GB2433793A

GB2433793A - Display pieces for a timepiece indicating activities to be performed at particular times

Info

Publication number: GB2433793A
Application number: GB0526539A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neil O'halloran
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-12-29
Filing date: 2005-12-29
Publication date: 2007-07-04
Also published as: GB0526539D0

Abstract

A timepiece, such as a clock, wrist watch or pocket watch, has one or more display pieces 4 bearing indicia 3 in the form of text or pictures relating to an activity which should be performed at a particular time. The display pieces can be attached to the dial or external of the body of the timepiece and are exchangeable with other display pieces showing different activities. The display piece may be provided with a ridge or recess to ensure its correct orientation and a magnifying arrangement (7, fig 3) to provide an enlarged view of the indicia. Lighting controlled by the timepiece movement may be provided to illuminate a display piece. The display pieces may be held in place by a retaining plate (12, fig 5) fixed to the body of the timepiece by means of screws. The retaining plate may be provided with a waterproof seal. The invention has particular use for children who may not understand a conventional time display and for adults as a reminder of scheduled activities.

Description

1 2433793 Title An Activity Indicator using time Definitions

Activity:-Action, movement, motion, doings, goings-on, inactivity, pursuit, interest, hobby, occupation, leisure interest, endeavour, pastime, task, a symbolic display of a happening occurrence or event

Background

This invention relates to a display of activity in relation to various times during a 24hr period of any 24 hr period, a display using using a time device such as a clock, wrist watch or pocket watch for example.

The invention can be used by/for all ages where an indication is useful for a coming or anticipated or pie planned activity either directly or indirectly related or linked to the user of the display. e.g

Sometimes children cannot understand conventional time display either by clock-hands' or digital'; therefore become unaware, confused or frustrated when relation activity to time. Children often ask "when are we doing..."? For older children, teenagers, adults and old age people a memory jogger currently exists in the form of note pad, computer software, written on the back of a hand etc, sometimes notes are lost, sometimes ink is washed off or faded, there by requiring a more convenient method of reminder.

For adults including teenagers and older generation who have a wrist watch incorp-orating the display unless it is done so by either the manufacturer or approved repairer -what ever the situation both guarantee and quality may be affected. This may be time consuming and sometimes costly. Definitely inconvenient.

Therefore, as an addition, this invention lends itself to the inclusion of a display (where no time activity is required) for example at 3-00 pm where a diamond cluster or gold object could be inserted.

Varing types and makes can become available depending on demand, personal choice, budget etc. The most important feature is the adaptability of change. If any time slot is not used by an activity it becomes available to use for the fashion conscious.

Statement of Invention

To overcome the above mentioned problems -a timing device such as a clock, wrist watch, or pocket watch incorporating a display piece that can be ex-changed for a similar or same piece with a different display the display of an activity, a display internally or externally attached to the timing device.

Advantages There are educational advantages apparent when used by younger children or infants especially when learning to tell time. Depending on a child's development a child may become aware of a clock or wrist watch display and almost certainly identify one o'clock, two o'clock etc, but identification of minutes may come at a much later stage in a child's development. Hence, no interest in time itself, just activity which is understood.

There can an advantage by way of a healthier relation-ship with the child and parent/guardian for example where time can be shared together when discussing or selecting activities to insert into the display.

Further advantages are possible where the invention aids reminding of routine activity such as "clean teeth", "wash" for example.

Time management can be quite an obstacle for some people regardless of age, capability or intelligence.

Keeping to time or being more time efficient can be helpful. A user of this invention can visually see activities for a given period therefore may become more efficient in order to achieve the next deadline or activity time target.

Shoppers may decide to wear a shop watch' where priority items may be present on a display say for a number of purchases during a period of shopping time.

Students may decide to wear a study watch where same principles are applied reminding the student of important study criteria or venue for example.

In short there is an educational advantage and time management one.

Preferably, the displays of activity are of an illustrative nature either of two dimensional or three dimensional design.

Preferably, where protection is essential from elements such as water or fluids for example, the display and embodiment of the timing device can be waterproof in its design.

Preferably, where protection is required relating to security -a suitable arrangement can be utilized by the use of a retaining plate and fixing.

Preferably, the displays are of an individual nature to each other and only joined when an activity needs to be joined to another e.g. wash and clean teeth.

Preferably, due to the small size of each display there is a magnifying arrangement on item 7ofthedrg's.

Drawings An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: -Figure 1 shows varying displays (examples only) centred around a time device such as a wrist watch; and -Figure 2 shows a plan of displays (not inc illustration for sake of clarity) with views AA for the insertion of internal display pieces. Alternate view BB for the insertion of external display pieces.

-Figure 3 shows an internal display piece.

-Figure 4 shows an external display piece fastened to a membrane connected to the time device.

-Figure 5 shows a retaining plate assembly to keep individual components together.

-Figure 6 shows an attachment used to aid transferring display pieces from timing device to storage area, unit or box.

Detailed Description

A display piece such as a barrel as 4 in figure 1 may be of hollow or solid construction made from a multi-tude of materials such as, stainless steel, brass, alloy, gold, plastic, wood etc the size of which also varies in both longitude and circumference.

Furthermore a ridge or resess may be included along it's length or circumference to ensure orientation of its display face; figure 3 features 11 & 11 a.

The display piece may be of more than one part and may be positioned either side of a membrane attached to a timing device such as a wrist watch figure 4 features 4 & 6, via 15.

An illustration of either 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional and or text or language such as a foreign language for example, foreign to Queen's English or Queen's English can be printed, etched, attached or by any other means to the display piece figure 1,2,3,& 4 feature 3. or alternatively to an attachment that forms a part of the display piece 4 feature 3a & 7.

The attachment feature 7 figure 2, 3 & 4 is of a transparent nature cabable of being held or adhered to a mating surface such as a display piece or time device.

The attachment feature as shown in Figure 2 feature 7 is an example of a common wrist watch face used in conventional methods of watch making, a magnifying feature may be present above each individual or some individual displays due to the scale and size of the display, this method is commonly used to display date within a wrist watch.

Where an attachment is used as shown in figures 3 & 4 feature 7, again the attachment may be of concave outer face or/and incorporate a magnifying feature as above. The attachment is fixed to the display end of the display piece 4.

The membrane in figure 2 & 4 feature 6 may be made of a solid construction or flexible construction such as: Leather, plastic, wood, stainless steel, alloy etc. The display piece figure 1 feature 4 may be capable of digital display or neon light, and can be activated by means of the position of the hands of a clock or set off by digital mechanism.

The display piece may be positioned into a cylindrical or other shapped before a contained inside the embodiment of the time device figure 2 feature 10, it may be held in it's orientation by the ridge and resess element figures 2 & 3 features 11 & 11 a each side of the main time chamber 9.

Alternatively, the display piece may be positioned either side of a membrane in figure 2 by means of a stud, press stud, push fit mechanism that may already exist or purpose designed method such as a male and female thread and tapped hole design shown in figure 4 feature 15.

The membrane is attached to the main embodiment of the timing device shown in figure 2 feature 8.

The unit of time figure 1 feature 2 may be of any interpretation of symbol or language.

The units of display can vary by any period of time including minutes, hours, days etc A display can show am morning' separate to pm afternoon'.

The time display figure 1, feature 5, can be of conventional clockhand' either displaying minute and hour & or second hand or any one of these, alternatively a digital display.

The display of activities by the display piece may be by digital or electronic means using chip electronics & circitry.

A retaining plate may be used, figure 5 feature 12, this can be of varying design to suit the size and shape of the wrist watch or other timing device.

The retaining plate may be fixed by means of conventional srew 13 into tapped bores 14, there may be as few as one fixing with no maximum limit.

For waterproofing -a seal may be provided between features 8 & 12 figure 5.

Furthermore, fore ease of insertion and removal of display pieces-an attachment shown in figure 6 features 15 & 16 be easily inserted into display piece 4 by means of turning or screwing and un-screwing the threaded end in and out of the tapped recess being of cylindrical shape aid by a grip feature 17 or similar means.

Claims

Claims Claim I -A timing device such as a clock, wrist watch, pocket

watch incorporating a display piece or pieces that can be ex-changed for similar or same piece of display with same or different display, the display of an activity as per the definition contained here in, a display internally or externally attached by any means to a timing device.

Claim 2 -An ex-changeable display according to Claim 1, in which individual display pieces consisting of pre-planned activity can be inserted or attached to a timing device Claim 3 -A display piece according to Claim 2, made our of any substance, solid or hollow:-steel, stainless steel, brass, alloy, gold, precious metal, plastic or wood.

Claim 4 -A display piece according to Claim 3, of varying size of longitude or circumference.

Claim 5 -A display piece according to Claim 4, incorporating a ridge or recess or collar to aid orientation of fitment.

Claim 6 -A display piece according t aim 5, or more than one part which may be fixed to a membrane such as a cloth, plastic, leather material either at one or both side to the membrane.

Claim 7 -A display piece according with any other above claim capable of displaying two dimensional or three dimensional illustration or object or text.

Claim 8 -A display containing according with any above claim in any language.

Claim 9 -An attachment to a display piece that can be fixed either perminantly or temorarily to the display face.

Claim 10 -A display or attachment according to any above claim 1-9 incorporating a transparent feature with a magnifying ability to aid the viewing or reading of illustration or text of a display in accordance with claim 7.

Claim 11 -A display piece or attachment capable of fixing to, held to, adhered to a matirtg surface such as a display piece or barrel or time d&ice.

Claim 12 -A display piece capable of, according to Claim 2 and any other claim above, that can display a feature such as an activity by any means mechanical or electronic.

Claim 13 -A display piece that can be accompanied bya neon light or lighting technique activated by a time display or clock hand' activation.

Claim 14 -A display piece in accordance with claims 1-13 that can be positioned internally or externally to a timing device such as a wrist watch or pocket watch.

Claim 15 -A body of a timing device such as a wrist watch or pocket watch that enables a display piece in accordance with Claims 1-14 to be inserted or positioned within its embodiment.

Claim 16 -A body of a timing device such as in accordance with Claim 15 that incorporates a multitude of display devices or pieces.

Claim 17 -A body of a timing device according to Claim 16 incorporating a ridge or recess to aid orientation of display piece/s in accordance with Claim 1-14.

Claim 18 -A body or face according to Claim 17 of a timing device capable of displaying separate and varying periods of time of: second, minutes, hours, mornings, afternoons, I 2hrs, 24hrs etc. Claim 19 -A retaining plate according to Claims 15-17 which is easily removed or inserted to enable exchange or swap of display pieces which is capable of holding secure a display piece.

Claim 20 -A retaining plate according to Claim 19 that is capable of holding a waterproof seal.

Claim 21 -A display piece according to Claims 1-14 incorp-orating a feature such as cylindrical tapped bore or resess to aid insertion or removal of the display piece in and out of the timing device and storage item used to store individual display pieces.

Claim 22 -An attachment as shown in Figure capable of aiding easy insertion and removal of display pieces according to Claim 21 via a simple method such as features 15, 16&17