Recharging device for an electronic or electromechanical watch and assembly thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12543501-B2
Application number	US-202218054966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2022
Priority date	Dec 22, 2017
Publication date	Feb 3, 2026
Grant date	Feb 3, 2026

Abstract

A recharging device for an electronic or electromechanical watch equipped, on the one hand, with a device for the storage of electrical energy for powering electronic components of the watch and, on the other hand, with an auxiliary source of electrical energy adapted to power the device for the storage of electrical energy for recharging thereof. The device includes a casket provided with a support for receiving the watch. The device further includes at least one source of energy configured to supply energy to the auxiliary source of electrical energy, when the watch is placed on the receiving support, so that the auxiliary source of electrical energy converts the received energy into electrical energy and delivers a charge for maintaining a predetermined level of power supply voltage to the device for the storage of electrical energy.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A recharging device for a thermic or thermoelectric watch, said watch comprising a means for storage of electrical energy being configured to power electronic components of the watch, and an auxiliary source of electrical energy being configured to electrically power the means for the storage of electrical energy without intermediate mechanical conversion for recharging thereof, the recharging device comprising:
a casket provided with a support configured to receive the watch; at least one thermal source of thermal energy configured to apply a temperature gradient between two defined parts of the watch in an interior of the device when the watch is placed on the support, the auxiliary source of electrical energy for the watch being adapted to convert the thermal energy into electrical energy; a sensor configured to sense a presence of the watch and/or a closing of the casket; and a data analysis microprocessor configured to activate the at least one source of energy upon receipt of a detection signal from the sensor, and to, in response to receiving a type or model of the watch, adjust a quantity of energy supplied from the at least one source of energy to the auxiliary source of electrical energy, wherein the thermal source is an activatable thermal source configured, when activated, to apply temperature cycles to the watch in the interior of the device.

2 . The recharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal source is adapted to be activated at regular programmable intervals.

3 . The recharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermal source of thermal energy comprises two sources of thermal energy, including a first thermal source comprising a heating element arranged in the casket so that it is in contact with a back of a case of the watch, when the watch is placed on the receiving support, a second source of energy comprising a cooling element arranged in the device so that it is in contact with a case middle of the watch, when the watch is placed on the receiving support.

4 . The recharging device according to claim 1 , further comprising means for optimizing a thermal gradient in the interior of the device, depending on at least one predetermined characterizing feature of the watch and/or of the auxiliary source of electrical energy for the watch.

5 . The recharging device according to claim 1 , further comprising a folding piece mounted on the casket, the sensor being further configured to sense the presence of the watch and/or the closing of the casket upon closing of the folding piece, the sensor being connected to the at least one source of energy.

6 . The recharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the device is a box configured to hold the watch.

7 . The recharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the data analysis microprocessor is programmed to store information in a correspondence table of types or models of watches and predetermined luminous characterizing features of auxiliary sources of electrical energy.

8 . The recharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the data analysis microprocessor is programmed to store information in a correspondence table of types or models of watches and predetermined thermal characterizing features of auxiliary sources of electrical energy.

9 . The recharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary source of electrical energy is a thermoelectric generator.

10 . The recharging device according to claim 9 , wherein the thermoelectric generator is a semiconductor device providing a P-N junction.

11 . The recharging device according to claim 9 , wherein the thermoelectric generator is arranged in an interior of a case of the watch, between a dial and a back of the case of the watch.

12 . The recharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal source comprises a heating element, an electrical source connected in series to the heating element, and a fitting in contact with a back of a case of the watch.

13 . The recharging device according to claim 12 , wherein the back of the case of the watch is separated from the rest of the case of the watch by an annular zone made from a thermally insulating material.

14 . The recharging device according to claim 1 , wherein the means for storage of electrical energy is an electrical capacitor or a battery.

15 . An assembly comprising a thermic or thermoelectric watch comprising a means for storage of electrical energy being configured to power electronic components of the watch, and an auxiliary source of electrical energy being configured to electrically power the means for the storage of electrical energy without intermediate mechanical conversion for recharging thereof, the assembly comprising the recharging device for the watch according to claim 1 .

16 . The assembly according to claim 15 ,
wherein the thermic or thermoelectric watch further comprises an energy extractor connecting the auxiliary source of electrical energy to the means for the storage of electrical energy, and wherein the auxiliary source of electrical energy is further configured to convert energy received from the at least one source of energy into electrical energy when the watch is placed on the support.

17 . A recharging device for a thermic or thermoelectric watch, said watch comprising a means for storage of electrical energy being configured to power electronic components of the watch, and an auxiliary source of electrical energy being configured to electrically power the means for the storage of electrical energy without intermediate mechanical conversion for recharging thereof, the recharging device comprising:
a casket provided with a support configured to receive the watch;
at least one thermal source of thermal energy configured to apply a temperature gradient between two defined parts of the watch in an interior of the device when the watch is placed on the support, the auxiliary source of electrical energy for the watch being adapted to convert the thermal energy into electrical energy;
a sensor configured to sense a presence of the watch and/or a closing of the casket;
a data analysis microprocessor configured to activate the at least one source of energy upon receipt of a detection signal from the sensor, and to, in response to receiving a type or model of the watch, adjust a quantity of energy supplied from the at least one source of energy to the auxiliary source of electrical energy; and
means for optimizing a thermal gradient in the interior of the device, depending on at least one predetermined characterizing feature of the watch and/or of the auxiliary source of electrical energy for the watch.

18 . A recharging device for a thermic or thermoelectric watch, said watch comprising a means for storage of electrical energy being configured to power electronic components of the watch, and an auxiliary source of electrical energy being configured to electrically power the means for the storage of electrical energy without intermediate mechanical conversion for recharging thereof, the recharging device comprising:
a casket provided with a support configured to receive the watch; at least one thermal source of thermal energy configured to apply a temperature gradient between two defined parts of the watch in an interior of the device when the watch is placed on the support, the auxiliary source of electrical energy for the watch being adapted to convert the thermal energy into electrical energy; a sensor configured to sense a presence of the watch and/or

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Haemmerli Alexandre
• Tombez Lionel

Classifications

• H02J7/35

  with light sensitive cells · CPC title

• H02J7/34

  Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/0044

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J7/0042

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G04G19/02

  Conversion or regulation of current or voltage · CPC title