Device for illuminating luminescent watch displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11934152-B2
Application number	US-202117322234-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2021
Priority date	Oct 14, 2020
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

A device for illuminating luminescent watch displays containing luminophore material, including a case arranged to receive at least one receptacle for receiving at least one watch, the device including a illuminating device arranged to light up the displays of each said watch. The illuminating device include a control device and a time base, and at least one light source capable of exciting said luminophore material for a pre-determined charge time, or corresponding to a wearing duration chosen by the user via a control device included in the device, and watch self-winding device, including at least one such illumination device, and universal device for winding and setting the hands of a watch, including such a watch self-winding device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An illumination device for illuminating luminescent watch displays containing luminophore material, comprising:
a case arranged to receive at least one receptacle for receiving at least one watch, said device comprising illuminating means arranged to light up said displays of each said watch, wherein said illuminating means comprise a first controller and a time base, and at least one light source capable of exciting said luminophore material for a pre-determined charge time, or corresponding to a wearing duration chosen by the user via a second controller comprised in said device,
wherein said first controller is arranged to turn off said at least one light source to prevent charging said luminophore material when an image of a watch is captured by a camera placed inside said case or in front of a viewing port comprised in said case.

2. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein said device comprises at least one camera for capturing an image of a watch placed on said at least one receptacle.

3. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein said first controller is arranged to prepare a capture of an image of a watch at a given moment by said camera placed in said case or in front of a viewing port of said case, and determine said luminescent displays to be illuminated, and define the duration of activation of the luminescent displays by an illumination from said at least one light source, before said image capture, to ensure the selectivity and the detection of the respective positions thereof.

4. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein said first controller is arranged to prevent any image of a watch from being captured by said camera when a shutter is open.

5. The illumination device according to claim 2 , wherein said first controller is arranged to control the closing of a shutter when an image of a watch is captured by said camera.

6. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one light source emits ultraviolet radiation.

7. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein said case comprises an enclosure that is closed and impervious to light, with the exception of a viewing port facing each said receptacle in order for the user to view a watch.

8. The illumination device according to claim 7 , wherein each viewing port is equipped with a shutter, which is configured to be moved to prevent light from penetrating said case.

9. The illumination device according to claim 7 , wherein each viewing port is equipped with a shutter in the form of an optical valve so that, in a shuttered state, it significantly reduces or prevents light from penetrating said case and displays a logo or an image of said watch visible through said viewing port, and in another viewing state, allows said watch to be viewed.

10. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one light source is substantially annular.

11. The illumination device according to claim 10 , wherein said at least one light source surrounds each said viewing port to illuminate the corresponding receptacle.

12. The illumination device according to claim 1 , wherein said case internally comprises a dull dome, or a dome comprising anti-reflection treatment, in order to prevent the presence of reflections when an image of a watch is captured by a camera placed inside said case or in front of a viewing port comprised in said case.

13. A watch self-winding device comprising:
a base carrying a motor for driving at least one mobile receptacle in rotation relative to said base, wherein the at least one mobile receptacle is arranged so as to receive a mechanical watch or an electronic watch with a mechanical power source in a winding position, and comprises at least one upper watch holder comprising a receiving surface for direct contact with a watch fixed to said receptacle; and
the illumination device according to claim 1 , arranged to illuminate each watch placed on said at least one mobile receptacle comprised in said device.

14. A device for winding and setting the hands of a watch comprising an oscillating resonator arranged to generate an oscillation at a nominal frequency N 0 , said device being configured to rewind and correct the state of said watch, comprising the watch self-winding device according to claim 13 , said device comprising a state-measuring structure configured to measure the state of said watch, relative to a reference clock to which said state-measuring structure refers, which comprise a visioning system comprising at least one camera of said illumination device, and to which is coupled said time base of said illumination device wherein said device is configured to detect the stopping or the running of said oscillating resonator of a watch, and a main controller, with which said first controller of said illumination device is interfaced, and which is arranged so that, when a stop is detected, the main controller identifies, according to information transmitted by said state-measuring structure, the stop time displayed by said watch in the stop position thereof, and calculates the time remaining until synchronisation between the actual time indicated by said reference clock and said stop time, and, upon expiry of said remaining time, the main controller activates said watch self-winding device in order to rewind the energy storage of said watch.

15. The device according to claim 14 , wherein said at least one mobile receptacle comprises at least one microphone for listening to said at least one watch, and at least one embedded electronic circuit housed inside said at least one mobile receptacle for processing the signal from each said microphone, and wherein said device comprises, in order to power each said embedded electronic circuit, at least one first coil fixed to said base or to said motor, and powered by a static energy source carried or relayed by said base, and at least one second coil embedded in said at least one mobile receptacle and arranged to cooperate with said at least one first coil and arranged to transmit energy to each said embedded electronic circuit, said at least one embedded circuit whereof being arranged to exchange information with at least one static electronic circuit housed at said base.

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Favre Jérôme
• Nicolas Cedric

Classifications

• G04B19/32 Primary

  by luminescent substances {(disc or drum shaped indicating means with marks or windows G04B19/04; with numbers or number-marks G04B19/20; cases for housing the electrical parts G04G17/00; projection of hands and/or scales on weighing apparatus G01G19/00; on measuring instruments G01D5/262; for advertising G09F19/18)} · CPC title

• G04B5/02

  by self-winding caused by the movement of the watch {(bearings, suspensions for oscillating weights G04B5/18; mechanisms for transformation of an oscillating movement into a rotating movement in only one direction G04B11/00)} · CPC title

• G04B27/007

  otherwise than manually (G04B27/02 takes precedence; oscillator weights in general G04B5/04) · CPC title

• G04D7/00

  Measuring, counting, calibrating, testing or regulating apparatus {(measuring devices and calibers in general G01B; counters in general H03K)} · CPC title

• G04B5/00 Primary

  Automatic winding up {(normal winding up by hand or mechanically G04B3/00; automatic winding in combination with hand winding G04B7/00; electrical winding of mechanical clockworks G04C1/00; advertising by making use of vibrations or shocks of land vehicles G09F21/045)} · CPC title