Electronic watch

• US 6,515,941 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kenji, Iino, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODWIN, JEANNE M
• Application Number:
  US09/512,238
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 368/157, 368/160, 368/187, 368/28, 368/37, 368/15, 368/223, 368/228, 310/323, 310/328, 310/368, 310/366, 310/323.17, 310/323.16
• US Class Current: 368/28
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 17/0066 electromagnetically driven, e.g. intermittently clocks incorporating a stepping motor G04C3/14
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/12 driven by piezoelectric means; driven by magneto-strictive means

Abstract

An electronic watch which can be small-sized even with an additional mechanism such as a calendar mechanism. In the electronic watch, a rectangular piezoelectric oscillator 32 acting as a piezoelectric actuator is forced at its end face to contact with a beam portion 35, which is mounted on a date ring 31 acting as a second indication member, thereby to drive the date ring 31 directly.

Claims

1. An electronic timepiece comprising:

a first indication member for indicating time;

a driving mechanism for driving the first indication member to indicate the time;

a second indication member for indicating information other than that indicated by the first indicating member; and

a piezoelectric actuator arranged adjacent to the second indication member and having a piezoelectric element for undergoing vibration in response to application of an alternating voltage, the piezoelectric element having one side that is brought into direct contact with the second indication member while undergoing vibration in a given direction to cause the second indication member to undergo movement in the given direction.

2. An electronic timepiece according to claim 1;

wherein the piezoelectric actuator is a rectangular piezoelectric oscillator comprising a first rectangular piezoelectric element having four divided electrodes on one surface, two of which are electrically shorted to each other to form two sets of electrode groups, and a second rectangular piezoelectric element having an electrode extending substantially over a surface thereof, so that the rectangular piezoelectric oscillator is caused to generate bending oscillations and longitudinal oscillations harmonically in response to application of an alternating voltage to the individual electrodes of the rectangular piezoelectric oscillator.

3. An electronic timepiece according to claim 2;

wherein the piezoelectric actuator is a laminated structure comprising a piezoelectric oscillator formed of a plurality of laminated and sintered rectangular piezoelectric elements including the first rectangular piezoelectric element and the second rectangular piezoelectric element.

4. An electronic timepiece according to claim 1;

wherein the piezoelectric actuator is a rectangular piezoelectric oscillator comprising a first rectangular piezoelectric element having four electrodes on one surface, the four electrodes being arranged in a cross shape and two orthogonal ones of the electrodes being electrically shorted to each other to form two sets of electrode groups, and a second rectangular piezoelectric element having an electrode extending substantially over a surface thereof, so that the rectangular piezoelectric oscillator is caused to generate bending oscillations and longitudinal oscillations harmonically in response to application of an alternating voltage to the individual electrodes of the rectangular piezoelectric oscillator.

5. An electronic timepiece according to claim 4;

wherein the piezoelectric actuator is a laminated structure comprising a piezoelectric oscillator formed of a plurality of laminated and sintered rectangular piezoelectric elements including the first rectangular piezoelectric element and the second rectangular piezoelectric element.

6. An electronic timepiece according to claim 1;

further comprising at least one protrusion formed on the one side of the piezoelectric actuator to be brought into contact with the second indication member to drive the second indication member in the given direction.

7. An electronic timepiece according to claim 1;

further comprising a base plate underlying the first and second indication members and comprising a first base plate and a second base plate each having a fitting portion for being fitted to each other;

wherein the piezoelectric actuator and the second indication member are mounted on the second base plate.

8. An electronic timepiece according to claim 1;

further comprising second indication member movement detecting means for detecting the amount of movement of the second indication member in the given direction; and

a control circuit for controlling the piezoelectric actuator on the basis of an output of the second indication member movement amount detecting means.

9. An electronic timepiece according to claim 8;

further comprising a rotary member engaging with and interlocked by the second indication member;

wherein the second indication member movement amount detecting means detects the amount of movement of the second indication member by detecting the rotating state of the rotary member.

10. An electronic timepiece according to claim 8;

wherein the second indication member movement detecting means comprises a gear driven by the second indication member and having a hole formed therein, a slotted member having a slot through which the gear passes, the hole being formed in a portion of the gear that extends into the slot, a light emitting member disposed in the slot on one side of the gear, and a light detecting element disposed in the slot on an opposite side of the second indication member.

11. An electronic timepiece according to claim 1;

wherein the first indication member comprises an analog time indicating hand, and the second indication member comprises a rotatably mounted disk-shaped member for indicating one of a calendar date and a moon phase.

12. An electronic timepiece according to claim 11;

wherein the second indication member has a disk-shaped sleeve extending therefrom and being disposed adjacent the piezoelectric actuator so that the sleeve is driven by the piezoelectric actuator.

13. An electronic according to claim 11;

wherein the second indication member has a groove formed in a peripheral outer surface thereof; and

further comprising a base plate on which the piezoelectric actuator is mounted, the base plate having a flanged sleeve extending therefrom, a terminal end of the flange having a grooved formed therein and facing the groove formed in the second indication member; and

a ball bearing disposed in the grooves.

14. An electronic timepiece according to claim 11;

wherein the second indication member has a central sleeve extending therefrom, and the piezoelectric actuator is disposed adjacent the sleeve.

15. An electronic timepiece according to claim 1;

wherein the second indication member is a calendar wheel having calendar dates from “

1”

through “

31”

imprinted thereon.

16. An electronic timepiece according to claim 1;

further comprising a driving circuit for driving the piezoelectric actuator by applying a voltage to electrodes thereof in such a manner as to cause the one side thereof to undergo elliptical movement in the given direction.

17. An electronic timepiece according to claim 1;

further comprising a wrist-mountable case in which the first and second indication members, and the piezoelectric actuator are disposed.

18. An electronic timepiece comprising:

a first indication member for indicating time;

a second indication member for indicating information other than that indicated by the first indication member;

a base plate disposed to confront the second indication member; and

a piezoelectric actuator arranged between the second indication member and the base plate and having a piezoelectric element for undergoing vibration in response to application of an alternating voltage, the piezoelectric element having one side that is brought into direct contact with the second indication member while undergoing vibration in a given direction to cause the second indication member to undergo movement in the given direction.

19. An electronic timepiece comprising:

a first indication member for indicating time;

a second indication member for indicating data other than that indicated by the first indication member;

a base plate having a support member disposed on a face confronting the second indication member; and

a piezoelectric actuator mounted on the support member and disposed adjacent to the second indication member and having a piezoelectric element for undergoing vibration in response to application of an alternating voltage, the piezoelectric element having one side that is brought into direct contact with the second indication member while undergoing vibration in a given direction to cause the second indication member to undergo movement in the given direction.

20. An electronic device for indicating information, comprising:

a case;

an indicator movably disposed in the case for indicating information having a changing value; and

a rectangular piezoelectric actuator disposed in the case adjacent the indicator and having a piezoelectric element driven so that one end thereof undergoes movement in a given direction while in direct contact with the indicator to cause the indicator to undergo movement in the given direction to indicate the changing value of the information.

21. An electronic device according to claim 20;

wherein the indicator has a disk shape and is rotatably mounted in the case, and the piezoelectric element is mounted so that the one end is disposed adjacent a circumferential surface of the indicator.

22. An electronic device according to claim 20;

further comprising an indicator movement amount detector for detecting an amount of movement of the indicator; and

a control circuit for controlling the piezoelectric actuator on the basis of an output of the indicator movement amount detector.

23. An electronic device according to claim 22;

wherein the indicator movement amount detector comprises a gear driven by the indicator and having a hole formed therein, a slotted member having a slot through which the gear passes, the hole being formed in a portion of the gear that extends into the slot, a light emitting member disposed in the slot on one side of the gear, and a light detecting element disposed in the slot on an opposite side of the second indication member.

24. An electronic device according to claim 20;

wherein the piezoelectric actuator comprises a first piezoelectric element having four divided electrodes on one surface, two of which are electrically shorted to each other to form two sets of electrode groups, and a second piezoelectric element having an electrode extending substantially over a surface thereof, so that the piezoelectric actuator is caused to generate bending oscillations and longitudinal oscillations harmonically in response to application of an alternating voltage to the individual electrodes of the first and second piezoelectric elements.

25. An electronic device according to claim 20;

wherein the piezoelectric actuator comprises a first piezoelectric element having four electrodes on one surface, the four electrodes being arranged in a cross shape and two orthogonal ones of the electrodes being electrically shorted to each other to form two sets of electrode groups, and a second piezoelectric element having an electrode extending substantially over a surface thereof, so that the piezoelectric actuator is caused to generate bending oscillations and longitudinal oscillations harmonically in response to application of an alternating voltage to the individual electrodes of the first and second piezoelectric elements.

26. An electronic device according to claim 20;

further comprising a spring for urging the piezoelectric element into contact with the indicator.

27. An electronic device according to claim 20;

further comprising one or more protrusions formed on the one end of the piezoelectric actuator.

28. An electronic device according to claim 20;

further comprising a biasing member for urging the piezoelectric element into contact with the indicator, the biasing member being disposed to confront the piezoelectric element with the indicator disposed between the piezoelectric element and the biasing member.

29. An electronic device according to claim 28;

wherein the biasing member comprises a spring.

30. An electronic device according to claim 20;

further comprising another indicator for indicating time.