Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
  • G04G17/00—Structural details; Housings
  • G04G17/02—Component assemblies
  • G04G17/04—Mounting of electronic components
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B47/00—Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece
  • G04B47/06—Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece with attached measuring instruments, e.g. pedometer, barometer, thermometer or compass
  • G04B47/063—Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece with attached measuring instruments, e.g. pedometer, barometer, thermometer or compass measuring physiological quantities, e.g. pedometers, heart-rate sensors, blood pressure gauges and the like
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B43/00—Protecting clockworks by shields or other means against external influences, e.g. magnetic fields
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
  • G04C10/00—Arrangements of electric power supplies in time-pieces
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
  • G04G17/00—Structural details; Housings
  • G04G17/08—Housings
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
  • G04G21/00—Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
  • G04G21/02—Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature
  • G04G21/025—Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature for measuring physiological data
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
  • G04B37/00—Cases
  • G04B37/08—Hermetic sealing of openings, joints, passages or slits
  • G04B37/11—Hermetic sealing of openings, joints, passages or slits of the back cover of pocket or wrist watches

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to an electronic device for a wristwatch, as well as to a wristwatch comprising such an electronic device.
• swipewatches So-called smart or connected wristwatches - often referred to by their Anglo-Saxon terminology as “smartwatches” - are known in the state of the art.
• two main categories of wristwatches can be distinguished, namely essentially electronic parts which basically consist of an electronic device taking on the shape and appearance of a wristwatch (the most notable examples being smartwatches marketed by players in the field of telecommunications, such as Apple, Google and Samsung) and so-called “hybrid” parts combining a classic watch movement (usually mechanical or quartz) and one or more electronic modules giving the watch bracelet the functionalities of a smart or connected watch (parts which are more commonly marketed by players in the field of watchmaking).
• the present invention falls more particularly into this second category.
• This timepiece is characterized in particular in that it comprises a programmable electronic microcontroller comprising wireless communication means capable of communicating with a third party device of the smartphone type, and second analog display means, kinematically independent of the watch movement and controlled by the electronic microcontroller in order to display information received from the third-party device independently of the first analog display means.
• the timepiece comprises a box inside which are housed the watch movement, the first and second analog display means, as well as a removable electronic module comprising said programmable electronic microcontroller and said means wireless communication (as well as a battery).
• the removable electronic module is housed inside the box so that the programmable electronic microcontroller is connected to the second analog display means by means of disconnectable connectors.
• the removable electronic module is arranged on an underside of the watch movement so that it can be disconnected and disassembled from the watch movement, from the bottom of the case, after removal from the bottom of the case.
• the removable electronic module can thus be replaced relatively easily, in particular if an electronic element becomes defective or obsolete.
• this solution requires, in fact, a specific interconnectivity between the removable electronic module and the second electronic display means, as well as a dedicated housing inside the box.
• the aforementioned timepiece is, in fact, devoid of physiological data sensors (such as optical heart rate sensors, or “cardio optical” sensors), therefore making this timepiece less attractive than its competitors equipped with such sensors. A solution that is both simpler and has more functionalities is thus desirable.
• Swiss patent application No. CH 715 761 A2 and the corresponding European patent application EP 3 683 633 A1 describe a hybrid timepiece, in particular a wristwatch, comprising in particular, housed in a box of the horology, a mechanical horological movement comprising a mechanical oscillator, a device for measuring the rate of the mechanical oscillator, a mechanism for adjusting the rate of the mechanical oscillator, as well as a wireless communication module capable of exchanging data with the device for measuring the rate of the mechanical oscillator.
• the wireless communication module is intended to communicate with an external electronic unit in order to transmit to it the results of the measurements carried out by the device for measuring the rate of the mechanical oscillator, intended for a user.
• the function of the wireless communication module is essentially to communicate the results of the measurements carried out by the rate measuring device, the mechanical oscillator.
• the wireless communication module is part of an electronic module that may have a large number of additional functionalities, these additional functionalities are not specified and the electronic module in question is not detailed, even less illustrated.
• Swiss patent application No. CH 714294 A2 describes a hybrid wristwatch comprising a mechanical watch movement housed in a watch case containing no electronic component, the watch case being movably mounted on a stretcher and arranged so as to be able to be immobilized in at least one service position, the wristwatch being characterized in that the stretcher comprises an electronic module and in that the electronic module comprises at least one sensor able to collect information relating to the wearer of the watch and/or or mechanical movement.
• the stretcher also comprises on its upper face, usually hidden by the watch case, an electronic display, such as a touch screen arranged to play the role of user interface.
• the aforementioned electronic module is not specifically designed to be removable in order to be removed from the stretcher, but on the contrary it is the entire stretcher, including the electronic module, which must be replaced in the event that an electronic component becomes defective or obsolete.
• This solution is therefore only intended and applicable to a specific type of wristwatch, namely a wristwatch comprising a stretcher and a watch case movably mounted on said stretcher.
• the Manufacture Modules Technologies SA (“MMT” - https://mmt.ch/) also markets various types of electronic quartz movements integrating the functionalities of connected or smart watches, which modules equip in particular the wristwatches marketed by Alpina Watch International SA under the names “AlpinerX Alive ® ” and “AlpinerX Comtesse ® Glacier”.
• these are timepieces where the electronic module is an integral part of the movement and which is therefore not removable, even less replaceable independently of the other components of the movement.
• An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device capable of equipping a wristwatch provided with a horological movement in order to confer on it all or part of the functionalities of a smart watch, in particular the ability to measure physiological data of the wearer of the wristwatch.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide such an electronic device which does not require particular adaptations of the wristwatch to be equipped with said electronic device.
• Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an electronic device which does not interfere or interferes very little with the overall aesthetics of the wristwatch.
• An additional object is to provide such an electronic device which is reasonably simple and relatively inexpensive to produce.
• the present invention meets these aims by proposing an electronic device for a wristwatch comprising an electronic module provided with at least one sensor able to measure physiological data of a wearer of the wristwatch and an electronic control unit audit associate sensor.
• the electronic device according to the invention comprises a trim element acting as a case back suitable for being removably mounted on a case of the wristwatch. Furthermore, the electronic module is fully housed in said trim element acting as the bottom of the box.
• the invention therefore makes it possible to equip a wristwatch conventionally provided with a removable caseback by simply replacing said removable caseback by the electronic device according to the invention, no particular modification or adaptation of the watch- bracelet being necessary beyond replacing said removable caseback.
• the trim element acting as the back of the case itself comprises means for securing to the case of the wristwatch.
• the trim element acting as a case back can in particular advantageously take the form of a back capable of being screwed onto the case of the wristwatch.
• the trim element acting as the bottom of the box could alternatively be secured to the box by dedicated fixing means such as a set of screws.
• the sensor capable of measuring the physiological data of the wearer of the wristwatch may in particular be an optical heart rate sensor, such as a photodiode sensitive to light, in which case the trim element acting as the bottom of the case is provided, on an outer face intended to be positioned in contact with the wearer's wrist, at least one first window positioned facing the optical heart rate sensor.
• an optical heart rate sensor such as a photodiode sensitive to light
• the trim element acting as the bottom of the case is provided, on an outer face intended to be positioned in contact with the wearer's wrist, at least one first window positioned facing the optical heart rate sensor.
• the electronic module may also comprise at least one light source, such as a light-emitting diode, associated with the optical heart rate sensor, in which case the trim element acting as the bottom of the case is provided, on its external face, at least a second window positioned facing the light source.
• a light source such as a light-emitting diode
• the electronic module further comprises a wireless communication unit, in particular a communication unit operating according to the Bluetooth standard, able to communicate wirelessly with a third-party electronic device, such as a smartphone.
• the electronic module further comprises an additional sensor capable of detecting an action by the wearer on the wristwatch, once worn on the wrist. It may in particular be a sensor coupled to the trim element acting as the bottom of the box, such as a force or pressure sensor, in order to detect a stress transmitted to the trim element acting as caseback in response to pressure exerted by the wearer on a front part, such as a crystal or bezel, of the wristwatch.
• the electronic module can also advantageously comprise a battery, in particular a rechargeable battery.
• the electronic device may also include a connector able to allow electrical connection to an external battery charging device.
• all of the electronic components of the electronic module are mounted on a single printed circuit board.
• the electronic device may also comprise a separation element arranged so as to be interposed between the electronic module and a horological movement housed inside the case of the wristwatch, once the covering element box bottom galley mounted on said box.
• This separation element can in particular act as a shielding element intended to reduce any interference of the electronic module with the operation of the watch movement.
• the electronic device according to the invention can also advantageously implement a tracking and geolocation function making it possible to find the electronic device in the event of loss or theft.
• a wristwatch comprising a case comprising a removable case back and a watch movement housed inside said case, the removable case back consisting of an electronic device according to the invention.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wristwatch, seen from the wrist side, equipped with a back removable box consisting of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the invention
• Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the wristwatch of Figure 1, taken along a vertical sectional plane passing through the 12 o'clock-6 o'clock axis of the wristwatch
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the electronic device, shown in isolation, fitted to the wristwatch of Figure 1, which electronic device comprises in particular a trim element acting as a box bottom inside which is housed a module electronics
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of the electronic device of Figure 3, taken from another angle of view, from the side intended to be secured to the case of the wristwatch, facing the watch movement
• Figure 5A is a perspective view of a cross-section of the electronic device of Figure 3, taken along a vertical section plane passing through
• FIG 1 is a perspective view of a wristwatch, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, equipped with an electronic device 10 according to one embodiment of the invention.
• the wristwatch 1 conventionally comprises a case 5 comprising in particular a removable caseback 7 as well as a horological movement (not visible in Figure 1) housed inside the case 5.
• the removable case back 7 is in fact made up of the electronic device 10 and here advantageously takes the form of a back screwed onto the case 5, as is conventionally the case with many wristwatches available on the market .
• FIG. 2 The longitudinal sectional view of Figure 2, taken along a vertical sectional plane passing through the 12 o'clock-6 o'clock axis of the wristwatch 1 of Figure 1 reveals the presence of the watch movement M housed inside the case 5.
• the watch movement M is conventionally arranged below a dial 6 and drives an analog time display mechanism 4 conventionally comprising a set of hands driven in rotation by the watch movement M.
• Numerical references 2 and 3 respectively denote a crystal and a bezel, possibly rotating, mounted on case 5.
• the electronic device 10 is also visible in Figure 2, which electronic device 10 comprises an electronic module 10A which - as will be seen below - is in particular provided with at least one sensor able to measure physiological data of a wearer of the wristwatch 1 and of an electronic control unit associated with said sensor.
• the electronic device 10 comprises a trim element acting as the bottom of the case 7 and capable of being removably mounted on the case 5 of the wristwatch 1, here by screwing.
• the electronic module 10A is fully housed in said trim element acting as the bottom of the box 7.
• the reference numeral 70 in Figure 2 designates an optional element of the device 10 according to the invention, namely a separation element 70 which is advantageously interposed between the electronic module 10A and the watch movement M. This separation element 70 can, if necessary, act as a shielding element intended to reduce any interference of the 10A electronic module with the operation of the watch movement M.
• Figures 3 to 5A-C illustrate the electronic device 10, represented in isolation, dissociated from the wristwatch 1 of Figures 1 and 2.
• Figures 3 and 4 respectively show the electronic device 10 on the wrist side and on the movement side.
• Figure 5A is a perspective view of a cross section of the electronic device 10 of Figure 3, taken along a vertical section plane passing through the 9 o'clock-3 o'clock axis of the electronic device 10, through the first set of windows 25 5A reveals a portion of the electronic module 10A housed inside the covering element acting as the bottom of the box 7, and more particularly a set of two sensors, designated by the reference numeral 20, placed opposite of the two windows 25.
• These sensors 20 are here optical sensors (such as light-sensitive photodiodes) allowing an optical measurement of the heart rate.
• Figure 5B is a perspective view of a longitudinal section of the electronic device 10 of Figure 3, taken along a vertical section plane passing through the 12 o'clock-6 o'clock axis of the electronic device 10, through the second set of windows 35 5B reveals another portion of the electronic module 10A housed inside the covering element acting as the bottom of the box 7, and more particularly a set of two light sources, designated by the reference numeral 30, placed opposite the two windows 35 and associated with the aforementioned optical sensors 20.
• These light sources 30 are advantageously light-emitting diodes (LEDs), in particular LEDs producing a green light emission which is absorbed in a variable manner depending on the blood flow circulating at the surface of the wrist of the wearer where the wristwatch 1 is worn.
• LEDs light-emitting diodes
• the assembly consisting of optical sensors 20, light sources 30, and the associated electronic control unit operates according to a principle as as such well known in order to determine the wearer's heart rate and potentially its evolution over time.
• Figure 5C is a partial perspective view of the electronic device 10 of Figure 3, part of the covering element acting as the bottom of the box 7 being omitted in order to reveal the electronic module 10A housed within it. Visible in Figure 5C are the two sensors 20 and the two light sources 30 mentioned above, the associated electronic control unit 15, the connector 50, a rechargeable battery 55 capable of being recharged by means of an external charging device connected to the connector 50, as well as an additional sensor 40 capable of detecting an action by the wearer on the wristwatch 1, once worn on the wrist. These components 20, 30, 40, 50, 55 of the electronic module 10A are advantageously mounted on a single printed circuit board, designated by the acronym PCB in Figures 5A-C.
• the additional sensor 40 is here advantageously coupled to the trim element acting as the bottom of the box 7, and may in particular consist of a force or pressure sensor. It may in particular be a piezoelectric sensor capable of detecting a pressure or deformation exerted on the external face of the covering element acting as the bottom of the box 7. In this way, the additional sensor 40 makes it possible to detect a stress transmitted to the trim element serving as the case back 7, as soon as the wristwatch 1 is worn on the wrist, in reaction to pressure exerted by the wearer on a front part of the wristwatch 1 , such as an action by the wearer on the crystal 2 or the bezel 3.
• the electronic module 10A also advantageously comprises a wireless communication unit, in particular a communication unit operating according to the Bluetooth standard (IEEE 802.15.1 standard), able to communicate wirelessly with a third-party electronic device, such as a smartphone.
• a wireless communication unit in particular a communication unit operating according to the Bluetooth standard (IEEE 802.15.1 standard), able to communicate wirelessly with a third-party electronic device, such as a smartphone.
• the electronic module 10A could also include other components and sensors, such as an accelerometer, a sound or vibration alert device, etc.
• the electronic device according to the invention implements a tracking and geolocation functionality of the electronic device (and therefore of the wristwatch equipped with the electronic device).
• This functionality may in particular be based on the so-called “Find My Device” functionality which is conventionally used for tracking and geolocation of smartphones or other connected devices.
• An example of a tracing application is for example the Prey application (https://preyproiect.com) which is available in open source and can be implemented in the electronic device according to the invention in order to easily find the electronic device as well than the associated wristwatch in the event of loss or theft.
• the trim element serving as the case back 7 can in particular be made of the same material as the case 5 of the wristwatch 1.
• it can be a noble metallic material, such as a gold or platinum alloy, or any other metallic material such as steel or titanium. It is of course understood that this list of materials is purely illustrative and in no way limits the scope of the invention.
• the connector used for connection to an external battery charging device could, if necessary, be omitted and replaced by a winding allowing inductive charging of the battery, provided that it does not interfere with proper operation. of the watch movement.
• the method of securing the trim element serving as the case bottom could be other than by screwing, and will depend fundamentally on the solution originally adopted to ensure the securing of the usual removable case bottom to the case of the wristwatch, as provided by the manufacture at the origin of the wristwatch to be equipped with the electronic device according to the invention.
• the trim element acting as the bottom of the box can itself be provided with means for securing to the box, as illustrated, or be secured to the box by other means, for example by means of a set of screws.
• the particular shape and the arrangement of the windows made on the outer face of the trim element acting as the bottom of the box are not limiting.
• PCB printed circuit board including components 20, 30, 40, 50 and 55

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physiology (AREA)
• Cardiology (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Electric Clocks (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=78828181

Family Applications (1)

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Family Cites Families (12)

• 2020
  • 2020-11-26 CH CH001504/2020A patent/CH718090B1/fr unknown
• 2021
  • 2021-11-24 US US18/037,470 patent/US20230408983A1/en active Pending
  • 2021-11-24 EP EP21823368.2A patent/EP4252083A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2021-11-24 WO PCT/IB2021/060916 patent/WO2022112962A1/fr not_active Ceased

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