DE10023381A1 - Time zone clock has time zone marker attached to housing and relatively rotatable time zone setting ring with reference marker; ring is turned to shift hour display to foreign time zone - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a 24-hour display, a time zone marker attached to the housing and a time zone setting ring with a reference marker. The ring interacts with an hour display so that the hour display shows a home time zone time in a home time zone position of the ring with the time zone marker and the reference marker opposed. Turning the ring by a defined angle or multiple angle shifts the hour display to show a time corresponding to a foreign zone. The device has a 24-hour display, a time zone marker (7) attached to the housing and a relatively rotatable time zone setting ring (8) with a reference marker (9). The ring interacts with an hour display (3) so that the hour display shows a home time zone time in a home time zone position of the ring in which the time zone marker and the reference marker are opposed. Turning the ring through a defined angle or multiple thereof shifts the hour display by one or more hours to show a time corresponding to a foreign zone.

Description

The invention relates to a time zone clock with a 24-hour display, a housing-fixed Time zone marker and a relatively rotatable ver with a reference mark seen time zone setting ring.

In known time zone clocks, the possibility of marking that time zone in which the wearer of the watch is currently located, there is a disadvantage in that that always requires a calculation of the time difference between the time zones concerned it is necessary to set the clock to a new time zone or from one showed local time to subtract or add a certain number of hours.  

The invention has set itself the task of a generic time zone clock to develop that as simple as possible and requiring no calculations Setting the clock to any time zone is possible.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a time zone clock with a 24-hour clock. Display, a fixed time zone marker and a rotatable relative to it with a time zone setting ring provided with a reference mark, the time zone clock characterized in that the time zone setting ring in operative connection with an hour means of the 24-hour display, so that the hour display means in a home Time zone setting of the time zone setting ring in which the time zone marking and the Be train marker face each other, displays a home time zone and after Rotation of the time zone setting ring by a predetermined angle of rotation or a multiple ches of which the hour display means is adjusted by one or more hour (s) and one displays a travel time zone time corresponding to a set travel time zone.

The predetermined angle of rotation is expediently 15 °, i. H. the time zone setting ring is rotated by a total of 360 ° when moving over 24 world time zones.

It is expediently provided that the time zone setting ring on an outside in Angular distances that correspond to the predetermined angle of rotation with for world time zones characteristic location information, especially city names, is provided.

It is preferably provided that the time zone marking fixed to the housing and preferably also the reference mark is a visually and / or haptically perceptible mark or are.

The time zone marking and / or the reference marking is or are expedient provided with (each) one illuminant, the illuminant (s) being connected to the  Switching device interacting with the time zone setting ring is (are) activated when the Time zone setting ring is rotated from the home time position.

The time zone clock can have an (electronic) digital display. Alternatively and before The time zone clock has an analog display by means of a (mechanically) moving display number len on, with an outer hour disc bearing the hour number for hour display, ei a concentric middle minute disk with minutes to display the minutes, if necessary, a concentric second disc for seconds and at least one ge display window fixed to the house, the time zone setting ring with the hour disc in effect connection stands.

It is preferably provided that the hour disc via a slip clutch, for example. magnetic, connected to a clockwork.

It can be provided that the time zone setting ring from a rest position in which it is not is operatively connected to the hour display means in an axially displaced actuation position can be brought in which he is in operative connection with the hour display means and a time zone setting is possible.

The time zone setting ring is expediently in the rest position against unintentional Adjustment locked, in particular by means of a locking device.

In an embodiment of the invention it can be provided that the time zone setting ring Has teeth, which in the operating position with an intermediate gear with fixed axis of rotation cooperates, which in turn interlocks with the hour display is engaged in means.

The time zone setting ring expediently has an internal toothing and the hours display means an external toothing.  

Alternatively, the time zone setting ring can be operated via a freewheel mechanism or an over Hol coupling be connected to the hour display. In this case, the time zone setting ring expediently with a further freewheel mechanism with the housing connected.

The invention is further explained below using an exemplary embodiment, wherein reference is made to a drawing in which

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an inventive Time Zone Clock, wherein the Zeitzoneneinstellring is in a home time zone setting,

FIG. 2 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 1, the time zone setting ring being adjusted to a travel time zone that is different from the home time zone, and

Figure 3 is an exploded, schematic representation of essential components. Time Zone Clock of the invention according to FIG. 1 and 2.

The basic function of the Time Zone Clock invention is based on the gen Imaging Logo of FIG. 1 and described in FIG. 2. In the present example, the time zone clock, which can be designed as a wristwatch, pocket watch, table clock, etc., is equipped with a mechanical or mechanically actuated (possibly electrically driven) analog mechanism with which the time is displayed under display windows 1 , 2 instead of by pointers concentrically arranged, numbered disks or rings are displayed analog or "digital". The display window 1 , 2 can have transparent plastic hemispheres 1 a ( Fig. 3) sen, which lead to a magnification effect.

An outer disc 3 shows the hours in 24 steps at intervals of one hour. The hour display can move forward either continuously or incrementally once every 60 minutes. A middle disc 4 shows the minutes in steps of one minute each and can also move forward either continuously or step by step every 60 seconds. An inner disc 5 shows the seconds in steps of 5 seconds and can also move forward either continuously or step by step once every second.

The display window 1 , 2 are embedded in an upper shell 6 of the clock, which is firmly connected to a housing carrying the clockwork and thus carries a time zone marker 7 which is fixed to the housing. In the present embodiment, the housing-fixed Zeitzonenmarkie tion 7 is opposite the display windows 1 , 2 in a position which corresponds to the "3 o'clock position" of a conventional dial.

The time zone clock also has a freely rotatable time zone setting ring 8 with respect to the upper shell or the housing, which is provided on its upper side with locations indicative of world time zones (e.g. Frankfurt, New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Moscow). At a predetermined location, the time zone setting ring 8 carries a reference mark 9 instead of one of the ge-specified locations, which corresponds to the appearance of the time zone marker 7 , the location information replaced by the reference mark 9 corresponding to the time zone for which the wearer of the watch when buying it has decided for its individual home time zone. This assignment of the reference mark 9 to a specific location is of course freely selectable.

By means of an active connection to be explained in more detail between the time zone adjusting ring and the hour display means of the clock, in this case the outer disc 3 , setting or changing the clock when changing from one time zone to another or from is much easier Home time zone in a (new) travel time zone is possible by only twisting the time zone setting ring 9 in such a way that the location information characterizing the travel time zone instead of the reference mark 9 is opposite the time zone mark 7 .

This is exemplified in Fig. 2, wherein the wearer of the watch has traveled from his home time zone (corresponding to the position of the reference mark 9 in the present example, the time zone Atlantic, Caracas, La Paz, Santiago) into the time zone of San Francisco and has adjusted the time zone setting ring 8 in such a way that the indication "San Francis co" on it faces the time zone marking 7 fixed to the housing. Due to the operative connection between the time zone setting ring and the hour disc 3 , the time is automatically adjusted by four hours without the wearer of the watch knowing and / or calculating the time difference of four hours and / or having to set the number as such. He just needs to know what time zone he is in.

In order to signal the adjustment of the time zone setting ring outside of the neutral or home time position according to FIG. 1, it can be provided that the time zone and reference markings 7 , 9 are designed to be visually striking and, if appropriate, additionally haptically detectable, the markings also with a lamp (light emitting diode or similar) can be provided, which is activated as soon as the time zone setting ring is rotated from the home time zone position.

In an alternative embodiment as a conventional hand watch with a 24-hour Dial would be the time zone setting ring with the hour hand in corresponding effect are connected, whereby in any case it is ensured by a slip clutch or the like that only the hours are displayed, but not the minutes or Se customer is influenced.

Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the essential parts of a time zone clock according to the invention, in particular one embodiment of a mechanical active connection between the time zone setting ring and the hour display is shown.

Parts fixed to the housing or parts forming the housing of the watch are a lower shell 10 , to which a clockwork 11 is fastened, and the upper shell 6 . As already explained, the upper shell for forming display windows 1 , 2 is broken through, lens-like enlargement elements can be arranged on the display windows, one of which is shown and designated 1a.

Further, FIG. 3 shows the display discs 3, 4 and 5, which are each connected to a respective drive axle 13 (for a few seconds), 14 (for minutes), and 15 (for hours) of the movement 11 for hours, minutes and seconds. Here, the indicator disks 4 and 5 are connected in a conventional manner to the corresponding drive axles for minutes or seconds, while the hour disk 3 is connected to the drive axle 15 via a slip clutch.

The mechanical operative connection between the time zone setting ring 8 and the hour disc 3 is constructed as follows. The hour disc 3 is firmly connected to a gear or ring gear (annular toothing) 18 , on which an external toothing is formed. An intermediate gear 19 , the axis of rotation of which is arranged fixed to the housing and, for example, is fastened to the lower shell 10 , is in constant engagement with the toothing of the gear 18 . Furthermore, a ring gear 20 is provided, which has an internal toothing and is firmly connected to the time zone setting ring 8 . The time zone setting ring 8 is in turn held on the housing of the clock in such a way that it is in an (unloaded) rest position in a locked state with the housing or the upper shell, so that it cannot be rotated unintentionally. If a rotation of the time zone setting ring is intended, this is axially shifted into an actuating position by slight pressure in the direction of the lower shell, so that the time zone setting ring is released from its locked state and can be rotated. At the same time this axial displacement of the time zone setting ring of the ring gear 20 , which is in the rest position of the time zone setting ring at an axial distance from the plane of the gear 18 and the intermediate gear 19, is shifted into the plane of the gears mentioned and comes into engagement with the intermediate gear wheel 19 , so that the gear 18 , the intermediate gear 19 and the ring gear 20 are in a common plane and in engagement with each other.

A rotation of the time zone setting ring 8 in the axially shifted position or actuation position leads to a rotation of the intermediate gear 19 , which in turn causes the gear 18 and thus the associated hour disc 3 to one of the direction of rotation of the time zone setting ring opposite rotation.

After completion of the setting process, when a selected location (time zone marking) faces the time zone marker 7 , the time zone setting ring 8 is released, z. B. a return spring ensures that the time zone adjustment ring automatically returns to its rest position, in which it is locked to the housing and the ring gear 20 is no longer in engagement with the intermediate gear 19 , so that the operative connection is raised to.

Alternatively and instead of via the gearwheels 18 to 20 , the time zone setting ring could be connected to the hour disk 3 via a one-way clutch or an overrunning clutch, in which case rotation of the time zone adjustment ring counter to the freewheeling direction of the one-way clutch causes entrainment and thus an adjustment of the hour disk 3 while a rotation in the opposite direction is expediently blocked by a one-way clutch acting in the opposite direction between the time zone setting ring and the housing, so that the time zone setting ring can only be rotated in the direction which leads to an adjustment of the hour disc.

Reference list

1

,

2

Display window

1

a magnifying element

3rd

Hour disc

4

Minute disc
S seconds disc

6

Upper shell

7

Time zone marking

8th

Time zone setting ring

9

Reference mark

10th

Lower shell

11

clockwork

13

Drive shaft (seconds)

14

Drive shaft (minutes)

15

Drive shaft (hours)

18th

Gearing (at

3rd

)

19th

Idler gear

20th

Gearing (at

8th

)

Claims (15)

1. Time zone clock with a 24-hour display, a time zone fixed to the housing ( 7 ) and a time zone setting ring ( 8 ) which can be rotated relative to it and provided with a reference mark ( 9 ), characterized in that the time zone setting ring ( 8 ) is operatively connected to an hour display means ( 3 ) the 24-hour display stands so that the hour display means ( 3 ) in a home time zone position of the time zone setting ring ( Fig. 1), in which the time zone mark ( 7 ) and the reference mark ( 9 ) face each other, displays a home time zone time and after Rotation of the Zeitzo neneinstellrings ( 8 ) by a predetermined angle of rotation or a multiple thereof the hour display means ( 3 ) is adjusted by one or more hour (s) and a travel time zone time corresponding to a set travel time zone ( Fig. 2). 2. Time zone clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined rotation kel is 15 °. 3. Time zone clock according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the time zone ring an outside at angular intervals corresponding to the predetermined angle of rotation, with locations indicative of world time zones, in particular city names, verse hen is. 4. Time zone clock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing-fixed time zone marking ( 7 ) is an optically and / or haptically perceptible marking. 5. Time zone clock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reference mark ( 9 ) is an optically and / or haptically perceptible mark. 6. Time zone clock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the time zone marking ( 7 ) and / or the reference mark ( 9 ) is provided with (in each case) a lamp, the (the) lamp being activated via a switching device interacting with the time zone adjusting ring is (are) when the time zone setting ring is rotated from the home time zone position. 7. Time zone clock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a Di capital display. 8. Time zone clock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by an Analoganzei ge by means of moving display numbers, with an outer, hourly hour-bearing hour disc ( 3 ), a concentric mean minutes-bearing minute disc ( 4 ) for minute display, possibly a concentric second disc ( 5 ) for displaying the seconds and at least one housing-fixed display window ( 1 , 2 ), the time zone setting ring ( 8 ) being in operative connection with the hour disc ( 3 ). 9. Time zone clock according to claim 8, characterized in that the hour disc is connected via a slip clutch, for example. Magnetic clutch, with a clockwork ( 11 ). 10. Time zone setting ring according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the time zone setting ring ( 8 ) from a rest position, in which it is not operatively connected to the hour display means ( 3 ), can be brought into an axially displaced actuation position in which it can be operated with Hour display means ( 3 ) is in operative connection and a time zone setting is possible. 11. Time zone clock according to claim 10, characterized in that the time zone setting ring ( 8 ) is locked in the rest position against unintentional adjustment, in particular by means of a locking device. 12. Time zone clock according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the time zone ring ( 8 ) has a ring toothing ( 20 ) which cooperates in the actuating position with an inter mediate gear ( 19 ) with a fixed axis of rotation, which in turn with a toothing ( 18 ) of the Hour display means ( 3 ) is engaged. 13. Time zone clock according to claim 12, characterized in that the time zone setting ring ( 8 ) has an internal toothing ( 20 ) and the hour display means ( 3 ) has an external toothing ( 18 ). 14. Time zone clock according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the Zeitzo neneintellring ( 8 ) via a freewheel or an overrunning clutch with the hour indicator means ( 3 ) is connected. 15. Time zone clock according to claim 14, characterized in that the time zone setting ring ( 8 ) is connected to the housing via a further freewheel mechanism or a further overrunning clutch.