Electronic timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9523963-B2
Application number	US-201514931045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2015
Priority date	Dec 4, 2014
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

An electronic timepiece has a time display unit including a dial made from a non-conductive material, and hands; and a movement that drives the hands. The movement includes a circuit board, a planar antenna attached to the circuit board, a stepper motor that drives the hands, and a battery. The planar antenna, the stepper motor, and the battery are disposed to positions overlapping the time display unit in plan view, and not overlapping each other in plan view.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic timepiece comprising:
a time display unit including a dial made from a non-conductive material, and hands; and
a movement that drives the hands, and includes
a circuit board,
a planar antenna attached to the circuit board,
a motor that drives the hands, and
a battery;

wherein the planar antenna, the motor, and the battery are disposed overlapping the time display unit in plan view, and not overlapping each other in plan view,
wherein the area overlapping the time display unit in plan view is divided into two areas, a first area and a second area, by a line through the planar center of the planar antenna and the planar center of the battery, and
the motor includes a first motor disposed in the first area, and a second motor disposed in the second area.

2. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the hands include an hour hand, minute hand, and second hand; and
a hole through which the pivots of the hour hand, minute hand, and second hand pass is formed in the planar center of the dial.

3. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the planar antenna and the battery are disposed to positions where a line through the planar center of the planar antenna and the planar center of the battery passes through the planar center of the dial.

4. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
a notch is formed in the circuit board; and
the battery is disposed in the notch at a position not overlapping the circuit board in plan view.

5. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the movement includes a wheel train that transfers drive power from the motor to the hands; and
the battery is disposed in a position not overlapping the wheel train in plan view.

6. The electronic timepiece described in claim 5 , wherein:
the movement includes pivots to which the hands are attached, and a wheel train bridge that supports the pivots; and
a metal part is disposed on the back cover side of the wheel train bridge.

7. The electronic timepiece described in claim 5 , wherein:
the movement has a plurality of pivots disposed at different positions in plan view; and
the pivots are disposed to positions not overlapping the planar antenna and battery in plan view.

8. The electronic timepiece described in claim 5 , wherein:
the area overlapping the time display unit in plan view is divided by two lines through the planar center of the time display unit into four fan-shaped areas, first fan-shaped area to fourth fan-shaped area;
the planar antenna is disposed in the first fan-shaped area;
the two lines are set to positions making the first fan-shaped area the smallest size capable of containing all of the planar antenna; and
the planar center of the battery is disposed in the third fan-shaped area, which is located on the opposite side of the center of the time display unit as the first fan-shaped area.

9. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the planar antenna is attached to the surface of the circuit board; and
a receiver element that processes signals received by the planar antenna is attached to the back side of the circuit board.

10. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the planar antenna is attached to the surface of the circuit board; and
a control chip of the electronic timepiece is attached to the back of the circuit board in one of two areas delineated by a line through the planar center of the planar antenna and the planar center of the battery, and a power supply chip is disposed in the other area.

11. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the movement is housed in an outside case of which at least part is metal; and
a ring member made from a non-conductive material is disposed around the outside circumference of the dial.

12. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
a subdial is disposed to the dial at a position not overlapping the planar antenna in plan view.

13. An electronic timepiece comprising:
a time display unit including a dial made from a non-conductive material, and hands; and
a movement that drives the hands, and includes
a circuit board,
a planar antenna attached to the circuit board,
a motor that drives the hands, and
a battery;

wherein the planar antenna, the motor, and the battery are disposed overlapping the time display unit in plan view, and not overlapping each other in plan view, and
the planar antenna and the battery are disposed to positions where a line through the planar center of the planar antenna and the planar center of the battery passes through the planar center of the dial.

14. An electronic timepiece comprising:
a time display unit including a dial made from a non-conductive material, and hands; and
a movement that drives the hands, and includes
a circuit board,
a planar antenna attached to the circuit board,
a motor that drives the hands, and
a battery;

wherein the planar antenna, the motor, and the battery are disposed overlapping the time display unit in plan view, and not overlapping each other in plan view,
the movement includes a wheel train that transfers drive power from the motor to the hands,
the battery is disposed in a position not overlapping the wheel train in plan view,
the movement includes pivots to which the hands are attached, and a wheel train bridge that supports the pivots; and
a metal part is disposed on the back cover side of the wheel train bridge.

15. An electronic timepiece comprising:
a time display unit including a dial made from a non-conductive material, and hands; and
a movement that drives the hands, and includes
a circuit board,
a planar antenna attached to the circuit board,
a motor that drives the hands, and
a battery;

wherein the planar antenna, the motor, and the battery are disposed overlapping the time display unit in plan view, and not overlapping each other in plan view,
the movement includes a wheel train that transfers drive power from the motor to the hands,
the battery is disposed in a position not overlapping the wheel train in plan view,
the area overlapping the time display unit in plan view is divided by two lines through the planar center of the time display unit into four fan-shaped areas, first fan-shaped area to fourth fan-shaped area,
the planar antenna is disposed in the first fan-shaped area,
the two lines are set to positions making the first fan-shaped area the smallest size capable of containing all of the planar antenna, and
the planar center of the battery is disposed in the third fan-shaped area, which is located on the opposite side of the center of the time display unit as the first fan-shaped area.

16. An electronic timepiece comprising:
a time display unit including a dial made from a non-conductive material, and hands; and
a movement that drives the hands, and includes
a circuit board,
a planar antenna attached to the circuit board,
a motor that drives the hands, and
a battery;

wherein the planar antenna, the motor, and the battery are disposed overlapping the time display unit in plan view, and not overlapping each other in plan view,
the planar antenna is attached to the surface of the circuit board, and
a receiver element that processes signals received by the planar antenna is attached to the back side of the circuit board.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Fujisawa Teruhiko
• Tamura Shuichi

Classifications

• G04G17/04 Primary

  Mounting of electronic components · CPC title

• G04R20/02

  the radio signal being sent by a satellite, e.g. GPS · CPC title

• G04R60/12 Primary

  inside metal cases · CPC title

• G04C10/02

  the power supply being a radioactive {or photovoltaic} source · CPC title