JP3632430B2 - Electronically controlled mechanical clock - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, the mechanical energy output when the mainspring is unwound is converted into electric energy by a generator, and the rotation control means is operated by the electric energy to control the rotation of the rotor. The present invention relates to an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece that accurately moves the hand.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The mechanical energy generated when the mainspring is released is converted into electrical energy by a generator, and the rotation control means is operated by the electrical energy to control the current value flowing through the coil of the generator. As an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece that accurately displays the time by accurately moving the hands, one described in JP-A-8-5758 is known.
[0003]
In such an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece, the rotor of the generator is rotated with the torque of the mainspring transmitted through the train wheel, and this rotation is converted into electric energy through the stator and the coil. A control circuit including an IC and a crystal resonator is operated.
[0004]
By the way, in a normal wristwatch or the like, each member is often made of metal regardless of the type of driving means such as an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece, mechanical timepiece, or quartz timepiece. As these metal members, those obtained by treating the surface of a base material made of brass with nickel plating, those using a base of Western white (Western silver), and the like are used.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, since those metal members become magnetic bodies containing nickel, particularly in an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece having a rotor, a part of the magnetic flux generated by the rotor magnet is attracted to each metal member and becomes a leakage magnetic flux. . For this reason, for example, when a plurality of metal members are overlapped and positioned near the rotor magnet, the leakage magnetic flux from the rotating rotor magnet is further increased. Eddy current loss occurs when interlinking with a member.
[0006]
Therefore, the generation of the eddy current loss increases the torque required to rotate the rotor, and there is a problem that the spring energy is consumed excessively and the time duration of the timepiece is shortened.
[0007]
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece that can reduce the eddy current loss in the metal member on the side close to the rotor magnet and extend the duration.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The electronically controlled mechanical timepiece of the present invention is driven by a mainspring, a generator that converts mechanical energy of the mainspring transmitted through the train wheel into electric energy, a pointer coupled to the train wheel, and the converted electrical energy. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece having a control circuit for controlling the rotation cycle of the generator and a rotor for rotating the generator with the spring torque transmitted through the wheel train and a rotor magnet for the rotor And a metal member that is disposed within two times the gap between the rotor magnet and the stator and is stacked in the direction of approaching and separating from the rotor magnet. Among them, at least the metal member far from the rotor magnet is made nonmagnetic.
[0009]
Here, the non-magnetic material refers to a weak magnetic material that is extremely slightly magnetized compared to a magnetic material and a material that is not magnetized at all.
[0010]
In the present invention, when the two metal members are arranged within twice the gap, at least one of the metal members far from the rotor magnet is made a non-magnetic material. The leakage magnetic flux that is drawn and leaks to each metal member side is reduced, and the magnetic flux interlinking with the metal member close to the rotor magnet is reduced, and the eddy current loss generated there is suppressed. Accordingly, since an increase in torque necessary for rotating the rotor is prevented, the timepiece operates with less spring energy, and the time duration of the timepiece is extended.
[0011]
In the electronically controlled mechanical timepiece of the present invention, a distant metal member made of a non-magnetic material may be a dial plate provided outside the main plate, or as a rotor bearing support member incorporated in a train wheel bridge. Or both of them.
[0012]
And when the metal member on the far side is a dial, the metal member on the near side is a rotor bearing support member incorporated in the main plate, and the metal member on the far side is a rotor bearing support member on the train wheel receiving side. In this case, the closer metal member may be a train wheel that drives the rotor.
[0013]
Furthermore, in the electronically controlled mechanical timepiece according to the present invention, for example, when a metal member closer to the rotor magnet is used as a ground plate, a magnetic-resistant plate made of a magnetic material is disposed outside the ground plate (side farther from the rotor magnet) It is preferable to provide an opening at a position corresponding to the arrangement hole of the stator of the magnetic plate.
[0014]
In this case, by providing an opening at a position corresponding to the stator arrangement hole, even if the magnetic-resistant plate is a magnetic material, the opening can be regarded as a non-magnetic material. Magnetic flux does not increase so much. Therefore, the amount of leakage flux linkage in the metal member closer to the rotor magnet (for example, the ground plane) is small, and it is possible to reduce the influence of the external magnetic field without causing a large eddy current loss there. is there.
[0015]
In the electronically controlled mechanical timepiece of the invention, it is preferable that the thickness dimension of the rotor magnet is 0.4 to 0.8 times the thickness dimension of the stator.
[0016]
In such a case, in order to obtain the required number of magnetic fluxes, the diameter of the rotor magnet must be increased, and the gap is reduced accordingly. This means that the distance dimension within twice the gap is substantially reduced, and the watch is made thinner. Further, since the rotor magnet is surely submerged in the arrangement hole, the magnetic flux leakage to the dial is further reduced, and the power generation efficiency is further improved. In addition, if the thickness dimension of the rotor magnet is larger than 0.8 times the thickness dimension of the stator, the reduction of the leakage magnetic flux cannot be expected, and if it is smaller than 0.4 times, it is difficult to process the rotor magnet. As the floating force decreases, the tenon of the rotor does not float from the stone, and the tip of the rotor tenon comes into contact with the stone and the friction loss increases.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0018]
FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece according to the present embodiment, FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of the main part, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part in an enlarged manner. is there. 1 to 3, the electronically controlled mechanical timepiece includes a barrel 1 made up of a mainspring 1a, barrel barrel gear 1b, barrel barrel 1c, and barrel lid 1d. The mainspring 1a has an outer end fixed to the barrel gear 1b and an inner end fixed to the barrel complete 1c. The barrel complete 1c is formed in a cylindrical shape and inserted and supported by the support member 2 so that it rotates integrally with the square hole wheel 4 arranged between the barrel 1 and the main plate 3, and is screwed to the support member 2. The square screw 5 is pressed so as not to come out upward in the figure.
[0019]
The rotation of the barrel wheel 1b is transmitted to the second wheel 6 and then increased in speed to the third wheel 7 (FIG. 1) from the third wheel 7 through the second hand wheel 8 to the forty-fourth wheel (intermediate wheel). ) 9, and the speed is further increased and transmitted to the fourth wheel 10, fifth wheel 11, sixth wheel 12, and rotor 13. The second wheel 6 has a cylindrical pinion 6a, the minute pin 6b is fixed to the pinion pin 6a, and the second hand 8a is fixed to the second hand wheel 8.
[0020]
The second and fifth wheels 6 and 11 are supported by the second receiver 15 on the upper side and the bottom plate 3 is supported on the lower side, and the third, fourth and sixth wheel 7, 10 and 12 and the rotor 13 are connected to the train wheel bridge 14 on the upper side. The lower part is supported by the main plate 3, and the forty-fourth wheel 9 is supported by the train wheel bridge 14 at the top and the second bridge 15 at the bottom. A dial plate 17 made of a non-magnetic material such as brass is disposed outside the base plate 3 (lower side in the figure), and a magnetic-resistant plate 18 made of a magnetic material such as an amorphous material is disposed between the dial plate 17 and the base plate 3. It is intervened. An opening 18a having substantially the same opening area as that of the arrangement hole 21a is provided at a position corresponding to the arrangement hole 21a of the stator 21 to be described later on the magnetic-resistant plate 18.
[0021]
This electronically controlled mechanical timepiece includes a generator 20 including a rotor 13, a stator 21, a first coil block 22, a second coil block 23, and a joint 24. The rotor 13 includes a rotor magnet 13a, a rotor pinion 13b, a rotor inertia disc 13c, and a holding member 13f that holds the rotor magnet 13a. The rotor inertia disc 13 c is for reducing fluctuations in the rotational speed of the rotor 13 with respect to fluctuations in driving torque from the barrel complete 1. The stator 21 forms a part of the magnetic circuit of the generator 20, and has an arrangement hole 21a in which the rotor magnet 13a is arranged, so that the magnetic flux of the rotor 13 is linked. The first and second coil blocks 22 and 23 are obtained by winding coils around the magnetic cores 22a and 23a. Here, the stator 21, the magnetic cores 22a and 23a, and the joint 24 are made of PC permalloy or the like.
[0022]
In FIG. 4, the upper and lower tenon portions of the rotor 13 are received by a train wheel bridge 14 and bearing units 19 incorporated in the main plate 3. These bearing units 19 are composed of a central stone 19a made of ruby or the like, a hole 19b, and a brass stone receiving guide 19c as a rotor bearing support member for guiding them. The lower stone receiving guide 19c is provided with a fitting portion 19d projecting upward. By fitting the fitting portion 19d and the arrangement hole 21a of the stator 21, the rotor magnet 13a and the arrangement hole 21a Thus, the cogging torque of the rotor 13 is reduced.
[0023]
As described above, in each member arranged around the rotor magnet 13a, the distance dimension L1 between the rotor magnet 13a and the stone receiving guide 19c in the lower part of the drawing and the distance dimension L2 between the rotor magnet 13a and the dial 17 are both the rotor magnet. 13a and the stator 21 (specifically, the inner peripheral surface of the arrangement hole 21a) are set to be within twice the gap G1 (L1, L2 ≦ 2 × G1). Is overlapped in the direction of approaching and separating from the rotor magnet 13a, and the watch is made thinner by being disposed at a position closer to the rotor magnet 13a. That is, the lower stone receiving guide 19c is a metal member closer to the rotor magnet 13a according to the present invention, and the outer dial plate 17 is a distant metal member according to the present invention.
[0024]
On the other hand, the distance dimension L3 between the rotor magnet 13a and the sixth wheel 12 made of brass and the distance dimension L4 between the rotor magnet 13a and the upper stone receiving guide 19c are both 2 of the gap G1 between the rotor magnet 13a and the stator 21. The time is set to be less than (L3, L4 ≦ 2 × G1), and the watch is similarly made thinner. That is, in the present embodiment, the sixth wheel 12 is a metal member closer to the rotor magnet 13a, and the upper stone receiving guide 19c is also a distant metal member.
[0025]
Further, the thickness dimension H1 of the rotor magnet 13a is set to 0.4 to 0.8 times the thickness dimension H2 of the stator 21 (H1 = 0.4 to 0.8 × H2). Magnetic flux is reduced. If the thickness dimension H1 of the rotor magnet 13a is larger than 0.8 times the thickness dimension H2 of the stator 21, the leakage magnetic flux cannot be expected to decrease. If the thickness dimension H1 is smaller than 0.4 times, the rotor magnet 13a It is difficult to process, and the floating force becomes small, and the tenon of the rotor 13 does not float from the stone 19a. The tip of the rotor tenon comes into contact with the stone 19a, and the friction loss increases.
[0026]
In the above electronically controlled mechanical timepiece, the AC output from the generator 20 is boosted and rectified through a rectifier circuit including step-up rectification, full-wave rectification, half-wave rectification, transistor rectification, etc., and charged to a smoothing capacitor. A control circuit (not shown) that controls the rotation of the generator 20 with the electric power from the capacitor is operated. The control circuit is constituted by an integrated circuit (IC) including an oscillation circuit, a frequency dividing circuit, a rotation detection circuit, a rotation speed comparison circuit, an electromagnetic brake control means, and the like, and a crystal resonator is used for the oscillation circuit.
[0027]
Further, the method of winding the mainspring 1a by rotating the square hole wheel 4 is performed through the kite wheel 31, the round hole wheel 32, and the square hole intermediate wheel 33 by operating the winding stem 30 connected to the crown not shown. At this time, the rotation direction of the square hole wheel 4 is regulated by the kojaze 4a. Further, the minute hand 6b and the hour hand are adjusted in the same manner by operating the winding stem 30 through the pinion wheel 34, the small iron wheel 35, the minute intermediate wheel 36, and the minute wheel 37. The drive system is stopped by bringing the regulating lever 38 into contact with the fifth wheel & pinion 11. Since these mechanisms are similar to the well-known automatic or manual winding mechanism of a mechanical timepiece, further detailed description is omitted.
[0028]
According to this embodiment, there are the following effects.
[0029]
(1) On one side in the axial direction of the rotor magnet 13a, the stone receiving guide 19c and the dial 17 which are two metal members are arranged to overlap each other within twice the gap G1 between the rotor magnet 13a and the stator 21. However, among these metal members, the outer dial plate 17 is a non-magnetic material that is not subjected to nickel plating or the like, so that the leakage magnetic flux of the rotor magnet 13a to these metal members can be reduced. It is possible to reduce the magnetic flux interlinking with the stone receiving guide 19c and to suppress the eddy current loss generated there. Accordingly, since an increase in torque necessary for rotating the rotor 21 is prevented, the timepiece can be operated with less spring energy, and the time duration of the timepiece can be extended.
[0030]
{Circle around (2)} On the other side in the axial direction of the rotor magnet 13a, the sixth wheel 12 and the stone receiving guide 19c are arranged so as to overlap each other within twice the gap G1. Since the guide 19c is a non-magnetic material, the leakage magnetic flux toward these metal members can be reduced, and the magnetic flux interlinking with the sixth wheel 12 can be reduced to suppress eddy current loss. Accordingly, it is possible to further prevent an increase in torque and further extend the time duration of the timepiece.
[0031]
(3) A magnetic-resistant plate 18 made of a magnetic material is disposed between the base plate 3 (lower stone receiving guide 19c in FIG. 4) and the dial plate 17. The magnetic-resistant plate 18 has an arrangement hole 21a of the stator 21. Since the opening 18a is provided at a position corresponding to the above, even if the magnetic-resistant plate 18 is a magnetic body, the leakage magnetic flux from the rotor magnet 13a does not increase so much. Therefore, the amount of leakage flux linkage at the stone receiving guide 19c close to the rotor magnet 13a is small, and the influence of the external magnetic field can be reduced without causing a large eddy current loss.
[0032]
(4) Since the thickness dimension H1 of the rotor magnet 13a is 0.4 to 0.8 times the thickness dimension H2 of the stator 21, the diameter dimension of the rotor magnet 13a is set to obtain the required number of magnetic fluxes. The gap G1 can be reduced accordingly. Accordingly, the distance dimensions L1 to L4 within twice the gap G1 can be substantially reduced, and the watch can be made thin. In addition, since the thickness dimension H1 is 0.4 to 0.8 times the thickness dimension H2, the rotor magnet 13a is disposed so as to be surely submerged in the placement hole 21a. Magnetic flux from the magnet 13a is more difficult to leak to the dial plate 17, and the power generation efficiency can be further improved.
[0033]
(5) Since the rotor magnet 13a is covered with the holding member 13f, the rotor magnet 13a can be protected, and loss of the rotor magnet 13a can be prevented. Further, since the gap width with the stator 21 is determined by the external dimension of the holding member 13f that is easy to obtain dimensional accuracy, when the rotor magnet 13a is directly bonded to the shaft portion without using the holding member 13f, that is, the dimensional accuracy is increased. The rotor 13 can be manufactured easily and with high dimensional accuracy compared to the case where the outer dimension of the rotor magnet 13a that is difficult to take out directly affects the gap width. Further, since the rotor magnet 13a is not fixed to the shaft portion of the rotor 13, it is not necessary to consider the fit between the rotor magnet 13a and the shaft portion, and the rotor 13 can be easily manufactured from this point.
[0034]
(6) Since the lower stone receiving guide 19c and the dial plate 17, and the sixth wheel 12 and the upper stone receiving guide 19c are arranged within twice the gap G1, these members are used as the rotor magnet 13a. The entire watch can be made thinner.
[0035]
In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Including other structures etc. which can achieve the objective of this invention, the deformation | transformation etc. which are shown below are also contained in this invention.
[0036]
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the lower stone receiving guide 19c and the dial plate 17 are arranged so as to be close to and away from the rotor magnet 13a, but as a metal member arranged in this way, For example, the base plate 3 and the dial plate 17 may be used, for example, when the diameter of the stone receiving guide 19c is reduced to bring the base plate 3 closer to the rotor magnet 13a.
[0037]
Similarly, when the diameter of the upper stone guide 19c is reduced to bring the train wheel bridge 14 closer to the rotor magnet 13a, the sixth wheel 12 and the wheel train bridge 14 are connected to such two metals. It is good also as a member. In such a case, the train wheel bridge 14 may be made of a nonmagnetic material such as brass.
[0038]
Further, since it is common to arrange a calendar mechanism for displaying the date between the main plate 3 and the dial plate 17, for example, when the metal member closer to the rotor magnet 13a is used as the main plate 3 or the stone receiving guide 19c Alternatively, the constituent member of the calendar mechanism may be handled as a distant member made of the non-magnetic material according to the present invention. Even in such a case, the operation and effect relating to the first aspect can be achieved.
[0039]
The non-magnetic metal material is not limited to brass, and may be aluminum or the like. In short, any metal material that is extremely hard to magnetize or not magnetized at all can be used.
[0040]
Further, in the above embodiment, the anti-magnetic plate 18 is provided, but such an anti-magnetic plate is not essential to the present invention and can be omitted.
[0041]
In the embodiment, the lower stone receiving guide 19c and the dial 17 are both non-magnetic. However, in the present invention, at least the dial 17 may be a non-magnetic material, and the stone receiving guide 19c. It is good also as a magnetic body to which nickel plating etc. were given.
[0042]
On the other hand, the sixth wheel 12 and the upper stone receiving guide 19c are included in the present invention even when the sixth wheel 12 is made of a magnetic material.
[0043]
〔Example〕
In addition to removing the magnetic-resistant plate 18 in the above embodiment, only the dial plate 17 is made of a nickel-plated magnetic body, and the distance dimension L2 between the rotor magnet 13a and the dial plate 17 is changed. That is, by gradually increasing the distance dimension L2 and gradually decreasing the amount of magnetic flux leaking from the rotor magnet 13a to the nickel plating of the dial plate 17, a state in which the dial plate 17 is changed from a magnetic material to a non-magnetic material is simulated. The rotational frequency of the rotor 13 was measured by applying a constant torque from the mainspring 1a to the rotor 13 while changing the distance dimension L2. The table of FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the frequency and the distance dimension L2.
[0044]
In this embodiment, the rotor magnet 13a has an outer diameter of 1.35 mm and a thickness of 0.4 mm. The inner diameter dimension of the arrangement hole 21a of the stator 21 is 3 mm. Therefore, the gap G1 is 0.825 (≈0.83) mm.
[0045]
According to the present embodiment, as is apparent from the table shown in FIG. 5, the dial 17 is separated from the rotor magnet 13a so that it can be regarded as a non-magnetic material (in the table, the state is from right to left along the horizontal axis). ), It was confirmed that the rotational speed of the rotor 13 increased. Therefore, if the dial 17 is made of a non-magnetic material, the magnetic flux leakage from the rotor magnet 13a to the nickel plating of the dial 17 is reduced, and the stone receiving guide 19c arranged closer to the rotor magnet 13a than the dial 17 is. It is recognized that the eddy current loss is suppressed, and therefore an increase in the torque required to rotate the rotor 21 can be prevented.
[0046]
At this time, when the distance plate L2 is about 1.59 mm and the dial 17 is further away from the rotor magnet 13a (when the distance plate L2 is larger), a high rotational frequency can be obtained stably. It is done. This means that when the dial plate 17 is separated from twice the gap G1 between the rotor magnet 13a and the stator 21, that is, when 1.59 mm <1.65 (2 × G1) <L2, Even if it is a magnetic body, it means that the leakage magnetic flux from the rotor magnet 13a to the nickel plating of the dial plate 17 is reduced, and the loss generated in the stone receiving guide 19c is reduced. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, when the dial 17 and the stone receiving guide 19c are both disposed within twice the gap G1, the dial 17 which is a metal member far from the rotor magnet 13a is made of a non-magnetic material. Is recognized as effective.
[0047]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when two metal members are arranged within twice the gap between the rotor magnet and the stator, at least one of the metal members far from the rotor magnet is disposed. Since it is a non-magnetic material, the leakage magnetic flux that leaks when pulled from the rotor magnet to each metal member side is reduced, and the magnetic flux interlinking with the metal member close to the rotor magnet is reduced, and eddy current loss that occurs can be suppressed. . Therefore, an increase in torque necessary for rotating the rotor can be prevented, and the time can be extended by operating the timepiece with less spring energy.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another main part of the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing the main part.
FIG. 5 is a table showing the results of examples of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1a Spring 12 Sixth wheel 13 Rotor 13a Rotor magnet 17 Dial 18 Magnetic shield 19 Bearing unit 19c Stone receiving guide 20 Generator 21 Stator 21a Arrangement hole G1 Gap L1 to L4 Distance dimension

Claims (7)

A mainspring, a generator for converting mechanical energy of the mainspring transmitted through the train wheel into electrical energy, a pointer coupled to the train wheel, and a rotation period of the generator driven by the converted electrical energy In an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece comprising a control circuit for controlling
The generator includes a rotor that rotates with the torque of the mainspring transmitted through the wheel train, and a stator that is provided with an arrangement hole for arranging a rotor magnet of the rotor.
Of the two metal members disposed within the gap between the rotor magnet and the rotor magnet and the stator within two times and stacked in a direction approaching and separating from the rotor magnet, at least the metal member farther from the rotor magnet Is a non-magnetic material, an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece. 2. The electronically controlled mechanical timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the distant member made of a non-magnetic material is a dial arranged outside the main plate. 3. The electronically controlled mechanical timepiece according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the metal member closer to the rotor magnet is a rotor bearing support member incorporated in the main plate. 2. The electronically controlled mechanical timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the distant member made of a non-magnetic material is a rotor bearing support member incorporated in a train wheel bridge. 5. The electronically controlled mechanical timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the metal member closer to the rotor magnet is a gear train that drives the rotor. 2. The electronically controlled mechanical timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the distant metal member made of the non-magnetic material is a magnetic-resistant plate, and an opening is provided at a position corresponding to the arrangement hole of the stator of the magnetic-resistant plate. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece characterized by being provided. 7. The electronically controlled mechanical timepiece according to claim 1, wherein a thickness dimension of the rotor magnet is 0.4 to 0.8 times a thickness dimension of the stator. Controlled mechanical clock.

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