Seiko Epson Corporation

Shoichi Nagao

Nobuo Karaki

Akira Komatsu

Eiji Morikuni

Katsuyuki Honda

Joji Kitahara

Masatoshi Moteki

Hiroyuki Mukaiyama

Masao Takeuchi

Kazuhiro Tsuchiya

Akihiro Shimizu

Taro Matsunaga

A method for producing a timepiece spring includes a step for producing, by casting, a metallic glass raw material constituted of a metallic glass; a step for heating the metallic glass raw material to achieve a superplastic state; and a step for rolling the metallic glass raw material in a superplastic state to produce a sheet material. A timepiece spring is characterized by being obtained by the method for producing a timepiece spring.

Method for producing timepiece spring, device for producing timepiece spring, timepiece spring, and timepiece

A piezoelectric drive device has a piezoelectric actuator that has a vibrator with a piezoelectric element, and a rotor that is rotated by the vibrator, an elastic device that can store the rotational energy of the rotor as elastic energy, and a driven body that is rotated by the elastic energy stored by the elastic device.

Piezoelectric drive device and electronic device

A timepiece includes a dial having a tens date display window for displaying the tens digit of the date, and a ones date display window for displaying the ones digit of the date; and a calendar mechanism having a tens indicator wheel to which a plurality of tens digit markers are disposed and a ones indicator wheel to which a plurality of ones digit markers are disposed, and which displays one of the plural tens digit markers disposed to the tens indicator wheel from the tens date display window, and displays one of the plural ones digit markers disposed to the ones indicator wheel from the ones date display window. The ones indicator wheel has a ones indicator plate on which the ones digit markers are disposed, and a ones indicator pinion affixed to the ones indicator plate. The tens indicator wheel has a tens indicator plate on which the tens digit markers are disposed, and a tens indicator pinion affixed to the tens indicator plate. The ones indicator pinion is a ring-shaped external tooth wheel having external teeth formed on the outside circumference surface. The tens indicator pinion and a tens intermediate wheel that meshes with and transfers drive power to the tens indicator pinion are disposed in the space on the inside circumference side of the ones indicator pinion.

Timepiece

A printing device, including: a mechanical energy storage mechanism for storing mechanical energy; and a mechanical energy application mechanism for carrying a sheet and/or printing on the sheet, using the mechanical energy stored.

Printing device

Printing device driven by a mechanical energy storage device

A drive apparatus improves drive efficiency while reducing device size, and a lens unit and a camera using the drive apparatus. A cam member is driven rotationally by vibration of an oscillator in the lens unit and thereby causes lenses to move forward and backward. The construction and operation of the drive apparatus supplants the need for a complicated drive mechanism using an electromagnetic motor and incumbent gears or cam rings. The simplified drive apparatus enables the device in which it is embodied to be made compact. Driving the lenses by means of a cam member minimizes energy loss due to friction, and thus sufficiently improves drive efficiency.

Drive apparatus, lens unit, and camera

A winding stem ( ) is connected to an inner end ( ) of a mainspring ( ), and an outer end ( ) of the mainspring ( ) is connected to a barrel drum ( ). A braking plate ( ) is placed inside a braking case ( ), and the braking case ( ) is filled with a fluid ( ). An uneven joint portion ( ) is formed at the lower end of the winding stem ( ), and is engaged with an uneven joint portion ( ) of the braking plate ( ) placed in the braking case ( ). By adopting the above configuration which can simplify the structure of the mainspring mechanism having the braking plate and which can reduce the number of components, the size and production cost of the mainspring mechanism can be reduced.

Mainspring mechanism and device having the same

An electronic wristwatch having an electric generator contained internally therein is provided. The generator converts energy from mechanical to electrical energy to drive the electronic wristwatch. The oscillation of an oscillating weight produces mechanical energy as it oscillates. A wheel train transmits the mechanical energy to the generator by applying a torque to the generator. A limiter prevents transmission of mechanical energy through the wristwatch when the torque to be applied to the generator exceeds a predetermined value and allows the mechanical energy to be transmitted when the torque to be applied to the generator is less than or equal to the predetermined value.

Growing community of inventors

Nagano, Japan

Shoichi Nagao