Electric power generation device for timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12468265-B2
Application number	US-202318141758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2023
Priority date	Jul 6, 2022
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A time-limited power generation device ( 100 ) for a timepiece ( 1000 ), including a manoeuvring member ( 1 ) manoeuvrable by a user against an elastic return ( 2 ) arranged to indirectly drive an electric generator ( 6 ) for generating an electric current for a limited time period, and including a toothed member ( 3 ) movable with a degree of freedom relative to said manoeuvring member ( 1 ) and delimiting therewith a separate chamber ( 20 ) for receiving each elastic return ( 2 ), held compressed in its chamber ( 20 ) between a pre-stressed position of rest and a maximum compression position, between a first support banking ( 11 ) that includes the manoeuvring member ( 1 ) and a second support banking ( 32 ) that includes the toothed member ( 3 ), arranged to be driven by the elastic return ( 2 ) for driving the electric generator ( 6 ) directly or indirectly through a geartrain.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A time-limited power generation device for a timepiece, including a manoeuvring member manoeuvrable by a user against at least one elastic return means arranged to drive indirectly at least one electric generator for generating an electric current for a limited period,
wherein said device includes a toothed member movable with a degree of freedom relative to said manoeuvring member and delimiting with said manoeuvring member a separate chamber for receiving each said elastic return means, which said elastic return means is held compressed in its said chamber between a pre-stressed position of rest and a position of maximum compression, between a first support banking that includes said manoeuvring member and a second support banking that includes said toothed member, wherein said toothed member is arranged to be driven by said at least one elastic return means for driving said electric generator directly or indirectly through a geartrain, wherein said manoeuvring member, said at least one elastic return means, and said toothed member, are movable in rotation about a common main axis, and wherein said manoeuvring member is a movable bezel mobile relative to a middle.

2 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 1 , wherein in the absence of action by a user on said manoeuvring member, and in the absence of relaxation of said at least one elastic return means, said device occupies a standby position in which said toothed member is in a position of abutment against said manoeuvring member, and each said elastic return means is in said pre-stressed position of rest in its respective chamber.

3 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 1 , wherein said manoeuvring member includes a first rest banking, and wherein said toothed member includes a second rest banking which is arranged to cooperate in abutment with said first rest banking in said position of rest of said at least one elastic return means.

4 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 1 , wherein said first support banking is supported by a first catch that includes said manoeuvring member and wherein said second support banking is supported by a second catch that includes said toothed member.

5 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 3 , wherein said first rest banking is supported by said first catch that includes said manoeuvring member and wherein said second rest banking is supported by said second catch.

6 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 1 , wherein said device includes a non-return mechanism arranged to prevent, in said standby position, the driving of said manoeuvring member by said at least one elastic return means.

7 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 6 , wherein said non-return mechanism includes at least one toothed ring opposing in said standby position, the driving of said manoeuvring member by said at least one elastic return means.

8 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one elastic return means is arranged, when said manoeuvring member is stopped by the user to push said toothed member away from said manoeuvring member, and return to its own said position of rest.

9 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one elastic return means is a helicoidal spring arranged to work in compression.

10 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 1 , wherein said toothed member includes a toothed surface arranged to cooperate with a gear pinion, rotatable about a secondary axis, and that includes said geartrain, for driving said electric generator, when said toothed member is driven by said at least one elastic return means.

11 . The timepiece including the at least one electric generator for the power supply of at least one circuit, wherein said timepiece includes at least one of the time-limited power generation device according to claim 1 arranged for driving said at least one electric generator.

12 . The timepiece according to claim 11 , wherein said timepiece has no means for storing electrical energy.

13 . The timepiece according to claim 11 , wherein said timepiece is a watch.

14 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the movable bezel comprises a circular perimeter, and wherein the first support banking and the second support banking are at a same radial distance from the circular perimeter of the movable bezel.

15 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the elastic return means comprises a spring that is longitudinally extended along an inside of the circular perimeter of the movable bezel.

16 . The time-limited power generation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein said manoeuvring member, said at least one elastic return means, and said toothed member, are movable in rotation, about the common main axis, along an inside of the circular perimeter of the movable bezel.

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Tortora Pierpasquale
• Nicolas Cédric
• Born Jean-Jacques
• Maurel Arnaud

Classifications

• G04C10/00 Primary

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

• G04G19/00

  Electric power supply circuits specially adapted for use in electronic time-pieces · CPC title

• G04G19/10

  Arrangements for supplying back-up power · CPC title

• G04C3/008 Primary

  Mounting, assembling of components · CPC title

• H02K7/1861 Primary

  driven by animals or vehicles (H02K7/1853 takes precedence) · CPC title