WATCH WITH AN ELECTRONIC MECHANISM ENCLOSED IN A SCREENING ELEMENT

Abstract: Watch comprising a case (1), an electronic quartz actuating mechanism (4) and a cover (8) for closing the said case, in which said mechanism (4) is enclosed inside a screening element (6, 3) designed to absorb the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the actuating mechanism (4).

Description: Watch with an electronic mechanism enclosed in a screening element Description The present invention relates to a watch with an electronic quartz actuating mechanism enclosed inside a screening element designed to absorb the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the actuating mechanism itself. It is known how an increasingly greater use of electric power for a wide range of applications has enormously increased the quantity of electromagnetic fields present in the atmosphere; it is also known that prolonged exposure to these electromagnetic fields is harmful for man since electromagnetic radiation may irreversibly alter the cells of the human body. A particular example of this generation of electromagnetic fields consists in watches which function with mechanisms based on oscillations induced in quartz crystals by means of direct currents generated by suitable power supply batteries. The electronic components of said watches generate, in fact, low-frequency magnetic radiation pulses which, passing through the case of the watch, are transmitted to the user's body through the skin with which the watch is in contact. In view of the direct contact between skin and watch, the small surface area on which the radiation is concentrated and the prolonged period of time during which this contact lasts, it is obvious that it is necessary to limit the possible damage arising from the magnetic radiation produced by the quartz mechanism. The technical problem is therefore that of providing watches actuated by electronic quartz mechanisms which are provided with means designed to avoid transmission, to the user's body, of magnetic radiation generated by said mechanisms. Within the scope of this problem a further necessity is that said means should be easy and economical to electronic manufacture and able to be fitted to the/ actuating devices of watches currently produced, without the need for special adapation and/or modification thereof. These results are obtained by the present invention, relating to a watch comprising a case, an electronic quartz actuating mechanism and a cover for closing said case, in which said mechanism is enclosed inside a screening element designed to absorb the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the actuating mechanism itself. Further details may be obtained from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a partially sectioned rear view of a watch with screening according to the invention; and Figure 2 shows a section along the plane indicated by II-II in Figure 1. As shown in the Figures, the watch with screening according to the invention comprises a case 1 closed at the front by the glass la and containing inside it the dial 2 behind which there is arranged a disc 3. Said disc 3 is made of a material suitable to shield the electric and magnetic radiations emitted by the e- lectronic components of the watch, for example of fer¬ romagnetic material made with an alloy known by the tra de name Mumetall or ferronichel, ferrocobalt and similar. Behind said disc 3 there is arranged the mechanism 4, of which the battery 4a, the coil 4b and magnet 4c are shown in Figure 1. The whole of the mechanism 4 is covered by a protection element 6 substantially in the form of a circular container with a"U" cross-section provided with a seat 6a formed on the edge 6b and designed to receive the spindle 7a of the winder button 7 in such a way that the said edge 6b can be brought into abutment against the front disc 3. Said container 6 is in turn made of ferromagnetic material designed to screen and absorb the radiation emitted by the electronic mechanism. Finally, the case is closed at the rear by the cover 8 which is of sufficient thickness to keep the whole aforementioned assembly stably pressed against the upper part of the watch. It is therefore obvious how the screening device comprising the container 6 and the disc 3 allows the entire actuating mechanism of the watch to be kept isolated from the surrounding environment, thereby preventing the magnetic radiation from escaping. Many variants may be introduced as regards the realizaion of the parts which make up the invention, without thereby departing from the protective scope of the present patent as defined by the claims which follow. For example, the screening could be applied to only the coil 4b and magnet 4c of the mechanism 4, it being necessary in this case, however, to provide an independent screening for the two components, to be realized at the moment when the latter are manufactured prior to their assembly with the other components of the actuating mechanism 4. In addition, the disc 3 may form the base of the dial 2, the two functions being in this case combined in a single element. In a further embodiment, both the disc 3 and the container 6 may be directly applied to the mechanism 4 during manufacture of the latter.

Claims: Claims 1. Watch comprising a case (1) , a dial (2) , an electronic quartz actuating mechanism (4) and a cover (8) for closing said case, characterized in that said mechanism (4) is enclosed inside a screening element (6,3) designed to absorb the electric and magnetic radiation emitted by the actuating mechanism (4) . 2. Watch according to Claim 1, characterized in that said screening element substantially consists of a U- shaped container (6) and a disc (3) designed to form a closing plate for said container. 3. Watch according to Claim 1, characterized in that said screening element is made of ferromagnetic material. 4. Watch according to Claim 1, characterized in that said U-shaped container is integral with the said cover (8) for closing the case. 5. Watch according to Claim 1, characterized in that said screening element is fitted to only the radiating components (4b, 4c) of the electronic actuating mechanism of the watch. 6. Watch according to Claim 1, characterized in that said closing disc (3) forms the dial of the watch.

Inventors: SCACCABAROZZI MARCO, SCACCABAROZZI, MARCO
Applicants: SCACCABAROZZI MARCO, SCACCABAROZZI, MARCO
Application year: 1996
Main classification: G04B43
IPC codes: G04B43