GB2274004A - A timepiece. - Google Patents

Abstract

A decimal timepiece displays decimal time by dividing a day into ten equal portions of time each being further sub-divided into one hundred equal portions of time, each of which is further sub-divided into ten equal portions of time. The display may be analogue or digital. <IMAGE>

Description

TIMEPIECE This invention relates to a timepiece.

Learning to tell the time causes many people, both adult and child, considerable difficulty. The current process of using the 24 hour clock is perhaps the prime cause of the difficulty.

Having learnt to tell the time there can be further difficulty due to the numerous methods of expressing the time, ie: Thirteen forty five hours.

One forty five in the afternoon.

A quarter to two in the afternoon.

One forty five PM.

With increasing decimalisation, and the benefits that that has brought, it is illogical that we continue to use the current 24 hour clock.

According to the present invention there is a timepiece which calculates and displays decimal time by dividing each day into periods of time using a decimal system.

The timepiece consists of an electronic, mechanical, or electro-mechanical instrument for calculating time using a decimal system, time is displayed by means of an anologue, digital, or anologue-digital display. Decimal time is calculated by dividing a day, currently 24 hrs, into ten equal portions of time called 'DECONNS'. Each deconn is further sub-divided into one hundred equal portions of time called 'CENTONNS'. Each Centonn is further sub-divided into ten equal portions of time called 'MILONNS'. Milonns can be further sub-divided ad finitum, dependent on the degree of accuracy required.

1 DAY = 1 ONN 1 ONN = 10 DECONNS 1 DECONN = 100 CENTONNS 1 DECONN = 1000 MILONNS 1 CENTONN = 10 MILONNS 1 DAY = 10 DECONNS 1 DAY = 1000 CENTONNS 1 DAY = 10000 MILONNS 1 ONN = 1 DAY 10 DECONNS = 24 HOURS 10 DECONNS = 1440 MINUTES 10 DECONNS = 86400 SECONDS 1 DECONN = 2 HOURS 24 MINUTES 1 DECONN = 144 MINUTES 1 DECONN = 8640 SECONDS 1 CENTONN = 1 MINUTE 26.4 SECONDS 1 CENTONN = 86.4 SECONDS 1 MILONN = 8.64 SECONDS A 'DAY' is a calendar day, of 24 hours duration reckoned from one midnight to the next.

It is possible to alter the time display by means of either mechanical winders or electronic function buttons, these are not illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of an example of a decimal timepiece with an anologue time display; Figure 2 shows a plan view of an example of a decimal timepiece with a digital time display; and Figure 3 shows a plan view of an example of a decimal timepiece with an anologue-digital time display.

1 Referring to figure 1 the anologue decimal timepiece comprises an outer case 1, an anologue display 2, the external perimeter of which is divided into ten equal segments and numbered consecutively 1 to 10, a small 'hand' to indicate deconns 3, a large 'hand' to indicate centonns 4, a 'hand' to indicate the number of milonns between each centonn 5, and one further 'hand' to indicate the number of tenths of milonns 6.

All 'hands' rotate in a clockwise direction.

2 Referring to figure 2 the digital decimal timepiece comprises an outer case 1, a digital display 11, which is capable of displaying the whole number of deconns (2 digits) 7, whole number of centonns (2 digits) 8, whole numbers of milonns (1 digit) 9, and tenths of milonns (1 digit) 10.

3 Referring to figure 3 the anologue-digital decimal timepiece comprises an outer case 1, an anologue display 2, the external perimeter of which is divided into ten equal segments and numbered consecutively 1 to 10, a small 'hand' to indicate deconns 3, a large 'hand' to indicate centonns 4, and a digital display which is capable of displaying milonns (1 digit) 9, and tenths of milonns (1 digit) 10. All 'hands' rotate in a clockwise direction.

Claims (12)

1 A timepiece which calculates and displays decimal time by dividing each day into periods of time using a decimal system.

2 A timepiece as claimed in Claim 1 wherein decimal time is calculated by means of a mechanical instrument.

3 A timepiece as claimed in Claim 1 wherein decimal time is calculated by means of an electronic instrument.

4 A timepiece as claimed in any preceding claim wherein decimal time is calculated by means of an electro-mechanical instrument.

5 A timepiece as claimed in any preceding claim wherein decimal time is displayed by means of an anologue display.

6 A timepiece as claimed in any preceding claim wherein decimal time is displayed by means of a digital display.

7 A timepiece as claimed in any preceding claim wherein decimal time is displayed by means of both anologue and digital displays.

8 A timepiece as claimed in any preceding claim wherein decimal time is indicated by one or more anologue pointers (hands).

9 A timepiece as claimed in any preceding claim wherein decimal time is indicated by a digital display of one or more digits.

10 A timepiece as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a day (A 'DAY' being a calendar day, of 24 hours duration reckoned from one midnight to the next) is divided into portions of time using a decimal system.

11 A timepiece as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a day is divided into ten equal portions of time using a decimal system, each of the ten equal portions of time are further sub-divided into one hundred equal portions of time, which in turn are further sub-divided into ten further equal portions of time ad finitum.

12 A method of timing an operation which method comprises determining an instant of time or a time interval using a decimal system and displaying the time or time interval by use of primary units each representing one tenth of a twenty four hour period and secondary time units each representing one hundredth of a primary time unit.