US3805511A - Electric timepiece assembly - Google Patents

Electric timepiece assembly Download PDF

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Publication number
US3805511A
US3805511A US00326163A US32616373A US3805511A US 3805511 A US3805511 A US 3805511A US 00326163 A US00326163 A US 00326163A US 32616373 A US32616373 A US 32616373A US 3805511 A US3805511 A US 3805511A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
armature
spring
movement
timepiece assembly
coupling
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
US00326163A
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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 US3805511A publication Critical patent/US3805511A/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
    • 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

Definitions

  • the present, invention relates to an electric clock having a flat spring which acts on a stepping gear and is oscillated by electrostatic means.
  • a driving system is particularly suitable for a clock having an isotope battery as a source of energy, since such batteries supply a relatively high voltage with very low current.
  • Particular difficulty was encountered when converting the oscillation of the spring into a rotary movement for driving the gearwheels of a clock, because the movements of the plate spring were too inaccurate and irregular to actuate a delicate stepping gear directly.
  • an electrically driven timepiece assembly having a flat spring oscillated by electrostatic means
  • the said spring drives a stepping wheel via a of the flat spring.
  • the adjustment of the various parts is not very critical, and the transmission path from the spring to the armature preferably includes some lost motion.
  • FIGURE is a diagrammatic plan view of an electrically driven timepiece assembly according to the invention.
  • a flat spring 2 is clamped in a block 1 secured to a watch plate or on a frame of a clock.
  • the spring 2 is electrically insulated from the block 1, or the latter from the plate or frame, and-projects with clearance between two plate-shaped electrodes 3 and 4, between which a source of voltage 5 is connected.
  • the free end of the flat spring 2 is located in a small lost motion space between two pins 6 of an armature 7 which is pivoted at 8.
  • the rotary movement of the armature is limited by two stops 9.
  • the two arms of the armature are each provided with a stepping pin 10.
  • stepping pins act at two positions on a scape wheel 11 which by means of a gear train, of which pinions l2 and 13 and a wheel 14 are indicated, drives the hands or other time indicating mechanism of the clock.
  • the pins 6 are preferably located at or close to a node of the spring 2.
  • the arrangement shown operates as follows. During its oscillation the spring 2 moves between end positions each in contact with an electrode 3 or 4. In each position it is charged to the potential of the electrode contacted and is then subjected to a repulsion force directed towards the other electrode. In this manner an oscillation is maintained. By means of the pins 6 the oscillation of the spring 2 is transmitted to the armature 7, the amplitude of which is defined by the stops 9. The stepping pins engage alternately in the teeth of the 2 stepping wheel 1 1 and intermittently drive it in a rotary direction.
  • An electrically driven timepiece assembly comprising a rigid armature pivotally mounted for driving a stepping wheel; a flexible fiat spring; electrostatic means connected with said fiat spring for oscillating the same and including electrode means against which said spring abuts during oscillatory movement; means coupling said spring to said rigid armature for driving the same, said coupling means including a pair of spaced upstanding projections on said armature between which said spring passes; and stop means limiting the movement of said armature independently of the degree of movement of said spring whereby said armature is accurately, indirectly driven by said electrostatic means.
  • a timepiece assembly according to claim 1, wherein said armature has a generally Y,-shaped configuration and is mounted for rotation about a central point thereon, a first leg of said armature supporting said upstanding projections which comprise a pair of spaced pins between which said spring passes for driving said armature.
  • An electrically driven timepiece assembly comprising, in combination, a frame; a flat, elongated spring attached at one end to said frame; electrostatic means cooperating with said spring for oscillating the same between a pair of spaced electrodes; a stepping wheel; a rigid armature mounted for rotary movement about a central point thereon, said armature coacting with said stepping wheel for stepwise advancement of the same; stop means limiting the movement of said armature; and means coupling the oscillatory movement of said spring to said rigid armature, said coupling means including a pair of spaced upstanding projections on said armature between which said spring passes whereby said armature is accurately driven without electrode chatter.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Unknown Time Intervals (AREA)
  • General Electrical Machinery Utilizing Piezoelectricity, Electrostriction Or Magnetostriction (AREA)
US00326163A 1972-02-02 1973-01-24 Electric timepiece assembly Expired - Lifetime US3805511A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH153972A CH544337A (de) 1972-02-02 1972-02-02 Elektrische Uhr

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3805511A true US3805511A (en) 1974-04-23

Family

ID=4212777

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00326163A Expired - Lifetime US3805511A (en) 1972-02-02 1973-01-24 Electric timepiece assembly

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US3805511A (de)
JP (1) JPS4885277A (de)
CA (1) CA966316A (de)
CH (2) CH544337A (de)
DE (1) DE2301303C3 (de)
FR (1) FR2170061B1 (de)
GB (1) GB1370740A (de)
IT (1) IT978166B (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3838299A (en) * 1971-12-17 1974-09-24 Procor Ets System for generating periodical mechanical vibrations
US5235225A (en) * 1990-08-31 1993-08-10 Northwestern University Linear electrostatic actuator with means for concatenation
US5917260A (en) * 1997-06-13 1999-06-29 Garcia; Ernest J. Electromechanical millimotor

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US384271A (en) * 1888-06-12 parcelle
US1514751A (en) * 1920-08-24 1924-11-11 Western Electric Co Vacuum-tube oscillator chronometer
US3604201A (en) * 1968-07-09 1971-09-14 Suisse Pour L Ind Horlogere Sa Method of driving the gearing of an electronic timepiece and an electronic timepiece for implementing said method
US3628327A (en) * 1969-04-14 1971-12-21 Suwa Seikosha Kk Clubtooth lever escapement
US3641373A (en) * 1968-10-08 1972-02-08 Proctor Ets Electrostatic system for generating periodical mechanical vibrations

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH373703A (fr) * 1961-01-10 1963-08-15 Suisse Horlogerie Dispositif d'entraînement du rouage d'une pièce d'horlogerie

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US384271A (en) * 1888-06-12 parcelle
US1514751A (en) * 1920-08-24 1924-11-11 Western Electric Co Vacuum-tube oscillator chronometer
US3604201A (en) * 1968-07-09 1971-09-14 Suisse Pour L Ind Horlogere Sa Method of driving the gearing of an electronic timepiece and an electronic timepiece for implementing said method
US3641373A (en) * 1968-10-08 1972-02-08 Proctor Ets Electrostatic system for generating periodical mechanical vibrations
US3628327A (en) * 1969-04-14 1971-12-21 Suwa Seikosha Kk Clubtooth lever escapement

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3838299A (en) * 1971-12-17 1974-09-24 Procor Ets System for generating periodical mechanical vibrations
US5235225A (en) * 1990-08-31 1993-08-10 Northwestern University Linear electrostatic actuator with means for concatenation
US5917260A (en) * 1997-06-13 1999-06-29 Garcia; Ernest J. Electromechanical millimotor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2170061B1 (de) 1976-04-09
DE2301303B2 (de) 1974-07-04
CH544337A (de) 1973-06-29
FR2170061A1 (de) 1973-09-14
DE2301303C3 (de) 1975-02-20
GB1370740A (en) 1974-10-16
CH153972A4 (de) 1973-06-29
CA966316A (en) 1975-04-22
DE2301303A1 (de) 1973-08-16
JPS4885277A (de) 1973-11-12
IT978166B (it) 1974-09-20

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