JP6889306B2 - Radio clock - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a radio clock.

Radio-controlled clocks that receive radio waves including time information and correct the time are known.

Patent Document 1 below discloses a satellite radio-controlled clock that receives satellite radio waves and displays the day through a sun window. The document shows an annular sun wheel for displaying the day and a day wheel holder that covers the tip of the teeth of the day wheel and holds the day wheel rotatably.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-198150

In order to prevent the annular display plate such as the sun plate from floating or falling off in the thickness direction, a holding plate for holding the annular display plate, such as the date wheel holder in the above-mentioned document, is generally called a main plate, which is a movement of a watch. It is necessary to fix it to the structural member of.

Here, in order to stably fix the holding plate, it is desirable to provide a plurality of fixing portions with the main plate, disperse the fixing portions appropriately, and support and fix the entire holding plate evenly.

One of the objects of the present invention is to securely fix the holding plate to the main plate, damage the antenna electrode due to chips generated when the fixture is fastened, and change the reception characteristics due to contact between the antenna electrode and the fixture. Is to prevent. Another purpose is to limit the influence of the fixture on the reception performance.

The invention disclosed in the present application in order to solve the above problems has various aspects, and the outline of typical ones of these aspects is as follows.

(1) The antenna, the main plate, the holding plate for holding the gears, and the fixing tool for fixing the main plate and the holding plate are provided, and the fixing tool provided on the antenna is made of metal and is electrically operated. A radio clock that is floating on the floor.

(2) In (1), the fixture is a radio-controlled clock arranged in a region where at least one of the electric field strength and the magnetic field strength on the electrode surface of the antenna is 3 dB or more smaller than the maximum value thereof.

(3) In (1) or (2), the fixture is a radio-controlled clock composed of a screw and a pipe with an internal screw.

According to the present invention, the influence of the fixture on the reception performance can be limited.

It is a top view which shows the example of the satellite radio clock which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the movement housed in the body of a satellite radio clock. It is a cut perspective view of the movement which showed the cut surface along the line III-III of FIG. It is sectional drawing of various fixtures used for a satellite radio clock. It is a partial cross-sectional view of a satellite radio clock including a fixture provided on a patch antenna in a plan view. It is a top view which shows the electric field strength on the electrode of the receiving surface of the patch antenna of this example. It is a top view which shows the magnetic field strength on the electrode of the receiving surface of the patch antenna of this example.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a satellite radio clock 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the body 1 which is the exterior of the satellite radio clock 100, the dial 2 arranged in the body 1, the time hand 3 indicating the time, the auxiliary hand 4, and the day display provided at the position of 4:30. 5 is shown. Further, a crown 6 and a button 7 for the user to perform various operations are arranged on the side surface of the body 1 on the 3 o'clock side. A band fixing portion 8 for fixing the band extends from the side surfaces of the body 1 on the 12 o'clock side and the 6 o'clock side.

In this example, the time hand 3 has an hour hand, a minute hand, and a second hand coaxially provided in the center of the dial 2. Further, the auxiliary hands 4 are provided at three places on the dial 2. The function of each of the sub hands 4 is not particularly limited, but may be dual time, day display, mode display, power reserve, or the like. Further, the day display 5 displays the current day by allowing a part of the day plate 10 arranged under the dial 2 to be seen from the day window 2a provided on the dial 2. The date plate 10 is an annular display plate having an annular thin plate shape, which is an internal gear having teeth on the inner peripheral side and has a display corresponding to the rotation position on the front surface thereof.

The design of the satellite radio clock 100 shown in the figure is an example. In addition to the ones shown here, for example, the body 1 may be square instead of round, and the presence / absence, number, and arrangement of the crown 6 and the button 7 are arbitrary. Further, the number of pointers used as the time hand 3, the presence / absence, the number, and the function of the auxiliary hands 4 are also not limited. Instead of or in addition to the day display 5, the day display, city (time zone) display, and mode display may be performed using the ring display board.

Further, in the present specification, the term satellite radio clock is used based on the information on the date and time contained in the satellite signal received from a satellite such as a GPS satellite that transmits the satellite signal including the information on the date and time. It is used to refer to a watch that has a function to correct the internal time, which is the time information held inside the watch. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the satellite radio-controlled timepiece 100 is shown as a wristwatch, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a pocket watch or any other type of timepiece may be used, but a timepiece having at least one ring display plate thereof is used. It is targeted.

In the satellite radio clock 100, a windshield made of a transparent material such as glass is attached to the body 1 so as to cover the dial 2. Further, on the opposite side of the windshield, a back cover is attached to the body 1. In the present specification, the direction in which the windshield of the satellite radio-controlled watch 100 is arranged (the direction toward the front of the paper in FIG. 1) is the front side or the upper side, and the direction in which the back cover is arranged (the direction in the back of the paper in FIG. 1) is the back side or the lower side. Called the side.

Further, in this example, a patch antenna 9 for receiving a satellite signal is arranged on the back side of the dial 2 on the 12 o'clock side with respect to the axis of the time hand 3. Here, the planar shape of the patch antenna 9 is substantially rectangular, and the outer shape thereof is shown by a broken line. Since the patch antenna 9 occupies a considerably large area with respect to the satellite radio clock 100 in a plan view, it is difficult to arrange it at the 3 o'clock position where the crown 6 is arranged or at the position where the drive mechanism of the auxiliary hand 4 is arranged. In this example, the patch antenna 9 is arranged at the 12 o'clock position, but the arrangement of the patch antenna 9 is not limited to this, and the patch antenna 9 may be arranged at an arbitrary position according to the design of the satellite radio clock 100.

In this example, the solar cell is arranged on the back side of the dial 2, and the satellite radio clock 100 is driven by the electric power generated by the outside light. Therefore, the dial 2 is made of a material that transmits or semi-transmits light. Further, the dial 2 is formed of an insulating material so as not to interfere with the reception of satellite signals by the patch antenna 9, and the solar cell is not arranged directly above the patch antenna 9 in a plan view. However, the presence or absence of solar cells is optional, and solar cells are not always necessary.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the movement 101 housed in the body 1 of the satellite radio clock 100. In the figure, the crown 6, the button 7, accessories such as each pointer, the dial 2, and the solar cell are removed and shown. Further, the printing on the date plate 10 is omitted for simplification of the illustration.

The figure shows the shape of the sun plate 10 which is an annular shape in a plan view, and is a circle that presses the tips of the teeth formed on the inner peripheral surface of the sun plate 10 and holds the sun plate 10 rotatably. A plate-shaped holding plate 11 and a fixture 12 for fixing the holding plate 11 to the main plate are visible. In this example, the fixtures 12 are provided at five locations in the figure.

FIG. 3 is a cut perspective view of the movement 101 showing a cut surface along lines III-III of FIG. In the figure, the main plate 13 which is a structural member of the movement, the train wheel 14 assembled to the main plate 13, the battery 15 which is the lower side of the main plate 13 and is arranged at 6 o'clock, and the lower side of the main plate 13. The patch antenna 9 arranged at the 12 o'clock position is shown in cross section. As shown in the drawing, since the patch antenna 9 is a thick member, the thickness of the main plate 13 at the portion overlapping the patch antenna 9 in a plan view is thinner than that of the other portions.

Further, an annular sun plate 10 is shown on the outer peripheral portion on the upper side of the main plate 13, and a holding plate 11 is shown on the inner peripheral side of the sun plate 10. As shown in the figure, the teeth formed on the inner peripheral side of the sun plate 10 are sandwiched by the main plate 13 and the holding plate 11 in the thickness direction, the vertical movement is restricted, and the sun plate 10 does not fall off. It is held to rotate. Further, in the figure, among the fixtures 12 for fixing the holding plate 11 and the base plate 13, the fixture 12a provided on the patch antenna 9 in the plan view and the fixture 12a provided on the patch antenna 9 in the plan view are provided at positions that do not overlap with the patch antenna 9 in the plan view. The cross section of the fixture 12b to be mounted is shown.

In the figure, the solar cell 16 arranged above the date plate 10 and the holding plate 11 is shown. As shown, the cell of the solar cell 16 is not arranged directly above the patch antenna 9. Further, as the battery 15 in this example, a secondary battery is used so that the electric power generated by the solar cell 16 can be stored.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of various fixtures 12 used in the satellite radio clock 100. In addition to showing the fixture 12a provided on the patch antenna 9 in a plan view and the fixture 12b provided at a position not overlapping with the patch antenna 9 in a plan view, the figure also shows a plane. Another fixture 12c, which is provided at a position that does not overlap with the patch antenna 9 in view and has a shape different from that of the fixture 12b, is shown.

The fixture 12a is composed of a male screw 17a and a pipe with an internal screw 18a. The male screw 17a is a flat head machine screw, and is composed of a flat head and a screw shaft on which an external screw is formed. The pipe 18a with an internal thread is a hollow cylindrical member, and an internal thread is formed on the hollow inner surface thereof. A flat plate-shaped flange is provided at one end of the pipe with internal threads 18a. Then, the fixture 12a sandwiches the holding plate 11 and the main plate 13 between the screw head of the male screw 17a and the flange of the pipe 18a with the internal screw by fastening the male screw 17a to the pipe 18a with the internal screw. Is fixed (see FIG. 3). The holding plate 11 and the main plate 13 are provided with counterbore holes for accommodating the screw head and the flange, respectively, so that the fixture 12a does not protrude from the surface thereof. Here, in the fixture 12a, the pipe 18a with an internal screw has a hole penetrating in the longitudinal direction thereof, and the internal screw is formed over the entire length of the hole. As a result, the entire length of the pipe with internal threads 18a can be used as the internal thread, and even if the total length of the pipe with internal threads 18a is short, the length of the internal threads that mesh with the external threads of the male threads 17a is as long as possible. It can be lengthened and the lack of fastening force can be suppressed.

The fixture 12b is composed of a male screw 17b, a pipe with an internal screw 18b, and a male screw 19b. The male screw 17b and the male screw 19b are substantially the same as the male screw 17a in the fixture 12a. The pipe 18b with an internal thread has a hole penetrating over the entire length thereof, and the point that the internal thread is formed over the entire length of the hole is the same as that of the pipe 18a with an internal thread, but the total length is the tip. It is longer than the one. Assuming that the total lengths of the fixtures 12a and 12b in the fastened state are da and db, respectively, da <db.

As described above, as the fixture 12a provided on the patch antenna 9 in the plan view, a special one having a total length shorter than the total length of the fixture 12b provided at a position not overlapping with the patch antenna 9 in the plan view is separately prepared. By using it, as is clear from FIG. 3, since fastening with screws can be adopted on the patch antenna 9, the workability of assembly and disassembly is not impaired while ensuring the holding between the holding plate 11 and the main plate 13. Moreover, the increase in the thickness of the movement 101 can be minimized. That is, it is possible to achieve both the thinness of the entire satellite radio-controlled clock 100, the securing of the fastening strength between the holding plate 11 and the main plate 13, and the ease of assembling and disassembling the satellite radio-controlled clock 100.

Since the fixture 12b is designed to fasten the male screw 17b and the male screw 19b to both ends of the pipe with internal threads 18, respectively, it is possible to fasten different members to both sides of the main plate 13. is there. Further, in order to regulate the positions of the plurality of members in the thickness direction, as shown in FIG. 4, a widening portion having a widening width may be provided at an appropriate position in the middle of the pipe with internal threads 18b.

Further, as the fixture provided at a position not overlapping with the patch antenna 9 in a plan view, the fixture shown as the fixture 12c in FIG. 4 may be used. In the fixture 12c, a flange is provided at one end of the pipe with an internal thread 18c, and a hole is closed at the end where the flange is provided. That is, the hole provided in the internally threaded pipe 18c does not penetrate. A male screw 17c is fastened to the other end of the pipe with an internal screw 18c. In this structure, when the male screw 17c is fastened to the pipe with internal thread 18c, the chips generated by the meshing of the screws are trapped inside the pipe 18c with internal thread and are not discharged to the outside. Trouble such as electrode breakage is prevented. Here, the total length dc at the time of fastening the fixture 12c does not necessarily have to match the total length db at the time of fastening the fixture 12b, but is longer than the total length da at the time of fastening the fixture 12a, and da <dc. ..

In the present embodiment, the total length da at the time of fastening the fixture 12a provided on the patch antenna 9 in the plan view is shorter than the total length db, dc at the time of fastening all the other fixtures 12b, 12c, but it is not always the case. Not limited to this, it is not excluded to provide a fixture having the same or shorter overall length as da at the time of fastening at a position where it does not overlap with the patch antenna 9 in a plan view. However, it is considered that the total length of most of the fixtures that do not overlap the patch antenna 9 in the plan view at the time of fastening is longer than the total length da of the fixtures 12a provided on the patch antenna 9 in the plan view at the time of fastening. Therefore, the total length da of the fixture 12a provided on the patch antenna 9 in the plan view at the time of fastening is shorter than that of at least one other fixture (at a position not overlapping with the patch antenna 9 in the plan view). ..

The material of the fixture 12 described above is not necessarily limited, but in this example, metal is used. Metal is suitable because it can precisely manufacture fine screws used for watches and has excellent durability at the time of fastening.

By the way, the internally threaded pipe 18a of the fixture 12a provided on the patch antenna 9 in the plan view shown in this example has a hole penetrating in the longitudinal direction thereof. Therefore, there is a concern that chips will be generated when the male screw 17a is fastened to the internal threaded pipe 18a and will be discharged to the outside of the internal threaded pipe 18a.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the satellite radio clock 100 including the fixture 12a provided on the patch antenna 9 in a plan view. As shown in the figure, on the patch antenna 9, the holding plate 11 and the main plate 13 are fastened by the fixture 12a. A protective sheet 20 is provided on the surface of the patch antenna 9 that overlaps the fixture 12a and faces the fixture 12a in a plan view. The protective sheet 20 is an appropriate resin or rubber sheet, and has a function of being attached to the upper surface of the patch antenna 9, that is, the receiving surface on which the electrodes are formed, with an adhesive or the like to protect the receiving surface of the patch antenna 9. Has. That is, even if the chips generated when the fixture 12a is fastened fall off from the pipe with internal threads 18a and are discharged to the outside, the chips are damaged by the electrodes provided on the receiving surface of the patch antenna 9. The protective sheet 20 prevents the reception characteristics from being changed due to short-circuiting with other members due to conductive chips or contact with chips. Further, when a shock or vibration is applied to the satellite radio clock 100 from the outside, the sheet 20 serves as a cushioning material, and the pipe 18a with an internal screw directly hits the upper surface of the patch antenna 9 and hits the patch antenna 9 and its receiving surface. Prevents damage to the formed electrodes. The protective sheet 20 is made of an insulating material that does not affect the reception characteristics of the patch antenna 9.

By the way, when metal is used as the fixture 12a provided on the patch antenna 9 in a plan view, the fixture 12a is arranged at a position close to the receiving surface of the patch antenna 9, so that there is a concern about the influence on the reception performance. Will be done. Therefore, the fixture 12a is arranged so as to satisfy at least one of the following two conditions, preferably both of them, and is devised so as to minimize the influence on the reception performance of the patch antenna 9.

The first condition is that the fixture 12a is electrically suspended. When the fixture 12a is electrically in contact with another member and its potential is fixed, the receiving sensitivity is lowered by forming a closed circuit through capacitive coupling with the electrode on the receiving surface of the patch antenna 9. Although there is a strong fear, the effect can be limited by the fact that the fixture 12a is electrically suspended.

The second condition is that the fixture 12a is arranged in a region where at least one of the electric field strength and the magnetic field strength on the electrode surface of the patch antenna 9 is smaller than the maximum value by 3 dB or more.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the electric field strength on the electrode 9a of the receiving surface of the patch antenna 9 of this example. When receiving the satellite radio wave, an electric field corresponding to the satellite radio wave is generated in the electrode 9a of the patch antenna 9. As shown, the electric field has the strongest strength at the corners of the electrode 9a. FIG. 6 shows the strength of the electric field at the electrode 9a in units of decibels as a relative value with respect to the maximum value at the corner portion. The alternate long and short dash line shown in the figure is an iso-strength line connecting points with the same electric field strength.

The electric field strength decreases as the distance from the four corners of the electrode 9a increases, and a decrease of -3db is observed in the vicinity thereof. At this position, the energy is approximately halved from the maximum value of the electric field strength at the corner. Further, in the figure, an isointensity line of -9 dB existing so as to cross the electrode 9a and an isointensity line of −27 dB existing so as to cross the electrode 9a are shown.

That is, in terms of electric field strength, what is important when receiving satellite radio waves by the patch antenna 9 is the vicinity of the corner where the strength is large, and in other regions, the reception sensitivity of the patch antenna 9 is not significantly affected. I understand.

Further, FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the magnetic field strength on the electrode 9a of the receiving surface of the patch antenna 9 of this example. When receiving the satellite radio wave, a magnetic field corresponding to the satellite radio wave is generated in the electrode 9a of the patch antenna 9. As shown, the magnetic field has the strongest strength at the central portion of the left and right sides of the electrode 9a. FIG. 7 shows the strength of the magnetic field at the electrode 9a in units of decibels as a relative value with respect to the maximum value at the center of the left and right sides. The alternate long and short dash line shown in the figure is an isointensity line connecting points with the same magnetic field strength.

The magnetic field strength decreases as the distance from the central portion of the left and right sides of the electrode 9a increases, and a decrease of -3db is observed in the vicinity thereof. At this position, the energy is approximately halved from the maximum value of the magnetic field strength at the two central portions on the left and right sides. Further, in the figure, an isointensity line of -9 dB existing so as to cross the electrode 9a and an isointensity line of −27 dB existing so as to cross the electrode 9a are shown.

That is, in terms of magnetic field strength, what is important when receiving satellite radio waves by the patch antenna 9 is the vicinity of the central portion of the left and right sides where the strength is high, and in other regions, the reception sensitivity of the patch antenna 9 is greatly affected. It turns out that it does not give.

Therefore, by arranging the fixture 12a in a region that does not significantly affect the reception sensitivity of the patch antenna 9 in a plan view, the influence on the reception sensitivity can be reduced. The arrangement should be such that at least one of the electric field strength and the magnetic field strength on the electrode surface 9a of the patch antenna 9 is smaller than the maximum value by 3 dB or more, and both the electric field strength and the magnetic field strength are smaller than the maximum value. It is more preferable to select a region smaller than 3 dB. Of course, it is desirable to arrange the electric field strength and the magnetic field strength on the electrode surface 9a of the patch antenna 9 in a region smaller than the maximum value, and even if a region smaller than the maximum value by 9 dB or 27 dB or more is selected, respectively. Good.

Although the embodiment according to the present invention has been described above, the specific configuration shown in this embodiment is shown as an example, and it is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to this. Those skilled in the art may appropriately modify these disclosed embodiments, and it should be understood that the technical scope of the invention disclosed herein also includes such modifications.

1 body, 2 dial, 2a day window, 3 pointer, 4 auxiliary hand, 5 day display, 6 crown, 7 buttons, 8 band fixing part, 9 patch antenna, 9a electrode, 10 day board, 11 holding board, 12, 12a, 12b, 12c Fixture, 13 base plate, 14 train wheel, 15 battery, 16 solar cell, 17a, 17b, 17c male screw, 18a, 18b, 18c internal threaded pipe, 19b male screw, 20 protective sheet, 100 satellites Radio clock, 101 movement.

Claims (3)

With the antenna
With the main plate
A holding plate that holds the gears and
Fixtures for fixing the main plate and the holding plate,
Have,
The fixture provided on the antenna is a metal radio-controlled clock that is electrically floating. The radio-controlled timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the fixture is arranged in a region where at least one of the electric field strength and the magnetic field strength on the electrode surface of the antenna is smaller than the maximum value by 3 dB or more. The radio-controlled timepiece according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixture includes a screw and a pipe with an internal screw.

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