Patent US3733810A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3733810A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Timepiece with electronically designed digital read-out
Assignee: Rolex SA
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Filing: 1971-03-05
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Granted: 1973-05-22
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Expires: 1991-03-05
Abstract
Abstract In a timepiece having an electronically designed read out, an improved means which makes it possible to manually operate and set at least part of the digital readout elements. The setting means comprise a preselector capable of being set in different positions and a driving mechanism. Both the preselector and driving mechanism are arranged in such a manner that the position occupied by the preselector at the time that the driving mechanism is manipulated determines the element or elements of the digital read-out to be affected by the manipulation as well as the function accorded by the manipulation.
Inventors
- 👤 P Girard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 05:09
CPC Classifications
G; G04; G04G; G04G5/00; G04G5/04; G04G5/043; G04C; G04C3/00; G04C3/001; G04C3/005; G04G9/00; G04G9/08; G04G9/10; G04G9/105
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
An electronically operated timepiece having a plurality of digital read-out elements, and comprising means to selectively manually operate at least some of the digital read-out elements, said means comprising a preselector capable of being placed in different rotational positions and a driving mechanism, said preselector comprising a rotatable element mounted on the side of the timepiece opposite the face and accessible externally to be rotated to different angular positions corresponding to various settings of the preselector, and said driving mechanism comprising a rod which penetrates into the time piece, said rod being arranged to be manipulated to change its depth of penetration into the timepiece, both said preselector and driving mechanism being arranged in such a manner that the position ocCupied by the preselector at the time that the driving mechanism is manipulated determines which digital read-out element is to be affected by the manipulation of the driving mechanism, as well as the function actuation imparted to this element, said timepiece further comprising an arrangement of said preselector such that said rotatable element works together with said driving mechanism in such a way that in the various setting positions of the preselector the driving mechanism can be at least partially depressed into the timepiece, whereas when said preselector is located between two of said setting positions said driving mechanism can only occupy its most retracted position, said preselector being prevented from turning from one setting position to another unless said driving mechanism occupies this most retracted position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
An electronically operated timepiece having a plurality of digital read-out elements, and comprising means to selectively manually operate at least some of the digital read-out elements, said means comprising a preselector capable of being placed in different rotational positions and a driving mechanism, said preselector comprising a rotatable element mounted on the side of the timepiece opposite the face and accessible externally to be rotated to different angular positions corresponding to various settings of the preselector, and said driving mechanism comprising a rod which penetrates into the time piece, said rod being arranged to be manipulated to change its depth of penetration into the timepiece, both said preselector and driving mechanism being arranged in such a manner that the position ocCupied by the preselector at the time that the driving mechanism is manipulated determines which digital read-out element is to be affected by the manipulation of the driving mechanism, as well as the function actuation imparted to this element, said timepiece further comprising an arrangement of said preselector such that said rotatable element works together with said driving mechanism in such a way that in the various setting positions of the preselector the driving mechanism can be at least partially depressed into the timepiece, whereas when said preselector is located between two of said setting positions said driving mechanism can only occupy its most retracted position, said preselector being prevented from turning from one setting position to another unless said driving mechanism occupies this most retracted position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
A timepiece according to claim 1, wherein said rotatable element works together with said driving mechanism in such a way that in a position of normal operation of said preselector said driving mechanism can enter more deeply into the side of the timepiece than in the other positions of said preselector.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A timepiece according to claim 1, wherein said timepiece further comprises a housing having a face side and a cylindrical recess for storing an electrical battery in the side opposite the face, said preselector comprising a rotatable element in the shape of a crown situated around said cylindrical recess.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A timepiece according to claim 3, wherein the outer periphery of said crown shaped rotatable element is not larger than the periphery of said timepiece housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
A timepiece according to claim 3, wherein the periphery of said crown shaped rotatable element is proportioned and mounted on the housing of the timepiece in such a way as to overlap at least one of the sides of the housing so as to be able to be turned even when said timepiece is placed on the wrist of its wearer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
124 words
An electronically operated timepiece having a plurality of digital read-out elements, and comprising means to selectively manually operate at least some of the digital read-out elements, said means comprising a preselector capable of being placed in different rotational positions and a driving mechanism, both said preselector and driving mechanism being arranged in such a manner that the position occupied by the preselector at the time that the driving mechanism is manipulated determines which digital read-out element is to be affected by the manipulation of the driving mechanism, as well as the function actuation imparted to this element, said preselector further having a position of normal operation wherein the manipulation of the driving mechanism has no effect on the positioning of said digital read-out elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
124 words
An electronically operated timepiece having a plurality of digital read-out elements, and comprising means to selectively manually operate at least some of the digital read-out elements, said means comprising a preselector capable of being placed in different rotational positions and a driving mechanism, both said preselector and driving mechanism being arranged in such a manner that the position occupied by the preselector at the time that the driving mechanism is manipulated determines which digital read-out element is to be affected by the manipulation of the driving mechanism, as well as the function actuation imparted to this element, said preselector further having a position of normal operation wherein the manipulation of the driving mechanism has no effect on the positioning of said digital read-out elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
A timepiece according to claim 6, wherein said preselector and said driving mechanism work together in such a way that when the preselector is in said position of normal operation said driving mechanism can be manipulated between two positions respectively locking and unlocking rotation of said preselector, with the locking position capable of being secured.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
A timepiece according to claim 7, wherein said preselector has a position of accelerated advance in which the manipulation of said driving mechanism makes the digital read-out elements advance at a speed such that the hour indicated advances by one hour in less than five seconds.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
A timepiece in accordance with claim 7, wherein said preselector has a position of accelerated advance in which the manipulation of said driving mechanism makes the digital read-out elements advance at a speed such that the minute indicated advances by one minute over a period between a half a second and five seconds.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
A timepiece according to claim 7, wherein said preselector has a position of accelerated advance in which the manipulation of the driving mechanism makes the digital read-out elements advance at a speed which is twice the speed of normal operation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A timepiece accorDing to claim 7, wherein said preselector includes a stop position in which the manipulation of the driving mechanism stops the advance of the digital read-out elements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
143 words
A timepiece according to claim 7, wherein said preselector has sequentially following the normal position at least four adjacent operating positions which are a position in which the manipulation of said driving mechanism stops the advance of the digital read-out elements; a position in which the manipulation of the driving mechanism makes the digital read-out elements advance at a speed which is twice that of normal operation; a position in which the manipulation of the driving mechanism makes the digital read-out elements advance at a speed such that an advance of one minute is brought about during a period of between a half a second and 5 seconds; and a position in which the manipulation of the driving mechanism makes the digital read-out elements advance at a speed such that an advance of 1 hour is brought about in less than 5 seconds.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A timepiece according to claim 7, wherein said preselector further includes a position in which the manipulation of the driving mechanism causes a resetting of the digital read-out elements to a predetermined time.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A timepiece according to claim 7, wherein said preselector further includes a position in which the manipulation of the driving mechanism causes an advance of the digital read-out elements which is exactly equal to 1 hour.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A timepiece according to claim 14, wherein said preselector also includes a position in which the manipulation of the driving mechanism causes a setting back of the digital read-out elements by exactly 1 hour.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
A timepiece according to claim 7, further comprising digital read-out elements indicating the calendar date as well as the time, said preselector having a further position in which the manipulation of said driving mechanism causes an advance of said digital read-out elements by one day of the month.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
A timepiece according to claim 6, wherein said preselector also includes a position in which the manipulation of said driving mechanism causes a setting back of said digital read-out elements by one day of the month.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
A timepiece according to claim 16, wherein said preselector includes a position in which the manipulation of the driving mechanism causes the digital read-out elements to advance by one month.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
52 words
A timepiece according to claim 16, wherein said digital read-out elements indicating the calendar date comprise digital read-out elements for the days of the week, said preselector including a further position in which the manipulation of said driving mechanism causes said digital read-out elements to advance by one day of the week.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
100 words
A timepiece according to claim 19, wherein said positions of the preselector are broken down, starting with the position of normal operation according to an order such that there are successively presented: the position of normal operation; a position of resetting to a predetermined fixed time; a position of advance by 1 hour; a position of setting back by 1 hour; a position of advance by one day of the month; a position of setting back by one day of the month; a position of advance by one month; and a position of advance by one day of the week.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
89 words
A timepiece according to claim 20, wherein said preselector includes, on one side of the position of normal operation, various positions of accelerated advance of the digital read-out elements and a position stopping advance of said digital read-out elements, and on the other side of the position of normal operation positions of resetting to fixed time, of advance and setting back of one hour, of advance and setting back of one day in the month, of advance of one month and of advance of one day of the week.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
228 words
An electronically operated timepiece having a plurality of digital read-out elements, and comprising means to selectively manually operate at Least some of the digital read-out elements, said means comprising a preselector capable of being placed in different rotational positions and a driving mechanism, both said preselector and driving mechanism being arranged in such a manner that the position occupied by the preselector at the time that the driving mechanism is manipulated determines which digital read-out element is to be affected by the manipulation of the driving mechanism, as well as the function actuation imparted to this element, further comprising electronic circuits operatively connected to control said digital read-out elements, said circuits comprising successive counters-dividers-decoders stages having an input, means feeding a 1 Hz signal to said input at least in the absence of a manipulation ordering an accelerated advance or a stopping of the digital read-out elements, the counters-dividers-decoders stages being arranged to actuate successively during the course of their operation: first digital read-out elements numbered from 0 to 9 for the units of seconds; second digital read-out elements numbered from 0 to 5 for the tens of seconds; third digital read-out elements numbered from 0 to 9 for the units of minutes; fourth digital read-out elements numbered from 0 to 5 for the tens of minutes; and fifth and sixth digital read-out elements numbered for the hours.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
228 words
An electronically operated timepiece having a plurality of digital read-out elements, and comprising means to selectively manually operate at Least some of the digital read-out elements, said means comprising a preselector capable of being placed in different rotational positions and a driving mechanism, both said preselector and driving mechanism being arranged in such a manner that the position occupied by the preselector at the time that the driving mechanism is manipulated determines which digital read-out element is to be affected by the manipulation of the driving mechanism, as well as the function actuation imparted to this element, further comprising electronic circuits operatively connected to control said digital read-out elements, said circuits comprising successive counters-dividers-decoders stages having an input, means feeding a 1 Hz signal to said input at least in the absence of a manipulation ordering an accelerated advance or a stopping of the digital read-out elements, the counters-dividers-decoders stages being arranged to actuate successively during the course of their operation: first digital read-out elements numbered from 0 to 9 for the units of seconds; second digital read-out elements numbered from 0 to 5 for the tens of seconds; third digital read-out elements numbered from 0 to 9 for the units of minutes; fourth digital read-out elements numbered from 0 to 5 for the tens of minutes; and fifth and sixth digital read-out elements numbered for the hours.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
92 words
A timepiece according to claim 22, further comprising digital read-out elements for the days of the month, the months and the days of the week, further counters-dividers-decoders stages fed at their input at a rate of one pulse per cycle of 24 hours of the preceding counters-dividers-decoders stages, and said further digital read-out elements being arranged to provide the numbered combinations of digital read-out of the days of the month, the combinations of alphabetic digital read-out of the months and the combinations of alphabetic digital read-out of the days of the week.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
46 words
A timepiece according to claim 22, wherein said driving mechanism is provided with electrical contacts and said preselector further comprises means to establish, in its different positions, electrical contacts which, dependent upon said electrical contacts of said driving mechanism, feed a potential to said counters-dividers-decoders stages.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
77 words
A timepiece according to claim 22, further comprising logic circuits arranged to carry out accelerated advance of said digital read-out elements by introducing into the first counter-divider-decoder a frequency which is higher than 1 Hz, this higher frequency being 2 Hz for double-speed operation, 64 Hz for the advance of 1 minute during a period between a half a second and 5 seconds, and 1,024 Hz for the advance of 1 hour in less than 5 seconds.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
83 words
A timepiece according to claim 25, further comprising a frequency generating source of n.1,024 Hz, where n is an integer, said frequency generating source being connected to feed to the input of the first counter-divider-decoder, a divider with successive binary stages provided to reduce this frequency to the value of 1 Hz fed to said input during normal operation, and to supply frequencies of 2 Hz, 64 Hz, and 1,024 Hz, respectively, fed to the input for the various positions of accelerated advance.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
A timepiece according to claim 26, wherein said frequency generating source is a quartz oscillator.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
56 words
A timepiece according to claim 22, further comprising logic circuits arranged to feed, when the driving mechanism is placed in the position of the preselector corresponding to the resetting to fixed time, potentials of required positioning to the counters-dividers-decoders stages supplying the digital read-out elements of the units of minutes, tens of minutes, and of hours.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
52 words
A timepiece according to claim 22, further comprising logic circuits arranged to supply, at the time of a manipulatIon of the driving mechanism when the preselector is in the position of advance by one hour, a pulse to the input of the counters-dividers-decoders stages supplying the digital read-out elements for the hours.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
89 words
A timepiece according to claim 22, wherein the counters-dividers-decoders stages supplying the digital read-out elements for hours are of reversible operation, said logic circuits being equipped to supply, at the time of a manipulation of the driving mechanism arising when the preselector is in the position of advance by 1 hour, an advance pulse to these counters-dividers-decoders stages and to provide them with a backward pulse at the time of a manipulation of the driving mechanism when the preselector is in the position of setting back by 1 hour.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
58 words
A timepiece according to claim 23, further comprising logic circuits arranged to supply, at the time of a manipulation of the driving mechanism when the preselector is in the position of advance by one day of the month, a pulse to the input of the counters-dividers-decoders stages supplying the digital read-out elements for the days of the month.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
102 words
A timepiece according to claim 31, wherein the counters-decoders-dividers stages supplying the read-out of the days of the month are of reversible operation, said logic circuits being arranged to supply, at the time of a manipulation of the driving mechanism when the preselector is in the position of advance by one day of the month, a pulse advance to said digital read-out elements for the days of the month, and to provide a setting back pulse at the time of a manipulation of the driving mechanism when the preselector is in the position of setting back by one day of the month.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
52 words
A timepiece according to claim 23, further comprising logic circuits arranged to supply, at the time of a manipulation of the driving mechanism when the preselector is in the position of advance by one month, a pulse to the input of the counters-dividers-decoders stages supplying the digital read-out elements for the months.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
58 words
A timepiece according to claim 23, further comprising logic circuits arranged to supply, at the time of a manipulation of the driving mechanism when the preselector is in the position of advance by one day of the week, a pulse to the input of the counters-dividers-decoders stages supplying the digital read-out elements for the days of the week.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
142 words
A timepiece according to claim 23, wherein the counters-dividers-decoders stages supplying the digital read-out elements for the hours, the days of the month, the days of the week and the months, are all of reversible operation, further comprising electrical connection means between the reversible counters-dividers-decoders stages of the hours and those of the days of the month, between the reversible counters-dividers-decoders stages of the hours and those of the days of the week, and between the reversible counters-dividers-decoders stages of the days of the month and those of the months, said electrical connection means being established in such a way that a setting back manipulation of the driving mechanism and preselector which drives back a counters-dividers-decoders stage from the first position of a cycle to the last position of the preceding cycle causes the next counters-dividers-decoders stage to execute a backwards operation.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
43 words
A timepiece according to claim 23, wherein the counters-dividers-decoders stages are non-reversible, a setting back input pulse causing an advance of the related digital read-out element of n-1, n being the number of steps in the counting cycle of the related counting stage.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
72 words
A timepiece according to claim 23, further comprising logic circuits arranged to supply, at the time of a manipulation of the driving mechanism when the preselector is in a predetermined position, at least one pulse to the input of a counters-dividers-decoders stage selected as a function of the position of the preselector, said logic circuits being further arrangEd to cut off the carry pulse from one counters-dividers-decoders stage to the next one.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-21 | 1976-11-20 | 1977-05-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-21 | 1980-11-20 | 1981-05-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-21 | 1984-11-20 | 1985-05-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |