Seiko Instruments Inc

Susumu Kotanagi

Fumiyasu Utsunomiya

Yoshifumi Yoshida

Matsuo Kishi

Akihiro Matoge

A thermoelectric power generator unit is provided with good heat conducting efficiency and increased resistance to damage of thermoelectric elements due to horizontal and vertical force applied to the thermoelectric elements. Protecting members such as a frame and support columns are disposed around thermoelectric elements between a heat absorbing member and a heat radiating member of the thermoelectric power generator unit. A buffer is provided between the thermoelectric elements and at least one of the heat absorbing member and the heat radiating member.

Thermoelectric generation unit and portable electronic device using the unit

An alarm electronic timepiece has a base member, an alarm indicator wheel supported on the base member for rotation, an an indicating member integrally connected to the alarm indicator wheel for rotation therewith to indicate alarm time. A spring member supports the alarm indicator wheel on the base member and regulates a rotation direction of the alarm indicator wheel. The spring member is integrally connected to the base member.

Alarm electronic timepiece

A timepiece has a case back made of a thermally conductive material, an upper case body made of a thermally conductive material and disposed opposite to the case back, and a lower case body made of a thermally insulating material and disposed between the upper case body and the case back. A thermoelectric generator unit generates an electromotive force in accordance with heat conducted from the case back. At least one step-up circuit steps up an electromotive force generated by the thermoelectric generator unit. A storage member stores power and an electromotive force stepped up by the step-up circuit. A timepiece driving circuit is driven by power stored in the storage member or by electromotive force stepped up by the step-up circuit. A power supply operating control circuit controls power flow from the step-up circuit to the storage member and controls whether the electromotive force stepped up by the step-up circuit or the power stored in the storage member is supplied to the timepiece driving circuit. A display member displays time information in accordance with a signal outputted from the timepiece driving circuit.

Timepiece having thermoelectric generator unit

A portable electronic device has a casing has an upper case body and a rear case cover both made of a thermally conductive material. A heat insulating member thermally insulates the rear case cover from the upper case body of the casing. A thermoelectric generator unit is disposed in the casing for generating an electromotive force based on the Seebeck effect. The thermoelectric generator unit has a heat radiating plate for transferring heat to the upper case body and a heat absorbing plate. A heat conductive spacer is made of a thermally conductive and elastically deformable sheet of material and has opposed main surfaces. One of the main surface is disposed in contact with the heat absorbing plate of the thermoelectric generator unit and the other main surface is disposed in contact with an inner side surface of the rear case cover for conducting heat from the rear case cover to the thermoelectric generator unit. A timepiece driving circuit is disposed in the casing and is driven by the electromotive force generated by the thermoelectric generator unit. At least one display member displays information in accordance with a signal output from the timepiece driving circuit.

Timepiece and portable electronic device having thermoelectric generator unit

A power generating block is provided with a thermoelectric generator unit,containing one or more of electrothermic elements,, further, including a 1st thermally conductive plate,constituting a heat absorbing plate and including a 2nd thermally conductive plate constituting a heat radiating plate. A thermal conductive body,made of a thermally conductive material is arranged to be brought into contact with the 2nd thermally conductive plate,. The power generating block with a thermoelectric generator unit is provided with a step-up circuit block,including a step-up circuit,for boosting electromotive force generated by the thermoelectric generator unit,and a power supply operation control circuit,for controlling operation of storing the electromotive force generated by the thermoelectric generator unit,and controlling operation of the step-up circuit

Power generating block provided with thermoelectric generation unit

Thermoelectric unit and timepiece using it

An alarm setting mechanism for an electronic timepiece has a linkage for converting displacement of an alarm activating stem into a larger displacement of an alarm status indicating member which traverses an arcuate path on the front face of a dial of the timepiece. An alarm switching mechanism sets an alarm by activation of a stem on the timepiece which is connected to the alarm status indicator and the alarm switching mechanism. The linkage includes a pivotable switching lever, a pivotable setting lever and a rotatable alarm indicator plate. The setting lever is connected to the stem to undergo pivotal movement in response to linear displacement of the stem. The switching lever is connected to the setting lever to undergo pivotal movement along with the setting lever and having an arm. The alarm indicator plate is connected to the arm of the switching to undergo rotational movement in response to pivotal movement of the switching lever. The alarm status indicating member is connected to the alarm indicator plate so as to undergo arcuate movement therewith, such that the indicating member traverses an arcuate path in response to linear displacement of the externally activated switch.

Alarm setting mechanism for an electronic timepiece having an alarm

A timepiece having a mode displaying function includes an external operating member that is rotatable by a user. A sliding pinion rotatable by the external operating member rotates a transmitting gear. A correction transmitting wheel is rotatable by the transmitting gear. A motion control gear is fixed to the correction transmitting wheel. A motion control spring member having a motion control part contacts with a respective motion control face of the teeth of the motion control gear to regulate the rotation of the correction transmitting wheel during the rotation of the motion control gear. A mode displaying plate is rotatable by the correction transmitting wheel and displays the modes of the timepiece. The mode displaying plate is fixed to a display gear which has a plurality of teeth. A spring member has an urging surface for contacting with a respective motion control face of the teeth of the display gear. Thus, during rotation of the display gear, the urging surface of the spring member regulates the rotation of the mode displaying plate so that the modes printed on the display plate are consistently viewable at the center of a display window on the dial of the inventive timepiece.

Growing community of inventors

Chiba, Japan

Susumu Kotanagi