WO1988009962A1 - Horloge avec caracteristiques numeriques/analogiques - Google Patents

Horloge avec caracteristiques numeriques/analogiques Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1988009962A1
WO1988009962A1 PCT/US1988/001921 US8801921W WO8809962A1 WO 1988009962 A1 WO1988009962 A1 WO 1988009962A1 US 8801921 W US8801921 W US 8801921W WO 8809962 A1 WO8809962 A1 WO 8809962A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
hour
minute
indicating
clock
indicating means
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1988/001921
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Kenneth Rubin
Original Assignee
Kenneth Rubin
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kenneth Rubin filed Critical Kenneth Rubin
Publication of WO1988009962A1 publication Critical patent/WO1988009962A1/fr

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B45/00—Time pieces of which the indicating means or cases provoke special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects
    • G04B45/04—Time pieces with invisible drive, e.g. with hands attached to a rotating glass disc
    • G04B45/046—Time pieces with invisible drive, e.g. with hands attached to a rotating glass disc the driving mechanism of the hands being invisible because of special shielding

Definitions

  • the present invention delates to apparatus for telling time, such as clocks, and more particularly to novel apparatus of that type having both digital and analog aspects.
  • the hour-indicating means and the minute-indicating means were at diametrically opposed ends of the clock so that it was difficult to gather all the information necessary to tell time with a single swift glance at the clock, especially where the clock was of large dimensions. Indeed, it is believed that the closer the juxtaposition of the hour-indicating means and the minute-indicating means, the easier it is for beginners, especially children, to learn to tell time.
  • clocks to which the present application and the above-identified application relate require utilization of both the digital hour-indicating means and the analog minute-indicating means in order to tell time and that there is but one hour-indicating means and one minute-indicating means per clock.
  • Another object is to provide such a clock which facilitates learning to tell time.
  • a further object is to provide such a clock wherein in one embodiment the minute-indicating means and the hour-indicating means are closely adjacent.
  • Yet another object is to provide such a clock wherein the hour-indicating means is disposed on, is part of, or gives the appearance of either being disposed on or part of the minute hand. It is also an object to provide such a clock wherein in one embodiment the mechanism is of rugged and reliable construction.
  • the clock comprises digital means for indicating the hour for the entire hour without apparent change, and analog means for indicating the minute.
  • the minute-indicating means is rotatable about a given axis, and the hour-indicating means is substantially spaced from the axis and disposed on said minute-indicating means for rotation therewith. More particularly, the minute-indicating means comprises a minute hand having a distal end pointing to the minute, and the hour-indicating means is disposed closely adjacent the distal end.
  • the hour-indicating means and the minute-indicating means are each rotatable about a substantially common axis.
  • the hour-indicating means displays the hour by a digit or digits in a substantially vertical orientation, regardless of the angular orientation of the minute-indicating means.
  • the digit or digits are pivotally secured to a common vertically oriented rotatable disk, whereby gravity maintains them substantially vertically oriented, regardless of the angular orientation of the disk.
  • the clock further includes an hour-keeping mechanism for driving the hour-indicating means, a minute-keeping mechanism for driving the minute-indicating means, a motor for continuously driving the minute-keeping mechanism at a constant rate, and means for instantaneously incrementing the hour-keeping mechanism after each full revolution of the minute-keeping mechanism.
  • the incrementing means comprises a wolf's tooth gear, a detent, and means biasing the detent and gear to engage and thereby forcibly rotate the gear.
  • the minute-keeping mechanism further comprises a cam adapted to space the detent from the gear against the biasing means except once per revolution of the minute-keeping mechanism.
  • the gear has twelve teeth
  • the detent is biased to bear against the teeth
  • the biasing means urges the gear towards the detent.
  • the cam is an internal cam configured and dimensioned to space the detent from the gear by forcing the gear away from the detent against the biasing means at the beginning of an hour, maintaining the gear in a position spaced from the detent until the end of a full revolution of the minute-keeping mechanism, and at the end of the hour momentarily permitting movement of the gear under the influence of the biasing means towards the detent, thereby enabling the gear and the detent to engage and thereby forcibly rotate the gear by one of the teeth.
  • the incrementing means comprises means for intermittently connecting and disconnecting the hour-keeping mechanism and the minute-keeping mechanism so that the minute-keeping mechanism drives the hour-keeping mechanism through a full rotation therewith, then momentarily disconnects the mechanisms to permit substantially instantaneous relative rotation of the mechanisms, and finally reconnects the mechanisms for another full rotation of the minute-keeping mechanism.
  • the wolf's tooth gear is secured to the hour-keeping mechanism for rotation therewith as a unit, whereby forcible rotation of the gear by the detent causes the hour-keeping mechanism to disconnect from the minute-keeping mechanism, rotate relative thereto for substantially one-twelfth of a revolution, and then reconnect thereto for another full rotation of the minute-keeping mechanism, the relative rotation of the mechanisms causing the hour-indicating means to increment to display of the next hour.
  • the hour-keeping mechanism comprises a first rotatable disk secured to the gear for rotation therewith, and the minute-keeping mechanism comprises a second rotatable disk defining the cam.
  • the disks have interengaging parts, one of the disks having a sole interengaging part and the other of the disks having twelve parts adapted to be successively engaged by the sole interengaging part, the interengagement of the parts being overcomable momentarily by the forcible rotation of the gear by the detent.
  • the gear is secured to the hour-keeping mechanism for rotation therewith as a unit, whereby forcible rotation of the gear by the detent causes the hour-keeping mechanism to rotate substantially one-twelfth of a revolution at the end of each full rotation of the minute-keeping mechanism, such rotation of the hour-keeping mechanism causing the hour-indicating means to display the next hour.
  • the clock additionally includes means for biasing the hour-keeping mechanism against all rotation except that induced by forcible rotation of the gear.
  • the digital means comprises first indicator means, a set of indicia representing hours, and means for associating the first indicator means successively with respective ones of the indicia fixedly for an hour each.
  • the analog means comprises second indicator means, ' the position of the second indicator means representing minutes, and means for continuously varying the position of the second indicator means.
  • the first indicator means is associated with one of the one indicia in a fixed positional relationship throughout the hour represented, and the varying means continuously varies the angular orientation of the second indicator means, the position of the second indicator means indicating minutes being its angular orientation.
  • the associating means associates the first indicator means and the associated indicium without relative movement between the first indicator means and the associated indicium for the hour.
  • the clock additionally includes means for continuously varying the position of the first indicator means throughout each hour, and means for associating the first indicator means and the associated indicium with the second indicator means without relative movement therebetween throughout the hour.
  • the digital means includes a driven component
  • the analog means includes a driven component
  • the clock additionally includes means for driving the driven components of the analog means and the digital means at the same rate of angular rotation.
  • the minute-indicating means and the hour-indicating means are adapted for rotation about a common axis, and the hour-indicating means is transported by the minute-indicating means. More particularly, a hand extends radially outwardly from the common axis, the hand being rotatable about the common axis with both the minute-indicating means and the hour-indicating means to provide said clock with the appearance of both the minute-indicating means and the hour-indicating means being disposed upon or a part of the hand.
  • the portion of the minute-indicating means transporting the hour-indicating means is non-transparent, the hour-indicating means is transparent, and illuminating means is provided behind the hour-indicating means as back lighting theref «or.
  • the portion of the minute-indicating means intermediate said common axis and the hour-indicating means may be opaque.
  • an electronic hour-keeping mechanism drives an electronic hour-indicating means and instantaneously increments the hour-indicating mechanism after each full hour, while an electric motor continuously drives the minute-indicating means at a constant rate.
  • the digital means comprises first indicator means for displaying a set of indicia representing the hours
  • the analog means comprises second indicator means, the position of the second indicator means representing minutes
  • said clock additionally displaying means for continuously varying the positions of the first and second indicator means throughout each hour.
  • the position of the first and second indicator means are the angular positions thereof relative to a common axis.
  • the orientation of the first indicator means relative to the second indicator means is also continuously varied throughout each hour.
  • the clock includes an indicator having first and second states, the indicator in the first state indicating the imminent approach of the end of the hour and in the second state indicating otherwise.
  • the indicator is preferably part of the digital means with its states determined by the digital means, independently of the analog means.
  • FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a first embodiment of a clock according to the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a side elevation view, partially in cross section, taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a front elevation view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a front elevation view, partially in cross section, taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation view, partially in cross section, taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 2 with the gear being shown in its lower position in solid line and in its upper position in phantom line;
  • FIG. 7 is a side elevation view, partially in corss section, of a second embodiment of a clock according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a fragmentary front elevation view, partially in cross section, taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the second embodiment
  • FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of a third embodiment; of a clock according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 11 is a side elevation view, partially in cross-section, of the third embodiment.
  • FIG. 12 is a front elevation view of a fourth embodiment of a clock according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 13 is a side elevation view, partially in cross-section of the fourth embodiment.
  • a clock generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and constituting a first embodiment of the present invention.
  • the housing of the clock 10 comprises a back wall 12, a side wall 14 projecting forwardly from the back wall 12, and a partial front wall 16 extending inwardly from side wall 14. disposed on the face of the front wall 16 are a circumferentially spaced series of numbers and dots or other conventional symbols 17 representing the minutes of the hour.
  • a hollow cylinder substantially disposed within the large open area 18 formed by the housing and supported by four rollers or bearings 19 for rotation relative to the housing.
  • the minute-keeping cylinder 20 includes a rear disk 21 rotatable therewith.
  • an outwardly projecting minute indicator 22 (such as an arrowhead) which typically extends at least partially over the front wall 16 to point to a particular symbol 17 representing a minute.
  • the minute-keeping disk 21 further defines a rearwardly projecting rim or internal gear 24 containing inwardly facing teeth 26.
  • a stationary motor 28 which may be powered by a battery or an external power supply (neither shown), engages the teeth 26 of the rim 24 via an output worm screw 30, a series of reduction gears 32 and a pinion 33, such that the minute-keeping mechanism 20 is caused to undergo a full 360° rotation once per minute.
  • the minute-keeping disk 21 further defines a centrally disposed internal cam 34, and a single spring clip 36 is secured to a mount 37 projecting forwardly from the front surface of the disk 21.
  • the minute-keeping cylinder 20 includes an opaque front wall 38 extending over the entire face of the disk 21, except where it defines a circular cutout 40 (which may be left either as a void or filled in with a transparent sheet) , preferably contiguous with minute indicator 22.
  • the hour-keeping mechanism generally designated by the reference numeral 50, comprises a disk 52 generally coaxial with and of substantially smaller diameter than the disk 21 of the minute-keeping mechanism 20.
  • the disk 52 is disposed intermediate disk 21 and front wall 38.
  • an hour paddle or panel 56 Forwardly projecting from the front surface of disk 52 are a series of circumferentially spaced pins 54 and secured to each pin 54 for pivotal movement thereabout is an hour paddle or panel 56 which is weighted at one end thereof or so configured and dimensioned that one end thereof will always point downwardly in response to gravity.
  • the panels are consecutively numbered with one or two digits in counter-clockwise order from 1 to 12 with the respective number being disposed on the front surface of the panel 56.
  • the number on the front surface of the panel 56 is oriented so that when the panel is in its normal orientation, with the weighted end down, the number appears vertical.
  • the number is preferably of sufficient size to occupy most, but not all, of the window 40 on- the front wall 38 of the disk 21 of the minute-keeping mechanism 20.
  • the back surface of the disk 52 of the hour-keeping mechanism 50 is provided with a series of twelve circumferentially spaced rearwardly projecting stop catches 58.
  • the forwardly projecting spring clip 36 of the disk 21 will engage one of the rearwardly projecting stop catches 58 of the disk 52 as the disk 21 is rotated in a clockwise direction by the action of the motor 28. Once engagement is made between the spring clip 36 and the selected stop catch 58, the clockwise rotation of the disk 21 will carry with it the disk 52. Proper placement of the spring clip 36 and stop catches 58 will insure that a panel 56 is appropriately positioned for viewing through the window 40.
  • the hour-indicating disk 52 is connected to a special ratchet cjear 60 (to be described hereinafter) adjacent the rear wall 12 by a shaft 62, for rotation together as a unit.
  • the shaft 62 passes through the internal cam 34 of disk 21 so that, as the disk 21 rotates clockwise from the on-the-hour position represented by the spring clip 36, the shaft 62 is forced closer to the center axis of the disk 21, maintained at a fixed distance for the remainder of the hour, and then permitted to move upwardly in response to the urging of expansion spring 64.
  • Expansion spring 64 has an upper end secured to an elbow 66 of the housing projecting forwardly from rear wall 12 and a lower end secured to shaft 62 to exert an upward force thereon.
  • the shaft 62 under the biasing influence of spring 64, the shaft 62 at all times rides the uppermost point of the inner surface of the internal cam 34 as the cam rotates with the disk 21 which defines it.
  • shaft 62 must be journaled in a vertically-extending slot 68 in back wall 12 in order to enable suitable vertical motion of the shaft 62 throughout the hour (see FIG. .5).
  • disk 52 must be of sufficiently smaller diameter than disk 21 to enable free vertical motion of the disk 52 throughout the hour without interference from the minute-keeping mechanism 20.
  • either the spring clip 36 or stop catch 58 must be of sufficient length to insure that the engagement therebetween is retained despite the slight vertical shift between these elements throughout the course of the hour.
  • the numbers on the panels 56 must be sufficiently smaller than the height of window 40 so that each number remains visible throughout the hour despite the very slight shift in the vertical disposition of the number within the window 40 as a result of the vertical shift in shaft 62.
  • worm 30 as the output shaft of motor 28 enables the motor 28 to drive the internal gear 24 even though the vertical disposition of the internal gear 24 (and the pinion 33 and reducing gears 32) will undergo vertical movement with shaft 62 relative to the fixed motor 28.
  • the ratchet gear 60 is a wolf's tooth gear having twelve teeth 69, one for each hour to be displayed on the clock (see FIG. 6). It is a property of a wolf's tooth gear that, as it is brought into engagement with a radially directed resilient detent, the detent will force a rotation of the gear by one tooth, here equivalent to 30°.
  • a resilient detent 70 Depending from the elbow 66 in vertical alignment with the gear 60 is a resilient detent 70.
  • the detent 70 is configured and dimensioned to engage the gear 60 as the shaft 62 reaches the shaft-releasing portion of the internal cam, thereby allowing rapid upward motion of the shaft 62, in response to the biasing action of spring 64.
  • the spring clip 36 of the disk 21 is in an appropriate position to engage the stop catch 58 associated with the next hour (beyond that with which it was engaged prior to engagement of the detent 70 and gear 60).
  • the shaft 62 secured at one end to the hour-keeping mechanism disk 52 and at the other end to the wolf's tooth gear 60, is first depressed by the gradually curved incline of internal cam 34 and then maintained by the constant radius portion of cam 34 in a depressed position until the end of the hour.
  • this embodiment of the invention provides a clock of strikingly unusual and aesthetic design with digital/analog features, the clock being sufficiently compact for economical manufacture.
  • the hour-indicating means (including the window and paddle displayed therein) is disposed adjacent a distal end of the minute indicator, thereby facilitating reading of the hour and minute together as necessary to tell time.
  • a second embodiment of the present invention comprising a clock generally designated by reference numeral 100.
  • the hour-indicating means is apparently disposed on and rotated with the minute-indicating means
  • the second embodiment 100 the hour-indicating means appears through a stationary window.
  • the hour-indicating means and minute-indicating means are not in as close juxtaposition as in the first embodiment 10
  • the second em ⁇ lbodiment 100 is a very compact design affording substantially greater stability against vibration and shock than the first embodiment.
  • Elements of the second embodiment performing functions generally corresponding to those performed by elements of the first embodiment will be designated by the corresponding three digit numeral in the 100 series.
  • the housing is comprised of the rear wall 112, a side wall 114 and a front wall 116, the latter being opaque except for an hour revealing circular window 140 (which may be an aperture or a transparent material as shown) and a transparent peripheral margin 200 on which are disposed a circumferentially spaced series of numbers or numbers and dots or other conventional symbols 117 representing the minutes of the hour.
  • circular window 140 which may be an aperture or a transparent material as shown
  • transparent peripheral margin 200 on which are disposed a circumferentially spaced series of numbers or numbers and dots or other conventional symbols 117 representing the minutes of the hour.
  • a minute keeping mechanism comprising a vertically oriented disk 121 defining an internal cam 134.
  • a minute indicator in the form of a bar 122 is disposed on the front surface of the disk 121 so as to be visible through peripheral margin 200 of the front wall 116, and an internal gear 124 projects rearwardly from the back surface of the disk 121.
  • a motor 128 secured to the housing drives internal gear 124, and hence the disk 121, through output worm screw 130, reducing gears 132, and pinion 133 which meshes with the internal gear 124.
  • the housing further defines a guide channel 202 having radially inwardly extending walls disposed immediately in front of and to the rear of the edge of disk 121.
  • the hour-keeping mechanism generally designated by the reference numeral 150, comprises a vertically oriented disk 152 disposed intermediate the front wall 116 of the housing and the minute-keeping disk 121.
  • Fixedly disposed on the front face of the hour-keeping disk 152 are a series of a circumferentially spaced numbers 204 from 1 to 12 representing the hours, the numbers 204 being oriented so that, as disk 152 rotates to bring them into alignment with the window 140, they are vertically oriented.
  • the numbers 204 are slightly lesser in vertical extent than the window 140 so that the numbers remain clearly visible despite minor variations in the vertical position of the disk 152.
  • indexing of the hour-keeping disk 152 at the end of an hour is effected when the internal cam 134 of the hour-keeping disk 121 allows a sharp upward movement of the horizontal shaft 162 connected at its forward end to the hour-keeping disk 152 and adjacent its rear end to a wolf's tooth gear 160, both for rotation therewith.
  • the shaft 162 connected at its forward end to the hour-keeping disk 152 and adjacent its rear end to a wolf's tooth gear 160, both for rotation therewith.
  • the hour-keeping disk 152 rotated throughout the hour with the minute-keeping disk 21 in the first embodiment, in the second embodiment the hour-keeping disk 152 maintains a constant angular orientation throughout the hour until it is time for the incrementing the hour.
  • horizontal shaft 162 is secured at its forward end to disk 152 for rotation therewith as a unit and is journaled at its rear end in a short rectangular member 208 disposed within the rectangular slot 168 of the rear wall 112 of the housing.
  • the short rectangular number 208 is slidable up or down the rear wall slot 168 as necessary to accommodate the varying vertical position of shaft 162, as it varies throughout the hour, but the width of the short rectangular member 208 substantially fills the width of the slot 168 to preclude rotation of the short rectangular member 208 relative to the slot 168.
  • a large rectangular member 210 secured thereto, thereby to also preclude rotation of the large rectangular member 210.
  • a stabilizing wheel 212 Disposed forwardly of the large rectangular member 210 is a stabilizing wheel 212 having 12 circumferentially spaced grooves 214 about its periphery, the stabilizing wheel 212 being secured to the shaft 162 for rotation therewith as a unit.
  • a resilient pawl 216 extends towards stabilizing wheel 212 from a point 218 on the front face of the large rectangular member 210. The curved tip of pawl 216 enters one of the grooves 214 at the beginning of a hour to preclude accidental rotation of the shaft 162 during the course of the hour until, at the end of the hour, the shaft 162 is forcibly rotated.
  • the forcibly rotation of shaft 162 results from a mechanism similar to that causing the forcible rotation of the shaft 62 in the first embodiment 10 — when the shaft 162 is freed by internal cam 134 for upward motion under the bias of spring 164, the detent 170 depending from elbow 166 engages the wolf's tooth gear 160, thereby causing the wolf's tooth gear 160 to rotate by one tooth 169, thus rotating the shaft 162 and hour disk 152 by 30°.
  • the appearance of the second embodiment is basically similar to that of the first embodiment for the viewer, except that the hour indicator appears stationary rather than rotating with the minute indicator. Operation of the second embodiment is also substantially similar to operation of the first embodiment.
  • the minute indicator disk 121 is rotated at the rate of one cycle per hour by motor 128. During this rotation the hour-indicating disk 152 is maintained in its angular orientation by the action of pawl 216 on the stabilizing wheel 212, the stabilizing wheel 212 being linked to the hour-indicating disk 152 by means of shaft 162. At the end of the hour the internal cam 134 of the minute-keeping disk 121 releases the shaft 162 for abrupt upward motion under the bias of spring 164, and the engagement of resilient detent 170 and wolf's tooth gear 160 overcomes the stabilizing action of the pawl 216 and causes rotation of the hour-keeping disk 152 until the next hour is exhibited in the window 140 and the tip of pawl 216 settles in the next groove 214 of stabilizing wheel 212.
  • a wolf's tooth gear in the form illustrated is preferred, other gears functionally equivalent to the wolf's tooth gear may be employed to provide the abrupt and forcible indexing of the hour-keeping disk at the end of an hour.
  • the wolf's tooth gear may be reversed (that is, turned in the opposite direction) if the order of the hour numbers on the hour-keeping mechanism is also reversed, the result being substantially the same for the viewer.
  • the forwardly projecting spring clip 36 of the disk 21 and the rearwardly projecting stop catches 58 of the disk 52 may be substituted by a series of forwardly projecting stop catches 58 on the disk 21 and a rearwardly projecting spring clip on the disk 52, provided that the spring clip and stop catches offer the requisite intermittent connection and disconnection of the disks 21, 52 as described hereinabove.
  • the second embodiment of the present invention provides a clock of unusual and aesthetic design having digital/analog aspects, the clock being sufficiently compact for economical manufacture and facilitating learning to tell time, the second embodiment is of especially rugged and reliable construction.
  • FIGS. 10-11 therein illustrated is a third embodiment of the present invention comprising a clock generally designated by the reference numeral 300.
  • the hour-indicating means is apparently disposed on and rotated with the minute-indicating means
  • the third embodiment 300 the hour-indicating means is in fact disposed on and rotated with the minute-indicating means.
  • the mechanical aspects of the working mechanism of the third embodiment are greatly simplified relative to the first and second embodiments to provide an even greater maintenance-free performance as well as reduced manufacturing costs.
  • Elements of the third embodiment performing functions generally corresponding to those performed by elements of the first embodiment will be designated by corresponding three-digit numerals in the 300 series.
  • the housing of the clock 300 comprises a back wall 312, a side wall 314 projecting forwardly from the back wall 312, and a front wall 316 extending inwardly from side wall 314. Disposed on the face of the front wall 316 are a circumferentially spaced series of numbers and dots of other conventional symbols 317 representing the minutes of the hour.
  • a stationary motor 328 which may be powered by a battery or an external power supply (neither shown), is disposed within the housing and secured to the back wall 312 at the center thereof. The motor 328 drives a radially extending minute hand or indicator 322 at the rate of one cycle per hour through a vertical plane.
  • the minute hand 322 preferably extends radially outwardly from the central horizontal axis of the clock and terminates in tip 400, shaped like a point or arrow, adjacent to or intersecting the minute representations 317.
  • the central portion of the front wall 316 is preferably opaque or translucent so that the motor 328 is not visible therethrough, thereby focusing attention on the minute hand 322 itself and the minute representations 317.
  • An hour-keeping and -indicating means 402 of cylindrical design has its side wall journaled into an aperture in the minute hand 322 with ball bearings 404 being provided to facilitate movement of the hour cylinder 402 relative to the minute hand 322.
  • the hour cylinder 402 is disposed intermediate the axis of rotation of the minute hand 322 and the tip 400 thereof, preferably closely adjacent the tip 400 and substantially spaced from the axis of rotation.
  • the bottom portion of the hour-keeping and -indicating means 402 is enlarged (as shown) or weighted so that, under the influence of gravity, the bottom portion will always be the lowest portion, irrespective of the position of the minute hand 322, with the minute-keeping and -indicating means 402 rotating relative to minute hand 322 under the influence of gravity.
  • the hour-indicating means 402 is similar to the hour paddle or panel 56 of the first embodiment.
  • the hour-keeping and -indicating mechanism 402 comprises a device having an LED or LCD hour display and associated electronics.
  • the device has a display in which the digit or digits of the hour are displayed for one hour and then incremented to indicate the next hour.
  • Such devices which may be standard digital time displays with the minute display portion disabled, are available from Uce, Inc. of S. Norwalk, Conn.
  • the display device may further include an AM/PM display so as to avoid any confusion as to which 12-hour segment of the day is involved.
  • the display device include a controller and an indicator 406 which is turned “on” by the controller a few minutes before the hour changes (i.e., imminent to the end of the hour) and is turned “off by the controller as the hour changes.
  • the indicator 406 may simply be a bar underneath the digit or digits representing the hour, although other indicators may be used. The purpose of the indicator is to avoid the confusion which might otherwise arise as to the correct hour when the minute hand is pointing at or very close to due north — that is, at the "zero" or "sixtieth” minute.
  • both the motor 218 and hour-keeping and -indicating means 402 are battery operated — i.e., each has its own battery.
  • commutators While they may also be powered by a common power supply (e.g., an external power supply), expensive trouble-prone commutators are required in this instance between parts moving relative to one another, such as the minute hand 322 and motor 328, on the one hand, and the hour-keeping and -indicating means 402 and the minute hand 322, on the other hand.
  • a common power supply e.g., an external power supply
  • expensive trouble-prone commutators are required in this instance between parts moving relative to one another, such as the minute hand 322 and motor 328, on the one hand, and the hour-keeping and -indicating means 402 and the minute hand 322, on the other hand.
  • FIGS. 12-13 therein illustrated is a fourth embodiment of the present invention comprising a clock generally designated by the reference numeral 500.
  • the hour-indicating means is disposed on and rotated with the minute hand and appears to be disposed on and rotated with the minute hand
  • the fourth embodiment 500 the hour-indicating means is disposed on and rotated with the minute-indicating means, but appears to be free floating.
  • the housing of the clock 400 comprises a back wall 512, a side wall 514 projecting forwardly from the back wall 512, and a partial front wall 516 extending inwardly from the side wall 514. Disposed on the face of the front wall 516 are a circumferentially spaced series of numbers and dots or other conventional symbols 517 representing the minutes of the hour.
  • a stationary motor 528 secured to the back wall 512.
  • the motor 528 is adapted to drive a coaxial minute disk 522, substantially disposed slightly rearwardly of the front wall 516, through a vertical plane at the rate of one revolution per hour.
  • the minute disk 522 is opaque and carries a minute indicator 600 disposed forwardly of the housing front wall 516 and terminating adjacent to or intersecting the minute representations 517 on the housing front wall 516.
  • the minute disk 522 and its extension 600 comprise a minute hand.
  • a cylindrical hour-keeping and -indicating means 602 is journaled into the minute disk 522 by ball bearings 604, as in the third embodiment 300.
  • the hour cylinder 602 is disposed intermediate the axis of rotation of the minute 522 and the minute indicator 600, preferably closely adjacent the minute indicator 600 and substantially spaced from the axis of rotation.
  • the bottom portion of the hour-keeping and -indicating means 602 is enlarged (as shown) or weighted so that, under the influence of gravity, the bottom portion will always be the lowest portion, irrespective of the angular orientation of the minute disk 522, with the hour-keeping and -indicating means 402 rotating relative to minute hand 322 under the influence of gravity.
  • the hour-indicating means 602 is similar to the hour-indicating means 402 of the third embodiment and the hour panel or paddle 56 of the first embodiment.
  • the non-transparent elements of the hour cylinder 602 are disposed outside of the periphery of the display, typically in an extension 610 behind the opaque minute disk 522, as shown in FIG. 13.
  • the portion of the minute disk 522 which is occupied by the hour-keeping and -indicating means 602 is, except for the hour-indicating digit or digits and the "on" indicator bar 606, substantially transparent or translucent.
  • the hour-keeping and -indicating means 602 may also have an opaque or contrastingly-colored circumferential border or margin, as illustrated.
  • an illumination source 612 for back lighting the transparent portion of the hour-keeping and -indicating means 602.
  • the illumination source 612 may simply be an incandescent light, an annular neon bulb disposed about the motor 528 and secured to the housing back wall 512 is preferred.
  • the light source 612 provides back lighting for the digital display representing the hour so as to create an overall visual impression of the hour digit or digits (either alone or with a circumferential border) floating along a path adjacent the circumference of the clock face and pointing to the appropriate minute representations 517.
  • the minute indicator 600 may be formed of fiber optic material so that it is illuminated by the illumination source 612, thereby further facilitating reading of the minutes, even in the dark. While the back-lighting effect is most spectacular in a dark environment, such as at night, it is -clearly present even in a well lighted environment, such as an illuminated room.
  • the hour-keeping and -indicating means 602, the motor 528 and the illumination source 612 may each be independently powered by electrical storage means (i.e., batteries) or all three may be powered by a common electrical storage means or an external power supply. While only low level illumination is required from the illumination source 612, the power demands of the illumination source 612 and motor 528 far exceed the power demand of the hour-keeping and -indicating means 602; accordingly, the former may be easily and conveniently connected to an external power supply (without any need for commutators or the like), while the latter is provided with electrical storage means which may be adequate for powering the same on a continuous basis for one-three years.
  • electrical storage means i.e., batteries
  • the motor 328, 528 drives the minute indicator 400, 600 at one revolution per hour.
  • the minute hand 322 or disk 522, connecting the motor 328, 528 and minute indicator 400, 600, carries a self-contained hour-keeping and -indicating means 402, 602. As the latter displays for the hour in question a digit or digits representing the hour, the hour-keeping and -indicating means 402, 602 freely rotates relative to the minute hand 422 or disk 522 under the influence of gravity to maintain the hour digit or digits in a vertical orientation adjacent the appropriate minute representation.
  • the third and fourth embodiments of the present invention provide a clock having digital/analog aspects of novel aesthetic design, the clock including self-contained electronic means for keeping and indicating the hour, thereby eliminating much of the mechanical aspects of the clocks of the first and second embodiments to provide a clock which is less expensive to construct and less likely to require repair.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)

Abstract

Une horloge possède un affichage de lecture numérique (50) pour indiquer les heures pour l'heure entière sans changement apparent et une aiguille analogique (22) pour indiquer les minutes. L'aiguille des minutes peut tourner autour d'un axe donné, et l'affichage des heures (50) est sensiblement espacé par rapport à cet axe et est disposé sur l'aiguille des minutes pour tourner avec elle.
PCT/US1988/001921 1987-06-08 1988-06-07 Horloge avec caracteristiques numeriques/analogiques WO1988009962A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US5962887A 1987-06-08 1987-06-08
US059,628 1987-06-08
US19595588A 1988-05-19 1988-05-19
US195,955 1988-05-19

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1988009962A1 true WO1988009962A1 (fr) 1988-12-15

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ID=26738994

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1988/001921 WO1988009962A1 (fr) 1987-06-08 1988-06-07 Horloge avec caracteristiques numeriques/analogiques

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Country Link
AU (1) AU1989188A (fr)
WO (1) WO1988009962A1 (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0389732A1 (fr) * 1989-03-30 1990-10-03 PINKO S.r.L. Dispositif d'affichage numérique-analogique pour pièce d'horlogerie
EP1635233A1 (fr) * 2004-09-08 2006-03-15 Marc-Michael Städtler Affichage dynamique des valeurs numériques des grandeurs entre-elles correlées et d'informations à elles relatives
DE102014115811B3 (de) * 2014-10-30 2015-06-25 Lange Uhren Gmbh Lagerung
JP2015197348A (ja) * 2014-03-31 2015-11-09 リズム時計工業株式会社 からくり時計
JP2015197347A (ja) * 2014-03-31 2015-11-09 リズム時計工業株式会社 からくり時計
JP2015197346A (ja) * 2014-03-31 2015-11-09 リズム時計工業株式会社 からくり時計

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US555387A (en) * 1895-06-15 1896-02-25 Clock
US577573A (en) * 1896-02-06 1897-02-23 Timepiece-dial
US631466A (en) * 1896-09-17 1899-08-22 Albert C Howard Clock-dial.
CH155165A (fr) * 1931-04-29 1932-06-15 Vuille Moser Samuel Pièce d'horlogerie.
US1959831A (en) * 1931-11-09 1934-05-22 Krzeminski Bronislaw Geographical clock
US2023677A (en) * 1931-10-30 1935-12-10 Edward R Fowler Time globe
US2051611A (en) * 1933-08-14 1936-08-18 Electric Auto Lite Co Direct time indicating apparatus
US2915874A (en) * 1957-08-26 1959-12-08 Jr Edgar A Ferguson Tactile indicators
US3675411A (en) * 1970-02-27 1972-07-11 Seiko Instr & Electronics World timepiece
US4077198A (en) * 1976-12-27 1978-03-07 Harley Mayenschein Clock apparatus
US4109455A (en) * 1977-05-26 1978-08-29 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army Spiral orifice dashpot timer
US4280211A (en) * 1979-05-25 1981-07-21 Harley Mayenschein Clock apparatus
USRE30987E (en) * 1977-01-24 1982-06-29 Omnidirectional clock
US4659232A (en) * 1985-02-22 1987-04-21 Coster Charles S Timepiece
US4671673A (en) * 1986-06-30 1987-06-09 Equitime, Inc. Hourly flagged digital time displays

Patent Citations (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US555387A (en) * 1895-06-15 1896-02-25 Clock
US577573A (en) * 1896-02-06 1897-02-23 Timepiece-dial
US631466A (en) * 1896-09-17 1899-08-22 Albert C Howard Clock-dial.
CH155165A (fr) * 1931-04-29 1932-06-15 Vuille Moser Samuel Pièce d'horlogerie.
US2023677A (en) * 1931-10-30 1935-12-10 Edward R Fowler Time globe
US1959831A (en) * 1931-11-09 1934-05-22 Krzeminski Bronislaw Geographical clock
US2051611A (en) * 1933-08-14 1936-08-18 Electric Auto Lite Co Direct time indicating apparatus
US2915874A (en) * 1957-08-26 1959-12-08 Jr Edgar A Ferguson Tactile indicators
US3675411A (en) * 1970-02-27 1972-07-11 Seiko Instr & Electronics World timepiece
US4077198A (en) * 1976-12-27 1978-03-07 Harley Mayenschein Clock apparatus
USRE30987E (en) * 1977-01-24 1982-06-29 Omnidirectional clock
US4109455A (en) * 1977-05-26 1978-08-29 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army Spiral orifice dashpot timer
US4280211A (en) * 1979-05-25 1981-07-21 Harley Mayenschein Clock apparatus
US4659232A (en) * 1985-02-22 1987-04-21 Coster Charles S Timepiece
US4671673A (en) * 1986-06-30 1987-06-09 Equitime, Inc. Hourly flagged digital time displays

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0389732A1 (fr) * 1989-03-30 1990-10-03 PINKO S.r.L. Dispositif d'affichage numérique-analogique pour pièce d'horlogerie
US5051968A (en) * 1989-03-30 1991-09-24 Pinko S.R.L. Digital-analog display device for timepiece
EP1635233A1 (fr) * 2004-09-08 2006-03-15 Marc-Michael Städtler Affichage dynamique des valeurs numériques des grandeurs entre-elles correlées et d'informations à elles relatives
JP2015197348A (ja) * 2014-03-31 2015-11-09 リズム時計工業株式会社 からくり時計
JP2015197347A (ja) * 2014-03-31 2015-11-09 リズム時計工業株式会社 からくり時計
JP2015197346A (ja) * 2014-03-31 2015-11-09 リズム時計工業株式会社 からくり時計
DE102014115811B3 (de) * 2014-10-30 2015-06-25 Lange Uhren Gmbh Lagerung

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
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