EP2180384A1

EP2180384A1 - Watch provided with locking means

Info

Publication number: EP2180384A1
Application number: EP08167296A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Robert Michael Evert Van Heijster
Original assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO; TNO Institute of Industrial Technology
Current assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO; TNO Institute of Industrial Technology
Priority date: 2008-10-22
Filing date: 2008-10-22
Publication date: 2010-04-28

Abstract

Watch, comprising an electronic, electromechanical or mechanical clockwork (1, 11) including time display means (2, 3, 12, 13, 14) and means (5, 20) for setting the time. Moreover, means (5, 20) are provided for entering an unlock/lock code and means (4, 15-35) for unlocking/locking the clockwork or the display means when the entered unlock/lock code has a predetermined value. When the watch comprises an electronic or electromechanical clockwork, electronic clockwork control means (1) may be provided as well as means (4, 5) arranged for receiving said unlock/lock code, comparing its value with said predetermined value and unlocking/locking the clockwork or the display means when the entered unlock/lock code has said predetermined value, e.g. formed by one or more time values. When the watch is driven by an electromechanical or mechanical clockwork a mechanical configuration may be applied, comprising discs (15, 16) provided with slots which can be penetrated by one or two penetrators (18, 28) which are engaged with ON/OFF actuators (19, 29), which are arranged to lock or release the clockwork (11).

Description

The present invention refers to a watch, comprising an electronic, electromechanical or mechanical clockwork including time display means and means for setting the time.
Expensive watches etc. are a attractive object for burglars and other thiefs.
The present invention is based upon the understanding that such watches will be much less attractive when they are provided with a sort of PIN code, as is used in the domain of computers, telephones etc. When applying such a security system the theft of a watch is considered to be less attractive when the watch's operation is disabled and only can be enabled by entering a (secret) code.
According to the invention, the watch comprises means for entering an unlock/lock code and means for unlocking/locking the clockwork or the display means where the entered unlock/lock code has a predetermined value.
Hereinafter the invention will be discussed with reference to some figures:

Figure 1: shows an exemplary embodiment of a watch comprising an electronic or electromechanical clockwork and electronic means for unlocking/locking the clockwork or display;
Figures 2, 3 and 4: show an exemplary embodiment of a watch comprising an electromechanical or mechanical clockwork and mechanical means for unlocking/locking the clockwork;
Figure 5: shows an extension of the embodiment shown in figure 2.

The watch shown in figure 1 comprises an electronic clockwork, i.e. including an electronic clockwork (drive) 1 and a fully electronic, digital (numeric) display 2 and/or analogue display 3 (having hour and minute hands). An electronic clockwork controller 4 is provided for controlling the clockwork 1, which controller includes a user interface (including buttons 5) for setting and adjusting the time and other functions, e.g. stopwatch, date etc. The controller 4, moreover, includes locking means, which are arranged for receiving an unlock/lock code, e.g. a certain time value which can be used for such unlock/lock code, for comparing the received value with a predetermined value, e.g. 13:14, and for unlocking or locking the clockwork 1 or the display 2 and/or 3 when the entered unlock/lock code is equal to that predetermined value. The unlock/lock code is -at least partially- formed by one or more times, each comprising an hour and a minutes component, which code is entered using the means 5 for setting the time etc. It is noted that, in particular in electronic watches, it might be also possible to use other codes, e.g. "time look-alike" codes like "25:61".
The unlock/lock code may be a fixed code, e.g. set by the manufacturer. It may, however, be preferred to give the user the opportunity to set or change the unlock /lock code by means of the user interface for setting the time (represented by the buttons 5).
So, the watch can be stopped by entering the (secret) code, e.g. 13:14, via the buttons 5. The watch can be started again by entering the same code via the buttons 5. This may offer an opportunity to sellers of expensive watches, to discourage the theft of such watches, viz. by only stocking locked watches. To unlock such a watch -after it has been sold- the seller or the manufacturer may supply the unlock/lock code to the buyer, e.g. via the Internet, or via postal mail. The buyer (user) may re-lock the watch by re-entering the unlock/lock code. It may be preferred to display the unlock/lock status at the watch's display 2 or 3, in order to indicate to potential thiefs that the watch has been locked by a security code.
Figure 2, and 3 show -in two views- a watch which comprises an electromechanical or (pure) mechanical clockworks, as well as mechanical means for unlocking/locking those clockworks. Figure 4 shows a detail.
The watch in figure 2 comprises a casing 10, an electromechanical or mechanical clockwork 11, a dial 12, an hour hand 13 and a minute hand 14. The watch, moreover, comprises a first disc 15, engaged with the hour hand 13 and a second disc 16, engaged with the minute hand 14, which discs are provided with similar eccentric openings 17, having here the shape of slots in the disc borders. The discs 15 and 16, and thus the disc openings 17, either are set (in the factory) or are arranged to be (re)set (e.g. the users) at such positions relative to the positions of the hour hand 13 and the minute hand 14 respectively that both disc openings 17 coincide with a certain fixed location A (e.g. relative to the casing 10) when the hour hand and the minute hand show a certain time at the dial, e.g. 13:14. The watch, moreover, comprises a penetrator 18, i.e. a member which is arranged to be able to penetrate, when pushed from outside the watch casing e.g. by the watch user, into both coinciding disc openings (slots) 17 at said fixed location A when the hour hand and the minute hand show, e.g. are set to, said certain time, e.g. 13:14. The penetrator 18 is engaged with a toggling clockwork ON/OFF actuator 19, causing that the clockwork (or only the display) can be turned ON and OFF alternately when the penetrator is driven into the coinciding disc openings from outside the watch casing, e.g. by the watch user, after the hour hand and the minute hand have been set into said certain time (e.g. 13:14). Figure 4 shows that the penetrator 18 is engaged with the watch's time adjustment knob 20 via a spring member 21. The spring 21 allows the adjustment knob to move in and out even if the penetrator 18 cannot penetrate the disc openings 17 (because the time shown is not 14:15). The toggling clockwork ON/OFF actuator 19 comprises a ratchet wheel 22 which is driven by the penetrator 18 via a springy ratch 23. A second springy ratch 23a prevents the ratchet wheel 22 to rotate backwards. The ratchet wheel is connected with a cam wheel 24. The cam wheel actuates a springy lever 25 which can lock (down) or unlock (up) a gearwheel 26. ON/OFF toggling is only possible if the penetrator 18 can penetrate the disc openings 17 (e.g. at 14:15).
In this exemplary embodiment locking or unlocking can only be performed when the penetrator 18 falls within both disc slots 17, which situation occurs only when the hour and minute hands are in the position in which they show the unlock/lock code time, 13:14. If in this position, when the knob 21 is pushed in, the time setting is changed -by turning around knob 21- e.g. to 15:16, the new unlock/lock code time will be 15:16. So in future the watch only can be unlocked or locked after first turning the watch hands to 15:16 and pushing knob 21 one time, causing that the lever 25 is either pushed up by the cam wheel 24 and unlocks the gearwheel 27 of the clock work, or is released downwards by the cam wheel 24 and locks the gearwheel 27. This settable code requires a slipping clutch between hand (13, 14) and discs (17), as well as the possibility to change the time with the adjustment knob moved in.
The watch shown in figure 5 comprises discs 15 and 16 which are provided with similar second openings 27, however, at other disc locations. The discs, and thus the second disc openings, are or can be set at such positions relative to the positions of the hour hand and the minute hand respectively that both disc openings 25 and 26 coincide with a certain second fixed location B when the hour hand 13 and the minute hand 14 show a certain second time at the dial, e.g. 20:21. The watch, moreover, comprises a second penetrator 28, i.e. a second member which is arranged to be able to penetrate, when pushed from outside the watch casing e.g. by the watch user, into both coinciding second disc openings at said second fixed location B when the hour hand and the minute hand show, e.g. are set to, said certain second time, e.g. 20:21. The second penetrator 28 is engaged with a second toggling clockwork ON/OFF actuator 29, causing that the clockwork can be turned ON and OFF alternately when the penetrator 29 is driven into the coinciding disc openings 25, 26 from outside the watch casing, e.g. by the watch user, after the hour hand and the minute hand have been set into said certain second time, e.g. 20:21. Means are provided for engaging both penetrators 18, 28 with the same time adjustment knob 20, viz. in the form of a double spring 31 between the knob 20 and both penetrators 18, 28 respectively. The actuator 29 is of a similar construction as actuator 19 as can be seen in figure 6. The penetrator 28 is engaged with the watch's time adjustment knob 20 via double spring 31. The toggling clockwork ON/OFF actuator 29 comprises a ratchet wheel 32 which is driven by the penetrator 28 via a springy ratch 33. The ratchet wheel is connected with a cam wheel 34. The cam wheel actuates a cam follower 35, which is provided with a springy lever 36 which can lock (down) or unlock (up) a -twin-gearwheel 37.
The operation is as follows: after the hands have been turned -by means of knob 21- into the first unlock/lock code time e.g. 14:15, the first penetrator 18 is pushed into the first slot pair 17, causing that the actuator 19 (un)locks the gearwheel 27 via lever 26. The knob 21 is pulled out again and by turning knob 21 around, the hands are set into the second unlock/lock code time, e.g. 20:21, the second penetrator 28 is pushed into the second slot pair 27, causing that the actuator 29 (un)locks the twin gearwheel 37 via lever 36. In this way two (secret) time codes have to be input in order to unlock or lock the clock work be means of (twin) gearwheel(s) 27 and 37.

Claims

Watch, comprising an electronic, electromechanical or mechanical clockwork (1, 11) including time display means (2, 3, 12, 13, 14) and means (5, 20) for setting the time, moreover, comprising means (5, 20) for entering an unlock/lock code and means (4, 15-35) for unlocking/locking the clockwork or the display means when the entered unlock/lock code has a predetermined value.
Watch according to claim 1, comprising an electronic or electromechanical clockwork and electronic clockwork control means (1) as well as means (4, 5) arranged for receiving said unlock/lock code, comparing its value with said predetermined value and unlocking/locking the clockwork or the display means when the entered unlock/lock code has said predetermined value.
Watch according to claim 1, unlock/lock code is at least partially formed by one or more times, comprising an hour and a minutes component, which code is entered using means for setting the time.
Watch according to claim 1, the unlock/lock code is a fixed code.
Watch according to claim 3, comprising means for setting the unlock /lock code by using said means (5, 20) for setting the time.
Watch according to claim 1, comprising a casing, an electromechanical or mechanical clockwork, a dial, an hour hand and a minute hand; the watch, moreover, comprising a first disc, engaged with the hour hand and a second disc, engaged with the minute hand, the discs being provided with similar eccentric openings; the discs, and thus the disc openings, either being set or being arranged to be set at such positions relative to the positions of the hour hand and the minute hand respectively that both disc openings coincide with a certain fixed location when the hour hand and the minute hand show a certain time at the dial; the watch, moreover, comprising a penetrator, i.e. a member which is arranged to be able to penetrate, when pushed from outside the watch casing e.g. by the watch user, into both coinciding disc openings at said fixed location when the hour hand and the minute hand show, e.g. are set to, said certain time; the penetrator being engaged with a toggling clockwork ON/OFF actuator, causing that the clockwork can be turned ON and OFF alternately when the penetrator is driven into the coinciding disc openings from outside the watch casing, e.g. by the watch user, after the hour hand and the minute hand have been set into said certain time.
Watch according to claim 6, the penetrator being engaged with the watch's time adjustment knob via a spring member.
Watch according to claim 6, said discs being provided with similar eccentric second openings; the discs, and thus the second disc openings, either being set or being arranged to be set at such positions relative to the positions of the hour hand and the minute hand respectively that both disc openings coincide with a certain second fixed location when the hour hand and the minute hand show a certain second time at the dial; the watch, moreover, comprising a second penetrator, i.e. a second member which is arranged to be able to penetrate, when pushed from outside the watch casing e.g. by the watch user, into both coinciding second disc openings at said second fixed location when the hour hand and the minute hand show, e.g. are set to, said certain second time; the second penetrator being engaged with a second toggling clockwork ON/OFF actuator, causing that the clockwork can be turned ON and OFF alternately when the penetrator is driven into the coinciding disc openings from outside the watch casing, e.g. by the watch user, after the hour hand and the minute hand have been set into said certain second time.
Watch according to claims 7 and 8, comprising means for engaging both penetrators with the time adjustment knob.
Watch according to claims 6, 7, 8 or 9, comprising a casing lock, operated by the ON/OFF mechanism, which prevents the lock being opened in the OFF position.
Watch according to claim 2, using a lock/unlock code not formed by a valid time notation, either having or not having the format of a valid time notation.