US 11,669,051 B2
Power indicator device of a thermoelectric generator of a watch
Matthias Imboden, St-Blaise (CH); Alain Jornod, Neuchatel (CH); and Alexandre Haemmerli, Neuchatel (CH)
Assigned to The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd, Marin (CH)
Filed by The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd, Marin (CH)
Filed on Mar. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/203,178.
Claims priority of application No. 20172418 (EP), filed on Apr. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0341882 A1, Nov. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. G04C 10/04 (2006.01); H10N 10/17 (2023.01); H01L 35/32 (2006.01)
CPC G04C 10/04 (2013.01) [H01L 35/32 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power indicator device (1) of a thermoelectric generator (10) of a watch (30), the indicator device (1) comprising a first gas fluid reservoir (2), a second gas fluid reservoir (3), and a tubular conduit (4) connecting the two reservoirs (2, 3), the first reservoir (2) being intended to be placed on an upper surface of the thermoelectric generator (10) in a watch case (30), while the second reservoir (3) is intended to be placed on a lower surface of the thermoelectric generator (10) in contact with the back of the watch case (30), the first and second gas fluid reservoir each having a gas fluid therein,
wherein the tubular conduit (4) is of the capillary type and comprises in an intermediate portion (9) a liquid forming a barrier to the gas fluid of the two reservoirs (2, 3) and allowing in a display portion (24) in the intermediate portion (9), to provide an indication of the power of the generator by measuring the temperature difference of the two reservoirs (2, 3), the display portion (24) being intended to be disposed in the watch case (30) to be visible from the outside of the watch case (30) with the liquid being at least partially visible in the display portion,
wherein the intermediate portion (9) of the tubular conduit (4) is a capillary glass or a sapphire, and
wherein the intermediate portion (9) comprises the display portion (24) on one side in the direction of the first reservoir (2), and a liquid reservoir (25) on one side in the direction of the second reservoir (3), the liquid reservoir (25) at an inlet of the intermediate portion (9) being directly connected to the display portion (24) at an outlet of the intermediate portion (9) to form the capillary glass or sapphire in one piece.