Multifunctional Timepiece Including Plural Types Of Hand Operating Train Wheels

• US 20080130419A1
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Mamoru, Hirano, Kei, Tokoro, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,443,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/37
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 19/241 the date is indicated by one or more hands
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 17/00 Indicating the time optically by electric means G04C19/00 takes precedence; by mechanical means G04B19/00, G04B19/20
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/008 Mounting, assembling of components

Abstract

There is realized a multifunction timepiece constituted to be able to constitute a plurality of types of hand operating train wheels by only changing positions of integrating parts without changing dimensions and shapes of parts of a movement.

A movement of a multifunction timepiece includes a first train wheel rotation center, and a second train wheel rotation center. A train wheel for indicating calendar information is arranged to be rotatable relative to one of the first train wheel rotation center, and the second train wheel rotation center. When the first train wheel rotation center is arranged with a train wheel for indicating calendar information, the calendar information can be indicated by a small hand rotated to move by the train wheel, when the second train wheel rotation center is arranged with a fan shape hand operating train wheel for indicating the calendar information, the calendar information can be indicated by a small hand moved in a fan shape operating train wheel.

Claims

1. A multifunction timepiece characterized in a multifunction timepiece including a main plate (202) constituting a base plate of a movement (451), a winding stem (210) for correcting an indication, a switching mechanism for switching a position of the winding stem (210), a dial (204) for indicating time information, and a small hand for indicating the time information or calendar information;

wherein the movement (451) includes a first train wheel rotation center for a train wheel used in fabricating a first type of the multifunction timepiece having an arrangement of a first type of the small hand by using the movement (451), and a second train wheel rotation center for a train wheel used in fabricating a second type of the multifunction timepiece having an arrangement of a second type of the small hand by using the movement (451);

wherein the first train wheel rotation center is provided with a train wheel guide portion for guiding a train wheel member rotated to move centering on a position thereof to be able to rotate to move;

wherein the second train wheel rotation center is provided with a train wheel guide portion for guiding a train wheel member moved in a fan shape centering on a position thereof;

wherein the train wheel rotation center of the train wheel member rotated to move is arranged at a position between a main plate center (202c) of the main plate (202) and a main plate outer shape portion of the main plate (202);

wherein the train wheel rotation center of the train wheel member moved in the fan shape is arranged at a position between the main plate center (202c) of the main plate (202) and the main plate outer shape portion of the main plate (202);

wherein a train wheel for indicating the calendar information is arranged rotatably relative to the first train wheel rotation center or the second train wheel rotation center; and

wherein the multifunction timepiece is constituted such that when the train wheel for indicating the calendar information is arranged at the first train wheel rotation center, the calendar information is made to be able to indicate by the small hand rotated to move by the train wheel, and when the fan shape hand operating train wheel for indicating the calendar information is arranged at the second train wheel rotation center, the calendar information is made to be able to indicate by the small hand moved in the fan shape by the fan shape hand operating train wheel.

2. The multifunction timepiece according to claim 1, characterized in that a distance between the rotation center of the train wheel member moved in the fan shape and the main plate center (202c) of the main plate (202) is constituted to be larger than a distance between the rotation center of the train wheel member rotated to move and the main plate center (202c) of the main plate (202).

3. The multifunction timepiece according to claim 1, characterized in that the first train wheel rotation center is arranged in a 9 o'"'"'clock direction of the movement (451), and the second train wheel rotation center is arranged in the 9 o'"'"'clock direction of the movement (201).

4. The multifunction timepiece according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement (451) further includes a third train wheel rotation center for a train wheel used in fabricating the multifunction timepiece having an arrangement of a small hand;

wherein the third train wheel rotation center is arranged at a position between the main plate center (202c) of the main plate (202) and the main plate outer shape portion of the main plate (202);

wherein at the third train wheel rotation center, a train wheel guide portion for rotatably guiding a train wheel member rotated centering on a position thereof is provided;

wherein a train wheel for indicating the time information or the calendar information is arranged to be able to rotate relative to the third train wheel rotation center; and

wherein the time information or the calendar information is constituted to indicate by the further small hand (312h, 340h).

5. The multifunction timepiece according to claim 4, characterized in that the third train wheel rotation center is arranged in a 6 o'"'"'clock direction of the movement (451).

6. The multifunction timepiece according to claim 4, characterized in that the third train wheel rotation center is arranged in a 12 o'"'"'clock direction of the movement (201).

7. The multifunction timepiece according to claim 4, characterized in that the third train wheel rotation center is arranged in a 3 o'"'"'clock direction of the movement (451).

8. The multifunction timepiece according to claim 7, characterized in that the third train wheel rotation center is arranged in the 3 o'"'"'clock direction of the movement (201), and a date star wheel (312) for carrying out a date indication is arranged rotatably by constituting a rotation center thereof by the first train wheel rotation center.

9. The multifunction timepiece according to claim 3, characterized in that the movement (451) includes a day indicator driving wheel (320) rotated based on a rotation of an hour wheel (262), and the day indicator driving wheel (320) is constituted to be able to rotate a train wheel member (322) rotated to move when the train wheel member (322) rotated to move is arranged at the first train wheel rotation center, and is constituted to be able to move in the fan shape the train wheel member (322) moved in the fan shape when a train wheel member (464) moved in the fan shape is arranged at the second train wheel rotation center.