Electronic timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9869975-B2
Application number	US-201715679729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2017
Priority date	Dec 4, 2014
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

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 of a non-conductive material, and a hand; and
a movement that drives the hand,
wherein the movement includes:
a circuit board,
a planar antenna attached to the circuit board,
a motor,
a wheel train that transfers drive power from the motor to the hand; 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 battery is disposed overlapping at least a part of the wheel train in plan view.

2. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the movement has a plurality of motors including the motor; and
at least one of the plurality of motors is overlapping the battery in a cross-sectional view.

3. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the hand is an hour hand; and
the wheel train overlapping the battery transfers drive power from the motor to the hour hand.

4. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the hand is a minute hand; and
the wheel train overlapping the battery transfers drive power from the motor to the minute hand.

5. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein the planar antenna is disposed at a position not overlapping the wheel train in the plan view.

6. 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.

7. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the movement includes a plurality of pivots disposed at different positions in plan view, and
each of the plurality of pivots is disposed in a position that does not overlap the planar antenna or the battery in plan view.

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

9. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , further comprising
a subdial disposed on the dial at a position not overlapping the planar antenna in the plan view.

10. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein
a hole through which a pivot of the hand passes is formed in the dial,
the movement has a plurality of motors including the motor, and
at least one of the plurality of motors is disposed between the battery and the hole.

11. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein
the movement is housed in an outside case, at least a portion of the outside case being metal, and
a non-conductive ring is disposed encircling an outside circumference of the dial.

12. An electronic timepiece comprising:
a time display unit including a dial of a non-conductive material and a calendar wheel; and
a movement that drives the calendar wheel,
wherein the movement includes:
a circuit board,
a planar antenna attached to the circuit board,
a motor,
a wheel train that transfers drive power from the motor to the calendar wheel, 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
wherein the battery is disposed overlapping at least apart of the wheel train in plan view.

13. The electronic timepiece described in claim 12 , wherein:
the calendar wheel is a date wheel displaying a date number on a surface of the dial.

14. The electronic timepiece described in claim 12 , further comprising a base plate, wherein the part of the wheel train overlapping the battery is disposed at a face side of the base plate.

15. The electronic timepiece described in claim 12 , wherein:
the movement has a plurality of motors including the motor; and
at least one of the plurality of motors is overlapping the battery in a cross-sectional view.

16. The electronic timepiece described in claim 12 , wherein the planar antenna is disposed at a position not overlapping the wheel train in the plan view.

17. The electronic timepiece described in claim 12 , 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.

18. The electronic timepiece described in claim 12 , wherein:
the planar antenna is attached to a surface of the circuit board, and
a receiver that processes signals received by the planar antenna is attached to a back side of the circuit board.

19. The electronic timepiece described in claim 12 , further comprising a subdial disposed on the dial at a position not overlapping the planar antenna in the plan view.

20. The electronic timepiece described in claim 12 , wherein
the movement is housed in an outside case, at least a portion of the outside case being metal, and
a non-conductive ring is disposed encircling an outside circumference of the dial.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Fujisawa Teruhiko
• Tamura Shuichi

Classifications

• G04R20/02

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

• G04G17/04 Primary

  Mounting of electronic components · CPC title

• G04R60/12 Primary

  inside metal cases · CPC title

• G04C10/02

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