US 2024/0302800 A1Published application

Electronically Controlled Mechanical Watch

AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation

InventorYutaka YAMAZAKI

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Abstract

An electrically controlled mechanical watch includes a mainspring, a speed regulator that controls a rotation cycle of a wheel train, a control unit that controls the speed regulator, a power generator, a first power accumulation device, a second power accumulation device that is coupled to the first power accumulation device in parallel via a switch, and a detection unit that detects a mechanical energy amount accumulated in the mainspring. In a case in which the switch is in an off state, when it is detected that the mechanical energy amount exceeds a first set value, the control unit controls the switch from the off state to an on state. In a case in which the switch is in the on state, when it is detected that the mechanical energy amount falls below a second set value, the control unit controls the switch from the on state to the off state.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An electrically controlled mechanical watch comprising:

a mainspring;
a wheel train configured to transmit mechanical energy of the mainspring;
a hand driven by the wheel train to display the time;
a speed regulator configured to control a rotation cycle of the wheel train;
a control unit configured to control the speed regulator;
a power generator configured to convert the mechanical energy of the mainspring to electrical energy;
a first power accumulation device configured to accumulate the electrical energy of the power generator and supply the electrical energy to the control unit;
a second power accumulation device coupled to the first power accumulation device in parallel via a switch and configured to accumulate the electrical energy;
and
a detection unit configured to detect a mechanical energy amount accumulated in the mainspring, wherein
in a case in which the switch is in an off state, when the detection unit detects that the mechanical energy amount exceeds a first set value, the control unit controls the switch from the off state to an on state and
in a case in which the switch is in the on state, when the detection unit detects that the mechanical energy amount falls below a second set value, the control unit controls the switch from the on state to the off state.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/598,023Filed 7 Mar 2024
Priority: JP 2023-0358918 Mar 2023
Published: 12 Sep 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G04C 10/00
Arrangements of electric power supplies in time-pieces
G04B 1/10
Driving mechanisms: with mainspring
G04B 3/06
Normal winding of clockworks by hand or mechanically; Winding up several mainsprings or driving weights simultaneously: keys or the like with…
G04C 3/10
Wherein movement is regulated by a mechanical oscillator other than a pendulum or balance, e.g. by a tuning fork , e.g. electrostatically: driven…