Electromechanical timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10996629-B2
Application number	US-201816022933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2018
Priority date	Jul 17, 2017
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

The present invention relates to a timepiece comprising:
a mechanical power source coupled to a time indicating display, a generator, wherein the mechanical power source is coupled to the generator, a regulator circuit configured for enslaving a generator frequency of the generator to a reference frequency, wherein the regulator circuit is configured for electrically braking the generator when the generator frequency is higher than the reference frequency, wherein the regulator circuit comprises: at least a first switch, at least a first inductor and at least a first capacitor, wherein the first switch and the first capacitor are arranged parallel to each other and wherein the first switch and the first capacitor are arranged in series with the first inductor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A timepiece comprising:
a mechanical power source coupled to a time indicating display,
a generator, wherein the mechanical power source is coupled to the generator,
a regulator circuit configured for enslaving a generator frequency of the generator to a reference frequency, wherein the regulator circuit is configured for electrically braking the generator when the generator frequency is higher than the reference frequency,

wherein the regulator circuit comprises:
at least a first switch, at least a first inductor and at least a first capacitor, wherein the first switch and the first capacitor are arranged parallel to each other and wherein the first switch and the first capacitor are arranged in series with the first inductor, which is arranged in series with the generator, and
a first diode arrangement arranged between the first inductor and the first capacitor and wherein the first diode arrangement enables a current flowing from the first inductor to the first capacitor and wherein the first diode arrangement is configured to prevent a current flowing from the first capacitor to the first inductor.

2. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the first inductor is connected with one end to a first output of the generator and wherein the first inductor is connected with another end to the first switch and to the first capacitor.

3. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the first capacitor is connected to a first node that is arranged between the first switch and the first inductor.

4. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the first capacitor is connected to a first electrical power output.

5. The timepiece according to claim 1 , further comprising a clock signal generator connected at least to the first switch.

6. The timepiece according to claim 5 , wherein the clock signal generator is configured to generate at least a first clock signal and to provide the first clock signal to the first switch, which can be switched on and off, said first clock signal therefore governing and determining a duty cycle for switching of at least the first switch.

7. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the first switch, the first inductor and the first capacitor constitute a first branch of the regulator circuit ( 8 ) that is connected to a first output of the generator.

8. The timepiece according to claim 7 and further comprising a second branch connected to a second output of the generator, wherein the second branch is symmetric to the first branch and wherein the second branch comprises a second switch, a second inductor and a second capacitor, wherein the second switch and the second capacitor are arranged parallel to each other and wherein the second switch and the second capacitor are arranged in series with the second inductor.

9. The timepiece according to claim 8 , wherein it includes a clock signal generator to the first switch and to the second switch, wherein the clock signal generator is configured to generate at least a first clock signal and to provide the first clock signal to the first switch, which can be switched on and off during a first time interval, and the second switch is in a constant high level, and wherein the clock signal generator is configured to generate at least a second clock signal and to provide the second clock signal to the second switch, which can be switched on and off, during a second time interval following the first time interval, and the first switch is in a constant high level.

10. The timepiece according to claim 1 , further comprising a zero crossing detector arrangement comprising at least a comparator connected to a first output and to a second output of the generator.

11. The timepiece according to claim 10 , wherein the zero crossing detector arrangement further comprises a storage circuit comprising:
a first input connected to an output of the comparator and
a second input connected to the clock signal generator.

12. The timepiece according to claim 11 , wherein the second input of the storage circuit is connected to an output of an AND gate having a first input connected to a first output of the clock signal generator and having a second input connected to a second output of the clock signal generator.

13. The timepiece according to claim 11 , wherein the zero crossing detector arrangement comprises a detector connected to an output of the storage circuit.

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Bracco Massimiliano

Classifications

• G04C3/107 Primary

  Controlling frequency or amplitude of the oscillating system (circuits G04C3/108) · CPC title

• H02P3/06

  for stopping or slowing an individual dynamo-electric motor or dynamo-electric converter · CPC title

• G04C3/108

  Driving circuits · CPC title

• H02P9/42

  to obtain desired frequency without varying speed of the generator · CPC title

• G04C10/00 Primary

  Arrangements of electric power supplies in time-pieces {(Mounting, assembling of components G04C3/008)} · CPC title