Electronic timepiece and secondary battery unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9086686-B2
Application number	US-201414180669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2014
Priority date	Sep 22, 2011
Publication date	Jul 21, 2015
Grant date	Jul 21, 2015

Abstract

A timepiece movement includes a battery housing section configured and arranged to house a primary battery and a secondary battery unit in a replaceable manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A timepiece movement comprising:
a universal battery housing section having a battery support portion and an access portion, the universal battery housing section being configured and arranged to interchangeably house a primary battery and a secondary battery unit having a secondary battery and a conductive part that is electrically coupled to the secondary battery for charging the secondary battery,
the primary battery being supported by the battery support portion outside the access portion while the universal battery housing section houses the primary battery,
the conductive part of the secondary battery unit being disposed through the access portion while the universal battery housing section houses the secondary battery unit.

2. The timepiece movement according to claim 1 , wherein
the secondary battery is configured and arrange to be charged with electric power generated by a solar panel,
the secondary battery unit further includes a reverse-flow prevention diode configured and arranged to prevent reverse flow of electric current from the secondary battery to the solar panel, and
the conductive part includes a connecting spring.

3. The timepiece movement according to claim 2 , wherein
a maximum output voltage of the solar panel is set not to exceed a withstanding voltage of the secondary battery.

4. The timepiece movement according to claim 3 , wherein
a sum of the withstanding voltage of the secondary battery and a decreasing voltage of the reverse-flow prevention diode is greater than the maximum output voltage of the solar panel.

5. The timepiece movement according to claim 1 , further comprising
an external case in which the solar panel is housed,
wherein a first timepiece movement state in which the secondary battery unit is used in the battery housing section and a second timepiece movement state in which the primary battery is used are switchable.

6. An electronic timepiece including the timepiece movement according to claim 1 .

7. A secondary battery unit mounted in the timepiece movement according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Kojima Hiroyuki
• Kubota Masaru

Classifications

• G04C3/008

  Mounting, assembling of components · CPC title

• G04G19/10

  Arrangements for supplying back-up power · CPC title

• G04G17/04

  Mounting of electronic components · CPC title

• G04C10/00 Primary

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

• H01M10/465

  with solar battery as charging system · CPC title