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US 5,479,380 AGranted
Ultrasonic motor for driving an analog electronic watch
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsOsamu Miyazawa, Akihiko Maruyama, Joji Kitahara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic timepiece utilizing a motor to drive indicating hands is provided. The motor includes a first member having displaceable portions displaceable in a first direction. A second member moveable in a second direction is moved in the second direction by selectively coming in contact with the first member.
Claims34
An electronic timepiece comprising:
- time indication means for providing a visual indication of time;
- and
- motor means for driving said time indication means, said motor means comprising a first member having portions selectively displaceable in a first direction;
- a second member moveable in a second direction substantially orthogonal to said first direction;
- and drive control means for applying a standing wave to said first member selectively displacing said first member portions, including a plurality of vibrator means, said vibrator means being operably coupled to said first member for displacing said first member portions;
- and said drive control means exciting each of said plurality of vibrator means causing said first member portions to vibrate as a standing wave in a first of a plurality of vibration modes and moving said standing wave along said first member in said second direction in a stepwise manner by selectively changing said vibration mode of said first member portions so that said first member portions selectively contact said second member causing said second member to move in said section direction.
3 more elements
An electronic timepiece comprising a motor, said motor including a stator having displaceable portions;
- a rotor, said rotor having a plurality of radial projections, said projections selectively contacting said stator to rotate said rotor;
- a plurality of vibrator means, at least one of said vibrator means being operatively coupled to one of said displaceable stator portions;
- drive control means for exciting each of said plurality of vibrator means, to form a standing wave in said displaceable portions of said stator, and phase shifting said standing wave to move said rotor in a stepwise manner;
- a pinion integrally formed with said rotor and rotating therewith;
- a pivot formed on said pinion;
- wheel train support means, said pivot extending through said wheel train support means so that said rotor is supported in the direction of the plane of said wheel train support means;
- biasing means for biasing said pivot in the direction of said rotor;
- a seconds indicating means;
- a minutes indicating means;
- an hours indicating means;
- a fourth wheel for driving said seconds indicating means rotatably mounted on said wheel train support means operatively coupled with said pinion, said fourth wheel being disposed at the center of said watch, said fourth wheel rotating at a rotational speed which is stepped down from the rotational speed of said pinion by a predetermined ratio;
- a center wheel disposed at the center of said watch for driving said minutes indicating means;
- a third wheel for transmitting the rotational movement of said fourth wheel to said center wheel;
- a cannon pinion disposed at the center of said watch for driving said hour indicating means;
- a minute wheel for transmitting the rotational movement of said center wheel to said cannon pinion, said fourth wheel overlapping said stator when viewed in plan and being disposed above said stator across a gap and said third wheel being disposed in a non-overlapping manner with said stator when viewed in plan;
- a circuit board;
- and
- a circuit pattern mounted on said circuit board for coupling said drive control means to each of said plurality of vibrator means, each of said plurality of vibrator means including an electrode, said circuit pattern being formed of an elastically deformable material, said circuit pattern being elastically pressed against an electrode of each respective vibrator means.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.