Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha

Tomio Ota

Mamoru Miyasaka

Imao Hiraga

Yoshinori Futami

A precision, reliable, analog timepiece uses plastic frame elements reinforced with metal, and plastic wheel and pinions pivoting in holes formed in the plastic of the frame elements. The plastic frame elements are separated into portions corresponding to the functional timepiece portions. Exposed areas of the reinforcing metal provide reference locations in molding the frame elements and for component mounting. The entire timepiece is assembled from one side of a base frame element.

Timepiece construction

An electronic timepiece with an animated display is provided. The animated display includes flickering display elements for providing the animation. The timepiece includes a timekeeping circuit for generating actual time signals in at least hours and minutes and a corresponding time display region for displaying time in response to the time signals generated by the timekeeping circuit. The flickering animated display elements are driven independently of the timekeeping display. A digital display timepiece may include the animated display elements within a picture pattern. In this case, the flickering display elements form a part of the pattern. In a liquid crystal display timepiece, the flickering display elements may comprise portions of segments of display terminals and may be driven in response to seconds signals generated by a seconds counter of the timekeeping circuit.

Electronic timepiece including an animated display

A manually operated control mechanism for permitting a high frequency detection signal to be selectively produced is provided. A selection circuit is coupled to a divider circuit for receiving therefrom a low frequency timekeeping signal and a higher frequency detection signal. The selection circuit is normally disposed in a first mode and transmits the low frequency timekeeping signal applied thereto and is adapted to be disposed into a second mode to thereby transmit the higher frequency detection signal applied thereto. A manually operative member is adapted to be coordinately displaced between a first non-engaging position and a second position wherein the manually operative member engages said selection circuit to thereby dispose same in a second mode in order to effect the transmission thereby of the higher frequency detection signal.

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Suwa, Japan

Tomio Ota