US3790827A - Piezo-electric control device for clock work and the like timing systems - Google Patents

Piezo-electric control device for clock work and the like timing systems Download PDF

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Publication number
US3790827A
US3790827A US00199890A US3790827DA US3790827A US 3790827 A US3790827 A US 3790827A US 00199890 A US00199890 A US 00199890A US 3790827D A US3790827D A US 3790827DA US 3790827 A US3790827 A US 3790827A
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United States
Prior art keywords
rod
piezo
electric
electrodes
secured
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00199890A
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English (en)
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L Brunet
P Corroyer
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Individual
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Individual
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Priority claimed from FR7136861A external-priority patent/FR2155156A6/fr
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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
    • G04C3/08—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a mechanical oscillator other than a pendulum or balance, e.g. by a tuning fork, e.g. electrostatically
    • G04C3/12—Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means wherein movement is regulated by a mechanical oscillator other than a pendulum or balance, e.g. by a tuning fork, e.g. electrostatically driven by piezoelectric means; driven by magneto-strictive means

Definitions

  • Electrodes are applied to the 3] Field of s r -3, piezoelectric rod, to transmit a voltage variation cor- 53/23 6, 118 responding to the oscillating frequency of the vibrating rod to an electronic maintenance oscillator acting ⁇ 56] References Cited on a known device for maintaining vibration of the UNITED STATES PATENTS rod.
  • the resulting device is highly accurate and, be- 3 457 463 7/1969 Balamuth .Q 310/82 x caulse is no vibration transmitted to the wawh 3:336:529 8/1967 Tygart 310/82 x Casmg and Wrist band, t timing m h m is in m 2,875,353 2/1959 Cavalieri, Jr. et a1. 3l0/8.2 not affected y variable cnergytransferred from the 2,561,763 7/1951 Waters 310/82 X environment, which would affect the isochronism of 1,866,267 7/1932 Nicolson 310/82 X the vibrating rod.
  • FIG. 3 15 1 INVENTORS LOUIS CvQ. BRUNEI ?
  • the present invention relates to a control device for clockwork and the like timing systems and has for its general object a piezo-electric control device adapted to be associated more particularly with clockwork and enabling to stabilize an electronic clockwork assembly adapted to be mounted in small size time counting devices, such as watches.
  • the device has a vibrating rod or reed which constitutes an excellent time base
  • the high precision characteristics of this device are used in accordance with the invention to control an electronic oscillator, more particularly a watch electronic oscillator, thus ensuring that the device has a very small frequency variation, in all cases smaller than twice, during a 24 period, the resonant frequency of the vibrating reed.
  • the vibrating reed and its support form a dynamic system with two freedoms of movement. It is known that, when the vibration of the reed is maintained, thesupport transmits the vibration energy to the watch-mounting plate and by conduction to the watch casing and, eventually, to the watch band orbraclet.
  • the assembly of the watch casing and support can start to vibrate in synchronism or in opposite phase with the reed vibration.
  • This mode of operation is therefore highly uncertain. It is affected by variable energy transfers directly depending on the conditions of the casing environment and producing a variation in the fitting characteristics of the reed. Moreover, these forms of reaction disturb the isochronism of the standard vibrating reed.
  • the vibrating reed is, in accordance with the present invention, secured to a piezo-electric rod with interposition of a dielectric sleeve andthe piezo-electric rod is supported in a flexible and elastic member, preferably of plastic material, insuring vibratory damping.
  • the assembly of the piezo-electric rod and the vibration damping material is secured to the mounting plate of a watch or the like and serves to anchor the vibrating rod or reed.'The latter can thus freely oscillate and the vibrations which the reed produces in the piezo-electric material become useful, because they are not transmitted to the mounting plate, as they are absorbed by the flexible elastic support.
  • the piezo-electric rod maintained in the elastic and flexible member and supporting the vibrating reed can have a cross-section in the form of a regular polygon having an even number of sides.
  • the two electrodes disposed on the lateral surface of the rod in accordance with substantially opposed generatrices to collect the electric tensions generated by the mechanical deformation of the rod under the action of the reed one can mount additional electrodes on the-same piezo-electric rod. It is obvious that the lateral faces of the piezo-electric rod receiving the electrodes adapted to collect the potential differences, will necessarily have a definite position with respect to the crystallographic axes of the rod.
  • the vibrating reed can have very small dimensions and may even be in the form of a simple mass.
  • FIG. 1 is a cross-section of the regulating or control device and showing the reed in side elevation;
  • FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a partial elevation of the piezo-electric rod
  • FIG. 4 is a top end view of the piezo-electric rod of FIG. 3;
  • FIG. 5 is a cross-section of a modified control device partially shown and mounted in a support
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-section of the piezoelectric rod of the device of FIG. 5;
  • FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the piezo-electric rod of FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 8 is a cross-section of a modified piezo-electric rod.
  • a vibrating reed 1 has a non-circular bore 2 at one, end for receiving the free end of a piezoelectric rod 5 with the interposition of a dielectric sleeve 6 to prevent short circuiting of the voltage generated by the mechanical deformations of the piezo electric rod under the constraint produced by the vibration of the reed.
  • the other end portion 8 of the rod 5 is inserted within, and retained, by a flexible, elastic dielectric block 9, or bushing, mounted within and secured to a support 12, said support being secured in turn by means of its holes 13 to, for example, the mounting plate of a watch. It is noted that the reed l is supported by the piezo-electric rod 5.
  • a pair of electrodes 14 and 15 respectively are secured to rod 5 in contact with opposed lateral faces thereof along longitudinal opposed generatrices at the end portion 8.
  • These electrodes are at least partially inserted within the vibration damping block 9 and are connected one to a wire 18 and the other to a wire 19, which serve to collect the voltage variation generated by the mechanical deformations of the rod 5, said mechanical deformations being produced by the constraint exerted on the rod by the vibrating reed 1.
  • the vibrating reed 1 is associated with a device, not shown, serving to maintain the autonomous vibration of the reed and is in turn capable, for example, by means of an escape or ratchet mechanism, not shown, of exerting a mechanical action on the organs of the watch movement.
  • the piezo-electric rod 5 it is preferred to make the piezo-electric rod 5 with a rectangular cross-section in order to obtain a better fixation of the rod within the bore 2 of reed 1 and within the vibration damping block 9.
  • this rectangular cross-section is not essential and can be replaced by any other cross-section, the respective rod receiving bores or cavities in the reed l and block 9 being correspondingly modified.
  • theshape of the block 9 and of the support 12 can be other than circular.
  • the piezo-electric rod 25 has its end 26 inserted within a bore of the vibrating reed 1 with the interposition of a dielectric sleeve 6.
  • the other end portion 28 of the rod 25 is retained in a flexible and elastic block or bushing 27, also made of dielectric material, and serving to dampen vibrations.
  • the end portion 28 of piezoelectric rod 25 has on its lateral faces and along opposed longitudinal generatrices four electrodes shown respectively at 29, 30, 31, and 32 (FIG. 6) which are at least partially inserted within the block 27. These electrodes are each connected to corresponding wires 35 and 36, 37 and 38, allowing to collect the voltages generated by the mechanical deformations of the rod, said deformations being produced by the constraint exerted by the vibrating reed 1.
  • the current collected by electrodes 29 and 32, by means of wires 35 and 38 can be used to control an oscillator of the type described in French Patent Application No. E 70:l 2t19ith IYYQQIRLQIWIIOQQQEQQ 3. cor.- responding to other circuits, for example to control or command circuits.
  • the.piezo-electric rod 25 of FIG. 6 is of regular polygonal cross-section with four sides.
  • the piezo-electric rod 40 can be provided with several electrodes, as shown in FIG. 8.
  • the piezo-electric rod 40 is of regular polygonal cross-section with at least six sides and in the example shown with eight sides with the faces corresponding to sides 48 and 49 serving, for example, for retaining the rod in the vibration damping block 27.
  • a rod of noncircular cross-section and made of piezo-electric material a vibrating reed fixed to one end of said piezoelectric rod and extending at substantially right angles thereto and with the interposition of a dielectric
  • a vibration damping block made of flexible, elastic and dielectric material, in which the other end of said rod is inserted and supported, a rigid support to which said block is secured, said support supporting the entire device and adapted to mount the latter on a mechanism using the device, and at least one pair of electrodes secured to opposite faces of said piezo-electric rod along longitudinal generatrices of said rod to collect current generated thereby, said electrodes being at least partially inserted within said vibration damping block.
  • said piezoelectric rod has a cross-section in the shape of a regular polygon with an even number of sides.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Oscillators With Electromechanical Resonators (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
  • Piezo-Electric Or Mechanical Vibrators, Or Delay Or Filter Circuits (AREA)
US00199890A 1971-09-27 1971-11-18 Piezo-electric control device for clock work and the like timing systems Expired - Lifetime US3790827A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR7136861A FR2155156A6 (de) 1970-04-27 1971-09-27

Publications (1)

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US3790827A true US3790827A (en) 1974-02-05

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US00199890A Expired - Lifetime US3790827A (en) 1971-09-27 1971-11-18 Piezo-electric control device for clock work and the like timing systems

Country Status (4)

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US (1) US3790827A (de)
JP (1) JPS4853768A (de)
CH (2) CH578758B5 (de)
GB (1) GB1377372A (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4305013A (en) * 1978-09-23 1981-12-08 Robert Bosch Gmbh Engine knock sensor using piezoelectric rod oscillator
US11428298B2 (en) * 2018-03-09 2022-08-30 Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse Device for rotating a toothed wheel

Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1693806A (en) * 1925-02-28 1928-12-04 Rca Corp Electromechanical system
US1866267A (en) * 1927-01-24 1932-07-05 Wired Radio Inc Production of oscillations from piezo electric crystals
US2105011A (en) * 1931-11-13 1938-01-11 Brush Dev Co Piezo-electric apparatus
US2364681A (en) * 1941-08-25 1944-12-12 Russell B Wright Pendulum support
US2561763A (en) * 1948-12-24 1951-07-24 Buffalo Electronics Corp Material flow indicator
US2578620A (en) * 1948-04-30 1951-12-11 Us Rubber Co Method of controlling thread tension
US2848672A (en) * 1955-07-26 1958-08-19 Harris Transducer Corp Self-excited transducer
US2875353A (en) * 1953-05-29 1959-02-24 Philco Corp Electromechanical reed system
US3336529A (en) * 1962-12-03 1967-08-15 Lockheed Aircraft Corp Vibrating reed frequency responsive device
US3457463A (en) * 1965-07-07 1969-07-22 Lewis Balamuth Method and apparatus for generating electric currents of small magnitude
US3644807A (en) * 1970-04-28 1972-02-22 Robertshaw Controls Co Frequency regulated inverter circuit for a synchronous motor
US3657874A (en) * 1970-03-12 1972-04-25 Suwa Seikosha Kk Electric timepiece

Patent Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1693806A (en) * 1925-02-28 1928-12-04 Rca Corp Electromechanical system
US1866267A (en) * 1927-01-24 1932-07-05 Wired Radio Inc Production of oscillations from piezo electric crystals
US2105011A (en) * 1931-11-13 1938-01-11 Brush Dev Co Piezo-electric apparatus
US2364681A (en) * 1941-08-25 1944-12-12 Russell B Wright Pendulum support
US2578620A (en) * 1948-04-30 1951-12-11 Us Rubber Co Method of controlling thread tension
US2561763A (en) * 1948-12-24 1951-07-24 Buffalo Electronics Corp Material flow indicator
US2875353A (en) * 1953-05-29 1959-02-24 Philco Corp Electromechanical reed system
US2848672A (en) * 1955-07-26 1958-08-19 Harris Transducer Corp Self-excited transducer
US3336529A (en) * 1962-12-03 1967-08-15 Lockheed Aircraft Corp Vibrating reed frequency responsive device
US3457463A (en) * 1965-07-07 1969-07-22 Lewis Balamuth Method and apparatus for generating electric currents of small magnitude
US3657874A (en) * 1970-03-12 1972-04-25 Suwa Seikosha Kk Electric timepiece
US3644807A (en) * 1970-04-28 1972-02-22 Robertshaw Controls Co Frequency regulated inverter circuit for a synchronous motor

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4305013A (en) * 1978-09-23 1981-12-08 Robert Bosch Gmbh Engine knock sensor using piezoelectric rod oscillator
US11428298B2 (en) * 2018-03-09 2022-08-30 Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse Device for rotating a toothed wheel

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS4853768A (de) 1973-07-28
CH1553471A4 (de) 1975-12-31
GB1377372A (en) 1974-12-11
CH578758B5 (de) 1976-08-13

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