EP1643322B1 - Illumination device for a dial with central symmetry - Google Patents

Illumination device for a dial with central symmetry Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1643322B1
EP1643322B1 EP04023172A EP04023172A EP1643322B1 EP 1643322 B1 EP1643322 B1 EP 1643322B1 EP 04023172 A EP04023172 A EP 04023172A EP 04023172 A EP04023172 A EP 04023172A EP 1643322 B1 EP1643322 B1 EP 1643322B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
dial
lighting device
crystal
light source
reflector
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status 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 status listed.)
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Application number
EP04023172A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP1643322A1 (en
Inventor
Pascal Winkler
Gian-Carlo Poli
Joachim Grupp
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Asulab AG
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Asulab AG
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.)
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Publication date
Application filed by Asulab AG filed Critical Asulab AG
Priority to DE602004028738T priority Critical patent/DE602004028738D1/en
Priority to AT04023172T priority patent/ATE478365T1/en
Priority to EP04023172A priority patent/EP1643322B1/en
Priority to TW094131129A priority patent/TW200617354A/en
Priority to US11/230,566 priority patent/US7038976B2/en
Priority to JP2005279784A priority patent/JP4690161B2/en
Priority to KR1020050090929A priority patent/KR101134741B1/en
Priority to CN200510108011A priority patent/CN100580583C/en
Publication of EP1643322A1 publication Critical patent/EP1643322A1/en
Priority to HK06105575.6A priority patent/HK1085547A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1643322B1 publication Critical patent/EP1643322B1/en
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    • 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
    • G04B19/30—Illumination of dials or hands
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
    • G04G9/00—Visual time or date indication means
    • G04G9/0023—Visual time or date indication means by light valves in general
    • G04G9/0029—Details
    • G04G9/0035—Details constructional
    • G04G9/0041—Illumination devices

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a centrally symmetrical lighting device for a dial of a measuring device, such as the dial of an on-board instrument or the dial of a timepiece for which it is desirable that information carried by the dial equidistant from the center receive the same illumination.
  • Such a device for example described in the US Patent 4,115,994 , comprises a light source positioned at the lower face of an ice of equal thickness and connected to the energy source by two embedded juxtaposed conductive wires in the thickness of the ice.
  • the US Patent 4,118,924 describes a device in which at least one light source is also positioned at the lower face of an ice of equal thickness by being connected by two conductive wires in the extension of one another.
  • an embodiment describes lighting by means of a plurality of diodes arranged above the matrices of a digital display, the conductor wires of each diode creating a sort of "spider web" in the ice .
  • Such direct lighting allows for an annular distribution of light, but does not provide uniform illumination of the entire dial.
  • the presence of conducting son in the ice produces an unattractive effect and not suited to a timepiece.
  • the US Patent 6,106,127 proposes to reduce the above-mentioned disadvantage by passing the conductive wires through a hole formed through the axis of the needles, which is an advance towards a more aesthetic embodiment, but does not eliminate a halo-like illumination.
  • the axis of the needles has also been used in the past as a light guide.
  • the U.S. Patent 3,859,782 describes for example a device in which a light source is disposed at the rear of the dial facing the barrel of needles whose other end opens opposite a small reflector glued under a mirror whose two faces are parallel.
  • the disadvantage related to the son does not exist, but, in addition to the difficulty of passing the son through the barrel without subsequently hindering the free rotation of the latter, a "uniform" illumination of the dial can not more be obtained with a reflector returning the incident light directly on the dial.
  • the present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art by providing a centrally symmetrical lighting device by means of a single light source disposed under the dial and a particular arrangement made through the center of the dial and in the center of an ice of non-uniform thickness.
  • the device can be made simply, aesthetically and economically with a small number of parts and has a high light output.
  • the invention relates to a centrally symmetrical lighting device of a dial having at least one information display.
  • this display can be of analog type by means of driven needles and supported by a barrel through the dial and / or digital type.
  • the dial is arranged in a box closed at its upper part by an ice and at its bottom by a bottom delimiting with the dial a housing to receive the control means of the display and a power source supplying the control means of the display and a light source located in the housing under the dial.
  • the device is characterized in that the ice has a thickness which decreases regularly from its center to its periphery, and in that the center of the dial is crossed by a cylindrical light guide, one end of which receives the luminous flux of the light source and whose opposite end is opposite an axially symmetrical reflector hollowed out in the center of the mirror to reorient the rays coming from the light source by total internal reflection in the thickness of the ice and allow their emergence towards the dial when the limit angle of refraction on the inner face of the ice is exceeded.
  • the outer face of the ice can then have the shape of a cone having a low angle at the base ⁇ , or of a spherical sector and more generally of a curved sector, and the internal face the shape of a plane or of a spherical sector.
  • the ice can be of plano-conical, plano-convex, convex-conical or divergent meniscus type.
  • the reflector has an axially symmetrical shape with a straight wall, for example conical, or with a curved wall. It can also have the shape of a regular pyramid, for example dodecagonal based to illuminate the twelve hour markers of a timepiece.
  • the reflector is hollowed out in the outer face of the glass and optionally comprises a reflective coating.
  • the reflector is hollowed out in the inner face of the ice and has a reflective coating for radially reorienting the rays in the thickness of the ice.
  • the light guide may constitute the barrel of the needles or be incorporated therein without thereby interfering in any way with the proper operation of the room. watchmaking.
  • a first lighting mode according to the invention is shown, taking as an example the illumination of the dial 10 of a wristwatch.
  • the dial 10 is arranged in a circular casing having a middle part 2 closed at its upper part by an ice 1 held between a flange 3 and a bezel 4, and at its bottom by a bottom 5 delimiting a housing 6.
  • the housing 6 is intended to receive a power source 7 for supplying the control means 8 of the display.
  • control means 8 are constituted by a time-keeping circuit designed to control, on the one hand, a stepping motor 9 for driving the hands 11a, 11b facing indexes 12 carried by the dial 10 to provide information in analog form, on the other hand a digital display 13, constituted, for example, by a liquid crystal reflective display cell (LCD).
  • the housing 6 also contains a light source 15 powered by the energy source 7 and can be controlled by a pushbutton 16 disposed on the middle part 2 and separated from the ring 14.
  • Other control means are obviously quite possible, for example touch control means at the ice.
  • the light source 15 which is, for example, a diode (LED) is disposed facing the end 17a of a light guide 17 which passes through the dial.
  • the light source 15 could obviously occupy another position in the housing, the luminous flux being then guided for example by an optical fiber to the end 17a of the light guide 17.
  • the guide 17 is housed in the barrel 18 needles, and its end 17b opens opposite the ice 1 whose particular conformation will be described later.
  • the guide 17 can be made of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or any other known material that can constitute a light guide, and allows multiple internal reflections to have at its output a lambertian type beam whose axis corresponds to the center of Ice 1.
  • PMMA polymethylmethacrylate
  • the ice 1 has an inner face 1b plane and parallel to the dial 10, and an outer face 1a slightly conical, that is to say forming at the base an angle ⁇ with the inner face 1b.
  • the angle ⁇ is for example between 10 ° and 5 °, and corresponds in the figures to an angle of about 6 °.
  • the choice of this angle ⁇ conicity obviously depends on the refractive index of the material constituting the ice and other construction parameters.
  • the central portion of the mirror comprises a conical-shaped reflector 20, making it possible to reorient the incident rays inside the lens 1.
  • the reflector 20 is hollow-shaped in the outer face 1a with an opening of angle ⁇ relative to to the axis of symmetry of the ice 1.
  • the value to be given to the angle ⁇ obviously depends on many parameters of construction of the ice (diameter, value of ⁇ , index of refraction of the ice), the value of ⁇ being about 60 ° in the example shown.
  • the angle ⁇ must allow a total reflection on the outer face of the ice.
  • the ice 1 behaves radially like a waveguide type ⁇ -2 ⁇ , for guiding the light by total internal reflection (TIR) until the angle of incidence inside the inner face 1a of the ice 1 becomes smaller than the limit angle of refraction, for example 42.2 ° if the ice is PMMA, and emerges by refraction toward the dial 10.
  • TIR total internal reflection
  • This path is illustrated by the radius referenced 25 which hits the LCD digital display and by the referenced ray 27 which hits the needles. If the radius, referenced 29 in the figure 3 , emerges too close to the edge of the ice 1, it will not come to hit the dial 10, but the flange 3 which will then preferably be coated with a reflective film to redirect the spoke to the dial 10.
  • the device that comes from being described thus makes it possible to obtain uniform illumination of the dial with a high efficiency, greater than 20% of the light emitted by the light source. Depending on the construction parameters, this illumination may be uniform over the entire dial, or only at a central symmetry ring, on which are inscribed indexes, for example hour indices 12 of a timepiece.
  • the conical reflector 20 may be replaced by a pyramidal reflector, for example dodecagonal based to preferentially illuminate the hourly indexes 12.
  • FIG. 4 and 5 there is shown a second embodiment which differs from that previously described, essentially in that the shape of the ice is of the converging meniscus type, and in that the reflector 22 is formed in the internal face 1b of the ice 1, by having an outer surface coated with a reflective coating 21 to redirect the rays inside the ice according to the same principle as that described in the first embodiment of realization.
  • the reflector 22 has a curved wall shape.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
  • Details Of Measuring Devices (AREA)
  • Optical Elements Other Than Lenses (AREA)
  • Switches With Compound Operations (AREA)
  • Eye Examination Apparatus (AREA)
  • Details Of Measuring And Other Instruments (AREA)

Abstract

Lighting device with central symmetry for a dial comprises information display(s); housing for receiving an energy source; and a light source. The dial is arranged in a case that is closed at its top part by a crystal delimited by an external face and by an internal face, and on its bottom part by a back cover delimiting with the dial. The thickness of the crystal decreases regularly from the center to the periphery. Lighting device with central symmetry for a dial comprises information display(s); housing (6) for receiving an energy source (7) that powers the display control mechanism (8); and a light source (15) located in the housing. The dial is arranged in a case that is closed at its top part by a crystal (1) delimited by an external face and by an internal face and on its bottom part by a back cover delimiting with the dial. The thickness of the crystal decreases regularly from the center to the periphery. A cylindrical light guide passes through the center of the dial. One end of the guide is opposite the light source and the opposite end is opposite a reflector with axial symmetry formed in a hollow in the center of the crystal for reorienting the rays from the light source by total internal reflection in the thickness of the crystal, and allowing them to emerge towards the dial when the angle of incidence on the inner face of the crystal is greater than the maximum angle of refraction.

Description

DOMAINE TECHNIQUETECHNICAL AREA

La présente invention concerne un dispositif d'éclairage à symétrie centrale d'un cadran d'un appareil de mesure, tel que le cadran d'un instrument de bord ou le cadran d'une pièce d'horlogerie pour lequel il est souhaitable que des informations portées par le cadran à égale distance du centre reçoivent le même éclairement.The present invention relates to a centrally symmetrical lighting device for a dial of a measuring device, such as the dial of an on-board instrument or the dial of a timepiece for which it is desirable that information carried by the dial equidistant from the center receive the same illumination.

ARRIERE-PLAN TECHNOLOGIQUEBACKGROUND

Pour permettre à un usager de lire les informations portées par un cadran lorsque la lumière ambiante est faible, voire dans l'obscurité, les constructeurs ont imaginé de très nombreuses solutions dont on ne retiendra dans le cadre de la présente invention que celles qui font appel à une source lumineuse électrique, micro-ampoule, diode ou autres.To enable a user to read the information carried by a dial when the ambient light is weak, or even in the dark, the manufacturers have devised a very large number of solutions that will be retained in the context of the present invention that those that appeal to an electric light source, micro-bulb, diode or others.

Une diode unique disposée dans le logement d'un réhaut, entre la glace et le cadran, ne donne manifestement pas un éclairement uniforme et ajouter plus de diodes autour du cadran laisse encore des zones d'ombre. Cela peut être satisfaisant lorsque le but recherché est essentiellement technique, par exemple un tableau de bord de véhicule automobile, mais cela ne l'est point lorsqu'il existe également un souci esthétique, comme c'est le cas dans une pièce d'horlogerie.A single diode arranged in the housing of a flange, between the ice and the dial, obviously does not give a uniform illumination and adding more diodes around the dial still leaves areas of shadow. This can be satisfactory when the aim is essentially technical, for example a dashboard of a motor vehicle, but it is not when there is also an aesthetic concern, as is the case in a timepiece .

Pour avoir un éclairement plus uniforme, de nombreux brevets proposent d'injecter la lumière provenant de la source lumineuse dans un guide d'ondes disposé autour du cadran au niveau du réhaut, ou remplaçant ce dernier. Les brevets US 5 984 485 et US 6452 872 décrivent par exemple des guides dont les surfaces ont des structurations particulières pour réduire l'influence des pertes le long du guide et pour réorienter la lumière vers le cadran. L'éclairement est plus uniforme que précédemment, mais non totalement satisfaisant. De plus, la structuration du guide est une opération délicate, tant du point de vue réalisation que du point de vue reproductibilité, et contribue finalement à augmenter le coût.To have a more uniform illumination, many patents propose to inject light from the light source in a waveguide disposed around the dial at the flange, or replacing the latter. The US Patents 5,984,485 and US 6452 872 describe, for example, guides whose surfaces have particular structures to reduce the influence of losses along the guide and to redirect the light towards the dial. The illumination is more uniform than before, but not totally satisfactory. In addition, the structuring of the guide is a delicate operation, both from the point of view of realization and from the point of view of reproducibility, and ultimately contributes to increasing the cost.

Pour avoir un éclairement uniforme, certains documents décrivent des dispositifs dans lesquels la source lumineuse est placée au centre du cadran, au niveau de la glace, et éclaire directement le cadran sous-jacent et les indications qu'il porte.To have uniform illumination, some documents describe devices in which the light source is placed in the center of the dial, at the ice, and directly illuminates the underlying dial and the indications it carries.

Un tel dispositif, par exemple décrit dans le brevet US 4 115 994 , comporte une source lumineuse positionnée au niveau de la face inférieure d'une glace d'égale épaisseur et reliée à la source d'énergie par deux fils conducteurs juxtaposés noyés dans l'épaisseur de la glace. Le brevet US 4 118 924 décrit un dispositif dans lequel au moins une source lumineuse est également positionnée au niveau de la face inférieure d'une glace d'égale épaisseur en étant reliée par deux fils conducteurs dans le prolongement l'un de l'autre. Dans ce document, un mode de réalisation décrit un éclairage au moyen d'une pluralité de diodes disposées au dessus des matrices d'un affichage digital, les fils conducteurs de chaque diode créant en quelque sorte une "toile d'araignée" dans la glace. Un tel éclairage direct permet d'avoir une répartition annulaire de la lumière, mais ne procure pas un éclairage uniforme de tout le cadran. De plus, la présence de fils conducteurs dans la glace produit un effet peu esthétique et peu adapté à une pièce d'horlogerie.Such a device, for example described in the US Patent 4,115,994 , comprises a light source positioned at the lower face of an ice of equal thickness and connected to the energy source by two embedded juxtaposed conductive wires in the thickness of the ice. The US Patent 4,118,924 describes a device in which at least one light source is also positioned at the lower face of an ice of equal thickness by being connected by two conductive wires in the extension of one another. In this document, an embodiment describes lighting by means of a plurality of diodes arranged above the matrices of a digital display, the conductor wires of each diode creating a sort of "spider web" in the ice . Such direct lighting allows for an annular distribution of light, but does not provide uniform illumination of the entire dial. In addition, the presence of conducting son in the ice produces an unattractive effect and not suited to a timepiece.

Le brevet US 6 106 127 propose de réduire l'inconvénient susmentionné en faisant passer les fils conducteurs dans un trou ménagé à travers l'axe des aiguilles, ce qui est un progrès vers une réalisation plus esthétique, mais ne supprime pas un éclairement en forme de halo.The US Patent 6,106,127 proposes to reduce the above-mentioned disadvantage by passing the conductive wires through a hole formed through the axis of the needles, which is an advance towards a more aesthetic embodiment, but does not eliminate a halo-like illumination.

L'axe des aiguilles a également été utilisé par le passé comme guide de lumière. Le brevet US 3 859 782 décrit par exemple un dispositif dans lequel une source lumineuse est disposée à l'arrière du cadran en regard du canon des aiguilles dont l'autre extrémité débouche en regard d'un petit réflecteur collé sous une glace dont les deux faces sont parallèles. L'inconvénient lié aux fils n'existe pas, mais, outre la difficulté de faire passer les fils à travers le canon sans que cela nuise ultérieurement à la libre rotation de celui-ci, un éclairement "uniforme" du cadran ne peut pas davantage être obtenu avec un réflecteur renvoyant la lumière incidente directement sur le cadran.The axis of the needles has also been used in the past as a light guide. The U.S. Patent 3,859,782 describes for example a device in which a light source is disposed at the rear of the dial facing the barrel of needles whose other end opens opposite a small reflector glued under a mirror whose two faces are parallel. The disadvantage related to the son does not exist, but, in addition to the difficulty of passing the son through the barrel without subsequently hindering the free rotation of the latter, a "uniform" illumination of the dial can not more be obtained with a reflector returning the incident light directly on the dial.

RESUME DE L'INVENTIONSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

La présente invention a pour but de pallier les inconvénients de l'art antérieur précité en procurant un dispositif d'éclairage à symétrie centrale au moyen d'une seule source lumineuse disposée sous le cadran et d'un agencement particulier réalisé à travers le centre du cadran et au centre d'une glace d'épaisseur non uniforme. Le dispositif peut être réalisé de façon simple, esthétique et économique avec un petit nombre de pièces et présente un rendement lumineux élevé.The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art by providing a centrally symmetrical lighting device by means of a single light source disposed under the dial and a particular arrangement made through the center of the dial and in the center of an ice of non-uniform thickness. The device can be made simply, aesthetically and economically with a small number of parts and has a high light output.

A cet effet, l'invention a pour objet un dispositif d'éclairage à symétrie centrale d'un cadran comportant au moins un affichage d'informations. Dans le cas d'une pièce d'horlogerie, cet affichage peut être de type analogique au moyen d'aiguilles entraînées et supportées par un canon traversant le cadran et/ou de type digital. Le cadran est disposé dans un boîtier fermé à sa partie supérieure par une glace et à sa partie inférieure par un fond délimitant avec le cadran un logement pour recevoir les moyens de commande de l'affichage et une source d'énergie alimentant les moyens de commande de l'affichage et une source lumineuse située dans le logement sous le cadran. Le dispositif est caractérisé en ce que la glace a une épaisseur qui décroît régulièrement de son centre à sa périphérie, et en ce que le centre du cadran est traversé par un guide de lumière cylindrique dont une extrémité reçoit le flux lumineux de la source lumineuse et dont l'extrémité opposée est en regard d'un réflecteur à symétrie axiale formé en creux dans le centre de la glace pour réorienter les rayons issus de la source lumineuse par réflexion totale interne dans l'épaisseur de la glace et permettre leur émergence vers le cadran lorsque l'angle limite de réfraction sur la face interne de la glace est dépassé. La face externe de la glace peut alors avoir la forme d'un cône ayant un faible angle à la base γ, ou d'un secteur sphérique et plus généralement d'un secteur courbe, et la face interne la forme d'un plan ou d'un secteur sphérique. Ainsi, et de façon non limitative, la glace peut être de type plan-conique, plan-convexe, convexe-conique ou ménisque divergent.For this purpose, the invention relates to a centrally symmetrical lighting device of a dial having at least one information display. In the case of a timepiece, this display can be of analog type by means of driven needles and supported by a barrel through the dial and / or digital type. The dial is arranged in a box closed at its upper part by an ice and at its bottom by a bottom delimiting with the dial a housing to receive the control means of the display and a power source supplying the control means of the display and a light source located in the housing under the dial. The device is characterized in that the ice has a thickness which decreases regularly from its center to its periphery, and in that the center of the dial is crossed by a cylindrical light guide, one end of which receives the luminous flux of the light source and whose opposite end is opposite an axially symmetrical reflector hollowed out in the center of the mirror to reorient the rays coming from the light source by total internal reflection in the thickness of the ice and allow their emergence towards the dial when the limit angle of refraction on the inner face of the ice is exceeded. The outer face of the ice can then have the shape of a cone having a low angle at the base γ, or of a spherical sector and more generally of a curved sector, and the internal face the shape of a plane or of a spherical sector. Thus, and in a nonlimiting manner, the ice can be of plano-conical, plano-convex, convex-conical or divergent meniscus type.

Le réflecteur a une forme à symétrie axiale à paroi rectiligne, par exemple conique, ou à paroi courbe. Il peut également avoir la forme d'une pyramide régulière, par exemple à base dodécagonale pour éclairer les douze index horaires d'une pièce d'horlogerie.The reflector has an axially symmetrical shape with a straight wall, for example conical, or with a curved wall. It can also have the shape of a regular pyramid, for example dodecagonal based to illuminate the twelve hour markers of a timepiece.

Selon un premier mode de réalisation, le réflecteur est formé en creux dans la face externe de la glace et comporte éventuellement un revêtement réfléchissant.According to a first embodiment, the reflector is hollowed out in the outer face of the glass and optionally comprises a reflective coating.

Selon un deuxième mode de réalisation, le réflecteur est formé en creux dans la face interne de la glace et comporte un revêtement réfléchissant permettant de réorienter radialement les rayons dans l'épaisseur de la glace.According to a second embodiment, the reflector is hollowed out in the inner face of the ice and has a reflective coating for radially reorienting the rays in the thickness of the ice.

Dans le cas où le dispositif d'éclairage est incorporé dans une pièce d'horlogerie, le guide de lumière peut constituer le canon des aiguilles ou être incorporé dans celui-ci sans pour cela interférer en aucune façon avec la bonne marche de la pièce d'horlogerie.In the case where the lighting device is incorporated in a timepiece, the light guide may constitute the barrel of the needles or be incorporated therein without thereby interfering in any way with the proper operation of the room. watchmaking.

BREVE DESCRIPTION DES DESSINSBRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de la présente invention apparaîtront dans la description suivante de divers modes de réalisation, donnés à titre illustratif et non limitatif, en référence aux dessins annexés dans lesquels :

  • la figure 1 est une représentation en perspective partiellement arrachée d'un premier mode de réalisation d'un dispositif d'éclairage selon l'invention;
  • la figure 2 est une coupe diagonale selon les flèches II-II de la figure 1;
  • la figure 3 est une vue partielle agrandie du dispositif de la figure 2;
  • la figure 4 correspond à la figure 2 selon un deuxième mode de réalisation, et
  • la figure 5 est une vue agrandie du dispositif selon la flèche V de la figure 4.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear in the following description of various embodiments, given by way of illustration and without limitation, with reference to the appended drawings in which:
  • the figure 1 is a partially cutaway perspective representation of a first embodiment of a lighting device according to the invention;
  • the figure 2 is a diagonal cut along arrows II-II of the figure 1 ;
  • the figure 3 is an enlarged partial view of the device of the figure 2 ;
  • the figure 4 corresponds to the figure 2 according to a second embodiment, and
  • the figure 5 is an enlarged view of the device according to the arrow V of the figure 4 .

DESCRIPTION DETAILLE DE L'INVENTIONDETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

En se référant d'abord aux figures 1 à 3, on a représenté un premier mode d'éclairage selon l'invention, en prenant comme exemple l'éclairage du cadran 10 d'une montre-bracelet. Le cadran 10 est disposé dans un boîtier circulaire comportant une carrure 2 fermée à sa partie supérieure par une glace 1 maintenue entre un réhaut 3 et une lunette 4, et à sa partie inférieure par un fond 5 délimitant un logement 6. Le logement 6 est destiné à recevoir une source d'énergie 7 servant à alimenter les moyens de commande 8 de l'affichage. Dans cet exemple, les moyens de commande 8 sont constitués par un circuit garde-temps prévu pour commander, d'une part, un moteur pas à pas 9 d'entraînement des aiguilles 11a, 11b en regard d'index 12 portés par le cadran 10 pour donner des informations sous forme analogique, d'autre part un affichage digital 13, constitué, par exemple, par une cellule d'affichage réflective à cristaux liquides (LCD). Le logement 6 contient également une source lumineuse 15 alimentée par la source d'énergie 7 et pouvant être commandée par un bouton-poussoir 16 disposé sur la carrure 2 et séparé de la couronne 14. D'autres moyens de commande sont évidemment tout à fait envisageables, par exemple des moyens de commande tactiles au niveau de la glace.Referring first to Figures 1 to 3 a first lighting mode according to the invention is shown, taking as an example the illumination of the dial 10 of a wristwatch. The dial 10 is arranged in a circular casing having a middle part 2 closed at its upper part by an ice 1 held between a flange 3 and a bezel 4, and at its bottom by a bottom 5 delimiting a housing 6. The housing 6 is intended to receive a power source 7 for supplying the control means 8 of the display. In this example, the control means 8 are constituted by a time-keeping circuit designed to control, on the one hand, a stepping motor 9 for driving the hands 11a, 11b facing indexes 12 carried by the dial 10 to provide information in analog form, on the other hand a digital display 13, constituted, for example, by a liquid crystal reflective display cell (LCD). The housing 6 also contains a light source 15 powered by the energy source 7 and can be controlled by a pushbutton 16 disposed on the middle part 2 and separated from the ring 14. Other control means are obviously quite possible, for example touch control means at the ice.

La source lumineuse 15, qui est, par exemple, une diode (LED) est disposée en regard de l'extrémité 17a d'un guide de lumière 17 qui traverse le cadran. La source lumineuse 15 pourrait évidemment occuper une autre position dans le logement, le flux lumineux étant alors guidé par exemple par une fibre optique jusqu'à l'extrémité 17a du guide de lumière 17. Dans le cas d'une montre-bracelet comportant au moins un affichage analogique, le guide 17 est logé dans le canon 18 des aiguilles, et son extrémité 17b débouche en regard de la glace 1 dont la conformation particulière sera décrite plus loin. Le guide 17 peut être réalisé en polyméthylmétacrylate (PMMA) ou en tout autre matériau connu pouvant constituer un guide de lumière, et permet par des réflexions internes multiples d'avoir à sa sortie un faisceau de type lambertien dont l'axe correspond au centre de la glace 1.The light source 15, which is, for example, a diode (LED) is disposed facing the end 17a of a light guide 17 which passes through the dial. The light source 15 could obviously occupy another position in the housing, the luminous flux being then guided for example by an optical fiber to the end 17a of the light guide 17. In the case of a wristwatch comprising the less an analog display, the guide 17 is housed in the barrel 18 needles, and its end 17b opens opposite the ice 1 whose particular conformation will be described later. The guide 17 can be made of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or any other known material that can constitute a light guide, and allows multiple internal reflections to have at its output a lambertian type beam whose axis corresponds to the center of Ice 1.

Comme on le voit, la glace 1 comporte une face interne 1b plane et parallèle au cadran 10, et une face externe 1a légèrement conique, c'est-à-dire formant à la base un angle ϕ avec la face interne 1b. L'angle ϕ est par exemple compris entre 10 ° et 5 °, et correspond dans les figures à un angle d'environ 6 °. Le choix de cet angle ϕ de conicité dépend évidemment de l'indice de réfraction du matériau constituant la glace et des autres paramètres de construction.As can be seen, the ice 1 has an inner face 1b plane and parallel to the dial 10, and an outer face 1a slightly conical, that is to say forming at the base an angle φ with the inner face 1b. The angle φ is for example between 10 ° and 5 °, and corresponds in the figures to an angle of about 6 °. The choice of this angle φ conicity obviously depends on the refractive index of the material constituting the ice and other construction parameters.

La partie centrale de la glace comporte un réflecteur 20 de forme conique, permettant de réorienter les rayons incidents à l'intérieur de la glace 1. Le réflecteur 20 est conformé en creux dans la face externe 1a avec une ouverture d'angle γ par rapport à l'axe de symétrie de la glace 1. La valeur à donner à l'angle γ dépend évidemment de nombreux paramètres de construction de la glace (diamètre, valeur de ϕ, indice de réfraction de la glace), la valeur de γ étant d'environ 60 ° dans l'exemple représenté.The central portion of the mirror comprises a conical-shaped reflector 20, making it possible to reorient the incident rays inside the lens 1. The reflector 20 is hollow-shaped in the outer face 1a with an opening of angle γ relative to to the axis of symmetry of the ice 1. The value to be given to the angle γ obviously depends on many parameters of construction of the ice (diameter, value of φ, index of refraction of the ice), the value of γ being about 60 ° in the example shown.

En fonction de ces paramètres de construction, l'angle γ doit permettre une réflexion totale sur la face externe de la glace. Pour garantir totalement cette réflexion, il est possible de revêtir la surface externe du réflecteur 20 d'un revêtement réfléchissant 21, réalisé par exemple par évaporation d'argent.According to these construction parameters, the angle γ must allow a total reflection on the outer face of the ice. To fully guarantee this reflection, it is possible to coat the outer surface of the reflector 20 with a reflective coating 21, made for example by silver evaporation.

Pour tous les rayons réfléchis par le réflecteur 20, la glace 1 se comporte radialement comme un guide d'onde de type α-2ϕ, permettant de guider la lumière par réflexion totale interne (TIR) jusqu'à ce que l'angle d'incidence à l'intérieur de la face intérieure 1a de la glace 1 devienne inférieur à l'angle limite de réfraction, par exemple 42,2 ° si la glace est en PMMA, et émerge par réfraction en direction du cadran 10.For all the rays reflected by the reflector 20, the ice 1 behaves radially like a waveguide type α-2φ, for guiding the light by total internal reflection (TIR) until the angle of incidence inside the inner face 1a of the ice 1 becomes smaller than the limit angle of refraction, for example 42.2 ° if the ice is PMMA, and emerges by refraction toward the dial 10.

Ce trajet est illustré par le rayon référencé 25 qui vient frapper l'affichage digital LCD et par le rayon référencé 27 qui vient frapper les aiguilles. Si le rayon, référencé 29 dans la figure 3, émerge trop près du bord de la glace 1, il ne viendra pas frapper le cadran 10, mais le réhaut 3 qui sera alors de préférence revêtu d'un film réfléchissant pour réorienter le rayon vers le cadran 10. Le dispositif qui vient d'être décrit permet donc d'obtenir un éclairage uniforme du cadran avec un rendement élevé, supérieur à 20 % de la lumière émise par la source lumineuse. En fonction des paramètres de construction, cet éclairage peut être uniforme sur tout le cadran, ou seulement au niveau d'un anneau à symétrie centrale, sur lequel sont inscrits des index, par exemple les index horaires 12 d'une pièce d'horlogerie.This path is illustrated by the radius referenced 25 which hits the LCD digital display and by the referenced ray 27 which hits the needles. If the radius, referenced 29 in the figure 3 , emerges too close to the edge of the ice 1, it will not come to hit the dial 10, but the flange 3 which will then preferably be coated with a reflective film to redirect the spoke to the dial 10. The device that comes from being described thus makes it possible to obtain uniform illumination of the dial with a high efficiency, greater than 20% of the light emitted by the light source. Depending on the construction parameters, this illumination may be uniform over the entire dial, or only at a central symmetry ring, on which are inscribed indexes, for example hour indices 12 of a timepiece.

Selon une variante non représentée, le réflecteur conique 20 peut être remplacé par un réflecteur pyramidal, par exemple à base dodécagonale pour éclairer préférentiellement les index horaires 12.According to a variant not shown, the conical reflector 20 may be replaced by a pyramidal reflector, for example dodecagonal based to preferentially illuminate the hourly indexes 12.

En se référant maintenant aux figures 4 et 5, on a représenté un deuxième mode de réalisation qui diffère de celui précédemment décrit, essentiellement en ce que la forme de la glace est du type ménisque convergent, et en ce que le réflecteur 22 est formé dans la face interne 1b de la glace 1, en ayant une surface extérieure revêtue d'un revêtement réfléchissant 21 permettant de réorienter les rayons à l'intérieur de la glace selon le même principe que celui décrit dans le premier mode de réalisation. Comme on le voit plus clairement sur une vue agrandie de la figure 5, le réflecteur 22 a une forme à paroi courbe.Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 there is shown a second embodiment which differs from that previously described, essentially in that the shape of the ice is of the converging meniscus type, and in that the reflector 22 is formed in the internal face 1b of the ice 1, by having an outer surface coated with a reflective coating 21 to redirect the rays inside the ice according to the same principle as that described in the first embodiment of realization. As can be seen more clearly on an enlarged view of the figure 5 the reflector 22 has a curved wall shape.

Comme on peut le comprendre, les modes de réalisation qui viennent d'être décrits illustrent de façon "interchangeable" divers modes de réalisation et peuvent, sans sortir du cadre de la présente invention tel que défini par les revendications, donner lieu à de nombreuses variantes en fonction des dimensions et des matériaux utilisés, tant au niveau du boîtier qu'au niveau de la glace, et de l'aspect final qu'on souhaite obtenir.As can be understood, the embodiments which have just been described "interchangeably" illustrate various embodiments and may, without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims, give rise to numerous variants. depending on the dimensions and the materials used, both in terms of the housing and the ice, and the final appearance that is desired.

Claims (14)

  1. Lighting device with central symmetry for a dial (10) including at least one information display, said dial (10) being arranged in a case closed at its top part by a crystal (1) delimited by an external face (1a) and by an internal face (1b) and on its bottom part by a back cover (5) delimiting with the dial (10) a housing for receiving an energy source (7) powering the display control means (8) and a light source (15) located in the housing (6), characterized in that the thickness of the crystal (1) decreases regularly from the centre to the periphery thereof and in that a cylindrical light guide (17) passes through the centre of the dial (10), one end of said guide (17a) being opposite the light source (15) and the opposite end (17b) being opposite a reflector (20, 22) with axial symmetry formed in a hollow in the centre of the crystal (1) for reorienting the rays from the light source (15) by total internal reflection in the thickness of the crystal (1), and allowing them to emerge towards the dial (10) when the angle of incidence on the inner face (1 b) of the crystal (1) is greater than the maximum angle of refraction.
  2. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the external face (1 a) of the crystal (1) has the shape of a cone or a spherical sector, and the inner face (1 b) thereof has the shape of a plane or spherical sector.
  3. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reflector (20, 22) has a rectilinear or curved wall shape while the tip thereof is oriented towards the dial (10).
  4. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reflector (20) has a pyramidal shape while the tip thereof is oriented towards the dial (10).
  5. Lighting device according to claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the reflector (20, 22) has a conical revolution shape made in a hollow in the top face (1 b) of the crystal (1).
  6. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reflector (22) is made in a hollow in the inner face (1 b) of the crystal (1) and comprises a reflective coating (21).
  7. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide (17) is made of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA).
  8. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the light source (15) is a diode (LED).
  9. Lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the case is that of a watch case whose dial (10), surrounded by a flange (3), and includes an analogue display by means of hands (11 a, 11 b) driven and carried by an hour wheel pipe (18) passing through the dial (10) and/or a digital display (13).
  10. Lighting device according to claim 9, characterized in that the digital display (13) is a reflective liquid crystal display.
  11. Lighting device according to claim 9, characterized in that the flange (3) includes a reflective coating (23).
  12. Lighting device according to claim 9, characterized in that the light guide (17) forms the hour wheel pipe (18) for the hands (11 a, 11 b).
  13. Lighting device according to claim 9, characterized in that the light guide (17) is housed in the hour wheel pipe (18) for the hands (11 a, 11 b).
  14. Lighting device according to claim 9, characterized in that the light source is switched on by means of an external control member (16).
EP04023172A 2004-09-29 2004-09-29 Illumination device for a dial with central symmetry Active EP1643322B1 (en)

Priority Applications (9)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE602004028738T DE602004028738D1 (en) 2004-09-29 2004-09-29 Display lighting of a dial with central symmetry
AT04023172T ATE478365T1 (en) 2004-09-29 2004-09-29 DISPLAY LIGHTING OF A DIAL WITH CENTRAL SYMMETRY
EP04023172A EP1643322B1 (en) 2004-09-29 2004-09-29 Illumination device for a dial with central symmetry
TW094131129A TW200617354A (en) 2004-09-29 2005-09-09 Lighting device with central symmetry for a dial
US11/230,566 US7038976B2 (en) 2004-09-29 2005-09-21 Lighting device with central symmetry for a dial
JP2005279784A JP4690161B2 (en) 2004-09-29 2005-09-27 Illumination device with central symmetry for dial
KR1020050090929A KR101134741B1 (en) 2004-09-29 2005-09-29 Lighting device with central symmetry for a dial
CN200510108011A CN100580583C (en) 2004-09-29 2005-09-29 Lighting device with central symmetry for dial
HK06105575.6A HK1085547A1 (en) 2004-09-29 2006-05-15 Lighting device with central symmetry for a dial

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04023172A EP1643322B1 (en) 2004-09-29 2004-09-29 Illumination device for a dial with central symmetry

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1643322A1 EP1643322A1 (en) 2006-04-05
EP1643322B1 true EP1643322B1 (en) 2010-08-18

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EP04023172A Active EP1643322B1 (en) 2004-09-29 2004-09-29 Illumination device for a dial with central symmetry

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US (1) US7038976B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1643322B1 (en)
JP (1) JP4690161B2 (en)
KR (1) KR101134741B1 (en)
CN (1) CN100580583C (en)
AT (1) ATE478365T1 (en)
DE (1) DE602004028738D1 (en)
HK (1) HK1085547A1 (en)
TW (1) TW200617354A (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ATE478365T1 (en) 2010-09-15
HK1085547A1 (en) 2006-08-25
EP1643322A1 (en) 2006-04-05
US20060067168A1 (en) 2006-03-30
TW200617354A (en) 2006-06-01
DE602004028738D1 (en) 2010-09-30
KR101134741B1 (en) 2012-04-13
CN1755556A (en) 2006-04-05
JP4690161B2 (en) 2011-06-01
JP2006098405A (en) 2006-04-13
US7038976B2 (en) 2006-05-02
CN100580583C (en) 2010-01-13
KR20060051793A (en) 2006-05-19

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