HK40077955A - Timepiece comprising a display with a moiré effect - Google Patents

Description

Timepiece comprising a display device with moire effect

Technical Field

The invention relates to a timepiece comprising display means with moire effect for rapidly indicating whether a complex function of the timepiece is running or stopped.

Background

Timepieces comprising a display device having a moire effect are known.

For example, US5586089 discloses a timepiece having a plurality of disks (disc) (instead of the standard hour, minute and second hands) on which a pattern of transparent or opaque areas is printed. When the plates (plates) are rotated, a new and interesting visual effect is created by the superposition of the plates in the form of multiple moire images. The display of hours, minutes and seconds is achieved by means of an indicator located at the periphery of the disc and pointing at the annular scale from 1 to 12 arranged on an annular dial (annular dial). This solution requires elaborate transparent plates.

CH709374a1 describes a timepiece having two superposed bodies which also uses the moire effect to give an indicating effect faster than the relative rotational speed of the two bodies.

The moir e effect used in the timepiece of the prior art is intended only to produce interesting visual effects.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose a timepiece comprising a display device with moire effect to determine at a glance whether a complex function of the chronograph (chronograph) or countdown (countdown) type is running or stopped (on or off, running or not) while allowing the reading of time information.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in particular by a timepiece comprising: watch movement comprising a complex function of the chronograph or countdown type, a fixed body and a display device with moire effect for displaying time information associated with the chronograph or countdown. The display device includes a movable disk connected to the time information indicator. The moving disk is on the one hand connected to a shaft engaged with the watch movement and on the other hand arranged to rotate above or below the fixed body. One of the moving disk and the fixed body has a plurality (N) of holes arranged on 360 °. The other of the moving disc and the stationary body includes a stripe having a pattern repeat including a first set of patterns having a first visual appearance and a second set of patterns having a second visual appearance. The pattern with the first visual appearance is arranged alternately with the pattern with the second visual appearance over 360 deg.. The holes are separated from each other by portions which are used to gradually mask the pattern of the fringes so as to produce a moire effect as the moving disk rotates.

The fixed body may be connected to the dial. The fixed body may be constituted by a part of the dial.

The disc may be a solid disc. Alternatively, the disc may be formed by a ring.

The very rapid displacement of the pattern relative to the hole makes it possible to detect at a glance that the complex function displayed by the timer or countdown counter is running. The displacement of the time information indicator makes it easy to read the time indication.

The time information indicator may be displayed on the moving disc below the fixed body and may be visible through one of the holes. In this first embodiment, the width of the time information indicator is preferably equal to or greater than the pitch of the holes, so that the time information indicator is always visible through at least one of the holes. By checking which hole is superimposed on the indicator, the time information can be read.

In a second embodiment, the time information indicator may be displayed on the moving disc above the fixed body and is therefore always visible.

According to one embodiment, the display device is a counter comprising a moving disk, the axis of rotation of which is coaxial with the central axis of the counter.

The time information indicator may be in the form of a segment provided on the moving disk or in the form of a pointer mounted on a shaft of the moving disk so that the counter can indicate time information.

The pattern may be formed by radial segments. The holes may be formed by radial holes.

In one embodiment, the counter is a second counter. The moving disk is engaged with the watch movement to be driven at a rate of one revolution per minute so that the indicator indicates seconds.

In a second embodiment, in which the mobile disc is located above the fixed body, the counter comprises a first annular zone comprising stripes. The first annular region is an integral part of the fixing body. The fixed body is part of the dial or is added to the dial. The moving disk includes a second annular region comprising a plurality of apertures arranged over 360 °.

The number of holes is equal to N.

In an alternative embodiment of the second embodiment, the number N of holes is greater than the number of patterns having the first visual appearance and also greater than the number of patterns having the second visual appearance. The angular separation between the centerlines of two adjacent patterns of the same visual appearance is greater than the separation between the centerlines of two adjacent holes. For example, the number of holes may be equal to N, and the number of patterns per visual appearance may be equal to N-1. The moire effect then produces a displacement of the pattern behind the aperture in the direction of rotation of the moving disc.

In another alternative of the second embodiment, also the mobile disc is located above the fixed body, the number N of holes being smaller than the number of patterns with the first visual appearance (for example N +1) and also smaller than the number of patterns with the second visual appearance. Thus, the angular separation between the centerlines of two adjacent patterns of the same visual appearance is less than the separation between the centerlines of two adjacent holes. For example, the number of holes may be equal to N, and the number of patterns per visual appearance may be equal to N + 1. The moire effect then produces a displacement of the pattern behind the aperture in the opposite direction of rotation of the moving disk.

According to the first embodiment described above, it is also possible to place the movable tray provided with a pattern below the fixed body provided with a hole; this reversal also results in a reversal of the direction of pattern displacement. In an alternative to this embodiment, the number of holes N is greater than the number of patterns having the first visual appearance (e.g., N-1), and also greater than the number of patterns having the second visual appearance. The moire effect then produces a displacement of the pattern behind the aperture in the opposite direction of rotation of the moving disk.

In another alternative of this first embodiment, also the mobile disc is located above the fixed body, the number N of holes being smaller than the number of patterns with the first visual appearance (for example N +1) and also smaller than the number of patterns with the second visual appearance. The moire effect then produces a displacement of the pattern behind the aperture in the direction of rotation of the moving disk.

In one embodiment, the number N of holes or the number of patterns is equal to 30, in order to obtain a two second moir e effect when operating complex functions, while in practice the moving disc performs one rotation within 60 seconds.

The embodiment with 30 patterns and 29 or 31 holes of each type on the moving disc above the fixed body is advantageous because it allows the time information indicator to be displayed at all times.

In one embodiment, the counter includes a first annular region containing stripes. The first annular region is part of the moving disc. The mobile disc is arranged below the fixed body, for example below the dial. The stationary body includes a second annular region overlying the first annular region. The second annular region includes a plurality of apertures disposed over 360 °.

In one embodiment, the second annular region includes N holes. The stripe itself comprises N +2 or N-2 patterns. This type of implementation makes it possible to obtain a symmetrical moir e effect, that is to say that in one axis the two holes will appear black at the same time and in the perpendicular axis the two holes will appear white.

In one embodiment, the time information indicator has a visual appearance different from the first and second visual appearances of the pattern of stripes.

The time information indicator may be sized such that a portion of the indicator is visible through the aperture to indicate time information, while another portion of the indicator is obscured by the portion of the fixed body between the two apertures such that the indicator remains partially visible when the movable disk is rotated.

In one embodiment, the first and second sets of patterns forming the stripes are each in the form of truncated angled segments. An angle between the center lines of two consecutive identical patterns (e.g., an angle between the center lines of two black patterns) is equal to 360/(N-1)/2 degrees or 360/(N +1)/2 degrees, where N is the number of holes. In embodiments with N =30 holes, the angle may be, for example, 360/29/2 degrees or 360/31/2 degrees.

For example, the patterns in the first set cover angular segments of 360/(N-1)/2 degrees or 360/(N +1)/2 degrees, for example segments of about 6 ° in the case where the number of holes N = 30.

In one embodiment, one of the first and second visual appearances of the pattern of stripes is the same as the visual appearance of the moving member provided with holes, respectively the same as the visual appearance of the fixed body provided with holes. This maximizes the moire effect. For example, if the stripes comprise alternating black and white patterns, the moving member or disc provided with holes is advantageously black or white.

In one embodiment, there is a high contrast between the first visual appearance and the second visual appearance. One of the first and second visual appearances is, for example, a uniform black color and the other of the first and second visual appearances is, for example, a uniform white color.

Drawings

Examples of embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the description illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 illustrates a partial view of the dial of a timepiece comprising a counter incorporating an indication of time information and an animation with moire effect according to a first embodiment;

fig. 2 illustrates a top view of a mobile disc arranged below the dial of fig. 1, the mobile disc being associated with a counter;

figure 3 illustrates a top view of a mobile disk according to a second embodiment, intended to be mounted above the fixed body of the counter;

figure 4 illustrates a top view of a mobile disc intended to be mounted above the fixed body of the counter, according to an alternative of the second embodiment;

figure 5 illustrates a top view of a fixed part of a counter of a timepiece according to an alternative of the second embodiment, the fixed part comprising a circular stripe and on which the mobile disc of figure 3 or figure 4 is mounted;

FIG. 6 illustrates the mobile disk of FIG. 3 pivotally mounted on the fixed part of the counter of FIG. 5, an

Figure 7 illustrates the mobile disc of figure 4 pivotally mounted to the fixed part of the counter of figure 5.

Detailed Description

In a first embodiment of the invention, illustrated by figures 1 and 2, a timepiece (not shown) comprises a counter 20, the counter 20 being configured on the one hand to indicate time information and on the other hand to produce an animation having a moir e effect.

The counter 20 comprises a fixed body 10 and a mobile disc 22 (figure 2). In this exemplary embodiment, the fixed body 10 is constituted by a portion of a dial (for example, an annular portion of the dial). It is also possible to provide a fixed body in the form of a part attached to the dial (for example a part attached to the annular portion of the dial), or for example a bridge of the movement. The fixed body is thus fixed with respect to the plate of the watch movement.

For example, the counter 20 may be a second counter of a timer or a second counter of a countdown timer (countdown timer). The counter 20 comprises a peripheral annular region 38, the peripheral annular region 38 having a plurality of holes 26 arranged over 360 °. These holes 26 are formed in the fixing body 10.

In this first embodiment, the mobile disc 22 of fig. 2 is arranged below the fixed body 10, according to fig. 1. The disc 22 has an opening 40 in its center so that the disc can be securely mounted on the shaft 23, for example by means of a driving in. The shaft 23 passes through an opening in the center of the counter 20 and has a pinion (not shown) arranged to mesh with the movement of the timepiece so that the pinion can be driven to rotate. The pointer may be mounted on a shaft 23 above the counter.

The moving disk 22 includes a peripheral annular region 36, the peripheral annular region 36 including stripes having a repeating pattern including a first set of patterns having a first visual appearance 27 and a second set of patterns having a second visual appearance 28.

The choice of the visual appearance of the patterns of the first and second sets of stripes is not only determined by aesthetic considerations but also by technical considerations, since there must be a high contrast between the first visual appearance and the second visual appearance, so that the moire effect is optimal, for example, allowing to know at a glance whether the timer function is running or stopped.

As a non-limiting example, the first visual appearance is a uniform black color and the second visual appearance is a uniform white color. It should be noted that the pattern of stripes may have a non-uniform visual appearance as long as a contrast is obtained between the first and second sets of patterns constituting the stripes.

According to fig. 2, the pattern with the first visual appearance and the pattern with the second visual appearance are arranged alternately over 360 ° in the peripheral annular region 36.

The peripheral annular region 38 of the counter 20 comprises N holes 26 formed in the fixed body 10. The holes 26 (fig. 1) are separated from each other by portions 30 of the fixed body, which portions 30 serve to gradually mask the pattern of the fringes of the moving disk 22, so as to produce a moire effect when the disk 22 is rotated.

The stripes disposed on the peripheral annular region 36 of the moving disk 22 include different numbers of patterns from the first set and patterns from the second set. As an example, stripes may include N-1, N +1, N-2, or N +2 patterns of each type.

In an alternative embodiment shown in fig. 1 and 2, the peripheral annular region 38 of the fixed body 10 of the counter 20 has N =30 holes 26, while the stripes of the mobile disc 22 have a number of patterns of first visual appearances 27 less than N, for example black patterns, arranged alternately with patterns of second visual appearances 28 (for example white patterns). The indicator 24 is an integral part of the stripe.

In this example, the stripes of the peripheral annular region 36 of the moving disk 22 include:

28 black patterns, each in the shape of a truncated angular segment, spaced apart from each other at an angular spacing equal to 360/(N-1)/2 degrees, where N is the number of apertures. Although only 28 black patterns are visible, the regular spacing between these patterns corresponds to 29 patterns over 360 degrees. In this example, the number of holes 26 is 30 holes, so the angle is 6.2 ° per truncated sector.

27 white patterns having the shape of truncated angled segments with an angle of 6.2, the white patterns being arranged alternately with the black patterns,

2 white patterns (e.g. over an angle of 3.1 °), each having the shape of truncated angled sections narrower than the other white patterns,

and a third pattern 24 having a contrasting visual appearance to the first and second patterns 27, 28.

This third pattern 24 is also in the form of truncated angled sections, but in this example it extends over a wider angle than the black pattern (e.g. over 12.4 °). The third pattern 24 is arranged between two narrower white angled sections and provides the function of a time information (preferably seconds) indicator. The wider dimension of the pattern makes it an indicator that is always visible through one of the holes 26 of the fixing body, since the angular width of the indicator corresponds in this example to the angular width of two black sections, one of which is visible in one of the holes 26 of the fixing body, the other being obscured by one of the portions 30 of the fixing body located between the holes.

For example, the pattern 24 may indicate the seconds of the second counter 20 of the timepiece. When the counter 20 is started, the pattern 24 will indicate the current second in increments of 2.

When a black angled sector is fully visible through one of the holes 26, it will take one second to hide under one of the portions 30 of the fixed body 10 and then one second to reappear in the next hole. Thus, a visual effect can be observed which gives the impression that the black angled sectors turn one turn in two seconds, which impression is called "moir e effect". In this embodiment, the moire effect moves in the opposite direction of the moving disk rotation.

The moire effect of moving in the direction of rotation of the moving disc can also be achieved by providing a number of patterns per visual appearance, which number is larger than the number N of holes. For example, the fixed body may have 30 holes, and the moving disk has 31 patterns of each color.

According to another embodiment, not shown, the seconds are indicated by a second hand connected (for example by embedding) to the shaft 23 of the mobile disc 22.

In this case, for example, the striations of the peripheral annular region 36 of the moving disk 22 may include: 29 patterns of a first visual appearance (e.g. black) each having the shape of a truncated angled section with an angle of 6.2 °; and 29 patterns of a second visual appearance (e.g., white) each having the shape of a truncated angled segment with an angle of 6.2 °. The white patterns and the black patterns are alternately arranged. This embodiment has the advantage of improving the resolution of the second display device.

Fig. 3 to 7 show the elements of a counter without a fixed body of a watch, with a mobile disc 22 provided with holes above the fixed body, for example connected to a dial, according to a second embodiment. According to fig. 3, the mobile disc 22 comprises a peripheral annular region 34, which peripheral annular region 34 is provided with N holes 26, these holes 26 being regularly spaced from each other over 360 °. The annular stripe shown in FIG. 5 includes N-1 patterns of each type. In this example, the moving disk 22 has N =31 holes 26, and the annular stripe has (N-1) =30 black patterns and (N-1) =30 white patterns.

Each of the holes 26 is identical in shape and size. For example, the aperture may be in the form of a truncated angular sector or circular sector (circular sector). The peripheral annular region of the mobile disc also comprises a time indicator 24, the time indicator 24 being for example in the form of a line or a pointer arranged between two openings.

For example, the moving dial 22 may be a second mover. The second movement can be used to indicate the second of a timepiece incorporating a mechanical movement (without complex functions). In an advantageous embodiment, the use of the mobile disc 22 is particularly suitable for a timepiece comprising a mechanical movement with one or more complex functions of the chronograph or countdown type.

According to this embodiment, the mobile disc 22 of fig. 3 or 4 is embedded in a second axis (not shown) that passes through the dial at the position of a central opening 40 in the fixed body of the counter, which comprises an annular zone 32 (fig. 5) concentric with the second axis. The annular region 32 comprises stripes comprising repeating identically shaped patterns (e.g., in the form of truncated angled sectors) positioned adjacent to each other in the annular region over 360 °.

The pattern repetition comprises: a first set of patterns, for example black patterns, having a first visual appearance 27; and a second set of patterns, such as white patterns, having a second visual appearance 28. The pattern 27 with the first visual appearance is arranged alternately with the pattern 28 with the second visual appearance over 360 deg..

In an embodiment, the moving disk of fig. 3 includes N =31 holes 26, and the moving disk is embedded in the second axis such that the peripheral annular region 34 of the moving disk 22 is superimposed on the annular stripe of the stationary body of fig. 5, as shown by fig. 6. When the timer is started, the moving disc 22 makes one complete rotation in 60 seconds, while the moire effect is generated, giving the impression that the moving disc 22 rotates much faster than it actually rotates. According to this example, the angular spacing between the segments of the stripes on the fixed body shown in fig. 5 is equal to 360/(N-1)/2 degrees, where N is the number of holes, which gives a spacing of 6 ° between the truncated sectors.

As an example, if the annular stripe of the fixed body of fig. 5 comprises 30 patterns of first visual appearance interspersed between 30 patterns of second visual appearance, and if the annular region 34 of the moving disk 22 comprises N =31 openings 26 of the same shape as said patterns, then, when the timer is started, the superposition of the moving disk according to fig. 6 on the stripe of the fixed body produces a moire effect which rotates in the same direction as the rotation of the moving disk 22, giving the illusion that the moving disk rotates at 2-second intervals.

However, the second indicator 24 represented by the line on the moving dial 22 indicates: the moving disc 22 makes one complete revolution not in two seconds but in 60 seconds. Thus, the moire effect has an advantage in that it is clear at a glance whether the timer is stopped or running.

In the case of the annular region 34 of the moving disc 22 shown in fig. 4 having N =29 holes of the same shape as the pattern, the superposition of the moving disc according to fig. 5 on the fringes of the fixed body produces a moir e effect which rotates in the opposite direction to that of the moving disc 22 (fig. 7) when the timepiece is started.

The period of the moire effect can be varied by varying the visual appearance of the fringes and the number of apertures. For example, one of the moving plate 22 and the fixed body 10 may have N =60 holes, while the other of the moving plate and the fixed body may have a stripe comprising 59 angled sectors having a first visual appearance and 59 angled sectors having a second visual appearance. In this case, the period of the moire effect would be one second for a moving disc driven at a rate of one revolution per minute. However, in view of size limitations, a two second period for moire effect is preferred.

The moire effect has the technical advantage of indicating at a glance whether a specific function, in particular a complex function of a watch movement of a timepiece (for example a chronograph), is running or stopped.

Furthermore, the display device allows to achieve two different sensed rotational speeds, or even two different sensed rotational directions, with a single moving disc.

Claims (16)

1. A timepiece, comprising: watch movement containing complex functions of the chronograph or countdown type, a fixed body (10) and a display device (20) with moire effect, said display device (20) being intended to display time information associated with the chronograph or countdown, said display device comprising a mobile disc (22) with a time information indicator (24), said mobile disc (22) being connected on the one hand to a shaft (23) engaged with said watch movement and on the other hand being arranged to rotate above or below said fixed body (10), one of said mobile disc (22) and said fixed body (10) comprising a plurality of holes (26) arranged on 360 °, the other of said mobile disc (22) and said fixed body (10) comprising a stripe having a repetitive pattern comprising a first set of patterns with a first visual appearance (27) and a second set of patterns with a second visual appearance (28), the pattern with the first visual appearance is arranged alternately with the pattern with the second visual appearance over 360 °, the holes (26) being separated from each other by a plurality of portions (30), the portions (30) being intended to progressively mask the pattern of fringes so as to produce a moir e effect when the moving disc (22) rotates.

2. The timepiece according to claim 1, characterised in that the display means is a timepiece or a counter (20) for counting down, the counter (20) comprising the mobile disc (22), the axis of rotation of the mobile disc (22) being coaxial with the central axis of the counter (20), the time information indicator being in the form of a segment (24) provided on the mobile disc (22) or in the form of a hand mounted on a shaft (23) of the mobile disc (22), so that the counter (20) can indicate time information.

3. The timepiece of claim 2, wherein said counter (20) is a seconds counter, said moving disk (20) being engaged with said watch movement so as to be driven at a rate of one revolution per minute, so that said indicator (24) indicates seconds.

4. The timepiece of claim 2, characterized in that the fixed body (10) is attached to a dial and comprises a first annular zone (32) having said striations, and in that the mobile disk (22) is arranged above the fixed body and has a second annular zone (34) having said plurality of holes (26) arranged on 360 °.

5. The timepiece of claim 4 wherein the spacing between said holes (26) is smaller than the angular spacing between patterns of the same visual appearance, so that said Moire effect occurs in the direction of rotation of said mobile disk (22).

6. The timepiece of claim 4, characterised in that the spacing between said holes (26) is greater than the angular spacing between patterns of the same visual appearance, so that said moir e effect occurs in the opposite direction of rotation of said mobile disc (22).

7. The timepiece of claim 5, characterised in that said number of holes (N) is equal to 30 and in that said mobile disk (22) is arranged to perform one rotation in 60 seconds, so that said Moire effect gives the illusion that said mobile disk (22) performs one rotation in two seconds when the complex function of the movement is running.

8. The timepiece of claim 2, characterised in that the counter (20) has a first annular region (36) comprising said striations, the first annular region (36) being part of the moving disk (22) arranged below the fixed body (10), and in that the fixed body (10) has a second annular region (38) superimposed on the first annular region (36), the second annular region (38) having the plurality of holes arranged over 360 °.

9. The timepiece of claim 8 wherein said second annular region includes N holes (26), said stripe including N-1 patterns of the same visual appearance.

10. The timepiece of claim 8 wherein said second annular region includes N holes (26), said stripe including N +1 patterns of the same visual appearance.

11. The timepiece of claim 9 or 10 wherein N is equal to 29, 30 or 31.

12. The timepiece of claim 1 wherein said time information indicator (24) has a visual appearance different from the first and second visual appearances of said pattern of said stripes.

13. The timepiece of claim 12, characterised in that said time information indicator (24) has a visual appearance different from the first and second visual appearances of said pattern of stripes, said time information indicator (24) being dimensioned so that one part of said indicator (24) is visible through the hole (26) to indicate the time information, while another part of said time information indicator (24) is obscured by the portion (30) of said fixed body (10) between the two holes (26) so that it is always visible when said mobile disc (22) rotates.

14. The timepiece of claim 1 wherein the patterns of said first set of patterns and said second set of patterns are each in the form of truncated angular segments spaced apart by an angular spacing equal to 360/(N-1)/2 degrees and 360/(N +1)/2 degrees respectively, where N is the number of holes.

15. The timepiece of claim 1, characterized in that one of said first visual appearance (27) and said second visual appearance (28) of said pattern of stripes is the same as the visual appearance of said moving plate (22) provided with said holes or of said fixed body (10) provided with said holes.

16. The timepiece of claim 15, characterised in that there is a high contrast between said first visual appearance (27) and said second visual appearance (28), one of said first and second visual appearances being, for example, a uniform black color, the other of said first and second visual appearances being, for example, a uniform white color.