JP2002350567A - Electronic timepiece - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that the thickness of a timepiece movement becomes thick when a solar cell is arranged in the upper part of a watch base movement. SOLUTION: The solar cell 4 is formed in a ring shape at the outside of the watch base movement 1 and without being piled up on a pointer wheel train 2b and a secondary battery, and the uppermost face of the movement 1 and the surface of the solar cell 4 are arranged nearly in the same position. A date plate 7, a dial 7 and a windshield 22 which are formed of a transparent member are arranged in the upper part of the solar cell 4. Thereby, it is possible to provide a thin solar power generation watch with a calendar.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an arrangement structure of a solar cell of an electronic timepiece driven by solar power generation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a large number of electronic timepieces with solar cells have been marketed for the purpose of making products that are environmentally friendly. This electronic timepiece with a solar cell is achieved by changing the battery of the electronic timepiece, which has conventionally been driven by a primary battery, to a rechargeable secondary battery, and using a solar cell, which is an environmentally friendly energy source, as a power generation member.

In a conventional power generating watch with a solar cell, the solar cell is arranged on the entire surface so as to cover the entire planar area of the timepiece movement, and the upper surface of the solar cell itself is exposed. This is to take in as much light energy as possible in view of the solar cell efficiency and the power consumption of the watch. However, due to technological advances, the efficiency of solar cells has improved and the power consumption of watches has gradually decreased, so it is now possible to superimpose a light-transmitting dial on the solar cells and erase the color tone of the solar cells. Was.

[0004] However, even in this case, since the dial itself has to transmit light, it has to be unnatural and incomplete, such as not being able to produce perfect white. Nevertheless, with the further development of the technology in recent years, the power consumption of the watch has been reduced at the same time as the efficiency of the solar cell has been increased, so it has become possible to use a dial that is fairly normal, and by using a linear cell pattern Transparent solar cell substrates have also appeared.

[0005]

However, in the conventional electronic timepiece, the solar cell is arranged on the entire surface so as to cover the entire plane area of the timepiece movement, so that the solar cell is compared with the conventional timepiece using the primary battery. It is clear that the thickness of the film always increases. In addition, a light-transmitting dial had to be overlaid on the solar cell to erase the color of the cell. For this reason, the timepiece movement has certainly become thicker than before.

That is, while the thickness of a watch movement using a primary battery, which is currently considered to be the thinnest, is about 1.7 mm, the thickness of a solar cell block is about 0.4 mm. That is, about 23% thicker. For this reason, the emergence of a watch module capable of generating power by a solar cell while maintaining the thickness of a watch movement using a primary battery has been desired.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an arrangement structure of a watch movement as thin as a primary battery even in an electronic timepiece with a solar cell.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the gist of the present invention is to provide a secondary battery, a solar cell serving as a power source for storing power in the secondary battery, and the power generated by the solar cell. In an electronic timepiece movement including a charging circuit for charging a battery, an oscillation circuit serving as a reference signal of a timepiece, and a handwheel for displaying time, the solar cell is planarly connected to the handwheel or a secondary battery. The electronic timepiece movement is arranged on the outer periphery without overlapping. Then, in cross section, the upper surface of the solar cell is to be located at substantially the same position as the upper surface of the secondary battery and the supporting member of the pointer wheel train on the pointer side.

The electronic timepiece movement has a calendar mechanism, and the date plate of the calendar mechanism and the solar cell have a structure in which the solar cell is planarly overlapped. The date printing portion of the date plate and the solar cell are planarly overlapped. In addition, the solar cell is disposed in a sectional view on the lower surface side of the date printing unit, and the date plate is made of a translucent member.

[0010] Further, a reflecting plate is arranged so as to cover the date display window of the dial on the upper surface of the date plate in a planar manner and on the lower surface side of the date printing unit. The overlapping portion is made of a light-transmitting member, and the dial is formed with a hole for guiding light to the solar cell, and the hole forms a cut.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of an electronic timepiece according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. FIG. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the electronic timepiece movement according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view taken along the arrow B- in FIG.
It is sectional drawing of the B section. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of the plan view shown in FIG. 1 with the watch movement inserted into the watch case.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the same components are given the same numbers. 1 is a secondary battery 2a
And a watch basic movement composed of a wheel train wheel 2b and the like. The detailed description of the watch basic movement 1 is omitted because it is a known technique, but in addition to the above, a charging circuit for charging the secondary battery 2a with electronic components such as a quartz oscillator and the power generated by the solar cell, and a watch reference It has a circuit system on which an IC or the like on which a circuit such as an oscillation circuit serving as a signal is formed is mounted.

Reference numeral 2a denotes a secondary battery arranged at a position avoiding the center in a plane, 2b denotes a train of hands arranged to drive hands for displaying time, and 2c denotes a secondary battery 2a and a hand wheel. It is a main plate of the timepiece movement 1 as a support member for supporting the row 2b. Reference numeral 11 denotes the uppermost surface of the timepiece movement 1. 3 is Makima.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a solar cell. Solar cell 4
It has a substantially donut shape formed by a light receiving portion 4b indicated by hatching, a cell inner diameter portion 4a formed along the outer peripheral portion of the timepiece movement 1, and a cell outer diameter portion 4c which is the outermost diameter of the solar cell 4. are doing. Reference numeral 5 denotes a movement outer peripheral member for holding the solar cell.
Is configured to be substantially fitted to the outer peripheral portion of.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a solar cell supporting member for fixing the solar cell 4 to the upper surface thereof and attaching the solar cell 4 to the movement outer peripheral member 5. 7 is a date plate,
The date plate 7 has a tooth profile for rotary feed formed on the inside similarly to a normal date plate, and has a toothed wheel train built in the timepiece basic movement 1 similarly to the structure of a normal timepiece. It is rotationally driven by the tooth profile. A numerical value for a date is printed on the upper surface on the outer peripheral side of the date plate 7. The material of the date plate 7 is made of a light transmitting material that transmits light.

As shown in the figure, the date plate 7 is mounted on the uppermost surface 11 of the timepiece movement 1, and the outer periphery of the date plate 7 is arranged so as to protrude from the planar shape of the timepiece movement 1. However, the solar cell 4 is disposed far inside the cell outer diameter portion 4c. Reference numeral 8 denotes a date plate holder for fixing the cross-sectional position of the date plate 7, which rotatably holds the teeth of the date plate 7.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a dial. The dial 20 has a circular shape as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 and has a circular hole, a hole for passing the pointer shaft at the center, a date display window 20a, and an outer peripheral portion. A row of cutting holes 20b for receiving light is provided. In cross section, it is arranged further on the upper surface of the date plate 7 on the uppermost surface 11 of the timepiece movement 1. The material of the dial 20 is formed of a light transmitting material that transmits light similarly to the date plate 7.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a reflecting plate which is arranged so as to cover the date display window 20a of the dial 20 in a plan view, and in a sectional view below a date printing portion printed on the outer periphery of the date plate 7.
That is, the reflecting plate 21 is located between the uppermost surface 11 of the timepiece movement 1 and the core 3 as shown in FIG. Since the reflecting plate 21 only needs to cover the date display window 20a, the solar cell 4 is disposed below the dividing hole 20b on the outer peripheral side of the reflecting plate 21. 22 is a normal windshield. This embodiment is configured as described above.

Next, details of the arrangement structure of this embodiment will be described. First, the solar cell 4 is arranged in a ring shape on the outer peripheral side of the timepiece basic movement 1 while avoiding the center of the timepiece basic movement 1 such as the secondary battery 2a and the pointer wheel train 2b in a plane as described above. I have. However, since the reflecting plate 21 is arranged below the date display window 20a of the dial 20, the portion is avoided. Of course, even if it is arranged below the date display window 20a,
There is no problem even if it has a C-shaped shape avoiding the entire part of a. In the present embodiment, the configuration is such that only below the date display window 20a is avoided.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the solar cell 4 is bonded to the solar cell supporting member 6 and then fixed to the outer peripheral member 5 of the movement with a hook structure together with the solar cell supporting member 6, as shown in FIG. And solar cell 4
Is set at substantially the same position as the position of the uppermost surface 11 of the timepiece movement 1.

Next, FIG. 3 shows an arrangement relationship with the calendar mechanism. Above the solar cell 4, a date plate 7 made of a translucent member and a dial 20 also made of a translucent member, and a windshield made of glass, except for a date printed portion on which a numerical value for a date is printed. 22 are each located.

In the above structure, the windshield 2
The light passing through 2 transmits through the dial 20, further transmits through the date plate 7, enters the light receiving portion 4 b of the solar cell 4, performs photovoltaic power generation by the solar cell 4, charges the secondary battery 2 a, charges the watch train And the like. The windshield 22, the dial 20, and the date plate 7 are made of a light-transmitting member.
It is also configured so that the 0b row is formed, and the light that has passed through the row of cut holes 20b enters the light receiving section 4b of the solar cell 4.

However, only the date display window 20a is shown in FIG.
Since the reflector 21 is disposed below the date display window 20a as shown in FIG. 7, the date values printed on the transparent date plate 7 are clearly visible.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the solar cell is formed in a ring shape on the outside of the timepiece movement and at substantially the same cross-sectional position as the uppermost surface, the solar cell is added to the timepiece movement. Without increasing the thickness of the movement, a watch with a solar cell can provide a thin watch.

Further, even in the case of a timepiece with a calendar, since a portion laminated with the solar cell is formed of a light transmitting member, it is possible to provide a thin timepiece movement without deteriorating the function of the solar cell. did. Further, since the cut-out hole array of the dial is formed by the through holes, the light receiving efficiency can be increased, and the amount of received light in portions other than the cut-out hole array of the dial can be reduced. For this reason, the structure of the timepiece movement cannot be seen through the dial.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electronic timepiece movement of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of the plan view shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the timepiece movement of the present invention is inserted into a timepiece case.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of the plan view shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the timepiece movement of the present invention is inserted into a timepiece case.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Watch basic movement 2a Secondary battery 2b Hand wheel train 2c Main plate 4 Solar cell 7 Date plate 20 Dial plate 20a Date display window 20b Cut hole

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A secondary battery, a solar cell serving as a power supply for storing power in the secondary battery, a charging circuit for charging the secondary battery with power generated by the solar cell, and an oscillation circuit serving as a reference signal for a timepiece And an electronic timepiece movement having a hand wheel train for time display, wherein the solar cell is arranged on the outer peripheral portion of the electronic timepiece movement without overlapping with the hand wheel train or the secondary battery in plan. Electronic clock. 2. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the solar cell is substantially at the same position as the upper surface of the secondary battery and the supporting member of the pointer wheel side on the pointer in cross section. . 3. The electronic timepiece movement has a calendar mechanism, and a date plate of the calendar mechanism and the solar cell overlap in a plane.
Electronic watch according to the item. 4. The date plate has a date printing portion on which numbers are printed, and the date printing portion and the solar cell overlap in a plane, and the solar cell is cross-sectioned on the lower surface side of the date printing portion. The electronic timepiece according to claim 3, wherein the electronic timepiece is arranged. 5. The electronic timepiece according to claim 3, wherein the date plate is formed of a translucent member. 6. A dial on a further upper surface of the date plate,
The date display window is formed on the dial, and a reflector is disposed so as to cover the date display window in a planar manner and on a lower surface side of the date printing unit. An electronic timepiece according to any of the above. 7. The electronic timepiece according to claim 6, wherein a portion of the dial that overlaps the solar cell in a plane is made of a light transmitting member that transmits light. 8. The electronic timepiece according to claim 6, wherein a hole for guiding light to the solar cell is formed in the dial. 9. The electronic timepiece according to claim 8, wherein the hole forms a cut.