HK1007206B - Wrist-watch provided with means for receiving radio messages - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a wristwatch designed to receive radio broadcast messages.

A watchpiece with an antenna capable of picking up an electromagnetic field carrying radio broadcast messages has already been described in the same applicant's document EP-A-0 339 482 (US-A-4 884 252). In one of the proposed designs, the antenna, entirely confined within the space defined by the case, consists of a coil with at least one spire, the axis of which is arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet. This way of making it possible to obtain a comfortable signal at the entrance of the microreceptor with which the watch is equipped. This also indicates a practical way of implementing the above-mentioned general concept, which has proved to be very successful by simplifying the operation of the power supply sources and improving the frequency of the operation of the radio circuits. In particular, the development of a special type of construction, which is necessary for the development of the radio-centric circuit, has been shown to be carried out as much as possible, as shown by the various criteria, such as the need for a large-scale construction of the building, which is particularly important in the development of the radio-circuit, and the development of the various types of the building, which is shown by the above mentioned criteria.

Therefore, the watch of the present invention combines the following components: a movement consisting of a plate on which the time display devices are mounted, a primary energy source for controlling those devices, a radio message display cell, a primary mirror covering those devices, electronic circuits for controlling those devices, a hood for receiving a second source of energy for supplying the electronic circuits controlling that radio message display cell and an antenna for transmitting those devices, the head of the antenna being formed by a coil containing a plurality of spires wrapped around the movement and resting at least on the second mirror and the base of which is a square, on which an ice base is fixed and in which the energy source for the movement is located and which allows the movement to change its direction, and the upper or lower part of the movement, allowing the movement to change its direction.

The invention will now be explained in detail by reference to the drawing illustrating a preferred method of execution, in which: Figure 1 is a top view of the watch according to the invention,Figures 2 and 3 are cuts made in Figure 1 showing the elements which make up the movement itself,Figure 4 is a cut made in Figure 1 showing how the movement is fixed to the watch's frame, andFigure 5 is a cut made in Figure 1, and showing the whole of the watch according to the invention after a backing has been applied.

Figure 1 is a summary view of the wristwatch according to the invention. It has analogue means of displaying the time with a 1 hour hand and a 2 minute hand, these hands rotating on a dial 3. We see on Figure 1, the watch's frame 4 as well as the strings 5 and 6 of a bracelet attached to it. In a window 7 punched into dial 3 appears a display cell 8 of the broadcast messages that is presented in digital form and which may consist, for example, of a telephone number to be filled in.The first push 10 allows the radio part of the watch to be engaged or triggered and the second push 11 prevents the sound-alarm (buzzer) mounted in the watch from being activated. Figure 1 shows the receiving antenna of the watch in the form of four wires 23 forming the antenna coil whose axis is arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet. This direction is preferred over others, as it is the one that supplies the coil terminals with the signal with the greatest amplitude, as was proposed above in the EP-A-0 339 482 document.

Figures 2 to 5 are cuts made in the watch in Figure 1 which explain its organization in detail.

Figures 2 and 3 show details of the movement of the watch.

Movement 12 is a 13 plate which supports various elements which will be reviewed below. The 13 plate is first fitted with a mechanism 14 which drives the 1 hour and 2 minute hands. This mechanism can be driven by itself and in a known way by a stepper motor (not shown). The invention is not limited to an analogue display of the time, as this display can also be digital. The display means are powered by a 15 prime power source located in a housing in the 13 plate.

The hour handles 1 and 2 and the display cell 16 are covered by a first glass 21 which rests on the periphery of dial 3. This glass has 22 cross-sectional grooves for receiving the 23 wires of the antenna as shown below.

The first module, the Radio Frequency Module (RF), receives the signal received by the antenna, which will be described later, amplifies and demodulates it. The second module, the Digital Module, receives the signal from the first module to control the display cell 16 via a connector, for example, a 60 bit. The second module, the Module 18, can be equipped with a decoder, a microprocessor and a reference frequency. In this example, the digital module also includes the 18 bits of RAM and a fourth of the electronic elements needed to turn the watch, including a driver and a mechanical mechanism.

Figure 2 shows a hood 24 attached to the 13 plate, following the design shown in Figure 3. This hood has a double purpose, firstly to house a second power source or battery 25 (Figure 5) and secondly to guide the 23 wires of the antenna.

Battery 15 for powering the time display mechanism is electrically connected to the numerical module 18 by connections 28 and 29.

Figure 3 is a cut in movement 12 of the wristwatch, the cutting planes being chosen in such a way as to make it apparent how the various elements shown in Figure 2 are fixed to each other. Figure 3 shows the plate 13, the numerical module 18, the RF module 17 and the hood 24.a 35th slot is placed between the two modules to maintain a certain distance. Then the hood 24 is placed which is fixed to the 13th board on the one hand by the 33rd rod and a 36th nut and on the other hand by two other 37th rod each receiving a 38th nut. A 39th slot is placed between the 17th and 18th modules, one of the 37th rods being represented in the drawing.The wire received in grooves 26 and 22 on the lower part of the hood 24 and on the top of the first ice pack 21 respectively. Figure 3, showing only groove 26, shows one end of the antenna wire 23 welded to the RF module 17 by a soldering drop 40.

The compact movement 12 still carries a buzzer which will be described in Figure 5. Once this movement is fully assembled, the first power source or battery 15 which was depicted in Figure 2 is mounted. This battery only powers the part displaying the time and therefore has a long life (2 to 3 years).

Figure 4 shows that movement 12, of which only a few essential elements have been reproduced here, is attached to a frame 4 topped with a second ice 41 The fixing of the movement to the frame is achieved by means of two fixing screws 42 of which only one is shown in the drawing.

Once movement 12 is attached to the watch case 4, the only remaining part to complete the assembly of the watch is to attach a bottom 44 to it. Figure 5 shows the watch completely assembled. In the example watch, the bottom 44 is attached to the case 4 by means of six screws 45 of which only one is shown in the drawing. Each screw is screwed into a tapered insert 46 and forced into the case 4. Figure 5 also shows that an opening 47 is made laterally in the case 44, opening giving access to the second power source or battery 25 to allow its replacement.In the case of the watch of the invention, it is important that the battery 25 can be easily replaced by the wearer of the watch, since the life of such a battery, which supplies all the radio frequency and digital circuits and is a heavy energy consumer, is relatively short, three to four months, given the relatively small dimensions of this battery 25. This battery cannot be exchanged by a hatch located under the bottom due to the spires 23 forming the antenna, so the only possibility of access is that of a side opening perpendicular to an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet.

To facilitate the extraction of pile 25, Figure 5 shows that this pile is housed in a drawer 48 sliding into the hood 24, the sealing of the drawer being ensured by a joint 49 housed in a throat 50 and supporting against the bottom 44. In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, it can be seen that the drawer can be attached by its outer portion 51 to one of the two strands of the bracelet, which facilitates the extraction of pile 25.

The cutting plane on the right side of Figure 5 was chosen to allow the representation of an audible frequency transducer consisting of a membrane 54 to which a piezoelectric transducer is glued. To allow sound waves to propagate outside the box, the channels 56 and 57 respectively are applied to the turntable and turntable.

Claims (9)

1. Wristwatch intended to receive messages broadcast by radio including in combination the assembly of the following elements:

   - a movement (12) comprising a baseplate (13) on which are mounted time displaying means (1, 2), a first energy source (15) for controlling said means, a display cell (16) for broadcast messages, a first crystal (21) overlaying said displays, electronic circuits (17, 18) to control said displays, a casing (24) for receiving a second energy source (25) intended to energize the electronic circuits controlling said display cell for broadcast messages and an antenna for picking up said messages, said antenna being formed by a coil including a plurality of turns (23) wound around the movement and bearing at least on the first crystal and on the casing,

   - a caseband (4) on which a second crystal (41) is fixed and in which the upper part of said movement is placed, and,

   - a back cover (44) secured to the caseband and overlaying the lower part of the movement, the back cover being provided with a lateral opening (47) giving access to the second energy source to enable its replacement.
2. Wristwatch according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the first crystal (21) and the casing (24) bear grooves (22, 26) in which rest the turns (23) of the coil.
3. Wristwatch according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the coil exhibits an axis arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet.
4. Wristwatch according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the second energy source (25) is housed in a drawer (48) sliding in the casing.
5. Wristwatch according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the drawer (48) is attached to one (6) of the two strands making up the bracelet and that the coil exhibits an axis arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bracelet.
6. Wristwatch according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the electronic circuits controlling said display cell (16) include a first radio frequency module (17) receiving the signal picked up by the antenna and a second digital module (18) receiving the signal from the first module in order to control said display cell, said first and second modules being secured to the base-plate.
7. Wristwatch according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the second module (18) bears in addition means for controlling said time displaying means (1, 2, 14).
8. Wristwatch according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said time displaying means include hands (1, 2) moving over a dial (3) said hands being driven by a mechanism (14) provided with a stepping motor.
9. Wristwatch according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the movement further includes an acoustic transducer (55) warning the watch wearer of the arrival of a message.