Electromechanic driving mechanism for the hands of a timepiece

Claim 2

In a watch having an electromagnetic driving mechanism which includes a coil, permanent magnet means acting upon the coil, and stepping anchor means, the improvement comprising: said stepping anchor being mounted for rotation on a shaft; said permanent magnet means comprising four two-pole permanent magnets defining four air gaps permeated by magnetic flux; said coil being wound in the shape of a rectangle which encloses and extends at a right angle to said shaft; said coil being arranged such that four rectilinear conductor sections of the coil are operably contained by the air gaps; said coil being mounted for rotation with said stepping anchor on said shaft.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 whErein: a conductor plate is disposed coaxially with respect to said coil; said conductor plate including a plurality of electrically conductive strips connected to respective ends of the coil.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said conductor plate is arranged to carry said coil.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said driving mechanism further includes: an impluse generator including a quartz crystal means; a spiral spring operably connected between said shaft and said generator; one of said conductive strips, said shaft, and said spiral spring being arranged to define an electrical conductor between one end of said coil and said generator; a fixed, insulated connecting plate being operably connected to said generator; a meander-shaped bent spring being operably connected between said connecting plate and the other of said conductive strips; said other conductive strip, said bent spring and said connecting plate being arranged to define an electrical conductor between the other end of said coil and said generator.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said driving mechanism further includes: a base plate; bridge means; said permanent magnets being connected to said plate and said bridge means; said permanent magnets being arranged to define the air gaps containing said conductor sections of said coil; said magnets having magnetic return means disposed on sides thereof facing away from the air gaps.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said driving mechanism further includes: bushing means, mounted on said shaft and operably engaging said coil, for producing a compensatory unbalance tending to compensate for an unbalance caused by movement of said stepping anchor means.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein: said bushing means includes a pair of flat surfaces extending parallel to each other and to said shaft; said coil being arranged to engage said flat surfaces; said surfaces being unequally spaced from said shaft such that said coil is positioned asymmetrically with respect to said shaft; said asymmetrically arranged coil, upon rotation, defining means tending to substantially equalize the unbalance caused by said stepping anchor means.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said driving mechanism further includes: an attachment disposed on said bushing for effecting a precise adjustment of the unbalance.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein: said coil being symmetrically arranged with respect to said shaft; a disc being mounted for rotation on said shaft; one side of said bushing being recessed to compensate for an unbalance caused by the stepping anchor means.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein: said disk is provided with a recess having the shape of a circular ring section.

Claim 12

In a watch having an electromagnetic driving mechanism which includes a coil, permanent magnet means acting upon the coil, and stepping anchor means, the improvement comprising: said stepping anchor being mounted for rotation on a shaft; said permanent magnet means comprising four two-pole permanent magnets defining four air gaps permeated by magnetic flux; said coil being wound in the shape of a rectangle which extends at a right angle to said shaft; said rectangular coil including integral pairs of long and short sides with said shaft being centrally located therewithin; said coil being arranged such that four generally diagonally opposed, rectilinear conductor sections of the long sides of the coil are operably contained by the air gaps; said coil being mounted for rotation with said stepping anchor on said shaft.

Claim 13

In a watch having an electromagnetic driving mechanism which includes a coil, permanent magnet means acting upon the coil, and stepping anchor means, the improvement comprising: said stepping anchor being mounted for rotation on a shaft; said permanent magnet means comprising four two-pole permanent magnets defining four air gaps permeated by magnetic flux; said coil being wound in the shape of a rectangle which extends at a right angle to said shaft; said rectangular coil including integral pairs of long and short sides with said shaft being centrally located therewithin; said coil being arranged such that four generally diagonally opposed, rectilinear conductor sections of the long sides of the coil are operably contained by the air gaps; said coil being mounted for rotation with said stepping anchor on said shaft.