JP3472445B2 - Analog clock with dial illumination - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an analog timepiece that illuminates a dial to make it easier to see the hands.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Today, not only digital display type timepieces but also analog display type clocks and wall clocks are used.
In order to make it easier to see the display time by the hands such as the hour hand and the minute hand when the surroundings become dark, a timepiece body that lightens the dial which is the time display unit has been used.

In an analog timepiece that illuminates this dial,
A photoelectric conversion element such as a CdS cell is used as the brightness detection means, and the CdS cell or the like used as the brightness detection means is arranged on the dial, which is the time display portion of the timepiece, or the side surface of the body of the timepiece. ing. In many cases, one or a plurality of light emitting diodes are used as the illuminating means, and the illuminating means is arranged inside the frame body such as the upper front side or the front side side of the dial. Then, when the brightness detecting means detects that the periphery of the timepiece has become dark, the illuminating means is turned on to illuminate the dial, the hour hand and the minute hand lightly for easy viewing.

In order to make it easy to see the display time, a dial plate is formed of a light guide plate, and the light of an illuminating means arranged around the light guide plate is guided into the light guide plate to thin the dial plate formed of the light guide plate. It may emit bright light.

[0005]

Today, many of the table clocks and wall clocks are driven by batteries, and it is desired that the analog table clocks and wall clocks also be accurate and have a long life. For this reason, even in the analog type timepiece, a crystal oscillator or an IC is used to achieve high precision and low power consumption and a long life, and the step motor for driving the hands is also devised to reduce power consumption. ing.

Even when the brightness detecting means and the illuminating means are added to the analog type timepiece, it is desired to reduce the battery consumption as much as possible when operating the brightness detecting means and the illuminating means. In response to such a demand, the present invention provides an analog timepiece body in which the dial is brightened to make it easy to see the display time when the periphery of the timepiece becomes dark and the operating life of the battery is not shortened as much as possible. is there.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has a brightness detecting means for detecting the brightness around the timepiece body such as the position of the dial, and illuminating means for illuminating a plurality of dials around the dial. It is provided at equal angular intervals and further has hour hand position detecting means and minute hand position detecting means, and the brightness around the timepiece is detected by the brightness detecting means, and the detected brightness is darker than a predetermined brightness. At this time, the timepiece body has a control means for turning on one or two lighting means near the hour hand and one or two lighting means near the minute hand.

As described above, by turning on only the illumination means close to the hour hand and the minute hand, the position of the pointer is made dim so that the pointer can be easily seen, and it is sufficient for each illumination means to illuminate the vicinity of each illumination means. Therefore, light emission luminance can be reduced and power consumption can be reduced. Further, as the present invention,
The control means causes the lighting means to blink at a high speed to be turned on and to be continuously turned on, and to reduce the average current value of the lighting means to be turned on when the number of lighting means is large according to the number of lighting means to be turned on. It is what

As described above, when a plurality of lighting means are turned on, if the average current value of each lighting means is reduced, even when a plurality of lighting means are turned on, the power consumption of the lighting means as a whole is turned on. Can be reduced. Furthermore, the present invention uses a plurality of lighting means to illuminate a dial plate when the surroundings are dark, and when the lighting time continues for a long time, the lighting of each lighting means blinks, Further, when the lighting time continues, the timepiece body may have a control means for sequentially reducing the number of lighting means to be turned on.

As described above, when the lighting means is turned on continuously for a long time, the power consumption is reduced by blinking the lighting means, and further, the number of lights is reduced to reduce the power consumption for continuous lighting for a long time. Power consumption can be reduced to reduce battery consumption. It is preferable that the lighting means be blinked when the lighting time continuously exceeds half a day, and the number of lighting means to be blinked every several hours be sequentially reduced.

In this way, if the lighting means is blinked when the dark condition in the room is maintained for more than half a day and the lights are further turned off, the power consumption by the lighting means is reduced when artificially maintaining the dark condition. can do. In addition, the number of lighting means to be turned on and off by turning on for a long time is sequentially reduced, and finally 1
The blinking of the individual lighting means may be the control means that continues.

As described above, when the lighting state continues for a long time, at least one of the lighting means is turned on and off by blinking even if the number of lighting means to be turned on is reduced, thereby confirming the normal operation of the timepiece body having the lighting means. can do.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the first embodiment of the timepiece according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, six light emitting diodes as lighting means are provided at equal intervals around the dial. is there. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the timepiece body 10 has a pointer shaft 22 penetrating the center of a mounting plate 17 and a timepiece movement 21 fixed to the back surface of the mounting plate 17, and a minute hand 24 is attached to the pointer shaft 22. Attach the pointer that is the hour hand 23 and attach the front frame to the front end of the frame 11.
13 is provided to fix the front glass 15, and the back plate is provided at the rear end of the frame body 11.
The attachment of 19 is the same as that of the ordinary timepiece body 10.

The timepiece movement 21 has a time code plate, and outputs a time code signal of a 4-bit code corresponding to the angle of the hour hand shaft by a time code contact.
Further, a movement that outputs an hour signal when the minute hand shaft is at a predetermined position is used. Then, the light guide plate 25 is attached to the front surface of the mounting plate 17, and as shown in FIG. 1, an appropriate number or mark indicating the time is engraved on the surface of the light guide plate 25 to form a dial plate. Illumination means 91 to 96 such as light emitting diodes are attached to the inside of the frame 11 at the end of 25.

The light guide plate 25 is a transparent plate having a back surface as an irregular reflection surface, and when light from a light source arranged at the end of the light guide plate 25 enters the inside of the light guide plate 25 from the end. , The light that has entered the inside of the light guide plate 25 due to the irregular reflection surface on the back surface
When the light is diffusely reflected in the front of the light guide plate 25 and when viewed from the front direction of the light guide plate 25, the light source vibrates brightly in the vicinity of the light source and is separated from the light source
The vicinity of the edge of 25 can be made to appear to be dimly emitting.

Illuminating means 91 to 96 as light sources provided at the end of the light guide plate 25 are attached to the inside of the frame 11 and are attached to the front frame.
When the six illuminating means 91 to 96 are turned on so as not to be seen from the front of the watch body 10 by 13 and the vicinity of each illuminating means 91 to 96 is made bright, the peripheral portion of the dial plate emits a dim light. , The center is made slightly dim and it looks as if the whole is emitting light.

Further, a photoelectric conversion element such as a CdS cell is embedded in a part of the mounting plate 17 so that light from the front of the timepiece 10 transmitted through the front glass 15 of the timepiece 10 or the light guide plate 25 can be received. In this way, the brightness detecting means 27 capable of detecting the brightness of the dial, and by extension, the brightness around the timepiece is formed. Then, the brightness detection means 27 and the illumination means 91-
A microcomputer is used as the control means 30 for driving and controlling the 96, and the microcomputer as the control means 30 is fixed to the back surface of the mounting plate 17.

The microcomputer as the control means 30 has an hour input terminal 31 and a code input terminal 33, and
Set the hour input terminal 31 to the watch movement 21 as shown in.
, The hour signal input terminal 31 of the control means 30 and the hour contact 51 are connected, and also the movement for the timepiece.
21 time code output terminal and control means 30 code input terminal
33 is connected to connect the code input terminal 33 to the time code contact 53. Then, a detection resistor 29 is connected so as to be inserted between the detection output terminal 49 and the detection input terminal 39, and the brightness detection means 27 is connected between the detection input terminal 39 and the-power source.
Are to be connected. Also, 6 according to the number of lighting means
A plurality of output terminals 41 to 46, and the first output terminal 41 to the sixth output terminal 46 are respectively the first limiting resistor 61 to the sixth limiting resistor.
Via 66, the first switching transistor 71 to the sixth switching transistor 76 are connected to bases which are control terminals. The emitters of the first switching transistor 71 to the sixth switching transistor 76 are connected to the + power source, and the collectors of the first switching transistor 71 to the sixth switching transistor 76 are connected to the first protective resistor 81 to the sixth protective resistor, respectively. It connects with the 1st lighting means 91 thru | or the 6th lighting means 96 via the resistor 86, and each other end of the 1st lighting means 91 thru | or the 6th lighting means 96 is connected with a power supply.

Therefore, if a detection signal of a constant voltage is output from the detection output terminal 49, the detection resistor 29 and the brightness detection means 27
The voltage of this detection signal is divided by and the detection voltage corresponding to the resistance value of the CdS cell used as the brightness detection means 27 can be input to the detection input terminal 39 to detect the brightness such as the dial position. . When the first lighting signal L1 of L level is output from the first output terminal 41, the first switching transistor 71
To turn on the first illuminating means 91, and the second output terminal
When the L-level second lighting signal L2 is output from 42, the second switching transistor 72 is turned on and the second lighting means 92 is turned on.
To output the third lighting signal L3 of L level from the third output terminal 43 so that the third switching transistor 73 is turned on and the third lighting means 93 is turned on. By outputting a lighting signal from each output terminal of the terminal 46, each lighting means of the first lighting means 91 to the sixth lighting means 96 can be turned on.

The control means 30 has a monitor input terminal.
35 and the reset terminal 37 are provided, the monitor input terminal 35 is the monitor switch 55, and the reset terminal 37 is the reset switch 57.
And a reset circuit. As the operation of the control means 30, as shown in FIG. 4, at the start of operation, first, initial setting (S100) is performed, and then light / dark determination (S101) is performed, and when it is determined to be bright, a lighting signal is output. When it is determined that the stop processing (S103) is performed and it is dark, the output setting processing (S102) of all lighting signals is performed.

In this light / dark judgment (S101), a detection signal of a predetermined voltage is output from the detection output terminal 49, and the detection input terminal 39
The determination is made based on whether or not the detected voltage input to is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage. That is, the CdS used as the brightness detection means 27
The cell has a small resistance value when the amount of incident light is large, and has a large resistance value when the amount of incident light is small.Therefore, when a detection signal is output from the detection output terminal 49, the voltage of this detection signal is used as the detection resistor 29. When the voltage is divided by the brightness detecting means 27 and the surroundings of the timepiece body 10 such as the dial position are bright, the voltage by the brightness detecting means 27 becomes small, and the detection voltage input to the detection input terminal 39 is less than the predetermined voltage. If it is, the surroundings can be determined to be bright, and if the detected voltage is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage, the surroundings can be determined to be dark.

The detection signal is a pulse signal of about several milliseconds so that the power consumed by the brightness detecting means 27 is reduced. Further, the output setting process of all lighting signals (S10
2) is to control the output port so that all the output terminals of the first output terminal 41 to the sixth output terminal 46 output the L pulse braille signal, and output from each of the output terminals 41 to 46. The first to sixth lighting signals L1 to L6 are
Set the port so that the pulse signal is a L pulse having a required width such as 1 millisecond and a frequency of several tens of hertz, and the output timing of the L pulse is sequentially shifted from the first lighting signal L1 to the sixth lighting signal L6. Is to do.

Therefore, by blinking and lighting each of the lighting means 91 to 96 at high speed, it is possible for human eyes to continuously emit light so that the vicinity of each of the lighting means 91 to 96 can be made to dimly emit light. Then, the output stop processing of the lighting signal (S
103) controls the output port so as to stop the output of all the lighting signals L1 to L6 output from the first output terminal 41 to the sixth output terminal 46.

In this way, the output setting process of all lighting signals (S102) or the output stop process of lighting signals (S103)
After that, the hour signal input determination (S105) for determining whether the hour signal is input to the hour input terminal 31 is performed, and if the hour signal is not input, the delay process (S
110), and if the hour signal is input, the time code is read (S120) as shown in FIG.

In the delay process (S110), as shown in FIG. 6, it is first determined whether the monitor switch 55 is in the ON state by detecting whether the monitor input terminal 35 is at the L level (S141). If it is not in the ON state, it is judged whether the required time such as 1 second has elapsed (S
145) and if it is in the ON state, the output setting process (S143) of all the lighting signals for outputting the lighting signals from all the output terminals of the first output terminal 41 to the sixth output terminal 46 is performed to determine the elapsed time. (S145) is performed, and when the required time has elapsed, the delay process (S110) is terminated and the process returns to the light / dark determination (S101).

When it is detected in the hour signal input determination (S105) that the hour signal is input, the time code read in the code input terminal 33 is analyzed (S120). Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the minute count (S
121), a detection signal is output from the detection output terminal 49, and the light / dark judgment based on the voltage of the detection input terminal 39 (S123) is performed.

In the light / dark determination (S123), when it is determined that the voltage of the detection input terminal 39 is less than the predetermined voltage and the periphery of the watch body is bright, the output of the lighting signal is stopped (S12).
7) is performed, and when it is determined in the lightness / darkness determination (S123) that the detected voltage is equal to or higher than the predetermined voltage and the periphery of the timepiece body is dark, the lighting means to be turned on among the six lighting means 91 to 96 is determined. The lighting illumination means is determined (S125).

The determination of this lighting means (S125) is as follows.
This is performed based on the hour data obtained by analyzing the time code signal formed by the time code plate as the hour hand position detecting means and the minute data obtained by reading the value of the minute counter as the minute hand position detecting means. Then, the determination of the lighting illumination means (S125) is performed by setting the minute data to 5 as shown in FIG.
When the value is 2.5 to 7.5, the first lighting signal L1 is output, and when the minute data is 2.5 to 17.5, the second lighting signal L2 is output, and the minute data is 1
When the value is 2.5 to 27.5, the third lighting signal L3 is set. When the minute data is 22.5 to 37.5, the fourth lighting signal L4 is set, and the minute data is 32.5 to 47.5. One or two lighting signals are output only by the value of the minute counter so that the fifth lighting signal L5 is output when the value is a value and the sixth lighting signal L6 is output when the minute data is a value of 42.5 to 57.5. And the hour data and minute data, the first determination is made at the time from 10:30 to 1:30.
It is assumed that the lighting signal L1 is output, and it is 3 from 12:30
It is assumed that the second lighting signal L2 is output at the time of 30 minutes and the third lighting signal is output from the time of 2:30 to 5:30.
The lighting signal L3 is the fourth lighting signal L4 from the time from 4:30 to 7:30, the fifth lighting signal L5 from the time from 6:30 to 9:30, and the time from 8:30 to 11
At the time of hour 30 minutes, the selection decision is made so that the sixth lighting signal L6 is outputted, and also one or two lighting signals are outputted depending on the hour data and the minute data, and both selection decisions are combined. At least one lighting signal, or a maximum of four lighting signals are output, and the lighting means to be lit is determined.

In this way, the lighting means is determined (S1
After performing 25), the lighting pulse for deciding the pulse width of the lighting signal is determined (S126). This lighting pulse is determined (S126) as shown in A of FIG.
When outputting one lighting signal, the width of the L pulse used as the lighting signal is wide, and as shown in FIG. 8B, when outputting two lighting signals, the pulse width is halved. When the pulse width is reduced to output three lighting signals as shown in C of FIG. 8, the pulse width is reduced to 1/3 of the pulse width, and as shown in D of FIG. When four lighting signals are output, the pulse width is reduced to 1/4, and when all six lighting signals are output, the pulse width is set to 1/6 and lighting of several tens of hertz is performed. It outputs a signal.

The output of one lighting signal is, for example, 12
Only the first lighting signal L1 is output for several minutes before and after the time, only the second lighting signal L2 is output for about 5 minutes around 2:10, and the fifth lighting signal L5 is output around 7:40. To 1
One lighting signal is output. Also, 11:30
If it is around, the first lighting signal L1 and the fourth lighting signal L4 are output, and if it is around 1:05, the first lighting signal L1 and the second lighting signal L2 are output. Further, if it is around 12:40, the first lighting signal L1 and the second lighting signal L2
If the lighting signal L5 is around 1:35, the second lighting signal L2, the fourth lighting signal L4, and the fifth lighting signal L5 are output, and if it is 12:45 or 2:35, First
The four lighting signals L1 and the second lighting signal L2, the fifth lighting signal L5, the sixth lighting signal L6, the second lighting signal L2, the third lighting signal L3, the fourth lighting signal L4, and the fifth lighting signal L5. Outputs a lighting signal and outputs one or two near the minute hand 24
Turn on the individual lighting means one by one, and set 1 near the hour hand 23.
One or two lighting means are sequentially turned on.

In this way, the output port is set so that a predetermined lighting signal is output according to the value of the minute counter indicating the minute hand position and the value of the time code indicating the hour hand position, and the required lighting signal is set to the predetermined value. After the output from the output terminal is started, the hour signal input determination as to whether the hour signal is input (S130) is performed, and when the hour signal is not input, the delay process (S131) is performed and the minute counter Read (S1
21), when the hour signal is input, the value of the minute counter is cleared to zero (S135) and the process returns to the reading of the time code (S120).

In the delay process (S131), the ON / OFF judgment of the monitor switch 55 (S141) and the elapsed time judgment (S145) are performed as shown in FIG.
Is to do. Therefore, the control by the control means 30 is to detect the ambient brightness of the timepiece body 10 such as the brightness of the light entering the dial by the brightness detection means 27 every required time such as one second. The lighting means is turned on when it becomes dark or when the monitor switch 55 is turned on.When the battery of the timepiece body 10 is replaced and the control means 30 is started from the reset state, , Whether the surroundings of the dial surface or the like are bright (S101) and whether the monitor switch 55 is in the ON state (S1)
45) is performed every required time, and when the dial surface becomes dark, all the six illumination means 91 to 96 are turned on.

Then, after the hour signal is input to the control means 30 within a few minutes or several tens of minutes after the start of the control means 30,
Similarly, the lightness / darkness determination (S123) and the determination as to whether or not the monitor switch 55 is in the ON state (S145) are performed every required time, and the lightness / darkness determination (S123) determines the timepiece body 10 such as the dial surface.
When it detects that the area around the
One or several lighting means close to 24 are turned on.

Further, when lighting the plurality of lighting means, the current value of each lighting means is changed according to the number of lighting means to be lighted by determining the lighting pulse (S126). Even if the number of lighting means is increased by reducing the average current value by reducing the pulse width of the lighting signal for lighting the lighting means and increasing the number of lighting means, the overall power consumption. It is intended to prevent consumption from increasing.

Therefore, even if the number of lighting means is changed, the power consumption for lighting the lighting means is kept constant, and the hour hand is kept without drastically changing the brightness of the entire dial.
It is possible to make the display time easy to see by brightening the vicinity of the position indicated by 23 and the minute hand 24. In addition, compared with the case of lighting one lighting means, the pulse width in the case of lighting two lighting means is accurately halved, and the pulse width in the case of lighting three lighting means is further increased. Exactly one third of the width
In addition to the case where the pulse width when the four lighting means are turned on is accurately reduced to a quarter, the luminous efficiency of the lighting means, the clock frequency of the control means 30, the width of the L pulse used as the lighting signal, etc. Accordingly, when the number of lighting signals is large, the pulse width may be sequentially narrowed to reduce the average current value.

In the case of outputting a plurality of lighting signals, as shown in B, C, D, etc. of FIG. 8, even when a plurality of lighting means are turned on by sequentially shifting the L pulse. Without increasing the maximum current, battery fatigue can be reduced and life can be extended. Further, the number of illumination means is not limited to six, for example, four pieces are arranged at regular intervals of 90 degrees, and the hour hand position detecting means and the minute hand position detecting means detect the position of the hands, and When the lighting means is turned on in the dark, the respective lighting means are controlled so as to be turned on when there is a pointer within a range of about 60 degrees before and after each lighting means, and the lighting means provided at the 12 o'clock position is an hour hand. 23 is 10:00 to 2:00, the minute hand 24 is 5
The illumination means which is turned on when it is located between 0 and 10 minutes is provided at the position of 3:00 when the hour hand 23 is located between 1:00 and 5:00 and the minute hand 24 is located between 5 and 25 minutes. It should be turned on.

Thus, about two-thirds of the spacing of the lighting means
By illuminating the illuminating means when the pointers are positioned at the front and rear positions of each illuminating means at an angle of 1, the position of each indicator can be made dim by one or two illuminating means. The same applies when the number of means is 8 or 12. And when the number of lighting means is increased,
It is possible to narrow the interval between the respective lighting means to narrow the range to be brightened by one lighting means, it is not necessary to dim the wide range, and the power consumption by one lighting means is reduced to match the position of the pointer. Even if one to four lighting means are turned on, the battery consumption can be reduced.

Further, in the above embodiment, the timepiece movement 21 incorporating the time code plate as the hour hand position detecting means.
Using a time code signal control means
When inputting to 30, when using the watch movement 21 that counts the number of pulses output to the step motor for driving the hour hand and the step motor for driving the minute hand to form the position signal of the position of the hour hand 23 and the position of the minute hand 24 Uses the counter for the hour hand as the hour hand position detection means and the counter for the minute hand as the minute hand position detection means, and determines the position of the hour hand 23 and the minute hand 24 by the position signals output from each counter to determine the lighting means to be turned on. It's enough.

Further, as the minute counter as the minute hand position detecting means, a counter for counting the number of delay processings is provided in the control means 30, and the position of the minute hand 24 may be discriminated by the interval and the number of the delay processings. . And
In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the light guide plate 25 is used to lighten the vicinity of each of the illumination means 91 to 96, but without using the light guide plate 25, each illumination means 91 is used. ~
96 may be provided on the back surface of the front frame 13 at equal angular intervals, and may be illuminated to brighten the required range of the dial.

However, when the light guide plate 25 is used, it is easy to widen the range to be brightened by one illuminating means. Further, the timepiece body 10 is one of a plurality of lighting means.
Although one to four lighting means are turned on in accordance with the position of the hands, as the timepiece body 10 of another embodiment,
There is a timepiece body 10 that reduces the consumption of a battery by reducing the number of lighting means to be turned on when all the lighting means 91 to 96 are turned on and the lighting time is continued.

The embodiment of this timepiece body is 3 to 12 pieces.
When illuminating means such as pieces are arranged around the dial and the brightness detecting means 27 detects that the surroundings of the watch body have become dark due to the light entering the dial, all the illuminating means are turned on and the dial is turned on. To dim. And in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, in the timepiece body in which the six lighting means 91 to 96 are provided, the first output terminal 111 to the sixth output terminal 116 are subjected to the first switching via the first limiting resistor 61 to the sixth resistor, respectively. Transistor 71 to sixth switching transistor 76
The detection resistor 29 is connected between the detection output terminal 119 and the detection input terminal 109, and the brightness detection means 27 is connected between the detection input terminal 109 and the-power source. Connect monitor switch 55 to monitor input terminal 105 and reset terminal 1
The reset switch 57 is connected to 07.

The operation of the control means 100 is shown in FIG.
As shown in 0, after initial setting (S200), a detection signal is output from the detection output terminal 119 to determine whether the detected input voltage is lower than a predetermined voltage (S201).
When it is determined that the detected input voltage is less than the predetermined voltage and is bright, the output of the lighting signal is stopped (S207), the time counter is reset and stopped (S208), and the start flag is reset (S209).
Then, the delay processing (S210) is performed, and when it is determined that the detected input voltage is equal to or higher than the predetermined voltage and dark, the output of the lighting signal is started (S202).

To start output of the lighting signal (S202), as shown in A of FIG. 14, as the first lighting signal L1 to the sixth lighting signal L6, for example, an L pulse of about 1 millisecond is sequentially shifted in timing to 1 The output port is set to output tens of times per second, and the output of the lighting signal is started. Further, after the lighting signal output is started (S202), it is judged whether or not the result of the previous light / dark judgment (S201) is judged to be dark (S203). If the time counter is started, the time counter is started (S20).
4) and the start flag are set (S205) and the delay process (S210) is performed.

Incidentally, it is judged whether the previous time was bright (S2
03) can be easily determined depending on whether or not this start flag is set. Then, after performing the delay process (S210), the lightness / darkness determination (S201)
6 and the delay process (S210) is as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
141) and the determination of whether the required time has elapsed (S145), and after the required time has elapsed, the process returns to the light / dark determination (S201).

Further, when it is judged in the light / dark judgment (S201) that the surroundings are dark, the lighting signal output is started (S202), and it is detected by the start flag that it was also dark last time, the count value of the time counter is changed. It is determined whether or not the first predetermined time has elapsed after reading (S206). The first predetermined time is set to a time of half a day or more, such as 12 hours to 16 hours, and when the first predetermined time has not elapsed, a delay process (S210) is performed to make a bright / dark judgment. Even when the process returns to (S201), when the first predetermined time has elapsed and the lighting state of the lighting means continues for more than half a day, the blinking lighting control shown in FIG. 11 is switched to.

In this blinking lighting control, first, the time counter is cleared to zero and started (S220), and the second counter is started (S221). And the detection output terminal
A detection signal is output from 119 to determine lightness / darkness based on the voltage of the detection input terminal 109 (S225). When it is determined to be dark, the value of the second counter is read (S230), and it is determined whether it is an odd second (S231). )I do.

When the odd-numbered seconds are detected (S231), the lighting signal output is started (S232) when the odd-numbered seconds, but when the odd-seconds is not reached, the lighting signal output is stopped (S23).
3) is performed, the time counter is read (S235), and it is determined whether the second predetermined time has elapsed (S2).
36) is performed, and when the second predetermined time has not elapsed, a delay process (S240) is performed to determine the lightness (S22).
Return to 5).

By setting about 2 hours to 3 hours as the second predetermined time, all the illumination means 91 to 96 are lit at intervals of 1 second during the second predetermined time of 2 hours to 3 hours. And can be turned off. Then, in the light / dark determination (S225), when it is determined that the detected input voltage is less than the predetermined voltage and the surrounding becomes bright, the output of the lighting signal is stopped (S226), the time counter is cleared to zero and stopped (S227), In addition, after the second counter is also cleared to zero and stopped (S228), the process returns to the first light / dark determination (S201) at the end of the initial setting.

This delay process (S240) is similar to the delay process shown in FIG. 6, but in the present embodiment, the time required for the delay process is shorter than 1 second, for example, about 200 milliseconds. In the case of performing the lightness / darkness determination (S225) several times per second, instead of determining whether it is an odd number of seconds (S231), it is determined whether it is the first half or the second half of 1 second, and the lighting is about 0.5 seconds. It can also be turned on and off by blinking.

Further, when the required time of the elapsed time determination (S145) performed in the delay processing (S240) is shortened to 1 second or less, the light / dark determination (S225) is performed once every several times, and the output interval of the detection signal is It is possible not to make it narrow. Then, when the second predetermined time has elapsed, it is determined whether the second predetermined time has elapsed (S236).
Based on, clear start of the time counter (S237) to clear the time counter to zero and start,
The first to inhibit the output of the lighting signal from the first output terminal 111
The mask processing (S238) of the output terminal 111 is performed, and the result shown in FIG.
The light reduction lighting control shown in is performed.

In this light reduction lighting control, lightness / darkness determination based on the detected input value is first performed (S251), and when the surroundings are dark, the value of the second counter is read (S260) to determine whether it is an odd number of seconds (S261). ) Is performed, the output of the lighting signal is started (S262) when it is an odd second, and the output of the lighting signal is stopped (S263) when it is not an odd second. When the time required for the delay processing is short, such as about 200 milliseconds, it is determined whether the first half or the second half of one second is about 0.
It is also possible to perform blinking lighting by turning on and off for 5 seconds.

Then, after starting the lighting signal output (S262) or stopping the lighting signal output (S263), the value of the time counter is read (S265), and it is further judged whether or not a third predetermined time has elapsed ( S266) is performed, and if the third predetermined time has not elapsed, delay processing (S270)
Then, the process returns to the lightness / darkness determination (S251). The third predetermined time may be the same time as the second predetermined time, and the second predetermined time may be about 1 to 2 hours.
It may be shorter than the predetermined time.

When it is determined in the light / dark determination (S251) that the light is bright, the output of the lighting signal is stopped (S25).
2) is performed, the time counter is cleared to zero and stopped (S253), the seconds counter is also cleared to zero and stopped (S254), and the masks of all output terminals are released (S253).
255), the number of starts of the time counter is also cleared to zero (S256), and the process returns to the first light / dark determination (S201) performed at the end of the initial setting.

Further, in the light / dark judgment (S251), it is judged to be dark, and the first output terminal 111 is masked and the second output terminal 1 is masked.
When it is determined that the lighting signal is continuously output from the 12th to the sixth output terminals 116, such as every one second, and it is determined that the predetermined time has passed by the third predetermined time elapse determination (S266), as illustrated in FIG. The control for increasing the number of reduced lights is performed. This light reduction increase control is performed by clear start of the time counter (S281) for clearing and starting the time counter with zero,
The number of times of start is stored (S282), it is judged whether or not it is the first time (S283), and if it is the first time, the second output terminal 112 is prevented from outputting the lighting signal from the second output terminal 112.
The masking process (S284) is performed and the process returns to the light / dark determination (S251) of the reduced light lighting control shown in FIG.

Therefore, the first output terminal 111 and the second output terminal 1
When 12 and 12 are masked, it is determined to be dark in the light / dark determination (S251), and the lighting signal output is started (S262).
14B, the first lighting signal L1 and the second lighting signal L2 are masked (S23).
8, S284), the H level is maintained, and the L pulse is output only to the third lighting signal L3 to the sixth lighting signal L6, and only the third lighting means 93 to the sixth lighting means 96 are output every one second. It will be blinking and lit.

In this way, when the first illuminating means 91 and the second illuminating means 92 are turned off, and the lighting for blinking the other illuminating means at intervals of 1 second is further continued for a third predetermined time, According to the judgment of elapse of the predetermined time of 3 (S266),
The light reduction increase control is again performed, the time counter is cleared and started (S281), and the number of times of start is stored (S282), and it is determined whether it is the first time (S283) and whether it is the second time (S285). ) Is performed, and if it is the second time, mask processing of the third output terminal 113 is performed (S286), it is further determined whether it is the third time (S287), whether it is the fourth time (S289), and the third time If so, the masking process for the fourth output terminal 114 (S288) is performed, and if it is the fourth time, the masking process for the fifth output terminal 115 (S290) is performed.

As described above, the number of lighting means to be turned off is sequentially increased by the mask processing every time the third required time elapses, and in the timepiece body 10 having six lighting means, the fifth output terminal 115 is used. Finally, only the sixth lighting means 961 is turned on and off by the mask (S290). Therefore, when the lighting state continues for more than half a day by the first predetermined time, the power consumption by the lighting means is reduced by blinking lighting every one second or the like, and the number of lighting means blinking every several hours is set. By decreasing one by one,
When the indoor dark state continues for a long time, the power consumption can be further reduced, and when the surrounding becomes bright, the lighting means is turned off and the initial full lighting is restored.
When you stay indoors in a dark state due to a long trip such as traveling, the battery life is reduced and the battery life is extended.
Further, it is possible to inform that the timepiece body 10 is operating normally by blinking a part of the lighting means.

When reducing the number of lighting means to be blinked and turned on, not only when the blinking and lighting of one lighting means is lasted, but not to turn all the lighting means to be blinked and turned on at the end. There is also something to do. Further, the number of lighting means is not limited to six, and when the number of lighting means is large, the second predetermined time or the third predetermined time is shortened to turn off all the lighting means or 1 It is possible to gradually reduce the power consumption by the lighting means at short time intervals while increasing the time until the individual lighting means are turned on and off.

[0059]

The present invention according to claim 1 has a brightness detecting means for detecting the brightness around the timepiece body and a plurality of illuminating means, and further has an hour hand position detecting means and a minute hand position detecting means. And a dial illuminating analog timepiece having control means for turning on one or two illuminating means near the hour hand and one or two illuminating means near the minute hand when the detected brightness is dark. is there.

Therefore, of the plurality of lighting means, only the lighting means near the pointer is turned on to make it easier to see the time display by the pointer, and the number of lighting means to be turned on is limited, so that the battery consumption by the lighting means is reduced. Can be reduced. Change
In the invention described in claim 1 , the control means causes the lighting means to blink at a high speed to appear as continuous lighting, and
Entire conductive when the lighting number in accordance with the number of lighting means lights for is large to reduce the average current value to the respective illumination means for lighting
It is an analog timepiece with dial illumination as a control means to keep the flow constant . Therefore, even if one or several illuminating means close to the hour hand and minute hand are turned on to make the pointer easy to see, even if the number of illuminating means changes depending on the position of the pointer, the change in current consumption by the illuminating means is reduced, It is possible to reduce the change in brightness of the timepiece body when the lighting means is turned on.

According to the present invention as set forth in claim 2 , in a timepiece body which illuminates a dial plate dimly when the surroundings become dark by using a plurality of lighting means, when the lighting time continues for a long time, An analog timepiece with a dial illumination is provided which has a control means for blinking the lighting of each lighting means and for successively reducing the number of lighting means when the lighting time continues.

Therefore, when the interior of the room is darkened for a long time, the power consumption by the illumination means is successively reduced, and the life of the timepiece with the illumination body can be prevented from being shortened. Further, according to the present invention as set forth in claim 3 , the dial plate lighting is a control means for blinking the lighting means when the lighting time continuously exceeds half a day, and successively decreasing the number of lighting means to be blinked every several hours. It is an attached analog clock.

Therefore, when the state where the room is artificially darkened is continued, the number of lighting means to be turned on can be successively decreased to reduce the battery consumption. For this reason,
It is possible to reduce battery consumption without unnecessary lighting of lighting means when the absence of a trip or the like continues, or when the watch body is housed in a case or the like.

Further, according to the present invention as set forth in claim 4 , the dial plate lighting is a control means for successively decreasing the number of lighting means to be turned on and off by lighting for a long period of time and finally to blink one lighting means. It is an attached analog clock. Therefore, even when the dark state continues for a long time, it is possible to know that the timepiece body is operating normally by blinking and lighting one illumination means.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a timepiece according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view showing an example of a timepiece according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a connection diagram showing a first embodiment of a timepiece body according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the first embodiment of the timepiece according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the first embodiment of the timepiece according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the timepiece body according to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a code table showing a lighting range in the first embodiment of the timepiece according to the invention.

FIG. 8 is a time chart diagram showing an output state of a lighting signal in the first embodiment of the timepiece according to the invention.

FIG. 9 is a connection diagram showing a second embodiment of a timepiece body according to the invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the second embodiment of the timepiece according to the invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the second embodiment of the timepiece according to the invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the second embodiment of the timepiece according to the invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the second embodiment of the timepiece according to the invention.

FIG. 14 is a time chart diagram showing an output example of a lighting signal in the second embodiment of the timepiece according to the invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 watch body 11 frame body 13 front frame 15 front glass 17 mounting plate 19 back plate 21 watch movement 22 pointer shaft 23 hour hand 24 minute hand 25 light guide plate 27 brightness detection means 29 detection resistor 30 control means 31 hour input terminal 33 Code input terminal 35 Monitor input terminal 37 Reset terminal 39 Detection input terminal 41 to 46 Output terminal 49 Detection output terminal 51 Hourly contact point 53 Time code contact point 55 Monitor switch 57 Reset switch 61 to 66 Limiting resistor 71 to 76 Switching transistor 81 to 86 Protection Resistors 91-96 Lighting Means 100 Control Means 105 Monitor Input Terminals 107 Reset Terminals 109 Detection Input Terminals 111-116 Output Terminals 119 Detection Output Terminals

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A brightness detecting means for detecting brightness around the timepiece body, and a plurality of illuminating means for brightening the dial are provided at equal angular intervals in the vicinity of the dial, and further, hour hand position detection. And a minute hand position detecting means, and detecting the brightness around the timepiece by the brightness detecting means,
When the detected brightness is lower than a predetermined brightness, one or two illumination means near the hour hand and one near the minute hand 1
Have a control means for lighting one to four illuminating means for a number or two lighting means, the control means, each is turned
Illuminating means blinks at high speed to make it look like continuous lighting, and
The number of lightings is large according to the number of lighting means to be turned on
The average current value of each lighting means to be turned on
Power consumption as a whole by controlling to 1
An analog watch with dial illumination, which is characterized in that it does not increase . 2. A brightness detector for detecting the brightness around a watch body.
Of the lighting means that brightens the dial while
It has a plurality, and the surroundings are protected from darkness by the brightness detection means.
When it detects that
When the watch body illuminates the dial with a bright light,
The lighting of each lighting means blinks when the
The lighting means that lights up when the lighting time continues.
Characterized in that it has a control means for successively reducing the number
Analog clock with dial illumination. 3. Lighting when lighting time exceeds half a day continuously
Blink means, characterized in that the control means for sequentially reducing the number of illumination means to further blink every few hours 請
An analog watch with a dial illumination according to claim 2 . 4. The lighting means to be turned on and off by lighting for a long time is sequentially decreased , and finally one lighting means is turned on and off.
Claims, characterized in that the sustained control means that
An analog timepiece with dial illumination according to claim 2 or claim 3.