US3740941A - Timepiece comprising a nuclear power source - Google Patents

Timepiece comprising a nuclear power source Download PDF

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Publication number
US3740941A
US3740941A US00113250A US3740941DA US3740941A US 3740941 A US3740941 A US 3740941A US 00113250 A US00113250 A US 00113250A US 3740941D A US3740941D A US 3740941DA US 3740941 A US3740941 A US 3740941A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
cover
protecting plate
timepiece
calotte
aperture
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00113250A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
K Adler
G Ducommun
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Biviator AG
Original Assignee
Biviator AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Biviator AG filed Critical Biviator AG
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3740941A publication Critical patent/US3740941A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C10/00—Arrangements of electric power supplies in time pieces
    • G04C10/02—Arrangements of electric power supplies in time pieces the power supply being a radioactive or photovoltaic source
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C3/00—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means
    • G04C3/008—Mounting, assembling of components

Definitions

  • Electric or electrically powered timepieces such as watches, comprise a separate battery that is removably positioned within the watch case to enable replacement thereof when the battery power finally is dissipated.
  • the battery life is approximately one year, more or less, and must be replaced by an expert.
  • the battery will have to be replaced a number of times and, on such occasions, the timepiece must be taken to a watch expert to effect such replacement.
  • the case for the timepiece must be somewhat larger than desirable because the battery is a separate item.
  • a radioactive or nuclear isotropic power source may be provided as a battery for providing the power for driving an electric watch, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,613, but the nuclear power source must be included within a vacuum sealed case having a closure to enable the evacuation of the interior and a protecting plate protecting such closure from damage and the loss of vacuum with attendant possible escape of radiation and this enclosing structure is space consuming and, although such power source will normally last the life of the timepiece, as a separate battery it does not reduce the space requirements.
  • a protecting plate is fixed to the calotte wall in spaced relation to the cover to mechanically protect the cover and closure. To reduce space requirements, at least part of the timepiece movement mechanism is disposed between the cover and protecting plate.
  • a drive shaft may extend through an opening inthe protecting plate without danger of the escape of radiation.
  • FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a nuclear isotopic battery of conventional design
  • FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional views of two embodiments of this invention on an enlarged scale.
  • a nuclear isotopic battery or source 3 which may be of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,6l3. This battery allows direct conversion of radioactive radiation into electric energy.
  • the battery comprises a sealed screening capsule avoiding any dangerous radioactive radiation outside the capsule.
  • the envelope of the battery shown in FIG. 1 is formed by a calotte l sealed by a cover 2 pressed or soldered onto the calotte l.
  • the active elements of the battery, 3 not shown in detail, are accommodated in the hollow space left in the calotte.
  • a bead 4 of glass or crystal formed after evacuation of the envelope seals the aperture of the envelope.
  • a protecting plate 5 disposed above bead 4 is fixed on a shoulder of the wall of calotte 1. This protecting plate 5 protects the head 4 which is highly sensitive.
  • the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 is a watch comprising a case of which the middle part 6 and the back 7 are shown.
  • the back 7 has the shape of a calotte and corresponds to part 1 of the battery shown in FIG. 1.
  • Elements 2, 3, 4 and 5 correspond to the elements designated with the same reference numerals in FIG. 1.
  • the calotte-shaped back 7 is fixed by a snap joint on the middle portion 6. 1
  • a part of the watch mechanism is accommodated between cover 2 and protecting plate 5.
  • a few wheels such as 8 and 9 are shown, such wheels being driven by a motor 26 not shown in detail, energized by the nuclear source 3.
  • a plate 10 of the watch mechanism has an aperture 11 through which the bead 4 projects upwardly.
  • Plate 10 is mounted on a shoulder of the back 7 and carries pillars 12 supporting a bridge 13, whereby pillars 12 extend through apertures of the protecting plate 5 and are anchored in back 7.
  • the last gear 14 of the mechanism disposed between cover 2 and protecting plate 5 has a shaft 15 extending with clearance through an aperture 16 of the protecting plate 5. Above the protecting plate 5 of this shaft 15 carries a pinion 17 driving other wheels of the watch mechanism such as wheel 18.
  • Auxiliary bridges such as 19 and 20 are provided wherein some wheels of the mechanism are pivoted.
  • the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 differs from the first embodiment of FIG. 2 by the use of a calotte-shaped back 7 having a higher wall than back 7, and in that the protecting plate 5' is disposed at a greater distance from cover 2.
  • the bridge 13 of the first embodiment (FIG. 2) is omitted and its function is taken over by the protecting plate 5'.
  • the whole watch mechanism is disposed between cover 2 and protecting plate 5.
  • FIG. 3 shows a number of wheels designated by 21 to 24 and an auxiliary bridge 25. This embodiment has the same advantages as the first embodiment described above, namely obtaining a watch of small thickness.
  • a timepiece comprising a casing including a calotte surrounded by a wall, a cover within said casing and sealed to said calotte to define a chamber therebetween, said cover having an aperture to enable evacuation of said chamber, a closure sealing said aperture to maintain a vacuum in said chamber, a nuclear isotopic power source within said vacuum chamber, a protecting plate fixed to said calotte wall in spaced relation to said cover and mechanically protecting said source and closure, a motor powered by said source,'and timepiece movement mechanism including gearwheels driven by said motor, said mechanism being at least partially disposed between said cover and said protecting plate.
  • a timepiece according to claim 1 wherein a part only of said mechanism is disposed between said cover and said protecting plate, the last wheel of said part of the mechanism having a shaft extending with clearance through an aperture of said protecting plate.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
  • Sealing Battery Cases Or Jackets (AREA)
US00113250A 1970-02-23 1971-02-08 Timepiece comprising a nuclear power source Expired - Lifetime US3740941A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH255270 1970-02-23

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3740941A true US3740941A (en) 1973-06-26

Family

ID=4236359

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00113250A Expired - Lifetime US3740941A (en) 1970-02-23 1971-02-08 Timepiece comprising a nuclear power source

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US3740941A (fr)
AT (1) AT313184B (fr)
BE (1) BE763249A (fr)
BR (1) BR7101148D0 (fr)
ES (1) ES194702Y (fr)
FR (1) FR2080695B1 (fr)
GB (1) GB1345776A (fr)
NL (1) NL7102218A (fr)
OA (1) OA03581A (fr)
ZA (1) ZA71782B (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2359443A1 (fr) * 1976-07-23 1978-02-17 Seikosha Kk Montres comprenant une platine intermediaire reliee au boitier superieur
US20090010107A1 (en) * 2005-01-18 2009-01-08 Nxp B.V. Tamper-resistant time reference and apparatus using same

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT237213Y1 (it) * 1995-10-12 2000-09-05 Scaccabarozzi Marco Orologio con meccanismo elettronico incluso in un elemento dischermatura

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2359443A1 (fr) * 1976-07-23 1978-02-17 Seikosha Kk Montres comprenant une platine intermediaire reliee au boitier superieur
US20090010107A1 (en) * 2005-01-18 2009-01-08 Nxp B.V. Tamper-resistant time reference and apparatus using same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2106285B2 (de) 1972-11-16
OA03581A (fr) 1971-03-30
BE763249A (fr) 1971-07-16
BR7101148D0 (pt) 1973-05-17
FR2080695B1 (fr) 1974-02-15
ES194702Y (es) 1975-06-01
ZA71782B (en) 1971-10-27
GB1345776A (en) 1974-02-06
AT313184B (de) 1974-02-11
FR2080695A1 (fr) 1971-11-19
DE2106285A1 (de) 1971-09-16
ES194702U (es) 1975-01-01
NL7102218A (fr) 1971-08-25

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