JP2000292558A - Display device of alarm clock - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To supply light energy to a phosphorescent substance when light is emitted by lighting by forming one portion of electronic clock hands or the like consisting of a light-guiding plate by the phosphorescent substance, and by providing a reflection means onto the back surface of the light-guiding plate so that the phosphorescent substance part is contained when viewed from a front surface. SOLUTION: In the display device of an alarm clock or the like, for example, a minute hand 12 consists of a white and transparent light-guiding member, phosphorescent coating 12d is applied in the longitudinal direction of the front center part of a hand body 12c, and hot stamp printing 12e is applied to the back-surface side of the minute hand 12. An hour hand 14 has the same structure. Then, when lighting 22 and 24 being installed at end parts 18a and 18b of a light-guiding plate 18 between, for example, a movement 20 and a dial 16 light up, light is guided to the hour hand 14 and the minute hand 12 by the light-guiding plate 18 for reflecting on the back surface. Light energy is stored at phosphorescent coating 12d and 14d via a reflection means, and light is emitted for specific time after the light is turned off. When the lighting is turned off, an ultraviolet light-emitting LED is lighted up for a specific time, and the emission of light may be further extended.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display device having a light-emitting means which allows time display on a clock or the like to be visually recognized even at night.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a display device which makes it easy to visually recognize the time display at night such as a clock, there has been a display device which illuminates a dial surface with a lamp or the like. Is applied to an index such as a scale of a dial, or to a part of a pointer.

[0003] In the case of the luminous paint, the afterglow time has become longer in recent years, but it gradually becomes darker. It was not guaranteed to be visible overnight. In order to compensate for this drawback, it has been proposed that a light-emitting source that detects the brightness of a display body and excites a phosphorescent substance intermittently operate for a predetermined time so that the display body can always be visually recognized in a dark place (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-208). -95509).

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned proposal, even if it is possible to always be in the visible state, the current consumption of the light emitting source is remarkably large in the battery driven timepiece, and wasteful energy is consumed regardless of the user. You will have a time zone to consume.

Focusing on the time when it is desired to know the time at night, when sleeping is bad due to an annoyance or an event on the next day, or when waking up early, the sleeping time zone and the waking time zone occupy most of the time. . Furthermore, once the time is bothersome, it is often checked several times thereafter.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a display device having a simple structure and the time can be easily visually recognized at night. When the time cannot be visually recognized, it can be visually recognized when necessary by a predetermined operation. To provide a display device for an alarm clock that can be visually recognized.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has a luminous substance on a dial or a pointer,
The light-storing substance is formed on a part of a dial or a pointer made of a light guide plate, and the rear surface of the light guide plate is larger than the spot to include the spot when viewed from the front corresponding to the formation part of the light-storing substance. The light guide plate is provided with a light emitting means for inputting illumination light in response to an external operation member. Further, the light emitting means selectively turns on illumination light and ultraviolet light.

Further, the light-emitting means supplies the illumination light to the light guide plate in response to an illumination switch for instructing emission of the illumination light, and supplies the ultraviolet light for a certain period of time when the supply of the illumination light is stopped. I decided that.

With the above configuration, brightness can be provided by the portion formed of the luminous substance for several hours immediately after going to bed, so that the time can be confirmed by, for example, emitting light from the luminous portion of the hands or the dial. Is done. Further, when it is not possible to confirm by the light emission by the light storage, the illumination switch is turned on to illuminate the light, and a portion of the reflection means formed so as to surround the light storage portion shines, thereby illuminating a wider area, so that the time can be confirmed. It will be easier. Further, at this time, since the light-storing substance is excited by the illumination and stores the energy of light, it is possible to maintain a state where the time can be confirmed by the light-storing for a predetermined time even after the illumination is turned off. By turning on the LED of ultraviolet light for a certain period of time after the lighting is turned off and storing light energy, only the light storing portion can be emitted and the above-mentioned predetermined time can be extended. become.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a view for explaining a first embodiment of an alarm clock display device according to the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view of a main portion related to illumination of a pointer portion. FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the front of the pointer in FIG. Minute hand 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes a white transparent light guide member, and a slope 12b for refracting light is formed on the shaft portion 12a, and a cap 5 for preventing light leakage is fixed. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a luminous paint 12d is applied in the longitudinal direction of the front central portion of the needle body 12c. Further, a hot stamp printing 12e as a reflection means is provided on the back side of the minute hand 12. The hour hand 14 has a similar structure, and has a phosphorescent paint 14d and a hot stamp print 14e on its front side.

A light guide plate 18 is disposed between the movement 20 and the dial 16 and has ends 18a, 18a.
Lights 22 and 24 serving as light emitting means are installed in b, and light from the light emitting means is used to guide the slope 1 to guide the pointer.
8c is formed. On the back side of the movement 20, there is provided a substrate 30 on which an illumination circuit for supporting the illuminations 22 and 24 of the light emitting means and supplying power is formed.

The lighting circuit turns on the lights 22 and 24 when the lighting switch is turned on. Further, when the LEDs 22 and 24 are arranged side by side or one of them is an LED that emits ultraviolet light, the illumination circuit has timer means and turns on the LED that emits ultraviolet light for a predetermined time after the illumination switch is turned off. It is.

Next, a description will be given of a light emitting operation of a pointer or the like of the display device of the alarm clock having the above configuration. At bedtime at night, the luminous paints 12d and 14d store light energy by natural daylight or illumination by fluorescent lights at night, so that when the light is turned off, the luminous paint shines. Therefore, when the user falls asleep and is worried about time, the time can be confirmed for several hours by the light emission. However, this emission gradually darkens. Further, the state of the stored light energy before the light is turned off, that is, depending on the surrounding environment when the light is bright, is different, and how long the light energy is visible is not constant. When the time cannot be confirmed, the lights 22 and 24 are turned on by turning on the light switch.

This light is refracted by the light guide plate 18 by the inclined surface 18c and guided to the hour hand and the minute hand. Most of the light is reflected by the reflecting portion on the back surface of each pointer and guided to the front side of the pointer, so that the needles 12c and 14c shine, and the entire needle is illuminated. As a result, the time can be easily confirmed. At this time, the phosphorescent paint 12d, 1
Since light energy is also stored in 4d via the reflection means, the portion of the luminous paint emits light for a predetermined time after the illumination is turned off.

When the illumination switch is turned off, the ultraviolet light emitting LED is turned on for a predetermined period of time, so that only the portion of the luminous paint can emit light and light energy can be stored without causing the entire needle body to shine. ,
The light emission can be performed for several hours.

The reflecting means in the above embodiment may be constituted by well-known white printing or a narrow groove, and the illumination switch may be used also as a temporary sound stop switch. The light guide plate is not limited to white and transparent, but may be colored and transparent or include fluorescent particles. The phosphorescent paint may be replaced with a phosphorescent sheet having phosphorescent particles or a molding material.

Further, the dial may emit light instead of the pointer. In this case, as shown in FIG.
6 is constituted by a light guide plate, and an index 16a on the front side
Is black printed with hollow figures, and the hollow parts are phosphorescent paint 16
As d, a reflection means 16e is provided such that the back side is a hollow circular shape and includes the index, or a hollow figure is formed on the front side with the phosphorescent paint 16d, and the back side includes the phosphorescent paint portion and surrounds the periphery thereof. Various index modes are conceivable, such as providing a reflecting means 16e for forming a number as described above. They are,
In any case, it is possible to illuminate the portion of the reflection means with the illumination light and to supply light energy to the light storing portion. Further, when the illumination is on and off, the light emission mode is different. Is what you can do.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, an index may be formed on the back side with a luminous paint, and the index may be formed by enclosing the index with a constant width by a reflection means. The same effect as above can be obtained.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a pointer or a part of a dial is illuminated by a light storing member so that the time can be recognized, the member for emitting light is formed by a light guide plate, and the reflecting means is provided. Is formed so as to include the light-storing member, so that the portion of the reflection means can be illuminated by illumination light and light energy can be supplied to the light-storing portion. In this case, the light emission mode can be made different. In addition, since the ultraviolet LED is made to emit light for a predetermined time when the lighting switch is turned off from on, it is easy to confirm the time by emitting light from the light storing member, and light energy is supplied to the light storing member when it seems necessary. can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a pointer light emission according to a specific example.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the pointer according to the specific example.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a dial plate of this specific example, and FIG.
(B) is a side view.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the dial according to this specific example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 minute hand 12d Luminescent paint 12e Reflecting means 14 Hour hand 14d Luminescent paint 14e Reflecting means 16 Dial 18 Light guide 20 Movement 22, 24 Lighting 30 Circuit board

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An alarm clock display device having a luminous substance on a dial or a pointer, wherein the luminous substance is formed on a part of a dial or a pointer formed of a light guide plate, and the luminous substance is formed on a back surface of the light guide plate. The light guide plate is provided with a light emitting means for receiving illumination light in response to an external operation member, the reflecting means having a larger area than the location to include the location when viewed from the front corresponding to the portion where the substance is formed. A display device for an alarm clock, wherein the display device is provided. 2. An alarm clock display device according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting means selectively lights illumination light and ultraviolet light. 3. The light-emitting means supplies the illumination light to the light guide plate in response to an illumination switch for instructing emission of the illumination light, and supplies the ultraviolet light for a certain period of time when the supply of the illumination light is stopped. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein
A display device for an alarm clock according to claim 1.