Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
  • G04C17/00—Indicating the time optically by electric means
  • G04C17/005—Indicating the time optically by electric means by discs
• • 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
  • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
  • G04B19/26—Clocks or watches with indicators for tides, for the phases of the moon, or the like
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G04—HOROLOGY
  • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
  • G04C17/00—Indicating the time optically by electric means

Definitions

• the present invention relates to display devices for timepieces, and more particularly to the type for displaying information appearing with a weekly periodicity and comprising control means and display means.
• the best known of these devices are used to display the day of the week.
• the display means comprise a disc bearing the indications of the days of the week and the control means are arranged to drive the disc at a rate of one step per day. This disc displays the name of the day of the week. This information remains the same throughout the day.
• EP1 '290'505 discloses timepieces for displaying a cumulative time and measured over a week. They allow the reading of the time worked and remaining until the end of the week. In this case, the needle performs one turn per week, with periods during which it is driven and periods during which it is stationary.
• An object of the present invention is to differentiate particular moments of the day, the period of which is weekly and which vary from one day to another. This is particularly the case of the moments identified in Indian culture and which refer to an almanac named “Panchang” which defines the calculation of particular moments called “Rahu Kaal”, which have a duration of ninety minutes and which are function of the day of the week.
• This object is achieved thanks to the fact that the display means and the control means are arranged in such a way that these display means can indicate, during the same day, a first state corresponding to a first time period. and a second state corresponding to a second time period, these periods being variable from one day to another of the week.
• the display means comprise a moving part that can occupy a first position corresponding to the beginning of the first time period, a second position corresponding to the second time period.
• the control means are arranged to allow a gradual transition from the first to the second position. In this way, the user can correctly identify the beginning of the first period and the time that takes place during this period.
• control means comprise a cam arranged to perform a revolution in one week and a lever controlled by the cam and arranged to pass abruptly from the first to the second position and progressively from the second to the first position.
• the display means furthermore comprise an indicator of the days of the week displaying, in addition to the day of the week, information relating to the said first period.
• the indicator of the days of the week comprises a disk on which are printed the days of the week and the indication of the first period is ensured by numbers also arranged on this disk and appearing in a window made in the dial.
• control means are arranged to advance the disk at a rate of two steps per day. On this disc, the first period that appears in the vicinity of the indexes is identified by a sector contrasted with the dial.
• control means are of the electronic type and the display means are of the screen type controlled by electrical signals.
• FIGS. 1 and 2 show a timepiece according to a first embodiment, according to a first variant, respectively showing the dial and the components of the movement ensuring the display of information specific to the device according to the invention; • Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate according to a second variant of the first embodiment.
• Figure 3 shows the watch as it appears on Monday morning.
• FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the structure of the movement making it possible to display the information of the watch of FIG. 3.
• FIG. 5 shows a disc of the days equipping the watch of FIG. 3; and
• Figures 6 to 8 show the block diagram of a device according to a second embodiment, as well as logic diagrams for controlling it.
• Figure 1 shows the dial of a watch whose movement is provided with a display device according to the invention, according to a first embodiment and in a first variant. It allows the display of so-called Rahu Kaal periods, as defined by the Panchang. It comprises, in a conventional manner, a box 10 provided with an ice at the rear of which is a dial 12 and a movement, not visible in this figure and which carries the dial 12, as well as hands of hours 14 and 14. minutes 16, a moon phase indicator 18 appearing in a window 20 of the dial 12, an indicator of the days of the week 22 appearing in a window 24 of the dial 12 and a Rahu Kaal indicator 26 appearing in a window 28 of the dial 12.
• the movement equipping the watch of FIG. 1 is partially represented in FIG. 2.
• a frame 30 carrying the moving parts of the movement, in particular a barrel, a finishing gear, an escapement and a pendulum all not visible on this drawing, and which ensure, in a conventional manner, a regular training of the time display means.
• a hour wheel 32 arranged in the center of the movement and performing a turn in twelve hours, is kinematically connected to the work train.
• the hour wheel 32 meshes with a wheel twenty-four hours 34 which makes one turn a day.
• This wheel is provided with a finger 36 whose function will be specified later. It meshes with a wheel 38 which carries a pinion 40.
• the wheel 38 meshes with a wheel 41 which carries a finger 42.
• a ring 44 disposed on the frame 30 at the periphery of the movement, is provided with a toothing 44a and an annular cam 44b disposed in the field and formed of seven slots each separated by a space.
• the toothing 44a meshes with the pinion 40, the gear ratio being from one to seven. In this way, the ring 44 performs a revolution in one week, in a continuous movement.
• a lever 46 is pivotally mounted on the frame 30. It comprises a finger 46a arranged to cooperate with the cam 44b, a rake 46b provided with a toothing and a spring 46c resting against the frame 30 and tending to pivot the lever 46 clockwise.
• a pinion 48 is pivotally mounted on the frame 30. It meshes with the rake 46b and carries the indicator Rahu Kaal 26 formed of a disc having two contrasting color areas.
• a starwheel 49 with seven branches is pivotally mounted on the frame 30. It carries the indicator of the days of the week 22. It is rotated by the finger 36 at a rate of one step per day. It is positioned, conventionally, by a jumper which is not shown in the drawing to avoid overloading it.
• the indicator of the moon phases 18 is disposed at the center of the movement, pivoted on the barrel of the hour wheel 32.
• the cam 44b is arranged so that the finger 46a engages in a space between two portions of the cam 44b at the beginning of the Rahu Kaal, so that the lever 46 tilts under the effect of the spring 46c.
• the space between two slots is the same everywhere and corresponds to an angle of displacement of one hour and a half of the ring 44. In this way, the finger 46a, resting against the next slot, is slowly raised, in one hour and half.
• the Rahu Kaal indicator 26 When the lever 46 is tilted, the Rahu Kaal indicator 26 also moves in the window 28, so that the color informing of the Rahu Kaal period appears completely and suddenly in the window 28. As soon as the finger 46a is gradually raised, the Rahu Kaal indicator 26 moves progressively in the window 28, until the color disappears completely, until the next day, as indicated in the table above.
• the period of Rahu Kaal is indicated by a spot of color, or a stain contrasting with the dial, appearing in a window and disappearing gradually over the period considered. This period is also indicated in the form of in window 24, in addition to the indicator of day of week 22.
• Figure 3 shows a watch according to a second variant. On this watch, the same pieces bear the same references.
• the box 10 provided with an ice cream and at the rear of which is the dial 12 and a movement, not visible in this figure and which carries the dial 12 as well as the hands of hours 14 and minutes 16, the moon phase indicator 18 appearing in the window 20, and the day of week indicator 22 appearing in the window 24.
• the display of the Rahu Kaal period is indicated by a sector 50 appearing in a window 52 spiral practiced in the dial 12. This sector embraces an angle of 45 °, corresponding to a time of an hour and a half. These areas are apparent throughout the half-day during which the Rahu Kaal period occurs. They allow the user to know when when the Rahu Kaal lasts, by comparing the position of the hour hand with the position of the apparent area.
• Figure 3 shows the watch as it appears to the user on Monday morning. On Monday afternoon, Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday morning, Thursday morning, Friday afternoon, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, no information appears in window 52. There is therefore no apparent area .
• the movement shown in Figure 4 ensures the display of this information.
• the frame 30 carrying the moving parts of movement, including a barrel, a finishing gear, an escapement and a pendulum all not visible in this drawing, and which provide a regular training means of displaying time.
• the hour wheel 32 which rotates in twelve hours, is kinematically connected to the work train. She wears the hour hand 14.
• the sectors 50 are arranged so that they appear in the window 52 on the desired day in the position corresponding to the above table.
• the window 52 has a spiral shape whose pitch is equal to fourteen times the width of the window. In this way, none of the sectors can appear outside the moment it has to be displayed.
• the movement equipping the watches described above is of the mechanical type. It could just as well be electromechanical quartz type.
• the apparatus has a schematically represented time function that includes a time base 60, an information processing circuit 62 comprising, conventionally, a frequency divider, memories and counters, display means 64 and control means 66.
• the display means may advantageously be screen, liquid crystal, or any other system controlled by signals electric. Ways control can be achieved by means of an integrated circuit, or a microprocessor.
• the display 64 makes it possible to display information relating to time, namely the time in a. the day of the week in b and the period of Rahu Kaal in ç_, as well as a sector indicating the unfolding of this period.
• the information processing circuit 62 comprises logic means shown in FIG. 7, making it possible to identify and control the display of the Rahu Kaal periods. It includes a counter of days initialized at 68 and incremented at 70. When the number of the day is equal to 1, which corresponds to Monday, a first function "if" 72 verifies that the time is different from 24. As long as this is so, the display indicates Monday and the period of Rahu Kaal corresponding to this day, in the parts respectively 64b and 64c of the display 64, thanks to the information stored in the memories of the circuit 62. This display is schematically represented The sector display 64d is controlled by means of the logic system shown in FIG. 8 and will be described later.
• the circuit 62 comprises another set of logic functions represented in FIG. 8.
• This function varies from day to day. Thus, on Monday, R 0 is equal to 7:30am. So, at each change of day, the initialization is done in 80, by fetching the information in the memory of the circuit 62.
• a logic function "if" 82 compares the current time with the beginning of the Rahu Kaal period. As long as the current time T (defined by the hour and the minute) is less than Ro, the counter T is incremented at 84, every minute of a unit. At the moment when the current time is equal to the beginning of this period, a counter 86 sets the value K to ninety. A logic function 88 checks that K is greater than zero. As long as this is the case, a counter decrements the K value of a unit every minute, as shown at 90. Meanwhile, the contents of the counter are displayed on the part 64d of the display 64, as shown in FIG. adequate electrical signals to the screen that includes the display device.
• the display disappears when the end of the Rahu Kaal period has ended, that is, K O.
• K O.
• the embodiments described above are only examples. Many other ways of doing things are also possible.
• the period of Rahu Kaal could thus be displayed by a needle by means of a retrograde system.
• timepieces with a liquid crystal type display it would also be possible to indicate the period of Rahu Kaal by other means, for example by concentric circles successively erasing, or digitally.
• a sound display could complement this visual information.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Astronomy & Astrophysics (AREA)
• Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
• Electric Clocks (AREA)

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• 2007
  • 2007-07-13 CH CH11352007A patent/CH704342B1/fr not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2007-08-20 WO PCT/EP2007/058604 patent/WO2009010101A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2007-10-17 WO PCT/EP2007/061049 patent/WO2009010104A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2007-10-17 CN CN200780053776A patent/CN101743520A/zh active Pending
  • 2007-10-17 EP EP07821414A patent/EP2174192A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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