US3745760A - Electronic switch for timepieces - Google Patents

Electronic switch for timepieces Download PDF

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Publication number
US3745760A
US3745760A US00216684A US3745760DA US3745760A US 3745760 A US3745760 A US 3745760A US 00216684 A US00216684 A US 00216684A US 3745760D A US3745760D A US 3745760DA US 3745760 A US3745760 A US 3745760A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
oscillator
battery
circuit
transistor
pulses
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
US00216684A
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English (en)
Inventor
E Keeler
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.)
Timex Group USA Inc
Original Assignee
Timex Corp
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 Timex Corp filed Critical Timex Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3745760A publication Critical patent/US3745760A/en
Assigned to CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A., THE reassignment CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A., THE SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: FREDERIKSPLEIN HOLDING 1970 B.V., TIMEX CLOCK COMPANY, A DE CORP., TIMEX COMPUTERS LTD., A DE CORP., TIMEX CORPORATION, A DE CORP., TIMEX ENTERPRISES, INC., A BERMUDA CORP., TIMEX GROUP LTD., A BERMUDA CORP., TIMEX MEDICAL PRODUCTS LTD., A BERMUDA CORP., TIMEX N.V.
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
    • G04G19/00—Electric power supply circuits specially adapted for use in electronic time-pieces
    • G04G19/12—Arrangements for reducing power consumption during storage
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S1/00—Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmitters; Receivers co-operating therewith
    • G01S1/72—Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmitters; Receivers co-operating therewith using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves

Definitions

  • the switch includes a transistor connected between the oscillator divider and power supply and a delay circuit coupled across the output from the oscillator-divider andcontrolling the aforesaid transistor. When the balance wheel is held off normal, the delay circuit opens the series switch transistor after a predetermined time interval to minimize battery drain.
  • a shunt mode of operation is provided wherein theoutput driver transistor is controlled by a second transistor from the delay circuit.
  • a third transistor in the oscillator input is similarly controlled by the delay circuit.
  • the present invention relates to battery operated timepieces such as quartz watches and particularly to a means for preventing the battery from running down during storage.
  • the present invention relates to an electronic switch for watches wherein the power supply or battery is prevented from running down during storage.
  • the switch would include a delay circuit which senses the motion of the mechanical oscillator and opens a series switch transistor between the battery and the oscillatordivider circuit after a predetermined time interval.
  • the delay circuit is reset to zero by each output drive pulse which occurs twice per balance wheel cycle. If the balance wheel is held off normal, however, for a period which exceeds a worst case synchronization interval, the delay circuit completes its predetermined timing cycle and opens the switch transistor turning ofi' the oscillator-divider.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved electronic switch to disconnect the battery of a quartz watch to prolong the life thereof.
  • a further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved switch arrangement which senses the motion of a mechanical oscillator, such as a balance wheel, and disconnects the battery when no motion is sensed for a predetermined time interval.
  • FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the invention including a series switch transistor
  • FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the invention comprising a shunt switch mode of operation.
  • the invention comprises an electronic switch for a watch, particularly of the type disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,699,762 mentioned above.
  • the watch includes an oscillatobdivider circuit 10 which counts down pulses from a high frequency quartz oscillator and supplies output pulses to the gate 12 of an output driver transistor 1 l.
  • the pulses are used to synchronize a balance wheel motor 50 by feeding pulses to drive coil 17 during the contact closed interval of contact 16.
  • the contact 16 is connected in series with the source 14 and drain l3 circuit of transistor 11 and is intermittently closed by the oscillating balance wh'eel (not shown).
  • a delay circuit is connected between the source 13 of the output driver transistor 11 and the gate 20 of a series switch transistor 19.
  • the source 21 and drain 22 circuit of the transistor 19 is in series with the power supply to the oscillator-divider circuit 10.
  • the present invention functions to eliminate drain on the battery during storage by sensing the motion of the balance wheel and disconnecting the battery from the oscillator-divider circuit 10 under predetermined conditions.
  • the contact 16 is held open.
  • the delay circuit 18 is normally reset to zero each time a positive pulse appears at the drain 13 of transistor 11 but, in this instance, the delay circuit 18 completes its timing cycle of approximately five seconds and opens transistor 19. The battery is, therefore, effectively removed from the circuit.
  • the delay circuit will start its timing function.
  • the delay circuit 18, which normally senses balance wheel motion and is reset when a positive voltage appears at the drain I3 twice per balance wheel cycle, cannot sense motion if transistor 11 is already on.
  • the balance wheel resynchronizes to the drive frequency, the positive voltage appears and the delay circuit 18 is reset.
  • a time interval of approximately five seconds is selected for the delay circuit 18 since this is generally longer than that needed for the watch to resynchronize in the worst case.
  • the series switch transistor 19 opens and turns off the oscillator-divider circuit 10. This would occur only as a matter of intent, for example, when it is desired to store the watch.
  • the balance wheel would then be held ofi' normal in a conventional manner initiating the timing cycle.
  • the contact 16 closes, resetting the delay circuit, and closing the switch transistor 19 which in turn starts the oscillator.
  • FIG. 2 depicts a second embodiment of the invention comprising a shunt switch mode of operation.
  • the oscillator 29 including a quartz crystal 28, and divider 30, are part of a watch similar to that described above, as well as output driver transistor 31, contact 36 and coil 37.
  • a pair of transistors 45 and 39 are provided in the output of the delay circuit 38.
  • the transistor 45 is connected with its source 48 and drain 47 across transistor 31 and its gate 46 coupled to the delay circuit 38.
  • the transistor 39 is connected across the input of the oscillator 29 with its gate 40 connected to the delay circuit 38.
  • Transistor 45 is provided to turn off transistor 31 when the delay circuit 38 completes a timing cycle.
  • Transistor 39 is similarly turned on by the delay circuit at the end of a timing cycle halting the oscillator 29. The power supply is thus removed from the circuit to prevent battery drain and with the oscillator stopped the battery drain approaches zero because of the low static power requirements of the CMOS counter stages.
  • a battery-operated timepiece having an oscillator-divider circuit providing pulses to a driver to synchronize an electromechanical motor, the combination comprising:
  • the delay circuit comprises a circuit which is reset by pulses from the driver to the electromechanical motor but, if no pulses are received for a predetermined time interval, the circuit opens the switch means to prevent batterydrain.
  • a timepiece according to claim 1 wherein:
  • the switch means comprises a transistor connected in series between the battery and the oscillatordivider circuit and having its input connected to the delay circuit.
  • the electromechanical motor includes a balance wheel oscillator.
  • a battery operated timepiece having a high frequency oscillator circuit and a multiplicity of frequency divider stages providing pulses to an output driver stage to synchronize an electromechanical oscillator in series therewith, the combination comprising:
  • first transistor means in the input to the oscillator a delay circuit connected to the first transistor means to prevent oscillations of the high frequency oscillator when the electromechanical oscillator is stopped for a predetermined time interval by cutting off the first transistor means and, second transistor means in the output of the driver to prevent the driver from being in the conducting 5 state at the same time, said second transistor means being connected to the output of the delay circuit and operated thereby.
  • the delay circuit comprises a circuit which is intermittently reset by drive pulses to the electromechanical oscillator but if the pulses are stopped for a predetermined interval, said circuit completes its timing cycle to stop the high frequency oscillator by opening the second driver transistor in the oscillator input.
  • the oscillator and divider circuits include semiconductor components of the CMOS type so that the current drain from the battery is limited to the quiescent requirements of the CMOS circuitry when the electromechanical oscillator is stopped.
  • a battery-powered quartz watch having an oscillator-divider circuit and an output driver transistor to provide synchronizing pulses through an intermittent contact to a balance wheel
  • the combination comprisa series switch transistor having its source-drain circuit between the battery and the oscillator-divider circuit
  • a delay circuit connected between the output driver transistor and the gate of the series switch transistor to sense the motion of the balance wheel and disconnect the battery if the balance wheel is stopped for a predetermined time interval in order counted indicating that the electro-mechanical oscillator has been stopped with the contact open, said counting means being normally reset by each pulse through the intermittently closed contact.
  • a timepiece according to claim ll wherein:
  • the delay circuit comprises a circuit which is reset by the drive pulses to the electromechanical oscillator but, if the pulses are stopped for a predetermined time the circuit opens the battery connection to prevent battery drain.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
US00216684A 1972-01-10 1972-01-10 Electronic switch for timepieces Expired - Lifetime US3745760A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US21668472A 1972-01-10 1972-01-10

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3745760A true US3745760A (en) 1973-07-17

Family

ID=22808082

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00216684A Expired - Lifetime US3745760A (en) 1972-01-10 1972-01-10 Electronic switch for timepieces

Country Status (12)

Country Link
US (1) US3745760A (xx)
JP (1) JPS5223749B2 (xx)
AU (1) AU464584B2 (xx)
BE (1) BE793821A (xx)
CA (1) CA993091A (xx)
CH (2) CH556053A (xx)
DE (1) DE2300357A1 (xx)
FR (1) FR2167916B1 (xx)
GB (1) GB1394482A (xx)
IT (1) IT976805B (xx)
NL (1) NL7300296A (xx)
SE (1) SE402029B (xx)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3828278A (en) * 1973-07-13 1974-08-06 Motorola Inc Control circuit for disabling mos oscillator
US3921386A (en) * 1973-02-24 1975-11-25 Itt Circuit for synchronizing watches driven by a coil-magnet system
US4177632A (en) * 1976-07-16 1979-12-11 Ebauches Electroniques S.A. Electronic watch
FR2540646A1 (fr) * 1983-02-09 1984-08-10 Diehl Gmbh & Co Horloge electronique fonctionnant sur le secteur, notamment horloge a contacts a reserve de marche
US4633779A (en) * 1984-06-29 1987-01-06 Motorola, Inc. Timing apparatus for a fuse
US20170060096A1 (en) * 2015-08-28 2017-03-02 Seiko Instruments Inc. Electronic timepiece

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS572487U (xx) * 1980-06-04 1982-01-07
SG11201901985XA (en) 2016-11-28 2019-04-29 Shiseido Co Ltd Keratin fiber treatment composition

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3921386A (en) * 1973-02-24 1975-11-25 Itt Circuit for synchronizing watches driven by a coil-magnet system
US3828278A (en) * 1973-07-13 1974-08-06 Motorola Inc Control circuit for disabling mos oscillator
US4177632A (en) * 1976-07-16 1979-12-11 Ebauches Electroniques S.A. Electronic watch
FR2540646A1 (fr) * 1983-02-09 1984-08-10 Diehl Gmbh & Co Horloge electronique fonctionnant sur le secteur, notamment horloge a contacts a reserve de marche
US4633779A (en) * 1984-06-29 1987-01-06 Motorola, Inc. Timing apparatus for a fuse
US20170060096A1 (en) * 2015-08-28 2017-03-02 Seiko Instruments Inc. Electronic timepiece
US10203664B2 (en) * 2015-08-28 2019-02-12 Seiko Instruments Inc. Electronic timepiece

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2167916B1 (xx) 1976-04-09
AU5095973A (en) 1974-07-11
AU464584B2 (en) 1975-08-28
CH29773A4 (xx) 1974-05-31
IT976805B (it) 1974-09-10
CA993091A (en) 1976-07-13
GB1394482A (en) 1975-05-14
JPS4881567A (xx) 1973-10-31
SE402029B (sv) 1978-06-12
DE2300357A1 (de) 1973-07-19
CH556053A (xx) 1974-11-15
NL7300296A (xx) 1973-07-12
FR2167916A1 (xx) 1973-08-24
JPS5223749B2 (xx) 1977-06-27
BE793821A (fr) 1973-05-02

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A., THE

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:TIMEX CORPORATION, A DE CORP.;TIMEX COMPUTERS LTD., A DE CORP.;TIMEX CLOCK COMPANY, A DE CORP.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:004181/0596

Effective date: 19830331