JP2006337241A - Time display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a time display device having a simple structure, low cost and excellent visibility. <P>SOLUTION: This device is equipped with a transparent substrate; a counter substrate positioned oppositely to the transparent substrate with a prescribed clearance; a clearance supporter for keeping the clearance between the substrates; and a moving means wherein at least one time indicator not transparent and recognizable in a different color from the counter substrate and transparent fluid are enclosed in the clearance, and at least one or more time reference marks are provided on either or both substrates of the transparent substrate and the counter substrate, for moving the time indicator by an electromagnetic force in the in-plane direction relative to both substrates. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a time display device using electromagnetic force.

As a time display device using conventional electromagnetic force, a digital timepiece using a liquid crystal display element capable of controlling optical characteristics by applying an electric field is widely used. In the liquid crystal display element, for example, two transparent electrodes having a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between upper and lower transparent substrates are provided, a deflection film is provided outside each transparent substrate, and molecules are arranged on both sides of the liquid crystal layer. It is configured by providing an alignment film. Further, as a method having a simpler structure than a liquid crystal, a dry particle drive type time display device shown in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. In this method, two types of dry particles having different colors and charging polarities are encapsulated between a transparent substrate and an opposing substrate facing each other, and an electrostatic field is given to these particles. A plurality of display elements provided with electrodes are arranged in alignment according to the display mode of a clock scale, hands, characters, symbols, etc., according to a required time display mode of analog or digital, for example. The required polarity can be imparted to each electrode of each display element.
JP2003-172789

  The time display device using liquid crystal has a problem that its structure is complicated. Further, the time display device using the dry particle driving method has a simpler structure than the time display device using liquid crystal, but in many cases, a large amount of display elements and a large amount of particles must be used, which makes it difficult to manufacture. It is. In addition, since a large amount of particles are controlled by an electrostatic field, there is a problem that control is difficult and time is not clearly displayed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a time display device according to the present invention includes a transparent substrate, a counter substrate positioned facing the transparent substrate with a predetermined gap therebetween, and these A gap support for maintaining a gap between the substrates, and at least one time indicator and a transparent fluid that are not transparent and can be recognized in a different color from the opposite substrate in the gap; and At least one or both of the counter substrates are provided with at least one time reference symbol, and driving means for moving the time indicator in an in-plane direction with respect to both substrates by electromagnetic force is provided. It is a time display device.

  According to the present invention, the structure is simple, and it is not necessary to use a large amount of particles and display elements. Further, since the time indicator is only controlled by electromagnetic force, the control is simple and the time is clearly displayed.

  Next, details of the present invention will be described in accordance with the description of the embodiments.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 (A) is a front view showing an embodiment of a time display device according to the present invention. Here, three rings are configured for time display. The innermost ring contains one chargeable time indicator indicating time, and 60 electrodes for causing the time indicator to move with time are configured. In the case where the charge of the electrode when a voltage is applied is composed of the reverse sign of the chargeable time indicator, and at the same time the number of electrodes to which the voltage is applied is one, the time is acquired by some method, for example, quartz, Based on the time, the voltage applied to the required electrode is sequentially switched to follow the chargeable time indicator indicating the time, and the chargeable time indicator is made to make a round in twelve hours. The second circular ring from the inside contains one chargeable time indicator for representing the minutes, and 60 electrodes are provided for electrophoresis of the time indicator with time. Similar to the time indicator that represents the time, obtain the time from some method, for example, quartz, etc., and sequentially switch the voltage applied to the required electrode based on that time to follow the chargeable time indicator that represents the minute. The charging time indicator that represents the minute in one hour is made to make a round. In the outermost ring, the time reference symbol for indicating the correspondence between the time indicator and the actual time is printed with Arabic numerals on the transparent substrate. The user knows the time from the positional relationship between the chargeable time indicator representing the hour, the chargeable time indicator representing the minute, and the time reference symbol. FIG. 2 (B) is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a time display device according to the present invention. The gap between the transparent substrate and the counter substrate is maintained by a gap support for supporting the gap. A chargeable time indicator for indicating time and an insulating liquid are enclosed in a gap between the substrates.

  The color of the time indicator may be any color as long as it can be distinguished from the electrode and the counter substrate.

  The user knows the time based on the position of the time indicator on the basis of the time reference symbol. Therefore, it is desirable that the time indicator clearly indicates the time reference symbol, and the shape of the time indicator is preferably a triangle as shown in FIG. 1 (A) or an arrow shape.

  In FIG. 1, the time is indicated by two time indicators, a time indicator that represents the hour and a time indicator that represents the minute. However, a time indicator that represents the second may be added, or the hour, minute, and second. You may comprise only any of these, or what combined them.

  In FIG. 1 (B), the electrode is installed on the counter substrate, but it may be installed on the gap indicator or may be installed on the transparent substrate as a transparent electrode.

  In FIG. 1, the chargeable time indicator is electrophoresed in the insulating liquid, but the medium is not limited to the insulating liquid as long as it is a transparent fluid. For example, the time indicator is a dry-type chargeable substance. The time indicator may fly and move in the air as a medium by the Coulomb force generated by the electrodes.

  In FIG. 1, the chargeable time indicator is electrophoresed in the insulating liquid by the Coulomb force. However, the movement of the time indicator may be an electromagnetic force, not the Coulomb force. For example, the time indicator may be a magnetic body, and the time indicator may be moved by a magnetic pole as shown in FIG.

  The arrangement of the electrodes and magnetic poles is not particularly limited as long as the position of the time indicator can be easily determined, but it is preferable to arrange them on the circumference as shown in FIG.

  Although the time reference symbol is provided in FIG. 1, the electrode or the magnetic pole may be configured in a color that can be distinguished from the counter substrate or the time indicator, and the electrode or the magnetic pole itself may be used as the time reference symbol.

(Materials and manufacturing methods for components)
As the transparent substrate and the counter substrate, glass, quartz, or the like can be used in addition to a plastic film such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), or polyethersulfone (PES). Of course, a transparent material needs to be used for the transparent substrate, but a colored substrate such as polyimide (PI) may be used for the counter substrate.

  As the insulating liquid, it is preferable to use a nonpolar solvent such as isoparaffin, silicone oil, xylene, and toluene, which is transparent.

  As the chargeable time indicator, it is preferable to use a material that is colored and has a positive or negative polarity in the insulating liquid. For example, various inorganic pigments, organic pigments, carbon black, or resins containing them may be used.

  Note that a charge control agent for controlling and stabilizing the charging of the chargeable time indicator may be added to the insulating liquid and the chargeable time indicator described above. As such a charge control agent, a metal complex salt of a monoazo dye, salicylic acid, an organic quaternary ammonium salt, a nigrosine compound, or the like may be used.

  The electrode may be formed of a patternable conductive material, for example, a metal such as titanium '(Ti), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), carbon or silver paste, or an organic conductive film. Good.

  The magnetic pole may be configured as an electromagnet in which a coil is wound around a metal such as titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), or copper (Cu).

  The magnetic time indicator preferably has a strong coercive force, and ferrite or the like can be used.

  For the gap support, the same material as that of the transparent substrate or the counter substrate may be used, or a photosensitive resin such as acrylic may be used. Any method may be used to form the gap support. For example, after applying the photosensitive resin layer, a method of performing exposure and wet development, a method of bonding a separately prepared gap support, a method of forming by a printing method, or the like can be used.

  In this embodiment, the time display device shown in FIG. 1 will be described. The time display device has a diameter of 64 mm and a thickness of 7 mm. The time indicator uses a time indicator that represents the time and a time indicator that represents the minute. The time indicator in the innermost ring is the time indicator that represents the hour, and the second one from the inside. An annular time indicator is a time indicator representing minutes. In both cases, the front shape is a regular triangle with a side of 4 mm, and the cross-sectional shape is a chargeable time indicator having a triangular prism shape with a height of 2 mm. Carbon black is used as the material. Each electrode has a size of 1 mm x 4 mm and a thickness of 0.1 mm, and 60 electrodes are arranged on both the hour and minute rings. The material is aluminum and is patterned on the counter substrate. The time reference symbol is an Arabic numeral approximately 4mm in size and printed on a transparent substrate. The transparent substrate is a 1 mm thick glass plate, and the opposing substrate is a 2 mm thick white colored plastic substrate. The gap support is made of acrylic having a thickness of 4 mm, and is adhered to the transparent substrate and the counter substrate using an adhesive. As the insulating liquid, a liquid in which succinimide is contained in isoparaffin as a charge control is injected into the ring.

  Each electrode is interlocked with quartz, and a voltage of +50 V is sequentially applied to the electrodes so that the time indicator moves to a required position. Both the time indicator representing the hour and the time indicator representing the minute move according to the time, so that the user can know the time correctly.

  In this embodiment, the time display device shown in FIG. 2 will be described. The time display device has a diameter of 64 mm and a thickness of 7 mm. The time indicator uses a time indicator that represents the time and a time indicator that represents the minute. The time indicator in the innermost ring is the time indicator that represents the time. An annular time indicator is a time indicator representing minutes. In both cases, the front shape is a regular triangle with a side of 4 mm, and the cross-sectional shape is a magnetic time indicator having a triangular prism shape with a height of 2 mm. Ferrite is used as the material. The magnetic pole is constructed by winding a coil around 1mm x 4mm and 1mm thick aluminum, and 60 pieces are arranged on both the hour and minute rings. The time reference symbol is an Arabic numeral approximately 4mm in size and printed on a transparent substrate. The transparent substrate is a 1 mm thick glass plate, and the opposing substrate is a 2 mm thick white colored plastic substrate. The gap support is made of acrylic having a thickness of 4 mm, and is bonded to the transparent substrate and the counter substrate using an adhesive. The insulating liquid uses isoparaffin and is injected into the ring.

  A current of 50 mA is passed through the coil so that the time indicator moves to the required position in conjunction with the quartz. Both the time indicator representing the hour and the time indicator representing the minute move according to the time, so that the user can know the time correctly.

The figure for demonstrating an example of the time display apparatus which concerns on this invention The figure for demonstrating another example of the time display apparatus which concerns on this invention

Explanation of symbols

1 Charging time indicator
2 electrodes
3 Time reference symbol
4 Transparent substrate
5 Counter substrate
6 Gap support
7 Magnetic time indicator
8 magnetic pole

Claims (10)

  A transparent substrate, a counter substrate positioned facing the transparent substrate with a predetermined gap therebetween, a gap support for maintaining a gap between these substrates, and a color different from the counter substrate that is not transparent in the gap At least one time indicator and a transparent fluid that can be recognized, and at least one or both of the transparent substrate and the counter substrate are provided with at least one time reference symbol, A time display device comprising driving means for moving a body in an in-plane direction with respect to both substrates by electromagnetic force.   The time display device according to claim 1, wherein the color of the time indicator is black.   The time display device according to claim 1, wherein the time indicator has a triangular or arrow shape when viewed from the transparent substrate side.   The time indicator representing one hour, the time indicator representing one minute, and the one time indicator representing the second, or any combination thereof. Time display device.   The time indicator is charged, and includes a plurality of electrodes at any one of the transparent substrate, the counter substrate, and the gap support, or a combination thereof, and the driving means of the time indicator is an electrostatic force The time display device according to claim 1, wherein   The time display device according to claim 5, wherein the transparent fluid is an insulating liquid, and the time indicator is driven by electrophoresis with an electrostatic force.   The time display device according to claim 5, wherein the time indicator is a dry-type chargeable substance, and the transparent fluid is air.   The time indicator is a magnetic body, and includes a plurality of magnetic poles at any one or a combination of the transparent substrate, the counter substrate, and the gap support, and the driving means of the time indicator is magnetically The time display device according to claim 1, wherein the time display device is provided.   The time display device according to claim 5 or 8, wherein a plurality of electrodes or magnetic poles are arranged on the circumference, and the movement of the time indicator is a circular motion.   9. The time display device according to claim 5, wherein the electrode or the magnetic pole is also a time reference symbol.

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