JP2007085895A - Portable apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a structure capable of ensuring higher durability than before and improving operability of a portable apparatus, having an operation axis interlocked with a rotating bezel. <P>SOLUTION: The portable apparatus has cases 11, 12, 13 and 14, internal mechanisms 19A, 19B and 19C, a rotating bezel 15 and the operation axis 16 interlocked with the internal mechanism. The portable apparatus comprises a transmission member 21, constituted to gear directly or indirectly with the operation axis and to rotate with the same axis as the rotating bezel around the cases, and connection means 21b and 22a detachably connecting the rotating bezel and the transmission member in the rotation direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable device, and more particularly to an operation structure suitable for a portable watch such as a wristwatch.

  Generally, in a portable watch such as a wristwatch, an operation shaft connected to a movement housed in a watch case is attached to a crown protruding from a side portion of the watch case, and the crown is rotated or pulled out. The time adjustment, the alarm time setting, and the winding of the mainspring can be performed.

Some of the portable watches described above are equipped with a ring-shaped rotating bezel that is pivotally supported with respect to a watch case. In this type of portable timepiece, the configuration is such that the rack of the rotating bezel and the gear fixed to the operating shaft are meshed so that the operating shaft can be driven to rotate by rotating the rotating bezel. Have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1 or 2 below).
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-130589 US Pat. No. 6,010,241

  However, in the above-described portable timepiece having the rotating bezel and the gear, since the rotating bezel and the gear are always meshed, the stress is transmitted straight from the rotating bezel to the gear and the operation shaft. Therefore, the conventional structure has the following problems.

  (1) When an external force such as an impact is applied to the rotating bezel, the rack and the gear (that is, the meshing portion) of the rotating bezel may be damaged.

  (2) In the conventional structure, when the rotating bezel is rotated, the operating shaft rotates and the internal mechanism of the movement operates even when the operating shaft does not need to be operated. Therefore, the gear, the operating shaft, the packing, and the movement parts As a result, there is a high possibility that the durability of each part will be problematic.

  (3) Even when it is desired to operate the rotating bezel alone, the gears, the operating shaft, the internal mechanism of the movement, etc. are all interlocked as described above.

  (4) When the main shaft in the movement is wound up by driving the operating shaft with the rotating bezel, rotating the rotating bezel in the winding direction of the mainspring will increase the feeling of operation, and if rotating in the opposite direction Since the operational feeling becomes lighter, the operational torque greatly changes depending on the rotation direction, and the operability is further deteriorated.

  Therefore, the present invention solves the above-described problems, and the problem is that in a portable device having an operation shaft that is interlocked with a rotating bezel, it is possible to ensure higher durability than before and improve operability. To realize the structure.

  In view of such circumstances, the mobile device of the present invention is connected to a case body, an internal mechanism housed in the case body, a rotating bezel configured to be rotatable with respect to the case body, and the internal mechanism. A transmission member configured to mesh directly or indirectly with the operation shaft and to be rotatable coaxially with the rotation bezel with respect to the case body, and the rotation bezel And a coupling means for detachably coupling the transmission member in the rotational direction.

  According to this invention, when the rotating bezel and the transmission member are engaged in the rotation direction by the connecting means, the operation shaft can be rotationally driven via the transmission member by rotating the rotation bezel. Further, when the rotating bezel and the transmission member are separated in the rotation direction by the connecting means, it is possible to prevent the transmission member and the operation shaft from rotating even if the rotation bezel is rotated. Can be operated.

  In this invention, the said connection means is provided with the engaging part engaged with the said transmission member, and this engagement part is attached to the said rotation bezel in the aspect which can be engaged / disengaged with the said transmission member, The said transmission It is preferable to have an engaged portion provided on the member and engageable with the engaging portion of the connecting member. According to this, by attaching the connecting member to the rotating bezel, it is possible to engage and disengage the rotating bezel and the transmission member with a simple mechanism by operating the connecting member.

  In this case, the connecting member is provided on the opposite side of the engaging portion, has an operation portion protruding from the rotating bezel, and the connecting member is connected in a direction in which the engaging portion and the engaged portion are separated. It is desirable to further include an elastic member that biases the member. According to this, although the connecting member is urged by the elastic member, the rotating bezel and the transmission member are not normally interlocked, but the rotating bezel and the transmission member are engaged by pressing the operation portion. Therefore, the operation shaft can be rotationally driven with a simple operation.

  In the present invention, the connecting means includes an engaging portion provided on the rotating bezel, an engaged portion provided on the transmission member and engageable with the engaging portion, the engaging portion and the covered portion. It is preferable to have an elastic member that separates the rotating bezel from the transmission member in such a manner that the engaging portion can be engaged and disengaged. According to this, since the rotating bezel and the transmission member are configured to be directly engaged and disengaged, the engagement structure can be easily configured, and both can be simply performed by pressing the rotating bezel against the transmission member. By engaging, it becomes possible to improve operability.

  In this invention, it is preferable that the said transmission member is positioned with respect to the said case body seeing in the meshing direction with respect to the said operating shaft. Since the transmission member is positioned in the case body when viewed in the meshing direction with respect to the operation shaft (direction in which the meshing depth changes), the meshing state of the meshing portion between the transmission member and the operation shaft is unlikely to change. Therefore, it is possible to prevent damage to the meshing portion and improve durability.

  In the present invention, the case body includes a first case member and a second case member that are connected and fixed to each other, and the transmission member is sandwiched between the first case member and the second case member. It is preferable that it is positioned by this. According to this, since the transmission member is sandwiched between the first case member and the second case member, the transmission member can be reliably and accurately positioned while ensuring assemblability. .

  In the present invention, the internal mechanism preferably includes energy storage means for storing energy by rotation of the operation shaft. According to this, energy can be stored by rotating the rotating bezel.

  According to the present invention, (1) since the transmission member and the operating shaft do not rotate even if the rotating bezel is rotated unless engagement by the connecting means occurs, it is possible to prevent the meshing portion and other parts from operating. (2) The external force such as an impact can be made difficult to be transmitted to the meshing part through the rotating bezel, and the meshing part can be prevented from being damaged. (3) The operational feeling of the rotating bezel is lightened. In addition, since the lightness of operation feeling due to the difference in the rotation direction of the rotating bezel can be reduced, it is possible to achieve an excellent effect that the operability of the rotating bezel can be improved.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the entire structure of a wrist watch (portable watch) which is a portable device of the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view showing a range indicated by II in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view showing the range indicated by III in an enlarged manner, FIG. 4 is a plan view of the case structure, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial plan view showing the range indicated by V in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the mobile device 10 includes a main case (watch case) 11, a sub case (glass edge) 12 attached to the front side of the main case 11, and a window member fixed to the front side of the sub case 12. 13 and a back body (back cover) 14 attached to the back of the main case 11 is provided. Further, inside the case body, an internal mechanism (hereinafter referred to as reference numeral 19) constituted by a movement 19A, a dial 19B, a pointer 19C and the like is accommodated. In addition, the main case 11 and the back case 14 can also be comprised integrally.

  A rotating bezel 15 is rotatably supported on the outer periphery of the case body. The rotating bezel 15 is formed in a ring shape, and constitutes a rotating operation member that rotates around a display portion (configured by the dial plate 19B, the pointer 19C, and the like) that is visible through the window member 13.

  An operation shaft 16 is connected to the internal mechanism 19, and an outer end of the operation shaft 16 extends toward the opening 11 a of the main case 11. A pipe member 17 is fixed to the opening 11a of the main case 11, and an external operation member (crown) 18 is guided inside the pipe member 17 so as to be movable in the axial direction and rotatable around the axial line. Yes. The external operation member 18 is connected to the operation shaft 16 described above. The pipe member 17 may be configured integrally with the case body.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a gear 18 a is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the external operation member 18. The space between the external operation member 18 and the pipe member 17 is sealed by packing (O-ring) or the like. The external operation member 18 is preferably configured to be able to be pulled out and pushed in so as to be arranged at a plurality of positions in the axial direction, similarly to an ordinary crown.

  A transmission member 21 is disposed between the case body and the rotating bezel 15. The transmission member 21 is provided with a rack 21a that is rotatably supported with respect to the case body coaxially with the rotary bezel 15 and meshes with the gear 18a. The transmission member 21 is configured in a ring shape, and a packing (O-ring) is interposed between the transmission member 21 and the case body so as to support the transmission member 21 so as to be slidable. The transmission member 21 is supported from both sides in the axial direction by the step surfaces 11s and 12s of the case body, and is thereby positioned in the axial direction with respect to the case body. That is, the transmission member 21 is positioned between the main case 11 and the sub case 12 in the axial direction, that is, the meshing direction of the rack 21a and the gear 18a. The degree of positioning of the transmission member 21 in the axial direction is not particularly limited. For example, in practice, some play is required to ensure the slidability of the transmission member 21. However, it is preferable to stop the play to such an extent that the gear 18a and the rack 21a of the external operation member 18 are not damaged by the movement of the transmission member 21 in the axial direction or do not greatly affect the durability.

  Further, the outer surface of the transmission member 21 is provided with a concave portion 21b (corresponding to the above-mentioned engaged portion) facing the rotating bezel 15 side (horizontal outer side), and a distal end portion 22a (described above) corresponding to the concave portion 21b. The connecting member 22 provided with the engaging portion is attached to the rotating bezel 15. The connecting member 22 has an operation portion 22b on the opposite side of the convex portion 22a, and the operation portion 22b protrudes outward from the rotating bezel 15. The connecting member 21 is attached so as to be movable inward in the radial direction (the transmission member 21 side) while passing through the rotating bezel 15 in the radial direction, and is normally spaced apart from the transmission member 21 in the radial direction. ) By an elastic member 22c such as a coil spring.

  The stopper 22e is a retaining member (for example, a C ring or an E ring) for preventing the connecting member 22 from being detached from the rotating bezel 15. Moreover, it is preferable that the front-end | tip part 22a of the connection member 22 is comprised by the convex curve shape or taper shape like the example of illustration. As a result, even if the angular positions of the connecting member 22 and the recess 21b are slightly deviated, the tip 22a can be smoothly engaged with the recess 21b by the self-guiding action.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an annular groove 21c continuous in the rotational direction of the rotating bezel 15 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the transmission member 21, and the annular groove 21c is fixed to the rotating bezel 15 by a method such as screwing. The distal end portion 23a of the holding pin 23 is engaged in the axial direction. The fixing pin 23 is for holding the rotating bezel 15 in the axial direction relative to the transmission member 21 in a state where the rotating bezel 15 can be rotated around the axial line.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the rotating bezel 15 and the transmission member 21 are configured to be engaged in the radial direction by a connecting member 22. The connecting member 22 is provided at two angular positions of the rotating bezel 15 that are substantially opposite to each other (in the illustrated example, at an interval of 180 degrees). By disposing the plurality of connecting members 22 at the opposing positions in this way, it is possible to press the two connecting members facing each other so as to be sandwiched from both sides. Rotating operation to rotate the rotating bezel while performing is also facilitated.

  A plurality of holding pins 23 are attached at positions dispersed in the angular direction of the rotating bezel 15 (in the illustrated example, at equal angular intervals). The engagement between the holding pin 23 and the annular groove 21 c holds the rotating bezel 15 in the axial direction with respect to the transmission member 21. Thus, the holding structure is simplified by holding the transmission member 21 in the axial direction with respect to the case body and holding the rotating bezel 15 in the axial direction with respect to the transmission member 21, so that the thickness and size of the holding member can be reduced. Can be achieved. However, the rotating bezel 15 and the transmission member 21 may be separately held with respect to the case body.

  In the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, the operation shaft 16 meshes with the transmission member 21 via the external operation member 18 in a state where no operation is performed on the connection member 22. Since 22 is held at a position separated from the transmission member 21 by the elastic force of the elastic member 22 c, the transmission member 21 does not engage with the rotating bezel 15. Therefore, even if the rotating bezel 15 is rotated in this state, the transmission member 21 does not rotate and rotates, so that the operation shaft 16 does not rotate.

  However, when the operation portion 22b of the connecting member 22 is pressed against the elastic force of the elastic member 22c, the distal end portion 22a of the connecting member 22 is fitted into the recess 21b of the transmission member 21, thereby rotating the bezel 15 and the transmission member. Therefore, when the rotating bezel 15 is rotated in this state, the transmission member 21 is also rotated, and the operation shaft 16 is rotationally driven via the gear 18 a by the rotation of the transmission member 21.

  Therefore, if the rotating bezel 15 is rotated as it is without operating the connecting member 21, only the rotating bezel 15 can be simply rotated, so that the operational feeling is lightened and the operability can be improved. On the other hand, by pressing the operating portion 22b of the connecting member 22, the rotating bezel 15 and the transmission member 21 are engaged, so that the operating shaft 16 can be rotated. That is, since the rotating bezel 15 and the operating shaft 16 are interlocked only when operated intentionally, it is possible to avoid the transmission of external force such as an impact via the rotating bezel 15 to the meshing portion or the operating shaft 16. These damages can be prevented. In addition, since wear and the like of the meshing portion and other parts are reduced by this, durability is also improved.

  In the present embodiment, the rotating bezel 15 and the transmission member 21 are engaged and disengaged by the radial movement of the connecting member 22, so that it is necessary to provide a structure and shape different from the conventional one on the front surface with the display unit. Therefore, the design becomes easy and the thickness can be reduced.

  The operation shaft 16 may be connected to energy storage means provided in the movement 19A. Examples of the energy storage means include a mainspring, a small generator, a flywheel, and the like. In this case, by rotating the rotating bezel 15, the energy storage means can be driven via the operation shaft 16, so that energy (elastic energy, electrical energy, rotational energy, etc.) can be stored. Such a configuration is very advantageous particularly for portable devices that cannot use a commercial power source.

  By the way, when the operation shaft 16 is connected to the energy storage unit as described above, the driving load may be greatly different depending on the rotation direction of the operation shaft 16. For example, the operating shaft 16 requires a large driving torque when it is rotationally driven in the winding direction of the mainspring, but the driving torque is small when it is rotationally driven in the opposite direction. The same applies to the case where the operating shaft 16 is connected to a small generator, flywheel, or the like via a one-way clutch. Therefore, in this case, the operational feeling varies greatly depending on the rotational direction of the rotating bezel 15, and the operability is deteriorated. However, in the present embodiment, since the rotating bezel 15 can be rotated without being connected to the operation shaft 16, when only the rotating bezel 15 is simply rotated, there is almost no difference in operational feeling in the rotating direction. Since it can be eliminated, there is no major problem in operability.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, since the structure other than the rotating bezel 35, the transmission member 31, and the connecting member 32 is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. Further, parts and parts not shown are also configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, the connecting member 32 is attached to the rotating bezel 35 so as to be movable in the vertical direction in a penetrating state, and the elastic member 32c constantly urges the connecting member 32 upward. The transmission member 31 disposed below the connecting member 32 has a recess 31b that opens upward, and resists the elastic force of the elastic member 32c when the operating portion 32b of the connecting member 32 protruding from the upper surface of the rotating bezel 35 is pressed. Thus, the distal end portion 32a of the connecting member 32 is engaged with the concave portion 31b. The shape and structure of the distal end portion 32a are the same as in the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, when the rotating bezel 35 is rotated without operating the operating portion 32b of the connecting member 32, the transmission member 31 and the operating shaft 16 are not rotated and driven, whereas When the operation portion 32b of the connecting member 32 is pressed to engage the distal end portion 32a with the recess 31b, the transmission member 31 rotates together with the rotation bezel 35 when the rotation bezel 35 is rotated, and the gear of the external operation member 18 is rotated. The operating shaft 16 is rotationally driven via 18a.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Also in this embodiment, the structure other than the rotating bezel 45, the transmission member 41, and the connecting member 42 is the same as that in the first embodiment and the second embodiment. Is omitted. Further, parts and parts not shown are also configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, unlike the previous embodiments, the rotating bezel 45 is composed of a front side member 45A and a back side member 45B, and the front side member 45A is constituted by an elastic member 45c such as a coil spring that is coaxial with the rotating bezel 45. It is always urged in a direction away from the back side member 45B. Further, the back side member 45B is held in the axial direction so as to be rotatable around the axis by engaging the tip 43a of the holding pin 43 with the annular groove 41c provided on the outer periphery of the transmission member 41 with respect to the transmission member 41. Has been.

  The connecting member 42 of the present embodiment is fixed to the front side member 45 </ b> A of the rotating bezel 45. Here, the connecting member 42 may be configured integrally with the front side member 45A. In addition, the connecting member 42 is configured to penetrate the back side member 45B in the vertical direction and move up and down with respect to the back side member 45B. When the front side member 45A is pressed downward, the tip end portion 42a of the connecting member 42 is configured to protrude downward from the inner lower surface of the back side member 45B.

  A concave portion 41b is formed on the upper surface of the transmission member 41, and is configured to engage in the rotational direction with the distal end portion 42a protruding from the inner lower surface of the back side member as described above. The shape and structure of the tip 42a are the same as in the first embodiment. When the distal end portion 42a and the recessed portion 41b are engaged, the rotating bezel 45 and the transmission member 41 rotate integrally. As a result, when the rotating bezel 45 is rotated, the rotating bezel 45 is operated via the gear 18a of the external operating member 18. The shaft 16 is rotationally driven.

  In the present embodiment, if the rotating bezel 45 is rotated without being pressed downward, the rotating bezel 45 is idled and the operation shaft 16 is not rotationally driven. On the other hand, when the rotating bezel 45 is rotated downward while being rotated, The transmission member 41 is rotated and the operation shaft 16 is also rotated. Therefore, since the connecting means can be operated by operating only the rotating bezel 45, the operability is improved because the operation can be performed more easily than in the previous embodiments.

[Fourth Embodiment]
FIG. 8 is an overall plan view showing a fourth embodiment obtained by giving a specific appearance to a portable device basically similar to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, scales 15 x and 15 y are displayed on the outer surface of the rotating bezel 15. Further, a dial 19B and a pointer 19C having a time scale are provided in the display unit.

  In this embodiment, since the rotary bezel 15 is provided with the scales 15x and 15y, various usage modes can be realized by adjusting the rotation angle posture of the rotary bezel 15. For example, by aligning the scale 15x of the rotating bezel 15 with, for example, the hour hand of the pointer 19C, it can be used in time measurement or the like (realizes the hour position correcting function) in the same manner as the normal rotating bezel 15. Further, by using the scales 15x and 15y of the rotating bezel 15 and the scale of the dial 19B in combination, a simple slide rule function can be realized.

  Further, since the transmission member 21 (not shown) is always meshed with the operation shaft 16 (not shown) and the gear 18a of the external operation member 18, for example, a first detector that detects the angular position of the transmission member 21, and the transmission member The second detector for detecting the engagement of the connecting member 21 and the connecting member 22 in the rotational direction, and the angular position detected by the first detector when the second detector is off are made to coincide with one of the hands 19C. A control circuit for controlling the shaft 16 and a changeover switch for releasing the control by the control circuit when the second detector is on can be provided. In this case, since the angular position of the recess 21b of the transmission member 21 coincides with the pointer 19C by the control circuit, the rotation bezel 15 is rotated until the scale 15x of the rotation bezel 15 coincides with one of the hands 19C. If the connecting member 22 is pressed, it can be reliably engaged with the recess 21b of the transmission member 21. Therefore, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to search for the position of the recess 21b of the transmission member 21.

  Note that the portable device of the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples described above, and it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in each of the above embodiments, the number and angular position of the connecting member attached to the rotating bezel correspond to the number and angular position of the concave portion of the transmission member. By forming a large number, the rotating bezel and the transmission member can be configured to engage in the rotation direction in more angular positions, or connected at an arbitrary position instead of the recess of the transmission member. An engagement structure such as a knurling that can be engaged with the member may be provided so that the rotating bezel and the transmission member can be engaged in the rotation direction at an arbitrary angular position.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the rotating bezel and the transmission member are normally separated from each other, and the rotation bezel and the transmission member are engaged in the rotation direction by performing a specific operation on the connecting means. On the contrary, it may be configured such that it is always engaged and disengaged by performing a specific operation. Furthermore, although the above-described connecting means is configured to return to the original state when the specific operation is canceled, the connecting means may be configured to be maintained even after the operation is stopped.

The schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the whole structure of 1st Embodiment. The expanded partial longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a part (range shown by II of FIG. 1) of 1st Embodiment. The expanded partial longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the other part (range shown by III of FIG. 1) of 1st Embodiment. The schematic plan view which shows schematic structure of the case body of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial plan view showing a part (range indicated by V in FIG. 4) of the case body of the first embodiment. The expanded partial longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a part of 2nd Embodiment. The expanded partial longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a part of 3rd Embodiment. The schematic plan view of 4th Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Portable apparatus, 11 ... Main case, 12 ... Sub case, 13 ... Window member, 14 ... Back case, 15 ... Rotating bezel, 16 ... Operation shaft, 17 ... Pipe material, 18 ... External operation member, 18a ... Gear, 19A ... Movement, 19B ... Dial, 19C ... Pointer, 21 ... Transmission member, 21a ... Rack, 21b ... Recess, 21c ... Circular groove, 22 ... Connection member, 22a ... Tip, 22b ... Operation part

Claims (7)

In a portable device having a case body, an internal mechanism accommodated in the case body, a rotating bezel configured to be rotatable with respect to the case body, and an operation shaft coupled to the internal mechanism,
A transmission member configured to mesh directly or indirectly with the operation shaft and to be rotatable coaxially with the rotating bezel with respect to the case body;
A connecting means for connecting the rotating bezel and the transmission member so as to be disengageable in a rotating direction;
A portable device comprising:   The connection means includes an engagement portion that engages with the transmission member, and the engagement portion is provided on the transmission member and a connection member that is attached to the rotating bezel in a manner that the engagement portion can be engaged with and disengaged from the transmission member. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising an engaged portion that is engageable with the engaging portion of the connecting member.   The connecting member is provided on an opposite side of the engaging portion, has an operation portion protruding from the rotating bezel, and biases the connecting member in a direction in which the engaging portion and the engaged portion are separated. The portable device according to claim 2, further comprising an elastic member.   The coupling means includes an engaging portion provided on the rotating bezel, an engaged portion provided on the transmission member and engageable with the engaging portion, and the engaging portion and the engaged portion. The mobile device according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic member that separates the rotating bezel from the transmission member in a manner that can be engaged and disengaged.   The portable device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the transmission member is positioned with respect to the case body when viewed in a meshing direction with respect to the operation shaft.   The case body includes a first case member and a second case member that are connected and fixed to each other, and the transmission member is positioned by being sandwiched between the first case member and the second case member. The portable device according to claim 5, wherein The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the internal mechanism includes an energy storage unit that stores energy by rotation of the operation shaft.

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