Timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10067475-B2
Application number	US-201715407072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2017
Priority date	Jan 27, 2016
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A timepiece is equipped with a movement, a timepiece case accommodating the movement, and a hollow tubular structure portion having a connection proximal portion directly or indirectly in contact with the movement. The hollow tubular structure portion is formed such that a space defined between itself and the timepiece case is hermetically sealed. The inner space of the hollow tubular structure portion communicates with the exterior of the timepiece case via an external opening of the timepiece case. The timepiece can secure a sufficient waterproof performance and can transmit sound from a sound source efficiently to the exterior.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A timepiece comprising: a movement; a case accommodating the movement; and a hollow tubular structure portion having an oscillating portion directly or indirectly in contact with the movement,
wherein the hollow tubular structure portion is configured such that a space defined between itself and the case is hermetically sealed; and
wherein the inner space of the hollow tubular structure portion communicates with the exterior of the case via an external opening of the case.

2. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the oscillating portion constitutes a part of the hollow tubular structure portion and faces the inner space.

3. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the oscillating portion is directly or indirectly in contact with a main plate of the movement.

4. The timepiece according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a gong connected to the oscillating portion,
wherein the movement has a hammer positioned to strike the gong.

5. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the movement has a hammer positioned to strike the hollow tubular structure portion.

6. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow tubular structure portion does not protrude with respect to the external surface of the case.

7. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow tubular structure portion has two end portions and extends in a predetermined direction; and
the inner space communicates with the exterior of the case through external openings of the case at the two end portions of the hollow tubular structure portion.

8. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the external opening and the hollow tubular structure portion have generally circular cross sections; and the inner diameter of the external opening is larger than the inner diameter of the hollow tubular structure portion at the oscillating portion.

9. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein an abutment protrusion is formed on at least one of the movement and the oscillating portion; and the movement and the oscillating portion abut each other at the abutment protrusion, whereby the movement is held in contact with solely a part of the oscillating portion.

10. The timepiece according to claim 9 , wherein the abutment protrusion is formed as a curved protrusion.

11. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the oscillating portion has a thin-walled portion which is thinner than the other portion of the hollow tubular structure portion; and
the thin-walled portion is in contact with the movement.

12. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the movement abuts the case via an elastic support portion having elasticity.

13. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow tubular structure portion is of a closed-pipe structure having the external opening solely at one end portion thereof, and the length as measured from the oscillating portion to the external opening can be expressed by formula (1)
λ n (2n−1)/4  (1)

(where λ n is the wavelength of the sound emitted from the movement; and n is a natural number).

14. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow tubular structure portion is of an open-pipe structure having the external openings at both end portions thereof, the length thereof being expressed by formula (2)
λ n ·n/4  (2)

(where λ n is the wavelength of the sound emitted from the movement; and n is a natural number).

15. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the movement has a remontoire mechanism.

16. A timepiece comprising:
a case;
a mechanical movement disposed in the case and configured to oscillate and generate sound during timekeeping; and
a hollow tubular structure disposed in the case and having an oscillation portion directly or indirectly contacting the movement so that oscillation of the movement is transmitted to the oscillation portion, wherein
the hollow tubular structure and the case jointly define a hermetically sealed space inside the case, and
the inner space of the hollow tubular structure communicates with the exterior of the case through an external opening in the case to transmit sound generated through oscillation of the movement to the exterior.

17. The timepiece according to claim 16 ; further comprising a second hollow tubular structure disposed in the case and having an oscillation portion directly or indirectly contacting the movement, the inner space of the second hollow tubular structure communicating with the exterior of the case through a second external opening in the case.

18. the timepiece according to claim 16 ; wherein the hollow tubular structure has opposite end portions each communicating the inner space of the hollow tubular structure with the exterior of the case through external openings in the case.

19. The timepiece according to claim 18 ; wherein the end portions of the hollow tubular structure do not protrude from the external surface of the case.

20. The timepiece according to claim 16 ; wherein the hollow tubular structure does not protrude from the external surface of the case.

Assignees

• Seiko Instr Inc

Inventors

• Niwa Takashi
• Kawauchiya Takuma
• Nakajima Masahiro

Classifications

• G04B37/0075 Primary

  with means to enhance sound transmission (sonorous means for chimes G04B21/08; for alarm clocks G04B23/028; clockworks combined with musical devices G04B47/025) · CPC title

• G04B37/081 Primary

  Complete encasings for wrist or pocket watches also comprising means for hermetic sealing of the winding stem and crown (hermetic sealing of the stem or crown G04B37/10) · CPC title

• G04B37/04

  Mounting the clockwork in the case; Shock absorbing mountings · CPC title

• G04B21/06

  Details of striking mechanisms, e.g. hammer, fan governor {(escapements in general G04B15/00; mechanisms for stabilising frequency G04B17/00; resistance regulators G05D13/00; mechanical toys A63H)} · CPC title

• G04B21/00

  Indicating the time by acoustic means (at preselected times G04B23/00; by electro-acoustic means G04C21/04; {indicating the time by means other than acoustically, or by combined means G04B25/00; indicating the time by visual means G04B19/00, G04C17/00; acoustic signalling arrangements G08B3/00}) · CPC title