The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

Asulab S.a.

Frédéric Meylan

Alain Vuilleumier

Jean-Jacques Born

Yves Winkler

Joachim Grupp

Jean-Pierre Mignot

Pascal Heck

Paul Dinnissen

The invention relates to a pressure sensor (). This pressure sensor () comprises a flexible membrane () cooperating with a transmission device () that enables a value representing the pressure to be supplied on the basis of the deformation of the membrane (). The membrane () is made from an at least partially amorphous material in order to optimise the dimensions of the sensor ().

Pressure sensor with a flexible membrane

A watch () has a microphone () placed in a watchcase (), a bracelet () with two end parts respectively attached to two opposite sides of the case and at least one through aperture () made in a lateral wall () of the case. The through aperture defines a first sound wave guide channel, and opens into the case in the direction of said microphone. The microphone is connected in the case to a sound wave processing unit circuit () for voice recognition. The watch further includes an audio guide member () fitted with a second open sound wave guide channel that comes into direct contact with the external surface of the lateral wall of the case across an area () that extends on either side of the aperture so as to guide the sound waves towards said first channel. This guide member may be made in an end part of the bracelet. In this manner, any interference from reflecting cavities, edges or surfaces in said area close to the aperture can be removed or attenuated.

Watch including a built-in microphone in the watchcase

A watch includes a mechanical or electromechanical timepiece movement, analog time indicators, a lunar indicator indicating lunar date on a scale and driven by the timepiece movement to perform one revolution in one or two synodic months, and Chinese calendar indicator members actuated by a calendar mechanism driven from the lunar indicator. A month moving part provided with an indicator of lunar months is driven via a rocking lever so as to perform one revolution per ordinary year of twelve months and per leap year of thirteen months. The other Chinese calendar indicators are driven from the month moving part and comprise a first year indicator performing one revolution in twelve years, a second year indicator performing one revolution in ten years, and a third year indicator performing one revolution in nineteen years and associated with a cam representing the Chang cycle of ordinary years and leap years.

Chinese mechanical calendar timepiece

The invention concerns a lunar month display mechanism, for a lunisolar calendar mechanism. The mechanism includes concentrically a plate, which determines the position of the additional month in the bissextile years. The plate is provided with a hand associated with a scale of twelve months and carries a planetary wheel permanently braked by a restraining device. The drive wheel, driven over one twelfth of a revolution at each new moon, meshes with the planetary wheel and moves the plate and hand forward. At the start of a bissextile month, the stop fingerforces the wheel to rotate overcoming the force of the restraining device while the drive wheel is rotating, such that the hand remains close to the number of the preceding month. The position of the stop finger is determined by a year cam. This mechanism can be used in particular in a Chinese calendar display.

Mechanism displaying values in variable cycles, particularly in a lunisolar calendar

In order to display images true to the real appearance of the moon during a lunation, particularly in a watch, there is provided a rotating indicator disc () arranged behind a circular aperture of a dial and comprising an annular region () subdivided into alternatively light () and dark () fields by lines of separation () having different shapes, which can appear in succession in the aperture. The drive means impart primary movements on the indicator disc (), each of which is large enough to replace one of the lines of separation by another in the aperture, and smaller secondary movements, to produce small movements of the line of separation inside the aperture. This allows a new image of the moon to be given every day, true to reality, with a restricted number of light and dark fields on the indicator disc and a particularly large aperture in relation to the size of the dial. A version with electric driving is disclosed and a version driven by a mechanical watch movement.

Method and device for displaying a moon image cycle, in particular for a watch

In an electronic watch containing an electric battery assembly of large size, particularly a battery assembly including several batteries or accumulators (), the diameter of a removable cover () closing a large bottom opening of the back cover () of the watchcase is limited by the fact that the cover is provided with a bayonet fitting device having locking members () radially directed towards the interior. These locking members catch on a fixed support () having one or more housings for the battery assembly. They are arranged at the top of a substantially cylindrical annular portion () of the cover. A sealing gasket () is placed around this annular portion and compressed radially against a cylindrical surface () of the periphery of the opening in the back cover, which ensures water-resistance even if the bayonet fitting is not screwed all the way in. According to a variant, the cover can form the entire back cover of the case.

Growing community of inventors

Neuchâtel, Switzerland

Frédéric Meylan