Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Power supply details – Electrical
Patent
1997-03-07
1998-06-02
Miska, Vit W.
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Power supply details
Electrical
368228, 136251, 429111, G04C 1000, H01N 636
Patent
active
057611580
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a solar battery powered watch provided with a solar battery as a power supply.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
A solar battery powered watch provided with a solar battery as a power supply has been conventionally generally structured in a manner that the solar battery is mounted on the surface of a dial under a glass so as to be seen from the outside in view of the fact that the solar battery absorbs light to generate electric power.
However in such a structure, since the solar battery has a peculiar deep violet color, colors of the dial and designs of the dial are largely restricted, which makes it difficult to bring out an ornamental value of the watch.
Aiming to solve such a problem, there is proposed an invention having coloring means at a light receiving surface of a solar battery as disclosed, for example, in a publication of JP-A 5-29641.
That is, in the same publication, cholesteric liquid crystal is microcapsuled and the surface of the solar battery is coated with the microcapsuled liquid crystal as a binder.
However, in the coloring means disclosed in the same publication, there are few colors to be selected as those of the dial, and the surface of the dial becomes a deep color, and hence it does not enhance the ornamental value thereof. Particularly, there is a problem that the aforementioned coloring means can not produce white which is a basic color and is frequently used as a color of the dial of the watch.
Under the circumstances, it is an object of this invention to realize a solar battery powered watch capable of designing a dial with free colors including white, and of transmitting light which is sufficiently necessary for generating electric power for the solar battery.
It is another object of this invention to provide a solar battery powered watch capable of improving impact resistance of a covering member.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the above objects, a solar battery powered watch of this invention comprises a case having an opening on a front side thereof, and a glass covering the opening, a movement having a hand-driving mechanism and housed in the case, a solar battery having a light receiving surface disposed opposite to the glass and installed on a front side of the movement inside the case, and a covering member for covering the light receiving surface of the solar battery.
With such an arrangement, since the surface of the covering member can be seen from the outside through the glass, if the covering member is also used as the dial, it is possible to provide the solar battery powered watch provided with a dial having a desired color if the color of the covering member is adjusted to the desired color.
According, to this invention, the covering member is molded out of ceramic. Since the ceramic in general looks white, it is possible to form white dial (covering member) without coloring the dial.
It is needless to say that the covering member molded out of ceramic can prevent the solar battery from being seen from the outside. Further, since incident light appropriately is transmitted through the ceramic made of a porous material, the solar battery can be charged without a problem.
Since ceramic is easily colored, its color other than white is freely adjustable.
Further, this invention provides a solar battery powered watch having light transmittance so that the solar battery is irradiated with sufficient light, and a preferable structure of the covering member to show a white appearance.
That is, if the covering member is molded out of ceramic containing aluminum as a main constituent, it can show a preferable white, and if an average diameter of the ceramic grains ranges from 5 .mu.m to 40 .mu.m, and the covering member is molded to a thickness ranging from 0.2 m to 0.5 mm, the covering member can keep high external quality and transmit light sufficiently for charging the solar battery.
In case that the covering member its utilized as a dial, dial patterns such as an indicator, lettering for a brand name, and the like are inscr
REFERENCES:
patent: 4234947 (1980-11-01), Matsumoto
patent: 4261049 (1981-04-01), Komiyama et al.
patent: 4296489 (1981-10-01), Mitsui
patent: 4785436 (1988-11-01), Sase
patent: 5243578 (1993-09-01), Mathez
patent: 5438556 (1995-08-01), Dinger et al.
Azuma Akira
Hiraishi Hisato
Toida Takashi
Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
Miska Vit W.
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