EP2140313B1 - Watch with a time zone display - Google Patents

Abstract

A watch includes a conventional hour hand and minute hand. The watch also includes a time zone display with a window in which information regarding a time zone is placed on a disc. This time zone includes a time display comprising at least one hour display, which may also be realized by a window in that an hour display for the displayed time zone is placed on a disc. A crown with a depressor is then provided, which is mechanically connected to the time zone display or the time display for the displayed time zone such that, by actuating the depressor, at least the hour hand may be brought into synchronization with the time zone determined by the time zone display. In this manner, the new local time may be set according to a predetermined time zone by a single operation without stopping the clockwork.

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a timepiece with an hour hand, a minute hand, a time zone display and a time display comprising at least one hour display for the indicated time zone.

State of the art

From the CH 563 608 a clock with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known. The time zone display includes a window under which a disc rotates on which are printed names of a respective major city of a time zone, one of which is displayed in the window. The clock also has common hour hands and minute hands indicating the base time. In addition, an hourly display is provided, which includes an hourly disc on which the hours are printed as numbers and a window in which a number is to be read in each case. The hourly disc is rotated each time the hour of the base time changes so that the next hour is displayed in the window.

From the CH 684 618 Another clock with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known. On the one hand, the disks for the time zone display and the time display for the displayed time zone can be adjusted together to synchronously change the time zone and, on the other hand, the disk of the time display for the displayed time zone can be adjusted separately for setting the time in a time zone.

From the CH 665930 a whiter clock according to the preamble of claim 1 is known.

In all cases, the display of the hour and minute display remains always at the base time.

Summary of the invention

Based on this prior art, the present invention seeks to provide a clock of the type mentioned, with the user a direct change of the pointer display on the local time is possible. Local time is the time represented by the time indicated in the time zone display.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1, wherein the clock has at least one conventional hour hand. It also has a time zone display, for example, with a window in which an indication of a time zone is applied to a disk. This time zone includes a time display comprising at least one hour display which, for example, can also be realized through a window in which an hourly display for said indicated time zone is applied to a pane. In this case, a crown is provided with a pusher, which is mechanically connected to the time zone display or the time display for the said displayed time zone, so that by pressing the pusher at least the hour hand in synchronization with the time zone indicated by the time zone display can be brought. Thus, the new local time can be set according to a preset time zone by a single operation without stopping the movement.

Further advantageous embodiments are characterized in the subclaims.

Short description of the drawing

The sole drawing shows a plan view of a dial of a clock according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of an embodiment

The embodiment of the invention shows a clock which allows the simultaneous and independent display of two times from different time zones.

The clock is shown schematically with a housing 10 and a dial 11. On the dial 11 strokes a conventional hour hand 20 and an associated concentric to this minute hand 21. These hands 20, 21 usually indicate the base time.

At the position of 3 o'clock, next to a time zone window 31, the word "Location" is arranged. In the time zone window 31 appears a time zone indication 32, for example FRA for Frankfurt, LON for London or another abbreviation, for example via the usual city codes or that of a substantial airport of the said time zone. It can also be a different reference to the time zone, such as a national flag or a spelled out city or place name. There are 24 time zone notices 32 on the underlying disc 33. Instead of a window 31, all of the time zone notices 32 may be visible on the underlying disc 33, or be discernible behind a translucent area of the dial. The advantage of direct visibility for the user is offset by the reduced clarity.

At the 9 o'clock position, the term "Time Zone" is located next to a window 41. In the window 41 a disc 43 is visible, on the times 42, symbolized by numbers of 1 to 24, are printed. The window 41 here has a size that allows the display of three numbers of the time, with an arrow 44 indicates the middle position in the window 41.

In one embodiment, the disc 43 rotates at half angular speed otherwise in synchronism with the hour hand 20. However, it is also possible that, for example, only one digital display 42 is visible and this increments by 15 degrees when the hour hand 20 is rotated by rotation of the disc 43 adjusted.

Finally, at least two crowns 51 and 52 are arranged on the housing, here at the position 2 o'clock and at the position 4 o'clock.

The screwed crown 52 at position 4 o'clock is provided in a known manner for the manual elevator of an automatic movement and the pointer position for the hands 20 and 21. The crown 51 comprises a screw-down crown 51 with pusher 53 at the 2 o'clock position, the function being described below.

1. 1. Der Zeitzonenhinweis 32 neben dem Begriff "Location" bei Position 3 Uhr, welche den jeweiligen Referenzort einer beliebigen Zeitzone anzeigt.
2. 2. Die Uhrzeiten 42 neben dem Begriff "Time Zone" bei Position 9 Uhr, welche die aktuelle Uhrzeit der unter "Location" bei Position 3 Uhr (C) gewählten Zeitzone anzeigt.

On the dial 11 are the said displays, which can be operated by the screwed crown 51 at position 2 o'clock:

1. 1. The time zone reference 32 next to the term "Location" at position 3 o'clock, which indicates the respective reference location of any time zone.
2. 2. The times 42 next to the term "Time Zone" at position 9 o'clock, which shows the current time of the time zone selected under "Location" at position 3 o'clock (C).

Since the function of the screwed crown 52 at position 4 o'clock corresponds to those of well-known watches, it will not be described in detail here received. It has two pull-out positions: manual lift and hand position. It should be noted that in the position of the hand position of the crown 52, the digital display 42 is adjusted along with the hands 20 and 21 to be adjusted, since these two displays are mechanically connected to one another. The user must take care to ensure that the digital display 42 covers 24 hours, so that a set time with the 12-hour hands may need to be corrected by 12 hours.

One of the two times is shown conventionally via the hands 20 and 21, the other mechanically via the permanently revolving, digital display 42 of the disk 43 in the window 41 according to the set reference location 32 on disk 33. These two elements form a separate unit on the Dial 11, by optically lifted by lines 12 from the rest of the dial 11.

In the following, the various uses of a watch according to the described embodiment are shown.

In normal operation, one of the two times is shown by the hands 20 and 21, the other via the continuously tracking, digital display 42 according to the set reference location on the disc 33, which is fixed. By first pressing the pusher 53 on crown 51, the pointer time is synchronized with the display 42 on the disc 43 without stopping the pointer time represented by the hands 20 and 21. In this case, the necessary movement and kinetic energy is transferred to the mechanics by pressing the button 53, that the hour hand 20 moves according to the set time. Of course, the 12 hour display of a pointer makes no difference made between 11 o'clock and 23 o'clock. Advantageously, the pointer 20 is advanced in the clockwise direction, although the movement can be defined so that when reset for 1 to 5 hours by pressing the button 53, the hour hand 20 runs counterclockwise to its new end position. The movement is in synchronization with the continued movement of the disc 43.

This function is applicable to both purely mechanical and analog quartz watches, since due to the coupled drive of hands 20 (and 21) and disk 43, it is merely a matter of releasing the drive of the pointer 20 (and / or 21) for the time the adjustment to the new time zone goes while the drive is still coupled to the disc 43. When setting a new time zone on the disc 33, the disc 43 is then decoupled and adjusted with the disc 33; but the pointer display 20/21 continues to run.

It is also possible in principle to move the hour hand 20 by synchronization with the time zone display 32 alone, since this too shows the reference time.

This function allows the wearer of the watch to transmit the previously selected zone time (zone selected via slice 33, previous display of the zone time by slice 43) to the hands 20 and 21 as so-called main time or local time without stopping the movement if the carrier has arrived, for example, after a long journey at the destination airport in the other time zone. Compared to known watches, there is the advantage that it is no longer necessary to pull the crown 52 in order to manually align the hands 20 and 21. In each case, the clockwork was also stopped and the pointers 20 and 21 had to be based on a reference time, which can be viewed via an external source is to be reset.

To adjust the time zone display 32, the screwed crown 51 is released, then this additionally has to be pulled into a first position in order to be able to change the settings of the time zone disk 33. This procedure is advantageous in order to prevent accidental and undefined adjustment. This also makes it possible to give the wearer a clear indication that the adjustment function is activated. By turning the crown 51, the disc 33 is then rotated, advantageously each rotations of 15 degrees are possible. This corresponds to an adjustment of the reference locations 32, which is advantageously possible in both directions. This movement of the disc 33 causes a tracking of the indicator disc 43 in a known manner. During this manipulation, the crown 51 remains unscrewed. It is mechanically secured that the pusher 53 is inactive. This helps prevent mishandling by the wearer. After the desired reference location 32 has been selected, the crown 51 itself is pressed and screwed again, in particular to ensure the watertightness.

The just described function of the clock allows the wearer, for example, to set a new time zone 32 already at the airport of departure or during the flight and to let it run permanently (by means of display 42) and parallel to the hand time 20, 21.

A summary of the functional combinations between crown 51 and pusher 53 is shown in the following table: position
Crown 51 position
Pusher 53 description bolted Not pressed Time under time zone display 42 runs in accordance with the selected reference location 32 parallel to the pointer time 20/21 solved Inactive - solved and pulled inactive Adjustment of the reference location 32 with automatic tracking of the display of the time zone display 42 by turning the crown 51 in one of the two possible directions pressed and screwed Not pressed Time of the time zone display 42 runs according to the reference location 32 parallel to the pointer time 20/21 pressed and screwed depressed Synchronization of the pointer time with the time zone display 42 according to settings 32 and 42, respectively

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the above that the time zone indicia 32 may also be provided on a separate disc that is not concentric with the pointers 20 and 21. Also, the time zone indication 32 may be implemented in electronic watches with a display such as an alphanumeric LCD display.

The same applies to the times 42 of the time display of the second time zone, which may be provided on the one hand on a separate disc which is not concentric with the hands 20 and 21. Also, the times 42 of the time display of the second time zone can be implemented in electronic watches with an electronic display, in particular with the same display, such as an LCD display, as the Zeitzonenhinweis 32. This can be in a simple way also time zones with one and a half hours difference set in a simple manner. Then the entrainment of the minute hand 21 is essential.

Essential for the function is the pressing of a crown (here crown 53) for performing the synchronization of the pointer time 20 and possibly 21 with the time zone 42 according to the default settings 32 and 42. In electronic watches pressing a button, the function of pressing take over the crown, so that then the hands 20, 21 are moved electrically.

Claims (6)

1. A watch having an hour hand (20), having a minute hand (21), having a time zone display (31, 32, 33) and having a time display (41, 42, 43), comprising at least an hour display, for said displayed time zone (31, 32, 33), characterized in that a crown (51) is provided, having a push piece (53) which is mechanically connected to the time zone display (31, 32, 33) or to the time display (41, 42, 43) for said displayed time zone (31, 32, 33), so that, through actuation of the push piece (53), at least the hour hand (20) can be brought into synchronization with the time zone prespecified by the time zone display (31, 32, 33).
2. The watch as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, during actuation of the push piece, the time display (41, 42, 43) for said displayed time zone (31, 32, 33) continues to be driven by the watch movement.
3. The watch as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the crown (51), in the pulled-out state, is designed for the setting of said displayed time zone (31, 32, 33), wherein the push piece (53) is blocked by the crown (51) in the pulled-out state for actuation of the push piece (53).
4. The watch as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a further crown (52) is provided, with which the hour display (20) and minute display (21) can be set, upon which setting the time display (41, 42, 43) for said displayed time zone (31, 32, 33) is also jointly set.
5. The watch as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the time zone display (31, 32, 33) consists of a disk (33) having time zone designations (32) mounted thereon, which are visible in a window (31).
6. The watch as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the time display (41, 42, 43), comprising at least an hour display, for said displayed time zone (31, 32, 33) consists of a disk (43) having hour designations (42) mounted thereon, at least one of which is visible in a window (41).

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