Ebauches S.a.

Asulab S.a.

Ali Schneiter

Hubert Portmann

Rene Besson

Jean-Felix Perotto

Jean-Georges Michel

Jean Fellrath

Roberto Zafferri

Maurice Grimm

Remy Grandjean

Anne Curchod

Jean-Frederic Fluckiger

Jacques Ziegler

The motor comprises a stator formed in one piece and having an opening formed therein, a yoke of high magnetic permeability and a coil wound round the yoke. The rotor comprises a shaft and a bar magnet. The opening has a first part all points of which are disposed at a first distance from the rotation axis of the rotor and a second part the points of which are disposed at second distances, different from the first distance, from that rotation axis. The invention is applicable particularly to stepping motors having a low consumption of electric current, e.g. for time pieces.

Electromagnetic motor

An electro-acoustic transducer capable of operating as an emitter and as a pick-up for acoustic waves in an ambient medium includes a cover member having an opening for communication with the ambient medium, first and second diaphragms which are spaced from each other within the cover member, the second diaphragm being capable of vibrating under the effect of acoustic waves and being disposed between the first diaphragm and the opening in the cover member, an electromagnet for causing vibrations of the first diaphragm in response to electrical excitation signals when the transducer is operating in the emitter mode, an air cushion contained in a closed chamber separating the two diaphragms or a rigid mechanical connection between the two diaphragms for communicating the vibrations of the first diaphragm to the second diaphragm, and a pair of electrodes disposed on opposite sides of the second diaphragm, which is preferably a sheet of electret, for producing an output signal in response to vibrations of the second diaphragm produced by acoustic waves which are propagated in the ambient medium when the transducer is operating in the pick-up mode.

Electro-acoustic transducer

The case 1 of the watch comprises elements consisting of ribbed zones 3, 4 and 5 of different structures which can supply mechanical vibrations when they are rubbed by the user of the watch. A transducer transforms these acoustic vibrations into an electric signal. An electronic circuit comprising generator means, a pulse shaper, counters, a register and a comparator allows the vibration message generated by the activation of one or the other of the ribbed zones 3, 4 and 5 to be decoded and one or the other of the functions appearing on the display 2 of the watch to be controlled.

Device for controlling the functions of an electronic watch

A resilient member for connecting a crystal to a watch casing in which the crystal is used for generating acoustic signals. The member is of generally annular configuration with an inner portion rigidly connected to the circumference of the crystal, an outer peripheral portion connected to a supporting member of the watch casing, and a free portion extending between the inner portion and the outer peripheral portion. The free portion has a width and a thickness which permits flexing in a direction normal to the plane of the crystal so that the crystal can vibrate in a direction normal to its plane and act as an acoustical transmitting member.

Watch

A time resetting operation in an electronic timepiece requires blocking of the stepping motor 1, and block of the mechanical type is avoided by the invention. A STOP switch 10 actuated by a time resetting stem of the timepiece sets to state '1' a flip-flop 11 which blocks gates 12 and 13 for controlling the passage of the pulses which drive the motor 1 through a feed circuit 2. The circuit 2 then passes a continuous current in the same direction as the last drive pulse. Thus, triggering of the continuous current leaves the position of the rotor unchanged. A counter 14 counts 1-second pulses and then resets the flip-flop 11, which causes the motor to resume normal operation. This avoids excessive discharging of the battery of the electronic timepiece if the user forgets to return the stem to its initial position after a time resetting operation.

Electronic timepiece

Electronic timepiece having an electro-optic passive display cell comprising an oscillator used as a time base and an electronic control circuit of its several functions. The electronic circuit is operable by means of a stationary key or switch, having a capacitive action, carried by the glass or crystal of the timepiece. The stationary key is fed by the oscillator through a fixed or non-variable condenser. A conductive element is interposed between the stationary key and the display cell, the conductive element constituting one of the electrodes of the fixed condenser. The purpose of this arrangement is to eliminate the influence of a parasitic condenser constituted by the electrodes of the display cell and the electrode of the stationary key.

A touch sensitive device for controlling a function of a timepiece is formed with a condenser having a capacity independent of the area of the device touched. A conductive stem is fixed in a timepiece case and is electrically insulated from the case by a mounting member. A head is fixed on an end of the stem adjacent the outside of the timepiece to form one of the condenser electrodes. A thin layer of insulating material covers the outside of the head and forms the condenser dielectric. A layer of conductive material is fixed on a side of the dielectric material opposite the head and forms the second condenser electrode. When the second electrode is energized by the touch of the user, the entire second electrode is energized independent of the area touched by the user, giving the condenser a capacity independent of the area of the second electrode touched.

Touch sensitive device for a timepiece

A counting mechanism for a timepiece in which the drive means therefor oscillates a counting wheel, which in turn drives a co-axially mounted ratchet wheel in one direction. The counting wheel and ratchet wheel are interconnected so that during each oscillation of the counting wheel, both wheels first move in unison in one direction and then the counting wheel alone is driven in the other direction against a resilient coupling member while the ratchet wheel is held stationary by a pawl. The counting wheel is released between each cycle of oscillations, so that it can be returned by the resilient coupling member to its normal position with respect to the ratchet wheel.

Counting mechanism for timepiece

An electro-optic display device having an activable surface. The surface including several separately activable zones, each zone having at least two sets of parallel discrete elements imbricated one in another and each set also separately activable. By simultaneously activating several different sets of elements, at least two separate imbricated patterns or data may be displayed simultaneously. The separate patterns may be observed independently through a reticulated transparent screen which may be movable to display one pattern, then the other.

Passive electro-optic display device

A counting mechanism for timepiece having a bidirectional step by step motor, in which the rotor of the said motor cooperates directly with a counting wheel in such a way as to drive it only in one direction, this counting wheel being submitted to the action of a magnet which determines, at each step, its position while cooperating successively with each tooth of its toothing.

A timepiece mechanism including an escapement or counting wheel. A balance wheel with two abutting members cooperates with the teeth of the escapement or counting wheel. The action of one abutting member causes the escapement or counting wheel to leave a rest position against the influence of a magnet; the action of the second abutting member furnishes driving energy to the balance wheel.

Growing community of inventors

Neuchatel, Switzerland

Ali Schneiter