JPS6329276Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the structure of an electronic timepiece having a detection block for detecting vibration force.

Conventionally, a watch that can be worn on the wrist and can detect the movement of the arm in a certain direction is used to count the number of arm swings during running and calculate the running pace. There has been a demand for an electronic watch that has the function of making a ticking sound at the time interval when the watch is shaken, but there is no small vibration detection device that can be inserted inside a wristwatch, so it has been difficult to realize the above function. I couldn't do it.

The purpose of this invention is to be able to be implemented inside a wristwatch.
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a watch with a built-in vibration detector capable of faithfully detecting arm movements during running.

The gist of the present invention to achieve the above object is to provide an electronic watch having a vibration force detection block composed of a piezoelectric element and a metal weight, in which the vibration force detection block is fixed to the side wall surface inside the watch case. It is characterized by

Next, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a vibration force detection block mounting portion in an electronic timepiece embodying the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a weight made of a metal with a large specific gravity. 2 and 3 are piezoelectric elements that generate a voltage output according to the amount of change in force, and the piezoelectric elements 2 and 3 have electrodes disposed on their upper and lower surfaces, and have a cylindrical shape. Reference numeral 4 denotes an electrode plate for exposing the electrodes disposed on the two stacked piezoelectric elements 2 and 3 to the outside.

The two piezoelectric elements 2 and 3 have the same polarity on their overlapping surfaces, and when pressure is applied to the piezoelectric elements 2 and 3, they generate the same potential toward the electrode plate 4. Reference numeral 5 denotes a base made of metal, and is provided with a protrusion for attaching the vibration force detection block to the watch case. 6 is two piezoelectric elements 2, 3,
This is a fixing screw for fixing the electrode plate 4 and the weight 1 to the base 5. The fixing screw 6 is provided with a recess 6a in the screw head as shown in the figure. 7 is an electrode plate, and 8 is an insulating ring made of an insulating material, which fixes the electrode plate 7 and is also connected to the screw head of the fixing screw 6.

A wire 9 is used to electrically connect the electrode plate 4 and the electrode plate 7, and is fixed to both the electrode plates 4 and 7 by soldering or the like. 7a and 6b are coil springs for making electrical connections, respectively. 10 is a metal sealing tube for preventing noise from the outside to the vibration force detection block, and the sealing tube 10 is
It is connected to the base 5.

Reference numeral 11 denotes an electrode substrate for extracting signals to the outside, and the electrode substrate 11 is made of a laminated ceramic substrate 11.
An electrode pattern 11b for extracting the signal from the electrode plate 7 and an electrode pattern 11c for extracting the signal from the fixing screw 6 are arranged on both sides of the laminated ceramic substrate 11a. 12 is a sealing frame for fixing the electrode substrate 11 and keeping the inside of the sealing tube 10 airtight. The above are the elements constituting the vibration force detection block. Reference numeral 13 denotes a watch case, and the watch case 13 has a hole 13a formed in the side wall of the watch case 13 in the 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock direction for inserting the base 5 of the vibration force detection block.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a screw for fixing the base 5 to the watch case 13, and a groove 14a for disposing a waterproof ring 15 is provided on the outer periphery of the screw 14. 16 is a clock circuit board; clock circuit board 1;
As is well known, circuitry necessary for time display and a circuit for inputting signals from the piezoelectric elements 2 and 3 are mounted on the piezoelectric element 6, as is well known.

17 is the electrode pattern 11 of the vibration force detection block.
b and a corresponding electrode on the clock circuit board 16, and 18 is an electrode spring for connecting the electrode pattern 11c of the vibration force detection block and the ground electrode on the clock circuit board 16. be.

The base 5 of the vibration force detection block is connected to the hole 1 provided in the side surface of the watch case 13 with a screw 14.
3a, and on the other hand, the base 5 has a
A weight 1, two piezoelectric elements 2 and 3, and an electrode plate 4 are pressed together with a fixing screw 6 in an overlapping state.

That is, the weight 1 compresses the piezoelectric elements 2 and 3 with the pressure of the tightening force P of the fixing screw 6, and is in a stable state.

Next, the operation of the electronic timepiece equipped with the vibration force detection block having the above structure will be explained. Suppose now that a vibration force ±P ₁ is applied to the watch case 13 in the direction of arrow A. This vibration force is applied to the weight 1 via the watch case 13, and the clamping force P on the piezoelectric elements 2 and 3 changes due to the vibration force ±P ₁ , and a voltage signal corresponding to the change in force is generated. Output.

It is well known that the voltage signals generated by the piezoelectric elements 2 and 3 are output between the electrode plate 4 and the fixing screw 6.

Note that it is structurally clear that no voltage signal is generated in the direction perpendicular to the vibration direction A. The voltage generated on the electrode plate 4 is transmitted to the electrode plate 7 via the wire 9, and output to the electrode pattern 11c of the electrode substrate 11 via the coil spring 7a.

In addition, the voltage generated at the fixing screw 6 is
The coil spring 6 housed in the recess 6a of the screw head of
The electrode pattern 11b of the electrode substrate 11 via b
is output to.

Therefore, the vibration force applied to the watch case 13 ±
The voltage signals from the piezoelectric elements 2 and 3 generated by P ₁ are applied to the electrode patterns 11c and 11 of the electrode substrate 11.
It is output to b.

The electrode pattern 11b is formed by a coil spring 17.
The electrode pattern 11c is electrically connected to the electrode pattern on the clock circuit board 16 via the ground electrode plate 18, so that the piezoelectric elements 2 and 3 The detected vibration signal is transmitted to a detection circuit.

The above is the operation of converting the vibration force ±P ₁ applied to the watch case 13 into an electrical signal and transmitting it to the watch circuit board 16. Water and dirt entering the watch worn on the wrist from the outside are prevented from entering the watch case 1 by the waterproof ring 15 provided in the groove 14a on the outer periphery of the screw 14.
3 from entering the interior.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, there are many signal wirings for displaying the time inside the watch case, and these signals may confuse the signals generated from the piezoelectric elements 2 and 3, or conversely. In order to prevent the timepiece circuit from malfunctioning due to piezoelectric detection signals, a sealing tube 10 is provided that covers the entire piezoelectric elements 2 and 3.

Generally, when a watch is worn on the wrist, it is worn parallel to the back of the hand, and during exercise such as running, the arm moves in a direction parallel to the back of the hand, so as in this invention, the vibration detection block is attached to the watch case. By attaching it perpendicularly to the internal side wall surface in the 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock direction, it becomes possible to faithfully detect the movement of the arm during exercise.

Also, a method of mounting the vibration detection block to the watch module is conceivable, but since there is a certain amount of movement between the module housed in the case and the case, vibrations caused by the rattling of the module will be detected as noise signals in addition to vibrations caused by arm movements, so the method of mounting it directly to the case as in this invention is superior. Also, in this embodiment, the protrusion of the vibration detection block is inserted into a hole in the side wall of the watch case and fixed with a screw 14, but this is not limited to this, and a recess may be formed in the side wall of the watch case and the protrusion of the vibration detection block may be press-fitted into the recess or may be inserted and glued.

As described above, according to the present invention, by devising the mounting position of the vibration detection block, it is possible to faithfully detect arm vibrations, thereby providing electronic watches with exercise measurement functions such as running meters and pedometers. This has a great effect on improving the product appeal of electronic watches.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of essential parts of an electronic timepiece showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1... Weight, 2, 3... Piezoelectric element, 13... Watch case.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] An electronic timepiece comprising a vibration force detection block having a piezoelectric element and a metal weight, and a circuit board having an electrode pattern and a circuit for inputting a detection signal generated at an electrode of the piezoelectric element of the vibration force detection block. The vibration force detection block is provided with a protrusion for mounting, and a hole or recess is formed in the side wall surface of the watch case constituting the electronic watch in the 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock direction, and the vibration force is detected in the hole or recess. An electronic timepiece structure characterized in that a protrusion of a detection block is inserted and fixed, and the electrode of the piezoelectric element and the electrode pattern on the circuit board are connected by a connecting member having spring properties.