Silent electromagnetic alarm

• US 5,365,497 A
• Filed: 05/03/1994
• Issued: 11/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nicholas P. Patella, Asulab SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Asulab SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Born, Jean-Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US08/238,024
• Time in Patent Office: 196 Days
• Field of Search: 368/76, 368/86, 368/88, 368/160, 368/239, 368/243, 368/244, 368/250, 368/276, 340/407
• US Class Current: 368/230
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/045 using vibrating magnet, armature or coil system
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 13/021 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/16 with polarised armatures moving in alternate directions by reversal or energisation of a single coil system

Abstract

A non-acoustic alarm intended to equip a device supplying information such as time information. Such alarm includes motor means (24) which can be electrically driven and which are associated with a mass (26) adapted to be set in motion under the action of the motor means (24) in order to furnish a vibratory effect. Such alarm is furthermore characterized in that the motor means (24) are constituted by an electromagnetic motor (24a, 24b) fixedly mounted on a support (28) including elastic coupling elements (30) which are associated with said mass (26) which is designed to assume a quasi-linear oscillating motion relative to the electromagnetic motor (24a, 24b) when the motor is operated. The invention is particularly adapted for integration within a timepiece.

Claims

1. A non-acoustic alarm for a device supplying information such as time information, said alarm comprising motor means which can be electrically driven and which is associated with a mass adapted to be set in motion under the action of the motor means in order to furnish a vibratory effect, the motor means including an electromagnetic motor fixedly mounted on support means comprising elastic coupling elements which are associated with said mass and cause said mass to assume a quasi-linear oscillating motion relative to the electromagnetic motor when the motor is operated.

2. An alarm as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support means is a single multifunctional piece having the form of a stirrup including a fixed portion on which said motor is mounted and a movable portion on which said mass is mounted, the two respectively fixed and movable portions being coupled together by the elastic coupling elements which are constituted by bent blades integral with said fixed and movable portions.

3. An alarm as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic motor includes a winding and a core supporting the winding, the core including two arms which extend parallel to the elastic coupling elements of the support means and which form two pole pieces providing a gap with corresponding surfaces of the mass.

4. An alarm as set forth in claim 3, wherein the mass is a piece having a substantially planar form extending over the entire width of the core and a height substantially equal to that of the motor.

5. An alarm as set forth in claim 3, wherein the support means, the core and the mass are constituted by stamped parts.

6. An alarm as set forth in claim 5, wherein the core and the mass are welded to the support means.

7. An alarm as set forth in claim 1, wherein the support means is formed from a metallic sheet.

8. An alarm as set forth in claim 2, wherein said electromagnetic motor includes a winding and a core supporting the winding, the core including two arms which extend parallel to the elastic coupling elements of the support means and which form two pole pieces providing a gap with corresponding surfaces of the mass.

9. An alarm as set forth in claim 8, wherein the mass is a piece having a substantially planar form extending over the entire width of the core and a height substantially equal to that of the motor.

10. An alarm as set forth in claim 9, wherein the support means, the core and the mass are constituted by stamped parts.

11. An alarm as set forth in claim 10, wherein the core and the mass are welded to the support means.

12. An alarm as set forth in claim 11, wherein the support means is formed from a metallic sheet.

13. An alarm as set forth in claim 8, wherein the support means, the core and the mass are constituted by stamped parts.

14. An alarm as set forth in claim 13, wherein the core and the mass are welded to the support means.

15. An alarm as set forth in claim 14, wherein the support means is formed from a metallic sheet.

16. An alarm as set forth in claim 2, wherein the support means is formed from a metallic sheet.

17. An alarm as set forth in claim 5, wherein the support means is formed from a metallic sheet.