Self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function

• US 6,244,742 B1
• Filed: 11/23/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Yamada, Shinichi, Hasumi, Takayuki, Miyasaka, Kenji, Kinoshita, Kazuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Roskoski, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US09/447,805
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 368/148-154
• US Class Current: 368/148
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 10/00 Arrangements of electric power supplies in time pieces circuits G04G19/00; mounting, assembling of components of electromechanical watches G04C3/008, of electronic watches G04G17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/008 Mounting, assembling of components

Abstract

A self-winding electric power generation watch capable of having an additional function structure besides a time indication and an electric power generation function by virtue of an efficient arrangement of train wheels and motors for watch, electric power generation, and additional function in a watch case. An electric power generation motor 12 for conducting self-winding electric power generation by means of rotation of a rotary weight 41a, a watch motor 11 driven by electric power of the electric power generation motor 12, a storage battery 14 for storing the electric power of the electric power generation motor 12, and a chronograph motor 13 driven by the electric power of the electric power generation motor 12 are arranged in a watch case so as to surround a center part of the watch. Watch train wheels 20 and 30, an electric power generation train wheel 40, and a chronograph train wheel 50 are disposed in a two-layer form in a region surrounded by the motors.

Claims

1. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function, comprising:

a ground plate with a periphery,

a rotary weight rotationally disposed above the ground plate,

an electric power generation motor for generating electric power by rotation of the rotary weight and having a bar shaped coil,

an electric power generation train wheel connected between the rotary weight and the electric power generation motor for transmitting a rotation movement of the rotary weight to the electric power generation motor,

a watch motor and a watch train wheel for time indication driven by the watch motor, said watch motor being driven by the electric power generated by the electric power generation motor and having a bar shaped coil,

a storage battery for storing the electric power generated by the electric power generation motor, and

an additional function motor and an additional function train wheel driven by the additional function motor actuated by the electric power generated by the electric power generation motor to provide an addition indication other than time, said additional function motor having a bar shaped coil,

wherein in order to obtain a space for disposing the train wheels as much as possible at a center area, said bar shaped coils of the electric power generation motor, watch motor and additional function motor are arranged to surround the center area of the watch so that elongated side portions of the bar shaped coils of the three motors are arranged along the periphery of the ground plate, said electric power generation train wheel, watch train wheel and additional function train wheel being located in an area surrounded by the bar shaped coils.

2. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 1, wherein said electric power generation train wheel, watch train wheel and additional function train wheel are located in an area surrounded by the bar shaped coils of the three motors and the storage battery.

3. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 1, wherein each of said bar shaped coils of the three motors have two ends, said two ends of the bar shaped coils of the three motors being located near the periphery of the ground plate.

4. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 1, wherein said bar shaped coils of the three motors are disposed nearly in a triangular form to surround the center area of the watch.

5. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 1, wherein said electric power generation motor, watch motor and additional function motor include stators, respectively, said stators of the three motors being located at a center side of the watch relative to the respective bar shaped coils.

6. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 1, wherein said watch motor, said electric power generation motor, and said additional function motor are disposed nearly to same heights in a watch case.

7. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 1, wherein in case where said self-winding electric power generation watch comprises an external manipulation member for adjusting said watch train wheel from outside of the watch, and hand setting members for controlling operation of said external manipulation member, each of said hand setting members and said storage battery being disposed so as to be located between said motors and so as to surround a watch center part.

8. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 1, further comprising a lever member for controlling the additional function train wheel, said lever member being disposed in such a position as to two-dimensionally overlap said electric power generation motor.

9. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 8, wherein in case where said self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function comprises a watch component for two-dimensionally covering said electric power generation motor and said lever member is held by said watch component,

said watch component has a shaft portion serving as a rotation center of said lever member in such a position as to two-dimensionally overlap said electric power generation motor.

15. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 1, wherein said additional function motor and said additional function train wheel comprise a chronograph motor and a chronograph train wheel for chronograph indication.

10. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function, comprising:

a rotary weight rotationally situated inside the watch,

an electric power generation motor with a bar shaped coil for generating electric power and an electric power generation train wheel connected between the rotary weight and the electric power generation motor for transmitting a rotation movement of the rotary weight to the electric power generation motor,

a watch motor with a bar shaped coil and a watch train wheel for time indication driven by the watch motor, said watch motor being driven by the electric power generated by the electric power generation motor,

a storage battery for storing the electric power generated by the electric power generation motor,

an additional function motor with a bar shaped coil and are additional function train wheel driven by the additional function motor actuated by the electric power generated by the electric power generation motor to provide an additional indication other than time,

a ground plate for supporting at least wheels of the electric power generation train wheel,

a cradle in a plate form situated between the ground plate and the rotary weight for rotationally supporting at least one wheel for forming the watch train wheel, additional function train wheel and electric power generation train wheel, said rotary weight being rotationally supported by the cradle,

wherein said watch train wheel, electric power generation train wheel and additional function train wheel are situated inside an area surrounded by the bar shaped coils of the three motors; and

said electric power generation train wheel includes a wheel supported at a rotary weight side of the cradle and enaging a wheel of the rotary weight, and a wheel supported at a ground plate side of the cradle and engaging a rotor of the electric power generation motor.

11. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 10, wherein said cradle is formed of an additional function cradle for supporting at least wheels forming the additional function train wheel, and an intermediate cradle for supporting wheels forming the watch train wheel, additional function train wheel, or electric power generation train wheel;

said additional function cradle rotationally supports said rotary weight;

said additional function cradle and said intermediate cradle are situated between the ground plate and the rotary weight in a form of a layer; and

said wheels for forming the watch train wheel, additional function train wheel and electric power generation train wheel are separated and situated between the ground plate and the intermediate cradle, between the intermediate cradle and the additional function cradle, or between the ground plate and the additional function cradle.

12. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 10, further comprising a lever member for controlling the additional function train wheel, said lever member being disposed in such a position as to two-dimensionally overlap said electric power generation motor.

13. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 12, further comprising a watch component for two-dimensionally covering said electric power generation motor, said lever member being held by the watch component, said watch component having a shaft portion serving as a rotation center of the lever member in such a position as to two-dimensionally overlap the electric power generation motor.

14. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 11, wherein said additional function motor and additional function train wheel comprise a chronograph motor and a chronograph train wheel for chronograph indication.

16. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 11, wherein said additional function cradle comprises a chronograph cradle for supporting said chronograph train wheel via shafts.

17. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 10, wherein said watch motor, said electric power generation motor, and said additional function motor are disposed nearly to same heights in a watch case.

18. A self-winding electric power generation watch with additional function according to claim 11, wherein said additional function cradle serves as a bearing portion for supporting said rotary weight via shafts.