GB2452045A

GB2452045A - A watch or clock with a date function

Info

Publication number: GB2452045A
Application number: GB0716284A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Palmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-08-21
Filing date: 2007-08-21
Publication date: 2009-02-25
Also published as: GB0716284D0

Abstract

A watch or clock has a date indicator which only requires the display to show the last digit of the date. For example if the watch displays 5, then the user can interpret this number as the 5th 15th or 25th day of the month as appropriate. By using fewer numbers more space can be given to each number or an extra hand can point to the hour positions to indicate these numbers. To avoid confusion at the end of a month the number 1 can be reserved for the first day of the month and 11 can represent the 11th, 21st and 31st days of the month. The indicator may be a hand pointing at the numbers of indices used for telling the time (figure 1). The indicator may be a separate non-concentric dial (figure 2) or a number viewed through a window (figure 3).

Description

A WATCH OR CLOCK WITH A DATE FUNCTION

This invention relates to the display of the date on a watch or dock of the type where the time is shown by hands which move. Date in this context means the 31 or so days of the month and does not include the month or the year or the day of the week.

Display of the date on a watch or dock is a well known feature as are mechanisms to change the date at around midnight. Some existing watches use a mechanical movement to advance the date display, others use a dedicated stepper motor to advance the date display so the watch can which compensate for months of differing lengths. It Is also well known that stepper motors can be used to independently move the various hands on watches so that a watch which normally displays the time can operate as a stop watch, alarm or countdown timer.

Clarity of the date display, however, is a problem for people with less than perfect vision, especially in poor light conditions or if they are using a small watch of the type marketed for ladies. This problem is caused by the confined space available to hold 31 numbers. The pnnciple of this invention is that the user will be aware of the approximate date and so only requires a watch or dock to display the last digit of the date. For example if the watch displays the number 5, then the user can interpret this number as the 5th, 15th or 25th day of the month as appropriate There is the potential for confusion at the end of the month because an indicated 1 * could represent either the 18t01 the 3i of a month To avoid confusion at the end of a month the number 1 can be reserved for the first day of the month and 11 can represent the 11 21 and 31st days of the month, or the number 11 can be used uniquely for the 31.

Since the range of numbers required is reduced to 10 or 11 t becomes possible to dispense with the date number visible through a cut-out in the face of the watch or ciock an to iniicate the date number by an extra hand whcSi points at the hour positions.

Alternatively the date number visible through a cut-out can be made twice the height compared with the numbers in a 31 number display.

According to the present Invention there is provided a watch or dock which displays or indicates a number from which the user calculates the date by adding, when appropriate, a multiple of ten.

Three embodiments will now be descnbed with reference to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 3.

With each embodiment the watch or clock displays or indicates a number from which the user calculates the date by addln9, when appropriate, a multiple of ten. -3-.

The first embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1 which shows both a watch and a clock having hands which all rotate on the same axis.

Referring to figure 1 a date hand (1) is provided to indicate a number by pointing to the corresponding hour posfilon. The date hand is different In appearance from the hands which are used to indicate time. The watch advances the date hand at approximately midnight using existing technology.

For the simplest option of this embodiment the date hand indexes through hour positions 1 to 10 then starts again at 1, but requires to be reset manually on the first day of most months.

As an option the watch or clock differentiates between the 31st day of one month and the first day of the next month by indicating 1 on the first day of the month and indicating 11 on the 11th, 21st and 31st days of the month.

As an option and with the possible exception of leap years the watch or clock automatically compensates for the variation in the lengths of different months, otherwise the user can manually reset the date hand when required.

As an option the watch or clock may have a hand indicating seconds operating on a dial which is not concentric with the other hands.

The second embodiment Will be described with reference to Figure 2 which shows a watch or clock with a date hand operating on a separate axis from the hands which indicate time Refemng to Figure 2 a date hand (I) is provided to indicate a number by pointing to graduations on a dial (2). The number is interpreted as a date by the user as previously descilbed. As an option the dial (2) has 10 graduations and the date hand (1) indexes one position each night, a movement which can be achieved with solely mechanical means.

As an option the dial (2) has 11 or 12 graduations and the date hand operates exactly as described in the first embodiment.

The third embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 3 which shows a watch or clock with the date indicated by a displayed number.

Refemng to Figure 3 a cut-out (3) is provided in the face of the watch or dock and a number (4) is visible through the cut-out (3). ThIs embodiment is similar to the well known method of displaying the date on a watch except the numbers (4) are restricted to the range Ito 10 or the range Ito 11. With this embodiment the numbers can be twice the height of the date numbers on a watch or dock of the same size which displays the range of numbers 1 to 31.

As an option the numbers (4) have the range I to 10 and index one position each night, a movement which can be achieved with solely mechanical means. As an option the numbers (4) have the range 1 to 11 and index exactly as described in the first embodiment.

Claims

1. A watch or do wnicn displays or indicates a number from whicn me user calculates the date by adding, if appropriate, a multiple of ten.

2. A watch or clock with a date indicating mechanism that cycles repeatedly through 10 positions with the possible exception of other Indications at the start or end of the month.

3. A watch or clock as in claim I or 2 where the number from which the date is calculated is indicated by a hand pointing to the appropriate hour position.

4. A watch or clock as in claim 1 or 2 where the date hand does not rotate concentrically with the time hands, but operates on a separate dial having 10, 11 or 12 indicated positions.

5. A watch or clock as in claim 1 or 2 where the number from which the date is calculated Is displayed as a number which is vs1ble through a cut-out in the face of the watch or clock.

6. A watch or clock as in claim 5 where one or more non-numenc symbols are used in place of numerals, for example F for the first day of a month.

7. A watch or clock as in a previous claim where a small displacement of a date hand or displayed number is used to indicate if or how many multiples of 10 the user would add to the indicated number to calculate the date.

8. A watch or dock substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawing.