Timepiece having a mechanical movement associated with an electronic regulator
US7306364B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 2004 |
| Grant date | Dec 11, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 22, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG04C11/084
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
There is disclosed a wristwatch having a case containing a mechanical watch movement (10) driven by a spring barrel (14) and provided with a mechanical regulator with a balance and balance-spring, which is associated, via electromagnetic coupling, with an electronic regulator driven by a quartz resonator. The rim of the balance (13) is provided with a pair of permanent magnets (38, 39). The electronic regulator includes a fixed coil (12) arranged for cooperating with said magnets via electromagnetic coupling, a rectifier (58) provided with at least one capacitor, and a circuit (60) for enslaving the frequency of the mechanical regulator to the frequency of the oscillator by braking obtained by briefly short-circuiting the coil. In order to enable a common type of mechanical movement to be used, only the balance of which is altered, the electronic regulator is formed by a structural module (11) that is entirely separate from the mechanical watch movement (10). This module can be fixed to the movement plate, or, conversely, carried by the watchcase independently of said movement, in particular via a casing ring (26). Apart from the coil, all of the rest of the electronic module (11) …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.