US3167904A

US3167904A - Lighted alarm set indicator

Info

Publication number: US3167904A
Application number: US350012A
Authority: US
Inventors: William C Wingler
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1964-03-06
Filing date: 1964-03-06
Publication date: 1965-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 1982-02-02
Also published as: FR1425971A; GB1037768A; ES309897A1; CH287065A4; NL6502704A; CH459898A

Description

W. C- WINGLER LIGHTED ALARM SET INDICATOR Feb. 2 1965 Filed March 6, 1964 United States Patent (Mike 3,167,904 LIGHTED ALARM SET INDICATOR William C. Wingler, Northboro, Mass., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 350,012 3 Claims. (Cl. 58-227) This invention relates to alarm clocks and, more particularly, to an illuminating indicating mechanism for visually indicating whether the clock alarm mechanism has been set.

There are several prior art devices for causing a spot of light to appear on the dial of an alarm clock when the alarm mechanism has been set. One method is to pass light from a lamp through a light conducting member or lens which directs the light through a hole in an opaque mask behind the dial. In order to selectively cause the light spot to appear on the dial a shutter is provided to move between the lens and the mask. However, for best results the mask and lens should be spaced apart only slightly adjacent the hole. Thus, the shutter must be thin, and yet move back and forth between the mask and lens without canting or bending. Any significant canting could result in scratching or" the mask and detract from the appearance of the clock and the effectiveness of the light-blocking arrangement. Any bending would make the mechanism diihcult to operate. I have invented an improved and unique light-blockingarrangement which may be constructed from a minimum number of inexpensive parts and which ensures that the shutter moves back and forth between the mask and the lens without canting or bending.

By my invention I provide an improved shutter mechanism which is long-lived, easily operated and remains properly aligned.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a reliable and low cost indicating arrangement for visually indicating whether the alarm has been set.

Another object of my invention is to provide such an indicating arrangement which is easily operated, stable in its alignment, and long lasting.

According to one aspect of my invention; an alarm clock having a dial with a small portion adapted to permit the passage of light therethrough is provided with an improved alarm-set indicating arrangement. By positioning a light source behind the dial, a spot of light is visible on the dial when the clock is in darkened surroundings. A shutter-lever, having an elongated body portion including an elongated passage, is inserted over one of the clock mounting studs with a close sliding fit. The body portion also includes a cam surface to be engaged by the clock alarm shut-off lever and an arm extending from the body opposite the cam surface. A shutter is mounted on the arm for movement between the small dial portion and the light source to block the passage of light. A spring is provided which biases the body portion of the shutterlever against one of the clock mounting plates so that the shutter is always in proper alignment with the small dial portion and biases the shutter-lever to its light-passing position. In operation the alarm shut-cit lever engages the cam surface as the shut-off lever is moved to the alarm-oif position to pivot the shutter-lever and move the shutter to a light-blocking position. When the shutoif lever is moved to the alarm-set position, it is disengaged from the cam surface and the spring pivots the shutter-lever in the opposite direction to move the shutter to a light-passing position.

Further objects, features, and advantages will become apparent with reference to the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accom anying drawings, in which:

For this purpose, the mask 3,167,934 Patented Feb. 2, 1965 FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, partly broken away, of an alarm clock incorporating the alarm-set indicating arrangement of my invention, showing the shutter and shutter-lever mechanism in its two positions;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the internal structure of the alarm clock of FIG. 1, showing the alarm-set indicating arrangement in the alarm-set position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2, showing the alarm-set indicating arrangement in the alarm-off position;

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view of a portion of the internal structure of the alarm clock of FIG. 1, showing the alarm-set indicating arrangement in the alarm-set position; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the shutter and shutter-lever mechanism of my invention.

Referring now to the drawing, an alarm clock including the improved alarm-set indicating arrangement of my invention is shown. The clock includes a casing which encloses the other members of the clock. Mounted in the front of the casing is a translucent dial 11 backed by an opaque mask 12 and a lens 13, which is spaced back of the mask. The lens is lighted by a source of illumination 14 positioned adjacent one edge of the lens. The source of illumination includes a lamp holder 15 containing and supporting a lamp 115. The holder 15 directs the light emitted by lamp .16 toward the lens 13.

The clock also includes a first mounting plate 17 and a second mounting plate 18, which support various operative elements of the clock. The plates 17 and 18 are maintained in spaced relationship by a number of studs including that indicated at 19. Another stud 20 is mounted on and extends beyond plate 18 to support a shutter and shutter-lever mechanism.

The clock is provided with a slidably mounted, manually operated alarm shut-eff lever 21, which is disposed in a horizontal position for movement toward and from the dial 11. The shut-off lever includes a cam surface 22 which is positioned to control the movement of an alarm vibrator 23, which may be of the resilient, magneticallyoperated type. When not restrained by the cam surface 22, the vibrator 23 vibrates to produce an audible alarm. The alarm shut-off lever 21 includes a pair of forwardly extending

arms

24 and 25, with arm 25 being bent out of the plane of the lever 21 so as to provide a surface 26 for pivoting the shutter and shutter-lever mechanism generally indicated at 27.

Suitable indicia may be located on the central or face portion of the translucent dial 11 so as to be readily seen by an observer. The border portion of the dial, surrounding the clock face, is completely backed by the mask 12 except for a small hole 23. The lens 13 is formed from any suitable material such as glass or plastic normally employed for edge lighted applications, and is provided with suitable reflective surfaces which direct light forwardly from the source of illumination. With this dial arrangement the entire dial face is easily observed during the daytime; however, at night only a portion of the dial is illuminated because of the shielding eifect of the opaque mask 12. This arrangement provides a dial of sutlicient size for daytime use and nighttime use while keeping the lighted area to a minimum during the nighttime.

In accordance with my invention, an alarm-set indicating arrangement is provided to visually indicate whether the clock alarm is in the of. position or the set position. 12 is formed with a small provided with an additional reflective surface, such as beveled edge 29, which is aligned with the hole 28 so that light traveling edgewise through the lens and striking the beveled edge 29 will be reflected forwardly through the hole 28 and appear as hole 28 and the lens 13 is a light spot on the dial 11. This spot will be clearly visible when the clock is in a darkened surrounding.

In order to utilize this light spot as an indicating means, I provide the improved shutter and shutter-lever mechanism 27. The mechanism includes a uniquely shaped shutter-lever 36 having an elongated, tubular body portion 31. In order to mount the shutter-lever 3% in the clock, the body portion 31 includes an elongated passage 32 for insertion over the stud with a close sliding lit. The close sliding fit of the stud within the passage ensures that the axis of the body portion remains perpendicular to mounting plate 17. For operation by alarm shut-off lever 21 the body portion is provided with a cam surface 33'which is disposed for engagement by surface 25 of arm 25 as the shut-ofl lever 21 is moved toward dial ii.

In order to selectively block the passage of light through hole 28, an arm 34 extends outwardly from body portion 31 oppositely of cam surface 33 and is provided with an ear 35 which is generally parallel to the axis of body portion 31. A thin shutter 36 is mounted on the ear 35. The shutter is generally L-shaped, having a mounting portion 37 for'connection to ear 3S and a light-blocking portion 38 which is generally parallel to arm 34.

In order to ensure that light-blocking portion 38 of shutter 36 is properly aligned with respect to the mask 12 and lens 13 so as to move between the mask and the lens 'for blocking passage of the light through hole 28, the body portion 31 of shutter-lever 3% is provided with a hole 39 and one end of a spring 44 is received through the hole 39. The other end of the spring 4t) is bent around mounting plate 18. Thus, when assembled, the spring 4% is under tension and forces the shutter-lever 40 forwardly so that one end 41 of the body portion 31 is maintained in contact with the back of mounting plate 17. Thus, the positioning of the shutter and shutterlever mechanism 27 is maintained constant with respect to the space between the mask 12 and lens 13, and lightblocking portion 38 of shutter 36 will move between the mask 12 and lens 13'without' coming into contact with either of them.

In operation, when alarm shut-off lever 21 is manually movedforward so that cam surface 22 engages vibrator 23 to prevent vibration thereof, surface 2.6engages cam surface 33 and pivots shutter and shutter-lever mechanism 27 about stud 24 to move light-blocking portion 38 of shutter 36 between the mask 12 and lens 13 and cover hole 28 (as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1). This blocks passage of light through hole 28 and prevents a spot of light from appearing on dial 11. This pivoting movement of the shutter and shutter-lever mechanism also flexes'spring 49. Thus, when the alarm shut-off lever 21 is manually moved away from dial 11 so that cam surface 22 is disengaged from vibrator 23 to free the vibrator for sounding an alarm, surface 245 is disengaged from cam surface 33 and spring 46 pivots the shutter and shutter-lever mechanism 27 in the opposite direction'so that light-blocking portion 38 is moved away from hole 28 in mask 12. Thus, light from lamp l6, reflected by beveled edge 2?, will pass through hole 28 and cause a spot of light to appear on the dial surface. Therefore, the user can easily see in a darkened room that the alarm has been 'set.

It will be understood that several dif erent constructions of the shutter and shutter-lever mechanism are possible. The entire structure could be made of metal; however, this would result in a relatively heavy and costly construction. Also, the entire structure could be made of molded plastic, including mounting the shutter on the shutter-lever by molding the two as a single element. However, the light-blocking portion of the shutter should be thin to give the best results and a thin plastic element would be easily deformed or broken. I have found that the most satisfactory structure is a molded plastic shutterlever 39 and a thin metal shutter 36, mounted on the shutter-lever.

"3 While a particular embodiment of my invention has been illustrated and described, modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it should be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular arrangement disclosed and that I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 1. In an alarm clock, a translucent dial, an opaque mask positioned behind said dial, a lens positioned behind said mask, said lens being aligned with said dial and said mask, a light source positioned adjacent one edge of said lens for illuminating said dial, a light reflective surface formed in said lens to reflect light toward said dial, said mask having a hole aligned with said reflective surface such that light striking said reflective surface passes through said hole to cause a light spot to appear on said dial when the clock is in a darkened surrounding, an alarm shut-off lever manually movable between an alarmoff and an alarm-set position, a mounting plate positioned behind said mask, a stud projecting from said plate opposite said mask, an elongated shutter-lever having an elongated passage therethrough for insertion over said stud with a close sliding t, said shutter-lever also having a cam surface arranged for engagement by said alarm shut-off lever, a shutter mounted on said shutter-lever for movement between said mask and said lens to selectively block passage of light through said'hole, a spring engaging said shutter-lever, said alarm shut-off lever pivoting said shutter-lever when said alarm shut-off lever is moved to the alarm-off position to move said shutter between said mask and said lens to block passage of light through said hole so that the light spot will not appear on said dial, said spring pivoting said shutter-lever when said alarm shut-off lever is moved to the alarm-set position to uncover said hole to allow passage of light through said hole so that the light spot will appear on said dial. 2. In an alarm clock, a translucent dial, an opaque mask positioned behind said dial, a lens positioned behind said mask, said lens being aligned with said dial and said mask, a light source positioned adjacent one edge of said lens for illuminating said dial, a light reflective surface formed in said lens to reflect light toward said dial, said mask having a hole aligned with said reflective surface such that light striking said reflective surface passes through said hole to cause a light spot to appear on said dial when the clock is in a darkened surrounding, an alarm shut-ofl lever manually movable between an alarmoff and an alarm-set position, a mounting plate positioned behind said mask, a stud projecting from said plate opposite said mask, an elongated shutter-lever having an elongated passage therethrough for insertion over said stud with a close sliding fit, said shutter-lever also having a cam surface arranged for engagement by said alarm shut-off lever, one end of said shutter-lever bearing against said plate to position said shutter-lever with respect to said mask and said lens, a spring engagingsaid shutter-lever to retain said shutter-lever in engagement with said plate, a shutter mounted on said shutter-lever for movement between said mask and said lens to selectively block passage of light through said hole, said alarm shut-offlever pivoting said shutter-lever when said alarm shut-off lever is moved to the alarm-off position to move said shutter between said mask and said lens to block passage of light through said hole so that the light spot will not appear on said dial, said spring pivoting said shutter-lever when said alarm shut-off lever is moved to the alarm-set position to uncover said hole to allow passage of light through said hole so that the light spot will appear on said dial.

3. In an alarm clock, a translucent dial, an opaque mask positioned behind said dial, a lens positioned behind said mask, said lens being aligned with said dial and said mask, a light positioned adjacent one edge of said lens for illuminating said dial, the edge of said lens opposite 33 the light source being beveled to reflect light toward said dial, said mask having a hole aligned with said beveled edge such that light striking said beveled edge passes through said hole to cause a light spot to appear on said dial when the clock is in a darkened surrounding, an alarm shut-off lever manually movable between an alarmoff and an alarm-set position, a mounting plate positioned behind said mask, a stud projecting from said plate opposite said mask, a shutter-lever including an elongated body portion, said body portion having an elongated passage therethrough for insertion over said stud with a close sliding lit, a cam surface formed in said body portion for engagement by said alarm shut-off lever, an arm extending from said body portion opposite said cam surface, a shutter mounted on said arm for movement between said mask and said lens to selectively block passage of light through said hole, a spring engaging said body portion and forcing said body portion against said plate to align said shutter with the space between said mask and said lens, said alarm shut-off lever pivoting said shutter-lever when said alarm shut-off lever is moved to the alarm-off position to move said shutter between said mask and said lens to block passage of light through said hole so that the light spot Will not appear on said dial, said spring pivoting said shutter-lever when said alarm shut-off lever is moved to the alarm-set position to uncover said hole to allow passage of light through said hole so that the light spot will appear on said dial.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,063,884 Reinhardt Dec. 8, 1936 2,097,487 Kinnear Nov. 2, 1937 2,121,762 Marholz June 21, 1938

Claims

1. IN AN ALARM CLOCK, A TRANSLUCENT DIAL, AN OPAQUE MASK POSITIONED BEHIND SAID DIAL, LENS POSITIONED BEHIND SAID MASK, SAID LENS BEING ALIGNED WITH SAID DIAL AND SAID MASK, A LIGHT SOURCE POSITIONED ADJACENT ONE EDGE OF SAID LENS FOR ILLUMINATING SAID DIAL, A LIGHT REFLECTIVE SURFACE FORMED IN SAID LENS TO REFLECT LIGHT TOWARD SAID DIAL, SAID MASK HAVING A HOLE ALIGNED WITH SAID REFLECTIVE SURFACE SUCH THAT LIGHT STRIKING SAID REFLECTIVE SURFACE PASSES THROUGH SAID HOLE TO CAUSE A LIGHT SPOT TO APPEAR ON SAID DIAL WHEN THE CLOCK IS IN A DARKENED SURROUNDING, AN ALARM SHUT-OFF LEVER MANUALLY MOVABLE BETWEEN AN ALARMOFF AND AN ALARM-SET POSITION, A MOUNTING PALATE POSITIONED BEHIND SAID MASK, A STUD PROJECTING FROM SAID PLATE OPPOSITE SAID MASK, AN ELONGATED SHUTTER-LEVER HAVING AN ELONGATED PASSAGE THERETHROUGH FOR INSERTION OVER SAID STUD WITH A CLOSE SLIDING FIT, SAID SHUTTER-LEVER ALSO HAVING A CAM SURFACE ARRANGED FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID ALARM SHUT-OFF LEVER, A SHUTTER MOUNTED ON SAID SHUTTER-LEVER FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID MASK AND SAID LENS TO SELECTIVELY BLOCK PASSAGE OF LIGHT THROUGH SAID HOLE, A SPRING ENGAGING SAID SHUTTER-LEVER, SAID ALARM SHUT-OFF LEVER PIVOTING SID SHUTTER-LEVER WHEN SAID ALARM SHUT-OFF LEVER IS MOVED TO THE ALARM-OFF POSITION TO MOVE SAID SHUTTER BETWEEN SAID MASK AND SAID LENS TO BLOCK PASSAGE OF LIGHT THROUGH SAID HOLE SO THAT THE LIGHT SPOT WILL NOT APPEAR ON SAID DIAL, SAID SPRING PIVOTING SAID SHUTTER-LEVER WHEN SAID ALARM SHUT-OFF LEVER IS MOVED TO THE ALARM-SET POSITION TO UNCOVER SAID HOLE TO ALLOW PASSAGE OF LIGHT THROUGH SAID HOLE SO THAT THE LIGHT SPOT WILL APPEAR ON SAID DIAL.