EP0693718A1 - Uhr mit einer Anzeigevorrichtung, verbunden mit einer optischen Vergrösserungsvorrichtung - Google Patents

Uhr mit einer Anzeigevorrichtung, verbunden mit einer optischen Vergrösserungsvorrichtung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0693718A1
EP0693718A1 EP95111126A EP95111126A EP0693718A1 EP 0693718 A1 EP0693718 A1 EP 0693718A1 EP 95111126 A EP95111126 A EP 95111126A EP 95111126 A EP95111126 A EP 95111126A EP 0693718 A1 EP0693718 A1 EP 0693718A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
watch
mirror
display device
lens
watch according
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP95111126A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0693718B1 (de
Inventor
Michel Alain Chevroulet
Jean-Michel Mayor
Viron Teodoridis
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.)
Centre Electronique Horloger SA
Original Assignee
Centre Electronique Horloger SA
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 Centre Electronique Horloger SA filed Critical Centre Electronique Horloger SA
Publication of EP0693718A1 publication Critical patent/EP0693718A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0693718B1 publication Critical patent/EP0693718B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B39/00—Watch crystals; Fastening or sealing of crystals; Clock glasses
    • G04B39/008—Watch crystals; Fastening or sealing of crystals; Clock glasses with means for magnified reading

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a watch comprising an information display device and an optical device for magnifying this display device for the eye of a user of this watch.
  • the focal length of the lens must be very small to allow significant magnification. For example, to obtain a magnification of a factor of 2, the focal length is less than 6 mm.
  • the magnifying lens By accepting that the window has a radius of 1 mm and that the eye is approximately 15 cm from the watch glass, the magnifying lens must have approximately a radius of 2 mm, corresponding to the radius of the virtual image formed by this magnifying lens, so that the date can be read as a whole by a user of the watch.
  • the present invention proposes to solve this problem by providing a watch comprising information display means, capable of having a high density of information, associated with an optical magnification device arranged in the watch so as to allow a Sufficient magnification of these display means to guarantee easy reading of this information.
  • ten line text with line lengths corresponding to about fifteen characters can be displayed by a matrix device having 100 x 100 pixels.
  • pixel one understands localized and substantially uniform information, in particular a light emission by a cell, for example a light-emitting diode or an integrated micro-laser.
  • the above-mentioned matrix device has an area of about 4 cm2 to ensure easy reading.
  • a direct display of 4 cm2 occupies approximately the entire dial of a wristwatch sized for a man's arm. This considerably limits the possibilities of arrangement of this dial.
  • the present invention also aims to provide a watch capable of having a matrix display of approximately 100 ⁇ 100 pixels which can be read correctly by a user of the watch while having a surface, provided on the dial of this watch for the reading of this matrix display, less than 4 cm2, for example from 1 to 2 cm2.
  • the subject of the present invention is a watch comprising a housing, display means and optical magnification means arranged so as to magnify optically, for a user of this watch, information supplied by said display means, this watch being characterized in that it further comprises a first mirror arranged inside said housing for returning towards said optical means for magnifying the light coming from said display means also arranged inside said housing.
  • the length of the optical path separating the display means from the optical magnification means can be relatively large, in particular of a dimension greater than the thickness of the watch itself thanks to to the first mirror allowing a return of the light, coming from the display means, in the direction of the optical magnification means.
  • the first mirror is arranged in the bottom of the case and the optical magnification means comprise a first magnifying lens arranged under the crystal of the watch.
  • the length of the optical path between the display means and this first lens can without other be greater than the thickness of the watch like this will appear even better on reading the detailed description of various embodiments which will follow.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 A first embodiment of a watch according to the invention will be described below with the aid of FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • Watch 1 comprises a watch movement 2 arranged in a box 4.
  • Box 4 includes a case back 6 and a crystal 8.
  • the watch movement 2 is associated with an analog time display comprising a time hand 10 and a hand of minute 12.
  • a micro-flap display device 14 Inside the box 4 are arranged a micro-flap display device 14, a light source 16, a mirror 18 and a magnifying lens 20.
  • the light source 16 is capable of sending light towards the micro-flap display device 14.
  • the latter is arranged so as to return the light coming from the light source 16 towards the mirror 18, which is arranged to return the light from the device 14 towards the magnifying lens 20.
  • the light thus coming from the micro-flap display device 14 leaves the box 4 by passing through the glass 8.
  • Inside the box 4 are also included internal parts 22 and 24 serving to essentially prevent that the light supplied by the light source 16 exit directly from the box 4 through the magnifying lens 20 without having been reflected by the micro-shutter display device 14 and the mirror 18.
  • the light source 16 can be either a monochromatic light source or a polychromatic light source.
  • the mirror 18 is either a spherical mirror or an aspherical mirror used to correct the optical aberrations of the magnifying lens 20.
  • An aspherical mirror is optically more advantageous than a spherical mirror since it essentially eliminates the optical aberrations specific to spherical optical elements.
  • a plane mirror is provided.
  • the magnifying lens 20 is a conventional lens having a certain focal length.
  • the focal length of the lens 20 is 20 mm and the optical distance separating the micro-flap display device 14 and this magnifying lens 20 is 15 mm.
  • the magnifying lens 20 forms a virtual image of the micro-flap display device 14 corresponding approximately to a magnification of a factor of four for the eye of a user situated substantially at a distance of 20 cm from said virtual image relative to the case of a liquid crystal display of a known type also located 20 cm from the eye of a user.
  • the arrangement of the various optical elements 14, 18 and 20 makes it possible to obtain a relatively high magnification of a display device using a magnifying lens having a focal length greater than 10 cm. Therefore, the micro-flap display device 14 can give information with high surface density which could not be read directly by an eye having normal visual acuity without requiring an effort of intense accommodation.
  • the magnifying lens 20 is a spherical lens.
  • the magnifying lens 20 is a cylindrical lens allowing a magnification of the micro-flap display device 14 according to a single dimension. In the latter case, the mirror 18 also has a cylindrical symmetry.
  • microvolute display device 14 The production of the microvolute display device 14 will not be described here in detail since this device is not in itself the subject of the present invention.
  • watch 1 comprises a first dial 26 having on its surface a graduation 28 for indicating the time.
  • watch 1 comprises a second dial 30 situated against the glass 8 or near this glass 8 and serving in particular for the arrangement of the device 14 and the magnifying lens 20.
  • the magnifying lens 20 is glued against the inner surface of the glass 8.
  • the magnifying lens 20 is directly formed in the glass 8.
  • the mirror 18 arranged on the bottom side 6 of the box 4 and the micro-flap display device 14 arranged on the side of the glass 8 of the watch 1 make it possible to increase the optical distance separating the display device 14 and the magnifying lens 20. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a relatively high magnification with a magnifying lens having a relatively large focal length, which makes it possible to reduce the size of the magnifying lens and to reduce aberrations optics generated by this magnifying lens.
  • the abovementioned optical arrangement makes it possible to use a magnifying lens 20 having sufficient dimensions to guarantee correct and easy reading of the micro-flap display device 14 magnified by this magnifying lens 20.
  • the first embodiment of the invention described above does not optimally resolve the congestion issues generated by the conventional optical elements 18 and 20 and the question of the optical quality of the virtual image of the micro-flap display device 14 formed by the magnifying lens 20.
  • a corrective lens is provided, the problem of bulk is further increased.
  • the present invention also aims to solve the problem of the space generated by the various conventional optical elements of the first embodiment described above and to increase the quality of the magnified image of the display device.
  • FIG. 3 Using FIG. 3, a second embodiment of the invention will be described below.
  • a watch 31 comprising a clockwork movement 32 associated with a liquid crystal display device 34 located under the watch glass 8.
  • the watch 31 also includes a case formed by a middle part 4 and a bottom 6. Inside the middle part 4 is arranged an active display device 36.
  • An active display device includes an optical device comprising a set of elementary cells capable of supplying light. By appropriately controlling all of these elementary cells, it is possible to form on the surface of this active display device an image containing a certain amount of information.
  • a flat diffracting lens 38 and a flat diffracting mirror 40 is arranged in the bottom 6 of the watch 31.
  • diffracting mirror there is included a diffracting optical element used in reflection.
  • the mirror 40 is arranged so as to return light coming from the active display device 36 in the direction of the lens 38. It will be noted here that the light sent by the active display device 36 is substantially monochromatic.
  • the active display device 36 is formed by a set of light-emitting diodes or by a set of integrated micro-lasers.
  • the manufacture of the diffracting mirror 40 and the diffracting lens 38 are known to those skilled in the art.
  • the mirror 40 and the lens 38 can be micro-machined so as to essentially eliminate any optical aberration.
  • the profile of the micromachining of the surface 42 of the mirror 40 and of the surface 44 of the lens 38 can be programmed using optical design algorithms known to those skilled in the art.
  • the optical arrangement according to this second embodiment of the invention also makes it possible to obtain relatively large magnifications of the active surface 46. Consequently, the density of information formed on this active surface 46 can be relatively high, which makes it possible, for a certain number of given pieces of information, to considerably reduce the dimensions of the active surface 46.
  • the active surface 46 is defined by a square of 25 mm2 inside which is arranged a matrix of pixels used for the formation of the design defining information for the user of the watch 31.
  • magnification is without other possible with the optical arrangement according to the invention.
  • a virtual image formed by the lens 38 corresponding to a magnification by a factor of four of the active surface 46 is virtually located at an optical distance of lens 38 of about 6 cm. Therefore, it is possible to provide that the surface of the lens 38 is less than the surface of the virtual image.
  • a magnification by a factor of four corresponds approximately to a virtual image of 4 cm2 for an active surface 46 having 25 mm2.
  • the drawing formed on the active surface 46 is compressed only according to the small dimension of the rectangular active surface 46.
  • the virtual image received by the eye of a user has dimensions suitable for writing of a text in particular.
  • the active surface 46 has a width of 5 mm and a length of 2 cm
  • the surface 44 of the magnifying lens 38 has a width of 1 cm and a length of 2 cm.
  • the magnification factor of the magnified dimension has a value between two and five.
  • the flat mirror 40 can be arranged obliquely relative to the bottom 6 of the watch 31 so as to return the light coming from the active display device 36 towards the magnifying lens 38 under a direction substantially perpendicular to the glass 8.
  • FIG. 4 a third embodiment of a watch according to the invention will be described.
  • Watch 51 includes a crystal 8, a middle part 4 and a case back 6. This watch 51 is fitted with a watch movement 2 associated with an analog display comprising an hour hand 10 and a minute hand 12 arranged between the glass 8 and a dial 52.
  • the watch 51 comprises an active display device 36 capable of sending light towards a first flat mirror 40.
  • the latter returns the light coming from the device 36 towards a flat diffracting lens 54 situated at the level of the dial 52 and arranged between the mirror 40 and the flat diffracting lens 38 situated at the level of the glass 8.
  • the lens 54 can, jointly with the lens 38, participate in the magnification of the active surface 46 of the device 36.
  • the lens 54 essentially serves to increase the optical quality of the virtual image of the active surface 46 of the device 36.
  • the lens 54 is arranged so that the light from the mirror 40 is diffracted in a direction slightly angularly offset relative to the direction of light between the mirror 40 and the lens 54.
  • the diffracting lens 38 is arranged so as to change the direction of propagation of the light passing through it so that the angular offset between the direction of the light leaving the watch 51 and the direction perpendicular to the glass 8 and is substantially less than the angular offset between this direction and the direction of the light reflected by the mirror 40.
  • the lens 54 can be glued below or above the dial 52. Then, in an alternative embodiment, the lens 54 can be directly machined in the dial 52. Likewise, the magnifying lens 38 can be either glued under the glass 8, or directly machined in this glass 8 to form with it a single piece.
  • the mirror 40 is constituted, in an alternative embodiment, by a simple conventional plane mirror. Again, the mirror 40 can be arranged in an inclined manner relative to the bottom 6 of the watch 51.
  • the various optical elements are arranged in each of the embodiments so as to define the optimal optical path 56 for the light coming from the display device provided in the watch according to the invention.
  • the use of flat lenses and flat mirrors reduces the size of the optical arrangement of the invention and increases the number of degrees of freedom for the arrangement of the various optical elements constituting the optical arrangement according to the invention.
  • the flat mirror 40 can be a diffracting mirror participating in the magnification function of the active surface 40 of the active display device 36 and / or in reflecting the light at an angle other than the angle of refraction.
  • Watch 61 includes a crystal 8, a middle part 4 and a case back 6. It is fitted with a clockwork movement 32 associated with a liquid crystal display 64.
  • the watch 61 includes inside the housing 4 an active display device 36 capable of sending light towards a first mirror 66, which returns this light towards a second mirror 68 which in turn returns this light in the direction of a flat diffracting mirror 40. Finally, this mirror 40 returns the light coming from the device 36 in the direction of a flat diffracting lens 38, arranged below the display device at liquid crystal 64 relative to ice 8.
  • the first mirror 66 and the flat diffracting mirror 40 are both arranged in the bottom 6, while the second mirror 68 is arranged directly below the liquid crystal display device 64.
  • the light provided by the display device active 36 thus follows a zigzag optical path before crossing the lens magnifying 38 and then out of the watch case 61.
  • Mirrors 66 and 68 can either be formed from conventional refracting mirrors, or from diffracting mirrors. Such an optical arrangement makes it possible to considerably increase the optical distance between the active display device 36 and the magnifying lens 38.
  • the optical arrangement described in this embodiment increases the number of degrees of freedom in the arrangement of each of the optical elements 66, 68, 40 and 38 thus making it possible to optimize the transmission of light coming from the device 36 to form an enlarged virtual image of the active surface 46 of the display device 36.
  • the liquid crystal display device 64 is chosen such that it is transparent for the wavelength of the light coming from the device 36, which sends a substantially monochromatic light. Therefore, it is possible to superimpose a first design provided by the liquid crystal display device 64 and a second design provided by the active display device 36.
  • the device 64 is transparent for the light from device 36 when device 64 is not activated.
  • the mirrors 40, 66 and 68 can be arranged in an inclined manner relative to the bottom 6 and to the glass 8, which are substantially parallel to each other.
  • two internal parts 70 and 72 are provided for preventing the light returned by the first mirror 66 from coming directly through the magnifying lens 38.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Lenses (AREA)
  • Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
EP95111126A 1994-07-21 1995-07-15 Uhr mit einer Anzeigevorrichtung, verbunden mit einer optischen Vergrösserungsvorrichtung Expired - Lifetime EP0693718B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH2309/94 1994-07-21
CH02309/94A CH687495B5 (fr) 1994-07-21 1994-07-21 Montre comprenant un dispositif d'affichage associé à un dispositif optique de grossissement.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0693718A1 true EP0693718A1 (de) 1996-01-24
EP0693718B1 EP0693718B1 (de) 1999-01-20

Family

ID=4230794

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP95111126A Expired - Lifetime EP0693718B1 (de) 1994-07-21 1995-07-15 Uhr mit einer Anzeigevorrichtung, verbunden mit einer optischen Vergrösserungsvorrichtung

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US5566137A (de)
EP (1) EP0693718B1 (de)
JP (1) JP3583511B2 (de)
KR (1) KR100371740B1 (de)
CN (1) CN1050678C (de)
CH (1) CH687495B5 (de)
DE (1) DE69507393T2 (de)
TW (1) TW314608B (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2012134411A1 (en) * 2011-04-01 2012-10-04 Yildirim Cuma Evren Mirror-reflected watch dial
EP3062172A1 (de) * 2015-02-24 2016-08-31 The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd. Armbanduhr mit lupe
WO2018178858A1 (fr) 2017-03-27 2018-10-04 Fgp Capital Sa Dispositif de lecture d'un appareil a glace ou ecran
US12013665B2 (en) 2022-05-05 2024-06-18 John Paul Leimone Timepiece with light-amplifying design

Families Citing this family (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IL129455A (en) 1999-04-15 2003-07-06 Mvt Multi Vision Technologies Timepieces
US6330208B1 (en) 1998-10-16 2001-12-11 Xonix Watch Co., Ltd. Watch with front mounted liquid crystal display and liquid crystal display with reflective sheet
US7083326B2 (en) * 2004-09-13 2006-08-01 Ast Ryan C Adjustable watch crystal apparatus
WO2007001292A1 (en) * 2005-06-24 2007-01-04 Hideki Electronics, Inc. (Usa) Radio-controlled clock with remote digital time projection
EP1862873A1 (de) * 2006-06-02 2007-12-05 Montres Rado S.A. Anzeigeeinrichtung für ein tragbares Gerät, wie eine Uhr
US20140269218A1 (en) * 2013-03-15 2014-09-18 Jeffrey Herold Watch Engaged ATIS Reminder Systems
EP3032357B1 (de) * 2014-12-09 2017-05-03 The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd. Anzeigevorrichtung für ein tragbares Instrument, wie beispielsweise eine Uhr
US10564607B2 (en) * 2016-12-12 2020-02-18 Dayton Technologies Limited Apparatus comprising an electroluminescent display
EP3575888B1 (de) * 2018-05-30 2023-04-12 Rolex Sa Uhr umfassend eine asphärische linse
US11604343B2 (en) * 2018-08-08 2023-03-14 Universitat De Valencia Plenoptic ocular device
US12025956B2 (en) 2021-06-29 2024-07-02 Bootstrap Brands, Inc. Apparatus for wrist-worn devices
EP4421568B1 (de) * 2023-02-24 2025-11-05 The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd Uhr mit einer transparenten oder transluzenten dekorativen struktur, insbesondere einer halbemail

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH346178A (fr) * 1958-04-18 1960-04-30 Kyburz & Cie Verre pour couvrir le cadran d'un instrument indicateur
CH368756A (fr) * 1960-01-25 1962-12-29 Kyburz & Cie Pièce d'horlogerie à calendrier
US3650599A (en) * 1971-01-28 1972-03-21 Carl Pedersen Measuring instrument and reading device assembly
US4451117A (en) * 1983-11-04 1984-05-29 Goode Robert C Digital watch magnifying element

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH346178A (fr) * 1958-04-18 1960-04-30 Kyburz & Cie Verre pour couvrir le cadran d'un instrument indicateur
CH368756A (fr) * 1960-01-25 1962-12-29 Kyburz & Cie Pièce d'horlogerie à calendrier
US3650599A (en) * 1971-01-28 1972-03-21 Carl Pedersen Measuring instrument and reading device assembly
US4451117A (en) * 1983-11-04 1984-05-29 Goode Robert C Digital watch magnifying element

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2012134411A1 (en) * 2011-04-01 2012-10-04 Yildirim Cuma Evren Mirror-reflected watch dial
EP3062172A1 (de) * 2015-02-24 2016-08-31 The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd. Armbanduhr mit lupe
US9529337B2 (en) 2015-02-24 2016-12-27 The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd Watch equipped with a magnifier
WO2018178858A1 (fr) 2017-03-27 2018-10-04 Fgp Capital Sa Dispositif de lecture d'un appareil a glace ou ecran
US12013665B2 (en) 2022-05-05 2024-06-18 John Paul Leimone Timepiece with light-amplifying design

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1050678C (zh) 2000-03-22
HK1012081A1 (en) 1999-07-23
CH687495GA3 (fr) 1996-12-31
TW314608B (de) 1997-09-01
CH687495B5 (fr) 1997-06-30
US5566137A (en) 1996-10-15
EP0693718B1 (de) 1999-01-20
CN1118459A (zh) 1996-03-13
KR100371740B1 (ko) 2003-03-19
DE69507393D1 (de) 1999-03-04
JP3583511B2 (ja) 2004-11-04
DE69507393T2 (de) 1999-09-02
JPH0862349A (ja) 1996-03-08

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