GB2313463A

GB2313463A - A multi-function information display apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2313463A
Application number: GB9610584A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wing Cheung Stephen Chow
Original assignee: Kings Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Kings Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 1996-05-21
Filing date: 1996-05-21
Publication date: 1997-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 2016-05-21
Also published as: GB2313463B; GB9610584D0; CN1166015A

Abstract

A multi-function information display apparatus for displaying one of three types of information at a time is disclosed as including a body portion 14 and a head portion 12 which are engageable with each other. The body portion includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) 20 and three buttons 30a, 30b, 30c. Each of the buttons is adapted to activate the LCD to display a different type of information. The head portion includes three surfaces. Each of the surfaces is engageable with the body portion to actuate a respective button to selectively activate the LCD to display a different type of information. Preferably each surface of the head portion includes groove means which engage with and actuate a respective button of the body portion. Each groove means depicts a word for indicating the type of information displayed, which may relate to date, time or temperature.

Description

A Multi-Function Information Display Apparatus This invention relates to a multi-function information display apparatus and, in particular, such an apparatus for displaying one of a plurality of types of information at a time.

There are existing information display apparatus which include a liquid crystal display (LCD) which can only display one type of information, e.g. air temperature, date or time. There are also existing information display apparatus which can display more than one type of information at a time. Such apparatus usually include an LCD in which a first part of it shows a first type of information, and a second part of it shows a second type of information, and etc.. In this latter kind of apparatus, the more types of displayable information. the less clearly each type of information can be displayed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a multi-function information display apparatus wherein the aforesaid shortcomings can be mitigated.

It is also an object of the present invention to present a useful choice to the public.

According to the present invention, there is provided a multi-function information display apparatus for displaying a plurality of types of information at different times, comprising a first member and a second member engageable therewith, wherein the first member comprises a display means and selection means adapted to activate the display means to display different types of information, and wherein the second member comprises a plurality of actuation means, each of which, when engaged with the first member, actuates the selection means to selectively activate the display means to display a different type of information.

Advantageously, each actuation means may comprise a substantially planar surface with at least one groove means.

Suitably, the groove means of each of the actuation means may be differently shaped.

Conveniently, each actuation means may comprise a plurality of groove means.

The groove means of each actuation means may advantageously depict at least one word for indicating the type of information displayed by the apparatus when the actuation means faces a user.

The groove means may suitably be of a depth of substantially 0.8 mm.

The selection means may conveniently comprise button means.

Advantageously, the button means may be movable between an unactuated position wherein it extends above an upper surface of the first member, and an actuated position wherein it substantially abuts said upper surface.

Suitably, the button means, when in the unactuated position, may extend above the upper surface of the first member by less than the depth of the groove means.

Conveniently, the button means, when in the unactuated position, may extend above the upper surface of the first member by less than 0.8 mm.

When the first member is engaged with an actuation means of the second member, the selection means not actuated by said actuation means may advantageously be at least partly received within the groove means of said actuation means.

The selection means may suitably be biassed towards its unactuated position.

Said surface of each actuation means and said upper surface of the first member may conveniently be of substantially the same size and shape.

Advantageously, when the first member is engaged with an actuation means of the second member, said substantially planar surface of said actuation means may abut against the upper surface of the first member.

Suitably, the second member may comprise a triangular prism.

Conveniently, when the first member is engaged with the second member, the apparatus may comprise a triangular prism.

One type of information displayable by the apparatus may advantageously be the air temperature.

One type of information displayable by the apparatus may suitably be the date.

One type of information displayable by the apparatus may conveniently be the time.

The invention will now be described in detail by way of an example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a multi-function information display apparatus according to the present invention; Figs. 2A, 2B and 2C show the apparatus in Fig. 1 in a first arrangement, in which Fig. 2C is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 2B taken along the line 1-1; Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C show the apparatus in Fig. 1 in a second arrangement, in which Fig. 3C is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 3B taken along the line Il-Il; and Figs. 4A, 4B and 4C show the apparatus in Fig. 1 in a third arrangement, in which Fig. 4C is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 4B taken along the line III-III.

In Fig. 1, a multi-function information display apparatus according to the present invention is shown as designated generally as 10. The apparatus 10 includes a head portion 12, which may be put on top of, and thus engage, a body portion 14. The head portion 12 is in the form of an equilateral triangular prism with three substantially planar rectangular surfaces 16a 16b and 16c, of which only 16c can be seen in Fig. 1.

As can be seen in Figs. 1, 2A, 3A and 4A, each of the surfaces 16a 16b and 16c is embossed with a word by a number of ditches 18 of a depth of about 0.8 mm. The ditches 18 are arranged to depict letters of alphabet, which collectively form the word "CALENDAR" on surface 16a "THERMO" on surface 16b, and "CLOCK" on surface 16c, respectively.

As can be seen in Figs. 1, 2C, 3C and 4C, the body portion 14 is in the form of a trapezoidal prism, and is provided with a liquid crystal display (LCD) 20 on a slanting surface 22. The LCD 20 is controlled by a printed circuit board (PCB) 24, and powered by two dry batteries 26. For clarity purposes, the batteries 26 are not shown in Figs. 2B, 3B and 4B. For the same reason, the wirings among the LCD 20, the PCB 24 and the batteries 26, which are known to those skilled in the art, are not shown in the drawings.

The body portion 14 includes a substantially flat upper surface 28. When the head portion 12 is placed on top of the upper surface 28 of the body portion 14 in one of the arrangements as shown in Figs. 2A, 3A and 4A, the whole apparatus 10 will assume the shape of an equilateral triangular prism.

Three buttons 30a 30b and 30c extend through and above the surface 28 of the body portion 14 by less than the depth of the ditches 18, e.g. slightly less than 0.8 mm.

The buttons 30a 30b and 30e are connected to, and may thus control, the PCB 24 via rubber contacts 32a 32b and 32e respectively. The buttons 30a 30b and 30c can be pressed down from the extended position as shown in Fig. 1, to the depressed position as shown in Figs. 2C, 3C and 4C. Once the downward pressing pressure is released, due to the resilience of the rubber contacts 32a 32b and 32c the buttons 30a 30b and 30e will return to their extended position.

When the button 30a is pressed down, the PCB 24 will activate the LCD 20 to show the date; when the button 30b is pressed down, the PCB 24 will activate the LCD 20 to show the air temperature; and when the button 30c is pressed down, the PCB 24 will activate the LCD 20 to show the time. When a certain button 30a 30b or 30c is released from its depressed position to return to its extended position the PCB 24 will not activate the LCD 20 to display a different type of information, or to cease to show any information at all. A different type of information will only be displayed when another button 30a 30b or 30e is pressed down, thus causing the PCB 24 to activate the LCD 20 to display a respective type of information.

The ditches 18 on surface 16a are arranged such that when surface 16a rests on top of the upper surface 28 of the body portion 14, and surface 16b is on the same side as the slanting surface 22 (as shown in Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C), button 30b will be depressed, while buttons 30a and 30c will extend into the ditches 18 on surface 16a.

The PCB 24 will then activate the LCD 20 to show the air temperature.

The ditches 18 on surface 16b are arranged such that when surface 16b rests on top of the upper surface 28 of the body portion 14, and surface 16c is on the same side as the slanting surface 22 (as shown in Figs. 4A, 4B and 4C), button 30e will be depressed, while buttons 30a and 30b will extend into the ditches on surface 16b.

The PCB 24 will then activate the LCD 20 to show the time.

The ditches 18 on surface 16~ are arranged such that when surface 16c rests on top of the upper surface 28 of the body portion 14, and surface 16a is on the same side as the slanting surface 22 (as shown in Figs. 2A, 2B and 2C), button 30a will be depressed, while buttons 30b and 30e will extend into the ditches on surface 16c.

The PCB 24 will then activate the LCD 20 to show the date.

It should be appreciated that the above only illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, and that further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. In particular, the head portion 12 may be in the form of a square prism with four rectangular surfaces, and the body portion 14 may include four buttons, thus allowing a total of four types of different information to be selectively displayed. The fourth type of information which may be displayed by such an apparatus may relate to the relative humidity or atmospheric pressure.

Claims

CLAIMS:-

1. A multi-function information display apparatus for displaying a plurality of types of information at different times, comprising a first member and a second member engageable therewith, wherein the first member comprises a display means and selection means adapted to activate the display means to display different types of information, and wherein the second member comprises a plurality of actuation means, each of which, when engaged with the first member, actuates the selection means to selectively activate the display means to display a different type of information.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the actuation means comprises a substantially planar surface with at least one groove means.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 2 further comprising a plurality of actuation means, wherein the groove means of each of the actuation means are differently shaped.

4. An apparatus according to Claim 2 or 3 wherein the or each actuation means comprises a plurality of groove means.

5. An apparatus according to Claim 3 or 4 wherein the groove means of each actuation means depicts at least one word for indicating the type of information displayed by the apparatus when the actuation means faces a user.

6. An apparatus according to Claim 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein the groove means are of a depth of substantially 0.8 mm.

7. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the selection means comprises button means.

8. An apparatus according to Claim 7 wherein the button means is movable between an unactuated position wherein it extends above an upper surface of the first member, and an actuated position wherein it substantially abuts said upper surface.

9. An apparatus according to Claim 8 wherein the button means, when in the unactuated position, extends above the, upper surface of the first member by less than the depth of the groove means.

10. An apparatus according to Claim 8 or 9 wherein the button means, when in the unactuated position, extends above the upper surface of the first member by less than 0.8 mm.

11. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 2 to 10 wherein when the first member is engaged with an actuation means of the second member, the selection means not actuated by said actuation means are at least partly received within the groove means of said actuation means.

12. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 8 to 11 wherein the selection means is biassed towards its unactuated position.

13. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 8 to 12 wherein said surface of each actuation means and said upper surface of the first member are of substantially the same size and shape.

14. An apparatus according to Claim 13 wherein, when the first member is engaged with an actuation means of the second member, said substantially planar surface of said actuation means abuts against the upper surface of the first member.

15. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the second member comprises a triangular prism.

16. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein, when the first member is engaged with the second member, the apparatus comprises a triangular prism.

17. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein one type of information displayable by the apparatus is the air temperature.

18. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein one type of information displayable by the apparatus is the date.

19. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein one type of information displayable by the apparatus is the time.

20. A multi-function information display apparatus substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A multi-function information display apparatus for displaying a plurality of types of information at different times, comprising a first member and a second member releasably engageable therewith, wherein the first member comprises display means and selection means adapted to activate the display means to display different types of information, and wherein the second member comprises a plurality of actuation means, each of which, when engaged with the first member, actuates the selection means to selectively activate the display means to display a different type of information.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein the groove means of each of the actuation means are differently shaped.

9. An apparatus according to Claim 8 wherein the button means, when in the unactuated position, extends above the upper surface of the first member by less than the depth of the groove means.