Timex Group B.v.

Pforzheimer Uhrenrohwerke Porta Gmbh

Timex Group Usa, Inc.

Pforzheimer Uhren-rohwerke Porta Gmbh & Co.

Wolfgang Burkhardt

Gerhard Stotz

Louis M Galie

Michel G Plancon

Helmut Zachmann

Herbert Schwartz

Hans G Schnell

Roland Burghausen

Wolfgang Kroner

Siegfried Grau

Ulrich Kalmbach

Paul Grand-Chavin

Heiko Hellriegel

Martin Dietrich

Michail Subarew

Hans-Joachim Wehner

A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) driving arrangement for an electronic device, the micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) driving arrangement including a driven wheel; a driving actuation assembly for causing rotation of the driven wheel; an indicator assembly including an indicator; and a force absorbing assembly coupled intermediate the indicator assembly and the driven wheel; whereby a force acting upon the indicator assembly is absorbed by the force absorbing assembly so as to inhibit rotation of the driven wheel relative to the driving actuation assembly.

Bidirectional MEMS driving arrangements with a force absorbing system

A display assembly for a wearable electronic device. The display assembly is disposed within a housing of the wearable electronic device. The electronic device is constructed to receive at least a first and second dial assembly each of which is adapted to provide a different display configuration. The display assembly comprises a liquid crystal display assembly comprising at least two display sections, driving means for providing driving signals to the respective display sections; and a controller, operatively coupled to the driving means, for signaling the driving means to provide the driving signals; wherein the display configuration of the wearable electronic device is changeable based on the dial assembly operatively coupled within the housing, wherein the first dial assembly provides for the viewability of at least the first display section and the second dial assembly provides for the viewability of at least the second display section. A method of customizing the display of a wearable electronic device is also provided. In a specific embodiment, the wearable electronic device is a wristwatch.

Electronic device with changeable display configurations

An electronic device comprising a controller having an integrated circuit operable in at least a first and second mode, and a dial having a window through which at least one indicator is visible, wherein the electronic device comprises a mode indicator positioned on an actuation mechanism side of the dial, wherein the mode indicator has at least a first indicator and a second indicator each respectively representative of one of the at least two modes within which the electronic device is operable; a gearing assembly comprising one or more wheels, being meshingly coupled to the mode indicator so that the rotation of the one or more wheels causes the rotation of the mode indicator; an actuation mechanism, rotateably coupled to the at least one or more wheels of the gearing assembly, wherein the rotation of the actuation mechanism causes the rotation of the mode indicator; wherein the integrated circuit controls the actuation of the actuation mechanism so as to initiate the rotation of the mode indicator; and actuation means, operatively coupled to the controller, for selecting the mode within which the integrated circuit is operable, wherein the mode within which the integrated circuit is operating is visible through the window in the dial; wherein the mode in which the integrated circuit is operating is indicated by the indicator visible in the window.

Multimode electronic device with calibrating/setting mechanism

An electronic device that includes functionality to perform at least two functions, a first of which may be timekeeping and the other of which is at least a function other than the first function. The electronic device comprises a multilayered module comprising a frame having a frame surface; at least two physically separable printed circuit boards, the first of which includes means related to at least the timekeeping and the second of which includes means related to at least the function other than timekeeping, wherein the first printed circuit board is intermediate the frame surface and the second printed circuit board; a battery compartment dimensioned for receiving a battery, wherein the battery compartment is asymmetrically positioned within the module thus creating a region above the first printed circuit board and proximate the battery compartment; and wherein the second printed circuit board is securable within the module and in the region; wherein the functionality of the electronic device can be changed and/or modified by a removal of the second printed circuit board and a replacement with another printed circuit board having means at least in part different from and/or in addition to the means of the second printed circuit board; whereby the first printed circuit board need not be removed to provide for such additional and/or different functionality provided by the replacement printed circuit board.

Multifunctional timepiece module with application specific printed circuit boards

A date display assembly for an electronic device, the assembly comprising a ones date ring assembly, a tens date disc assembly and a gear assembly comprising a four-legged blocking star and a four-legged driving star, wherein the driving star is used for driving the tens disc and the blocking star is used to maintain the proper orientation of the tens disc.

Date display assembly for a timepiece

A timepiece comprising a date display, comprising a date display assembly comprising a date ring, a first gearing assembly being meshingly coupled to the date ring for causing the rotation of the date ring; and a stepping motor comprising a rotor, wherein the rotor of the stepping motor is rotateably coupled to the at least one or more wheels of the first gearing assembly, wherein the rotation of the rotor causes the date ring to rotate; a date-keeping assembly operatively coupled to the date display assembly, comprising: at least a second gearing assembly comprising at least an hour wheel and a detection wheel assembly, wherein at least certain rotational increments of the detection wheel, and the clockwise or counterclockwise direction thereof, causes the rotor of the stepping motor to rotate so that the date ring can be rotated in one of a clockwise or counterclockwise direction; whereby the rotation of the hour wheel through a predetermined midnight position results in that the stepping motor causes the date ring to rotate a predetermined number of degrees, thereby advancing either in the forward or backward direction a displayed digit on the date ring representing a valid date. Methodologies for setting and adjustment are also provided.

Perpetual calendar for a timepiece

A date display assembly for a timepiece, wherein the timepiece comprises a casing, an hour wheel that is rotationally engaged with a meshing wheel, and a display window for displaying a date, the date display assembly comprising an outer date ring having a plurality of digits thereon and aligned in the casing such that each of the plurality of digits is appearable in the display window; an inner date ring having a plurality of digits thereon and also aligned in the casing such that each of the plurality of digits is appearable in the display window; a date wheel, rotatably engageable with the meshing wheel, for driving the outer date ring in a first direction; and an inner date ring driving wheel, rotatably engageable with the outer date ring, for driving the inner date ring in a direction opposite the first direction.

Date display assembly for an analog timepiece

In a power supply control arrangement for the stepping motor of a watch an integrated circuit structure is disposed between the stepping motor and its energy source for controlling the supply of drive pulses to the motor. The circuit structure includes means for detecting the motor's non-response and means for supplying a correction pulse upon detection of non-response of the motor. There are further means for applying drive pulses of increased duration following such correction pulse for overcoming excessive loads and also means for shutting off the correction pulse or the energy source if the motor does not respond to the drive pulses of increased duration.

Power supply control arrangement for a watch stepping motor

A wristwatch stepping motor comprises mounted on a support plate a rotor, an armature consisting of two portions each with a pole structure disposed at opposite sides of the rotor and a coil mounted on a coil core which is integral with one of the armature portions, the other armature portion being spaced from the coil core and being so mounted that its one end is in abutment with the free end of the coil core and the pole structures of both armature portions together with the rotor are arranged outside the area around the coil core, both armature portions being located by collars and sleeves projecting from the support plate to facilitate automatic assembly of the motor.

Wristwatch stepping motor

An instrument illuminating arrangement for the glare-free illumination of indicators such as characters of the instrument display area or, especially of movable hands or movable displays or electronically variable characters, has an excitation source which is so arranged as to irradiate the surfaces of the indicators and cause them to emit visible light. Preferably the excitation source generates light energy at least to some extent in the invisible range and the indicators' surfaces are provided with luminophors which convert the invisible light into visible light so that the light energy supplied to the indicators will not disturb the operator of, for example, a vehicle equipped with such instruments.

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Ispringen, Germany

Wolfgang Burkhardt