GB2311628A - Shadow clock - Google Patents

Description

~CLOCK The present invention relates to a clock which incorporates a light source to display time.

According to the invention, there is provided a clock which comprises a body provided with a clock movement having movable time indicators and a light source positioned on one side of the indicators to produce shadows of the indicators on a plane on the opposite side of the indicators and around the body for time indication.

Preferably, the light source is positioned in front of the time indicators t9 produce the shadows on a plane behind the indicators.

It is preferred that the clock movement has a shaft for moving the time indicators, with which shaft the light source is aligned.

In a preferred embodiment, the time indicators are provided by hour and minute hands which are bent or folded towards the light source.

Preferably, the body includes a fixed member for the light source to produce a reference shadow on a said plane to facilitate time reading.

More preferably, the body includes four said fixed members provided at equi-angular positions.

In a specific construction, the body is formed by a base holding the clock movement and by a cover holding the light source, which base and cover are connected together in a spaced apart manner by means of the fixed member or members.

Preferably, the clock is adapted for use on a support surface or, more particularly, a vertical wall providing a said plane.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partially cross-sectioned side view of an embodiment of a clock in accordance with the invention, used on a wall; and Figure 2 is a front view of the clock of Figure 1, on a reduced scale, showing the indication of time on the wall.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a clock 10 embodying the invention, which clock 10 has a generally cylindrical base 11 and a circular cover 12. The cover 12 is connected co-axially to the base 11, at a distance apart, by means of four axially-extending rods 13 which are provided equi-angularly around the periphery of the base 11. The clock 10 is to be used on a wall 9, with the base 11 secured to the wall 9 by means of a screw 8 such that the axis of the overall clock 10 extends horizontally off the wall 9.

The base 11 houses a battery-operated clock movement (not shown) which provides a clock shaft 14 projecting coaxially from the centre of a front side 15 of the base 11 facing the cover 12. The shaft 14 supports hour, minute and second hands 16 to 18 for rotation to indicate time on the base's front side 15. Each of the hands 16 to 18 is bent or folded to incline art an acute angle off the base's front side 15.

The cover 12 has a part-spherical front side 19 and includes a rear side 20 facing the front side 15 of the base 11, across which sides 15 and 20 the connecting rods 13 extend. A light bulb 21 is positioned at the centre of the cover's rear side 20 by means of a lamp holder 22. The light bulb 21 is provided in front of and facing the base's front side 15 and is aligned with the clock shaft 14. Both the base's front side 15 (including the clock hands 16 to 18) and the light bulb 21 are hidden by the cover 12 and therefore cannot be seen on the front side of the overall clock 10.

The clock 10 is positioned on the wall 9 at such an orientation that the four rods 13 are situated at the far top, right, bottom and left positions, respectively, corresponding to the twelve, three, six and nine o'clock positions in terms of hours. Based on this clock orientation, the hour, minute and second hands 16 to 18 of the clock movement are preset to show the correct time.

In operation, the light bulb 21 throws light onto the four rods 13 around to produce respective radially-extending shadows 13S on the wall 9 immediately surrounding the base 11. The rod shadows 13S mark the twelve, three, six and nine clock positions in terms of hours as reference to form a clock face against which time is to be read. The clock hands 16 to 18 are folded up towards the light bulb 21 for intersecting light from the light bulb 21 to produce respective radially-extending shadows 16S to 18S on the wall 9 immediately surrounding the base 11. The hand shadows 16S to 188 indicate the current time, falling onto the same region as occupied by the rod shadows 13S for reference.

It is envisaged that the clock 10 itself may have, for example, an annular flange around the base 11 to provide a planar surface for receiving the shadows 13S and 168 to 18S to indicate time, rather than on a wall behind.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various other modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims (8)

~CLAIMS

1. A clock comprising a body provided with a clock movement having movable time indicators and a light source positioned on one side of the indicators to produce shadows of the indicators on a plane on the opposite side of the indicators and around the body for time indication.

2. A clock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source is positioned in front of the time indicators to produce the shadows on a plane behind the indicators.

3. A clock as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the clock movement has a shaft for moving the time indicators, with which shaft the light source is aligned.

4. A clock as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the time indicators are provided by hour and minute hands which are bent or folded towards the light source.

5. A clock as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body includes a fixed member for the light source to produce a reference shadow on a said plane to facilitate time reading.

6. A clock as claimed in claim 5, wherein the body includes four said fixed members provided at equi-angular positions.

7. A clock as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the body is formed by a base holding the clock movement and by a cover holding the light source, which base and cover are connected together in a spaced apart manner by means of the fixed member or members.

8. A clock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A clock as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, being adapted for use on a surface providing a said plane.

9. A clock as claimed in claim 8, being adapted for use on a vertical wall providing a said plane.

10. A clock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A clock comprising a body provided with a clock movement having rotatable hour and minute hands and a light source positioned in front of the hands to produce respective shadows on a plane behind the hands and around the body for time indication, said hands being bent or folded towards the light source.

2. A clock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body includes a fixed member for the light source to produce a reference shadow on a said plane to facilitate time reading.

3. A clock as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body includes four said fixed members provided at equi-angular positions to produce respective reference shadows on a said plane to facilitate time reading.

4. A clock as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the body is formed by a base holding the clock movement and by a cover holding the light source, which base and cover are connected together in a spaced apart manner by means of the fixed member or members.

5. A clock as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the clock movement has a shaft for moving the hands, with which shaft the light source is aligned.

6. A clock as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, being adapted for use on a surface providing a said plane.

7. A clock as claimed in claim 6, being adapted for use on a vertical wall providing a said plane.