Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Power supply details – Electrical
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-19
2004-04-20
Martin, David (Department: 2841)
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Power supply details
Electrical
C358S461000, C358S003050
Reexamination Certificate
active
06724692
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a multifunctional time measurement device having hands, and to a time measurement method.
2. Background Art
Conventionally available as a multifunctional time measurement device having hands is, for example, a timepiece having an analog-display chronograph function.
Such a timepiece has, for example, a chronograph hour hand, a chronograph minute hand, and a chronograph second hand for chronograph purposes, and starts time measurement in response to the push of a start/stop button provided therein, so that the chronograph hour hand, the chronograph minute hand, and the chronograph second hand turn. When the start/stop button is pushed again, time measurement is finished, and the chronograph hour hand, the chronograph minute hand, and the chronograph second hand stop, thereby indicating the measured time. At the push of a reset button provided in the electronic timepiece, the measured time is reset, and the chronograph hour hand, the chronograph minute hand, and the chronograph second hand return to zero positions (hereinafter referred to as “return to zero”).
In a reset method, the hands are returned to zero by being moved quickly by a chronograph motor when the timepiece is of an electronic type, and are mechanically returned when the timepiece is of a mechanical type. Some of such mechanical return mechanisms have a safety mechanism for preventing a return operation from being performed due to an inadvertent press of the reset button during time measurement. This safety mechanism is a mechanism that disables time measurement from being reset after the start thereof, and enables time measurement to be reset after the stop thereof.
In addition, the timepiece has a function of automatically stopping the chronograph hour hand, the chronograph minute hand, and the chronograph second hand at, for example, the hand positions at the start of time measurement when the maximum measurement time is over. This function can prevent power from being consumed in vain even when the start/stop button fails to be pushed during time measurement.
The above-described safety mechanism is configured to mechanically and alternatively repeat the return impossible state and the return enabling state every time the start/stop button is operated. Since such a safety mechanism has been provided in mechanical timepieces hitherto, there is no special problem. When an electronic timepiece is provided with a mechanical return mechanism and a safety mechanism, however, the recognition of the return impossible state and the return possible state in a control circuit of the timepiece and the recognition of the return impossible state and the return possible state in the safety mechanism are sometimes reversed.
For example, as shown in
FIG. 22
, when a start signal is output in response to the push of the start/stop button at a point T
1
, measurement recognition (motor pulse output) of the control circuit is started, and the safety mechanism is put into the return impossible state. Subsequently, when the power-supply voltage falls below the operating voltage required for the operation of the control circuit at a point T
2
due to discharging or for other reasons, measurement recognition (motor pulse output) of the control circuit is stopped, whereas the safety mechanism is held in the return impossible state. These states are maintained even after the power-supply voltage is recovered above the above-described operating voltage at a point T
3
by charging or by other methods.
Therefore, when a start signal is output at the push of the start/stop button at a subsequent point T
4
, measurement recognition (motor pulse output) of the control circuit is started, whereas the safety mechanism is put into the return possible state. Furthermore, when a stop signal is output at the push of the start/stop button at a subsequent point T
5
, measurement recognition (motor pulse output) of the control circuit is turned off, whereas the safety mechanism is put into the return impossible state.
For this reason, when a reset signal is output due to an inadvertent push of the reset button between the point T
4
and the point T
5
, since the safety mechanism is in the return possible state, a returning operation is performed during time measurement. Even when a reset signal is output at the push of the reset button at a point T
6
, and the reset recognition of the control circuit is turned on, a returning operation is impossible though time measurement has been stopped, because the safety mechanism is in the return impossible state. In this way, when the chronograph function abnormally stops, the recognition by the control circuit and the state of the safety mechanism are reversed in the chronograph start/stop and reset operations.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, and to provide a time measurement device and method in which an electric operating state and a mechanical operating state can always coincide with each other.
Conventionally available as a multifunctional time measurement device having hands is, for example, an electronic timepiece having an analog-display chronograph function.
Such an electronic timepiece has, for example, a chronograph hour hand, a chronograph minute hand, and a chronograph second hand for chronograph purposes, and starts time measurement in response to the push of a start/stop button provided therein, so that the chronograph hour hand, the chronograph minute hand, and the chronograph second hand turn. When the start/stop button is pushed again, time measurement is finished, and the chronograph hour hand, the chronograph minute hand, and the chronograph second hand stop, thereby indicating the measured time. At the push of a reset button provided in the electronic timepiece, the measured time is reset, and the chronograph hour hand, the chronograph minute hand, and the chronograph second hand return to zero positions (hereinafter referred to as “return to zero”).
In a reset method, the hands are returned to zero by being moved quickly by a chronograph motor when the timepiece is of an electronic type, and are mechanically returned when the timepiece is of a mechanical type. Some of such mechanical return mechanisms have a safety mechanism for preventing a return operation from being performed due to an inadvertent press of the reset button during time measurement. This safety mechanism is a mechanism that disables time measurement from being reset after the start thereof, and enables time measurement to be reset after the stop thereof.
Some of such electronic timepieces have a chronograph hand for measuring time more finely than the chronograph second hand and showing time in the minimum measurement unit, for example, a chronograph ⅕-second hand, or a chronograph {fraction (1/10)}-second hand. Since large electric power is needed to continuously move the chronograph hand for showing time in the minimum measurement unit, however, the hand is set to stop its movement after a predetermined time elapses from the start of measurement. When time measurement is stopped, the hand is moved quickly by the motor to the hand position indicating time finely, so that reading the measured time is allowed.
In addition, the electronic timepiece has a function of automatically stopping the chronograph hour hand, the chronograph minute hand, and the chronograph second hand at, for example, the hand positions at the start of time measurement when the maximum measurement time is over. This function can prevent power from being consumed in vain even when measurement fails to be stopped by pushing the start/stop button during time measurement.
In the electronic timepiece provided with the chronograph thus having the mechanical return function and the function for preventing return during time measurement, even when the maximum measurement time is over during time measurement and the movement of the chronograph hour hand, the chronograph minute hand, and the chronograph second hand is automatically stopp
Akahane Hidehiro
Koike Nobuhiro
Maruyama Akihiko
Okuhara Kenichi
Goodwin Jeanne-Marguerite
Martin David
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