Patent US2215388A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3604201A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of driving the gearing of an electronic timepiece and an electronic timepiece for implementing said method
Assignee: SOC SUISSE POUR L'INDUSTRIE HORLOGERE SA
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Filing: 1969-07-02
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Granted: 1971-09-14
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Expires: 1989-07-02
Abstract
Abstract An electronic timepiece comprises a device for indicating the time, which device includes a gear train and a time indicator controlled by said gear train, an electronic circuit which produces periodic signals of a predetermined frequency and an electromechanical transducer for driving said device, which transducer is controlled by the signals produced by the said circuit; the transducer incorporates a member which swings periodically and at the frequency of said signals, between two limiting positions in order, at least once during the course of two successive swings, to strike successively each tooth of a gear in the said gear train; means are provided in order to limit to a predetermined value the angular displacement of the gear as a consequence of each impact.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Dome
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:43
CPC Classifications
G; G04; G04B; G04B11/00; G04B11/02; G04B11/04; G04C; G04C13/00; G04C13/08; G04C13/10; G04C3/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
An electronic timepiece, comprising a device for indicating the time, which device includes a gear train and a time indicator controlled by said gear train, an electronic circuit which produces periodic signals of a predetermined frequency, and an electromechanical transducer for driving said device, which transducer is controlled by the signals produced by the said circuit, wherein said transducer incorporates a member which swings periodically and at the frequency of said signals, between two limiting positions in order, at least once during the course of two successive swings, to strike successively each tooth of a gear in the gear train, means for limiting to a predetermined value the angular displacement of the gear as a consequence of each impact, said member comprises elements, one of said elements striking the teeth of said gear and following a radial trajectory in relation to said gear at the point of impact, the impactapplying surface of said element and the impact receiving of each tooth of the gear at the time of impact, being contained in a common plane making an angle substantially 45* with a tangent at the center of the zone of impact of the member which strikes against the tooth to the circular trajEctory followed by the center of the impact zone on the tooth during the rotary motion imparted to the gear by the impact.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
An electronic timepiece, comprising a device for indicating the time, which device includes a gear train and a time indicator controlled by said gear train, an electronic circuit which produces periodic signals of a predetermined frequency, and an electromechanical transducer for driving said device, which transducer is controlled by the signals produced by the said circuit, wherein said transducer incorporates a member which swings periodically and at the frequency of said signals, between two limiting positions in order, at least once during the course of two successive swings, to strike successively each tooth of a gear in the gear train, means for limiting to a predetermined value the angular displacement of the gear as a consequence of each impact, said member comprises elements, one of said elements striking the teeth of said gear and following a radial trajectory in relation to said gear at the point of impact, the impactapplying surface of said element and the impact receiving of each tooth of the gear at the time of impact, being contained in a common plane making an angle substantially 45* with a tangent at the center of the zone of impact of the member which strikes against the tooth to the circular trajEctory followed by the center of the impact zone on the tooth during the rotary motion imparted to the gear by the impact.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
100 words
A timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said member and said time-indicating device are so dimensioned that the moment of inertia ( theta ) of the member and that of the moving parts of said device ( theta R), with reference to the center of rotation of the gear, the distance (ra ) separating the zone of impact of said member from its pivot, and the distance (rA ) separating the zone of impact on each tooth of said gear from its center of rotation, substantially satisfy the equation in which k is the coefficient of restoration at impact.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
125 words
A timepiece as claimed in claim 2, wherein the electromechanical transducer is of the monostable kind; and wherein said member comprises an anchor-shaped armature supporting a pair of pallets each of which acts as a hammer for applying an impact to the teeth of said gear and hits each tooth of said gear in succession, firstly when said armature is moving into its unstable limiting position, and secondly when as it returns to its stable limiting position, the extremity of each pallet being profiled to form said surface of said member which strikes the teeth of the gear, and wherein at least one spiral spring is associated with the armature to return said armature into its stable position each time it has moved away therefrom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
A timepiece as claimed in claim 3, wherein said limiting means are constituted, by each pallet of the armature and by the space separating the teeth of the gear, the pallets penetrating into said space when the armature is in its stable limiting position and when said armature is in its second, unstable limiting position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
101 words
A timepiece as claimed in claim 4, wherein said member and said time-indicating device are so dimensioned that, the moment of inertia ( theta ) of said member and that ( theta R ) of the moving parts of said device with reference to the center of rotation of the gear which is subjected to the impact and the distance (ra ) separating the point of impact of said member from its pivot, and the distance (rA ) separating the center of the zone of impact on each tooth of the gear from the center of rotation thereof, satisfy the relationship
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
A timepiece as claimed in claim 4, wherein said pallet of the armature which strikes the toothing of the gear when said device is moving into its unstable limiting position, has a second face adjacent the impact applying surface of said element, which second face is substantially perpendicular to the plane of said applying surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A timepiece as claimed in claim 4, comprising an RC differentiating circuit connected between the electronic circuit and the electromechanical transducer, said differentiating circuit producing a train of two pulses having mutually opposite polarities, in respect of each periodic signal received by the electronic circuit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3488942A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-13 | 1975-03-15 | 1975-09-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-13 | 1979-03-15 | 1979-09-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-13 | 1983-03-15 | 1983-09-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |