JP3032147B2 - Guide contact mechanism for watches - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a guide contact mechanism provided on an alarm clock, and more particularly, to a fixed contact provided on a lower plate of the watch, and to an operation of a reference cam mechanism fixed to the lower plate. And a contact spring that elastically deforms so as to be able to contact and separate from the fixed contact.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, a standard mechanism of an alarm clock includes a standard cam mechanism for controlling the start of the standard operation by a cam operation interlocked with a clock train operation, and setting / non-setting and stopping of the standard operation. And a controllable ringing switch device.

[0003] The guide cam mechanism generally forms an idle cam interlocking with an hour hand wheel constituting a timepiece wheel train, and a cam mechanism in which the guide wheel is coaxially supported. The contacts are opened and closed based on the cam operation, and the reference operation is performed.

As a standard contact mechanism provided in this type of standard mechanism, the one shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 is generally known. That is, in these figures, 21 is an upper plate, 22 is a lower plate, a circuit board 23 is mounted on the lower plate 22, and a fixed contact 24 is provided on the circuit board 23. Reference numeral 25 denotes a contact spring constituting a movable contact, and a fixed portion 26 is provided at one end. In this case, the fixing portion 26
It is fitted and supported in a through hole 27 formed in the circuit board 23.

The contact spring 25 presses the inner tongue piece 29 by a pressing member 28 protruding from the upper plate 21, and by this pressing, the outer ring portion 31, which is normally regulated by the lifting member 30, is fixed. It is elastically biased in the direction of the contact.
Then, when the reference time comes, the reference cam mechanism (not shown) descends, the restriction by the push-up member 30 is released, and the elastically biased outer ring portion 31 descends,
An alarm sounds upon contact with the fixed contact 24 (for example,
63-128492).

[0006]

Conventionally known reference contact mechanisms, including those described above, generally have a contact spring fixed to the lower plate (including a structure in which the contact spring is fixed to the lower plate via a circuit board). ), A part of the contact spring is pressed by a pressing member provided on the upper plate (sometimes called a dust cover), whereby the contact spring is elastically biased in the direction of the fixed contact. If the member to which the contact spring is fixed and the member that presses and biases the contact spring are different from each other, a gear or the like is usually provided between the contact spring and the upper plate. The pressing member must be arranged to avoid it. Therefore, the degree of freedom in design is reduced, and the size of the reference contact mechanism is increased in plan view, making it difficult to reduce the size.

It is also known that a contact spring is bent in the state of a part and an elastic biasing force is obtained by an initial bent shape (for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 60-92192).
issue). In the case of this type of contact spring, bending accuracy is required in terms of parts management, but since the bending angle is not a right angle, it is difficult to obtain a constant bending angle. As a result, it was difficult to obtain a stable and constant quality contact spring. In addition, there is a disadvantage that the cost of parts is increased in order to manufacture a contact spring of a constant quality.

Therefore, the present invention provides a method of fixing a component to a lower plate without bending it in advance (including a component fixed to the lower plate via a circuit board). The present invention proposes a reference contact mechanism having a structure capable of pressing and biasing, that is, pressing and pressing not from the upper plate.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided a fixed contact provided on a lower plate of a timepiece, and an elastically deformable fixed to the lower plate and capable of coming into contact with and separating from the fixed contact in conjunction with the operation of a reference cam mechanism. In a reference contact mechanism of a timepiece including a contact spring, the contact spring includes a fixed portion attached to the lower plate, a non-fixed branch portion provided extending from the fixed portion, and the branch portion. A contact member provided on one side and having a contact portion facing the fixed contact and an extended member provided on the other side, further comprising: a projecting portion in which the lower plate projects in the direction of the upper plate. A reference contact mechanism for a timepiece, wherein the contact member of the contact spring is bent and biased in the direction of the fixed contact by pressing and biasing the extension member with the protrusion.

That is, in the reference contact mechanism of the present invention, the contact spring is attached to the lower plate by a fixed portion, and a non-fixed branch portion extending from the fixed portion is provided with the branch portion as a boundary. It serves as a rotation fulcrum of the contact member on one side and the extension member provided on the other side. Therefore, the extension member is pressed and urged by the protrusion projecting in the upper plate direction, so that the contact member of the contact spring is bent and urged in the direction of the fixed contact with the branch portion as a fulcrum. become.

As described above, according to the present invention, the contact spring is attached to the lower plate, and the projection serving as the pressing member is also provided.
Since it is provided on the lower plate instead of the upper plate, there are no obstacles such as gears between them, and the contact spring can be arranged under the middle plate and gears, so that the degree of freedom in design is increased and the size is small. Is possible. Further, since the contact spring can be formed in a flat plate shape, it is possible to produce the contact spring at a low cost without requiring a high precision in the production, and there is no variation in the contact pressure.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on specific examples shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a lower plate portion of a timepiece incorporating a reference contact mechanism according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same. The reference contact mechanism of the present invention includes a fixed contact 2 provided on a lower plate 1 of a timepiece and a contact spring 10 fixed to the lower plate 1. The contact spring 10 is elastically deformed so as to be able to contact and separate from the fixed contact 2 in conjunction with the operation of a reference cam mechanism (not shown). Although not shown, an upper plate is mounted above the lower plate 1 and the contact spring 10.

The contact spring 10 further includes, as shown in FIG.
An elastically deformable and conductive, for example, thin steel plate is formed by press molding, and a fixing portion 11 attached to the lower plate 1 is provided at an end. Then, a branch portion 12 is provided at a portion extending from the fixing portion 11. The branch portion 12 is a non-fixed portion and has the inherent elasticity of the contact spring.
Further, a contact member 13 having a contact portion 14 facing the fixed contact 2 on one side with the branch portion 12 as a boundary,
An extension member 16 is provided on the other side.

In this embodiment, the contact member 13 has the above-mentioned contact portion 14 formed at the tip end side in the form of two parallel projections.
A ring-shaped portion 15 for inserting the pointer pipe 3 is provided between the contact portion 14 and the branch portion 12. still,
The above-mentioned floating cam (not shown) of the reference cam mechanism, that is, a cam member that presses and biases the contact spring 10 at a reference setting time is disposed coaxially with the pointer pipe 3.

In the case of this embodiment, the extending member 16 is provided with a central portion of a member extending from the fixing portion 11 of the contact spring 10 to the branch portion 12 in the form of a projection at the time of press forming.
Side is connected.

The lower plate 1 is provided with a projection 4 for urging the extending member 16 in the direction of the upper plate. That is, the protruding portion 4 is formed to protrude in the upper plate direction.

Since the reference contact mechanism of the present embodiment is configured as described above, the contact spring 10 functions as follows.
That is, since the fixing portion 11 of the contact spring 10 is fixed to the lower plate 1, the branch portion 12 provided at a portion extending from the fixing portion 11 functions to maintain the fixed state. On the other hand, since the protruding portion 16 of the contact spring 10 is pressed and urged by the projecting portion 4 of the lower plate 1, the contact member 13 is bent in the direction of the fixed contact 2 with the branch portion 12 as a fulcrum. Will be inspired. Note that, as described above, the branch portion 12 functions to maintain the fixed state by the action of the fixing portion 11, but since it is a non-fixed portion unlike the fixing portion 11, it can be elastically deformed. As a result, the branch portion 12
Serves as a rotation fulcrum, and transmits the elastic deformation of the extension member 16 to the contact member 13 without being interrupted by the branch portion 12. Therefore, when the extension member 16 is pressed and urged by the protrusion 4 projecting in the upper plate direction, the contact member 13 of the contact spring 10 is fixed to the fixed contact 2 with the branch portion 12 as a fulcrum.
In the direction of.

FIG. 5 shows a contact spring 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Contrary to the previous example, it is provided on the opposite side of the extending member 16. Also in the case of the present example, the contact spring 10 is formed by press-forming a thin steel plate having elasticity and conductivity and having conductivity, and a fixing portion 11 attached to the lower plate 1 and a portion extending from the fixing portion 11. And a contact member 13 having a contact portion facing the fixed contact 2 on one side and extending on the other side with the branch portion 12 as a boundary. The installation members 16 are provided, respectively.
In the case of this example as well, as in the previous example, the projecting portion 4 of the lower plate presses and biases the protruding extension member 16 of the contact spring 10.
With the branch portion 12 as a fulcrum, the contact member 13 is bent and biased in the direction of the fixed contact 2.

The present invention is, of course, not limited to the above-described specific examples. For example, the fixing portions of the contact springs may be provided on both sides or one side of the branch portion, or the rotation fulcrum may be provided. It can be developed into an appropriate shape, for example, by forming the branch portion into a shaft shape.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, the contact spring is attached to the lower plate by the fixed portion, and the non-fixed branch portion extending from the fixed portion forms the branch portion. The contact member on one side provided at the boundary and the extension member provided on the other side serve as a rotation fulcrum, so that the extension member is pressed and urged by a projecting portion projecting toward the upper plate. Thus, the contact member of the contact spring is bent and biased in the direction of the fixed contact with the branch portion as a fulcrum. Therefore, according to the present invention, the contact spring is mounted on the lower plate, and the projection as the pressing member is also provided on the lower plate instead of the upper plate, so there is no obstacle such as a gear between them, The contact spring can be arranged under the middle plate and the gear, and as a result, the degree of freedom in design is increased and the size can be reduced. Further, since the contact spring can be formed in a flat plate shape, it is possible to produce the contact spring at a low cost without requiring a high precision in the production, and there is no variation in the contact pressure.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a lower plate portion of a timepiece incorporating a reference contact mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a lower plate portion of the timepiece incorporating the reference contact mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a lower plate portion of the timepiece incorporating the reference contact mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a contact spring used in the present invention, wherein (1) is a front view, (2) is a side view, and (3) is a bottom view.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another contact spring used in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part of a conventional example of a reference contact mechanism in a state where noise is stopped.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part at the time of alarm notification according to a conventional reference contact mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a conventional contact spring.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lower plate 2 Fixed contact 3 Pointer pipe 4 Projection part 10 Contact spring 11 Fixed part 12 Branch part 13 Contact member 14 Contact part 15 Ring-shaped part 16 Extension member 21 Upper plate 22 Lower plate 23 Circuit board 24 Fixed contact 25 Contact spring 26 Fixing part 27 Through-hole 28 Holding member 29 Inner tongue piece 30 Push-up member 31 Outer ring part

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G04C 21/16 G04C 3/00 G04C 23/16

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A timepiece comprising: a fixed contact provided on a lower plate of a timepiece; and a contact spring fixed to the lower plate and elastically deformable so as to be able to contact and separate from the fixed contact in conjunction with the operation of a reference cam mechanism. In the reference contact mechanism, the contact spring is provided on one side with a fixed portion attached to the lower plate, a non-fixed branch portion provided extending from the fixed portion, and the branch portion as a boundary. And a contact member having a contact portion facing the fixed contact, and an extending member provided on the other side. Further, the lower plate includes a protrusion protruding in an upper plate direction, and By pressing and pushing the extension member,
A reference contact mechanism for a timepiece, wherein a contact member of the contact spring is bent and biased in a direction of the fixed contact.