Antenna device and radio wave controlled timepiece

Abstract

An antenna device includes an antenna for receiving a time information radio wave, and an antenna support member. In the antenna, a coil is wound around a center portion of a core. In the support member, a non-magnetic portion supports two magnetic portions independently and both end portions of the core of the antenna are magnetically coupled with the magnetic portions. A radio wave controlled timepiece includes a case in an inner space of which the antenna and the support member are installed as described above. In the inner space, a time counting unit, a time display unit connected to the time counting unit, and a time updating unit configured to update the time displayed on the display unit, based on the time information radio wave received by the antenna, are installed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a radio wave controlled wristwatch according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the radio wave controlled wristwatch of FIG. 1, wherein a back cover of a wristwatch case is removed and an antenna device in an inner space of the wristwatch case is shown while a part of the antenna device is cut out;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the radio wave controlled wristwatch of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a simplified structure of the antenna device which is used in the radio wave controlled wristwatch of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the antenna device which is used in the radio wave controlled wristwatch of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the first embodiment of the antenna device of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the first embodiment of the antenna device of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9A is a plan view showing in a simplified manner an upper housing which is housed in an inner space of a wristwatch case of a radio wave controlled wristwatch and configures an antenna support member for supporting an antenna, wherein the upper housing serving as the antenna support member is combined with the antenna to provide a second embodiment of the antenna device;

FIG. 9B is a front view of the simplified upper housing of FIG. 9A;

FIG. 10A is a rear view embodying the simplified upper housing illustrated in each of FIGS. 9A and 9B;

FIG. 10B is a sectional view of the embodied upper housing taken along the line XB-XB of FIG. 10A;

FIG. 11A is a rear view of a first modification of the embodied upper housing illustrated in each of FIGS. 10A and 10B, wherein parts corresponding to two magnetic portions are partially cut out in order to show the two magnetic portions;

FIG. 11B is a sectional view of the first modification taken along the line XIB-XIB of FIG. 11A;

FIG. 11C is a sectional view of the first modification taken along the line XIC-XIC of FIG. 11A;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 11C, of a second modification of the upper housing illustrated in each of FIGS. 10A and 10B;

FIG. 13 is a simplified perspective view of a wristwatch case and an antenna device, both of which are essential portions of a radio wave controlled wristwatch according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing in a simplified manner a structure of a third embodiment of the antenna device which is used in the radio wave controlled wristwatch of FIG. 1.

Claims

1. An antenna device comprising: an antenna which includes an elongated core and a coil wound around a center portion of the core and which receives a radio wave including time information; andan antenna support member which includes two magnetic portions and a non-magnetic portion supporting the two magnetic portions independently of each other, both end portions of the core of the antenna being magnetically coupled with the two magnetic portions.

2. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the two magnetic portions and the non-magnetic portion in the antenna support member are formed integrally with each other.

3. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the two magnetic portions of the antenna support member are formed of a resin that contains magnetic material and the non-magnetic portion of the antenna support member is formed of a resin that does not contain magnetic material.

4. The antenna device according to claim 3, wherein the two magnetic portions and the non-magnetic portion are formed integrally with each other in the antenna support member.

5. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the two magnetic portions of the antenna support member are in contact with the both end portions of the core of the antenna.

6. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna support member includes an inner housing which is housed in an inner space of a case of a timepiece and which is used to support various constituent elements of the timepiece.

7. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna support member includes a case of a timepiece.

8. A radio wave controlled timepiece comprising: a case which includes an inner space having an opening communicated with an outer space;an antenna which is installed in the inner space of the case, which includes an elongated core and a coil wound around a center portion of the core, and which receives a radio wave including time information;an antenna support member which is installed in the inner space of the case and which includes two magnetic portions and a non-magnetic portion supporting the two magnetic portions independently of each other, both end portions of the core of the antenna being magnetically coupled with the two magnetic portions;a time counting unit which is installed in the inner space of the case and which is configured to count a time;a time display unit which is installed in the inner space of the case, which is visible from the outer space through the opening, which is connected to the time counting unit, and which is configured to display the time; anda time updating unit which is installed in the inner space of the case and which is configured to update the time displayed on the time display unit, on a basis of the time information included in the radio wave received by the antenna.

9. The radio wave controlled timepiece according to claim 8, wherein the two magnetic portions and the non-magnetic portion in the antenna support member are formed integrally with each other.

10. The radio wave controlled timepiece according to claim 8, wherein the two magnetic portions of the antenna support member are formed of a resin that contains magnetic material and the non-magnetic portion of the antenna support member is formed of a resin that does not contain magnetic material.

11. The radio wave controlled timepiece according to claim 10, wherein the two magnetic portions and the non-magnetic portion in the antenna support member are formed integrally with each other.

12. The radio wave controlled timepiece according to claim 8, wherein the two magnetic portions of the antenna support member are in contact with the both end portions of the core of the antenna.

13. The radio wave controlled timepiece according to claim 8, wherein the antenna support member includes an inner housing used to support at least one of the time counting unit, the time display unit, and the time update unit.

14. The radio wave controlled timepiece according to claim 8, wherein the case is metallic, and the antenna support member is independent of the case.

15. A radio wave controlled timepiece comprising: a case which includes an inner space having an opening communicated with an outer space;an antenna which is installed in the inner space of the case, which includes an elongated core and a coil wound around a center portion of the core, and which receives a radio wave including time information;an antenna support member which includes two magnetic portions and a non-magnetic portion supporting the two magnetic portions independently of each other, both end portions of the core of the antenna being magnetically coupled with the two magnetic portions, and the antenna support member configuring the case;a time counting unit which is installed in the inner space of the case and which is configured to count a time;a time display unit which is installed in the inner space of the case, which is visible from the outer space through the opening, which is connected to the time counting unit, and which is configured to display the time; anda time updating unit which is installed in the inner space of the case and which is configured to update the time displayed on the time display unit, on a basis of the time information included in the radio wave received by the antenna.

16. The radio wave controlled timepiece according to claim 15, wherein the two magnetic portions and the non-magnetic portion in the antenna support member are formed integrally with each other.

17. The radio wave controlled timepiece according to claim 15, wherein the two magnetic portions of the antenna support member are formed of a resin that contains magnetic material and the non-magnetic portion of the antenna support member is formed of a resin that does not contain magnetic material.

18. The radio wave controlled timepiece according to claim 17, wherein the two magnetic portions and the non-magnetic portion in the antenna support member are formed integrally with each other.

19. The radio wave controlled timepiece according to claim 15, wherein the two magnetic portions of the antenna support member are in contact with the both end portions of the core of the antenna.