US 12,443,148 B2
Watch comprising a solar cell
Jean-Jacques Born, Morges (CH); and Cédric Nicolas, Neuchâtel (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 Feb. 7, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/165,671.
Claims priority of application No. 22169468 (EP), filed on Apr. 22, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0341820 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. G04C 10/02 (2006.01); G04B 37/08 (2006.01); G04B 39/00 (2006.01)
CPC G04C 10/02 (2013.01) [G04B 37/08 (2013.01); G04B 39/002 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A watch, comprising:
a case;
a movement provided with an analogue display and defining a main axis of the case that is orthogonal to a general plane of the case;
a glass located above the analogue display;
a gasket arranged at a periphery of the glass between a lateral surface of the glass and an axial wall of the case;
an intermediate portion laterally surrounding the analogue display; and
a solar cell extending at least mostly between the movement and the glass and being arranged behind the intermediate portion relative to the analogue display,
wherein the intermediate portion is formed at least partially by a translucent or transparent material and is configured so that the visible and/or infra-red light passing through the glass from the outside of the watch propagates in said translucent or transparent material and subsequently reaches the solar cell,
wherein the solar cell is arranged in a region located radially beyond a rim of the glass,
wherein the intermediate portion defines a radial surface forming an axial stop for a peripheral area of the glass following the inside of the rim,
wherein the gasket is formed at least mostly by a translucent or transparent material that defines at least mostly an axial surface against which the lateral surface of the glass presses, the gasket forming with the intermediate portion axially a continuous medium or being axially arranged adjacent to the intermediate portion or being axially separated from the intermediate portion at least mostly by a translucent or transparent intermediate medium, the gasket being configured so that the incident visible and/or infra-red light on an axial surface of the gasket or on an upper surface of the gasket to propagate in the translucent or transparent material that forms it up to a lower geometrical surface or lower surface delimiting at the bottom the gasket, the intermediate portion being arranged to be able to collect mostly the visible and/or infra-red light passing through the lower geometrical surface or lower surface of the gasket and to make it possible for the collected visible and/or infra-red light to propagate in the translucent or transparent material of the intermediate portion and to subsequently reach at least partly the solar cell.