US3874163A - Liquid crystal display timepiece with variable contrast - Google Patents

Liquid crystal display timepiece with variable contrast Download PDF

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Publication number
US3874163A
US3874163A US402664A US40266473A US3874163A US 3874163 A US3874163 A US 3874163A US 402664 A US402664 A US 402664A US 40266473 A US40266473 A US 40266473A US 3874163 A US3874163 A US 3874163A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
liquid crystal
timepiece
display
panel
crystal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US402664A
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English (en)
Inventor
Osamju Ikeno
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Suwa Seikosha KK
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Suwa Seikosha KK
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Suwa Seikosha KK filed Critical Suwa Seikosha KK
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3874163A publication Critical patent/US3874163A/en
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Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
    • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
    • G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour 
    • G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour  based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
    • G02F1/133—Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements
    • G02F1/1333—Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methods
    • G02F1/133308—Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
    • G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
    • G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour 
    • G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour  based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
    • G02F1/133—Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements
    • G02F1/1333—Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methods
    • G02F1/1335—Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors
    • G02F1/133528—Polarisers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C17/00—Indicating the time optically by electric means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
    • G04G17/00—Structural details; Housings
    • G04G17/08—Housings
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
    • G04G9/00—Visual time or date indication means
    • G04G9/0023—Visual time or date indication means by light valves in general
    • G04G9/0029—Details
    • G04G9/0035—Details constructional

Definitions

  • a type of liquid crystal display which has already become part of the art features a pair of polarizing sheets such as those sold under the tradename of Polaroid.
  • the amount of light transmitted by such sheets depends on the angle between the axes of polarization of the two polarizing sheets incorporated in a watch.
  • the angle between the planes of polarization of the two sheets has been fixed so that it is not possible to vary the degree of contrast obtainable by means of such a device in accordance with the desire or whim of the wearer.
  • polarizing plates of the plane-polarizing type are placed proximate the inner and outer surfaces of the liquid crystal display panel.
  • the polarizing sheet proximate the outer face of the panel is mounted for rotation, making it possible to vary the contrast with which the display is shown.
  • an object of the present invention is a timepiece in which the time is displayed by a liquid crystal display panel wherein plane-polarizing sheets are disposed at the inner and outer faces of the display panel and the outermost sheet is mounted for rotation.
  • Another object of the present invention is a timepiece in which a liquid crystal display panel is used for the display of time wherein plane-polarizing sheets are mounted proximate the inner and outer faces of said display panel and the outer sheet can be rotated for the purpose of varying the degree of contrast ofthe display.
  • a further object of the present invention is a timepiece in which the time is displayed by a liquid crystal display panel wherein a pair of plane-polarizing sheets are mounted at the inner and Outer faces of said display panel, the outer most sheet of said pair being mounted for rotation in its own plane and at the interior face of a watch crystal, means being provided for rotating said outermost sheet from the exterior of said watch.
  • the invention accordingly comprises the features fv construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
  • FIG. I is a sectional view of a timepiece in accordance with the prior art wherein a pair of planepolarizing sheets are mounted at the interior and exterior faces of a liquid crystal panel, the angle between the axes of said sheets being fixed;
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a timepiece in accordance with the present invention wherein the outermost of the two polarizing sheets is internal to the timepiece and is rotatable by means operable from the exterior of said timepiece;
  • FIG. 3 represents the appearance of the display panel when the planes of polarization of said polarization sheets make an angle of with each other;
  • FIG. 4 represents the appearance of the display panel when the planes of polarization of the polarization sheets coincide
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a timepiece wherein the outermost of a pair of polarizing sheets is mounted exterior to the crystal of said timepiece;
  • FIG. 6 is an embodiment of a timepiece in accordance with the present invention wherein the outermost of the pair of polarizing sheets is mounted at the interior surface of the crystal of said timepiece.
  • FIG. 2 An example of such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 2 wherein polarizing sheets. 4a and 4b are mounted on either side of a liquid crystal display panel 3.
  • the outermost sheet 4a is joined to a rotatable memher 6 within watchcase 5.
  • the join can be made by adhesive or by a snap fit or similar means.
  • Rotatable member 6 is in the form of a crown gear which can be rotated around its axis by rotating crown 7 exterior to the watch and thereby rotating spur gear 8.
  • the angle between the planes of polarization of the outer polarizing sheet 4a and the inner polarizing sheet 4b can be altered.
  • the appearance of the display is as shown in FIG. 3.
  • the planes coin- X I 3 cide the level of illumination of the background and the digits is reversed so that the appearance of the display is as represented in FIG. 4.
  • variation of the angle between the planes of polarization especially when near and 90 makes it possible to vary the degree of contrast between the background and the digits.
  • the outermost polarizing sheet 4a is affixed to a rotatable member 9, such as a bezel, which is on the outside of case 5.
  • a rotatable member 9 such as a bezel
  • the sheet 4a is exterior to crystal 10.
  • the method of attachment of rotatable member 9 to watchcase 5 may vary; a snap fit (not shown) is desirable in that member 9 and sheet 4a may readily be removed from the watch if desired.
  • FIG. 6 A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 wherein a polarizing sheet 4a is joined to the interior of the timepiece crystal '10 as by adhesive.
  • crystal 10 cannot readily be rotated so that when a particularly desirable orientation is found by the wearer, it can be maintained.
  • crystal it is generally made to be removable with relative ease so that it is possible without serious difficulty to alter the plane of polarization of polarizing sheet 4a when the glass is circular, and even when it is square.
  • a projection may beaffixed to one or the other of the rotatable members so that a desirable location may be restablished if an accidental displacement occurs.
  • detents may be used to assure exact location and to prevent accidental displacement.
  • the combination of the pair of polarizing sheets with a field effect liquid crystal display panel where one of the polarizing sheets is rotatable makes it possible to vary the appearance of the display and to provide novel effects, thereby making timepieces incorporating such a construction relatively attractive.
  • an electronic timepiece including a field effect liquid crystal panel for display of the time, the improvement comprising a liquid crystal display panel having inner and outer faces, an inner fixed plane-polarizer sheet proximate the inner face of said panel and an outer plane-polarizer sheet proximate the outer face of said panel, said outer sheet being mounted for manual rotation within its plane whereby the contrast of said liquid crystal display may be altered.
  • An electronic timepiece including a field effect liquid crystal panel for display of the time, as defined in claim 1, wherein said timepiece has an outer transparent crystal, said rotatable outer sheet is mounted between said crystal and said outer face and further comprising means for manually rotating said outer sheet from the exterior of said timepiece.
  • An electronic timepiece including a field effect liquid crystal panel for display of the time, as defined in claim 1, wherein said timepiece has an outer transparent-crystal and a manually rotatable bezel and said outer sheet is mounted in said rotatable bezel for rotation therewith cxteriorly of saidcrystal.
  • An electronic timepiece including a field effect liquid crystal panel for display of the time, as defined in claim 1, wherein said timepiece has a manually displaceable transparent outer crystal and said outer sheet is affixed to said displaceable crystal for displacement therewith.
  • An electronic timepiece including a field effect liquid crystal panel for display of the time, as defined in claim 4, wherein said outer sheet is affixed to the inner face of said crystal.
  • An electronic timepiece including a field effect liquid crystal panel for display of the time, as defined in claim 2, wherein said timepiece has a crystal and said outer sheet is mounted for manual rotation on said timepiece exteriorly' of said crystal.
US402664A 1972-10-02 1973-10-02 Liquid crystal display timepiece with variable contrast Expired - Lifetime US3874163A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP1972114261U JPS538362Y2 (ja) 1972-10-02 1972-10-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3874163A true US3874163A (en) 1975-04-01

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US402664A Expired - Lifetime US3874163A (en) 1972-10-02 1973-10-02 Liquid crystal display timepiece with variable contrast

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3874163A (ja)
JP (1) JPS538362Y2 (ja)
GB (1) GB1411310A (ja)
HK (1) HK3978A (ja)
MY (1) MY7800070A (ja)

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4017154A (en) * 1973-12-25 1977-04-12 Kabushiki Kaisha Seikosha Display device
US4061417A (en) * 1974-11-14 1977-12-06 Kabushiki Kaisha Daini Seikosha Color filter
US4111533A (en) * 1974-11-15 1978-09-05 L C Chemical Company Limited Liquid crystal display device
US4139271A (en) * 1975-11-11 1979-02-13 Kabushiki Kaisha Daini Seikosha Display device
DE2821619A1 (de) * 1978-05-18 1980-02-07 Junghans Gmbh Geb Uhr mit hybridanzeige
FR2496289A1 (fr) * 1980-12-16 1982-06-18 Ebauchesfabrik Eta Ag Montre ayant un affichage analogique et un affichage numerique
US4418987A (en) * 1979-08-21 1983-12-06 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Polarizer arrangement for a significant improvement in viewing angle characteristic in a liquid crystal display
EP0370752A2 (en) * 1988-11-21 1990-05-30 Philip Morris Products Inc. Methods and apparatus for optically enhancing selected features in an input image
US5384650A (en) * 1992-04-06 1995-01-24 Hughes Aircraft Company Light valve with twisted perpendicular liquid crystal with a negative dielectric anisotropy
US5508834A (en) * 1993-03-04 1996-04-16 Sony Corporation Liquid crystal display device having polarizers and microlens arrays attached to transparent cover members
US6476966B1 (en) 1999-12-15 2002-11-05 University Of Central Florida Continuously variable, wavelength-independent polarization rotator
US20030017856A1 (en) * 2001-06-20 2003-01-23 3M Innovative Properties Company Method for altering the appearance of liquid crystal displays using exchangable front polarizers
US6529253B1 (en) * 1999-06-09 2003-03-04 Sony Corporation Filter for adjusting amount of light
US6642977B2 (en) * 2001-06-20 2003-11-04 3M Innovative Properties Company Liquid crystal displays with repositionable front polarizers
CN101689040B (zh) * 2007-06-15 2012-01-04 Isa瑞士股份有限公司 模拟手表上的数字显示方法和使用该方法的模拟手表
WO2014067564A1 (fr) * 2012-10-30 2014-05-08 Creations Horlogeres De Lully Sa Pièce d'horlogerie
US20150036063A1 (en) * 2013-08-05 2015-02-05 Truly Opto-Electronics Ltd. Display Terminal

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3600398C2 (de) * 1985-09-25 1994-06-16 Valeo Borg Instr Verw Gmbh Großflächige elektrooptische Anzeigeeinrichtung
JPH0710310Y2 (ja) * 1987-04-07 1995-03-08 シチズン時計株式会社 指針式時計の表示部構造
DE9110462U1 (ja) * 1991-08-23 1992-12-24 Junghans Uhren Gmbh, 7230 Schramberg, De

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3199285A (en) * 1961-08-09 1965-08-10 Montese-Caruso Giuseppe Watchase
US3321905A (en) * 1965-10-01 1967-05-30 Display Corp Display device
US3722206A (en) * 1971-03-01 1973-03-27 Hmw Industries Self-illuminated liquid crystal timepiece
US3732793A (en) * 1971-10-26 1973-05-15 P Tague Calibrated variable neutral density filter for a camera

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3199285A (en) * 1961-08-09 1965-08-10 Montese-Caruso Giuseppe Watchase
US3321905A (en) * 1965-10-01 1967-05-30 Display Corp Display device
US3722206A (en) * 1971-03-01 1973-03-27 Hmw Industries Self-illuminated liquid crystal timepiece
US3732793A (en) * 1971-10-26 1973-05-15 P Tague Calibrated variable neutral density filter for a camera

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4017154A (en) * 1973-12-25 1977-04-12 Kabushiki Kaisha Seikosha Display device
US4061417A (en) * 1974-11-14 1977-12-06 Kabushiki Kaisha Daini Seikosha Color filter
US4111533A (en) * 1974-11-15 1978-09-05 L C Chemical Company Limited Liquid crystal display device
US4139271A (en) * 1975-11-11 1979-02-13 Kabushiki Kaisha Daini Seikosha Display device
DE2821619A1 (de) * 1978-05-18 1980-02-07 Junghans Gmbh Geb Uhr mit hybridanzeige
US4247930A (en) * 1978-05-18 1981-01-27 Gebruder Junghans Gmbh Timepiece with hybrid display
US4418987A (en) * 1979-08-21 1983-12-06 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Polarizer arrangement for a significant improvement in viewing angle characteristic in a liquid crystal display
FR2496289A1 (fr) * 1980-12-16 1982-06-18 Ebauchesfabrik Eta Ag Montre ayant un affichage analogique et un affichage numerique
EP0370752A2 (en) * 1988-11-21 1990-05-30 Philip Morris Products Inc. Methods and apparatus for optically enhancing selected features in an input image
EP0370752A3 (en) * 1988-11-21 1991-07-17 Philip Morris Products Inc. Methods and apparatus for optically enhancing selected features in an input image
US5384650A (en) * 1992-04-06 1995-01-24 Hughes Aircraft Company Light valve with twisted perpendicular liquid crystal with a negative dielectric anisotropy
US5508834A (en) * 1993-03-04 1996-04-16 Sony Corporation Liquid crystal display device having polarizers and microlens arrays attached to transparent cover members
US6529253B1 (en) * 1999-06-09 2003-03-04 Sony Corporation Filter for adjusting amount of light
US6476966B1 (en) 1999-12-15 2002-11-05 University Of Central Florida Continuously variable, wavelength-independent polarization rotator
US20030017856A1 (en) * 2001-06-20 2003-01-23 3M Innovative Properties Company Method for altering the appearance of liquid crystal displays using exchangable front polarizers
US6642977B2 (en) * 2001-06-20 2003-11-04 3M Innovative Properties Company Liquid crystal displays with repositionable front polarizers
CN101689040B (zh) * 2007-06-15 2012-01-04 Isa瑞士股份有限公司 模拟手表上的数字显示方法和使用该方法的模拟手表
WO2014067564A1 (fr) * 2012-10-30 2014-05-08 Creations Horlogeres De Lully Sa Pièce d'horlogerie
CN104854518A (zh) * 2012-10-30 2015-08-19 吕利制表创作有限公司 计时器
US20150036063A1 (en) * 2013-08-05 2015-02-05 Truly Opto-Electronics Ltd. Display Terminal

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS4969365U (ja) 1974-06-17
HK3978A (en) 1978-01-27
MY7800070A (en) 1978-12-31
JPS538362Y2 (ja) 1978-03-04
GB1411310A (en) 1975-10-22

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