GB2385681A

GB2385681A - Clock with elapsed time display

Info

Publication number: GB2385681A
Application number: GB0202262A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Crispin Bradley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-01-31
Filing date: 2002-01-31
Publication date: 2003-08-27
Also published as: GB0202262D0

Abstract

A clock 12 providing a visual indication of whether or not a particular action is due according to the real time of day, the clock comprising means for indicating real time 12, means for representing or inputting at least one elapsed time period 13-15 relative to real time and means for displaying whether the real time is within the selected elapsed time period. The elapsed periods can be one hour and can be coloured. The clock can be used with young children.

Description

Clock This invention relates to clocks and particularly provides a clock having the ability to indicate, with reference to the time of day, whether an action is required by the user.

So-called alarm clocks are already commonly known and used ; alarm clocks are setable to give a warning, usually audible, that an action is required at a particular pre-determined time.

Alarm clocks are usually intended to awaken a sleeping person at the predetermined time but may also be used for example in cookery, where they can be set either on a real-time basis or on an elapsed-time basis from a previous event.

The present invention is intended to provide a visual indication of whether or not a particular action is due according to the real time of day and is especially intended for use by young children who, not being able to tell the time, nevertheless may need to know whether, for example, it is time, having woken from sleep, to get up.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides a clock comprising means for indicating real time, means for representing or inputting at least one elapsed time period for indicating a required action, means for selective alteration of the elapsed time period relative to real time and means for displaying whether the real time is within the selected elapsed time period.

In an analogue embodiment, the indicator means for real time preferably comprises a clock face and at least one sweep hand indicating hours and which thus completes one revolution in twelve hours. It is not necessary for time intervals as such to be displayed provided that the hand is set to the top centre position at 12 o'clock. The elapsed time period may in such an embodiment comprise a shape such as a sector of a circle or a part thereof representing the intended period, for example one hour, including means to locate the shape on the clock face at the correct position so as to provide a visual indication when the real time shown by the hand is within the time period when the action is required to be carried out.

Preferably, two or more actions are catered for in different time periods, the different actions being distinguished by for example colour coding of the shapes.

In order selectively to alter the at least one elapsed time period relative to real time, the means for representing the period or periods may be mounted for rotation relative to the spindle of the sweep hand and independently of the sweep movement thereof, whereby alteration of the elapsed time period does not affect the accuracy of the real time indication.

The invention may also be used for teaching how to tell the time, especially since it has been reported that, with more common usage of digital clocks and watches, young children have little grasp of the concept of the passage of time in terms of hourly increments or fractions thereof.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 shows a clock with an hour hand only and Figure 2 shows a clock with hour and minute hands and with the hours represented on the face.

With reference firstly to Figure 1, the clock shown generally at 10 has a circular face 11 and a centrally-pivoted hand 12 which rotates once in every period of twelve hours. Three periods each of one hour's duration 13,14, 15, are mounted on the face and are pivoted with respect to the clock mechanism and spindle (not shown) at 16. The elapsed time zones are colour-codes such that zone 13 is red, zone 14 is yellow or amber and zone 15 is green. As shown, the red zone is set between 6 and 7 o'clock; the amber zone is set between 7 and 8 o'clock and the green zone is between 8 and 9 o'clock.

These settings can, however, be altered at will by rotating the clock face relative to the clock mechanism. The duration of the elapsed time periods can of course be less or greater than one hour and the periods need not be temporally contiguous.

In use, the child is instructed that, with the hour hand in advance of or within the red zone 13, it is not yet time to get up; with the hand 12 in the amber zone 14, it is time to get up on weekdays and with the hand in the green zone 15 it is time to get up at weekends. Of course, the periods and the times can be altered at will. It is not necessary for the child to be able to tell the time.

With reference to Figure 2, the clock face shown generally at 20 is more conventional in that it includes both minute 21 and hour 22 hands and numbers indicating the hours. This embodiment can be used not only in the manner already described with reference to Figure 1 but also for instructing the telling of the time and for gaining an understanding of the passage of time in terms of the hours in the day and the minutes in each hour. A third hand (not shown) can be added to indicate the passage of seconds.

The invention also includes, in another embodiment, a kit of parts comprising a clock face and conventional mechanism; separately-mountable hands for representing the passage respectively of hours, minutes and seconds; self-adhesive numerals to represent the hours for application to the clock face; and means mountable on the clock face and rotatable with respect to the clock mechanism for indicated elapsed time periods.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A clock comprising means for indicating real time, means for representing or inputting at least one elapsed time period for indicating a required action, means for selective alteration of the elapsed time period relative to real time and means for displaying whether the real time is within the selected elapsed time period.
2. A clock according to claim 1 in which the means for indicating real time comprises a clock face and at least one sweep hand.
3. A clock according to claim 2 in which said at least one sweep hand indicates hours and completes one revolution in twelve hours.
4. A clock according to claim 2 or 3 in which the elapsed time period is represented by a sector of a circle or a part thereof.
5. A clock according to claim 4 in which said sector or a part thereof represents a period of one hour.
6. A clock according to claim 4 or 5 in which said sector or a part thereof is subdivided to represent different time periods.
7. A clock according to claim 6 in which said subdivisions are of different colours.
8. A clock according to any one of claims 2 to 7 in which the means for representing the elapsed time period or periods is mounted for rotation relative to the spindle of the sweep hand and independently of the sweep movement thereof.
9. A clock according to any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein indicia are positioned on the clock face to indicate the hour.
10. A clock according to any preceding claim in which said means for indicating real time comprises a sweep hand indicating minutes and which completes one revolution in one hour.

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11. A clock according to any preceding claim in which said means for indicating real time comprises a sweep hand indicating seconds and which completes one revolution in one minute.
12. A kit of parts comprising: a clock face and conventional mechanism; - separately-mountable hands for representing the passage respectively for hours, minutes and seconds; - self-adhesive indicia to represent the hours for application to the clock-face; and - means mountable on the clock face and rotatable with respect to the clock mechanism for indicated elapsed time periods.
13. A clock substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.