ELECTRONIC WRIST WATCH WITH ALARM
United States Patent 3858389
An electronic wrist watch with an alarm has a buzzer provided on the outside of a watch case, a perforated cover which covers said buzzer, an excitation circuit which drives said buzzer, apparatus for operating the excitation circuit at some predetermined time, and a small-size dry cell battery for supplying the oscillating power of said buzzer. The cover is coextensive with the watch case. An adjustment for controlling the buzzer volume is provided in one embodiment.
US Patent References:
Alarm timepiece sounding device
Junghans et al. - March 1957 - 2786326
ALARM WRISTWATCH
Spadini et al. - August 1969 - 3462943
WATERTIGHT ALARM WRISTWATCH
Spadini - May 1971 - 3577876
ALARM WRISTWATCH
Spadini - February 1972 - 3638418
ELECTRONIC ALARM WATCH
Diersbock - May 1973 - 3733804
Alarm timepiece sounding device
Junghans et al. - March 1957 - 2786326
ALARM WRISTWATCH
Spadini et al. - August 1969 - 3462943
WATERTIGHT ALARM WRISTWATCH
Spadini - May 1971 - 3577876
ALARM WRISTWATCH
Spadini - February 1972 - 3638418
ELECTRONIC ALARM WATCH
Diersbock - May 1973 - 3733804
Application Number:
05/360171
Publication Date:
01/07/1975
Filing Date:
05/14/1973
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha (Tokyo, JA)
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
368/250, 968/602, 429/98, 968/970, 968/452
International Classes:
G04C3/00; G04C21/34; G04G13/02; G04C21/00; G04G13/00; G04B23/12; G04C21/34
Field of Search:
58/57.5,23BA
Primary Examiner:
Miller Jr., George H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen
Parent Case Data:
OTHER APPLICATIONS
This Application is a continuation-in-part of my earlier application, Ser. No. 227,107 filed Feb. 17, 1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,583.
Claims:
What is claimed is
1. An alarm timepiece comprising a case provided with an internal chamber arranged peripherally and circumferentially therein, an alarm including a driving coil, a vibrating arm and a magnetic circuit in operative association in said chamber, a relatively small cover on said chamber, timing means in said case, an alarm driving circuit in said case and including a transistor for driving said alarm, a connecting means extending between and connecting said alarm driving circuit and said coil, screws supporting said cover circumferentially on said case for adjusting the volume of said alarm, said cover being provided with a single sector-shaped opening to ambient atmosphere, and a sector-shaped plate pivotally mounted on said cover to controllably damp the sound of the alarm.
1. An alarm timepiece comprising a case provided with an internal chamber arranged peripherally and circumferentially therein, an alarm including a driving coil, a vibrating arm and a magnetic circuit in operative association in said chamber, a relatively small cover on said chamber, timing means in said case, an alarm driving circuit in said case and including a transistor for driving said alarm, a connecting means extending between and connecting said alarm driving circuit and said coil, screws supporting said cover circumferentially on said case for adjusting the volume of said alarm, said cover being provided with a single sector-shaped opening to ambient atmosphere, and a sector-shaped plate pivotally mounted on said cover to controllably damp the sound of the alarm.
Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electronic wrist watches with alarms and more particularly to electronic wrist watches provided with time indicating buzzers and the like.
BACKGROUND
Conventional alarm wrist watches are known which are of the mechanical type and are so constructed that a hammer rod strikes a part of a back cover. In these mechanical alarm wrist watches, a spring has to be wound before each usage. Moreover, the sound of the buzzer is weak and unpleasant.
Recently, a mechanical wrist watch has been developed wherein the sound of the buzzer is improved. This new wrist watch comprises a barrel drum and a battery whereby the buzzer is electrically driven. This wrist watch is large in size, especially in thickness, as a result of which its value is greatly reduced.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above disadvantages and to provide a wrist watch with very great appeal.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electronic wrist watch which has a very small-size buzzer which is used as an alarm and which is characterized by good water resistance.
Still an object is to provide a wrist watch with an alarm of adjustable volume.
To achieve the above and other objects of the invention there is provided an alarm timepiece comprising a case provided with an internal enclosure and including a portion defining an external recess, there being an alarm in such recess and there being moreover provided timing means in the aforesaid enclosure along with power means, connecting means extending through said portion of the case and connecting the power means and alarm.
According to a feature of the invention, said connecting means extends in water-tight relationship through the aforenoted portion.
The timing means may be advantageously operatively associated with the power means to control the same. Furthermore, there may advantageously be provided in accordance with a further feature of the invention a perforated cover over the above-mentioned recess which cover shields the alarm and is coextensive with the casing exclusive of the aforementioned portion.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the above-mentioned power means may include a transistor circuit for operating the alarm and timing means, such circuit including a battery, an oscillating circuit section including a transistor and a buzzer driven by this circuit section, there being furthermore provided a switch controlled by the timing means and controlling the circuit section. Such circuit may further include a section for driving the timing means. Further the buzzer can be mounted in a resonance chamber having an aperture with an adjustable cover for varying volume of the alarm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a partly cross-sectional view of an electronic alarm wrist watch incorporating a recessed buzzer system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating a circuit for driving the buzzer and the timing mechanism of the watch in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III--III in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 shows a detail of the watch of FIG. 1 on enlarged scale;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line V--V of a buzzer cover according to another embodiment of this invention; and
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the buzzer cover of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows an outline of the inside of an electronic alarm wrist watch according to the invention. Element 1 is a watch case. The watch case 1 is provided with peripheral recess in which is accommodated a buzzer 9. Over this recessed portion is attached a buzzer cover 10 by means of screws 13.
The buzzer cover 10 is provided with a plurality of perforations or holes 11. The cover 10 and case 1 have like curvatures as seen in FIG. 1.
Element 2 is a balance wheel which is used as the time standard. A tuning fork or a quartz crystal may be used as the time standard in other embodiments. Element 3 is a permanent magnet attached to the balance wheel 2 and element 4 is a coil. This balance-wheel construction is well known and need not be further described.
The terminals 18a, 18b and 18c of the coil are connected to a power source, a detecting condenser and the collector electrode of a transistor 16 for driving the balance wheel respectively. Element 5 is a small-size dry cell battery and, in this embodiment, one battery serves for driving both buzzer 9 and balance wheel 2. The positive pole of the battery 5 is grounded to the plate of the watch and the negative pole is pressed by a spring 6 on insulators 7 and 8. The electrode reaches from the insulator 8 to a predetermined position on a base plate 14 of the associated circuit.
The buzzer 9 is provided with a plurality of small holes 12 in order that any generated sound may be easily transmitted therefrom. The buzzer 9 is connected to the associated circuit by connecting members 17a, 17b, and 17c which are good electric conductors. A transistor 15 is provided for the buzzer. Since the connecting members 17a, 17b and 17c pass through the case 1, they are insulated from the case 1 by rubber or plastic such that the watch case is sealed in order to maintain the same waterproof. Therefore, the movement and the circuit are incorporated in the waterproof case, while the buzzer 9 is incorporated in a ventilated space so sound can be effectively transmitted.
FIG. 2 is a diagram of an electronic circuit for driving the buzzer and the balance wheel of the watch in the embodiment of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, element 19 is a battery, element 20 is a buzzer, element 21 is a transistor for driving a buzzer, and element 22 is a detecting coil. Also included are a base bias resistor 23, a coil 24 for driving the buzzer, a balance wheel 25 which constitutes as aforesaid the time standard for the watch, a transistor 26 forming part of a circuit for driving the balance wheel, a detecting coil 27, a detecting condenser 28, a base bias resistor 29, a coil 30 for driving the balance wheel and a condenser 31 for preventing harmonic-wave oscillation. The detecting coil 27 and the driving coil 30 are formed as a unit constituting coil 4 shown in FIG. 1. The detecting coil 22 and the driving coil 24 are incorporated in the buzzer 9.
Usually, the circuit for driving the buzzer is inoperative as a switch 32 is open. At a time previously set, when the switch 32 is closed by conventional means, the circuit operates and the buzzer begins to ring. The switch 32 can be easily operated for example by a flexible pin attached to an hour wheel (not shown), according to a well known technique.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the watch in FIG. 1 taken along line III--III in FIG. 3, element 33 is the front glass of the watch, element 34 is the front dial, element 35 is the rear lid and element 36 is the base plate of the watch movement. The battery 5 has a positive terminal case part 5a and a negative terminal case part 5b. Positive terminal case part 5a is electrically in contact with the base plate 36 through a terminal spring 37. Element 38 is a magnetic plate which is fixed in buzzer 9.
Element 39 is a permanent magnet, element 40 is a vibrating arm and element 41 is a resonator film. This constitution of the buzzer 9 is already known. Element 8a is a conductive film on an insulator 8. Spring 6 is insulated from base plate 36 by a plastic bushing 42 and insulator 7 or 8. The spring 6 is in contact with conductive film 8a. Therefore, negative terminal 5b of the battery 5 is connected with a negative point of the electronic circuit.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged inside view of the buzzer. Resonator film 41 is pasted with its outside edge to an inside wall of buzzer case 9. The three terminal wires are guided out to the connecting members 17a, 17b and 17c. These connecting members are covered with insulating tubes 44 and fixed at an insulator plate 43 which is mounted inside the buzzer case 9.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V--V of FIG. 6. In FIG. 5, element 34 is a relatively small cover for covering an aperture 48 provided on a buzzer cover 10. The cover 45 can be rotated around a screw 49. The buzzer cover 10 is fixed on the case 1 with screws passing through holes 46 and 47 as shown in FIG. 1.
Since the small cover 45 can be rotated, the open size of the aperture 48 through which the air inside and outside the buzzer cover 10 is connected can be changed by rotating and moving the cover 45. This means that the volume of sound generated by the buzzer 9 can be adjusted from the outside.
At night, for example, it's desirable that the volume of the oscillating sound of the buzzer be reduced or cancelled entirely. In the daytime, the volume must be great in order to be heard. According to this invention, since the volume of the oscillating sound can be adjusted by the user as occasion demands, the buzzer can be actuated under any circumstances.
As seen from the above, according to this invention, the buzzer can be readily exchanged and/or serviced. The buzzer can moreover be protected effectively from dust and so forth. As the water-resistance of the wrist watch isn't decreased by the mounting of the buzzer, a high reliability of the movement is obtained. Further, as the buzzer itself as of water-resistant construction, a high reliability of the buzzer results and the buzzer can be used for a long time. Accordingly, this invention provides great advantage in manufacturing electronic buzzer wrist watches having high reliability.
There will now be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations of the construction set forth hereinabove. Such modifications and variations will not however depart from the scope of the invention if defined by the following claims.
The present invention relates to electronic wrist watches with alarms and more particularly to electronic wrist watches provided with time indicating buzzers and the like.
BACKGROUND
Conventional alarm wrist watches are known which are of the mechanical type and are so constructed that a hammer rod strikes a part of a back cover. In these mechanical alarm wrist watches, a spring has to be wound before each usage. Moreover, the sound of the buzzer is weak and unpleasant.
Recently, a mechanical wrist watch has been developed wherein the sound of the buzzer is improved. This new wrist watch comprises a barrel drum and a battery whereby the buzzer is electrically driven. This wrist watch is large in size, especially in thickness, as a result of which its value is greatly reduced.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above disadvantages and to provide a wrist watch with very great appeal.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electronic wrist watch which has a very small-size buzzer which is used as an alarm and which is characterized by good water resistance.
Still an object is to provide a wrist watch with an alarm of adjustable volume.
To achieve the above and other objects of the invention there is provided an alarm timepiece comprising a case provided with an internal enclosure and including a portion defining an external recess, there being an alarm in such recess and there being moreover provided timing means in the aforesaid enclosure along with power means, connecting means extending through said portion of the case and connecting the power means and alarm.
According to a feature of the invention, said connecting means extends in water-tight relationship through the aforenoted portion.
The timing means may be advantageously operatively associated with the power means to control the same. Furthermore, there may advantageously be provided in accordance with a further feature of the invention a perforated cover over the above-mentioned recess which cover shields the alarm and is coextensive with the casing exclusive of the aforementioned portion.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the above-mentioned power means may include a transistor circuit for operating the alarm and timing means, such circuit including a battery, an oscillating circuit section including a transistor and a buzzer driven by this circuit section, there being furthermore provided a switch controlled by the timing means and controlling the circuit section. Such circuit may further include a section for driving the timing means. Further the buzzer can be mounted in a resonance chamber having an aperture with an adjustable cover for varying volume of the alarm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a partly cross-sectional view of an electronic alarm wrist watch incorporating a recessed buzzer system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating a circuit for driving the buzzer and the timing mechanism of the watch in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III--III in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 shows a detail of the watch of FIG. 1 on enlarged scale;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line V--V of a buzzer cover according to another embodiment of this invention; and
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the buzzer cover of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows an outline of the inside of an electronic alarm wrist watch according to the invention. Element 1 is a watch case. The watch case 1 is provided with peripheral recess in which is accommodated a buzzer 9. Over this recessed portion is attached a buzzer cover 10 by means of screws 13.
The buzzer cover 10 is provided with a plurality of perforations or holes 11. The cover 10 and case 1 have like curvatures as seen in FIG. 1.
Element 2 is a balance wheel which is used as the time standard. A tuning fork or a quartz crystal may be used as the time standard in other embodiments. Element 3 is a permanent magnet attached to the balance wheel 2 and element 4 is a coil. This balance-wheel construction is well known and need not be further described.
The terminals 18a, 18b and 18c of the coil are connected to a power source, a detecting condenser and the collector electrode of a transistor 16 for driving the balance wheel respectively. Element 5 is a small-size dry cell battery and, in this embodiment, one battery serves for driving both buzzer 9 and balance wheel 2. The positive pole of the battery 5 is grounded to the plate of the watch and the negative pole is pressed by a spring 6 on insulators 7 and 8. The electrode reaches from the insulator 8 to a predetermined position on a base plate 14 of the associated circuit.
The buzzer 9 is provided with a plurality of small holes 12 in order that any generated sound may be easily transmitted therefrom. The buzzer 9 is connected to the associated circuit by connecting members 17a, 17b, and 17c which are good electric conductors. A transistor 15 is provided for the buzzer. Since the connecting members 17a, 17b and 17c pass through the case 1, they are insulated from the case 1 by rubber or plastic such that the watch case is sealed in order to maintain the same waterproof. Therefore, the movement and the circuit are incorporated in the waterproof case, while the buzzer 9 is incorporated in a ventilated space so sound can be effectively transmitted.
FIG. 2 is a diagram of an electronic circuit for driving the buzzer and the balance wheel of the watch in the embodiment of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, element 19 is a battery, element 20 is a buzzer, element 21 is a transistor for driving a buzzer, and element 22 is a detecting coil. Also included are a base bias resistor 23, a coil 24 for driving the buzzer, a balance wheel 25 which constitutes as aforesaid the time standard for the watch, a transistor 26 forming part of a circuit for driving the balance wheel, a detecting coil 27, a detecting condenser 28, a base bias resistor 29, a coil 30 for driving the balance wheel and a condenser 31 for preventing harmonic-wave oscillation. The detecting coil 27 and the driving coil 30 are formed as a unit constituting coil 4 shown in FIG. 1. The detecting coil 22 and the driving coil 24 are incorporated in the buzzer 9.
Usually, the circuit for driving the buzzer is inoperative as a switch 32 is open. At a time previously set, when the switch 32 is closed by conventional means, the circuit operates and the buzzer begins to ring. The switch 32 can be easily operated for example by a flexible pin attached to an hour wheel (not shown), according to a well known technique.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the watch in FIG. 1 taken along line III--III in FIG. 3, element 33 is the front glass of the watch, element 34 is the front dial, element 35 is the rear lid and element 36 is the base plate of the watch movement. The battery 5 has a positive terminal case part 5a and a negative terminal case part 5b. Positive terminal case part 5a is electrically in contact with the base plate 36 through a terminal spring 37. Element 38 is a magnetic plate which is fixed in buzzer 9.
Element 39 is a permanent magnet, element 40 is a vibrating arm and element 41 is a resonator film. This constitution of the buzzer 9 is already known. Element 8a is a conductive film on an insulator 8. Spring 6 is insulated from base plate 36 by a plastic bushing 42 and insulator 7 or 8. The spring 6 is in contact with conductive film 8a. Therefore, negative terminal 5b of the battery 5 is connected with a negative point of the electronic circuit.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged inside view of the buzzer. Resonator film 41 is pasted with its outside edge to an inside wall of buzzer case 9. The three terminal wires are guided out to the connecting members 17a, 17b and 17c. These connecting members are covered with insulating tubes 44 and fixed at an insulator plate 43 which is mounted inside the buzzer case 9.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line V--V of FIG. 6. In FIG. 5, element 34 is a relatively small cover for covering an aperture 48 provided on a buzzer cover 10. The cover 45 can be rotated around a screw 49. The buzzer cover 10 is fixed on the case 1 with screws passing through holes 46 and 47 as shown in FIG. 1.
Since the small cover 45 can be rotated, the open size of the aperture 48 through which the air inside and outside the buzzer cover 10 is connected can be changed by rotating and moving the cover 45. This means that the volume of sound generated by the buzzer 9 can be adjusted from the outside.
At night, for example, it's desirable that the volume of the oscillating sound of the buzzer be reduced or cancelled entirely. In the daytime, the volume must be great in order to be heard. According to this invention, since the volume of the oscillating sound can be adjusted by the user as occasion demands, the buzzer can be actuated under any circumstances.
As seen from the above, according to this invention, the buzzer can be readily exchanged and/or serviced. The buzzer can moreover be protected effectively from dust and so forth. As the water-resistance of the wrist watch isn't decreased by the mounting of the buzzer, a high reliability of the movement is obtained. Further, as the buzzer itself as of water-resistant construction, a high reliability of the buzzer results and the buzzer can be used for a long time. Accordingly, this invention provides great advantage in manufacturing electronic buzzer wrist watches having high reliability.
There will now be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations of the construction set forth hereinabove. Such modifications and variations will not however depart from the scope of the invention if defined by the following claims.