EP0515611A1

EP0515611A1 - Concealed display.

Info

Publication number: EP0515611A1
Application number: EP92900303A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Claude-Eric Leuenberger; Gaston Schweighauser
Original assignee: Montres Rolex SA
Current assignee: Rolex SA
Priority date: 1990-12-14
Filing date: 1991-12-13
Publication date: 1992-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 2011-12-13
Also published as: CH681673GA3; DE69111797T2; US5289437A; EP0515611B1; DE69111797D1; CH681673B5; WO1992010795A1

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/CH91/00267 Sec. 371 Date Jul. 29, 1992 Sec. 102(e) Date Jul. 29, 1992 PCT Filed Dec. 13, 1991 PCT Pub. No. WO91/10795 PCT Pub. Date Jun. 25, 1992.A wristwatch with analogue time display comprises a dial with a hatch (19), and a rotatable disc or hoop (10) bearing non-time indications. The disc is arranged in such a way that the indications provided thereon appear in the hatch via an opening provided in said disc and having a size which is equal to the size of each indication. Said opening reveals additional indications provided by an electro-optical display device (30) when said opening (21) coincides with said hatch (19).

Description

HIDDEN DISPLAY

The present invention relates to a watch of the wristwatch type with analog display comprising a dial provided with a window, a disc or rotating ring carrying information other than the time indications, this disc being arranged so that the information he carries appears in the counter.

Quartz watches with analog time display, i.e. performing this display by hands, a date disc and possibly a day disc, advantageously have the same external appearance as traditional mechanical watches

For this type of product, it is a matter of producing and using an electronic movement rather than a mechanical movement with the known advantages of operating precision and permanent operation throughout the life of the battery, rather than during the few tens of hours provided by the energy source stored in the barrel spring of a mechanical watch. Such an electronic approach leaves the designer the same freedom as with a mechanical movement and makes it possible to create a very wide variety of clothing for the product, but it is obvious that the functionality of the object is always the same, and is limited to time display (second, minute, hour, date, possibly day, month, year).

To integrate one or more additional functions into the electronic watch with analog time display, such as, for example, a time counter, setting an alarm time, displaying the month, year, temperature , etc. , the following known solutions have been proposed: add an electro-optical cell for digital or alphanumeric display next to the dial or in a window made in the latter; place in place of the dial an electro-optical cell of equivalent shape, pierced in its center, to allow the corresponding axes of the hands to pass.

These achievements have the disadvantage of very seriously limiting the choice of designer. Indeed _? the color palette of the electro-optical cells is very limited and their shape as well as the aesthetics of the displayed characters can only harm the image of the product, especially in the high-end market sector.

For this purpose, the watch according to the invention is characterized in that the disc has at least one opening occupying a space corresponding to a location of information carried by this disc and making additional information accessible when said opening coincides with the window. .

According to a preferred embodiment, said additional information is given by a fixed electro¬ optical display device.

Preferably, when the information carried by the disc is calendar, the opening made in the disc occupies a space corresponding substantially to a thirty-second turn.

When the information carried by the disc is the days, the opening made in the disc corresponds approximately to an eighth of a turn.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the opening formed in the disc has dimensions substantially equivalent to those of the window provided in the dial.

The watch according to the invention comprises control means for giving access to the additional information displayed through said opening. When it has a time-setting rod, said control means preferably consist of the time-setting rod.

The watch setting stem is preferably arranged to allow unconventional manipulation combinations to activate the command to access the additional information displayed through said opening.

Preferably the control means consist of at least one push button.

In another embodiment of the watch, the control means are automatic and are activated, when the battery is changed, by powering up.

The present invention will be better understood with reference to the description of a preferred embodiment and of a variant and to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a partial view of the watch of the invention, in which the additional information which is accessed through the opening of the disc is hidden,

FIG. 2 illustrates the watch of FIG. 1 in which the opening and the window are superimposed,

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of another embodiment with the information hidden, and

FIG. A represents the watch of this other embodiment with the additional information displayed through the opening of the disc and the window superimposed.

In the embodiments described below with reference to the figures, a date and / or day disc is used, one position of which has an opening revealing a device electro-optical display unit fixedly placed under the aperture in the dial and under the disc. This opening advantageously occupies a thirty-second turn of the date disc, for example between the 31 and the 1, or an eighth of a day disc turn, for example between Sunday and Monday. When it coincides with the window, additional information given by the electro-optical display becomes apparent. In all the other positions, this information is masked by the disc which bears either the numerals and the numbers of the calendar, or the name of the days of the week on its upper face, the face of which the one thirty-second or the one eighth is as the case may be, visible through the window. All the positions, except for the position associated with the window, correspond to the classic display of the date and / or the name of the day.

The implementation of such a device preferably requires means for angularly moving the disc, which are independent of the means necessary for moving the needles. The term "cutting of the kinematic chain" is used in two distinct parts. Such an arrangement, known per se, makes it possible to move one or more discs in one or the other direction, without interfering with the display of the time by the hands, and this whatever their respective positions. It will be noted that a mechanical watch with analog display comprising a date and / or day disc is always provided with means for correcting the angular position of this disc. In general, it is a mechanism coupled to the time-setting rod in such a way that in the intermediate axial position, that is to say half pulled, a rotation of this rod causes the displacement date by date (or possibly day by day) from the corresponding disc. In this case, there is also a cutting of the kinematic chain. There is therefore nothing to prevent an electro-optical display, already described, and an associated electronic circuit managing one or more additional functions from being added to a mechanical watch. A battery must then be provided only for the supply of this part. For the electronic watch, it is advantageous to have a means of locating the position of the disc (s), because this means, associated with the electronic circuit of the watch, allows automatic management of the positioning of the correct value opposite from the counter. Indeed, in this case, the circuit includes an electronic memory containing at all times the information relating to the effective position of the disc (s).

With a simplified version not comprising means of repé¬ rage, one can consider controlling the movement of the disc (s), until the appearance of the electro-optical display, manually by the setting rod. time as for the mechanical watch. This display gives, for example, additional information such as a second time, the time of another time zone, etc.

With the embodiment without locating means, the user can be led, at each change of month and / or week, to advance manually, by means of the time-setting rod, the position of the or discs of a thirty-second, respectively an eighth, of additional turn, to pass from the date 31 to the 1, or from Sunday to Monday to exceed the opening made in the disc.

The addition of a means for locating the position of the disc (s) coupled to the electronic circuit makes it possible, through the latter, to control the advance of the discs automatically and to exceed said opening.

The cutting of the kinematic chain described above makes it possible, with position tracking, to produce a so-called perpetual calendar watch. The electro-optical display allows, in a particularly easy way, programming in the memories of the electronic circuit, of the month and of the year, indications which are necessary for the management of the perpetual calendar function. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electronic watch comprising a kinematic chain for displaying the time (hour, minute, possibly second hands) driven by a first motor (not shown), comprises a disc date 10 driven by a second motor 11 connected for example to an endless screw 12 engaged with a wheel 13 which meshes this disc 10 or date ring. This motor is controlled by an electronic circuit 14 * which is connected to a device 15 for locating the position of the disc. This device comprises a contactor 16 arranged to cooperate with a peripheral protuberance 17 of the disc 10.

The dial 18 of the watch is partially shown with a window 19. The dimensions of this window are determined in such a way that the dates 20 written on the disc 10 appear entirely in this window.

Between the dates one and thirty-one, the disc has an opening 21 which has substantially the same dimensions or which is slightly larger than the window 19. This opening allows, as mentioned previously, to access additional information arranged in a fixed position below the window 19 and which is hidden when the opening does not coincide with the window.

In FIG. 1, the opening 21 is offset by three steps relative to the window 19 and the device for displaying the additional information is effectively hidden by the date disc 10. In FIG. 2, the opening 21 coincides with the window 19, following an appropriate rotation of the date disc and the display device 30 appears in the window. This device consists for example of an opto-electronic unit which, in the form of embodiment shown, displays the number 03. This device is controlled by the electronic circuit 14 mounted on a printed circuit 31, the electronic circuit 14 being coupled to the display device 30 by means of an electrical connection schematically represented by the arrow 32. In this position, the contactor 16 is closed and transmits an appropriate signal to the electronic circuit 14.

According to a preferred embodiment, the additional information corresponds to the number of the month but can also correspond to any other information such as for example the ambient temperature, the time in another city of the terrestrial globe, etc.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate another embodiment in which the date disc is replaced by a 40 day disc. This day disc has eight tracks, seven of which bear the names of the seven days of the week and the eighth of which corresponds to the opening 21. In this case, the opening 21 has an elongated shape, the dimension of which corresponds substantially to an eighth of a turn of the day disc. The window 19 also extends over a length corresponding to an eighth of a turn so that the full name of the day can be displayed. As shown in Figure 3, the seven days are displayed successively in the window 19 and the opening is hidden by the dial as long as the names of the days are displayed. On the other hand, when the day disc is brought into said eighth position, the window 19 and the opening 21 are brought into correspondence, which gives access to additional information which occupies a fixed position in the watch box located below. counter 19.

As shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment the additional information can be a complete date, for example 22.07.1991 which appears through the window 19 and the opening 21.

As mentioned previously, this additional information can for example be used to make it possible, or more precisely to have carried out by a specialist, the programming of the watch when it is a watch with a perpetual calendar. In this case, access to the opening, and consequently to the additional information, can be coded in particular by an unconventional manipulation of an electronic time-setting rod comprising for example three axial positions. Such an electronic time-setting rod is in fact a contact device making it possible, in association with the electronic circuit of the watch, to discriminate its axial position and to detect its rotation and its direction of rotation. Such a device is known per se.

For example, in the pushed axial position of the rod, the rotation has no effect. This position is said to be neutral, the watch operates normally.

In the intermediate axial position, the rotation results in advancing or retreating, depending on the direction of rotation, by one hour exactly from the time displayed by the hands.

In the pulled axial position, rotation controls the setting of the hands display.

It should be noted that at midnight, the integrated circuit can be arranged to control the drive motor of the disc to change the date. When switching from 31 to 1st, the circuit manages the jump from the window between these two dates and the watch therefore behaves like a classic watch.

To discover the electro-optical display, it is necessary to give an order to the electronic circuit, which is arranged in such a way that it decodes this order and executes the command of the movement of the date disc, until the window of opening coincides with the window. This order can be given by pressing a push button causing the closure of a contact itself associated with the electronic circuit. It is however more advantageous not to use a push button, for questions of aesthetics of the watch, and to replace it by an unconventional manipulation of the time-setting rod. In the axial thrust position of the rod, a rotation of five turns within a few seconds may replace the action of the push button. The electronic circuit then includes appropriate means for recognizing such a manipulation which allows for example to enter the programming mode of the watch.

When the date disc window coincides with the window, the electro-optical display is activated by the electronic circuit. This display is advantageously carried out by means of an electro¬ optical cell.

In the pushed axial position of the rod, the display indicates the current date. Rotating in one direction increases the value of the displayed date and thus programs the desired date. The rotation in the other direction allows the unconventional manipulation described above, which allows the return to the display by the disc of the programmed value of the date.

In the intermediate axial position the display indicates the month from 01 to 12, a rotation in the screwing direction increments the displayed value by +1 (plus one), and a rotation in the unscrewing direction decreases the displayed value by -1 (minus one). We can thus program the month.

In the pulled axial position, the display shows the tens and units of the year (for example 90 for the year 1990). A rotation in the screwing or unscrewing direction increments, respectively decrements, the displayed value. We can thus program the year. After pushing back the rod and carrying out the unconventional manipulation described, the electronic circuit manages the return of the disc to the programmed position. The month and the year having been programmed, the electronic circuit is now able to control the advance of the date disc by respecting the rules of the perpetual calendar.

When the window is arranged in the day disc, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the complete date, ie date, month and year, is displayed directly, which facilitates the control of programming operations.

Claims

1. Watch of the wristwatch type with analog display of the time indications, comprising a dial provided with a window, a rotating disc or ring carrying information other than the time indications, this disc being arranged in such a way that the information it carries appears in the window, characterized in that the disc (10) has at least one opening (21) occupying a space corresponding to a location of information carried by this disc and rendering accessible additional information when said opening (2) coincides with the window (19).

2. Watch according to claim 1, characterized in that said additional information is given by a fixed electro-optical display device (30).

3. Watch according to claim 1, wherein the information carried by the disc (10) is the date (20), characterized in that the opening (21) formed in the disc occupies a space corresponding substantially to a thirty-second of turn.

4. Watch according to claim 1, wherein the information carried by the disc is the days, characterized in that the opening (21) formed in the disc corresponds substantially to an eighth of a turn.

5. Watch according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening (21) formed in the disc has dimensions substantially equiva¬ slow to those of the window (19) formed in the dial.

6. Watch according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises control means for giving access to the additional information displayed through said opening.

7. Watch according to claim 6, comprising a time-setting rod, characterized in that said control means are constituted by said time-setting rod.

8. Watch according to claim 7, characterized in that the time-setting rod is arranged to authorize unconventional handling combinations to activate the command to access the additional information displayed through said opening.

9 Watch according to claim 6, characterized in that said control means consist of at least one push button.

10. Watch according to claim 6, characterized in that said control means are automatic.

11. Watch according to claim 10, characterized in that said control means are activated, during a battery change, by powering up.