Homepage - Contents - M. Automatic Quartz Watch, 1. AGS of Seiko < Previous page | Next page >


M.1 AGS of Seiko

In the AGS watches an eccentrically rotating mass drives the Lavet-type generator via a multiple gear transmission, as is shown in figure 1. With the two-pole generator a considerable rotor speed is required to obtain a sufficient voltage for charging the supercapacitor. Therefore, Seiko had to employ a multistage gear transmission in combination with a complicated electronic up-converter. Charging takes place only when the generated voltage surmounts the voltages of the capacitor and the rectifier together. For that reason slow motions of the rotating mass have no effect. The maximum power reserve of the original AGS keeps the watch functioning for three days. According to Seiko the latest AGS watch (Seiko Kinetic 5M23) incorporates three improvements: the generator produces 44% more energy; the Lavet motor needs 35% less energy and a power reserve indication is a added as new feature. When the button at the twelve o'clock position is pushed, the central second hand moves forward 5, 10, 20 or 30 seconds to indicate a reserve of a few hours or 1, 2, 3 days respectively.

< Previous page |  Top  | Next page >


Copyright © by Pieter Doensen

email: doensen@xs4all.nl

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any forms or by any means - graphic, electronic or mechanical, including (but not limited to) photocopying or information storage and retrieval systems - without written permission from the copyright holder.