtigung der Momentanstellung von Minuten- und Stundenzeiger eine Eilkorrektur der Stundenanzeige (etwa zum Sommerzeit-Winterzeit-Wechsel oder zum Zeitzonenwechsel) in optimal kurzer Zeit durchgeführt werden, da hierfür nur eine möglichst schnelle Ansteuerung des Stundenrad-Motors zur Ausführung der entsprechenden Schritt-Anzahl erforderlich ist. Weil dementsprechend auch eine rasche Fortschaltung um 11 Stunden einfach realisierbar ist, entfällt der Aufwand eines Zweirichtungs-Antriebes für die Korrektur um "eine Stunde zurück", ohne für diese Korrektur unzumutbar lange Zeitspannen zu benötigen.Because, according to the solution according to the invention, there is no longer any gear coupling between the hour wheel on the one hand and the minute or second wheel on the other, an urgent correction of the hour display (for example for the change from summer time to winter time or to the change of time zone) can be done without impairing the momentary setting of the minute and hour hands. be carried out in an optimally short time, since this requires only the fastest possible activation of the hour wheel motor in order to carry out the corresponding number of steps. Because, accordingly, rapid advancement by 11 hours can easily be implemented, the effort of a bidirectional drive for the correction by "one hour back" is eliminated without requiring unreasonably long periods of time for this correction.

Zusätzliche Alternativen und Weiterbildungen sowie Vorteile der Erfindung ergeben sich aus den weiteren Ansprüchen und, aus nachstehender Beschreibung eines in der Zeichnung unter Beschränkung auf das Wesentliche stark abstrahiert und nicht ganz maßstabsgerecht skizzierten bevorzugten Realisierungsbeispiels zur erfindungsgemäßen Lösung. Die einzige Figur der Zeichnung zeigt in abgebrochener Darstellung ein mit Lichtschranken zur Detektion vorgegebener Winkelstellungen ausgestattetes Räderwerk mit zwei Antriebsmotoren.Additional alternatives and further developments as well as advantages of the invention result from the further claims and, from the following description of a preferred implementation example for the solution according to the invention, which is highly abstracted and limited to the essentials and is not outlined to scale. The only figure in the drawing shows in broken form a gear train equipped with light barriers for the detection of predetermined angular positions with two drive motors.

Das Räderwerk 11 einer Funkuhr 10 ist in einem Werkgehäuse 12 im wesentlichen mit fliegender Lagerung an einer Trägerplatte 13 bei Axialspielbegrenzung der Lagerstellung durch entsprechende Abstandsbemessung zur Gehäuse-Rückwand 14 aufgebaut, wie insoweit im einzelnen in der US-PS 4 465 378 näher erläutert. Wie dort dient ein Motor 15, vorzugsweise ausgebildet als zeithaltend betriebener elektrischer Miniatur-Schrittmotor, über sein Ritzel 16 dem Antrieb eines Zwischenrades 17 für die Bewegung eines Sekundenrades 18, das seinerseits zur Bewegungsuntersetzung über ein Kleinbodenrad 19 getrieblich mit dem Minutenrad 20 gekoppelt ist.The gear train 11 of a radio-controlled clock 10 is constructed in a movement housing 12 essentially with a floating bearing on a carrier plate 13 with axial play limitation of the bearing position by appropriate distance dimensioning to the housing rear wall 14, as explained in more detail in detail in US Pat. No. 4,465,378. As there, a motor 15, preferably embodied as a miniature stepper motor operated in a time-keeping manner, uses its pinion 16 to drive an intermediate wheel 17 for the movement of a second wheel 18, which in turn is geared to the minute wheel 20 via a small bottom wheel 19 for reducing the movement.

Jedoch ist nun keine getriebliche Kopplung zum Stundenrad 21 über ein weiteres Wechselrad vorgesehen, sondern das Stundenrad 21 wird über ein weiteres Zwischenrad 22 vom Ritzel 23 eines weiteren Motors 24 angetrieben, der mit entsprechend untersetzter Impulsfolge gegenüber dem Betrieb des ersterwähnten Motors 15 aus der zeithaltenden elektrischen Schaltung 25 bzw. einer Synchronisier-Steuerschaltung 26 betrieben wird, wie insoweit in der US-PS 4 650 344 näher beschrieben.However, no gear coupling to the hour wheel 21 is now provided via a further change gear, but the hour wheel 21 is driven via a further intermediate wheel 22 by the pinion 23 of a further motor 24, which with a correspondingly reduced pulse sequence compared to the operation of the first-mentioned motor 15 from the time-keeping electrical Circuit 25 or a synchronizing control circuit 26 is operated, as described in more detail in US Pat. No. 4,650,344.

Das Eindrehen des Stundenrades 21 in eine bestimmte Winkelposition bezüglich des Werkgehäuses 12 (und damit eine bestimmte Zeigerstellung vor der am Werkgehäuse 12 angeordneten Minuterie; in der Zeichnung nicht dargestellt) wird mittels einer Reflexlichtschranke 27 detektiert, die als kompakter Sender-Empfänger-Baustein ausgebildet ist, wenn deren Strahlengang 28 - ohne Unterbrechung durch das Stundenrad 21 - über einen Reflektor 29 durchgängig gegeben ist. Dieser Durchgang des Strahlenganges 28 ist nur in einer Winkelposition des Stundenrades 21 erfüllbar, nämlich wenn ein im Stundenrad 21 ausgebildetes Blendenloch 30 gerade mit hinreichender Projektionsfläche über den Reflektor 29 eingeschwenkt hat.The turning of the hour wheel 21 into a certain angular position with respect to the work housing 12 (and thus a certain pointer position in front of the minute track arranged on the work housing 12; not shown in the drawing) is detected by means of a reflex light barrier 27, which is designed as a compact transmitter-receiver module , if the beam path 28 - without interruption by the hour wheel 21 - is given continuously via a reflector 29. This passage of the beam path 28 can only be achieved in an angular position of the hour wheel 21, namely when an aperture hole 30 formed in the hour wheel 21 has just pivoted in via the reflector 29 with a sufficient projection surface.

Um mehrfach unterbrechende Signalgaben von der Reflexlichtschranke 27 beim Eindrehen des Blendenloches 30 über den Reflektor 29 zu vermeiden, obwohl das unvermeidliche Getriebespiel nach erster Freigabe des Stahlenganges 28 infolge Rückdreherscheinungen noch einmal zur Unterbrechung führen kann, ist die Reflexlichtschranke 27 mit einer Fangschaltung 31 ausgestattet, die das Ansprechen der Lichtschranke 27 beim Eindrehen des Blendenloches 30 sichert. Dafür kann innerhalb der Fangschaltung 31 vorgesehen sein, bei aus Energieersparnisgründen ohnehin nur im Impulsbetrieb angesteuertem Lichtschranken-Sender nicht gleich den beim Eindrehen an der Einlaufkante des Blendenloches 30 ersten auftretenden Empfangsimpuls für die Winkelstellungsverabeitung durchzuschalten, sondern die Durchschaltung an die Synchronisiereinrichtung erst freizugeben, wenn nacheinander mehrere Empfangsimpulse im Rhythmus der Senderansteuerung aufgetreten sind, wenn also das Blendenloch 30 größerflächig in den Strahlengang 28 eingedreht hat (und auch durch das Drehbewegungs-Spiel nicht wieder zur Unterbrechung des Strahlenganges 28 führt).In order to avoid repeatedly interrupting signals from the reflex light barrier 27 when screwing in the aperture hole 30 via the reflector 29, although the inevitable gear play after the first release of the steel gear 28 can lead to an interruption as a result of reverse turning phenomena, the reflex light barrier 27 is equipped with a capture circuit 31 which the response of the light barrier 27 when screwing in the aperture hole 30 ensures. For this purpose, it can be provided within the capture circuit 31, in the case of light barrier transmitters which are only activated in pulse mode anyway for reasons of energy saving, not the same as when screwing in on the Switch through the leading edge of the aperture hole 30 to the first occurring reception pulse for the processing of the angular position, but only to release the connection to the synchronizing device when several reception pulses have occurred in succession in the rhythm of the transmitter control, that is to say when the aperture hole 30 has turned into the beam path 28 over a large area (and also due to the rotary movement Game does not lead to an interruption of the beam path 28).

Um das Einlaufen des Minutenzeigers und des Sekundenzeigers in eine vorgegebene Referenzstellung vor der Uhren-Minuterie und damit das Einlaufen ihrer Räder des Werkes 11 in die entsprechende Winkelstellung zu detektieren, ist bei der dargestellten Auslegung des Räderwerkes unabhängig von der Stundenrad-Lichtschranke 27 eine Umlenk-Lichtschranke 33 vorgesehen, deren Strahlengang 34 durch konstruktiv vorgegebene Löcher 35 in der Trägerplatte 13 und in einer vor ihr - unter Freisparung eines Raumes für das Minuten- rad 20 - gehalterten Leiterplatte 36 sowie über Umlenk-Reflektoren 37 an der Werkgehäuse-Rückwand 14 führt. Dieser Strahlengang 34 ist nur freigegeben, wenn er zugleich durch Blendenlöcher 38 aller hier hineinragenden Getrieberäder führt. Die seitens des Sekunden- und Minutenrades 18, 20 interessierende definierte Winkelstellung ist dann erreicht, wenn eines von zwei im Minutenrad 20 vorgesehenen Blendenlöchern 38 gleichzeitig mit dem im Zwischenrad 17 und mit dem im Se- 4 kundenrad 18 jeweils vorgesehenen Blendenloch 38 im Weg des Stahlengangs 34 liegt.In order to detect the running in of the minute hand and the second hand into a predetermined reference position in front of the watch minute track and thus the running in of their wheels of the movement 11 into the corresponding angular position, a deflection is independent of the hour wheel light barrier 27 in the illustrated design of the gear train. Light barrier 33 is provided, the beam path 34 of which leads through structurally predetermined holes 35 in the carrier plate 13 and in a circuit board 36 held in front of it - with the saving of a space for the minute wheel 20 - and via deflection reflectors 37 on the rear housing wall 14. This beam path 34 is only released if it also leads through aperture 38 of all gear wheels protruding here. The defined angular position on the part of the seconds and minutes wheel 18, 20 is reached when one of two aperture holes 38 provided in the minute wheel 20 simultaneously with the aperture hole 38 provided in the intermediate wheel 17 and with the aperture wheel 38 provided in the secondary wheel 18 in the path of the steel gear 34 lies.

Jedenfalls dann, wenn konzentrische Zeigerwellen-Achsen 39 beim Durchtritt durch die Werkgehäuse-Vorderwand 40 gegeben sein sollen, 4 wie in der Zeichnung berücksichtigt, läßt es sich nicht ohne weiteres vermeiden, daß auch das Kleinbodenrad 19 in den Strahlengang 34 der Umlenk-Lichtschranke 33 hineinragt und deshalb ebenfalls mit (aufgrund seiner getrieblichen Kinematik) zwei Blendenlöchern 38 auszustatten ist. Das erbringt den Vorteil zusätzlicher Verbesserung der Detektions-Auflösung, weil nun die Detektion der Räderwerksstellung in der abzufragenden Winkelposition, also die Freigabe des Umlenk-Strahlenganges 34, auf einen Motorschritt genau erfolgt.In any case, if concentric pointer shaft axes 39 are to be provided when passing through the front housing wall 40, 4 as taken into account in the drawing, it cannot be avoided without further ado that the small bottom wheel 19 also enters the beam path 34 of the deflection light barrier 33 protrudes and is therefore also to be provided with (due to its gear kinematics) two diaphragm holes 38. This has the advantage of an additional improvement in the detection resolution because the detection of the gear train position in the angular position to be queried, that is to say the release of the deflecting beam path 34, now takes place with one motor step.

Die Reflektoren 29, 37 können einfach als kleine an der entsprechenden Wand 14, 40 des Werkgehäuses 12 befestigte, gegebenenfalls oberflächenbehandelte Metallteile ausgebildet sein; wobei die Umlenk-Reflektoren 37 als abgewinkelte Enden eines Metallstreifens 41 (wie in der Zeichnung angedeutet) ausgebildet sein können, oder als einzelne in Rückwand-Halteschlitze 42 eingesteckte Metallplättchen.The reflectors 29, 37 can simply be designed as small, optionally surface-treated metal parts attached to the corresponding wall 14, 40 of the work housing 12; the deflecting reflectors 37 can be designed as angled ends of a metal strip 41 (as indicated in the drawing) or as individual metal plates inserted into rear wall holding slots 42.

Auf der zentralen Leiterplatte 36 sind außer den Antriebsschaltungen 25, 26 auch die Steuerschaltungen 31, 32 und die Lichtschranken 27, 33 (gleichgültig ob in einstückiger Sender-Empfänger-Ausbildung gemäß Reflex-Lichtschranke 27 oder mit getrennter Montage von Sender und Empfänger wie im Falle der Umlenk-Lichtschranke 33) angeordnet, so daß sämtliche Verdrahtungen als gedruckte Leitungskaschierung auf der Leiterplatte 36 realisiert werden können. Diese trägt zusätzlich zweckmäßigerweise eine (gegebenenfalls in einer der anderen Schaltungen integrierte) Testschaltung 43, die bei Inbetriebnahme ein Impulspaket mit einer vorgegebenen Anzahl von Motor-Ansteuerungsimpulsen liefert. Diese Anzahl ist so vorgegeben, daß der entsprechende Teil des Räderwerks 11 sich aus einer Detektionsstellung heraus gerade bis in die nächste Detektionsstellung (also bis zum nächsten Auftreten des nicht unterbrochenen Strahlenganges 28 bzw. 34) drehen müßte. Dadurch ist in besonders einfacher Weise und für den Stundenzeiger sowie für den Minutenzeiger unabhängig voneinander feststellbar, ob im Räderwerk 11 getriebliche oder sonstige Fehler vorliegen.On the central circuit board 36, in addition to the drive circuits 25, 26, there are also the control circuits 31, 32 and the light barriers 27, 33 (irrespective of whether in a one-piece transmitter-receiver design according to the reflex light barrier 27 or with separate mounting of the transmitter and receiver as in the case the deflection light barrier 33) is arranged so that all wiring can be realized as printed line lamination on the printed circuit board 36. This also expediently carries a test circuit 43 (possibly integrated in one of the other circuits), which delivers a pulse packet with a predetermined number of motor control pulses during commissioning. This number is predetermined so that the corresponding part of the gear train 11 would have to rotate straight out of one detection position into the next detection position (ie until the next occurrence of the uninterrupted beam path 28 or 34). As a result, it can be determined in a particularly simple manner and independently of one another for the hour hand and for the minute hand whether there are gear or other errors in the gear train 11.

Ferner kann eine Zeitzonen-Korrekturschaltung 44 vorgesehen sein, die beim Zeitzonen-Wechsel je nach Ansteuerung den Stunden-Schrittmotor 24 (und nur diesen) für Weiterdrehen des Stundenrades 21 um eine oder mehrere Stunden (30-Grad-Winkel) dreht, bzw. um eine Stunde oder um elf Stunden zur Sommerzeit-Winterzeit-Umschaltung weiterdreht. Weil für solche Stundenprung-Zeitanzeigekorrekturen nun nicht das gesamte Räderwerk 11 bewegt werde muß, sondern nur das Stundenrad 21 angetrieben wird, läßt sich das bei geringem Energiebedarf besonders rasch realisieren.Furthermore, a time zone correction circuit 44 can be provided which, when changing the time zone, rotates the hour stepper motor 24 (and only this one) by one or more hours (30 degree angle) for further rotation of the hour wheel 21, or by rotates one hour or eleven hours to switch between summer time and winter time. Because the entire gear train 11 does not have to be moved for such hour jump time display corrections, but only the hour wheel 21 is driven, this can be achieved particularly quickly with low energy requirements.

Erwähnt wurde schon, daß die einzelnen hinsichtlich ihrer Funktionen vorstehend gesondert aufgeführten Schaltungen zweckmäßigerweise innerhalb des zentralen Prozessors realisiert sind, der für die Dekodierung des über Funk empfangenen Zeit-Telegrammes und für den Anzeige-Abgleich nach Maßgabe dieses aktuell zutreffenden Zeitpunktes vorgesehen ist. Nicht berücksichtigt ist in der Zeichnung, daß je nach der Auslegung des Räderwerks 11 ein Empfänger und/oder ein Sender gemeinsam für jede der Lichtschranken 27, 33 vorgesehen sein kann, mit Auswertung der Lichtschranken-Empfängersignale über einen einzigen Prozessoranschluß. Denn um Spitzenbelastungen der Energiequelle möglichst zu vermeiden, arbeiten die Motore 15, 24 zweckmäßigerweise zeitversetzt. Daraus resultiert die Möglichkeit einer zeitversetzten Abfrage der jeweiligen momentanen Räderwerks-Schrittposition, also der zeitversetzten Ansteuerung der beiden Lichtschranken 27, 33 und damit auch der zeitversetzten Empfängerabfragen über einen einzigen Prozessoreingang.It has already been mentioned that the individual circuits listed separately with regard to their functions are expediently implemented within the central processor which is provided for the decoding of the time telegram received by radio and for the display comparison in accordance with this currently applicable time. The drawing does not take into account that, depending on the design of the gear train 11, a receiver and / or a transmitter can be provided jointly for each of the light barriers 27, 33, with evaluation of the light barrier receiver signals via a single processor connection. Because in order to avoid peak loads on the energy source as far as possible, the motors 15, 24 expediently work with a time delay. This results in the possibility of a time-delayed query of the respective current gear train step position, that is to say the time-delayed actuation of the two light barriers 27, 33 and thus also the time-delayed receiver queries via a single processor input.

Claims (7)

  1. Radio-controlled clock (10) having two motors (15, 24) and a wheel-work (11) of which wheels having apertured-partition holes (30, 38) intervene in two light gates (27, 33), associated with the control of the motors, for the detection of predetermined positions of wheels and thus of hands,
    characterized in that
    one motor (15) is coupled gearwise with the seconds and minutes wheels (18, 20), whilst the other motor (24), coupled gearwise with the hours wheel (21), as regards its control is equipped with an interception circuit (31) for the passage signal of its light gate (27) in order to only free this when its diaphragm hole (30) has rotated so far into the path of the beam (28) that this is not interrupted again even by rotary-motion gear backlash.
  2. Radio-controlled clock according to Claim 1,
    characterized in that
    a reflex beam path (28) of the light gate (27) of the hours wheel is formed between a transmitter/receiver module on the common printed circuit board (36) and a reflector (29) on the front wall (40) of the works housing.
  3. Radio-controlled clock according to Claim 1 or 2,
    characterized in that
    a deflecting beam path (34) of the light gate (33) of the minutes wheel is formed between mutually offset transmitter and receiver modules on a common printed circuit board (36) and deflecting reflectors (37) held by the rear wall (14) of the works housing.
  4. Radio-controlled clock according to Claim 2 or 3,
    characterized in that
    the reflectors (29, 37) are designed as small metal plates positioned on the works housing (12).
  5. Radio-controlled clock according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    a small bottom wheel (19) is provided which has two diametrically opposite diaphragm holes (38) which alternately lie in the deflecting beam path (34) of the light gate (33) of the minutes wheel.
  6. Radio-controlled clock according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the printed circuit board (36) is equipped with a test circuit (43) for controlling at least one of the motors (24, 15) with a predetermined number of stepping impulses, which corresponds to one revolution of the hours wheel (21) or respectively of the minutes wheel (20).
  7. Radio-controlled clock according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized by time-offset operation of the two motors (15, 24) and of the light gates (28, 33) associated with them.
EP88115449A 1987-09-23 1988-09-21 Two-motor movement, in particular for a radio clock Expired - Lifetime EP0308879B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE8712809U 1987-09-23
DE8712809U DE8712809U1 (en) 1987-09-23 1987-09-23 Two-motor gear train, especially for a radio-controlled clock

Publications (4)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0308879A2 EP0308879A2 (en) 1989-03-29
EP0308879A3 EP0308879A3 (en) 1991-03-27
EP0308879B1 EP0308879B1 (en) 1993-04-28
EP0308879B2 true EP0308879B2 (en) 1996-05-08

Family

ID=6812342

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP88115449A Expired - Lifetime EP0308879B2 (en) 1987-09-23 1988-09-21 Two-motor movement, in particular for a radio clock

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0308879B2 (en)
DE (2) DE8712809U1 (en)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DD277540A1 (en) * 1988-11-30 1990-04-04 Ruhla Uhren Veb K WHEELS FACTORY
US5363348A (en) * 1992-09-04 1994-11-08 Damle Madhav N High resolution, remotely resettable time clock
JP3328518B2 (en) * 1996-11-06 2002-09-24 セイコークロック株式会社 Clock mechanical body
GB2352061B (en) * 1996-11-06 2001-03-28 Seiko Clock Inc Timepiece movement
EP1357448A1 (en) * 2002-04-26 2003-10-29 Kienzle Time (Hong Kong) Limited Radio controllable clock
US20040125702A1 (en) * 2002-10-21 2004-07-01 Hideki Kitajima Rotational position detection device, hand position detection device and clock using the hand position detection device

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH646301GA3 (en) * 1981-12-23 1984-11-30
DE3510861C2 (en) * 1984-11-09 1986-09-25 Gebrüder Junghans GmbH, 7230 Schramberg Display position detection device for a clock, in particular a radio clock
DE3513961A1 (en) * 1985-04-18 1986-10-23 Forschungsgesellschaft für Feingeräte-, Mikro- und Uhrentechnik e.V., 7000 Stuttgart Device for detecting the state of the motion in an electronic clock, in particular a radio-controlled clock

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0308879B1 (en) 1993-04-28
DE8712809U1 (en) 1987-11-05
DE3880603D1 (en) 1993-06-03
EP0308879A2 (en) 1989-03-29
EP0308879A3 (en) 1991-03-27

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP0180880B1 (en) Display detection device for a watch, in particular a radio watch
EP0529390B1 (en) Means for detecting gear position and means for correction
DE19749140B4 (en) clockwork
EP0766149B1 (en) Means for determining the position of indicating hands
EP0308879B2 (en) Two-motor movement, in particular for a radio clock
DE19746115A1 (en) clockwork
EP0667004B1 (en) Radio-controlled clockwork
DD277540A1 (en) WHEELS FACTORY
DE8432847U1 (en) Pointer position detection device for a clock, in particular a radio clock
DE10161854B4 (en) Radio movement with detector for the pointer position
DE4446929C2 (en) Clock, in particular radio clock
DE9117162U1 (en) Position detection and correction device
DE10239788B3 (en) Setting system position determination device e.g. for roller shutter or blind, using phase shift between 2 pulse sequences with different repetition frequencies
DE10159010B4 (en) Electromechanical timer
EP0513633A2 (en) Alarm clock
DE4033584A1 (en) Automatic appts. for slaving clocks to central time - receives digital time signal, compares to time incremented by drive pulse from zero electro-mechanically driver
DE3011965C2 (en) Electronic clock
DD275127A1 (en) TRANSMISSION LEVEL DETECTION DEVICE
DE1552553A1 (en) Dividing apparatus
DE9218136U1 (en) Radio controlled clockwork
DE9414266U1 (en) Autonomous small radio clock, especially radio wristwatch
DE4319224A1 (en) Device for indicating the start of parking time
GB1565956A (en) Range-changing device for a time lapse relay
CH674116B5 (en)
EP0854404A1 (en) Analog time switch clock

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): CH DE FR GB IT LI

PUAL Search report despatched

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009013

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A3

Designated state(s): CH DE FR GB IT LI

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19910330

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19911220

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): CH DE FR GB IT LI

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 3880603

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19930603

ITF It: translation for a ep patent filed

Owner name: STUDIO JAUMANN

ET Fr: translation filed
GBT Gb: translation of ep patent filed (gb section 77(6)(a)/1977)

Effective date: 19930714

PLBI Opposition filed

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009260

26 Opposition filed

Opponent name: ETA SA FABRIQUES D'EBAUCHES

Effective date: 19940126

GRAH Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA

PUAH Patent maintained in amended form

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009272

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: PATENT MAINTAINED AS AMENDED

27A Patent maintained in amended form

Effective date: 19960508

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B2

Designated state(s): CH DE FR GB IT LI

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: AEN

Free format text: AUFRECHTERHALTUNG DES PATENTES IN GEAENDERTER FORM

GBTA Gb: translation of amended ep patent filed (gb section 77(6)(b)/1977)

Effective date: 19960619

ITF It: translation for a ep patent filed

Owner name: STUDIO JAUMANN

ET3 Fr: translation filed ** decision concerning opposition
PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 19980730

Year of fee payment: 11

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: CH

Payment date: 19980818

Year of fee payment: 11

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 19990913

Year of fee payment: 12

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 19990930

Ref country code: CH

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 19990930

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: PL

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20000531

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20000921

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20000921

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20041122

Year of fee payment: 17

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES;WARNING: LAPSES OF ITALIAN PATENTS WITH EFFECTIVE DATE BEFORE 2007 MAY HAVE OCCURRED AT ANY TIME BEFORE 2007. THE CORRECT EFFECTIVE DATE MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE RECORDED.

Effective date: 20050921

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20060401