FR2790563A1 - OBJECT SUCH AS A WATCH OR PENDULUM WITH ANALOGUE DISPLAY AND DIAL OF THE SUN DIAL TYPE - Google Patents

Abstract

This object comprises a rotary clock mechanism, a flat dial and a time indicator means driven by the clock mechanism and movable relative to the dial. The indicating means comprises at least one light source (32) capable of producing a grazing light ray (34) projected in a plane parallel to the plane of the dial (12) or substantially coincident with it, and the clock mechanism (28) is a mechanism capable of rotating the light source, or one of the light sources, so as to scan the circumference or an angular sector of the dial, which carries a series of radial markings (14) of the sundial type.

Description

The invention relates to objects such as watches or clocks, intended for

give an indication of the time.

  It relates more precisely to watches or pendulums known as "with

  analog chage ", that is to say comprising a rotary clock mechanism (which can be battery or mechanical winding), a flat dial and a time indicator means driven by the clock and mobile mechanism

relative to the dial.

  Traditionally, the time indicator means has one or more

  needles driven in a continuous rotational movement in front

  graduations formed around the entire circumference of the dial.

  One of the aims of the invention is to propose a new type of time indicator means devoid of hands making it possible, as will be seen, to combine classicism and the timeless nature of a dial of the type

  sundial with modernism resulting from the use of op-

  toelectronics such as laser diodes or light emitting diodes.

  To this end, according to the invention, the indicating means comprises at least one light source capable of producing a light ray projected in a plane parallel to the plane of the dial or substantially coincident with it, and the

  watch mechanism is a mechanism capable of rotating the light source

  miner, or one of the light sources, so as to sweep the cir-

  conference or an angular sector of the dial.

  According to a certain number of advantageous subsidiary features of the invention: - the angle of opening of the angular sector of the dial is approximately 360 / N degrees, and N light sources are provided, as well as means for obscuring or extinguishing the N-1 sources not turned towards the angular sector of the dial; - The light source, or each light source, comprises a mobile light emitting member mounted on a unit driven by the clock mechanism; - There is a light emitting member cooperating with means for guiding and concentrating light driven in rotation by the clockwork mechanism, these means capturing light

  emitted by the light-emitting organ and directing it towards an exit

  tie of light forming said light source, or towards a plura-

  lity of light outputs each forming one of said light sources; - in the latter case, the means for guiding and concentrating light may in particular comprise a circular cover with an axis perpendicular to the plane of the dial and obscuring the emitting member

  of light, this cover being provided laterally on its peripheral wall-

  that at least one orifice forming said light source and orient-

  tee in the direction of the dial plane, this cover being further driven

  rotating around its axis by the clockwork mechanism.

  The dial advantageously bears a series of radial markings of

  type sundial, and it can come in various forms, including

  ment: - the dial has a solid surface and the light ray is a grazing ray projected in a plane substantially coincident with the plane of the dial; or

  - the dial has a closed volume filled with a gas capable of cooperating

  rer with the light ray so as to visualize the path of this

  it within the gas; or again - the dial has a surface formed by a grid arranged so as to cooperate with the light beam so as to display

  the path of the latter by illuminating points on the grid.

  We will now describe an example of implementation of the invention, in

reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment showing

  See the teachings of the invention, in the case of a wristwatch.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view, along 11-11 of FIG. 1,

this debt even wristwatch.

  In the figures, where the same reference numerals designate elements

  identical elements, reference 10 generally designates an example

  wristwatch according to the invention.

  As will be understood, the choice of a wristwatch is not well-

  not limiting, the invention can be immediately transposed to

  other objects such as clocks, wall clocks, etc. We will also see

  Lement that in the example illustrated, a number of details of embodiment are described which are not limiting and can be subject to various variants within the reach of ordinary skill in the art which will be discussed at the end of

description.

  Watch 10 has a flat dial 12 with a solid surface bearing

  a certain number of engraved time marks 14. In the example illus-

  very, the time marks 14 are markings of the type "dial so-

  laire "radiating from a central axis 16 over a range of approximately 120 and angularly spaced regularly to cover a range of time corresponding to twelve hours (that is to say, one revolution of the dial

  of a traditional needle watch).

  This dial 12 is mounted on a box connected by fasteners 18 to a bra-

celet 20.

  The housing carries a button 22, for example arranged on the side or in par-

  upper tie. This button performs a dual function, setting the mechanical time (by rotation, in the same way as a button for adjusting a traditional needle watch) and displaying the time by pressing

  like a push button; we will see that, for reasons

  power source life sounds, time display is not

  not permanent and must be controlled by the user. Button 22, when

  that it thus functions as a push button, controls the lighting of a

  light source 24, for example a laser diode, a light-emitting diode

  nescente or other similar electronic component.

  Diode 24 is not visible from the outside: it is obscured by a cover

  26, which is here a circular flat cover with an axis 16, driven in constant rotation

  maintained by a clockwork mechanism 28, which can be a classic movement

  that for example powered by a battery 30 which will also provide its

  energy at diode 24 during the periods of ignition of the latter.

  The cover 26, which obscures the diode from the outside, forms a trap from the inside

  light, thanks to a reflective interior surface.

  On its peripheral wall, the cover 26 is provided with three equidis-

  tants 32 configured so that one and only one of the orifices is always

  days directed towards the angular sector carrying the marks 14. This last orifice will thus project a light ray 34, which will be a grazing ray

  whose trace will be visible on the surface of the dial 12. The orifices 32 can-

  can be optionally provided with a concentration lens allowing

  both to obtain a radius 34 of greater finesse.

  Over time, the ray 34 will thus sweep the 120 of the angular sector carrying the marks 14. Once arrived at the end of this sector, the orifice 32 which projects the light ray will be obscured in the region 36 of a shoulder slightly raised in relation to the surface of the dial 12. ÀA

  At this time, the next hole 32 will leave this same shoulder-

  ment in region 38 at the start of the sector marked 14 and

  take over from the previous port 32.

  This technical solution consisting, to sweep an angular sector of 120, to use three regularly angularly distributed orifices of which two are concealed and one is apparent allows, as we have understood, to

  transform the continuous rotational movement of the cover 26 into a movement

  discontinuous scanning of the sector bearing the marks 14.

  This solution is not limiting: in a variant, instead of a uni-

  that light source 24 capped with a rotating light trap 26, we

  can provide three independent sources directly mounted on the ca-

  movable pot 26, placed at the location of the orifices 32 and directed so as to project the spoke 34 in the radial plane of the dial 12 or in a plane very close to the latter. It is possible either to conceal two of the three light sources in the same way as two of the orifices 32 of the light trap are obscured by the shoulders 36, 38, or, alternatively, to control

  activating the sources so that only one of them emits light

  re, the other two remaining inactive.

  In the embodiment which has been described, the light source produces a grazing ray in a plane parallel to the plane of the dial 12, very close to or coincident with it. This grazing ray forms a luminous trace on the solid surface of the dial, thus visualizing the orientation of the ray by

  relation to the time marks formed by the marks 14.

  In an alternative embodiment, the dial comprises a closed volume filled with a gas chosen so as to visualize the path of the ray within this gas, for example (but in a nonlimiting manner) by choosing for the gas a fluorescent substance and for the light source a source

  emitting in the ultraviolet range.

  In yet another variant, the dial, instead of being a solid dial, comprises a grid lit from below by the light beam 34. This

  grid, some points of which will be struck by the light ray, will thus

  if allow to visualize the path of the latter and therefore its angular position

  area in relation to marks 14 which can be formed either on the grid,

  either on a solid surface located below it.

Claims (9)

  1. An object such as a watch or pendulum, comprising a clockwork mechanism   rotating, a flat dial and a time indicator means driven by the clockwork mechanism and movable relative to the dial, characterized in that the indicator means comprises at least one light source capable of producing a light ray (34) projected into a plane parallel to the plane of the dial (12) or substantially coincident with the latter, and in that the clock mechanism (28) is a mechanism capable of making   turn the light source, or one of the light sources, to   to scan the circumference or an angular sector of the dial.   2. The subject of claim 1, in which the opening angle of the angular sector of the dial is approximately 360 / N degrees, and in that there are provided N light sources, as well as means for obscuring or turn them off   N-1 sources not turned towards the angular sector of the dial.   3. The subject of claim 1, wherein the light source, or cha-   that light source, comprises a mobile light emitting member   mounted on a crew driven by the watch mechanism.   4. The subject of claim 1, wherein there is provided an emitting organ-   light sensor (24) cooperating with guide and control means   centering of light driven in rotation by the clock mechanism, these means capturing the light emitted by the light emitting member and directing it towards a light output forming said light source, or towards a plurality of light outputs each forming one said light sources.   5. The object of claim 4, wherein the light guiding and concentrating means comprise a circular cover (26) with an axis (16) perpendicular to the plane of the dial (12) and obscuring the light emitting member (24), this cover being provided laterally on its peripheral wall with at least one orifice (32) forming said light source and oriented in the direction of the plane of the dial, this cover also being driven in rotation   around its axis by the clockwork mechanism (28).   6. The subject of claim 1, wherein the dial (12) carries a series   radial markings (14) of the sundial type.   7. The object of claim 1, in which the dial (12) has a solid surface and the light ray (34) is a grazing ray projected in   a plane substantially coincident with the plane of the dial.   8. The subject of claim 1, wherein the dial comprises a vo-   closed lume filled with a gas capable of cooperating with the light ray of   so as to visualize the path of the latter within the gas.   9. The subject of claim 1, wherein the dial includes an overlay   face formed by a grid arranged so as to cooperate with the light ray so as to visualize the path of the latter by illumination of grid points.