Electronically controlled mechanical watch and method of preventing overcharge

• US 6,584,043 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2000
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Hidenori, Shimizu, Eisaku, Koike, Kunio
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODWIN, JEANNE M
• Application Number:
  US09/600,527
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 368/204, 368/155, 368/64, 368/66, 368/140, 368/156, 368/157
• US Class Current: 368/204
• 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: G04G 19/00 Electric power supply circuits specially adapted for use in electronic time-pieces

Abstract

With respect to a generator (20), a storage device (22) for storing electrical energy output from the generator and a bypass circuit (31) are connected in parallel with each other. A bypass circuit switch (33) of this bypass circuit (31) is controlled on and off according to the voltage of the storage device (22). This makes it possible to reduce the input current into the storage device so as to implement a reduction in the voltage of the storage device, thereby preventing overcharging. Moreover, since a generated waveform corresponding to the rotation period of the generator can be obtained, the rotation period of the generator can be controlled highly precisely and reliably based on this generated waveform, thereby implementing the indication of the correct time.

Claims

1. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece including a mechanical energy source, a generator, driven by said mechanical energy source, for outputting electrical energy by generating induction power, a storage device for storing the electrical energy output from said generator, and a rotation control device, driven by electrical energy supplied from said storage device, for controlling a rotation period of said generator, said electronically controlled mechanical timepiece further comprising:

a bypass circuit connected in parallel with said storage device and not in parallel with said generator;

said bypass circuit comprising a bypass circuit switch;

a voltage detection circuit for controlling said bypass circuit switch on and off according to a voltage of said storage device; and

wherein said generator includes two terminals and said rotation control device comprises a circuit opening/closing device for disconnecting said terminals of said generator or for connecting said terminals in a closed loop state.

2. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 1, wherein said rotation control device comprises a chopping controller for performing chopping control so that an opening/closing period in which said circuit opening/closing device is repeatedly connected and disconnected is shorter than a period of a rotation reference signal, which is a reference for the rotational speed of said generator.

3. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 1, wherein said circuit opening/closing device is connected between said generator and said bypass circuit, and between said generator and said storage device.

4. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 1, further comprising a rectifier circuit for rectifying a current output from said generator and wherein said rectifier circuit is connected between said generator and said storage device, and between said generator and said bypass circuit.

7. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 1, wherein said voltage detection circuit is driven by an output of said storage device.

8. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 1, wherein said voltage detection circuit is driven at regular intervals.

9. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 1, wherein said voltage detection circuit is constantly driven when a detected voltage of said storage device exceeds a set value and said voltage detection circuit is driven at regular intervals when the detected voltage is not greater than the set value.

10. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 9, wherein said voltage detection circuit comprises a comparator for turning on said bypass circuit switch when the detected voltage of said storage device exceeds the set value and for turning off said bypass circuit switch when the detected voltage is not greater than the set value, and a latch circuit disposed between said comparator and said bypass circuit switch so as to retain an output of said comparator.

11. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 10, wherein said latch circuit is operated according to a latch signal, and said latch signal is output at a first time interval when the voltage of said storage device is not greater than the set value, and said latch signal is output at a second time interval, which is shorter than the first time interval, when the voltage of said storage device exceeds the set value.

12. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 10, wherein said voltage detection circuit comprises voltage-dividing resistors for dividing the voltage of said storage device and for inputting the divided voltage into said comparator, a resistor switch for interrupting the supply of electrical energy from said storage device to said voltage-dividing resistors, a comparator switch for interrupting the supply of the electrical energy from said storage device to said comparator, and a drive unit for turning on said resistor switch and said comparator switch at regular intervals, and wherein said comparator detects the voltage divided by said voltage-dividing resistors and compares it with the set value.

13. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 1, wherein said bypass circuit comprises a resistor having a predetermined resistance.

14. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claims 1, wherein said bypass circuit comprises a diode.

15. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 1, wherein said bypass circuit forms part of said voltage detection circuit.

16. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 15, wherein said voltage detection circuit comprises voltage-dividing resistors for dividing the voltage of said storage device, and said bypass circuit includes said voltage-dividing resistors.

5. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim/, wherein a first end of said storage device is connected to a first end of said rectifier circuit connected to said generator, and a second end of said storage device is connected to a second end of said rectifier circuit, and said rectifier circuit and said circuit opening/closing device are connected between said generator and said bypass circuit, and between said generator and said storage device.

6. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 5, wherein the first end of said rectifier circuit comprises a first rectifier switch disposed between a first alternating current input terminal of said generator and the first end of said storage device, and a second rectifier switch disposed between a second alternating current input terminal of said generator and the first end of said storage device, and wherein said circuit opening/closing device comprises a first circuit opening/closing switch connected in parallel with said first rectifier switch, and a second circuit opening/closing switch connected in parallel with said second rectifier switch.

17. An overcharge-prevention method for an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece which includes a mechanical energy source, a generator, driven by said mechanical energy source, for outputting electrical energy by generating induction power, a storage device for storing the electrical energy output from said generator, and a rotation control device, driven by electrical energy supplied from said storage device, for controlling a rotation period of said generator, said overcharge-prevention method comprising:

connecting a bypass circuit in parallel with said storage device and not in parallel with said generator;

electrically connecting said bypass circuit only when a detected voltage of said storage device exceeds a set value so as to decrease an input current into said storage device; and

controlling a rotation period of said generator by disconnecting two terminals of said generator or connecting said terminals in a closed loop state.

18. An overcharge-prevention method for an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 17, comprising detecting the voltage of said storage device at regular intervals.

19. An overcharge-prevention method for an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece set forth in claim 18, comprising constantly detecting the voltage when the detected voltage of said storage device exceeds the set value, and detecting the voltage at regular intervals when the detected voltage is not greater than the set value.