Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

Vittorio Zanesco

Pascal Lagorgette

Raphael Balmer

Damien Schmutz

Pascal Meyer

Pierpasquale Tortora

Damien Goyet

Silvano Bonadei

Daniel Gruenig

Raphaël Balmer

Roger Mueller

Laurent Mouche

Fabian Dubois

Damien Porcherie

Louis Hêche

Michael Canonica

Louis HÊCHE

Roger MÜLLER

A control device () mounted in an opening () in a middle () and including a support () and a rotatable part, which has a shaft (), a gripping member () and a control member () forming a rotation sensor (). The sensor includes a magnetic detector provided inside the watch case in a radial peripheral region of the control member. On a first side of a circular opening (), the support has a cavity () which is open in the axial direction. The cavity is configured to house the control member fixedly mounted on the shaft, such that this control member can be momentarily retracted, at least for the most part, into the cavity following an axial movement of the shaft into a position in which the magnetic detector is mounted inside the watch case.

Horological control device

A system and method to determine angular movement of an arbor integral with a crown of a watch, the arbor being rotatable on itself in a longitudinal direction. The system includes a rotating reflector mounted on the arbor, and two emitter/detector pairs disposed on either side of the reflector, each including a light source for illuminating the reflector, and a light detector for receiving the light reflected on the reflector and for generating an electrical signal representative of the reflected light. A processor processes the electrical signals, and determines a parameter relating to the angular movement of the arbor. The rotating reflector is a cylinder of revolution and light absorption points are made on the circumference of an external cylindrical surface. When the reflector rotates in a regular manner and in the same direction of rotation, the representative electrical signal generated by each detector has a sinusoidal shape.

System and method for determining at least one parameter relating to an angular movement of an arbor

A device for controlling at least one electronic function of a portable object, in particular a timepiece, includes a control stem capable of moving axially between at least a first and a second stable position, or between at least a stable position and an unstable position. The control device also includes an actuation element made from an electrically insulating material rigidly connected to the control stem, as well as at least one flexible electrical switching element provided to be mechanically actuated by the actuation element when the control stem is moved axially, the at least one flexible electrical switching element being capable of moving between a closing position in which the at least one flexible electrical switching element closes an electrical circuit of the control device, and an opening position in which the at least one flexible electrical switching element opens the electrical circuit.

Device for controlling at least one electronic function of a portable object

A device for controlling the functions of a watch, which includes a crown connected to a stem, an optical action system actuated in one position of the stem from among three possible positions to determine the direction of rotation of the stem, and an electronic mechanical arrangement for controlling the functions. A guide element can rotate on a support and which has a rounded end in an annular groove of the stem to be driven in rotation, and a selection part can rotate on the support above the annular groove to be driven in rotation. The selection part includes at least one contactor for contacting a first electrical terminal on a printed circuit board in a first position of the stem, with no electrical contact in a second position of the stem, and for contacting a second electrical terminal in a third position of the stem.

Device for controlling the functions of a watch

A portable object including a control stem, actuation of which in rotation can control at least one electronic or mechanical function of the portable object, a magnetized ring driven in rotation by the control stem, rotation of the magnetized ring and position of the magnetized ring being detected by two inductive sensors configured to be sensitive to a variation in magnetic induction in only two directions in space that are parallel to each other or that converge on a same point, with exception of a case in which these two directions are perpendicular to each other.

Portable object comprising a rotating control stem whose actuation is detected by means of two inductive sensors

An electronic timepiece with a first and second electric motors for driving time indicating hands with a set of gear wheels, and a microcontroller connected to the motion sensor and controlling each motor. A motion sensor includes a movable element arranged to move freely inside a structure connected to the timepiece movement. As a function of the position and movement of the moving element inside the housing, a first and second electric signals, different from each other, are generated by the motion sensor for the microcontroller in a defined time period to determine whether the timepiece is in use. If only one electric signal is detected by the microcontroller in the defined time period, the timepiece changes into a sleep mode, by stopping at least the first electric motor intended to drive the seconds hand.

Electronic timepiece with a motion sensor

A system and method to determine an angular movement of an arbor integral with a crown of a watch, the arbor being rotatable in a longitudinal direction. Included is a rotating reflector mounted on the arbor, and two emitter/detector pairs disposed on either side of the reflector. Each emitter/detector pair includes a light source for illuminating the reflector, and a light detector for receiving the light reflected on the reflector and for generating an electrical signal representative of the reflected light. A processor processes the electrical signals and determine a parameter relating to the angular movement of the arbor. The rotating reflector's visible outer surface changes when the reflector rotates on itself in a regular manner, such that the representative electrical signal generated by said detector of the pair has a substantially sinusoidal shape when the reflector rotates on itself in a regular manner in a same direction of rotation.

System and method for determining at least one parameter relating to an angular movement of an arbor comprising a rotating reflector with contigous oblique chamfers

A detector includes an elastic conductive blade having first and second ends and a central portion therebetween, with the blade being designed to be driven axially by a control rod to occupy three distinct positions between the pulled position and the end position of the rod: a pulled position, an end position, and an intermediate position. Two electrical contacts are designed to detect the end position and the pulled position of the rod, respectively. The blade is designed to pivot at its first end when the rod passes from the intermediate position to the pulled position, or vice versa. The blade is designed to undergo elastic deformation when the rod passes between the intermediate position and the end position so as to participate substantially in a restoring force of the rod toward the intermediate position when the axial activating force applied to the rod by a user is released.

Control device equipped with a module for detecting the axial position of its rod, and timepiece comprising such a control device

A device for controlling at least two electronic and/or mechanical functions of a portable object of small dimensions includes a control stem that is axially movable between at least a first and a second position. The control stem is provided at a first end with an actuation member, and is provided towards a second end with a position indexing plate arranged to cooperate with an elastic member in order to match each of the first and second positions of the control stem with one of the mechanical or electronic functions.

Device for controlling at least two electronic and/or mechanical functions of a portable object

A skeleton watch includes a case middle which defines an interior space, a crystal and a back cover fixed to the case middle on either side of the middle to enclose the interior space, and a movement. The movement includes an openworked frame having a front face and a back face, the frame including an outer perimeter formed by two side positions, a top bar that connects between upper ends of the side posts, and a lower platform connected to lower ends of the side posts. The frame includes a central island positioned within the outer perimeter. The movement also includes a minute hand and an hour hand mounted on a central arbor integral with the frame. The movement also includes a motor having an electromagnet that extends outside of the outer perimeter of the frame in a radial direction from the central arbor.

Skeleton watch including a movement independent of the case middle

A push-piece winding button control device is for a portable object of small dimensions. This device includes a pivoting control stem axially movable between at least a transitory first position and a stable second position. The device further includes a position indexing plate arranged to be integral in translation with the control stem, while keeping the same orientation relative to the frame. The device also includes a cam follower arranged to cooperate with a longitudinal cam path formed in the position indexing plate. The cam path includes a recess defining the stable position of the control stem, and a ramp-shaped profile portion which rises from the recess towards the transitory position.

Push-piece winding button control device for a portable object of small dimensions

The present invention concerns an electronic timepiece with two analog type hands. The timepiece includes an hour hand and a minute hand, the hour hand and the minute hand being arranged to operate independently of each other. The hour hand and the minute hand are arranged to operate in a first operating mode and in a second operating mode, which is arranged to be actuated by the timepiece detecting an event. In the second operating mode, the hour hand and the minute hand are arranged to operate in a different manner from their mode of operation in the first operating mode.

Electronic timepiece with two analogue type hands

Portable object comprising a frame arranged to serve as a cradle for a control stem, the actuation in rotation of which makes it possible to control at least one electronic or mechanical function of the portable object, a magnetized ring being driven in rotation by the control stem, the rotation of the magnetized ring being detected by at least one inductive sensor disposed inside a housing of the frame inside which the inductive sensor is held by elastic means.

Portable object comprising a rotating control stem whose actuation is detected by measuring magnetic induction

An electronic clock mechanism includes an analog display device including a ring of dates and a stopwatch hand associated with a graduation of a small counter. The ring and hand are driven by a same electric motor via a permanent gear train, the hand being mounted on a wheel of the permanent gear train, the wheel arranged between a motor pinion and a movable element including a date driving wheel. The ring and date driving wheel respectively include two sets of teeth forming a permanent gear having a relatively large clearance to define a dead angle region for the date driving wheel as the ring is positioned by a jumper. The dead angle region is used to drive the stopwatch hand independently of the ring. The permanent gear train is arranged such that torque for positioning the rotor creates for the date driving wheel a blocking torque for shock-resistance.

Electronic clock movement comprising an analog display of several items of information

A portable electronic device includes at least one electronic module and the electronic module includes, in particular, a main plate provided with a cavity arranged for receiving an electrical energy source, at least one movement associated with a printed circuit, an elastically deformable contact member for ensuring an electrical connection between the electrical energy source and the printed circuit, and a holder for holding the electrical energy source. The holder includes a removable holder made of insulating material arranged to receive the energy source and including a removable clamp for holding the energy source in place. The holder can be inserted inside the cavity.

Growing community of inventors

Neuchatel, Switzerland

Vittorio Zanesco