JP2002022849A - Light emitting watch - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a light emitting watch which increases the visibility of illumination and which can achieve the visibility without spoiling an outward appearance. SOLUTION: Decorative members 2, 2 are installed in poditions at 12 o'lclock and 6 o'clock on a dial 1. LEDs 3, 3 on their rear parts are installed in such a way that their optical axes are directed to the central part along the plate face of the dial 1. A plurality of protrusion parts 41 which face the optical axes of the LEDs 3, 3 and which display wavy decorations on the face of the dial 1 are installed on the whole face of the rear of a light guide plate 4 installed integrally with the dial, The illuminated area on the front of the dial 1 is expanded, and the visibility of the illumination is increased. When the protrusion parts 41 are separated radially, end faces of the protrusion parts 41 are increased. Light reflected to the surface of the dial 1 from the protrusion parts 41 on the optical axes of the LEDs 3, 3 is increased, and the visibility of the illumination is enhanced further.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a luminous timepiece for illuminating a dial using a luminous element, and more particularly to a luminous timepiece using a luminous element for a visual effect.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a luminous watch in which a dial is illuminated by using a luminous element.
No. 3 discloses. As shown in FIG. 5, the light emitting elements 53 to 5 are provided inside the frame 52 at the peripheral edge of the dial 51.
3 is provided so that its optical axis is directed toward the center of the dial, and these light are emitted to illuminate the dial 51.

[0003]

In the prior art, the dial 51 is simply illuminated from the periphery to the center by the light emitting elements 53 to 53, so that the dial 51 is located near the light emitting elements 53 to 53. In this case, the light is illuminated with an appropriate brightness, but the brightness decreases near the center. Therefore, the light emitting elements 53 to 5
Even if an attempt was made to obtain a visual effect by the streaks of light from No. 3, the visibility at the center was low, and the intended effect could not be obtained, especially with a large luminous watch.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to enhance the visibility of lighting and to achieve the same without impairing the appearance.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a light emitting element provided such that an optical axis is directed to the center of the dial along the surface of the dial. And a light guide plate having a plurality of protrusions or recesses so as to be visible from the front side of the plate, and the plurality of protrusions or recesses constitute a decoration with a uniform design when viewed from the front side of the dial, At least the arrangement of the projections or depressions facing the optical axis of the light emitting element is separated from the arrangement of other projections or depressions.

Preferably, the plurality of projections or depressions are provided on the back surface of the light guide plate.

Further, it is preferable that the light guide plate is formed of a transparent plate integrated with the dial, and that the light guide plate is provided on the back surface of the transparent dial.

Further, it is preferable that the dial has a decorative member provided on the front of the dial to hide the light emitting element.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of a luminous timepiece according to the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a light-emitting timepiece, in which decorative members 2-2 are provided at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock on dial 1. As shown in FIG. 2 showing a cross section taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, a light emitting diode (hereinafter simply referred to as an LED) as a light emitting element with its optical axis directed toward the center of the dial 1 on the back of the decorative members 2-2. 3) are arranged. The light guide plate 4 is provided integrally with the dial 1. The light guide plate 4 is integrally formed from a transparent resin such as acrylic, and an LED is provided on the back surface of the light guide plate 4.
A plurality of triangular cross-section projections 41 to 41 facing the optical axis are provided on three to three optical axes. As shown in FIG. 1, each convex portion 41 has a wavy planar shape when viewed from the front of the dial 1,
These are arranged radially separated from the center of the dial 1, and the projections 41 to 41 constitute a decorative design of the dial 1 with uniformity. Although not shown, a decorative plate is arranged behind the light guide plate 4 to hide the clock movement.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the light guide plate 4 near the LED 3. The light of the LED 3 goes in the direction of the arrow, and the dial 1
Are reflected on the front side of the dial 1 by the convex portions 41 to 41 provided on the back surface of the dial, the area illuminated in front of the dial 1 is enlarged, and the visibility of illumination is improved.

FIG. 4 shows the back surface of the dial 1. As shown in the figure, a wave-shaped convex portion 41 is provided on the entire surface of the light guide plate 4,
By radially separating these, the end face of the convex portion 41 is increased. Thereby, it is irradiated from LED3,
The light reflected on the front face of the dial 1 from the convex portion 41 on the optical axis and the convex portion 41 adjacent to the convex portion increases, and unlike the illumination that spreads out dimly like the conventional one, along the optical axis. The illumination appears to extend to the center of the dial 1 and the visibility of the illumination along the optical axis is improved.
In addition, the visibility of the illumination along the optical axis can be enhanced also by the contrast of the end face increased by the separated arrangement of the projections 41 to 41.

Further, by providing the convex portions 41 to 41 on the entire surface of the light guide plate, a part of the decoration can be constituted by the convex portions 41 to 41, and the provision of the convex portions 41 does not impair the appearance. In addition, by disposing the LEDs 3 to 3 behind the decorative member 2, the LEDs 3 to 3 can be disposed at appropriate positions without impairing the appearance as a timepiece, which also enhances visibility. Contribute to

In this embodiment, a light guide plate having a plurality of convex portions 41 to 41 is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a light guide plate 4 may have concave portions instead of convex portions. The operation and effect of

In the above-described embodiment, the dial 1 and the light guide plates 4, 5 are provided integrally with the dial 1, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the light guide plate may be provided on the back of the transparent dial. .

In the above embodiment, the convex portion 41 having a triangular cross section is used as the convex portion. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a micro prism may be used.

[0018]

According to the present invention, the light emitting element is provided so that the optical axis is directed toward the center of the dial along the surface of the dial, and is provided on the optical path of the light emitting element and from the front side of the dial. A light guide plate having a plurality of protrusions or recesses so as to be visible; the plurality of protrusions or recesses constitute a decoration having a uniform design when viewed from the front side of the dial, and at least light of the light emitting element; The arrangement of the protrusions or recesses facing the axis and the arrangement of other protrusions or recesses are separated. Thereby, the end face of the convex or concave portion receiving the light of the light emitting element can be increased, the light reflected on the surface of the dial can be increased, and the decoration is constituted by the convex or concave portion. It is possible to improve the visibility of illumination along the optical axis without loss.

Further, by hiding the light emitting element in a decorative member also received on the front of the dial, the light emitting element can be arranged at an optimum position for improving the visibility of lighting without impairing the appearance. From this point, the visibility can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating the configuration of a luminous timepiece according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of the dial shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the dial shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating the configuration of a conventional light-emitting timepiece.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Dial 1 2 Decoration member 3 LED (light emitting element) 4 Light guide plate 41 Convex part

Claims (5)

[Claims] A light-emitting element provided so that an optical axis is directed to a center portion of the dial along a plate surface; and a light-emitting element provided on an optical path of the light-emitting element and visible from a front side of the dial. A light guide plate having a plurality of protrusions or recesses, and the plurality of protrusions or recesses constitute a decoration having a uniform design when viewed from the front side of the dial, and at least on the optical axis of the light emitting element. A light-emitting timepiece, which is separated into a row of facing convex or concave portions and a row of other convex or concave portions. 2. The luminous timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of protrusions or recesses are provided on a back surface of the light guide plate. 3. The luminous timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the light guide plate is formed of a transparent plate integrated with the dial. 4. The luminous timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the light guide plate is provided on a back surface of the transparent dial. 5. The luminous timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the dial has a decorative member provided on a front face of the dial to hide the light emitting element.