EP0657792B1 - Elektronischer analoger Chronograph mit Einholzeiger - Google Patents

Elektronischer analoger Chronograph mit Einholzeiger Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0657792B1
EP0657792B1 EP19940119296 EP94119296A EP0657792B1 EP 0657792 B1 EP0657792 B1 EP 0657792B1 EP 19940119296 EP19940119296 EP 19940119296 EP 94119296 A EP94119296 A EP 94119296A EP 0657792 B1 EP0657792 B1 EP 0657792B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
chronograph
hand
counter
frozen
control circuit
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Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19940119296
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0657792A1 (de
Inventor
Gabriel Mossuz
Erich Walker
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ISA AG ARCH
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ISA AG Arch
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04F—TIME-INTERVAL MEASURING
    • G04F8/00—Apparatus for measuring unknown time intervals by electromechanical means
    • G04F8/006—Apparatus for measuring unknown time intervals by electromechanical means running only during the time interval to be measured, e.g. stop-watch

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a chronograph analog electronics comprising at least a first hand making one revolution in one minute, displaying the seconds or fractions of a second and controlled by a first control circuit and a second needle displaying and totaling minutes and controlled by a second control circuit, the second needle progressing by one minute when the first has progressed by sixty seconds, and pushers likely to be operated by the user by means of which the chronograph can be started, frozen, stopped and reduced to zero.
  • the chronograph has a freeze or split-second - and this is the case with the chronograph making the object of the present invention - pressure on the second button while the chronograph is in operation, immobilizes or freezes the needles where they are found when the second pusher was activated.
  • the counters continue to be incremented so that if we restart the chronograph, by pressing the second one again push-button, the hands then progress rapidly until they indicate the timed time that they would have indicated if the gel function had not been ordered. It is the function of catch-up well known to mechanical chronographs.
  • the system includes a counter 1 of fifths of second incremented by a signal at 5 Hz. Note that this could be a seconds counter with power to 1 Hz. Counter 1 increments another minute minute counter 2.
  • counters 1 and 2 play the role of continuously incremented memories, the first by the time base signal at 5 Hz, the second by one minute signal.
  • the system still has two blocks 3 and 4 respectively called command of second hand and totalizer control.
  • Each of these blocks actually contains a control circuit that acts on the 10 seconds and minutes hands respectively 20 and a counter which is only incremented when the rotors respectively driving the second hand 10 and the needle 20 are requested by an impulse on the or the coils of the stepper motor (s).
  • the state of counter 1 and that of counter 3 are checked at all instant by a comparator 5 whose output takes the value 1 if these states are identical or the value 0 in the opposite case.
  • the state of counter 2 and that of counter 4 are controlled in the same way by a comparator 6.
  • the output of comparator 5 controls a switch 7 which brings to the command input of second hand 3, i.e. the 5 Hz signal if the output of the comparator 5 is at state 1, i.e. a frequency signal fast, 32 or 50 Hz, if said output is in state 0.
  • the output of comparator 6 controls a switch 8 which brings to the totalizer command input 4, that is the exit at one minute from the second hand control if the comparator 6 output is at state 1, i.e. a signal to fast frequency, 16 or 25 Hz, if said output is at state 0.
  • Control circuits 3 and 4 can be blocked by a split or freeze signal.
  • the freeze function When the freeze function is activated en route the split signal is at state 0 and circuits 3 and 4 are blocked and remain so until at the request, this signal goes to 1.
  • the circuits 3 and 4 then receive their fast signals by switch 7, since the content of counter 1 is different from that of counter 3. This is then the function split-second which acts until the comparators 5 and 6 return to state 1 themselves, which occurs when the contents of counters 1 and 3, respectively 2 and 4, are equal. Needles 10 and 20 then regain their normal walking.
  • GB-A-2 005 875 describes a chronograph equipped with a first seconds hand advancing by step of a second and going around in a minute and a second minute hand going around in thirty minutes and advancing in steps of one minute. These two needles are driven by a single first motor.
  • the chonograph further includes a third needle hundredths of a second advancing in steps of a hundredth and going around in a second. This third needle is driven by a second motor independent of the first.
  • the needle of the seconds (and therefore the minute hand) and the hand of the hundredths of a second is stopped during freezing the chronograph. None leaves so assume that when the chronograph is frozen, only the hundredths hand would continue to run while the other two needles would be stopped. Even if that was how then have time to read a time intermediate, the hundredths hand continuing to turn?
  • the chronograph analog electronics of the invention is characterized by the fact that means are implemented so that, when the chronograph is frozen, at least the second hand totalizing the minutes continues to display and total the minutes to indicate to the user that the chronograph is on and not stopped.
  • Figure 1 shows, viewed from the front, the dial and the chronograph commands according to an embodiment of the invention. It basically includes a second hand central 10 or seconds hand moving on a dial 53 bearing divisions of 31 seconds and 30 second fraction divisions, a totalizer of minutes made up of a 20 hand evolving on a dial 55 bearing 33 minute divisions, and prime and second push buttons 51 and 52. It goes without saying that the chronograph could also include a totalizer hours that has not been shown here.
  • the chronograph in Figure 1 is completed by a timepiece with 11 hour and minutes 12 a small second hand 13 moving on a dial 54 bearing divisions 34, and a crown of time setting 50.
  • This timepiece is powered by a step motor with classic steps and does not enter the object of the present invention.
  • the central second hand or first hand 10 makes a turn in one minute while the totalizer of minutes or second hand 20 advances by one minute when the first needle advanced sixty seconds.
  • the first and second needles are driven independently of each other, either each by a stepper motor, either by a single stator motor but having two rotors capable of being driven separately, depending on the pulse shapes provided on the spool, as described in the document CH-B-675 940.
  • the chronograph is started by pressing a first time on pusher 51.
  • the first needle 10 advances in steps of one fifth of a second and the second needle 20 in steps of one minute each time the first needle went around.
  • the chronograph is stopped by pressing the pusher 51 again. We can then read the timed time.
  • the stop function at the same time interrupts the incrementation of the counters internal. Pressing button 51 again allows start timing again from time indicated during the stop. Resetting the chronograph operates by pressing the second pusher 52 when the chronograph is stopped. Needles 10 and 20 return at noon at an accelerated speed.
  • the chronograph is put in gel.
  • means are implemented which will appear in the following of this description so that when the chronograph is set gel, at least the second hand 20 continues to display and total the minutes, the first hand 10 being either stopped or displaying a unit other than the fifth of a second, depending on the mode of execution adopted and which will be discussed below.
  • the makes, for the second needle 20, to continue to display and totaling the minutes draws the attention of the user that the chronograph is still on and not stopped.
  • a first embodiment of the invention provides that in gel function the first needle or second hand central 10 is stopped and the second needle 20 continues to display and total the minutes.
  • the first and second hands are each driven by a motor comprising a rotor, a stator and a coil.
  • the two motors are therefore completely independent of each other and their rotor progresses when the corresponding coil is activated by an impulse. This mode of execution will be explained now using the partial electrical diagram of the figure 4.
  • the chronograph has a first counter 1 of seconds incremented by a 5 Hz time base signal.
  • the first needle advances in steps of one fifth of second.
  • this signal could be 1 Hz, in which case the needle would progress in steps of 1 second.
  • the chronograph still has a second counter 3 which is incremented at each step of the first needle 10, i.e. only incremented when the rotor feeding the needle is stressed by a impulse.
  • the needle 10 is driven by a first control circuit 3 forming part of the same block as the one containing the second counter.
  • the control circuit 3 is controlled by the 5 Hz time base signal or by a fast frequency signal, for example 32 Hz, depending that a switch 7 is located respectively in a first position 60 for which the chronograph is in normal running or in a second position 61.
  • the diagram in Figure 4 also shows that the chronograph includes a comparator 5 whose role is to compare the content first and second counters 1 and 3, especially when the chronograph is in gel function. The output signal from comparator is equal to 1 if these contents are identical and equal to 0 otherwise. In freeze function, the command 3 of needle 10 is blocked by a signal split in state 0. Needle 10 is stopped.
  • the split signal passes at state 1 and command 3 receives a signal at 32 Hz, since the comparator 5 actuated the switch 7 on the second position 61, the contents of the first and second counters being different and the output signal of the comparator 5 being in state 0.
  • the first needle is so driven at accelerated speed until the contents of the first and second counters 1 and 3 are equal, in which case comparator 5 goes to state 1 and the switch 7 in position 60.
  • Hand 10 displays then the time it would have indicated if the gel function had not been ordered, then immediately resumed normal operation at 5 Hz.
  • a second embodiment of the invention provides that the first central hand or second hand 10 progresses in steps of one fifth of a second when the chronograph works normally and in one minute steps when it is frozen to provide an hour totalizer, the angular progression of said first needle being the even for both functions, and that the second needle continues to display and total the minutes.
  • the first and second needles can be driven either by two motors totally independent, either by a motor comprising two rotors, but only one stator and one coil according to the document CH-B-675 940 cited above. This mode of execution will be now explained using the partial electrical diagram in Figure 5.
  • This second embodiment includes certain circuits which are equivalent to those existing in the first mode of execution. So the chronograph has a first counter 1 of fifths of a second incremented by a 5 Hz time base signal. The first hand therefore progresses in steps of a fifth of a second. he also includes a second counter 3 which is incremented at each step of the first needle 10. Needle 10 is driven by a first control circuit 3 making part of the same block 3 as the one containing the second counter. The control circuit 3 is also controlled by the 5 Hz time base signal or by a signal at fast frequency of 32 Hz, depending on whether a first switch 7 is respectively in a first position 60 for which the chronograph is running normally or in a second position 61.
  • the chronograph includes a comparator 5 whose role is to compare the content of the first and second counters 1 and 3, especially when the chronograph is on freeze.
  • the comparator output signal is equal to 1 if these contents are equal and equal to 0 in the opposite case.
  • the embodiment of Figure 5 differs from that of FIG. 4 by the fact that the circuit comprises a second switch 9 capable of supplying the circuit control 3 - when the first switch 7 is on position 60 - either by the time base signal at 5 Hz, if the second switch 9 is in the first position 70 (normal operation of the chronograph), i.e. by a signal 54 if the second switch 9 is in second position 71. Freezing the chronograph causes it to tip over of switch 9 in position 71 and therefore the supply of control circuit 3 by signal 54, signal generated by the first counter 1 each time the latter counted sixty seconds.
  • the first central hand or second hand 10 receives signals every minute when the chronograph is frozen and instead of being stopped, as is the case in the first execution mode, it progresses in steps of 1 minute to offer a totalizer of hours over five hours in total.
  • the diagram of figure 5 shows that the minute counter 2, comparator 6 and switch 8 present in FIG. 3 have been deleted, block 4 does not containing only a second control circuit 4 without a second counter, directly controlled by the first counter 1, each time it has counted sixty seconds. Also in this version, the minutes totalizer (over thirty minutes) is activated normally when the chronograph is in gel.
  • Figure 1 and its enlarged part shown in figure 2 shows how the dials 53 and 55 look of the chronograph executed according to the second mode of realization of the invention.
  • the first needle or central second hand 10 turns on the dial 53 which presents divisions of 31 seconds and divisions of fifths of a second 30 when the second hand is in normal walking.
  • the seconds 31 are identified by the inscriptions 15, 30, 45 and 60 carried towards the interior of the dial.
  • the second hand 10 displays minutes.
  • division 41 (figure 2) indicates a fifth of a second when the chronograph works normally and one minute when it is put in gel.
  • divisions 42, 43 and 44 indicate the second, third and fourth fifths seconds when the chronograph is operating normally and the second, third and fourth minutes when it's arranged in gel.
  • the reference 31 (figure 2) indicates one second and five minutes respectively.
  • the references 32 have whole hour digits: 1 to 5 hours, on the outside of dial 53.
  • the second hand 20 turns on a small dial 55 and displays the minutes over thirty minutes with thirty divisions 33, whether the chronograph is in normal operation or in gel.
  • the first needle will start beating the minute from from any location and if this freezing is done at another time that at noon, the 32 hour divisions don't will correspond to no reality. Needle 10 does whereas indicate that the chronograph is in gel and not stopped, jumps occurring every minute. Like the gel function is already indicated by the second needle 20, we can imagine stopping the first needle 10 if the gel is done manually.
  • the chronograph must be equipped an automatic freezing system intervening after a whole number of minutes, the first control circuit 3 being arranged to advance the second hand by one number of steps equal to this whole number, from freezing automatic chronograph.
  • the frost automatic intervenes four minutes after start-up of the chronograph
  • the second hand after having covered four times around the dial to be at noon, advance still from four divisions 30 to stop at division 44 from which the second hand advances one step per minute. From this moment, the second hand displays the hours 32 printed on the dial.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Unknown Time Intervals (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)

Claims (6)

  1. Elektronischer analoger Chronograph, umfassend mindestens einen ersten einen Umlauf pro Minute ausführenden Zeiger (10), der Sekunden (31) oder Sekundenbruchteile (30) anzeigt und von einem ersten Steuerschaltkreis (3) gesteuert ist, und einen zweiten Minuten (33) anzeigenden und aufsummierenden Zeiger (20), der von einem zweiten Steuerschaltkreis (4) gesteuert ist, welcher zweite Zeiger eine Minute wandert, wenn der erste sechzig Sekunden durchlaufen hat, und Drucktasten (51, 52), die von dem Benutzer betätigbar sind, mittels welcher der Chronograph in Betrieb setzbar, stillsetzbar, stoppbar und auf null rücksetzbar ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß Mittel vorgesehen sind, um, wenn der Chronograph stillgesetzt ist, mindestens den zweiten Zeiger (20) weiter die Minuten (33) anzeigen und aufsummieren zu lassen, um dem Benutzer anzuzeigen, daß der Chronograph in Funktion und nicht gestoppt ist.
  2. Chronograph nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der erste Zeiger (10) abgestoppt wird, wenn der Chronograph stillgesetzt wird.
  3. Chronograph nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß er umfaßt: einen ersten Zähler (1) für Sekunden, der von einem Zeitbasissignal (1 Hz, 5 Hz) inkrementiert wird, einen zweiten Zähler (3), der bei jedem Schritt des ersten Zeigers (10) inkrementiert wird, welcher letztere von einem ersten Steuerschaltkreis (3) angetrieben wird, angesteuert von dem Zeitbasissignal oder von einem Schnellfrequenzsignal (32,50 Hz), je nachdem, ob ein Umschalter (7) sich in einer ersten Position (60) für den Normalbetrieb des Chronographen oder in einer zweiten Position (61) befindet, einen Komparator (5), der den Zählstand des ersten (1) und zweiten (3) Zählers vergleicht, wenn der Chronograph stillgesetzt ist, welcher Komparator (5) den Umschalter (7) in die zweite Position (61) bringt, wenn die Stillsetzfunktion aufgehoben wird, um den ersten Zeiger (10) mit einer beschleunigten Geschwindigkeit laufen zu lassen, bis die Zählstände des ersten und zweiten Zählers gleich sind, welcher erste Zeiger damit die Zeit anzeigt, die er angezeigt hätte, wenn die Stillsetzfunktion nicht eingeschaltet worden wäre, und einen zweiten Steuerschaltkreis (4) für den zweiten Zeiger (20), der direkt von dem ersten Zähler (1) angesteuert wird, immer dann, wenn der letztere sechzig Sekunden gezählt hat.
  4. Chronograph nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der erste Zeiger (10) um Schritte einer Fünftelsekunde wandert, wenn der Chronograph normal funktioniert, und um Minutenschritte, wenn er stillgesetzt ist, um einen Zeittotalisator zu bilden, wobei der Winkelschritt des ersten Zeigers derselbe für beide Funktionen ist.
  5. Chronograph nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß er umfaßt: einen ersten Zähler (1) für Fünftelsekunden, inkrementiert von einem Zeitbasissignal (5 Hz), einen zweiten Zähler (3), der bei jedem Schritt des ersten Zeigers (10) inkrementiert wird, welcher letztere von einem ersten Steuerschaltkreis (3) angetrieben wird, angesteuert von dem Zeitbasissignal (5 Hz) oder von einem Schnellfrequenzsignal (32,50 Hz), je nachdem ob ein erster Umschalter (7) sich in einer ersten Position (60) für den Normalbetrieb des Chronographen oder in einer zweiten Position (61) befindet, einen Komparator (5), der den Zählstand des ersten (1) und zweiten (3) Zählers vergleicht, wenn der Chronograph stillgesetzt ist, welcher Komparator (5) den ersten Umschalter (7) in die zweite Position bringt, wenn die Stillsetzfunktion aufgehoben wird, um den ersten Zeiger (10) mit beschleunigter Geschwindigkeit anzutreiben, bis die Zählstände des ersten und zweiten Zählers gleich sind, welcher erste Zeiger somit die Zeit anzeigt, die er angezeigt hätte, wenn die Stillsetzfunktion nicht eingeschaltet worden wäre, einen zweiten Umschalter (9), der es ermöglicht, den ersten Steuerschaltkreis (3) entweder mit dem Zeitbasissignal (5 Hz) im Normalbetrieb des Chronographen oder mit einem Signal (54) zu speisen, erzeugt von dem ersten Zähler (1) jedesmal dann, wenn dieser letztere sechzig Sekunden gezählt hat, wenn der Chronograph stillgesetzt wird, um den ersten Zeiger (10) zum Zeittotalisator zu machen,und einen zweiten Steuerschaltkreis (4) des zweiten Zeigers (20), direkt angesteuert von dem ersten Zähler (1) jedesmal dann, wenn dieser letztere sechzig Sekunden gezählt hat.
  6. Chronograph nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Chronograph automatisch stillgesetzt wird nach einer ganzen Zahl von Minuten nach seiner Inbetriebnahme, wobei der erste Steuerschaltkreis (3) ausgebildet ist, um den ersten Zeiger (10) eine Anzahl von Schritten gleich dieser ganzen Zahl ab dem Stillsetzen des Chronographen durchlaufen zu lassen.
EP19940119296 1993-12-13 1994-12-07 Elektronischer analoger Chronograph mit Einholzeiger Expired - Lifetime EP0657792B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH3695/93 1993-12-13
CH369593 1993-12-13

Publications (2)

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EP0657792A1 EP0657792A1 (de) 1995-06-14
EP0657792B1 true EP0657792B1 (de) 1998-04-15

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DE (1) DE69409612T2 (de)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE69936174T2 (de) * 1998-04-21 2007-10-18 Seiko Epson Corp. Uhr und zeitmessverfahren
JP6420965B2 (ja) * 2014-04-23 2018-11-07 セイコーエプソン株式会社 時間計測装置
JP6338920B2 (ja) * 2014-04-23 2018-06-06 セイコーエプソン株式会社 アナログ電子時計

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5452578A (en) * 1977-10-04 1979-04-25 Seiko Instr & Electronics Ltd Stopwatch
GB2124803B (en) * 1982-06-07 1985-12-11 Suwa Seikosha Kk Improvements in or relating to electronic analog timepieces
JPH0778543B2 (ja) * 1985-08-28 1995-08-23 カシオ計算機株式会社 ストップウオッチ装置

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DE69409612T2 (de) 1998-11-12
DE69409612D1 (de) 1998-05-20
EP0657792A1 (de) 1995-06-14

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