Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Power supply details – Electrical
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-19
2003-03-25
Miska, Vit (Department: 2841)
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Power supply details
Electrical
C368S223000, C368S232000, C136S251000, C136S259000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06538959
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an indicating plate (dial) for a timepiece arranged on a front surface side of a solar battery (solar cell) housed in a timepiece, the solar cell capable of converting light energy to electric energy for utilization thereof.
2. Background Art
It is common practice to employ a solar cell as a power source for watches, desktop electronic calculators, portable radio sets, etc. This solar cell is generally constructed of, for example, amorphous silicon and converts light energy to electric energy. In view of this function, the solar cell must be arranged in a position upon which light is incident, i.e., a surface position such that the solar cell is directly visible from outside.
The solar cell is commonly used in an indicating plate structure for wristwatch, which is constructed so that, referring to
FIGS. 23 and 24
, four solar cells
132
which are fan-shaped in a plan view are arranged, with an insulating band
133
therebetween, on an upper surface of wristwatch module
131
. Further, a translucent resin thin film layer
135
is laminated onto part or the entire surface of each of the solar cells
132
, with transparent plate
134
of a transparent polycarbonate (polycarbonic ester) resin or acrylic resin interposed therebetween.
In this indicating plate structure for a solar watch, however, the solar cells
132
are generally brown or dark-blue, so that, for example, the solar cells disposed under the transparent plate are viewed through the transparent plate. Thus, the dial takes on the color of the solar cells. Further, the insulating band
133
is between neighboring solar cells
132
, so that the insulating bands
133
appear as cross lines. Thus, not only is the design inclusive of color tone extremely restricted, but also the appearance is degraded to thereby lower the commercial value.
On the contrary, a watch was proposed in which, for example, an interference filter was disposed on a front side of a solar cell to thereby prevent direct viewing of the solar cell. However, problems were encountered such that the supply of light energy to the solar cell was hampered and such that the appearance quality as watch dial was poor.
For solving these problems, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5(1993)-38464 disclosed a colored solar cell comprising a solar cell and a color diffusing layer composed of a color filter disposed on a front side of the solar cell and capable of transmitting light having a wavelength within a region contributing to power generation of the solar cell and a scattering layer disposed between the solar cell and the color filter, which scattering layer was capable of transmitting a portion of the light transmitted through the color filter and scattering the rest of the light in all directions.
A white diffusion plate was employed as this scattering layer, and it was suggested to use as the white diffusion plate, for example, an acrylic milk white plate, a half mirror coated with a matting clear lacquer, a glass having one side roughened by blasting or a white diffusion plate having a mirror formed of, for example, aluminum in a stripe or net pattern on a side opposite to plastic.
However, in this prior art, although the acrylic milk white plate is used as the scattering layer, a metal tone favored in an indicating plate of wristwatch and capable of imparting an appearance of superior quality can not be obtained. Further, burrs occur at the time of working, thereby necessitating deburring. Accordingly, the process is complicated and the cost is increased. With respect to the half mirror coated with a matting clear lacquer, half mirror treatment and coating are required to thereby complicate the process. Further, it is probable that, depending on coating operation, the film thickness becomes nonuniform to thereby cause a dispersion of transmission factor with the result that mottling occurs. Moreover, with respect to the glass having one side thereof roughened by blasting or the white diffusion plate having a mirror formed of, for example, aluminum in a stripe or net pattern on a side opposite to plastic, blasting and mirror treatment are required to thereby complicate the process. Furthermore, depending on these treatments, the problem is encountered such that the film thickness and irregularity degree become nonuniform to thereby invite a dispersion of transmission factor and a mottling. Still further, all the above materials have a problem such that the appearance quality thereof as a watch dial is poor.
At any rate, the interposition of the above scattering layer between the color filter and the solar cell unfavorably requires a complicated process and invites a dispersion of transmission factor leading to a deterioration of power generation performance and an occurrence of mottling. Further, a deterioration of appearance quality due to the property of material per se is invited.
Furthermore, although, with respect to the metallic indicating plate for use in the indicating plate structure of the conventional timepiece, a design diversification can be attained by, for example, its peculiar metal color. In addition, in this case, various models thereof with a high quality and high grade appearance have been proposed. However, the metallic indicating plate cannot be employed in the solar watch because the use of the metallic indicating plate intercepts light to thereby disenable the power generation by the solar cell. Therefore, it has been unfeasible to realize an appearance of superior quality peculiar to metal color and an extensive design variation on the solar watch.
SUMMARY
The present invention has been made taking the above problems into account. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an indicating plate for a timepiece through which the insulating band cross lines and solar cell positioned under the indicating plate are not viewed. Furthermore, the indicating plate of the present invention can be provided with a metallic color peculiar to metal and enables the same design expression as attained by the conventional metallic indicating plate. Still further, according to the indicating plate of the present invention, a design variation inclusive of a tone (delicate hue) and pattern with superior-quality appearance are extensively increased and an excellent appearance quality is accomplished to thereby ensure an enhanced commercial value.
The present invention has been made with a view toward solving the above problems of the prior art and attaining the above object. Accordingly, the indicating plate for a timepiece according to the present invention is an indicating plate for a timepiece to be arranged on a front surface side of a solar cell housed in a timepiece,
the timepiece indicating plate comprising a resin substrate through which light can be transmitted and a metallic thin film layer coating formed on at least one side of the resin substrate by dry plating,
the timepiece indicating plate not only capable of preventing viewing of the solar cell from outside thereof through the timepiece indicating plate but also having a light transmission at least sufficient to cause the solar cell housed under the timepiece indicating plate to generate power.
In this construction, the metallic thin film layer coating prevents viewing therethrough of the solar cell and cross lines disposed under the timepiece indicating plate. Some light is transmitted through the metallic thin film layer coating, and the light transmission is so large as to contribute to the power generation of the solar cell. Thus, the function of the solar timepiece per se is not inhibited. Moreover, coloring can be made by the metallic color peculiar to metal possessed by the metallic thin film layer coating, thereby enabling extensively increasing a design variation.
In this construction, although the thickness of the metallic thin film layer coating can appropriately be set taking the light transmission, etc. into account, it is preferred that the metallic thin film laye
Ikebuchi Hiroshi
Tamaru Katsuaki
Yamaguchi Katsuyuki
Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
Miska Vit
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
LandOfFree
Display plate for timepieces and method for fabricating the... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Display plate for timepieces and method for fabricating the..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Display plate for timepieces and method for fabricating the... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3052055