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Timepiece with multi-functional actuator

  • US 8,439,559 B2
  • Filed: 03/23/2010
  • Issued: 05/14/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An analog timepiece, comprising:

  • a casing having a receiving cavity, and comprises an inner supporting frame defining a triggering slot, and a conductive element, having a fixed and portion and a loose end portion, mounting at said inner supporting frame at a position in a vicinity of said triggering slot;

    a time displaying device which comprises a time core assembly and an adjustment stem extended from said timepiece core assembly for indicating time information;

    an electronic device received in said casing;

    a main control unit (MCU) received in said easing and communicated with said electronic device for selectively controlling an operation of said time displaying device and said electronic device, wherein said MCU comprises a central processor and a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) electrically connecting said central processor with said electronic device, wherein said PCB has a signal port provided at a position aligning with said conductive element; and

    a multi-functional actuator which comprises an actuator button movably provided on said casing to selectively move between an idle position, a time adjustment position and a triggering position, wherein in said idle position, said actuator button disengages with said MCU to allow normal operation of said electronic device, wherein in said time adjustment position, said actuator button is moved from said idle position to allow adjustment of said time displaying device, and wherein in said triggering position, said actuator is moved to actuate an operation of said electronic device, wherein said conductive element is arranged to be selectively driven to trigger an operation of said electronic device when said actuator button is at said triggering position, wherein said conductive element has a predetermined amount of resilient ability such that said conductive element is normally retained to disengage from said electronic device, wherein when said actuator button is pushed to said triggering position, said actuator button is driven to move said conductive element to electrically communicate with said electronic device so as to trigger an operation thereof, wherein when said conductive element is pushed by said actuator button at said triggering position, said conductive element is arranged to be in physical contact with said signal port of said PCB so as to generate an actuation signal for said main processor of said MCU to actuate said electronic device,wherein said actuator button comprises a stem driving member securely connected with an outer end of said adjustment stem of said time displaying device, an enlarged crown member for allowing a user to manually drive said actuator button to move between said idle position, said time adjustment position and said triggering position for selectively handling time adjustment and actuation of said electronic device, and a pusher cap operatively connecting between said crown member and said stem driving member, wherein said crown member has a substantially circular cross section and defines a crown cavity therewithin, wherein said pusher cap has an outer receiving portion received within said crown cavity of the crown member, and an inner engaging portion, integrally and coaxially extended out of said crown cavity, wherein said pusher cap has an elongated structure and an external circular cross section extended from said crown member to securely engage with said stein driving member, in such a manner that when said pusher cap is driven to move inwardly, an inner end of said inner engaging portion is arranged to inwardly push said conductive element to physically contact with said signal port of said PCB for triggering an operation of said electronic device, wherein said fixed end portion of said conductive element is affixed at a predetermined position of said inner supporting frame, wherein said loose end portion is movably extended to contact with said inner end of said inner engaging portion of said pusher cap, and is normally arranged to disengage with said PCB, and when said pusher cap is driven to move inwardly, said loose end portion is slightly pushed to deform to move to contact with said signal port of said PCB,wherein said multi-functional actuator further comprises a resilient element received in said pusher cap, which is cylindrical in shape having a pusher cavity extended along an entire longitudinal length thereof and defined by six surrounding sidewalls for forming a hexagonal pusher cavity, wherein said resilient element is received therein for normally exerting an outward urging force towards said crown member so as to normally retain said actuator button at said idle position.

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