GB2072848A

GB2072848A - Scale means for displaying information

Info

Publication number: GB2072848A
Application number: GB8010314A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Broad S H M
Current assignee: Broad S H M
Priority date: 1980-03-27
Filing date: 1980-03-27
Publication date: 1981-10-07

Abstract

Display means suitable for e.g. a clock face, comprising: (a) first scale means (1 to 6), having spaced graduations representing values of a quantity e.g. hours (b) second scale means (5 to 25), having spaced graduations representing values of a quantity e.g. minutes related to the values of said graduations of said first scale means; and (c) third scale means (7 to 12), having spaced graduations representing values of a quantity e.g. hours related to the values of said graduations of said first scale means and/or the values of said graduations of said second scale means. The clock is divided into different coloured halves and the values of the minutes graduations are denoted in the form in which time is normally expressed i.e. 20 minutes past the hour, or 10 minutes to the hour, to enable it to be used as an educational aid. Instead of radial graduations the scales may show graduated colouring or brightness. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Scale means for displaying information It is known to display graduated measures by utilising at least one scale means. Thus, at least one scale means can display e.g. values of quantities relative to each other or their correspondence relative to each other.

One well known scale means is a clock face that shows in a circular arrangement hours and minutes. In that arrangement, a minute scale has divisions for indicating increases in time of 1 minute length of corresponding hour values of an hour scale. It is well known that persons first learning to tell time can have difficulty in understanding the significance of such scales.

Such difficulty can be considerable for young children. Indeed, there is a continuing demand by parents and teachers to reduce that difficulty.

It has now been found in accordance with the present invention that the above difficulty can be reduced by utilising a plurality of scale means adapted to correspond to idiomatic expression of time, e.g. 10 minutes past one, or 20 minutes to nine.

It has also been found that the present invention is capable of wider applications than telling of time, i.e., the present invention can be used to display values of any suitable quantities relative to each other or their correspondence relative to each other.

According to the present invention, there is provided display means, comprising: (a) first scale means, extending in a first direction and having graduations spaced apart in said first direction, so that in said first direction the values corresponding to these graduations change in a predetermined manner; (b) second scale means, extending in a second direction and having graduations spaced apart in said second direction, so that in said second direction the values corresponding to these graduations change in a predetermined manner related to said change in values of said graduations of said first scale means;; (c) third scale means, extending in a third direction and having graduations spaced apart in said third direction, so that in said third direction the values corresponding to these graduations change in a predetermined manner related to said change in values of said graduations of said first scale means and/or to said change in values of said graduations of said second scale means.

Preferably, said first, second, and third directions are concentric. Preferably, at least two of said first, second, and third directions are superimposed upon each other. Preferably, at least one of said first, second, and third directions is a prolongation of one of the remaining two said directions. It will therefore be appreciated that in one kind of embodiment of the present invention, the first and second said directions can be constituted by a suitably graduated semi-circular indicium defining a first half of a clock face comprising 6 hours (as said first scale means) and 30 minutes (as said second scale means). Said third scale means can form part of the second half of the clock face, e.g. be constituted by a suitably graduated semi-circuiar indicium defining a further 6 hours or a further 30 minutes.

In general, said first scale means is preferably arcuate, e.g. subtend an angle of 1800 as in a first half of a clock face. The graduations of said first scale means can be provided in any suitable way, e.g. be transverse projections from a semi-circular indicium. However, it should be noted that such projections are not essential, because the graduations can be provided in any suitable way.

One alternative way would be where the first scale means is adapted to show graduated brightness and/or graduated clolouring, in order to indicate or define values comprised by the first scale means.

It will be appreciated that electro-optic means (e.g. cathode ray tubes or liquid crystal devices) or materials that change colour with temperature could be useful in constituting said first scale means. Said first scale means can be three dimensional if desired, but it will be appreciated that the two dimensional appearance provided by means of printing or a generally flat face of a cathode ray tube can be convenient.

The paragraph just given in respect of said first scale means applies also to said second, and third scale means, in that said second scale means and/or said third scale means can be similarly provided in the manner discussed in that paragraph. It will be appreciated that e.g. said second scale means is preferably arcuate and that said third scale means is preferably arcuate.

Said display means according to the present invention optionally further comprises: (d) fourth scale means, extending in a fourth direction and having graduations spaced apart in said fourth direction, so that in said fourth direction the values corresponding to these graduations change in a predetermined manner related to said changes in value of at least one of said first, second, and third scale means.

Preferably, said third and fourth directions are concentric. Preferably, said third and fourth directions are superimposed when said third direction is not superimposed upon either of said first and second directions. Preferably, said fourth direction is a prolongation of one of said first and second direction, said third direction preferably being a prolongation of the other of said first and second directions. It will therefore be appreciated that in one kind of embodiment of the present invention, the third and fourth said directions can be constituted by a suitable graduated indicium defining a second half of a clock face (for instance in respect of a clock face mentioned above in respect of said first and second directions).

Said fourth scale means can be similarly provided in the manner discussed above for said first, second, and third scale means. For instance, the graduations of said fourth scale means can be transverse projections from a semi-circular indicium.

Said display means according to the present invention optionally further comprises: (e) fifth scale means, extending in a fifth direction and having graduations spaced apart in said fifth direction, so that in said fifth direction the values corresponding to these graduations change in a predetermined manner related to said changes in value of at least one of said first, second, third, and fourth scale means.

Preferably, said fourth and fifth directions are concentric. Preferably, said fourth and fifth directions are superimposed, when said third and fourth directions are superimposed. It will therefore be appreciated that said fifth scale means can be e.g. numerical values alongside said third scale means or alongside said fourth scale means.Preferably, when said third and fourth scale means are comprised by the second half of a clock face (for instance in respect of a clock face mentioned above in respect of said first and second directions), said third scale means can be numerically labelled 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 for hours; said fourth scale means can be numerically labelled 25, 20, 15, 10, 5 (the 25 corresponding to said 7th hour and the 5 corresponding to said 1 itch hour) for one way of identifying minutes; and the fifth scale means can be numerically labelled 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 (the 30 corresponding to said 6th hour and the 60 corresponding to said 12th hour) for a second way of identifying minutes.

In general, the values of any said scale means can be numerically or otherwise identified in any suitable way. Thus, any indicia for that purpose can have any suitable form, e.g. be arabic or roman numerals or symbols that are not numeric, or any suitable combination thereof. However, it should be noted that said fifth scale means can be similarly provided in the manner discussed above for said first, second, third and fourth scale means.

For instance, said fifth scale means can be adapted to show graduated brightness and/or graduated coloring.

It will be appreciated that any said scale means can subtend area. For instance, said first and second scale means can subtend area comprising the first half face of a clcok (see earlier above), and said third and fourth scale means can subtend area comprising the second half face of a clock.

Preferably, said first and second half faces are adapted to be different in appearance relative to each other in those portions thereof not having indicia constituting said scale means. One example of such a difference is where the first half face has a dotted appearance but the second half face is plain.

It should be noted that any indicium used in the present invention, e.g. for defining a graduation or a dot on the dotted apparance of one kind of first half of a clock face can be constituted in any suitable way. For instance, an indicium can be print or an engraving, or a trace on a cathode ray tube.

Said display means according to the present invention optionally further comprises: (f) at least one indicator means, for indicating at least one graduation of at least one said scale means.

When a clock face comprises a said display means of the present invention, a said indicator means can be a rotatable hand for pointing to at least one said graduation. Preferably, there is a said hand for pointing to hours, and a said hand for pointing to minutes. Preferably, when there is more than one said indicator means, those indicator means have different appearances so as to enable them to be readily distinguished from each other. Preferably, the appearance of such an indicator means corresponds to at least one scale means. For instance, when said first scale means is black in appearance, and at least part of said second scale means is red in appearance, a first indicator means for indicating graduations of said first scale means can be black in appearance, and a second indicator means for indicating graduations of said second scale means can be red in appearance.It will therefore be appreciated that the clock face could be provided with a black rotatable hand for indicating hours, and be provided with a red rotatable hand for indicating minutes.

It should be noted that a said indicator means can be embodied in any suitable way. For instance, such an indicator means could be a rotatable disc having an aperture for revealing one said graduation under that aperture. The disc could have a plurality of such an aperture, e.g.

have an aperture correspond to said first scale means and an aperture correspond to said second scale means. In the case of a cathode ray tube adapted to comprise a said display means of the present invention, the circuitry associated with the cathode ray tube can be adapted to provide any suitable said indicator means, for instance a rotatable trace providing a cursor. A said indicator means changed if desired, e.g. a rotatable arm on a clock face can be replaced by a rotable apertured disc mentioned in this paragraph.

It should be noted that any said scale means can be fixedly located or movable relative to at least one of the other said scale means.

A said display means of the present invention can be embodied in any suitable way.

Furthermore, such a display means can be incorporated into various kinds of apparatus, e.g.

measuring apparatus or calculator apparatus (for instance in a display unit of a computer).

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows one embodiment of a clock face.

In the drawing, a substrate has five printed scales: (a) The first scale comprises hours 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 for the first 6 hours of the clock face.

(b) The second scale comprises the minutes 5, 10, 1 5, 20, 25 for the first 6 hours of the clock face.

(c) The third scale comprises the hours 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 for the second 6 hours of the clock face.

(d) The fourth scale comprises the minutes 25, 20, 1 5, 1 0, 5 that appear as a prolongation of the series of minutes 5 to 25 in the second scale, whereby the second and fourth scales together are one embodiment of a circular scale in which the first half counts up and the second half counts down; (e) the fifth scale comprises the minutes 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, and is a semi-circular scale whose graduations correspond to those of the fourth scale except that the numbers are counted differently, e.g. 25 of the fourth scale corresponds to 35 of the fifth scale.

Although not shown, the words "O'CLOCK" can appear above the 1 2 of the third scale, for instance those words can appear outside the circular boundary of the clock face. The words "QUARTER PAST", "HALF-PAST", and "QUARTER TO" can similarly be provided respectively outside the 1 5 of the second scale, outside the 6 of the first scale, and outside the 1 5 of the fourth scale.

The placing of such words is a matter of convenience, as is also the nature of their appearance, for instance "O'CLOCK" might differ in case and colour from "QUARTER PAST", or "O'CLOCK" can be replaced by "MID-DAY" and/or "MID-NIGHT".

The clock face has two rotatable arms A, B.

Arm A is for indicating hours. In this respect, arm A and the numbers designating hours are preferably the same colour, for instance black.

Arm B is for indicating minutes. In this respect, arm B and the numbers designating minutes are preferably the same color, preferably red when arm A is black as just mentioned. The arms are attached to the clock face by means of any suitable fastener C.

The clock face provided in the manner shown in the drawing enables children to understand how to read minutes. Thus, the clock face overcomes the difficulty that although children usually read the hour and half hour without difficulty, many children are at a loss when e.g. a "big hand" or "long hand" points to 4 and they are asked to say 20 instead of 4. Children will soon gain confidence in reading minutes from the clock face shown in the drawing. The children can also be introduced to the innermost numbers (i.e. the fifth scale) as an alternative way of expressing time (e.g. 3.35 instead of 25 minutes to 4).

If desired, further explanatory material can be shown on the clock face. For instance, one could have inserted: in the top right hand of the drawing the words "The large RED hand shows the minutes"; in the bottom right hand of the drawing the words "All RED numbers on this side are minutes PAST the last hour"; in the bottom right hand of the drawing the words "Big RED numbers on this side are minutes TO the hour"; and in the top left hand of the drawing the words "The smali BLACK hand shows the hour".

As a teaching aid, the clock face can be provided in any suitable manner, e.g. on a board, or in a book, or on one side of a printed card. The clock face can be present in or on a folded member or otherwise articulated member, wherein a portion of such a member constitutes a support for the member. For instance, a greetings card can have a horizontal or vertical fold so that a folded over portion of the card will be a support for enabling the card not to fall down when placed e.g. by the bedside of a child.

The present invention also includes equivalents of the above disclosure and of the accompanying drawings. For instance, the fastener C can be any suitable fastener, e.g. a fastener having a head or shank portion from which depend two legs that can be splayed back so as to form abutments for preventing the fastener from being withdrawn from the clock face until those legs have been restored to positions for enabling the fastener to be withdrawn from the clock face. In the drawing, the first half of the clock face has a dotted area subtended by the first and second scales, whereas the second half of the clock face has a plain appearance compared with the first half of the clock face. If desired, the second half of the clock face could have a dotted area subtended by the third, fourth, and fifth scales, whereas the first half of the clock face could be plain. It will be appreciated that these are only some examples of distinguishing different portions of the area of the clock face. An aperture through which a suitable said fastener can pass through the clock face can be bushed or reinforced.

Claims

1. Display means, comprising: (a) first scale means, extending in a first direction and having graduations spaced apart in said first direction, so that, in said first direction, values corresponding to these graduations change in a predetermined manner; (b) second scale means, extending in a second direction optionally the same as said first direction, and having graduations spaced apart in said second direction, so that, in said second direction, values corresponding to these graduations change in predetermined manner related to said change in values of said graduations of said first scale means; and (c) third scale means, extending in a third direction and having graduations spaced apart in said third direction, so that, in said third direction, values corresponding to these graduations change in predetermined manner related to said change in values of said graduations of said first scale means and/or to said change in values of said graduations of said second scale means.

2. Display means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second scale means comprise a first half clock face; and said third scale means comprises a second half clock face.

3. Display means as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said first, second, and third directions are concentric.

4. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of said first, second, and third scale means is a prolongation of one of the other two said scale means.

5. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said first scale means is arcuate.

6. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said first scale means comprises projections transversely of said first direction.

7. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said first scale means is adapted to show graduated or single brightness.

8. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said first scale means is adapted to show graduated or single colouring.

9. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said first scale means comprises at least one permanent indicium.

10. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said first scale means comprises electro-optic means.

11. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said first scale means comprises material adapted to show predetermined change in colour with change in temperature.

12. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said second scale means is arcuate.

13. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said second scale means comprises projections transversely of said second direction.

14. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein said second scale means is adapted to show graduated or single brightness.

15. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein said second scale means is adapted to show graduated or single colouring.

1 6. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein said second scale means comprises at least one permanent indicium.

17. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein said second scale means comprises electro-optic means.

18. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein said second scale means comprises material adapted to show predetermined change in colour with change in temperature.

19. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 1 8, wherein said third scale means is arcuate.

20. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein said third scale means comprises projections transversely of said third direction.

21. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein said third scale means is adapted to show graduated or single brightness.

22. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein said second scale means is adapted to show graduated or single colouring.

23. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein said third scale means comprises at least one permanent indicium.

24. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein said third scale means comprises electro-optic means.

25. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein said third scale means comprises material adapted to show predetermined change in colour with change in temperature.

26. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 25, comprising: (d) fourth scale means, extending in a fourth direction optionally the same as said third direction, and having graduations spaced apart in said fourth direction, so that, in said fourth direction, values corresponding to these graduations change in predetermined manner related to said changes in value of at least one of said first, second, and third scale means.

27. Display means as claimed in claim 26, wherein said first and second scale means comprise a first half clock face; and said third and fourth scale means comprise a second half clock face.

28. Display means as claimed in claim 27, wherein said first and second half clock faces, relative to each other, have different ground portions, one of said half clock faces optionally having a dotted ground and the other of said half clock faces optionally having a plain ground.

29. Display means as claimed in claim 27 or 28, wherein said first, second, third, and fourth directions are concentric.

30. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein said third and fourth directions are superimposed, said third direction not being superimposed upon either of said first and second directions.

31. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 30, wherein said third scale means is a prolongation of one of said first and second scale means; and said fourth scale means is a prolongation of the other of said first and second scale means.

32. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 31, wherein said fourth scale means is arcuate.

33. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 32, wherein said fourth scale means comprises projections transversely of said fourth direction.

34. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 33, wherein said fourth scale means is adapted to show graduated or single brightness.

35. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 34, wherein said fourth scale means is adapted to show graduated or single colouring.

36. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 35, wherein said fourth scale means comprises at least one permanent indicium.

37. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 36, wherein said fourth scale means comprises electro-optic means.

38. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 37, wherein said fourth scale means comprises material adapted to show predetermined change in colour with change in temperature.

39. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 38, comprising: (e) fifth scale means, extending in a fifth direction optionally the same as said third or fourth direction, and having graduations spaced apart in said fifth direction, so that in said fifth direction values corresponding to these graduations change in predetermined manner related to changes in value of at least one of said first, second, third, and fourth scale means.

40. Display means as claimed in claim 39, wherein said fourth and fifth directions are concentric.

41. Display means as claimed in claim 39 or 40, wherein said third, fourth, and fifth directions are superimposed.

42. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 41 , wherein said fifth scale means comprises projections transversely of said fifth direction.

43. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 42, wherein said fifth scale means is adapted to show graduated or single brightness.

44. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 43, wherein said fifth scale means is adapted to show graduated or single colouring.

45. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 44, wherein said fifth scale means comprises at least one permanent indicium.

46. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 45, wherein said fifth scale means comprises electro-optic means.

47. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 46, wherein said fifth scale means comprises material adapted to show predetermined change in colour with change in temperature.

48. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 47, wherein said third, fourth, and fifth scale means comprise a second half clock face, said third scale means numerically comprising 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 for hours, said fourth scale means numerically comprising 25, 20, 1 5, 10, 5 (the 25 corresponding to said 7th hour and the 5 corresponding to said 1 itch hour) for one way of identifying minutes, and said fifth scale means numerically comprising 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 (the 30 corresponding to the clock 6th hour and the 60 corresponding to said 12th hour) for a second way of identifying minutes.

49. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 48, comprising: (f) at least one indicator means for indicating at least one said graduation.

50. Display means as claimed in claim 49, wherein there are first and second said indicator means respectively comprising first and second rotatable clock hands.

51. Display means as claimed in claim 49 or 50, wherein at least one said indicator means comprises mechanical indicator means.

52. Display means as claimed in any one of claims 49 to 51, wherein at least one said indicator means comprises electro-optic indicator means.

53. Display means as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

54. Apparatus, comprising at least one said display means as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 53.

55. Apparatus as claimed in claim 54, when embodied as a teaching aid for telling time.