JP3786582B2 - Analog radio correction clock - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an analog radio-controlled timepiece.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a radio correction clock, after resetting or after battery replacement, the initial position of the train wheel (pointer) is detected and adjusted to the current time indicated by the time signal sent by the standard time radio wave after matching the reference time, Usually, there is one that corrects the current time by issuing a correction pulse by the difference between the current time represented by the time signal and the internal clock.
[0003]
Some corrections are performed not only by the difference between the internal clock and the current time represented by the time signal, but also by detecting the position of the train wheel (pointer).
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the first prior art, the error of the internal clock can be corrected only by correcting the radio wave. However, if there is a power supply voltage decrease such as a decrease in battery capacity, the delay recurs after the correction. In addition, in the second conventional example, if the position detection result is different from the internal clock, it can be found that the position of the train wheel (pointer) has shifted due to impact or the like. In the case of discrepancy, there is a problem that even if the correction is made once, it is inevitable that a delay occurs until the next correction.
[0005]
Therefore, in the present invention, rather than monitoring the voltage of the battery, the delay of the battery is indirectly determined by checking the delay of the clock, and this is notified to the user to warn and make corrections. To avoid misrecognizing the time.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The analog radio-controlled timepiece of the present invention receives a time code signal at a specific time of the internal electronic timepiece, and performs a time adjustment operation for correcting the time of the internal electronic timepiece and the time indicated by the pointer based on the time code signal. In the analog radio wave correction timepiece to be performed, there is provided determination means for determining whether or not a time point of the internal electronic timepiece and a time pointed by the pointer coincide with each other after a lapse of a predetermined time after the time correction operation. A warning means for issuing a warning when a mismatch is detected is provided. With this configuration, it is possible to promptly notify the user of a mismatch state, and an accurate time display can be obtained.
[0007]
The warning unit may be configured to issue a warning when the determination unit detects the mismatch a plurality of times, and the number of mismatch detections may be a cumulative number or a continuous number. Further, the warning means may emit light from a light emitter or intermittently move or stop the pointer.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1, the analog radio-controlled timepiece according to the present invention is configured to centrally control a time code signal transmitted from a transmitting station (not shown) via a receiving antenna F and a receiving circuit G at a specific time. Receive to device A. This signal is supplied to the internal electronic timepiece A-2 from the control unit A-1 which is a determination means in the central control unit (CPU) A. Based on the time code signal, the time of the internal electronic timepiece A-2 is corrected, and the time adjustment operation for correcting the time indicated by the pointer B (shown in FIG. 3) of the analog timepiece by driving the train wheel C is performed. A train wheel train C (shown in FIG. 2) for driving the hands B of the analog timepiece is provided with a position detection mechanism D, which is detected by the position detection mechanism D after a predetermined time has elapsed after the time adjustment operation. The control unit A-1 determines whether or not the time pointed by the hand B matches the time of the internal electronic timepiece A-2. As a result of the determination, when both times do not match, that is, when the control unit A-1 detects a mismatch, a warning means, for example, a warning lamp L is turned on to issue a warning.
[0009]
FIG. 2 is a developed cross-sectional view of a main part of the train wheel C of the timepiece machine body, which is configured to perform sweep hand movement. Between the lower case 10 and the middle case 11, there is provided an hour / minute hand wheel drive wheel train which is rotationally driven by a first drive motor which operates by receiving power from a power source E (shown in FIG. 1). That is, the motor rotor 1, the drive wheel 2, the intermediate wheel 3, the minute hand wheel 4, the minute wheel 5 and the hour hand wheel 6 are rotatably supported by shafts, and are sequentially meshed to form a reduction gear train. Further, a second hand wheel drive wheel train that is driven to rotate by a second drive motor (not shown) is provided between the middle case 11 and the upper case 12. That is, a second wheel, a third wheel 7 and a second hand wheel 8 (not shown) meshing with the motor gear are rotatably supported and sequentially meshed to form a reduction gear train. The minute hand wheel 4, the hour hand wheel 6, and the second hand wheel 8 are rotatably fitted to pipes 11 b provided integrally with the middle case 11, respectively, and a minute hand, hour hand, not shown, are protruded from the lower case 10. A so-called medium three-hand type analog timepiece in which a pointer B consisting of a second hand is attached and the pointer B rotates concentrically is constructed.
[0010]
A train wheel (pointer) position detection mechanism D will be described. The third wheel 7 includes a small through hole 7a for position detection, and a positioning hole 7b for incorporating a train wheel at a position smaller in diameter than the through hole 7a, close to the rotation center, and 180 degrees away from the through hole 7a. Is formed. The second hand wheel 8 is formed with a position detecting through hole 8a and a reflecting portion 8b made of a reflecting plate at a position 180 degrees apart on the same circumference. The intermediate wheel 3 is formed with three through holes 3a at intervals of 120 degrees on the same circumference, and the minute hand wheel 4 is formed with three through holes 4a at intervals of 120 degrees on the circumference with the same radius as the through holes 8a. It is. The hour hand wheel 6 is formed with seven through holes 6a on the circumference of the same radius as the through hole 8a. Since there are eight reference times as will be described later, eight through-holes 6a are necessary. However, since two through-holes are connected, seven through-holes 6a may be provided. The middle case 11 is formed with a through hole 11a so as to be aligned with the through holes 7a, 8a, 3a, 4a, 6a for position detection in a straight line. The time when these through holes for position detection are aligned vertically is 12:00, 1:40, 3:00, 5:40, 6:00, 8:20, 9:00, 11:00. There are 8 times, and this is the reference time. The intervals between adjacent reference times are all different.
[0011]
A light emitting diode 9 is fixed to the lower case 10 at a position facing the through holes 6a aligned on the straight line, and the substrate 13 disposed on the upper portion of the third wheel 7 is arranged on the straight line. A reflective sensor 14 having a light emitting element and a light receiving element is fixed at a position facing the aligned through holes 7a.
[0012]
In the initial position detection, first, the position of the second hand is detected by the reflecting plate 8b of the second hand wheel 8 and the reflective sensor 14, and when the position is detected, the second hand B is moved to the 0 second position and stopped. At the 0 second position, the through hole 7a of the third wheel 7 and the through hole 8a of the second hand wheel 8 are aligned vertically. Next, when the light emitting diode 9 is caused to emit light and the hour / minute hand is rotated, the light of the light emitting diode 9 is transmitted to the reflective sensor 14 when the through holes 3a, 4a, 6a of the intermediate wheel 3, the minute hand wheel 4, and the hour hand wheel 6 are overlapped. reach. Since this position is one of the above eight reference times, when the hour and minute hands continue to rotate and the through holes overlap again and come to the position where the light reaches the reflective sensor 14, the through holes first match. Check the distance from the time, and determine the position when the through hole overlaps the second time. This makes it possible to recognize where all the hour, minute, and second hands are, and the initial position detection ends.
[0013]
As an example, daily position detection is performed at 12:00. Accordingly, the light emitting diode 9 is turned on when the internal electronic timepiece A-2 reaches a predetermined time (12:00). If the light emitted from the light emitting diode 9 can be detected by the reflective sensor 14 after passing through all the through holes 6a, 4a, 3a, 11a, 8a, 7a aligned in a straight line, the pointer B comprising the hour hand, the minute hand, and the second hand The control unit A-1 determines that the time pointed to matches the time of the internal electronic timepiece A-2, that is, the normal state. When the reflection sensor 14 cannot detect light, it means that the time point of the internal electronic timepiece A-2 and the time pointed by the pointer B do not coincide with each other. Exactly there are exceptions and there are eight positions that are judged to be coincident, but it is just 60 minutes behind or 12 minutes ahead of the 12 o'clock position detection time. Since there is no possibility, there is no problem in the daily position detection performed at 12:00. Further, the size of the through hole 7a of the third wheel 7 and the size of the through hole 8a of the second hand wheel 8 are adjusted so as to cross the optical path in about 1 second. For this reason, when the time of the internal electronic timepiece A-2 coincides with the time pointed by the pointer B, all the through holes 6a, 4a, 3a, 11a, 8a, 7a are about 12:00 at 12:00. Since they overlap in a straight line vertically for a second, the passage of light from the light emitting diode 9 can be reliably detected by the reflective sensor 14 during this time.
[0014]
As an example of warning by warning means when it is determined that there is a mismatch, the warning lamp L is lit as described above to notify the user. Usually, the power supply voltage is often lowered because of the mismatch, so the warning lamp L may also be used as the battery warning lamp 15 shown in FIG. 3, and this lighting may prompt the user to replace the battery. . The warning means is not limited to this. For example, the pointer B may be controlled so as to be intermittently moved so that the user can easily recognize it, or the pointer movement may be stopped immediately. In this case, there is no misrecognition of the current time.
[0015]
The case where the discrepancy is determined and the warning is issued may be performed by one discrepancy determination as described above, but a predetermined number of times is determined in advance in the control unit A-1, and the discrepancy is detected a predetermined number of times. If it is determined that a warning has been issued, the control unit A-1 may be set to issue a warning. Normally, when the power supply voltage decreases, the phenomenon is usually "time is delayed" or "sometimes stops", and the delay gradually increases and eventually stops. In the case of radio-controlled clocks, the time is adjusted every day, so there is no accumulation of delay, but as long as the voltage drop is still small, there is no delay on the next day when the time is delayed, and the next day Also has an irregular behavior of being delayed. Further, since there may be various causes other than the voltage drop, there is a case where a mismatch is sometimes detected without necessarily being continuous. Therefore, a warning may be issued by counting the predetermined number of times by the cumulative number. Furthermore, since the mismatch detection occurs continuously when the power supply voltage decreases greatly, the predetermined number of times may be the same as the number of mismatch detections.
[0016]
The correction of the time using radio waves is normally performed every 24 hours, and am / pm is determined by an internal electronic clock, for example, at 2 am. In addition, when reception is not correctly performed at 2 am, it is performed at 4 am, 2 pm, or 4 pm.
[0017]
The time when the light emitting diode 9 is turned on to operate the position detection mechanism D is the time when the internal electronic timepiece A-2 is 12:00 as described above. And every 24 hours only at 12:00 pm. However, in order to further increase the accuracy, it may be performed every 12 hours, such as 12:00 pm and 12:00 pm, or may be set to be performed 8 times at each reference time.
[0018]
Even if the light emitting diode 9 is turned on at a reference time, for example, 12:00 pm, the light may not be detected by the reflective sensor 14 at this time, but at the next radio wave correction time (2 am). A time correction operation is performed, and the time indicated by the internal electronic timepiece A-2 and the time indicated by the hand B are correctly corrected. Then, when the next reference time is reached and light can be detected by the reflective sensor 14, a coincidence determination is made. This is because there is no problem because the pointer B points to the correct time. However, when the discrepancy determination is repeated again at the next reference time, the deviation of the pointer B has occurred to the extent that it cannot be corrected even if the time adjustment operation is performed at the radio wave correction time. Even if it is corrected, it is a case where a mismatch or the like has been determined again immediately after the correction, and such a case usually occurs when the power supply voltage of the battery is lowered and the motor feed error continues, A warning is issued as described above. Or change the hand movement of the watch to intermittent hand movement and stop the hand movement. The user recognizes this, replaces the battery, and sets the pointer B to the correct time.
[0019]
In the above example, the position detection mechanism D is configured to be detected using the through holes provided in the gears constituting the train wheel C. However, the present invention is not limited to this. You may provide the mechanism which can determine whether it exists in a predetermined position, and a deviation detection mechanism. In this case, the detection time is not limited to the reference time, and the detection time can be set at an arbitrary time.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in addition to the time correction operation using the regular radio wave, it is determined whether or not the time of the internal electronic timepiece matches the time indicated by the hands, and the result of this determination is inconsistent. Since it is configured to issue a warning at this time, it is possible to prevent the user from misrecognizing the time by continuing to display the incorrect time for a long time without a mismatch. Since the mismatch is mostly caused by a drop in battery voltage, if the user recognizes this warning, the user may replace the battery, and the timing of battery replacement is not missed. By increasing the frequency of determining the mismatch, the time display accuracy can be extremely easily increased.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a developed sectional view of the train wheel of the timepiece according to the invention.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the timepiece according to the invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
A-1 Determination means (control unit)
A-2 Internal electronic clock B Pointer L Warning means (warning light)

Claims (4)

In an analog radio wave correction timepiece that receives a time code signal at a specific time of an internal electronic timepiece and performs a time adjustment operation for correcting the time of the internal electronic timepiece and the time indicated by the pointer based on the time code signal.
A determination means for determining whether or not the time of the internal electronic timepiece and the time pointed to by the hands coincide after a predetermined time after the time correction operation;
An analog radio wave correction timepiece comprising a warning means for issuing a warning when the determination means detects a mismatch. 2. The analog radio-controlled timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the warning means issues a warning when the determination means detects the mismatch a plurality of times. 3. The analog radio-controlled timepiece according to claim 2, wherein the number of times that the mismatch is detected is a cumulative number or a continuous number. 3. The analog radio wave correction timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the warning means emits light from a light emitter or intermittently moves or stops the pointer.

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