Seiko Epson Corporation

Hidenori Makiba

Yasuhiro Oshima

Takashi Kawaguchi

Joji Kitahara

Yoshitaka Iijima

Hidehiro Akahane

Tatsuo Hara

Kenichi Okuhara

Masaru Kubota

Takashi Miyazaki

Hiroshi Shingu

Keiichiro Oguchi

Kiminori Kanamori

Youichi Hayashi

Mikiko Ito

This invention relates to a two-layer display type of electronic equipment having a liquid crystal panel (,) and a background display portion (,) on a rear surface side thereof. The liquid crystal panel (,) has a main liquid crystal panel unit (,) formed by inserting a liquid crystal layer (,) between a first substrate (,) and a second substrate (,). The liquid crystal layer (,) is set to either a light-transmitting state or a light-scattering state by an electrical field that is applied to the liquid crystal. This liquid crystal panel (,) has a transparent layer (,) on the rear surface of the second substrate (,). If the refractive index of this transparent layer (,) is n,, the refractive index of the second substrate (,) in contact with the front side of this transparent layer is n,, and the refractive index of the air layer in contact with the rear side of the transparent layer (,) is n,, the following relationship is established: n,<n,<n,.

Two-layer liquid crystal panel having a polymer liquid crystal layer and equipment using the same

Formed in glass framing (,) attached to a watch case (,) are a main opening (,) and four sub-openings (,), with display window members (,) respectively engaged and fixed to each. Positioned at the rear side of the glass framing (,) are dials (,&prime;), and a time-of-day indicating area (,) which is round to the view when viewed flat is provided to the dial (,). A round opening (,&prime;) corresponding to the time-of-day indicating area (,) is formed to the dial (,&prime;) adhered on the dial,and four sub-indicating areas (,&prime;) which are round to the view when viewed flat are formed on the surface of the dial (,&prime;). The time-of-day indicating area and sub-indicating areas are arranged so as to be separately viewed by the respective display window members.

Timepiece

A multifunctional electronic watch of the present invention displays data measured by a built-in atmospheric pressure sensor by means of a small atmospheric pressure pointer and an atmospheric pressure pointer. It is also capable of displaying a differential between the present atmospheric pressure and an atmospheric pressure three hours before by means of an atmospheric pressure tendency pointer. A dial ring attached around a clockface of the watch is formed with an atmospheric pressure scale, on the outer periphery of which is a rotation bezel formed with a height scale. The built-in sensor is accommodated in the watch so as not to project from the rotation bezel of the watch. Accordingly, an electronic watch which has additional functions of indicating environmental data such as atmospheric pressure without complicating the constitution can be realized.

Electronic watch

An analog indication type electronic timepiece includes a power generation device for transforming kinetic energy produced by motions of a user into electric energy and for causing the electric energy to output from a magnetic coil as an electric charging energy; a secondary power source charged by said electric charging energy; a timepiece circuit driven by a charged energy from said secondary power source to output motor drive pulses; and a drive motor including a drive coil and a drive rotor rotatably driven when the drive coil is energized by said motor drive pulses. This analog indication type electronic timepiece further includes an anti-overcharging device forming a bypass circuit for causing said electric charging energy to bypass relative to said secondary power source when the voltage at said secondary power source reaches a predetermined level, thereby preventing the overcharging to the secondary power source; and a current limiting device for forcedly limiting the bypass current flowing through said bypass circuit when the motor drive pulses are being output from said timepiece circuit, whereby an accurate analog time indication can be made while preventing a malfunction in the drive motor during the anti-overcharging operation to the secondary power source.

Analog indicator type electronic timepiece and charging method thereof

Growing community of inventors

Matsumoto, Japan

Hidenori Makiba