Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric – Photoelectric – Cells
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-11
2003-02-11
Diamond, Alan (Department: 1753)
Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
Photoelectric
Cells
C136S246000, C136S252000, C136S259000, C136S251000, C136S256000, C136S291000, C136S244000, C368S205000, C438S065000, C427S074000, C427S163100, C264S001310, C264S220000, C264S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06518493
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display device for an electronic apparatus comprising a solar cell, for example, an electronic apparatus such as a watch, an electronic calculator, a radio, a battery charger, and more particularly the watch.
BACKGROUND ART
An example of a conventional structure of a watch having a solar cell
305
will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
26
. FIG.
26
(
a
) is a plan view showing the inside of the watch case seen from above and FIG.
26
(
b
) is a schematic sectional view showing the inside of the watch case.
As shown in
FIG. 26
, when light is incident on a solar display board
301
of a watch from the outside, the light is transmitted through the solar display board
301
to reach the solar cell
305
. Then, the solar cell
305
converts an optical energy into an electric energy which is charged into a battery or capacitor referred to as a secondary battery which is provided in a module
307
and can store electricity. The module
307
includes a drive mechanism for the watch so that a minute hand
310
and an hour hand
309
which are fixed to a central shaft
308
are moved thereby. In this case, the solar display board
301
is positioned between the minute hand
310
and hour hand
309
and the solar cell
305
.
In recent years, the power generation efficiency of the solar cell has been enhanced, the power consumption of a module has been reduced, and furthermore, battery performance has been improved. Consequently, even if the external shape of a solar cell is much smaller than ever, a minute hand and an hour hand can be driven.
On the other hand, the degree of freedom has been increased for the external shape of a watch case depending on the diversification of the design of the watch. A middle frame
306
is positioned on the outside of the solar cell
305
and the module
307
so that the degree of freedom can be enhanced in respect of the design of the external shape of the watch.
As shown in FIGS.
26
(
a
) and (
b
), the solar cell
305
and the module
307
are fixed through the middle frame
306
to an outer case which is not shown. Moreover, the minute hand
310
and the hour hand
309
are bonded to the central shaft
308
which extends from the module
307
and are rotated through a driving force applied from the module
307
. Furthermore, the solar display board
301
is provided to cover the solar cell
305
and the middle frame
306
.
The middle frame
306
is provided with a hook mechanism in order to fix the module
307
to which the solar cell
305
is fastened, which is not shown. When the module
307
is fitted in the middle frame
306
, the solar cell
305
and the module
307
are fixed to the middle frame
306
and are accommodated in the outer case and thus fixed therein.
The solar cell
305
has two kinds of substrates, that is, substrates formed of a glass and a resin. For both of them, the solar cell itself has a small thickness. Furthermore, there is a possibility that the substrate formed of a glass might be chipped through a stress such as a shock during or after assembly. The substrate formed of a resin might be deformed by a stress thereof during bonding. For a method of fixation to the watch case, therefore, the solar cell
305
and the middle frame
306
are not fixed but the module
307
and the middle frame
306
are fixed. In the case of the substrate formed of a resin, a metal plate may be provided on the lower face of the solar cell
305
in order to enhance the reliability of rigidity and electrical connection.
Furthermore, in the case in which the solar display board
301
comes in contact with the solar cell
305
, the power generation efficiency of the solar cell
305
might be reduced due to a flaw or the like. Therefore, the middle frame
306
also has the function of preventing the reduction of the power generation. When the solar display board
301
is superposed on the solar cell
305
, the middle frame
306
protrudes slightly upward from the upper face of the solar cell
305
such that the middle frame
306
comes in contact with the solar display board
301
earlier than the solar cell
305
.
Moreover, in the case in which the module
307
having the solar cell
305
fixed thereto is to be incorporated into the middle frame
306
, the incorporation can easily be carried out efficiently and productivity can be enhanced if the external shape of the solar cell
305
is coincident with that of the module
307
as shown. As described above in detail, the middle frame is a member which plays an important role in watch construction.
As shown in FIG.
26
(
a
), a boundary line
303
between the solar cell
305
and the middle frame
306
usually requires a clearance for watch assembling work and the clearance is seen to be black through the solar display board
301
. Moreover, a plastic material is often used for the middle frame
306
in consideration of easiness of molding, cost, shock absorption and the like. The middle frame
306
is manufactured by injection molding to correspond to the shape of various outer cases. Therefore, a gate track
304
is formed on an upper face of the middle frame
306
due to the injection molding and the gate track
304
is also seen through the solar display board
301
. Furthermore, in the case in which a solar cell is divided into some elements to maintain a predetermined voltage and current, a refractive index of light is varied depending on a difference in a material between a cell portion and a dividing line portion and a solar cell element dividing line
302
is also seen through the solar display board
301
.
According to the knowledge of the present inventors, such a phenomenon remarkably presents itself when the solar display board
301
is black or blue.
FIG. 26
shows an example in which the solar cell element dividing line
302
has a cross-shape and the boundary line
303
between the solar cell
305
and the middle frame
306
has the shape of a black ring on the boundary between a slant line portion and a dotted portion.
For a technique for seeing such a solar cell element dividing line with difficulty, a method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 5-38464 has conventionally been proposed.
In the Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 5-38464, only a color diffusing board is provided between the solar display board
301
and the solar cell
305
. However, the diffusing board has the function of diffusing light. Therefore, the boundary line
303
between the solar cell
305
and the middle frame
306
, the gate track
304
generated through the injection molding of the middle frame, and furthermore, the solar cell element dividing line
302
are seen with difficulty. As a result, they are necessarily seen to be white so that the tone of the solar display board
301
provided thereabove is affected.
According to an experiment carried out by the present inventors, if only the color diffusing board is provided between the solar display board
301
and the solar cell
305
, a black solar display board is seen to be gray, which is not preferable in respect of design. Moreover, a white solar display board has diffusion effects by itself. Therefore, even if the diffusing board is not used, there is not such a phenomenon that the boundary line
303
between the solar cell
305
and the middle frame
306
, the gate track
304
generated through the injection molding of the middle frame
306
, and furthermore, the solar cell element dividing line
302
are seen through the solar display board
301
. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the diffusing board as in the Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 5-38464.
Usually, various designs are given through the solar display board
301
. If there is such a phenomenon that the boundary line
303
, the gate track
304
and the solar cell element dividing line
302
are seen as described above, the quality of design of a watch is adversely affected. More specifically, in this case, a decoration or the like should be given to a part of the solar display board
301
Murakami Tomomi
Sakamaki Shin-ichi
Tanaka Yoshiya
Yamaguchi Katsuyuki
Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
Diamond Alan
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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