CH703232B1 - Arrangement for displaying time units in clock, has circular disks arranged on top of each other with respect to its size so that largest disk is arranged at bottom and smallest disk is arranged above all disks in reading direction - Google Patents

Abstract

The arrangement has four different sized circular disks (H, M, S, Z) arranged on top of each other with respect to its size such that the largest disk is arranged at bottom and the smallest disk is arranged above all the disks in a reading direction. The disks are rotatable relative to each other, where each top disk rotates around a center of the immediately adjacent bottom disk. Two of the disks are provided for displaying hours, and the third disk displays minutes. The fourth disk displays seconds, and a mechanical clockwork is provided for automatic adjustment of the disks.

Description

The present invention for displaying time units is characterized in that different sized, the size ordered, superimposed circular disks, which rotate around different centers, indicate a period of time.

The specified in claim 1 arrangement is an alternative to the known arrangements with dial and hands. Circular disks are already used as display devices for time segments. As a rule, such circular disks are used only as a dial. On such serving as a dial discs are each arranged so that they all rotate at different speeds in the sense of an analog clock around a fixed center. Thus, the display of hours, minutes and seconds is possible.

In the present invention, now no pointers rotate on a circular disk, but again circular disks.

These rotating circular disks also rotate about different centers.

The respective front circular disk rotates about the center of the immediately underlying circular disk.

If four disks are placed in front of each other according to this principle, then an arrangement of three revolving around different centers rotating circular disks, which indicate hours, minutes and seconds.

The arrangement of the circular discs can be described with respect to the stacking direction of the circular discs, which is parallel to the perpendicular to the largest circular disc and is directed from the largest circular disc to the next smaller.

The reading direction is opposite to the stacking direction.

If the circular disks driven by an automatic mechanism, the arrangement for displaying time units can serve as a clock and so indicate the current time in hours, minutes and seconds.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. <Tb> FIG. 1 <sep> Schematic arrangement of the 4 circular disks for the time period display (in supervision) <Tb> FIG. 2 <sep> Different radii of 4 circular discs for time segment display (in supervision) <Tb> FIG. 3 <sep> The four circular slices with brightness contrasts (in supervision) <Tb> FIG. 4 <sep> The four circular disks without brightness contrasts (in supervision) <Tb> FIG. 5 <sep> The 4 circular disks with different radii of rotation (in front and side view) <Tb> FIG. 6 <sep> The 4 circular disks, as they are not to be arranged. <Tb> FIG. 7 <sep> 4 circular disks with time segments in chronological order (0:00:00 to 3:45:45) <Tb> FIG. 8 <sep> Perspective view of a drive for automated time display <Tb> FIG. 9 <sep> Supervision of a drive for automated time display

The arrangement for displaying time units of four superimposed circular disks is selected so that the smallest (S) on the second smallest (M), the second smallest on the third smallest (H) and the third smallest on the largest (Z) and thus rearmost come to rest (Fig. 1).

The radii of the circular discs behave so that the smallest disc (S) has a smaller diameter than the next larger disc (M). The next larger disc (M) has at most the diameter of the second largest disc (H). The second largest disc (H) has at most the diameter of the largest disc (Z).

The colors and structures and the material of the discs may be different. For a high-contrast appearance they stand out from each other by means of color structure and material (Fig. 3). For a discreet effect, they are similar in their properties (color, material and structure) (FIG. 4).

The arrangement of the discs is limited. The largest disc (Z) is the rearmost. In front of the farthest lies the next smaller (H) and in front of this the next smallest (M) and in front the smallest (S). In the extreme case, a smaller disk affects the next larger one, but does not project beyond its edge (FIGS. 5, 6).

By an intentional arrangement of the 3 discs (H, S, M) on the largest disc (Z), a moment - more precisely, a time in 12-hour format - are given (Fig. 7).

By placing the second largest disc (H) on the largest (Z) all hours and their fractions can be specified. The indication is given by the positioning of the disc (H) in relation to the disc (Z). The positions of the discs (M) and (S) are irrelevant. For example, to indicate the hour 3, the center of the disc (H) on the disc (Z) is arranged so that it is on the connecting line between the center of the disc (Z) and the 3 o'clock point of an imaginary dial on the Disc (Z) comes to rest. The display of the hour thus made is stepless (Fig. 7).

By placing the third largest disc (M) on the second largest (H), the minutes and their fractions can be specified by analogy to the hour display. The positions of the discs (Z) and (S) are irrelevant.

To indicate, for example, the minute 15, the center of the disc (M) on the disc (H) to be arranged so that it on the connecting line between the center of the disc (H) and the 3 o'clock point of an imaginary Dial comes to rest on the disc (H). The minute display is infinitely variable (Fig. 7).

By placing the smallest disc (S) on the second smallest (M) all seconds and their fractions can be specified. The indication is given by the positioning of the disc (S) in relation to the disc (M). The positions of the discs (Z) and (H) are irrelevant.

To indicate, for example, the second 15, the center of the disc (S) on the disc (M) to be arranged so that it on the connecting line between the center of the disc (M) and the 3 o'clock point of an imaginary Dial comes to rest on the disc (M). The display of the second thus made is stepless (Fig. 7).

The above-described states of the disks as Zeitangeber can be made self-adjusting by the integration of a mechanism. For the mechanism required for this, it should be remembered that the dependence of the various imaginary dials requires a correction of the gear ratios.

A with the disc (Z) fixedly connected conventional clockwork leads the disc (H) whose center is connected to the hour hand of the movement, in a circle around the center of the disc (Z). It creates a clockwise rotation of 0.5 ° per minute. This ratio is not corrected. The rotational speed and direction of rotation correspond exactly to that of the hour hand of a conventional movement.

The self-adjustment of the minute display by means of the positioning of the disc (M) on the disc (H) is achieved in that the movement of the minute hand of the above-mentioned movement, possibly the hour, by a mechanism (eg gears, rollers , Belts or chains) on the disc (M) so that it is rotated by 5.5 ° clockwise per minute. So the translation takes place at a ratio of 11:12. If necessary, supplement a rotary reverser (for example 3rd gear with 11 or 12 teeth) to ensure that the disc (M) turns clockwise.

The missing 0.5 ° to the full minute rotation (6 °) of the disc (M) are achieved in that the self-adjusting hours display on which the disc (M) is mounted in one minute by 0.5 ° also rotates clockwise. Taken together, the disc (M) then rotates by 6 °. Thus, it is ensured that the connecting line between the center of the disc (H) and the center of the disc (M) is parallel to the direction of an imaginary minute hand of a clock.

The self-adjustment of the second display by means of the positioning of the disc (S) on the disc (M) is achieved in that the movement of the second hand of the above-mentioned movement by a mechanism (eg gears, rollers, belts or chains) so on the Disk (S) is rotated by 354 ° per minute in a clockwise direction. The translation thus takes place at a ratio of 59:60. If necessary, supplement a rotary reversal device that ensures that the disc (S) rotates clockwise (for example, the 3rd gear may need to be supplemented with 59 or 60 teeth).

The missing 6 ° to the full minute rotation (360 °) are achieved in that the self-adjusting hours, on which the disc (M) is mounted, in a minute by 0.5 ° in a clockwise direction and the self-adjusting minutes, on the the disc (S) is mounted, in a minute by 5.5 ° - so together around the missing 6 ° - turn.

The rotating depending on the underlying discs disc (S) does not need 360 ° -igen rotation to make a full turn. The addition of all the rotation values ensures that the connecting line between the center of the disc (M) and the center of the disc (S) is parallel to the direction of an imaginary second hand of a clock.

The principle of the described time indicator is easily expandable.

An extension of the time context to smaller (1/100 seconds, 1/1000 seconds, etc.) or larger units (days, weeks, months, years, centuries, etc.) is conceivable. For this purpose, according to the described principle and in the described ratios and materials more discs deposited or prefixed. In the case of a self-indicating display, the necessary gear ratios must be recalculated and adjusted.

It would also be possible to reach the individual self-indicating displays of the various units by means of independent interlockings, e.g. connected by radio to ensure synchronization.

Instead of a mechanical solution of the self-posing problem, it is also conceivable that a representation of the time image on screens, controlled by a suitable programming, takes place.

It is also conceivable that the graphic appearance of the time image is only printed, so does not physically appear.

The time image can be used at different locations. It is conceivable, e.g. wall mounting, integration into a wristwatch, outdoor use (e.g., as a church clock), or a purely virtual application on a display screen.

The example of a possible mechanism is shown in FIG. The mechanism shown therein allows by means of extendable gear racks freely determinable radii of the respective upstream circular disks of the next smaller circular section. The variable radii are at most as large as the circle radii of the underlying disc. Instead of the extendable gear rods can also be a fixed radius with appropriate gears are selected (Fig. 9).

Claims (7)

1. Arrangement for displaying time units, characterized by different sized circular disks (Z, H, M, S), which are arranged in front of each other in size so that seen in the reading direction, the largest circular disk (Z) to the rear and the smallest circular disk (S) vorderst are arranged. 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the circular discs are rotatable relative to each other. 3. Arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the respective front circular disk is rotatable about the center of the immediately behind arranged circular disk. 4. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the respective front circular disc does not protrude beyond the edge of the immediately behind arranged circular disc. 5. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, which has at least two circular discs for displaying the hours, preferably a third disc for displaying the minutes, and more preferably a fourth disc for displaying the seconds. 6. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, with a mechanical movement for automatically adjusting the circular discs. 7. Clock with an arrangement according to one of the preceding claims.