US 12,147,199 B2
Solar watch comprising a shutter device
Matthias Imboden, St-Blaise (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. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/669,646.
Claims priority of application No. 21162389 (EP), filed on Mar. 12, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0291638 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. G04C 10/02 (2006.01); G02B 26/02 (2006.01); G04B 47/06 (2006.01)
CPC G04C 10/02 (2013.01) [G02B 26/02 (2013.01); G04B 47/06 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A watch comprising:
a case provided with a middle to which are fixed a back and a crystal, with a set of components forming a horological movement, and with a dial disposed between said movement and the crystal, the dial including a photovoltaic cell module connected to an electric accumulator intended to provide an electrical energy source,
said dial further comprising a shutter device arranged between the photovoltaic cell module and the crystal of the watch, and an actuation member for driving the shutter device such that the shutter device occupies a shutter state in which the entire photovoltaic cell module is masked and an exposure state in which all or part of the photovoltaic cell module is exposed,
wherein the actuation member includes a motor controlled by instructions delivered by a control unit, and
wherein the control unit includes a brightness sensor configured to control the motor such as to drive the shutter device in the shutter state when the brightness is below a certain threshold and in the exposure state when the brightness is above said threshold.