CH711915A2 - Skeleton-solar watch. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a skeleton watch (1) comprising a case provided with a bottom and an ice, and a set of members forming a movement of the skeleton watch (1), said members being arranged within the housing between the bottom and the ice and being entirely or partially visible through the ice, characterized in that the skeleton watch (1) comprises at least one solar cell (7).

Description

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the technical field of watchmaking. More particularly, it relates to a skeleton type watch comprising a solar cell. By skeleton watch is meant a watch comprising a movement in which certain parts typically its dial, its plate and / or its bridges are perforated in order to make visible the organs of movement by the wearer of the watch.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND AND STATE OF THE ART

[0002] It is a common practice to provide the watches with a solar cell in order to supply energy to the electronic movement. The solar cell is usually placed around the dial under the ice or can replace the dial to absorb as much light as possible. There are also alternatives as in US 8,693,290 and EP 2,796,946 where the solar cell is positioned under the dial which is made with a transparent or translucent resin.

In these configurations, the movement of the watch is obscured by the dial or by the solar cell, which is not compatible with so-called skeleton watches, the latter generally not including a full dial and showing all or part of the organs of which they are constituted. Indeed, in this case, maintaining the visible organs is not very compatible with the arrangement of a solar cell which too must be visible to absorb the light and generate enough energy to power a quartz movement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to integrate a photovoltaic cell in a skeleton type of watch, while maintaining an exposed surface sufficient to supply energy to a quartz clock movement or an additional electronic function in the case of a watch movement. mechanical.

To this end, a skeleton watch according to claim 1 attached is proposed and particular embodiments are included in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The features and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description below with reference to the following figures.

Figs. 1 and 2 respectively show a view from above and a sectional view of the skeleton watch provided with a solar cell according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. According to this first embodiment, the cell is placed between the bottom and the organs of the movement.

Figs. 3 and 4 show respectively a top view and an exploded view of the skeleton watch provided with a solar cell according to another preferred embodiment of the invention. According to this second embodiment, the cell is placed on visible organs through the ice and, more specifically, on a bridge in FIG. 3 and an integrated circuit in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a skeleton type watch provided with at least one photovoltaic cell, which will also be called solar cell or simply cell in the context of this document.

Figs. 1 to 4 show a skeleton watch 1 which, in a conventional manner, comprises a case formed of the caseband 2, the ice 3 and the base 4. The ice is fastened to the caseband 2 in a conventional manner using a In the illustrated example, the housing houses all the members of a conventional quartz movement 5 (FIG 4). It can be seen in the figures in particular a plate P having a plurality of apertures A-ι, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8, an electric motor M, a work train R and an integrated circuit 6. The organs are arranged between the bottom 4 and the ice 3 and visible all or part through the ice. In this example, the movement 5 is held in the middle part 2 by means of a flange 9 also forming the casing ring. According to a variant not shown, the movement 5 can be a mechanical watch movement.

[0009] The originality of the skeleton watch lies in the addition of a solar cell and in its positioning within the housing.

According to a first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the photovoltaic cell 7 is disposed on the bottom 4 of the watch between the latter and the movement 5. The light passes through the lens 3 and reaches the cell 7 through the cut-outs A-ι, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A / and A8 formed between the members of the movement and in particular in the plate P. These movement members obscure an area of between 65 and 90% of the surface of the bottom 4. This means that the cutoff A ,, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8 represent between 10 and 35% of this area. By way of example, for a watch having a

Claims (17)

2.9 cm diameter circular cavity middle part, ie a bottom surface of the order of 660 mm 2, the surface of the perforations is of the order of 146 mm 2, or 22% of the bottom surface. With such an illuminated effective surface, the power collected by the cell is equivalent to that collected by a 2.9 cm diameter cell placed under a dial having a transmission of 22%. The power thus harvested, for example, by an amorphous silicon solar cell made by physical and chemical depositions (PVD, CVD) on rigid or flexible substrates is on average 4.4 pW over one year. This power is clearly greater than the consumption of a 2-needle quartz movement which is typically 0.3 pW. It should be noted that, as needed, it is possible to increase the effective illuminated area by making certain elements of the movement such as bridges and wheels made of transparent or translucent material. It is thus possible to increase the illuminated effective area up to 35% corresponding to an average annual power collected of 7 pW. Other solar cell technologies can be used, for example cells using: crystalline silicon, heterojunction silicon, CuInGaSe, CuInSe, CdTe, AsGa, or organic materials. AsGa technology, for example, could provide an average annual power of 16.8 pW for the same 146 mm2 of exposed surface. In addition, it should be noted that the solar cells may be covered with additional layers, for example a decorative layer of a semi-transparent material to give them a particular aesthetic that can match the movement parts such as, for example, a golden appearance . The loss of transmission resulting from the addition of these layers could be offset by higher efficiency solar cell technology typically using CuInGaSe or AsGa-based solar cells. Preferably, a single solar cell is disposed on the bottom 4 and covers the entire bottom or a particularly well-lit part of the bottom. However, it is also possible to place several individual cells connected to each other on the bottom 4 with each of the cells arranged opposite an ajourage. In the case where the cells are connected in series to obtain a higher output voltage, it is preferable that the surface of each of the cells is similar to avoid a limitation of the current imposed by the cell having the smallest exposed surface. By connecting the cells in parallel, the current limitation due to the surface is avoided, but the output voltage is lower. The electrical connection of the son is made for example by brazing with a suitable alloy (tin or other), parthermo compression, assisted or not, or ultrasound. According to a second embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a photovoltaic cell 7 is placed on a member exposed to the view, between the latter and the ice 3. In this way, the light passes through the ice and directly reaches the photovoltaic cell 7. The cell is preferably placed on a fixed member of the movement to keep visible at least partially the moving parts that make the appeal of the skeleton watch. For example, the cell 7 can be placed on a bridge 8 as shown in FIG. 3. It can also be placed on the integrated circuit 6 of the quartz movement, as shown in FIG. 4, or the electronic function to feed in the case of a variant not shown of a mechanical movement equipped with a complementary electronic module. In a variant, the cell 7 may be placed alternately or alternatively on the printed circuit C1 carrying the integrated circuit 6. A cell may be straddling several members, or several cells may be arranged on the members provided that each cell has an exposed surface. similar to again avoid the limitation of current imposed by the smallest cell. In this embodiment, an illuminated effective surface area of between 8 and 27% of the total area visible through the ice is targeted, ie an average power harvested per year of between 1.6 and 5.4 pW for amorphous silicon and between 6.1 and 20.6 pW for AsGa. The present invention does not exclude that the two embodiments are combined, i.e. that cells are positioned on the bottom and on visible organs through the ice. The assembly of the cell to the housing can be performed very simply without having to make a structure carrying the cell. For example, the cell 7 may be glued or clipped on the bottom 4 or on an organ according to the chosen embodiment. It is not necessary to provide a specific housing that would change the stamping operations during the manufacture of the housing. If necessary, it is sufficient to raise the movement 5 of the thickness of the cell in the case where the cell is positioned on the bottom of the housing. This type of assembly also makes it possible to better protect the cell which according to the chosen photovoltaic technology may be intrinsically fragile, for example in the case of a glass substrate. To store the electrical energy produced, the integrated circuit is preferably associated with a storage capacitor or a rechargeable battery (not shown). The electrical connection between the cell (s) and the printed circuit may be carried out by two wires or by spring contacts disposed under the printed circuit board C1 carrying in particular the integrated circuit and the capacitor. The electrical energy produced is used to power the quartz movement or an additional function on a mechanical watch, for example, an illumination function. claims Skeleton watch (1) comprising a case provided with a bottom (4) and an ice (3), and a set of members forming a movement (5) of the skeleton watch (1), said members being disposed within the housing between the bottom (4) and the ice (3) and being wholly or partly visible through the ice (3), characterized in that the skeleton watch (1) comprises at least one solar cell ( 7). 2. Watch skeleton (1) according to claim 1, wherein one or more solar cells (7) are arranged between the bottom (4) of the housing and the set of organs, each cell (7) being exposed to light through perforations formed between and / or in the members forming said movement. 3. Watch skeleton (1) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a solar cell (7) covering the entire surface of the bottom (4) of the housing. 4. Skeleton watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the members is made of a transparent or translucent material. 5. Watch skeleton (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the solar cell or cells (6) are arranged on at least one visible body through the ice (3). 6. Watch skeleton (1) according to claim 5, wherein one of the organs carrying a solar cell (6) is a fixed structure of the movement. 7. Watch skeleton (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the member is a bridge (8) or an integrated circuit (6) or a printed circuit (Cl). 8. Watch skeleton (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in case of plurality of solar cells (7), each solar cell (7) has the same surface exposed to light through the ice (3). ). The skeleton watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface exposed to the light of the solar cell (s) (7) is between 10 and 35% of the total area exposed to light through the ice (3). 10. Watch skeleton (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more solar cells (7) are amorphous silicon. 11. Watch skeleton (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each solar cell (6) is assembled by gluing inside the housing. 12. Skeleton watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a quartz movement or a mechanical movement. 13. Watch skeleton (1) according to any one of the preceding claims when dependent on claim 2, characterized in that said solar cells are connected in series. 14. Watch skeleton (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that said solar cells each have a substantially identical surface. 15. Watch skeleton (1) according to any one of the preceding claims when dependent on claim 2, characterized in that said solar cells are connected in parallel. 16. Watch skeleton (1) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the solar cells are covered with a semitransparent decorative layer. 17. Watch skeleton (1) according to claim 16, characterized in that said solar cells are solar cells based on AsGa or CuInGaSe based.