Magnetic control device for timepiece

• US 7,404,667 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd
• Original Assignee: The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd
• Inventors: Born, Jean-Jacques, Gueissaz, François
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska; Vit W
• Application Number:
  US11/937,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20080112275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 368/69, 368/190, 368288-290, 368308-321
• US Class Current: 368/190
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/004 Magnetically controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/006 comprising a plurality of reed switches, e.g. selectors or joystick-operated

Abstract

The magnetic control device (1) for a timepiece comprises a sealed tube (3) which comprises a blind end inserted into an opening of the timepiece, whereas the other end of the tube opens towards the outside. A control stem (12) is provided in order to slide inside the tube (3). It carries a magnet (21) which is displaced integrally with the stem inside the tube. By manipulating the end of the stem which emerges from the tube (3), the wearer of the watch can make the magnet selectively occupy three positions. A first and a second magnetic sensor (22, 23) with two states are disposed inside the timepiece along the sealed tube so that three different combinations of a state of the first sensor (22) with a state of the second sensor (23) are respectively associated with three predefined positions of the first magnet (21).

Claims

1. A magnetic control device of a timepiece comprising:

a moveable control member that can be actuated manually from outside of the timepiece; and

a first magnet that is fixed to the control member, the first magnet is provided in order to be displaced in translation on a trajectory connecting at least three predefined positions when a wearer of the timepiece manipulates the control member;

detection means situated inside the timepiece and provided in order to detect, amongst the three predefined positions, the position occupied by the first magnet, the detection means comprising at least one first magnetic sensor and one second magnetic sensor that are able to be in a first state or a second state, and are disposed in the vicinity of the trajectory of the first magnet in order to cooperate with the first magnet;

a sealed tube that has a wall produced in a non-magnetic material, the sealed tube comprising a distal blind end that extends towards an inside of the timepiece and a proximal end that opens towards the outside of the timepiece, wherein the control member has a general form of a stem provided in order to slide inside the sealed tube and wherein the first magnet is provided in order to be displaced inside the tube solid with the stem, the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are disposed spaced-apart along the sealed tube in order that the three predefined positions of the first magnet are respectively associated with three different combinations of a first sensor state with a second sensor state.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the north-south axis of the first magnet is orientated coaxially to the stem.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the axes of the first magnetic sensor and of the second magnetic sensor are orientated parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sealed tube.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are offset angularly one relative to the other relative to the longitudinal axis of the sealed tube.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are mounted on the same printed circuit, the printed circuit being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sealed tube.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the stem is provided in order to turn inside the sealed tube and wherein the electronic detection means are provided in order to detect likewise the rotations of the stem.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the detection means further comprises at least one third magnetic sensor that is provided in order to cooperate with a second magnet that is rigidly fixed to the stem and orientated transversely relative to the axis of rotation of the stem.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the detection means further comprises a third magnetic sensor and a fourth magnetic sensor that are offset angularly relative to the axis of rotation of the stem, the third magnetic sensor and the fourth magnetic sensor are provided in order to cooperate with a second magnet that is rigidly fixed to the stem and orientated transversely relative to the axis of rotation of the stem.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the third magnetic sensor and the fourth magnetic sensor are offset angularly by approximately 135°

.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sealed tube is provided with a sealing joint that is disposed near the proximal end, and the sealing joint is provided in order to ensure a seal between the tube and a middle part of the timepiece.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic sensor is in a first yes state and the second magnetic sensor is in a second no state when the first magnet occupies a first predefined position, and wherein the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are in the same state when the first magnet occupies a predefined second position, and wherein the first magnetic sensor is in the second no state and the second sensor in the first yes state when the first magnet occupies a third predefined position.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are each in a first yes state when the first magnet occupies a predefined first position, wherein the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are in different states when the first magnet occupies a second predefined position, and wherein the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are each in a second no state when the first magnet occupies a third predefined position.

13. The timepiece comprising a magnetic control device according to claim 1.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the timepiece is a watch.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first state is a yes or no and the second state is a yes or no.