# US 12,602,011 B2 · Timepiece comprising an external element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,602,011 B2 - Document ID: US12602011B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/502,195 - Filed: 2023-11-06 - Published: 2024-06-27 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-22 - Assignees: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse - Applicants: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse - Inventors: Sylvain Huot-Marchand; Dominique Dubugnon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12602011B2 ## CPC - G04B 19/30: Illumination of dials or hands {(dials in general G04B19/06; moving indicating means with numbers or hands, in general G04B19/20; arrangements for indicating different local apparent times by means of a globe illuminated from inside G04B19/22; continuous indication of the time by non-electric light sources G04B25/00, e.g. by electric lamps G04C17/02; illumination by electric lamps which function at fixed times or periodically G04C19/02; illuminated panels G09F13/00)} - G04C 10/02: the power supply being a radioactive {or photovoltaic} source - G04G 17/02: Component assemblies - G04B: MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS (spring- or weight-driven mechanisms in general F03G; electromechanical clocks or watches G04C; electromechanical clocks with attached or built-in means operating any device at pre-selected times or after predetermined time intervals G04C23/00; clocks or watches with stop devices G04F7/08) - G04C: ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES - G04G: ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES ## Abstract A timepiece including at least one external timepiece element including a visible face formed of at least a first opaque part and at least a second transparent or translucent part, the at least one external timepiece element including an autonomous lighting device including the following functional elements: at least one light source capable of generating a light in the visible face of the external timepiece element; a self-contained power supply unit; and a control unit configured to manage the operation of the light source; the at least one external timepiece element being formed by an assembly of a plurality of stacked layers connected together and each including one or more functional elements of the autonomous lighting device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A timepiece comprising at least one external timepiece element comprising a visible face formed of at least a first opaque part and at least a second transparent or translucent part, said at least one external timepiece element comprising an autonomous lighting device comprising the following functional elements: at least one light source capable of generating a light in the visible face of the external timepiece element; a self-contained power supply unit; and a control unit configured to manage an operation of the light source; said at least one external timepiece element being formed by an assembly of a plurality of stacked layers directly connected together and each comprising one or more functional elements of the autonomous lighting device, wherein the assembly of the plurality of stacked layers includes the self-contained power supply unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the assembly includes a first layer forming said visible face comprising said at least one light source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The timepiece according to claim 2, wherein said at least one light source is arranged in the first layer, said arrangement being configured so that most or all of the light produced by said at least one light source passes through said at least one second part of the visible face. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein said at least one second transparent or translucent part is configured so that light comprising solar radiation that can be received by a photovoltaic module of the self-contained power supply unit can pass therethrough. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The timepiece according to claim 3, wherein said at least one light source is a light source configured to produce continuous or quasi-continuous illumination on said at least one second part of the first layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The timepiece according to claim 2, wherein the assembly comprises, in addition to the first layer, successive layers including: a second layer comprising a photovoltaic module constituting the self-contained power supply unit; a third layer comprising an electrical accumulator constituting the self-contained power supply unit; a fourth layer forming a hidden face of the external timepiece element comprising the control unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The timepiece according to claim 2, wherein the assembly comprises, in addition to the first layer, successive layers including: a second layer comprising a photovoltaic module constituting the self-contained power supply unit, and a third layer having a hidden face of the external timepiece element comprising the control unit and an electrical accumulator constituting the self-contained power supply unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The timepiece according to claim 2, wherein the first layer is rigid relative to the other layers in the assembly, which are flexible. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of layers are joined together by a connecting element so as to unify these layers to obtain an assembly forming a one-piece external timepiece element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein said at least one first opaque part is a graphic representation included on and/or in a substrate used to help form the visible face. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the functional elements are printed on substrates making up the layers of the assembly forming said at least one external timepiece element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The timepiece according to claim 1, wherein said at least one external timepiece element comprises a back, a middle, a dial, a bracelet strand, a bezel, a flange, a push-button, a winding button and/or a winding button cap.