Seiko Instruments Inc

Haruki Hiranuma

Nobukazu Omori

Kazutaka Imai

Nobukazu Oomori

Koremoto Takeda

Hisamitsu Yoshikawa

Masahiro Ishida

Kinshuroh Itoh

Hideaki Koshoji

Kinshuro Itoh

Yoshio Hozumi

Nobuhide Matsumoto

Isao Ajiro

The present invention improves the weathering performance of a stopper structure preventing inadvertent rotation or a rotated body accommodated in a case. An operation member having a head portion rotated outside the case and a shaft portion inserted into a pipe so as to be movable between a first position and a second position that is outer than the first position. A stopper structure is provided inside the case to prevent rotation of the head portion when the operation member is positioned at the second position, whereas the stopper structure allows rotation of the head portion when the operation member is positioned at the first position.

Timepiece

The present invention provides a timepiece which can lightly rotate an operation member to rotate an display body, while exhibiting a high level of waterproof performance around the operation member. One of the pipe and a shaft portion of the operation member inserted into the pipe has a first annular contact surface, and a second annular contact surface that have different diameters A packing capable of elastic deformation and configured to effect waterproofing between the pipe and the shaft portion is mounted. In operation, the packing is selectively brought into contact with the first and second contact surfaces such that the packing is pressed harder on one of the first and second contact surfaces than on the other.

The present invention is to provide a timepiece. The time piece comprises a ring-shaped mounting member formed of an elastic material and positioned between the annular shell and the ring-shaped bezel. The ring-shaped mounting member includes an engaging portion having a second engagement surface configured to engage with a first engagement surface formed in the annular shell to restrict the ring-shaped bezel from moving relative to the annular shell in a first axial direction to prevent the ring-shaped bezel from separating from the annular shell. The ring-shaped mounting member is deformable with a force, so that the second engagement surface can slide along the first engagement surface to release ring-shaped bezel from the annular shell.

A pushbutton of a portable apparatus is locked against inward axial movement by engagement with a locking member when the locking member is unthreaded a distancefrom the apparatus body and brought into abutment with a fixed stopper member. The pushbutton is released from its locked state when the locking member is threaded into the apparatus body and brought out of abutment with the stopper member and into abutment with the apparatus body. In its unlocked state, a head portion of the pushbutton is axially spaced a distancefrom an opposedly facing portion of the locking member, wherein&#x2266;.

Portable apparatus and portable timepiece

Provision of a portable apparatus which is of a simple construction and which can prevent a lock member arranged at a lock position where a pushbutton is locked from being erroneously rotated to an excessive degree. A pipe inserted into a through-hole of an apparatus exterior body is fixed to the apparatus exterior body. The pipe consists of a single component, and has a male screw portion and a stopper portion on an external arrangement tube portion thereof. A lock member is provided with a female screw portion, a lock part, and a lock portion configured to move toward and away from the stopper portion. The two screw portions and are threadedly engaged with each other, and the lock member is mounted so as to be movable in the axial direction of the pipe. A shaft portion of a pushbutton is passed through the pipe, and the pushbutton is urged toward the exterior of the apparatus exterior body by a spring. A head with which the pushbutton is equipped has an opposing portion facing the lock part. A retaining ring is mounted to a shaft end portion of the shaft portion situated inside the apparatus exterior body, and the pushbutton is prevented from being detached from the pipe.

The present invention is to provide a portable device, such as a wrist watch, which realizes, with a simple structure, improved waterproof property against water leak associated with a push-in operation. A wrist watch (portable device) includes an outer case (device outer housing), an operation member and a holding ring. The outer case includes a holding portion in which an annular bearing surface is formed. The operation member is made of a soft material having waterproof performance. The operation member includes an annular packing portion to be seated on the bearing surface and a push-in portion integrally connected to the bearing portion, to which the push-in operation is performed from the outside of the device outer housing.

Waterproof push operation member for a time piece

A wristwatch includes a case formed of a glass and a back lid attached to a case body that has an annular receiving portion on an inner peripheral surface thereof. An inner frame is integrated into the case body by engaging an engaging portion of the inner frame with the annular receiving portion from the side of the back lid. A movement is supported inside the inner frame, and a plurality of resilient bodies are attached to the inner frame and project from the outer peripheral surface of the inner frame. The resilient bodies are clamped between the inner peripheral surface of the case body and the outer peripheral surface of the inner frame, and are resiliently deformed so as to match a gap between the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface.

A timepiece includes a movement contained in a timepiece exterior assembly. A panel is fixed onto the movement. Upward engagement convex portions having pressing portions in upper portions thereof are formed in a plurality of locations of the ring member, and a ring member is fixed to the peripheral portion of the movement. A display plate has a plurality of reception portions in a peripheral portion thereof with which the pressing portion comes into contact from above. The reception portions are vertically interposed by an upper surface of the ring member and the pressing portions, the display plate is attached to the ring member, and the panel is covered with the display plate.

A wristwatch case includes a case body, an edge member, and a mounting ring. The case body has a circular fitting hole, an edge receiving surface, and an engaging surface. The edge member includes a cylindrical portion extending through the fitting hole, a cover portion, a male screw portion, and a receiving portion. The cover portion is provided on an outer periphery of the cylindrical portion that projects out of the case body and overlaps the edge receiving surface. The male screw portion is formed on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion that is inserted into the case body. The receiving portion is formed on the cylindrical portion and receives a peripheral portion of a dial of the movement. The mounting ring is screwed onto the male screw portion and comes into contact with the engaging surface to fix the edge member to the case body.

A timepiece includes a movement, a ring member, and an hour plate. Upward engagement convex portions of the ring member have contact parts placed near an outer peripheral surface of the ring member. The hour plate has a plurality of interposition portions and a plurality of convex portion accommodation grooves opened to the peripheral surface thereof. The interposition portions divide the convex portion accommodation grooves, come into close contact with the contact parts in the state of being elastically deformed, and interpose the engagement convex portions therebetween along a direction perpendicular to a radial direction of the ring member. The convex portion accommodation grooves are housed in the respective engagement convex portions, and the hour plate is attached to the ring member.

To provide a portable timepiece in which water is not easily allowed to enter the timepiece exterior assembly with the completion of venting, the timepiece is equipped with a vent valve mounted to a timepiece exterior assembly. The vent valve is equipped with a valve body holder fixed to the timepiece exterior assembly, a ring-shaped packing supported by the holder and elastically deformable, and a valve body movable between a valve-closed position and a valve-open position. The valve body has a valve body shaft portion, a valve body head integral with this shaft portion, and an exhaust recess formed in the valve body shaft portion. The valve body shaft portion axially extends through the valve body holder while in contact with the inner peripheral portion of the packing. Through movement of the valve body, the exhaust recess is detached from the packing at the valve-closed position, and, at the valve-open position, the exhaust recess is arranged so as to be astride and cross apart of the inner peripheral portion of the packing.

Portable timepiece

To provide a portable timepiece whose vent valve construction is simple, in which the vent valve is not easily erroneously opened, and in which water is not easily allowed to enter the timepiece exterior assembly with the completion of venting. A wristwatch is equipped with a vent valve mounted to a timepiece exterior assembly. The vent valve is equipped with a pipe, a valve body, a retaining member, and packing formed of a seal material capable of elastic deformation. The timepiece exterior assembly is equipped with the pipe establishing communication between the interior and exterior thereof. The pipe has a valve seat surface, a stopper portion, and a male screw portion. The valve body is equipped with a valve body shaft portion inserted into the pipe, and a valve body head integral with this shaft portion. The valve body head is provided with a female screw portion threadedly engaged with the male screw portion and a plurality of vent holes, with the valve body being axially movable through a change in the mesh engagement of both screw portions. There is mounted to the valve body shaft portion the retaining member moving toward and away from the stopper portion from the interior side of the timepiece exterior assembly. The waterproof packing moving toward and away from the valve seat surface as the valve body moves is mounted to the valve body shaft portion.

A portable timepiece has a timepiece exterior assembly with a mounting hole having seal surfaces and escape portions. A valve member has a shaft portion movably inserted into the mounting hole and a head portion connected to the shaft portion. An urging member is provided between the head portion and the assembly for urging the valve member toward the interior of the assembly. Seal members are mounted to the shaft portion in correspondence with the seal surfaces. The seal members are configured to be moved between a sealing position in which the seal members are held in contact with the seal surfaces, and an exhaust position in which the seal members are opposed to the respective escape portions. In the sealing position, the seal members define a closed space together with an outer periphery of the shaft portion and the escape portions opposed to the outer periphery.

A portable timepiece has a timepiece exterior assembly with a button mounting hole having seal surfaces and escape portions. An exhaust button has a shaft portion and a button portion connected to the shaft portion and configured to be pushed inward from an exterior of the assembly. An urging member is provided between the button portion and the assembly for urging the exhaust button toward the exterior of the assembly. Seal members are mounted to the shaft portion in correspondence with the seal surfaces. The seal members undergo movement between a sealing position in which they are held in contact with the respective seal surfaces with interference through axial reciprocation of the exhaust button, and an exhaust position in which the seal members are opposed to the respective escape portions. In the sealing position, the seal members define a closed space formed by the shaft portion and the escape portions.

A timepiece is equipped with a movement (module), a solar cell panel, a ring member, and a dial (timepiece display plate). The panel is fixed to the module. The ring member is fixed to the peripheral portion of the movement. The ring member has, at a plurality of positions thereof, recesses, and a pair of engagement protrusions protruding upwardly from the bottom of each recess. The recesses are respectively open in an upper surface and the outer peripheral surface of the ring member. The pair of engagement protrusions form a gap G between them, and are capable of elastic deformation. A proximal portion of each engagement protrusion is situated below the upper surface of the ring member. The dial has cutouts at a plurality of positions of its peripheral portion. Each of these cutouts is engaged with each pair of engagement protrusions to cover the panel, and the dial is mounted to the ring member such that the peripheral portions of the cutouts cover the recesses.

Growing community of inventors

Chiba, Japan

Haruki Hiranuma