WO1994004967A1

WO1994004967A1 - Clock

Info

Publication number: WO1994004967A1
Application number: PCT/EP1993/002151
Authority: WO
Inventors: Axel Knodel
Original assignee: Axel Knodel
Priority date: 1992-08-12
Filing date: 1993-08-12
Publication date: 1994-03-03
Also published as: DE9210786U1

Abstract

A clock with electrically controllable display elements (12, 14) has at least twelve separate housings (10) which receive each a timer or a receiver for communicating with a central timer, and which contain each at least one display element (12, 14) that can be switched on and off by the timer.

Description

CLOCK

The invention relates to a clock with electrically controllable display elements.

Digital clocks are known in which the time is displayed in hours, minutes and possibly seconds using a numerical display instrument. In the display instrument, the individual digits are usually made up of several segments, which are individually controlled depending on the signals of the timer. In principle, it is also known to control a plurality of such display instruments with the aid of a common timer.

In conventional digital clocks, however, just as in the case of clocks with hands and dials, the technical specifications for the design of the display must be taken into account, so that only a limited scope remains for an aesthetically pleasing design of the display.

It is therefore the object of the invention to create a watch which offers a greater degree of design freedom and thus allows the wishes of the users for an individual design or for the best possible adaptation of the watch to the respective environment to be accommodated.

This claim is achieved according to the invention with the features specified in claim 1.

In the watch according to the invention, twelve separate housings are provided, each of which accommodates at least one display element for the hour display. According to the first alternative of claim 1, each housing is provided with its own timer for switching the display element on and off, the timers in the individual housings being synchronized with one another. According to the second alternative of claim 1, a central timer is provided, and each housing contains only one receiving device for receiving signals from the central timer.

Examples of suitable timers are electronic timers with quartz crystal or the like, which are commercially available at low cost. The signal transmission from the central timer to the individual NEN display elements can be done for example via electrical or optical connecting lines or wireless with the help of infrared transmitters, ultrasonic transmitters or the like. Known receivers for public radio time signals can also be provided as receiving devices for the time signals within the individual housings.

The time (hours) is displayed, for example, by switching on the display element in a specific housing every hour, the association between the housings and the hours represented by them being changed by labeling the housing or by spatially arranging the housing Housing can result in a certain order. Alternatively, the display can also be carried out in such a way that the number of switched-on display elements is successively increased as the number of hours increases.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention result from the subclaims.

Optical elements with mechanically moving parts, liquid crystal elements and self-illuminating display elements such as incandescent lamps, light-emitting diodes and the like can be considered as display elements. A central voltage source can be provided for the power supply of the display elements, which is connected to the individual housings via lines, or a separate voltage source, for example a battery or an accumulator, is provided in each housing.

The individual housings can be connected to one another by joints or by rigid, elastic or bendable rods or wires. Both a linear arrangement of the housings and a star-shaped arrangement are possible, in which each housing is connected to a housing accommodating the central timer. With an articulated or flexible connection of the housing, the configuration can be varied in many ways according to the wishes of the user. For example, in the case of a chain-like arrangement, a bangle can be formed which can be worn by the user instead of a wristwatch. Both flat and spatial arrangements of the housings are possible. In the case of a flat arrangement, the housings can, for example, be provided with magnets or similar adhesive elements and be releasably arranged on a common board.

The individual housings can be designed as solid bodies made of transparent material, for example glass or acrylic, which act as light guides for the light emitted by the display element and emit the light at an exit surface remote from the display element. Such display elements can, for example, be nested in the form of concentric frames or shells or stacked one above the other in the form of a plurality of disks.

In addition to the twelve main display elements for displaying the hours, further auxiliary display elements for displaying minutes or 5-minute intervals are preferably provided. The auxiliary display elements can in turn be accommodated in their own housings. However, it is also possible to integrate a main display element and an auxiliary display element for the corresponding 5-minute interval in a common housing. A distinction is made possible by different shapes, sizes or colors of the main and auxiliary display elements.

If the individual housings are not connected or are movable relative to one another, specific times can be emphasized by appropriate spatial arrangement of the associated housings, so that certain "wake-up times" can be set in this way.

The clocks according to the invention can be realized in any size from the wristwatch or pocket watch to table clocks, wall clocks, grandfather clocks and public clocks outdoors.

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

Show it:

1 shows a clock with twelve unconnected display housings and an additional housing for a transmitter; 2 is a clock with twelve display connected to a chain

Housings;

3 shows a modified configuration of the clock according to FIG. 2;

4 shows a chain of twelve plate-shaped housings which are articulated to one another;

Fig. 5 is a clock with a linear chain of twelve display cases and a transmitter case;

6 shows a linear chain of twelve display housings;

7 to 16 are partial views of chain-shaped watches according to modified exemplary embodiments;

17 shows a clock with an ordered star-shaped arrangement of twelve display housings in relation to a transmitter housing;

18 shows an example of a star-shaped arrangement of the twelve

Display housing with respect to the transmitter housing;

19 shows an unordered star-shaped arrangement of twenty-four display housings in relation to a sensor

Casing;

20 shows an arrangement of display housings in the form of concentric circles;

21 shows a stack-like arrangement of display housings designed as flat disks;

22 shows a flat arrangement of prism-shaped display housings; 23 shows an arrangement of display housings in the form of nested arches or shells;

Fig. 24 shows a flat arrangement of display housings in the

Shape of nested square frame;

25 shows a spatial arrangement of display housings in the

The shape of a square frame that is connected to one another in the manner of a Cardanic suspension;

26 shows a cube-shaped arrangement of display housings in the form of nested frames; and

27 to 29 chain-like arrangements with a main strand, from which several branches start.

FIG. 1 shows twelve display housings 10, each of which has a main display element 12 and an auxiliary display element 14. Furthermore, a timer housing 16 is provided, which contains a radio, infrared or microwave transmitter, not shown. The time signals transmitted by this transmitter are received by receivers (not shown) in the individual display housings 10 and cause the main and auxiliary display elements 12, 14 to be switched on and off, which are designed, for example, as light sources. The timer housing 16 and each of the display housings 10 also contains a battery (not shown) for the voltage supply of the transmitter or the receiver and display elements.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the housings 10 and 16 are not physically connected to one another, so that the user can arrange the individual housings as he chooses. The housings are, for example, spherical and each are divided into two hemispheres, one of which forms the main display element 12 and the other the auxiliary display element 14. The main display elements 12 have numbers from 1 to 12 and serve to display the hours, while the auxiliary display elements 14 serve to display 5-minute intervals. In the example shown, the main display element with the number "6" and the auxiliary display element of the housing with the number "7" light up. This display corresponds to the time at 6.35 a.m. In FIG. 1, the balls have different sizes, the size of the balls not corresponding to the numbers on the main display elements 12. Alternatively, however, it is also possible to arrange the balls by size, so that the housing diameters become larger with an increasing number of hours.

In order to fix the spherical housings 10, 16 on their base, a base provided with suitable cup-shaped recesses can be provided, or the balls are placed in individual containers which are designed similarly to egg cups. Alternatively, it is also possible to fix the balls individually on a wall or to hang them in a net on the wall.

The housings 10, 16 can also have a flat circular disk-shaped shape. In this case, the main and auxiliary display elements 12, 14 each form a semicircle or a more or less large sector of the circular disk. For better differentiation, the main display elements 12 preferably have a different color than the auxiliary display elements 14.

The disk-shaped housings 10, 16 can be provided with magnets or with Velcro strips, suction cups or the like on the underside, so that they can be detachably attached to an associated plate. The fastening plate can optionally be provided with induction loops, so that signal transmission from the transmitter to the receivers is made possible by inductive coupling. If the display elements 12, 14 are halogen lights or other lights operated at low voltage, the fastening plate can also be provided with busbars for a central power supply.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment in which the individual display housings 10 are connected to form a chain by connecting members 18 in the form of wires, rods or cables. In this case, the transmitter is accommodated in one of the display housings 10, and the signal transmission takes place directly via the connecting members 18. The display housings 10 are connected to the connecting members 18 in such a way that the main display elements 12 on one end of the The chain and the auxiliary display elements 14 point to the opposite end. If the links 18 are flexible, can generate a large variety of spatial or flat structures, as illustrated by Figures 2 and 3. According to this embodiment, the watch can optionally also be worn as a bracelet or necklace. The individual display housings 10 can optionally also be connected to one another in a ladder-like manner by a plurality of connecting links 18 in each case.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment in which the display housing 10 are designed as rectangular plates with different sizes and different edge ratios. The individual plates are connected to one another at their vertical edges by joints, so that they can be tilted relative to one another. On the one hand, this makes it possible to set the plates upright and, on the other hand, allows the watch to be designed in a variable manner. The joints are preferably designed as ball joints, so that the housings can also be arranged in a curved curve.

FIGS. 5 to 16 show further exemplary embodiments of chain or band-shaped arrangements of the display housings 10 with main and auxiliary display elements 12, 14. The illuminated display elements each represent the time 3.10 a.m.

In FIG. 5, the main display elements 12 point to one side of the band-shaped arrangement, and the auxiliary display elements 14 point to the opposite side. A separate timer housing 16 is provided at the end of the chain.

FIG. 6 corresponds to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 7 shows an alternating sequence of display housings 10 for the main display elements 12 and separate, somewhat smaller display housings 20 for the auxiliary display elements 14. In FIG. 8, the display housings have 10, 20 the same size, and the main and auxiliary display elements are distinguished only on the basis of the color.

FIG. 9 shows an alternating sequence of four smaller display housings 20 and larger display housings 10. The housings 10 are in two halves corresponding to the main and auxiliary display elements 12 and 14 divided. Additional auxiliary display elements 14 are accommodated in the housings 20. Between two main display elements 12 there are five auxiliary display elements 14, so that individual minutes can be displayed.

In FIG. 10, five housings 20 for the auxiliary display elements 14 are arranged between the housings 10 for the main display elements 12. Figures 1 1 and 12 show embodiments corresponding to Figures 9 and 10, but in which, however, the housings 10, 20 each have the same size. FIGS. 13 and 14 show exemplary embodiments corresponding to FIGS. 9 and 11, in which, however, the main and auxiliary display elements 12, 14 of the housing 10 each point to opposite sides of the band-shaped arrangement.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 15, the main display elements 12 are designed as digit-shaped housings and the auxiliary display elements 14 as balls. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 16, the auxiliary display elements 14 are also designed as digit-shaped housings, and five auxiliary display elements are provided for displaying the individual minutes between the main display elements 12.

FIG. 17 shows an exemplary embodiment in which twelve display housings 10 are each connected directly to the central timer housing 16. The connecting links 18 start from the timer housing 16 in a star or fan shape.

While FIG. 17 shows an orderly arrangement of the display housing 10, FIG. 18 illustrates an unordered arrangement which can be varied as desired with the aid of the flexible connecting members 18. FIG. 19 shows a modification of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 18, in which the main display elements 12 and the auxiliary display elements 14 are each housed in separate housings 10, 20.

FIG. 20 shows an exemplary embodiment in which the display housing 10 is designed in a ring shape and is nested one inside the other in the manner of concentric circles. The main display elements 12 are each represented by a wider ring and the auxiliary display elements 14 by a concentrated trisch adjoining narrower ring formed. The time is displayed in such a way that the main and auxiliary display elements are switched on in succession from the inside to the outside or from the outside to the inside.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 21, the display housings 10 have the shape of disks or plates of different sizes, one half forming the main display element 12 and the other half forming the auxiliary display element 14. The disks have a circular or polygonal layout and are stacked on top of each other to form a cone or a pyramid. In this exemplary embodiment, the display housing 10 can be designed as glass plates, on or in which the associated light source is arranged in such a way that the light is passed on and distributed by total reflection in the glass plate and exits at the edge of the disk-shaped housing.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 22, the display housings 10 have the form of prisms or columns, the light-emitting surface of which is divided in the longitudinal direction, so that the main display elements 12 and the auxiliary display elements 14 are formed. In this example, the columns are arranged parallel to each other. -

FIG. 23 shows an exemplary embodiment which is based on a similar principle to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 21, but in which the display housings 10 have a bowl-shaped design and are nested inside one another.

In FIG. 24, the display housings 10 are designed as nested square frames. The main and auxiliary display elements 12, 14 can be formed, for example, by the legs of the individual frames lying opposite one another in pairs.

Figure 25 shows an embodiment in which the display housing 10 are designed as rectangular frames, which are nested and articulated like a gimbal, so that the individual frames can be tilted to different levels. In this exemplary embodiment, the main and auxiliary display elements 12, 14 are arranged all around the entire frame and can be distinguished on the basis of their width and / or color. For example, if the second If the frame is tilted out from the outside of the plane of the first frame from the outside, the clock shown in FIG. 25 can be set up. In addition, in this exemplary embodiment, a specific time that the user does not want to miss can be marked by tilting the display housing indicating this time into a special position.

Figure 26 shows a clock in the form of a cube. Each surface of the cube is formed by a sequence of twelve nested square display housings 10, each of which receives a luminous display element 12 or 14. In the example shown, the main display elements 12 and the auxiliary display elements 14 are arranged in different cube areas. Since at least two adjoining cube faces are visible from almost every viewing direction, this enables the hours and minutes to be read evenly (in 5-minute intervals).

FIGS. 27 to 29 show chain-like arrangements which differ from the arrangement according to FIG. 3 in that the connecting links 18 form a main line 18a from which a plurality of branches 18b each lead, which lead to a display housing 10 or 20. In FIGS. 27 and 28, the branches 18b are each rotatable about the main line 18a. The branches 18b are frictionally connected to the connecting links forming the main strand, so that different angular positions of the individual branches can be set at the user's choice. In FIG. 29, both the main line 18a and the branches 18b are flexible.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Clock with electrically controllable display elements (12, 14), characterized by at least twelve separate housings (10, 20), each of which accommodates either a timer or a receiving device for communication with a central timer and each has at least one display element (12,14) included, which can be switched on and off by the timer.

2. Clock according to claim 1, characterized by a wireless signal transmission system for transmitting the time signals from the timer to the individual housings (10, 20).

3. Clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (10, 20) are physically connected to one another by connecting members (18).

4. Clock according to claim 3, characterized in that the connecting elements (18) are designed as flexible wires, cables or tapes.

5. Clock according to claim 3, characterized in that the connecting links are designed as joints.

6. Clock according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the receiving devices are connected to the central timer via cables and / or sliding contacts.

7. Clock according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the housing (10.20) are connected to form a chain.

8. Clock according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that each of the housings (10, 20) is connected directly to a timer housing (16) accommodating the central timer via a connecting member (18).

9. Clock according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the connecting links (18) form a main strand (18a), of which several

Extend branches (18b), each of which carries one of the housings (10, 20) at the end.

10. Clock according to claim 9, characterized in that the branches (18b) are rotatable about the main line (18a).

11. Clock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the housings (10) are designed as frames or shells and are nested one inside the other.

12. Clock according to claim 1 1, characterized in that it has the shape of a cuboid or cube, wherein at least one of the surfaces of the cuboid or cube is formed by the nested frame-shaped housing (10).

13. Clock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the housing (10) are designed as plates and stacked one above the other.

14. Clock according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in addition to twelve main display elements (12), each of which is housed in one of the housings (10, 20), at least twelve auxiliary display elements (14) are provided.

15. Clock according to claim 14, characterized in that a main display element (12) and an auxiliary display element (14) are arranged in a common housing (10).