EP2821860A1 - Clock with pointers - Google Patents

Abstract

The clock with hands (11a, 11b, 13, 14) according to a first aspect comprises a rotatable disc (20) for marking locations on a map (16) which is arranged on the dial (10). According to a second aspect, the watch comprises hands which comprise two 24-hour hands (11a, 11b) rotatable about a common center (10b).

Description

The invention relates to a clock with a map and / or pointers for displaying at least two times.

Such clocks are designed, for example, such that a time indicated on the clock can be compared to a specific time zone and / or comparable to a time in another time zone.

From the DE 40 30 744 A1 a clock is known which has hands and a rotatable map with the south pole as the center. The hour hand is coupled with the map to the movement and rotates with this in 24 hours by 360 degrees. At the edge of the map, a scale with 24 time-zone sectors is provided, which is rotatable relative to a fixed scale with also 24 time-zone sectors. From the position of the hands and the relative position of the two sectors, the time can be read in different time zones. To make the rotation in the usual clockwise direction, the South Pole is the center of the map. This representation has the disadvantage that it is relatively difficult to recognize for which place on the map time is valid. Furthermore, it is difficult to capture the time in two different time zones at a glance.

From the CH 655 221 G A3 is a clock with two hour hands are known, designed as a 12-hour hand, and with a rotating bezel, which has a 24-hour scale. On the watch band is a selection of locations in different time zones. This design of the clock makes it relatively complicated, the time for two different places read. Furthermore, a map is missing, so that it is not obvious at first glance, for which place a displayed time applies.

From the EP 0 676 679 B1 For example, a clock is known which has a main hour hand for indicating a main time and a plurality of auxiliary hours hands for indicating auxiliary times. The first hour hand rotates 360 degrees in 12 hours, while the auxiliary hour hand turns full circle in 24 hours. This makes a comparison between the main time and the auxiliary times difficult. Also, the auxiliary hours hands and the main hour hand have different turning centers, so that they have relatively small dimensions and the reading of the auxiliary times is difficult. In addition, no map is provided, which makes it difficult for the user to see at a glance, for which place a displayed time applies.

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a timepiece which makes it possible, on a simplified basis, to recognize for which place on the map a time indicated on the watch is valid.

It is a second object of the present invention to provide a timepiece which makes it easier to detect and compare the time in two different time zones.

These two objects are achieved by the clock according to claim 1 or 2. The other claims indicate preferred embodiments of the inventive clock.

According to claim 1, the clock comprises a map on the dial as well as a rotatable with respect to the map Disk for marking places. It will therefore be easy to see for what place on the map a time indicated on the watch is valid by turning the glass so that the corresponding place is marked on the map.

According to claim 2, the watch comprises two hour hands rotatable about a common center, which are 24-hour hands. The hour hands therefore rotate 360 degrees in 24 hours. Compared with the usual hour hands on a 12-hour basis, there is no need to consider whether the specified time refers to the day or the night. This makes it very easy to capture and compare the time in two different time zones. Another advantage is the simplified design of the dial, as a single scale is sufficient to read both times.

• Fig. 1 eine Draufsicht einer erfindungsgemässen Uhr,
• Fig. 2 eine Draufsicht der Scheibe für die Uhr gemäss Fig. 1,
• Fig. 3 das Zifferblatt aus Fig. 1, welches hier transparent dargestellt ist, zusammen mit der Scheibe gemäss Fig. 2, und
• Fig. 4 zeigt die Dreheinrichtung zum Drehen der Scheibe gemäss Fig. 2 in einer perspektivischen Ansicht.

zeigen.Other specific design features and their advantages will be apparent from the following description and drawings of an embodiment in which

• Fig. 1 a top view of a clock according to the invention,
• Fig. 2 a top view of the disk for the clock according Fig. 1 .
• Fig. 3 the dial off Fig. 1 , which is shown here transparent, together with the disc according to Fig. 2 , and
• Fig. 4 shows the turning device to rotate the disc according to Fig. 2 in a perspective view.

demonstrate.

In the Fig. 1 Clock shown is a wristwatch, which is designed as an analog clock. It includes a fixed dial 10 on a 24-hour basis. In the present example, the numbers "6", "12", "18" and "24" for the corresponding hour are indicated on the edge portion 10a of the dial 10. Of course, other numbers between 0 and 24 may be indicated on the edge portion 10a and / or dashes may be provided for more accurate reading of the positions of the hands 11a, 11b, 13, 14.

To display the time in a first time zone, which z. The hands 11a, 13, 14 rotate around a common point 10b such that the hour hand 11a in 24 hours, the minute hand 13 in 60 minutes and the second hand 14 will make a full turn in 60 seconds. The hands 11a, 13, 14 are coupled to a clockwork (not shown here). In this case, the pointer 11a is coupled in the usual way via the pointer movement with the minute. The movement is, for example, spring or battery powered depending on the application.

To display the time in another time zone, the z. B. the time in whereabouts ("local time") corresponds, a second hour hand 11b is provided, which also rotates about the center 10b and that as the first hour hand 11a in 24 hours by 360 degrees. The two hour hands 11a, 11b are arranged in the center 10b one above the other so that they are rotatable relative to each other.

The hour in the respective time zone results from the position of the respective hour hand 11a or 11b. The of The minutes and seconds shown in the hands 13, 14 are the same for the two time zones. Since both hands 11a and 11b are 24-hour hands, the same schedule on the edge portion 10a is usable to read the time in the two time zones. This facilitates reading and comparing the two times.

The second hour hand 11b is designed as a jumping adjustable hour in the present example. He is therefore coupled to the clockwork so that he jumps when changing the hour by an angular range. (This corresponds to 360 degrees / 24 = 15 degrees.) The first hour hand 11a is continuously rotatably coupled to the movement.

On the edge region 10a, here at the hour "24", a display window 15 is arranged. In this information 21 to the location are displayed, for which the time in the second time zone applies.

The dial 10 has within the edge area 10a a map 16, which is a representation of the world, here in a representation with Western Europe in the middle. There are also other representations conceivable, for. For example, those with Asia or America in the middle, excerpts of a world map, z. B. single continents or another, extending over several time zones area, etc.

On the map 16 individual locations are marked by the dial has holes 17 at the appropriate locations. The places are z. B. is selected so that each of the 24 time zones is represented by a location.

Below the dial 10, a disc 20 is arranged, which serves to mark the current location. The disc 20 is rotatably mounted, and also about the center of rotation 10b. The disk 20 is thus arranged concentrically with the dial 10.

The rotational position of the disc 20 is manually adjustable. This disc 20 is arranged so decoupled from the movement that its position during the rotation of the hands 11a, 11b, 13, 14 remains unchanged.

Preferably, the disc 20 is coupled to a detent mechanism (not shown) which defines a number N of rotational positions of the disc with respect to the dial 10 with the map 16. The locking mechanism has, for example, a spring which holds the disc 20 in a certain rotational position. The rotational positions are z. B. defined by formed on the edge of the disc 20 notches, in which the spring can engage. The number N corresponds to the number of selected locations and is 24 in this example.

By means of the disc 20 can u. a. visualize a location on the map 16 and locate it accordingly. In addition, information about the location can be displayed in the display window 15.

The disk 20 is in Fig. 2 shown. On the edge area 20a, information 21 about the selected locations is circulating. This location information 21 can be designed arbitrarily. In the present example, an abbreviation is used for each location as used in the airport codes, eg. B. ZRH for "Zurich" Of course, other abbreviations or other representations are conceivable.

In the middle of the disc 20 is an opening 20b to the hands 11a, 11b, 13, 14 can be coupled to the clockwork.

For each location information 21, a marker 22 is assigned, which is arranged between edge area 20a and opening 20b. The markers 22 are, for example, colored circular disks, z. Eg red dots. The markers 22 are arranged so that when location information 21 is displayed in the display window 15, the associated mark 22 is located below the hole 17 which marks the corresponding location on the map 16. So are in the in Fig. 1 shown setting of the turntable 20 in the display window 15, the location information 21 "ZRH" for "Zurich" and on the map 16 at the appropriate location to see the mark 22.

By a suitable choice of the locations on the map 16 and the order of the location information 21 on the turntable 20 it is ensured that only one mark 22 can be seen on the map 16 when a location information 21 can be seen in the display window 15. So z. For example, in the present example, the two locations Sydney (SYD) and Brisbane (BNE) are selected, whose corresponding holes 17 'and 17 "are approximately equidistant from the center of rotation 10b of the disc 20 (cf. Fig. 1 ). The corresponding markings 22 'and 22 "on the disc 20 are also approximately equidistant from the center of rotation 10b., Seen clockwise, the hole 17" to Brisbane is located in front of the hole 17' to Sydney, while the mark 22 "and the location information BNE are arranged according to the marking 22 'or the location information SYD, therefore, if, for example, the marking 22' lies below the hole 17 ', there is located the hole 17 "in front and the mark 22" thereafter and therefore can not cover.

Out Fig. 3 , in which the dial 10 is shown transparent, the arrangement of the holes 17 and the markings 22 can be seen. In the position shown, ZRH is selected so that only the mark labeled 22 "'is under a hole 17.

Fig. 4 shows the rotating means for rotating the disc 20. The rotating means comprises a driver 40 in the form of a ring which has teeth 41 in the inner edge, and a Fortschaltrad 42 with a Fortschaltstern 43, which here has four arms. The indexing wheel 42 is coupled to a crown 30 (see. Fig. 1 ) that it is rotated by turning the crown 30. The arms of the indexing star 43 are shaped such that upon rotation of the wheel 42 in one direction (here in the clockwise direction) the indexing star 43 is in engagement with the driver 40 and so is also rotated, and that upon rotation of the wheel 42 in the other direction (here counterclockwise), the arms of the star 43 is moved over a tooth 41 and thus the driver 40 stops.

At the driver 40 bendable driver elements 44 are formed in the form of tongues, z. B. by punching in the ring. During assembly, the in Fig. 4 shown top of the driver 40 placed on the underside of the disc 20 and the driver elements 44 to the disc 20 bent out. This has (not shown here) projections, which serve as stops for the elements 44. If the driver 40 as described above by means of the crown 30 in one Direction (clockwise here) rotated, the rotation is transmitted via the driver elements 44 on the disc 20.

Coming back to Fig. 1 Also shown is an adjustment device which has a crown 30 attached to the end of a shaft. The crown 30 can be pulled out of the watch case together with the shaft, so that together with the marked basic position 31, two further positions 32 and 33 (in FIG Fig. 1 dashed lines) can take.

If the watch is spring-operated, the spring can be raised by turning the crown 30 in the basic position 31.

When the crown 30 is in the first extended position 32, the following two adjustment possibilities arise: When the crown 30 is rotated in one direction, the second hour hand 11b is adjusted while, when the crown 30 is rotated in the other direction, the disc 20 is rotated , The hands 11a, 13, 14 continue to run.

The independent adjustment of pointer 11b and disc 20 has the advantage that the displayed on the map 16 place can be adapted to the local time. So z. B. the conversion of summer and winter time depending on the location handled differently. When entering a next time zone, therefore, the time difference may be other than 1 hour.

When the crown 30 is in the second extended position 33, the watch stops. By turning the crown 30, the hour hand 11a and the minute hand 13 are adjustable. The angle between the two Hour hands 11a and 11b remain the same, ie, if the first hour hand 11a is presented, for example, by one hour, then the second hour hand 11b also advances by one hour. The second hand 14 remains unchanged.

The clock shown here makes it easy to read two times, for example a home time and a local time, and determine for which place the local time applies. Since both hour hands 11a and 11b are designed for a 24-hour scale, it is very easy to see which is the time difference between the two times.

From the foregoing description, numerous modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims.

In a simpler embodiment, the second hand 14 may also be omitted.

The provision of the rotatable disk 20 for marking locations on the map 16 as well as the provision of two 24-hour hands 11a, 11b can also be implemented independently of each other on a clock.

Claims (9)

Watch with hands (11a, 11b, 13, 14) and a map (16) on the dial (10), characterized by a disc (20) rotatable relative to the map (16) for marking locations on the map (16 ). Watch, in particular according to claim 1, having hands (11a, 11b, 13, 14) which comprise two hour hands (11a, 11b) rotatable about a common center (10b), characterized in that the two hour hands are 24 hour hands. Watch according to claims 1 and 2, comprising adjusting means (30) for rotating the disc (20) and the hour hand (11a, 11b), preferably the disc (20) is rotatable independently of the hour hands (11a, 11b). A watch according to claim 3, wherein the adjusting means comprises a pull-out crown (30) having at least one extension position (32), wherein by rotating the crown (30) in one direction the disk (20) and in the other direction of one (11b) the two hour hand (11a, 11b) are rotatable. A watch according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein one (11b) of the two hour hands (11a, 11b) is a jumping adjustable hour hand. A watch as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dial (10) has holes (17) marking the locations on the map, and the disc (20) is provided with markings (22), the respective ones Mark (22) can be seen by rotating the disc (20) through at least one hole (17). A watch according to claim 6, wherein the number of marked locations is N, where N is preferably equal to 24, and the disc (20) has N different rotational positions with respect to the dial (10) so that at each of the N rotational positions exactly one mark (22) can be seen through a hole (17). A timepiece according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dial (10) comprises a display window (15) for displaying information (21) about the location marked on the map (16). Watch according to claim 8, wherein the information (21) is arranged on the disc (20), preferably the information (21) is located on the edge region (20a) of the disc (20) within which the markings (22) are arranged.

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