Watch comprising a magnetic clamping device

• US 10,691,077 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2017
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Lagorgette, Pascal
• Primary Examiner(s): Wicklund, Daniel P
• Application Number:
  US15/725,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20180101141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 10/00 Arrangements of electric power supplies in time pieces circuits G04G19/00; mounting, assembling of components of electromechanical watches G04C3/008, of electronic watches G04G17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/101 constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/04 Mounting of electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/06 Electric connectors, e.g. conductive elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 19/00 Electric power supply circuits specially adapted for use in electronic time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/216 adapted for button or coin cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A watch including a case containing a plate and an electronic module powered by a button cell battery, a conductor electrically connecting the button cell battery to the electronic module and a clamping device capable of ensuring an electrical connection between the button cell battery and the conductor, wherein the clamping device includes a magnet.

Claims

1. A watch comprising:

a case comprising a crystal and a middle part, the middle part containing a plate and an electronic watch movement positioned entirely within the plate and powered by a cylindrical battery positioned entirely within the plate;

a conductor electrically connecting the battery to the electronic watch movement; and

a clamping device capable of ensuring an electrical connection between the battery and the conductor, wherein the clamping device includes a first magnet and a second magnet, said first magnet being positioned entirely within the plate and directly over a top face of the battery and the conductor such that a magnetizing force between the first magnet and the battery ensures electrical conduction between the first magnet and the conductor, said second magnet being positioned directly under a bottom face of the battery.

2. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the conductor is flexible.

3. The watch according to claim 2, wherein the conductor is a flat cable.

4. The watch according to claim 1, wherein a first end of the second magnet is directly attached to the battery and the conductor is fixed to a second end of the second magnet.

5. The watch according to claim 4, wherein the first magnet is placed between the conductor and the battery.

6. The watch according to claim 5, wherein the first magnet is gold plated.

7. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the conductor is placed between the first magnet and the battery.

8. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the first magnet includes a conductive surface.

9. The watch according to claim 8, wherein the first magnet is made of a conductive material.

10. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the conductor is electrically insulated.

11. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the second magnet is a magnetic strip whose length is at least five times the thickness of the second magnet.

12. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the watch includes an O-ring joint arranged to hold the battery.

13. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the magnet is fixed directly to the plate.

14. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the case includes a back cover and the electronic watch movement, the battery, the first magnet, and the second magnet are positioned within the case.

15. The watch according to claim 14, wherein the back cover of the case includes a battery hatch, and the battery is configured to be inserted into the case through the back cover when the battery hatch has been removed.

16. The watch according to claim 1, wherein a wall of the battery is made of ferromagnetic material.

17. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the battery is cylindrical in shape and positioned in a recess in the plate.

18. The watch according to claim 17, wherein a second end of the conductor is circular and in direct contact with the battery, wherein the first magnet is cylindrical, wherein a diameter of the first magnet is smaller than a diameter of the second end of the conductor, and wherein the diameter of the second end of the conductor is smaller than a diameter of the battery.

19. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the second magnet protrudes out of the plate.

20. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the electronic watch movement is positioned laterally next to the battery within the plate, the conductor that is clamped to the battery by the first magnet includes an end that is directly positioned on a top face of the electronic watch movement, and a conductor that is clamped to the battery by the second magnet includes an end that is directly positioned on a bottom face of the electronic watch movement.