JPH05126968A - Electronic time piece - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an electronic watch wherein a movement on the market cam be utilized and automatic assembly is easily done because of its flat form. CONSTITUTION: This watch comprises an electronic movement 10 provided with a battery 18. The battery 18 is charged with the use of a plurality of photocells 17 in itself. The battery 18 and the photocell 17 are attached to an annular member 14 enclosing the movement. A dial 11 is provided with a plurality of slits 19 which are assigned facing each of the photocells 17. The battery 18 may be also annular-shaped.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an analog display type electronic timepiece having an electronic movement. The electronic movement described above comprises a storage battery, a dial, and a plurality of photovoltaic cells capable of charging the storage battery.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art By using a storage battery in combination with a photovoltaic cell,
It is possible to produce watches with high power storage. In addition, the highly automated production of electronic timepiece movements with quartz oscillators and microminiature step motors nowadays makes it possible to produce watches at competitive prices using any movement on the market. It is possible. The above-mentioned movement comprises a battery housing, and at the bottom of the battery housing is arranged an elastic metal flat plate that forms an electrical connection between one pole of the battery and the electronic circuit of the movement. The other electrical connection is formed by the metal housing of the movement. In the prior art of the applicant's unpublished patent application, it was proposed to house the storage battery and the movement in an enclosure ring made of synthetic material. The storage battery and the movement are separated and superposed on each other by a film made of an insulating material. Also, timepieces whose base is formed as an integral part of the movement are known.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned prior art arrangements and the movements in the market, the present invention can be used for all types of movements and enables the production of extremely flat movements and timepieces. It is an object to provide a structural concept that further facilitates automatic assembly of components.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an electronic timepiece according to the present invention has a storage battery mounted on a ring member surrounding a movement, and the ring member is a photovoltaic cell arranged to face a dial. And carrying an electronic circuit member for connecting the photovoltaic cell to the storage battery, the dial having a notch facing the photovoltaic cell.

The ring member, together with its electronic circuit, photovoltaic cell, and accumulator, forms an annular module that surrounds the movement and is easily mounted. This annular module simultaneously acts as a surrounding ring for the movement. For movements made in one piece with the base, this movement is likewise enclosed in an annulus between the base and the dial.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the storage battery is itself ring-shaped and occupies most of the ring member. The capacity of such a storage battery is extremely large and the space it occupies substantially corresponds to the position of the ring member surrounding the movement.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The timepiece shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is made of a metal glass rim 1 and a glass 2 fixed to a notch of the glass rim 1.
And a base 9 fitted and fixed to the glass edge 1. The glass tab 1 is provided with two sets of projecting frames 3, 4 and 5, 6 for fixing the band. Glass edge 1
Has a support surface 7 below the notch. The inner support of the glass edge 1 consists solely of the cylindrical surface 8.

The timepiece according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, includes a movement 10 integrated with a metal base as is found in the market. The movement 10 has a dial 11 placed thereon, and the dial 11 contacts the supporting surface 7 of the glass edge 1 while forming a sufficient space for the hands 12 and 13. The movement 10 is surrounded by a ring member 14 made of synthetic material. The ring member 14 is a cylindrical frame that fits into the movement 10.
15 and a flange 16 that abuts the dial 11.

The flange 16 faces the dial 11 and has a plurality of rectangular grooves arranged on the periphery thereof, each rectangular groove accommodating a photovoltaic cell 17. An annular storage battery 18 is installed in the annular space between the cylindrical frame 15 and the flange 16. The dial 11 is provided with a plurality of rectangular cutouts 19 on the periphery thereof. Each notch 19 is arranged facing the photovoltaic cell 17, respectively. These notches 19 are preferably 4, 6, or 12 and can be provided at the position of the time display mark. The ring member 14 further carries a capacitor and a diode that form a charging circuit for the storage battery 18.

The electrical connection between the storage battery 18 and the movement 10 can be made on the one hand by the base 9 and on the other hand by the metal plate 20 inside the ring member 14. If desired, the dial 11 may be omitted to make the movement 10 visible and the time mark may be directly formed by the photovoltaic cell 17.

The second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 comprises the same glass flap 1. The base 21 is a simple metal base that is fitted and fixed to the glass tab 1. Movement 22
For example, any commercially available movement such as a 6 3/4 × 8 movement may be used. Such a movement comprises a battery receiver. A contact plate 23 is installed on the battery receiver. The contact plate 23 forms a connection with the base 21,
The movement 22 can be bent downward so as to project to the outside of the metal housing. The movement 22 has the same dial 11 as the dial of the first embodiment and is surrounded by the same ring member 14 as that of the first embodiment. The ring member 14 is also a contact flat plate.
Although provided with 20, the contact plate 20 is oriented in the other direction.

With the advent of lithium storage batteries, it is possible to reduce the volume of storage batteries with the same capacity. Therefore, it is possible to consider the use of a chip-shaped small storage battery. A third embodiment of the present invention using such a storage battery is partially shown in FIG. FIG. 4 shows only the ring member 24 made of synthetic material. The rigid ring member 24 includes a small-sized storage battery 25 having a chip shape. Except for this, the ring member 24 is similar to the ring member 14 of the other embodiments. The ring member 24 similarly carries the photovoltaic cell 17, and is provided with a housing for a capacitor and a diode that form a charging circuit for the storage battery 25. Similarly in this embodiment, the storage battery 25 vertically occupies the space located in the thickness portion of the movement, which makes it possible to manufacture an extremely flat timepiece.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a wrist watch to which three embodiments of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the second embodiment, in which the same glass edge as in the first embodiment is omitted.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a ring member surrounding a movement according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Glass edge 9, 21 ... Base 10, 22 ... Movement 11 ... Dial 14, 24 ... Ring member 17 ... Photocell 18, 25 ... Storage battery 19 ... Notch

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An analog display type electronic timepiece comprising an electronic movement (10; 22) comprising a storage battery, a dial (11) and a photocell (17) for ensuring charging of the storage battery. 18; 25) is attached to a ring member (14; 24) that surrounds the movement, the ring member including the photovoltaic cell arranged to face the dial and an electronic circuit member that connects the photovoltaic cell to the storage battery. An electronic timepiece carrying, and the dial comprising a notch (19) facing the photovoltaic cell. 2. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the ring member (14; 24) forms an encircling ring of the movement. 3. An electronic timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the storage battery (18) has a ring shape and surrounds the movement. 4. A notch (19) in the dial and the photocell (17) visible through the notch form a time mark on the dial.
Electronic watch described in one. 5. The ring member (14) is a member made of a plastic material having a cylindrical frame (15) and a flange (16), and the flange has a housing portion for housing the photovoltaic cell (17). Item 3. The electronic watch according to item 3.