EP0935177B1 - Elektronisches Uhrwerk, mit von einer Zugfeder angetriebenem Generator - Google Patents

Elektronisches Uhrwerk, mit von einer Zugfeder angetriebenem Generator Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0935177B1
EP0935177B1 EP19980102192 EP98102192A EP0935177B1 EP 0935177 B1 EP0935177 B1 EP 0935177B1 EP 19980102192 EP19980102192 EP 19980102192 EP 98102192 A EP98102192 A EP 98102192A EP 0935177 B1 EP0935177 B1 EP 0935177B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
generator
voltage
timepiece
value
predetermined value
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
EP19980102192
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0935177A1 (de
Inventor
Pierre-André Farine
Jean-Jacques Born
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.)
Asulab AG
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Asulab AG
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Asulab AG filed Critical Asulab AG
Priority to DE1998639389 priority Critical patent/DE69839389T2/de
Priority to EP19980102192 priority patent/EP0935177B1/de
Publication of EP0935177A1 publication Critical patent/EP0935177A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0935177B1 publication Critical patent/EP0935177B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C10/00—Arrangements of electric power supplies in time pieces

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an electronic timepiece of the type comprising a power source formed of a spring barrel, manual or automatic winding, coupled to an alternating current generator for supplying the electronic circuits of the room possibly via a rectifier.
  • the regulator circuit operates as follows. During the normal running time, the generator coupled directly to the barrel tends to turn too fast and thus to provide a voltage whose frequency is higher than a frequency reference value derived from a frequency standard operating on the base of a watch quartz. The generator must be braked, which is achieved by short-circuiting its winding periodically. The amount of braking required to maintain the generator at rated speed is high at the beginning of spring disarming and decreases progressively as the energy accumulated in the spring becomes depleted.
  • This regulator circuit is designed in such a way that it can operate with a low supply voltage, which is preferably obtained thanks to CMOS technology. Its energy consumption depends almost linearly on the voltage applied to it, provided that it is sufficient to allow the operation of the circuit components. Indeed, if the supply voltage drops below a critical value, the circuit stops working. It is none the less true that from the point of view of the low consumption, favorable to ensure a great autonomy of the timepiece when it is not worn, it would be advantageous to operate the regulator circuit to a voltage limit as close as possible to this critical voltage but nevertheless sufficient for the room to still operate.
  • the timepiece in this way, in other words if we choose the limit voltage too close to the critical voltage, it may suffer significant operational defects (and therefore not to keep the exact time) because the voltage of the generator supplying the regulator circuit can be subject to significant variations due to variations in the speed of rotation of the generator. These latter variations are caused by all kinds of external factors depending on how the timepiece is worn. For example, the speed of rotation of the generator can vary in case of more or less violent shocks, abrupt movements of the carrier, etc. If such a disturbance factor is detrimental to maintaining the rated speed, the supply voltage may drop below the critical value. Irregularities of the timepiece would then be unavoidable.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a timepiece that can operate with a regulator circuit powered with a supply voltage situated substantially at the limit value necessary for its correct operation, but without the gait being disturbed by it. possible irregularities of rotation of the generator.
  • the subject of the invention is therefore an electronic timepiece comprising the features of claim 1.
  • the timepiece comprises a generator symbolized by the rectangle 1 having a magnetic rotor 2 and at least one winding 3.
  • the rotor is mechanically coupled by example through a gear 4 symbolized by dashed lines, a barrel 5 in which is housed a spring 6. This can be armed by a winding mechanism, manual or automatic, known in itself and symbolized by the rectangle 5a .
  • the wheel 4 is also coupled to a set of hour indicator needles consisting of an hour hand 7, a minute hand 8 and a second hand 9.
  • the hands are coupled to each other. usual way with the gear ratios appropriate, and rigidly related to the rotor of the generator 1. As a result, they rotate as the rotor 2 is in motion.
  • the generator 1 delivers a nominal AC voltage of a first predetermined value U 1 at its terminals 1a and 1b at a predetermined frequency of 21.3 Hz for example.
  • the maximum value or absolute value ⁇ 1 of the predetermined value U 1 may correspond to a maximum amplitude of 1.5 volts for example.
  • the invention is not limited to a generator delivering an alternating voltage, a DC generator can also be suitable.
  • the generator 1 is of alternative type and connected to a full-wave rectifier 10 delivering a DC voltage U 1 'of a value very slightly lower than that of the AC voltage of the generator, the difference being determined by the losses, however low value, caused by the rectifier 10.
  • the timepiece also comprises a crystal oscillator 12 associated with an integrated circuit 11, some components of which form a regulator circuit of the speed of rotation of the generator 1.
  • the oscillator The standard frequency crystal circuit 12 delivers a pulse signal, of a frequency of, for example, 32 768 Hz, to a frequency divider 13 of the integrated circuit 11, this divider being able to be produced for example by means of an EEPROM circuit.
  • It comprises a terminal 14 delivering a signal whose frequency corresponds to the nominal frequency that must deliver the generator 1 so that the needles 7, 8 and 9 indicate the exact time. In the example described, this nominal frequency is 21.3 Hz.
  • the output 14 is connected to the counting input 15 of a reversible counter 16.
  • the terminal 1a of the generator 1 is connected to one of the inputs of a comparator 17 whose other input is connected to a source of reference potential 18 such as ground for example.
  • the output of the comparator 17 is connected to the counting input 19 of the reversible counter 16.
  • the comparator 17 delivers an output pulse to the reversible meter 16 as soon as the voltage on the terminal la of the generator rises slightly above the potential of the mass. Therefore, in the example to assume that the generator 1 rotates exactly at the nominal speed corresponding to a frequency of 21.3 Hz, the content of the reversible counter 16 should be zero at the end of each alternation of the voltage of output of the generator 1.
  • the output of the reversible counter 16 is connected to a decision logic 20 which, according to certain predetermined criteria, produces an output signal at a terminal 21, the criteria being materialized by wiring a number of elementary gates which compose this decision logic.
  • the signal present on the output terminal 21 is applied to the control electrode of a switching component 22 selectively controlling the braking of the generator 1 by shorting the coil 3 thereof.
  • This switching component 22 may be an MOS transistor whose source-drain circuit is connected between the terminals 1a and 1b of the generator 1.
  • the integrated circuit 11 has power supply terminals 23 and 24 carried respectively at the voltage V SS and the voltage V DD of the integrated circuit.
  • the supply terminals 23 and 24 are connected to the output of a voltage regulator 25.
  • the latter is designed to deliver on its output terminals a regulated voltage having a second predetermined value U 2 .
  • This voltage value corresponds to or is slightly greater than the lower limit voltage, or critical voltage, which the integrated circuit 11 needs to be able to operate.
  • the output voltage U 2 of the voltage regulator is chosen between 0% and 5% higher, or preferably between 2 and 5% greater than the operating limit voltage of the integrated circuit 11.
  • the DC output voltage U 2 of the controller 25 is significantly less than the maximum or absolute value ⁇ 1 of the AC voltage U 1 delivered by the generator 1.
  • rate of change here we mean that governed solely by the fluctuations that will undergo the voltage ⁇ 1 due to the irregularities of rotation of the generator due to mechanical phenomena suffered by the timepiece to wear.
  • the voltage regulator 25 will smooth any fluctuation present at its input vis-à-vis the integrated circuit 11 which will always have a voltage at least equal to the lower limit value it will need to properly operate .
  • the rate of change of the nominal voltage of the generator can be 20% to wear, so that k is preferably at least equal to 1.2.
  • the voltage regulator can be of any suitable type made in low power CMOS technology.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)

Claims (3)

  1. Elektronisches Zeitmessgerät, das umfasst:
    - einen Generator (1), der ausgelegt ist, um eine Versorgungsspannung mit einem ersten vorgegebenen Wert U1 zu erzeugen;
    - ein Gehäuse (5) mit Feder (6), das mit dem Generator (1) gekoppelt ist, um ihn anzutreiben;
    - einen Aufzugmechanismus (5a), der mit dem Federgehäuse (5) gekoppelt ist, um die Feder (6) aufzuziehen;
    - einen Satz Zeiger (7 bis 9) zum Anzeigen der Uhrzeit, der ebenfalls durch das Federgehäuse (5) angetrieben wird, und
    - eine elektronische Schaltung (19, 12), die für ihren Betrieb mindestens eine untere Grenzversorgungsspannung benötigt, die einen zweiten vorgegebenen Wert U2 hat,
    wobei die elektronische Schaltung eine Zeitbasis (12) und eine Regulatorschaltung (11) zum Regulieren der Drehzahl des Generators (1) umfasst, derart, dass der Zeigersatz (7 bis 9) mit der Sollgeschwindigkeit für die Anzeige der Uhrzeit angetrieben wird,
    wobei das Zeitmessgerät dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass es außerdem einen Spannungsregulierer (25) umfasst, der zwischen den Generator (1) und die elektronische Schaltung (11, 12) geschaltet ist und ausgelegt ist, um seine Ausgangsspannung auf den zweiten Grenzwert U2 oder etwas darüber einzustellen, und dass
    das Verhältnis zwischen dem Absolutwert Û1 des ersten vorgegebenen Werts U1 und dem zweiten vorgegebenen Wert U2 die Beziehung Û1 = k - U2 erfüllt, worin k ein Faktor ist, der wenigstens dem erwarteten maximalen Änderungsanteil des Absolutwerts Û1 entspricht, wenn das Zeitmessgerät getragen wird.
  2. Zeitmessgerät nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Faktor k im Bereich von 1,2 bis 1,5 liegt.
  3. Zeitmessgerät nach einem der Ansprüche 1 und 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der zweite vorgegebene Wert U2 um 0 bis 5 % höher und vorzugsweise um 2 bis 5 % höher als die untere Grenzspannung ist, bei der die elektronische Schaltung (11) noch arbeiten kann.
EP19980102192 1998-02-09 1998-02-09 Elektronisches Uhrwerk, mit von einer Zugfeder angetriebenem Generator Expired - Lifetime EP0935177B1 (de)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE1998639389 DE69839389T2 (de) 1998-02-09 1998-02-09 Elektronisches Uhrwerk, mit von einer Zugfeder angetriebenem Generator
EP19980102192 EP0935177B1 (de) 1998-02-09 1998-02-09 Elektronisches Uhrwerk, mit von einer Zugfeder angetriebenem Generator

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19980102192 EP0935177B1 (de) 1998-02-09 1998-02-09 Elektronisches Uhrwerk, mit von einer Zugfeder angetriebenem Generator

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0935177A1 EP0935177A1 (de) 1999-08-11
EP0935177B1 true EP0935177B1 (de) 2008-04-23

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19980102192 Expired - Lifetime EP0935177B1 (de) 1998-02-09 1998-02-09 Elektronisches Uhrwerk, mit von einer Zugfeder angetriebenem Generator

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EP (1) EP0935177B1 (de)
DE (1) DE69839389T2 (de)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1843227A1 (de) 2006-04-07 2007-10-10 The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd. Gekoppelter Resonator für Regelsystem
EP3748438B1 (de) 2019-06-06 2022-01-12 The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd Messung der präzision einer uhr, die einen kontinuierlich drehenden elektromechanischen transducer in ihrer analogen uhrzeitanzeigevorrichtung umfasst
EP4009119B1 (de) 2020-12-07 2023-07-05 The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd Uhrwerk, das einen generator und eine schaltung zur regulierung der drehfrequenz dieses generators umfasst

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4799003A (en) * 1987-05-28 1989-01-17 Tu Xuan M Mechanical-to-electrical energy converter
US5668414A (en) * 1994-07-04 1997-09-16 Seiko Epson Corporation Spring driven electricity generator with a control circuit to regulate the release of energy in the spring

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Publication number Publication date
DE69839389D1 (de) 2008-06-05
EP0935177A1 (de) 1999-08-11
DE69839389T2 (de) 2009-05-07

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