JP2015137973A - Electronic watch with solar cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic watch with a solar cell, which can improve power generation amount without impairing the beautiful appearance thereof.SOLUTION: An electronic watch with a solar cell comprises: a facing ring 38 including an upper inside surface 40, a lower inside surface 42, an upper outside surface 44 and a lower outside surface 46; a half mirror layer 50 covering the upper inside surface 40 to reflect a part of light and penetrate a part of light received at either the front face or the rear face thereof; a full mirror layer 52 respectively covering the upper outside surface 44 and the lower outside surface 46 to enclose light inside of the facing ring 38; and a solar cell 32 which is disposed facing the lower inside surface 42 to receive light radiated from the lower inside surface 42. A part of light injecting into the facing ring 38 is reflected by the half mirror layer 50 to return to inside of the facing ring 38.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic timepiece with a solar cell.

  In recent years, electronic watches are required to have high power consumption functions such as a chronograph function and a radio wave reception function as well as an aesthetic appearance as a decorative product. There is a similar requirement for an electronic timepiece with a solar cell that uses a solar battery to generate electric power necessary for driving the timepiece. An electronic timepiece with a solar cell is disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

JP 2005-114650 A JP 2006-313103 A

  In an electronic timepiece with a solar cell, when the solar cell is placed under the light translucent dial, the aesthetic appearance of the dial is inferior and it is difficult to give a high-class feeling. Therefore, in the examples disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the solar cell is arranged so as to rise around the dial plate to ensure the aesthetic appearance of the dial plate, but there is a problem that the thickness of the watch increases. there were. Note that if the solar cell is made smaller in order to make the watch thinner, the power generation area becomes smaller, so the power generation amount decreases.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic timepiece with a solar cell that can increase the amount of power generation without impairing the aesthetic appearance.

  (1) An electronic timepiece with a solar cell according to the present invention is a dial, and a light-transmitting dial ring that accommodates the dial inside, and an upper inner surface that stands up so as to surround the surface of the dial. A lower inner surface that falls so as to surround the back surface of the dial, an upper outer surface that is opposite to the upper inner surface and that is inclined so that a normal line is lowered on the dial, and the lower inner surface A dial ring that includes a lower outer surface that is inclined so that the normal line rises on the dial side, and covers the upper inner surface, so that the received light can be received on either the front or back surface. A half mirror layer that partially reflects and partially transmits, a full mirror layer that covers each of the upper outer surface and the lower outer surface and contains light inside the dial ring, and emits light from the lower inner surface Placed facing the lower inner surface to receive light Includes a solar cell, the that, the part of the dial the light incident on the ring, and wherein the reflected back to the half mirror layer inside the dial ring. According to the present invention, since the external light is reflected by the half mirror layer, the inside is difficult to see and the aesthetic appearance is not impaired. Moreover, since the light which goes out through the upper inner surface is returned to the inside by the half mirror layer, the amount of light entering the solar cell is increased, and the power generation amount can be increased.

  (2) In the electronic watch with a solar cell described in (1), the dial ring further includes an upper end surface between the upper inner surface and the upper outer surface, and the half mirror layer includes the upper end surface. It may be characterized by further covering.

  (3) In the electronic timepiece with solar cell described in (1) or (2), the half mirror layer may be made of a light-transmitting metal thin film.

  (4) In the electronic timepiece with solar cell described in (1) or (2), the half mirror layer may be made of a dielectric multilayer film.

It is a front view of the electronic timepiece with solar cell which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the II-II sectional view taken on the line of the electronic timepiece with a solar cell shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows a solar cell. It is a perspective view which shows a part of turning-around ring. It is a figure for demonstrating the light which a solar cell receives.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of an electronic timepiece with a solar cell according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of the electronic timepiece with solar cell shown in FIG.

  The electronic timepiece with solar cell has a watch case 10. The watch case 10 has a windshield 12 made of glass on the front side and a back cover 14 made of metal on the back side. A through hole (not shown) through which the winding stem 16 as an external operation member passes is opened on the side surface of the watch case 10.

  When the winding stem 16 is rotated, an electrical contact provided on the movement 18 is turned on / off, whereby the rotation operation of the winding stem 16 can be detected. Of course, the winding stem 16 may be pulled out to be directly connected to the train wheel. On the upper side of the movement 18, a dial plate 20 and a pointer 22 are placed as a clock display member. A circuit board 24 for driving the movement 18 is attached to the lower side of the movement 18.

  The movement 18 is fitted into a donut-shaped inner frame 26. A connection spring 28 that is electrically connected to the circuit board 24 is attached to the movement 18. The circuit board 24 is held by the inner frame 26 by the circuit holding plate 30.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a solar cell. The electronic timepiece with solar cell has a solar cell 32. The solar cell 32 has a film-like base substrate 34 made of a resin such as polyethylene terephthalate, and a photovoltaic region 36 formed thereon so as to include a semiconductor material such as amorphous silicon. The base substrate 34 has an elongated strip shape and has flexibility. The solar cell 32 has a photovoltaic region 36 that generates light by receiving light on one surface. The solar cell 32 has electrodes 32a as terminals for extracting electric power generated in the photovoltaic region 36 at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the other surface (opposite side of the photovoltaic region 36).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the solar cell 32 and the electrode (not shown) of the circuit board 24 are electrically connected by a connection spring 28, and the generated power from the solar cell 32 is supplied to the movement 18. It is like that. The electrode 32 a of the solar cell 32 has a contact point with the connection spring 28. The connection spring 28 also has a contact point with an electrode (not shown) of the circuit board 24. The solar cell 32 is incorporated along the turn ring 38 so that the photovoltaic region 36 faces away from the center of the watch.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a part of the facing ring 38. The electronic timepiece with solar cell has a turning ring 38. The facing ring 38 is formed of a light transmissive resin. The facing ring 38 is also held by the middle frame 26. The facing ring 38 is incorporated in the middle frame 26 outside the dial plate 20. The facing ring 38 is held by the inner frame 26, the windshield 12 and the watch case 10. Therefore, the structure is such that the backlash due to impact is very small. The middle frame 26 is relatively held by the dial ring 38, the watch case 10, and the back cover 14.

The dial ring 38 accommodates the dial 20 inside. The facing ring 38 has an upper inner side surface 40 that rises so as to surround the surface of the dial 20. The facing ring 38 has a lower inner side surface 42 that falls so as to surround the back surface of the dial plate 20. The facing ring 38 has an upper outer surface 44 that is on the side opposite to the upper inner surface 40 and is inclined so that the normal line N ₁ is lowered on the dial 20 side. Dial ring 38, the lower inner surface 42 having a lower outer surface 46 which is inclined so as normal N ₂ In the opposite side goes up the side of the dial 20. The facing ring 38 has an upper end surface 48 between the upper inner surface 40 and the upper outer surface 44.

  The electronic timepiece with solar cell has a half mirror layer 50. The half mirror layer 50 reflects a part of the received light and transmits a part of the front and back surfaces. The half mirror layer 50 is made of a metal thin film having optical transparency, and a dielectric multilayer film may be used. The half mirror layer 50 covers the upper inner surface 40 of the facing ring 38 and also covers the upper end surface 48.

  The electronic timepiece with solar cell has a full mirror layer 52. The full mirror layer 52 guides the light incident on the turn ring 38 to the solar cell 32. The full mirror layer 52 is made of, for example, a metal thin film that does not have optical transparency. The full mirror layer 52 covers the upper outer surface 44 and the lower outer surface 46, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the solar cell 32 is held on the facing ring 38. The facing ring 38 has a trunk for holding the solar cell 32 vertically. As shown in FIG. 4, the trunk includes a step 38 a for holding the long side on the upper end side of the solar cell 32 and a step 38 b for holding both short sides of the solar cell 32. The solar cell 32 is held inside the turn ring 38 with a restoring force to return itself to the original state. Since a through hole 38c for passing the winding stem 16 is provided between the steps 38b, 38b of the turning ring 38, the movement 18 and the winding 18 are not opened without making a hole for passing the winding stem 16 through the solar cell 32. True 16 can be connected. As a modification, a hole may be formed in the solar cell 32 to connect the winding stem 16 and the movement 18, but in this embodiment, a certain distance can be provided between the winding stem 16 and the solar cell 32. Therefore, it can take a structure strong against static electricity.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the solar cell 32 is disposed so as to face the lower inner surface 42 of the facing ring 38. Therefore, the solar cell 32 can receive light emitted from the lower inner side surface 42.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the light received by the solar cell 32. In this example, when the straight line V perpendicular to the surface of the windshield 12 or dial 20 shown in FIG. 2 is used as a reference, the inclination angle θ of the upper outer surface 44 and the inclination angle φ of the lower outer surface 46 are 5 to 45, respectively. °.

When the external light _Lo strikes the half mirror layer 50, a part of the light L ₁ is reflected by the half mirror layer 50, and the other light L ₂ is transmitted through the half mirror layer 50. Since the external light _Lo is reflected by the half mirror layer 50, the inside is difficult to see and the aesthetic appearance is not impaired. Since the half mirror layer 50 covers the upper inner surface 40 and the upper end surface 48 of the dial ring 38, the light L ₂ is incident on the dial ring 38 from at least one of the upper inner surface 40 and the upper end surface 48.

The light L ₂ incident on the turn ring 38 is confined inside the turn ring 38 by the full mirror layer 52. Since the full mirror layer 52 covers the upper outer surface 44 and the lower outer surface 46, respectively, the full mirror layer 52 is prevented from coming out from the upper outer surface 44 and the lower outer surface 46.

Further, a part of the light L ₂ incident on the turning ring 38 is reflected by the half mirror layer 50 and returns to the inside of the turning ring 38. That is, when the light L ₂ travels toward the upper inner surface 40 or the upper end surface 48, a part of the light L ₃ passes through the half mirror layer 50 and goes out, but the other light L ₄ is reflected by the half mirror layer 50. Then, it returns to the inside of the turn ring 38. According to the present embodiment, the light that goes out through at least one of the upper inner surface 40 and the upper end surface 48 is returned to the inside by the half mirror layer 50, so that the amount of light entering the solar cell 32 is increased and power generation is performed. The amount can be increased.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made. For example, the configuration described in the embodiment can be replaced with substantially the same configuration, a configuration that exhibits the same operational effects, or a configuration that can achieve the same purpose.

  10 watch case, 12 windshield, 14 back cover, 16 winding stem, 18 movement, 20 dial, 22 pointer, 24 circuit board, 26 center frame, 28 connection spring, 30 circuit holding plate, 32 solar cell, 32a electrode, 34 Base substrate, 36 Photovoltaic region, 38 Counter ring, 38a step, 38b step, 38c Through hole, 40 Upper inner surface, 42 Lower inner surface, 44 Upper outer surface, 46 Lower outer surface, 48 Upper end surface, 50 Half mirror layer 52 Full mirror layer.

Claims (4)

Dial and
A light-transmitting dial ring that accommodates the dial inside, an upper inner surface that rises so as to surround the surface of the dial, a lower inner surface that falls so as to surround the rear surface of the dial, and the upper An upper and outer surface that is opposite to the inner surface and inclines so that the normal line is lowered on the dial side, and a normal line that is opposite to the lower inner surface and is raised on the dial side A facing ring including a lower outer surface inclined to
A half mirror layer that covers the upper inner surface and reflects a part of the received light and transmits a part of the front and back surfaces;
A full mirror layer covering each of the upper outer surface and the lower outer surface to contain light inside the dial ring;
In order to receive light emitted from the lower inner surface, a solar cell disposed to face the lower inner surface;
Have
A part of light incident on the dial ring is reflected by the half mirror layer and returns to the inside of the dial ring. In the electronic timepiece with solar cell according to claim 1,
The facing ring further includes an upper end surface between the upper inner surface and the upper outer surface,
The half clock layer further covers the upper end surface, The solar cell-equipped electronic timepiece. In the electronic timepiece with solar cell according to claim 1 or 2,
An electronic timepiece with a solar cell, wherein the half mirror layer is made of a light-transmitting metal thin film. In the electronic timepiece with solar cell according to claim 1 or 2,
An electronic timepiece with a solar cell, wherein the half mirror layer is made of a dielectric multilayer film.

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