US3768247A - Control switches to watch having a digital display - Google Patents

Control switches to watch having a digital display Download PDF

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Publication number
US3768247A
US3768247A US00222580A US3768247DA US3768247A US 3768247 A US3768247 A US 3768247A US 00222580 A US00222580 A US 00222580A US 3768247D A US3768247D A US 3768247DA US 3768247 A US3768247 A US 3768247A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
push
switch means
watch
counter
inverter
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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
US00222580A
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English (en)
Inventor
K Fujita
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.)
Suwa Seikosha KK
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Suwa Seikosha KK
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Filing date
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Application filed by Suwa Seikosha KK filed Critical Suwa Seikosha KK
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Publication of US3768247A publication Critical patent/US3768247A/en
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    • 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
    • G04C3/001—Electromechanical switches for setting or display
    • G04C3/005—Multiple switches
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
    • G04G3/00—Producing timing pulses
    • G04G3/02—Circuits for deriving low frequency timing pulses from pulses of higher frequency
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
    • G04G5/00—Setting, i.e. correcting or changing, the time-indication
    • G04G5/04—Setting, i.e. correcting or changing, the time-indication by setting each of the displayed values, e.g. date, hour, independently
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
    • G04G9/00—Visual time or date indication means
    • G04G9/0023—Visual time or date indication means by light valves in general
    • G04G9/0029—Details
    • G04G9/0047—Details electrical, e.g. selection or application of the operating voltage

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A watch wherein the high frequency signal produced by a quartz crystal oscillator is applied to a counter and decoder which produces driving signals for application to a digital display such as light emitting diodes, a liquid crystal display, or a plasma display.
  • Functional push-button switches are provided for adjusting time, and for resetting the counter.
  • the switches are preferably positioned on the upper or front side of the case and electronic or mechanical means are provided for locking said switches.
  • Adjusting devices for conventional mechanical or electronic watches are generally provided on the side of the case. When so positioned, there :is a lack of correspondence between the position of the control devices and the particular digits of the display so that adjustment of time is difficult. Further, the adjusting devices of the above-described types of watches are generally push-button type switches which are subject to accidental operation during normal wear.
  • a watch having a digital display, a quartz crystal oscillator for producing a high frequency signal, and a counter and decoder circuit for producing low frequency timing signals from said high frequency signal for driving said digital display is provided.
  • Push-button switch means are connected to said counter and decoder circuits for adjusting time, and for resetting, the counter means. Said switchs may be positioned on the upper or front side of the case.
  • Said switch means may include separate switch means for adjusting the hour, the tens digit of the minute, and the units digit of the minute, which switches would be arranged on said upper or front side of the watch case in the same order as said digits of the digital display.
  • Said switch means may be make switches which are off duringnormal operation and are on when adjusting time or resetting the circuit.
  • Sa id switch means may interconnect a source of voltage and the drain electrode ofa saturated P or N channel MOS transistor, the source electrode of said transistor being connected to ground, the gate electrode of said transistor being biased to turn said transistor on.
  • Inverter circuit means may be connected to said transistor drain electrode to detect the signal at said transistor drain electrode dependent on the state of said switch means.
  • Still another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement whereby the careless actuation of adjusting switches will not result in unintentional adjustment.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a watch incorporating counter and'driving circuitry integrated to the maximum extent.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wrist watch having a digital display in accordance with the invention
  • FIGS. 2a and 2b are fragmentary sectional views depicting the mechanical locking arrangement according to the invention for the adjusting switches of an electronic watch incorporating a digital display;
  • FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of an electronic device for locking adjusting switches in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a watch according to the invention.
  • FIG. 5a is a circuit diagram of a resettable flip-flop having time adjusting circuits in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 5b is a block and circuit diagram of an inverter circuit in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram depicting an alternate embodiment of a portion of the circuit of FIG. 5a.
  • the wrist watch in accordance with the invention depicted consists of a band 1 secured to a watch case 2 having a digital display panel 3 mounted on a front, upper face thereof. Also mounted on said front upper face are three push-button switches 4 for adjusting time, a push-button switch 5 for system resetting and a push-button switch 6 for starting and stopping the watch. Also provided is a locking device 7 mounted on the side of the watch casev The three time adjusting switches 4 are adapted, so that the left-most switch as viewed in FIG.
  • the middle switch adjusts the tens digit of the minute display while the right-most of the push-buttons 4 adjust the units digit of the minute display. Since the alignment of the switches corresponds to the alignment of the digits on display 3, time adjustment can be readily achieved.
  • FIGS. 2a and 217 A mechanical locking arrangement for push-button switches 4, 5 and 6 is depicted in FIGS. 2a and 217.
  • each of the push-buttons of switches 4, 5 and 6 is normally biased in the upper or open posi tion.
  • the spring contact 10 is out of engagement with the fixed contact 11.
  • the mechanical locking device 7 includes a plurality of disc-shaped stoppers 8 mounted in spaced relation on the locking shaft 7, said locking shaft being axially displaceable in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 212.
  • each of the stoppers 8 is aligned with one of the push-buttons of switches 4, 5 and 6, so as to prevent the displacement of said push-button. In this position, accidental operation of the push-buttons is impossible.
  • said push-buttons may operate in the normal manner.
  • Individual locking devices may be provided for each push-button,'-as by providing a push-button which is rotatably mounted,
  • FIG. 3 An electronic locking arrangement according to the invention is depicted in FIG. 3, wherein a locking switch 7 is interposed between the battery and eachof the adjusting switches 4, Sand 6. if the locking switch 7 is in the off position, the remaining switches are inoperative. In such a state, the operation of switches 4, 5
  • FIG. 4 a block diagram of the watch in accordance with the invention is depicted.
  • a quartz crystal oscillator a generates a time standard signal of high frequency which is applied to a divider circuit b adapted to produce a l-minute' signal.
  • the l-minute signal from divider b is applied'to 1/l0 l-hoursignal is applied to a 1/24 divider-e.
  • the 10- minute signal is applied by 1/6 divider d to decoder d to produce the driving signals for the tens digit of the minute display while the l-hour signal is applied by the H24 divider e to a decoder e for driving the hour display.
  • Each of decoders c, d and e may include buffer amplifiers.
  • Switches 4a, 4b and 4c are time adjusting switches for the respective adjustment of the'hour, the tens digit of the minute display and the units digit of the minute display.
  • Switch 5 is a system resetting switch which resets all of the circuits.
  • Start-stop switch 6 is provided for resetting onlydivider b. All of the switches are off in the normal operation of the watch, the gate voltage of the controlling inverters in each divider circuit being supplied by resistors R,, R R R and R If timeis to be adjusted, or if the circuits are to be reset, locking switch 7 is first closed, and then the particular one of switches 4, 5 and 6 is pushed. I
  • FIG. 5a depicts-the details of the circuitry of one divider stage formed from a resettable flip-flop and the input circuitry thereof.
  • FIG. 5b depicts the circuit diagram of an inverter-such as the inverters incorporated in the circuitry of FIG. 5a.
  • the circuits of FIGS. 5a and 5b are formed from COS/MOS transistors. During normal use, both time adjusting switch 4 and resetting switch 5 are off. At this state, transmission gate T, is on and transmission gate T is off. The input signals are therefore supplied to the'flip-flop through transmission gate T,.
  • inverter 1 The input gate of inverter 1 is connected to ground by resistor R5, and the common resetting line F is at a high state, so that all of the flip-flops are operated in the divider chain.
  • additional input signals are applied to the flipsflop by the repetitive turning of switch 4 on and off.
  • switch' 4 When switch' 4 is on, transmission gate T is off and T is on. In that case, the input signal is inversed by an inverter I and is applied through gate T to the flip-flop. Therefore, an
  • FIG. 6 An alternate arrangement to the circuit 'of FIG. 5A, which dispenses with the resistors such as resistor R is depicted in FIG. 6.
  • resistor R In place of resistor R a MOS transistor T replaces resistor R when switch 5 is turned off, the gate voltage of the inverter is set at ground since transistor T is on. The output of the inverter- R, is therefore high.
  • switch 5 When switch 5 is closed, the output of inverter 1 is at the ground voltage, since the gate voltage of the inverter is increased to a high voltage.
  • Transistor T is designed to have high impedance for reducing power consumption.
  • the arrangement according to the invention permits the simple and efficient control of time adjustment and resetting through the positioning andvorder of the switches.
  • the provision of the locking device increases the reliability of the'watch, while the forming of the switches as make switches, avoids the necessity of maintaining the switches in the on position.
  • digital display refers to light emitting diodes, liquid crystaldisplays, plasma displays, and other low power-consumption displays.
  • a watch comprising quartz crystal oscillator means for producing a high frequency time standard signal; counter and decoder means for producing timing signals from said high frequency time standard signal; display means for providing a digital display oftime in response to said timing signals; a watch case containing said quartz crystal oscillator means and counter and decoder means, and having said display means on aside thereof; push-button switch means for the separate adjustment of time and for resetting said counter means, said switch means being positioned on said watch case on the side thereof having said display means-thereon, mechanical locking means for selectively retaining said respective switch means in their inoperative states.
  • each of said switch means includes a push-button and means for biasing said push-button in said inoperative position, said switch means push-buttons being substantially aligned along an axis; said mechanical locking means including a shaft member longitudinally displaceable along said axis and a stopper member associated with each of said switch means push-buttons and mounted on said shaft member for registration with the associated pushbutton member at a first position of said shaft member and non-interference with said push-button at a second position of said shaft member, said shaft member projecting outside of said case for the manual manipulation thereof, said push-buttons being inoperative when said stopper members are in registration therewith.
  • a watch comprising quartz crystal oscillator means for producing a high frequency time standard signal; counter and decoder means for producing low frequency timing signals in response to said time standard signal; digital display means for the digital display of time in response to said timing signals; switch means including separate push buttons for adjusting time and resetting said counter means; and mechanical locking means operatively coupled to said switch means for selectively rendering said push buttons inoperative.
  • each of said switch means are operative when on, said electronic locking means including further switch means connected in series with each of said first-mentioned switch means for rendering said first mentioned switch means inoperative when said further switch means is open.
  • a watch as recited in claim 8 including a source of voltage, a ground, inverter means for control by one of said switch means and including an input, and a MOS transistor, said MOS transistor being connected with its source-drain path intermediate said inverter means input and said ground, said one of said switch means being connected intermediate said source of voltage and said input whereby the state of said inverter means is dependent on the stage of said one switch means.
  • a watch comprising a quartz crystal oscillator means for producinga high frequency time standard signal; counter and decoder means for producing timing signals in response to said time standard signal; digital display means for the digital display of time in response to said timing signals; push-button switch means operatively coupled to said counter and decoder means for adjusting time and for resetting said counter means; a source of voltage; a ground; inverter means for operatively coupled said switch means to said counter and decoder means and having an input; and a MOS transistor connected intermediate said ground and said inverter means input, one of said switch means being connected intermediate said inverter means input and said source of voltage, whereby the state of said inverter is responsive to the drain voltage of said MOS transistor.
  • a watch comprising quartz crystal oscillator means for producing a high frequency time standard signal; counter and decoder means for producing low frequency timing signals in response to said time standard signal; digital display means for the digital display of time in response to said timing signals; push-button switch means for adjusting time and resetting said counter means; and electrical locking means operatively coupled to said switch means for selectively rendering said switch means inoperative by the selective disabling of the circuits including said switch means.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
US00222580A 1971-02-06 1972-02-01 Control switches to watch having a digital display Expired - Lifetime US3768247A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP46004516 1971-02-06

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US (1) US3768247A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2205127B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2124470B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1342223A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (29)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3867619A (en) * 1972-06-24 1975-02-18 Tobishi Pharmaceutical Co Desk top electronic computer with digital clock
US3913312A (en) * 1972-12-25 1975-10-21 Suwa Seikosha Kk Solid state electronic timepiece
US3925978A (en) * 1972-07-31 1975-12-16 Suwa Seikosha Kk Time correcting arrangement for electronic wrist watches
US3974637A (en) * 1975-03-28 1976-08-17 Time Computer, Inc. Light emitting diode wristwatch with angular display
USD242774S (en) * 1975-04-03 1976-12-21 Ebauches S.A. Wrist watch
US4006587A (en) * 1975-01-10 1977-02-08 Ebauches Electroniques S.A. Wrist-watch with wristlet end secured to top of case
US4026101A (en) * 1975-05-27 1977-05-31 Hughes Aircraft Company Push button response of combination LCD/LED wristwatch
US4033108A (en) * 1976-03-02 1977-07-05 Bulova Watch Company, Inc. Automatic cut-off setting system for LED display in a solid-state watch
US4037402A (en) * 1974-03-29 1977-07-26 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-G.M.B.H. Circuit arrangement for a quartz controlled electrical clock
US4043111A (en) * 1974-10-18 1977-08-23 Hitachi, Ltd. Indicated time-correcting device of digital display timepiece
US4090353A (en) * 1975-01-10 1978-05-23 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Touch switch controlled time information correction with safety lock in an electronic wristwatch
US4141208A (en) * 1976-01-19 1979-02-27 Hughes Aircraft Company Digitally tuned timepiece
US4150537A (en) * 1975-03-11 1979-04-24 Citizen Watch Company Limited Electronic timepiece and method for testing operation of the same
USD261112S (en) 1979-04-17 1981-10-06 Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. Wrist watch
USD263376S (en) 1979-09-18 1982-03-16 Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha Combined wristwatch and calculator
USD264561S (en) 1978-12-14 1982-05-25 Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha Wristwatch
US4340945A (en) * 1979-03-09 1982-07-20 Vdo Adolf Schindling Ag Operating apparatus for an appliance of a motor vehicle
US4432652A (en) * 1980-02-20 1984-02-21 Sony Corporation Timer apparatus
US4444511A (en) * 1980-08-07 1984-04-24 Seiko Koki Kabushiki Kaisha Mode switching device in an electronic timepiece
USD288542S (en) 1983-11-09 1987-03-03 Tsuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd. Computerized multiple function bicycle meter
USD435460S (en) * 1999-10-08 2000-12-26 Motorola, Inc. Wristwatch/telephone
USD449008S1 (en) 2000-11-07 2001-10-09 Ivan Sargent Wrist watch
USD454075S1 (en) 2001-05-10 2002-03-05 Timex Group B.V. Casing for a watch
USD501836S1 (en) * 2002-11-15 2005-02-15 U.S. Electronics, Inc. Two-way radio wrist watch
USD523355S1 (en) * 2004-10-26 2006-06-20 Lorenzo Pozzan Watch
USD608224S1 (en) * 2009-04-24 2010-01-19 Swatch Ag (Swatch Sa) (Swatch Ltd.) Watch
USD666108S1 (en) * 2012-02-01 2012-08-28 Timex Group Usa, Inc. Watch case
USD781287S1 (en) * 2014-01-03 2017-03-14 Ali NAWAB Wearable computer
USD1048902S1 (en) * 2022-11-01 2024-10-29 Shenzhen Binli Watch Industry Co., Ltd. Electronic watch

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3576099A (en) * 1969-04-22 1971-04-27 Hamilton Watch Co Solid state timepiece having electro-optical time display
US3643418A (en) * 1969-05-29 1972-02-22 Vogel Paul Time-setting device for an electronic watch
US3672155A (en) * 1970-05-06 1972-06-27 Hamilton Watch Co Solid state watch

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3576099A (en) * 1969-04-22 1971-04-27 Hamilton Watch Co Solid state timepiece having electro-optical time display
US3643418A (en) * 1969-05-29 1972-02-22 Vogel Paul Time-setting device for an electronic watch
US3672155A (en) * 1970-05-06 1972-06-27 Hamilton Watch Co Solid state watch

Cited By (29)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3867619A (en) * 1972-06-24 1975-02-18 Tobishi Pharmaceutical Co Desk top electronic computer with digital clock
US3925978A (en) * 1972-07-31 1975-12-16 Suwa Seikosha Kk Time correcting arrangement for electronic wrist watches
US3913312A (en) * 1972-12-25 1975-10-21 Suwa Seikosha Kk Solid state electronic timepiece
US4037402A (en) * 1974-03-29 1977-07-26 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-G.M.B.H. Circuit arrangement for a quartz controlled electrical clock
US4043111A (en) * 1974-10-18 1977-08-23 Hitachi, Ltd. Indicated time-correcting device of digital display timepiece
US4090353A (en) * 1975-01-10 1978-05-23 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Touch switch controlled time information correction with safety lock in an electronic wristwatch
US4006587A (en) * 1975-01-10 1977-02-08 Ebauches Electroniques S.A. Wrist-watch with wristlet end secured to top of case
US4150537A (en) * 1975-03-11 1979-04-24 Citizen Watch Company Limited Electronic timepiece and method for testing operation of the same
US3974637A (en) * 1975-03-28 1976-08-17 Time Computer, Inc. Light emitting diode wristwatch with angular display
USD242774S (en) * 1975-04-03 1976-12-21 Ebauches S.A. Wrist watch
US4026101A (en) * 1975-05-27 1977-05-31 Hughes Aircraft Company Push button response of combination LCD/LED wristwatch
US4141208A (en) * 1976-01-19 1979-02-27 Hughes Aircraft Company Digitally tuned timepiece
US4033108A (en) * 1976-03-02 1977-07-05 Bulova Watch Company, Inc. Automatic cut-off setting system for LED display in a solid-state watch
USD264561S (en) 1978-12-14 1982-05-25 Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha Wristwatch
US4340945A (en) * 1979-03-09 1982-07-20 Vdo Adolf Schindling Ag Operating apparatus for an appliance of a motor vehicle
USD261112S (en) 1979-04-17 1981-10-06 Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. Wrist watch
USD263376S (en) 1979-09-18 1982-03-16 Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha Combined wristwatch and calculator
US4432652A (en) * 1980-02-20 1984-02-21 Sony Corporation Timer apparatus
US4444511A (en) * 1980-08-07 1984-04-24 Seiko Koki Kabushiki Kaisha Mode switching device in an electronic timepiece
USD288542S (en) 1983-11-09 1987-03-03 Tsuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd. Computerized multiple function bicycle meter
USD435460S (en) * 1999-10-08 2000-12-26 Motorola, Inc. Wristwatch/telephone
USD449008S1 (en) 2000-11-07 2001-10-09 Ivan Sargent Wrist watch
USD454075S1 (en) 2001-05-10 2002-03-05 Timex Group B.V. Casing for a watch
USD501836S1 (en) * 2002-11-15 2005-02-15 U.S. Electronics, Inc. Two-way radio wrist watch
USD523355S1 (en) * 2004-10-26 2006-06-20 Lorenzo Pozzan Watch
USD608224S1 (en) * 2009-04-24 2010-01-19 Swatch Ag (Swatch Sa) (Swatch Ltd.) Watch
USD666108S1 (en) * 2012-02-01 2012-08-28 Timex Group Usa, Inc. Watch case
USD781287S1 (en) * 2014-01-03 2017-03-14 Ali NAWAB Wearable computer
USD1048902S1 (en) * 2022-11-01 2024-10-29 Shenzhen Binli Watch Industry Co., Ltd. Electronic watch

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2124470B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1977-01-14
DE2205127B2 (de) 1976-09-16
GB1342223A (en) 1974-01-03
FR2124470A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-09-22
DE2205127A1 (de) 1972-08-24

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