EP0958529B1 - Watch with an electronic mechanism enclosed in a screening element - Google Patents

Watch with an electronic mechanism enclosed in a screening element Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0958529B1
EP0958529B1 EP96934641A EP96934641A EP0958529B1 EP 0958529 B1 EP0958529 B1 EP 0958529B1 EP 96934641 A EP96934641 A EP 96934641A EP 96934641 A EP96934641 A EP 96934641A EP 0958529 B1 EP0958529 B1 EP 0958529B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
watch
screening element
electronic
actuating mechanism
screening
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
EP96934641A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0958529A1 (en
Inventor
Marco Scaccabarozzi
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.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0958529A1 publication Critical patent/EP0958529A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0958529B1 publication Critical patent/EP0958529B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B43/00—Protecting clockworks by shields or other means against external influences, e.g. magnetic fields

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a watch with an electronic quartz actuating mechanism enclosed inside a screening element designed to absorb the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the actuating mechanism itself.
  • a particular example of this generation of electromagnetic fields consists in watches which function with mechanisms based on oscillations induced in quartz crystals by means of direct currents generated by suitable power supply batteries.
  • the electronic components of said watches generate, in fact, low-frequency magnetic radiation pulses which, passing through the case of the watch, are transmitted to the user's body through the skin with which the watch is in contact.
  • the technical problem is therefore that of providing watches actuated by electronic quartz mechanisms which are provided with means designed to avoid transmission, to the user's body, of magnetic radiation generated by said mechanisms.
  • the watch with screening according to the invention comprises a case 1 closed at the front by the glass la and containing inside it the dial 2 behind which there is arranged a disc 3, Said disc 3 is made of a material suitable to shield the electric and magnetic radiations emitted by the electronic components of the watch, for example of ferromagnetic material made with an alloy known by the tra de name Mumetall or ferronichel, ferrocobalt and similar.
  • a protection element 6 substantially in the form of a circular container with a"U" cross-section provided with a seat 6a formed on the edge 6b and designed to receive the spindle 7a of the winder button 7 in such a way that the said edge 6b can be brought into abutment against the front disc 3.
  • Said container 6 is in turn made of ferromagnetic material designed to screen and absorb the radiation emitted by the electronic mechanism.
  • the case is closed at the rear by the cover 8 which is of sufficient thickness to keep the whole aforementioned assembly stably pressed against the upper part of the watch.
  • the screening device comprising the container 6 and the disc 3 allows the entire actuating mechanism of the watch to be kept isolated from the surrounding environment, thereby preventing the magnetic radiation from escaping.
  • the screening could be applied to only the coil 4b and magnet 4c of the mechanism 4, it being necessary in this case, however, to provide an independent screening for the two components, to be realized at the moment when the latter are manufactured prior to their assembly with the other components of the actuating mechanism 4.
  • the disc 3 may form the base of the dial 2, the two functions being in this case combined in a single element.
  • both the disc 3 and the container 6 may be directly applied to the mechanism 4 during manufacture of the latter.

Abstract

Watch comprising a case (1), an electronic quartz actuating mechanism (4) and a cover (8) for closing the said case, in which said mechanism (4) is enclosed inside a screening element (6, 3) designed to absorb the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the actuating mechanism (4).

Description

  • The present invention relates to a watch with an electronic quartz actuating mechanism enclosed inside a screening element designed to absorb the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the actuating mechanism itself.
  • It is known how an increasingly greater use of electric power for a wide range of applications has enormously increased the quantity of electromagnetic fields present in the atmosphere; it is also known that prolonged exposure to these electromagnetic fields is harmful for man since electromagnetic radiation may irreversibly alter the cells of the human body.
  • A particular example of this generation of electromagnetic fields consists in watches which function with mechanisms based on oscillations induced in quartz crystals by means of direct currents generated by suitable power supply batteries.
  • The electronic components of said watches generate, in fact, low-frequency magnetic radiation pulses which, passing through the case of the watch, are transmitted to the user's body through the skin with which the watch is in contact.
  • In view of the direct contact between skin and watch, the small surface area on which the radiation is concentrated and the prolonged period of time during which this contact lasts, it is obvious that it is necessary to limit the possible damage arising from the magnetic radiation produced by the quartz mechanism. Watches that presents an electronic mecanism inserted into a screening box are known in art from DE-U-84 38 058, FR-A-2 080 695 and FR-A-2.042.447. Said prior art discloses complicated structures that requires a plurality of operation to allows to reach a whole watch ready for the sales they are therefore unusefull for the modern industry that requires a quick and low costly production.
  • The technical problem is therefore that of providing watches actuated by electronic quartz mechanisms which are provided with means designed to avoid transmission, to the user's body, of magnetic radiation generated by said mechanisms.
  • Within the scope of this problem a further necessity is that said means should be easy and economical to manufacture and able to be fitted to the electronic actuating devices of watches currently produced, without the need for special adaption and/or modification thereof.
  • These results are obtained by the present invention, relating to a watch according to the characterizing portion of claim 1.
  • Further details may be obtained from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
    • Figure 1 shows a partially sectioned rear view of a watch with screening according to the invention; and
    • Figure 2 shows a section along the plane indicated by II-II in Figure 1.
  • As shown in the Figures, the watch with screening according to the invention comprises a case 1 closed at the front by the glass la and containing inside it the dial 2 behind which there is arranged a disc 3, Said disc 3 is made of a material suitable to shield the electric and magnetic radiations emitted by the electronic components of the watch, for example of ferromagnetic material made with an alloy known by the tra de name Mumetall or ferronichel, ferrocobalt and similar.
  • Behind said disc 3 there is arranged the mechanism 4, of which the battery 4a, the coil 4b and magnet 4c are shown in Figure 1.
  • The whole of the mechanism 4 is covered by a protection element 6 substantially in the form of a circular container with a"U" cross-section provided with a seat 6a formed on the edge 6b and designed to receive the spindle 7a of the winder button 7 in such a way that the said edge 6b can be brought into abutment against the front disc 3.
  • Said container 6 is in turn made of ferromagnetic material designed to screen and absorb the radiation emitted by the electronic mechanism.
  • Finally, the case is closed at the rear by the cover 8 which is of sufficient thickness to keep the whole aforementioned assembly stably pressed against the upper part of the watch.
  • It is therefore obvious how the screening device comprising the container 6 and the disc 3 allows the entire actuating mechanism of the watch to be kept isolated from the surrounding environment, thereby preventing the magnetic radiation from escaping.
  • Many variants may be introduced as regards the realizaion of the parts which make up the invention, without thereby departing from the protective scope of the present patent as defined by the claims which follow.
  • For example, the screening could be applied to only the coil 4b and magnet 4c of the mechanism 4, it being necessary in this case, however, to provide an independent screening for the two components, to be realized at the moment when the latter are manufactured prior to their assembly with the other components of the actuating mechanism 4.
  • In addition, the disc 3 may form the base of the dial 2, the two functions being in this case combined in a single element.
  • In a further embodiment, both the disc 3 and the container 6 may be directly applied to the mechanism 4 during manufacture of the latter.

Claims (2)

  1. Watch actuated by an electronic quartz mechanism (4) inserted into a screening element (6,3) made of ferromagnetic designed to absorb the electric and magnetic radiation emitted by the actuating mechanism (4) characterized in that said screening element consists of a U shaped container (6), provided with a seat (6a) formed into the edge (6b) to receive the spindle .(7a) of the winder button, and of a front disc (3) forming the base of the dial (2) of the watch.
  2. Watch according to claim 1, characterized in that said screening element is fitted to only the radiating components (4b, 4c) of the electronic actuating mechanism of the watch.
EP96934641A 1995-10-12 1996-10-10 Watch with an electronic mechanism enclosed in a screening element Expired - Lifetime EP0958529B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITMI950696U 1995-10-12
IT1995MI000696U IT237213Y1 (en) 1995-10-12 1995-10-12 CLOCK WITH ELECTRONIC MECHANISM INCLUDED IN A SCREENING ELEMENT
PCT/EP1996/004428 WO1997014081A1 (en) 1995-10-12 1996-10-10 Watch with an electronic mechanism enclosed in a screening element

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0958529A1 EP0958529A1 (en) 1999-11-24
EP0958529B1 true EP0958529B1 (en) 2006-06-14

Family

ID=11371225

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96934641A Expired - Lifetime EP0958529B1 (en) 1995-10-12 1996-10-10 Watch with an electronic mechanism enclosed in a screening element

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0958529B1 (en)
JP (1) JPH11513493A (en)
AT (1) ATE330261T1 (en)
AU (1) AU703441B2 (en)
CA (1) CA2234535A1 (en)
DE (1) DE69636256D1 (en)
IT (1) IT237213Y1 (en)
WO (1) WO1997014081A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP4160321A1 (en) * 2021-09-29 2023-04-05 ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse Protective ring for timepiece movement and timepiece movement comprising said protective ring

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1029181A (en) * 1950-12-06 1953-06-01 Lip Protective casing against magnetic disturbances and dust in portable watch movements
CH317198A (en) * 1954-09-28 1956-11-15 Rolex Montres Antimagnetic watch box
CH330561A (en) * 1956-04-05 1958-06-15 Boites De Montres Huguenin S A Waterproof watch
CH700069A4 (en) * 1969-05-07 1971-07-15
US3740941A (en) * 1970-02-23 1973-06-26 Biviator Sa Timepiece comprising a nuclear power source
CH614588GA3 (en) * 1976-12-22 1979-12-14 Watch with antimagnetic shielding and dustproof protection
DE8438068U1 (en) * 1984-12-27 1985-05-02 Gauch, Gerhard W. Portable, watch-like housing for holding a compass and a clock
CH675047GA3 (en) * 1988-10-19 1990-08-31 Stepping motor for clock - includes additional pole piece to attenuate interaction between external magnetic field and rotor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69636256D1 (en) 2006-07-27
WO1997014081A1 (en) 1997-04-17
CA2234535A1 (en) 1997-04-17
ITMI950696U1 (en) 1997-04-12
EP0958529A1 (en) 1999-11-24
IT237213Y1 (en) 2000-09-05
ATE330261T1 (en) 2006-07-15
JPH11513493A (en) 1999-11-16
ITMI950696V0 (en) 1995-10-12
AU7290596A (en) 1997-04-30
AU703441B2 (en) 1999-03-25

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