Electronic timepiece

• US 10,802,448 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2018
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Sawada, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kayes, Sean
• Application Number:
  US15/923,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20180275619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/04 Mounting of electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/08 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 19/00 Electric power supply circuits specially adapted for use in electronic time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/02 the radio signal being sent by a satellite, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 60/12 inside metal cases

Abstract

Provided is technology that suppresses increasing the thickness of the electronic timepiece when a member is provided to obscure the area where the solar battery is not located above the antenna. An electronic timepiece has: an optically transmissive dial; a solar battery having a photovoltaic solar cell; an antenna disposed relative to the dial in the direction in which the external light is emitted, and configured to receive radio signals; and a cover member having a first part disposed between the dial and the antenna. In plan view, the antenna has a part that does not overlap the solar cell; the first part has a part that does overlaps the part of the antenna that does not overlap the solar cell; and in section view perpendicular, has an overlap between the first part and the solar battery.

Claims

1. An electronic timepiece comprising:

an optically transmissive dial having one surface to which external light is incident, and another surface from which the external light is emitted;

a solar battery disposed relative to the dial in the direction in which the external light is emitted, having a photovoltaic solar cell, and defining a notch therein;

an antenna disposed relative to the dial in the direction in which the external light is emitted and configured to receive radio signals; and

a cover member overlapping the notch in the solar battery and having a first part disposed between the dial and the antenna,

the antenna having a part that does not overlap the solar cell in plan view from the thickness direction which is perpendicular to the face of the dial, the part that does not overlap the solar cell overlapping the notch, and

the first part of the cover member overlapping with the antenna in plan view, and the first part of the cover member overlapping the solar battery in the thickness direction when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction.

2. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1, wherein:

the cover member has a second part that overlaps the solar battery in plan view.

3. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1, wherein:

the cover member includes a first support member configured to hold the dial; and

the first support member includes at least part of the first part.

4. The electronic timepiece described in claim 3, wherein:

the first support member has a first cantilevered part housed inside an outside case, and extending in plan view to the inside of the outside case;

the first cantilevered part including at least part of the first part.

5. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1, wherein:

the cover member includes a second support member configured to support a date indicator;

the second support member including at least part of the first part.

6. The electronic timepiece described in claim 5, wherein:

the second support member has a second cantilevered part housed inside an outside case, and extending in plan view to the outside case;

the second cantilevered part including at least part of the first part.

7. The electronic timepiece described in claim 5, wherein:

the second support member has a third part overlapping the solar battery in plan view, and a fourth part not overlapping the solar battery and overlapping the antenna in plan view;

the fourth part extending, relative to the third part, in the thickness direction in the direction of the solar battery, and including at least part of the first part.

8. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1, wherein:

the first part has multiple parts of different thickness.

9. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1, further comprising:

a first support member that supports the dial; and

a second support member that supports a date indicator;

the cover member being embodied by members other than the first support member and second support member.

10. The electronic timepiece described in claim 9, wherein:

the cover member is a plastic film and has a second part that overlaps the solar battery in plan view; and

the second part is formed by deforming the film in the thickness direction.

11. The electronic timepiece described in claim 10, wherein:

the cover member is bonded to the solar battery through the second part.

12. The electronic timepiece described in claim 9, wherein:

the cover member includes a second part that overlaps the solar battery in plan view,

the first member including the first part, and the second member including the second part, overlapping.

13. An electronic timepiece comprising:

an optically transmissive dial having one surface to which external light is incident, and another surface from which the external light is emitted;

a solar battery disposed relative to the dial in the direction in which the external light is emitted, having a photovoltaic solar cell, and defining a notch therein;

an antenna disposed relative to the dial in the direction in which the external light is emitted and configured to receive radio signals; and

a cover member overlapping the notch in the solar battery and having a first part disposed between the dial and the antenna,

in plan view, the antenna having a part not overlapping the solar cell, the part that does not overlap the solar cell overlapping the notch, and the first part of the cover member having a part overlapping the part of the antenna not overlapping the solar cell; and

the first part of the cover member overlapping the solar battery in a section view.