Watch With Electronic Buzzer

The present invention relates to a watch and more particularly to a water-proof construction of a watch having an electronic buzzer or acoustic vibrator.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a conventional watch with an electronic buzzer, and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of the watch with the electronic buzzer according to the present invention.

In a timepiece, a waterproof acoustic vibrator comprising a waterproof housing and a plate-like member having a magnetic portion and mounted for oscillation opposite the waterproof housing. First magnetic biasing means magnetically biases the plate-like member to maintain the same in a rest position when the plate-like member is not oscillating. Second magnetic biasing means within the waterproof housing magnetically biases the plate-like member to oscillate and develop audible acoustic waves. The waterproof housing includes a side made of non-conductive material, and that side includes a shoulder portion raised above the side and dimensioned for supporting the plate-like member with a peripheral portion of the plate-like member resting on the shoulder portion and with the plate-like member free to vibrate in response to being magnetically biased by the second magnetic biasing means. The first magnetic biasing means is comprised of a permanent magnet within the waterproof housing and attracting the magnetic portion of the plate-like member for holding the plate-like member in the rest position and resting on the shoulder of the side of the waterproof housing which is made of non-conductive material. The second magnetic biasing means is comprised of an electromagnet responsive to electrical signals applied thereto for developing a magnetic field effective to bias the magnetic portion of the plate-like member to oscillate the plate-like member.

The conventional waterproof electronic watch with an electronic buzzer, as shown in FIG. 1 comprises a facing case 1, a supporting member 2 which constitutes a part of the electronic buzzer and a packing 3 inserted therebetween. The packing 3 is pressed by the supporting member 2 and the facing case 1 is engaged with the supporting body member 2 whereby the water-proof condition of an internal portion of the watch is maintained. The inner portion of the electronic buzzer is kept water-proof by bonding an oscillating plate 4 made of thin metal to an entire periphery of a shoulder portion at the inside of the supporting member 2 through an additive 5.

However, since in such structure, the oscillating plate 4 is secured through the additive 5, the structure of the watch can not endure water pressure of about four atmospheric pressure. Accordingly, the waterproof structure can not be incorporated in the watch with an electronic buzzer. The oscillating plate may be separated from the supporting member 2 because of ageing of the additive. Normal operation of the electronic buzzer cannot be guaranteed for a long time.

In order to remove the above-mentioned drawbacks, the present invention provides a watch with an electronic buzzer of high reliability so as to keep and enable a water-proof structure by placing a non-conductive material between an oscillating plate and the oscillating plate driving member, and to actuate the electronic buzzer for a long time.

Referring to FIG. 2, the present invention will be explained in detail. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a watch with an electronic buzzer of the present invention. 1 is a facing case and is provided with a recessed portion 1a on which a packing 3 is placed and a thread portion 1b. 2 is a supporting member constituting an electronic buzzer unit. The supporting member has a thred portion 2a engaging with the thread portion 1b of the facing case 1 and a shoulder portion 2b on which a non-conductive material 6 is placed. The non-conductive material 6 is provided with a shoulder 6a on which the oscillating plate 4 is placed. To the oscillating plate 4, a plate 7 made of soft magnetic material is attached. This plate 7 applies bias force magnetically between the electronic buzzer driving members. 8 is a plate made of soft magnetic material and is secured to the supporting member and has a magnetic core 9 composed of soft magnetic material. 10 is a coil wound around the magnetic core 9. 11 is a ring-like or ring-shape magnet arranged outside of the coil.

A magnetic loop or magnetic circuit is defined by the plate 7, the magnet 11, the plate 8, the magnetic core 9 and the non-conductive material 6. When electric current flows through the coil, a magnetic actuating force is applied to the plate 7, the oscillating plate 4 generates acoustic waves of audio frequency and the acoustic waves reaches the users through sound radiation openings 12. When assembling the afore-described structure of the invention, at first the packing 3 is mounted on the recessed portion 1a of the facing case 1. The packing 3 is pressed by the non-conductive material 6. The packing is compressed by engaging a thread portion 1b of the facing case 1 with the thread portion 2a of the supporting member so as to maintain the water-proof condition.

As mentioned above, the watch with an electronic buzzer according to the present invention maintains its water-proof condition by placing the nonconductive material between the oscillating plate and the oscillating plate driving member to oscillate the oscillating plate. Therefore, the watch of the invention can completely endure the water pressure of about four atmospheric pressure. Since an additive is not used, the normal operation of the electronic buzzer can be guaranteed and an inexpensive and highly reliable watch can be provided.