Device for displaying the moon on request

Abstract

The present invention relates to a moon display device (100) for a timepiece, on demand. The display device (100) comprises a first indicator member (110) that is mobile and has a representation of the moon (111). This representation of the moon (111) is totally or partially obscured by an obscuring element (121) that is on a second indicator member (120) which is mobile when the user requests it and in particular via a control unit.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of watchmaking and more particularly to the representation of moon phases. Preferably, the present invention relates to the representation of moon phases at the request of the user and / or according to certain parameters. Technological background

[0002] Traditionally, the moon phase is indicated with a disc below the dial that features two printed moons. The opening in the dial allows the moon phase to be visually represented and a graduation from 0 to 29.5 to read the moon's age.

[0003] The lunation is the time interval between two new moons and its average duration is 29 days 12 hours 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds. In a mechanical watch the disc makes one revolution in 59 days. Since there is a difference with the lunation, the position of this disc must be regularly corrected. Indeed, these very sophisticated mechanisms lack precision on the one hand, since the moon phase is only modified when the 24 hours have passed and on the other hand, these mechanisms do not take into account the position of the user, since the representation of the lunation is different depending on whether the user is in the northern hemisphere or in the southern hemisphere.

[0004] The idea of ​​this patent is to simplify the mechanics for indicating the phase of the moon using the hour and minute hands of an electronic watch. Notable state of the art: EP3477402. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention aims to solve all or part of the drawbacks mentioned above in the form of a display device for a timepiece and preferably on demand according to claim 1; said display device comprising at least: a first indicator member: said at least one first indicator member, preferably being mounted movably and comprising at least one representation of the moon; a second indicator member: said at least one second indicator member, preferably being mounted movably and comprising at least one occulting element configured to occult said at least one representation of the moon; a first driver: said at least one first driver configured to drive said at least one first indicator member and / or said at least one second indicator member;and, a control unit: said at least one control unit being configured to control, as a function of a data set, said at least one first driver so as to drive and / or superimpose said at least one first indicator member and / or said at least one second indicator member so that said at least one moon representation is totally or partially obscured by said at least one obscuring element.;

[0006] Thanks to this arrangement, the lunar phases are represented without a space on the dial being specially dedicated to them, and on the other hand, the display device allows the user to have a dynamic and most faithful representation of the moon, according to the time and date, but also according to the hemisphere preselected by the wearer.

[0007] According to one embodiment, said at least one control unit controls said at least one first trainer at the request of the user.

[0008] According to one embodiment, said data set comprises at least: a date; a time; and / or a geographic position.

[0009] Thanks to this arrangement, the lunations are represented to the user in the most faithful way depending on the time and / or place where the user requested it.

[0010] According to one embodiment, said data set is received by said at least one control unit via radio frequency communication, via satellite geopositioning, and / or via wired and / or light communication.

[0011] Thanks to this arrangement, the lunations are represented to the user in the most faithful way depending on the time and / or place where the user requested it.

[0012] According to one embodiment, said display device comprises at least one second driver configured to drive said at least one second indicator member.

[0013] By virtue of this arrangement, said at least one first driver and said at least one second driver can move said at least one first indicator member and said at least one second indicator member independently on the one hand and on the other hand, this making the indication system more efficient and more economical from an energy point of view.

[0014] According to one embodiment, said at least one moon representation is lighter than said at least one occulting element and / or said at least one occulting element and / or said at least one moon representation has or has a rounded, round, elliptical, disc and / or spherical shape.

[0015] According to one embodiment, said at least one occulting element is darker than said at least one moon representation.

[0016] Thanks to this arrangement, the at least one representation of the moon comes closer to reality.

[0017] According to one embodiment, said at least one occulting element comprises at least one opening configured to allow said at least one representation of the moon to be totally or partially visible.

[0018] Thanks to this arrangement, the at least one representation of the moon comes closer to reality.

[0019] According to one embodiment, said at least one moon representation comprises at least one opening configured to fully or partially reveal a watch dial so as to represent the moon.

[0020] According to one embodiment, said at least one representation of the moon and / or said at least one occulting element comprises or comprises a polarized material, in particular with a mirror effect, semi-transparent and / or transparent.

[0021] Thanks to this arrangement, said at least one representation of the moon and / or said at least one occulting element is or are not, or is or are barely visible to the user.

[0022] According to one embodiment, said at least one moon representation comprises a shiny, reflective, luminescent, photoluminescent, and / or barium sulfate material, and / or said at least one occulting element comprises a matte, photo-absorbent, carbon and / or carbon nanotube material.

[0023] By means of this arrangement, said at least one moon representation reflects or diffuses light in the manner of the moon and / or said at least one occulting element absorbs light.

[0024] According to one embodiment, said at least one moon representation and / or said at least one occulting element comprises or comprise a liquid crystal, electrochromic, and / or electrowetting display configured to modify the transparency of said at least one moon representation and / or said at least one occulting element so that when said at least one moon representation and said at least one occulting element are superimposed, a representation of the lunar phase appears to the observer.

[0025] Thanks to this arrangement, said at least one representation of the moon or and / or said at least one occulting element only leaves or leaves a lunation visible when the user desires it and not when said at least one first indicator member and said at least one second indicator member cross.

[0026] According to one embodiment, said at least one control unit being configured to control said at least one first driver so as to drive said at least one first indicator member totally or partially below said at least one second indicator member so that said at least one moon representation is totally or partially obscured by said at least one obscuring element, or to drive said at least one second indicator member totally or partially above said at least one first indicator member so that said at least one moon representation is totally or partially obscured by said at least one obscuring element.

[0027] Thanks to this arrangement, the lunations are represented without a space on the dial being specially dedicated to them, and on the other hand, the display device allows the user to have a dynamic and most faithful representation of the moon.

[0028] According to one embodiment, said at least one first indicator member is movable about a first axis of rotation and comprises a first proximal end close to said first axis of rotation and / or a first distal end distant from said first axis of rotation, and / or wherein said at least one second indicator member is movable about a second axis of rotation and comprises a second proximal end close to said second axis of rotation and / or a second distal end distant from said second axis of rotation; said at least one moon representation being at said first distal end or at said first proximal end and / or said at least one occulting element being at said second distal end or at said second proximal end.

[0029] By means of this arrangement, the lunations are represented at the end of said or at the ends of said at least one first indicator member and / or at least one second indicator member.

[0030] According to one embodiment, said at least one first indicator member or said at least one second indicator member is configured to indicate the age of the moon.

[0031] Thanks to this arrangement, the user knows the age of the moon.

[0032] According to one embodiment, said at least one first indicator member or said at least one second indicator member is configured to indicate the position of the moon relative to the horizon, the time of moonrise, the time of moonset.

[0033] Thanks to this arrangement, said at least one first indicator member or said at least one second indicator member According to one embodiment, said at least one first indicator member is the hour hand or the minute hand and / or said at least one second indicator member is the minute hand or the hour hand.

[0034] Thanks to this arrangement, the lunations are represented without a space on the dial being specially dedicated to them, while using elements already present.

[0035] According to one embodiment, said display device comprises a second hand indicating the age of the moon and being driven by said at least one first driver and / or said at least one second driver and / or by at least one third driver.

[0036] Thanks to this arrangement, the lunations are represented without a space on the dial being specially dedicated to them, while using elements already present.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the display device comprises a window configured to indicate the current date and / or the age of the moon when requested by the user. Brief description of the figures

[0038] The invention will be described below in more detail with the aid of the appended drawings, given as non-limiting examples, in which: there figure 1 represents an example of a data set 141 including moon phases based on the user's position 148 , time and date according to one embodiment; the figure 2 illustrates an example of a dial with a first indicator organ 110 featuring a representation of the moon 111 and a second indicator organ120 including a blackout element 121 according to one embodiment; the figure 3 presents said first indicator organ 110 and said second indicator member 120 overlapping so that said moon representation 111 be hidden by said occulting element 121 according to one embodiment; the figure 4 shows said first indicator organ 110 indicating the age of the moon while indicating the corresponding moon phase according to one embodiment; Figure 5 exhibits a moon phase in a hemisphere according to one embodiment; the figure 6 schematizes the decomposition of the phases of a solar eclipse respectively of a lunar eclipse according to one embodiment; and the Figures 7A to 9B represent the different shapes and relative positions of the said moon representation 111 and said occulting element 121 .

[0039] In the following detailed description of the figures defined above, the same elements or elements fulfilling identical functions may retain the same references so as to simplify the understanding of the invention. Furthermore, the term "user" must be understood as a concept grouping together users of the female, male or other genders, and cannot be limited. Detailed description of the invention

[0040] The present invention makes it possible to simplify the mechanics and improve the quality of the information to indicate the phase of the moon using the hour and minute hands of an electronic watch, for example.

[0041] A disc representing the moon can be placed behind the hour hand and a disc that can hide the moon more or less can be placed behind the minute hand. In normal mode, the hands can indicate the time and on demand, for example by pressing a pusher or the crown, the hands can move and the superposition of the discs can indicate the phase of the moon with the time and date of the watch.

[0042] Indeed, the present invention makes it possible to represent lunar cycles at the user's request according to the time and date but also possibly taking into account the user's geographical position using a display device. 100 allowing the user to know the moon phase at a given time and in a given place, on demand. This display device 100 can also be applied to lunar or solar eclipses.

[0043] Furthermore, the lunations are represented without a space on the dial 199 is specially dedicated to them, and on the other hand, the display device 100 allows the user to have a dynamic and most faithful representation of the moon based on a set of data as shown in the figure 1 .

[0044] Said display device 100 can, in fact, represent the lunations through at least one first indicator organ 110 and at least one second indicator organ 120 when they are superimposed.

[0045] Said at least one first indicator organ 110 may be mounted movably about a first axis of rotation and may include a first proximal end 116 close to said first axis of rotation and / or a first distal end 117distant from said first axis of rotation, on which at least one representation of the moon 111 can be found, that is to say either at said first distal end 117 or at said first proximal end 116 .

[0046] Said at least one second indicator organ 120 may also be mounted movably about said first axis of rotation or a second axis of rotation, preferably coaxial with said first axis of rotation, and may comprise a second proximal end 126 close to said first axis of rotation and / or said second axis of rotation and / or a second distal end 127 distant from said first axis of rotation and / or said second axis of rotation, on which at least one occulting element 121 may be arranged, i.e. either at said second distal end 127 or at said second proximal end 126 .

[0047] Typically, said at least one first indicator member 110 may take the form of an hour or minute hand and / or said at least one second indicator organ 120 can be a minute or hour hand respectively so no gap on the dial 199 is not specifically dedicated to lunar cycles on the one hand and on the other hand, already existing elements, such as needles, are used.

[0048] When said at least one first indicator organ 110 and said at least one occulting element 121 overlap, said at least one occulting element 121 may be configured to obscure said at least one moon representation 111 .

[0049] According to the embodiments, the latter, that is to say said at least one representation of the moon 111 may appear clearer than said at least one occulting element 121, comprising a shiny, reflective, luminescent and / or photoluminescent material, for example barium sulfate, or strontium aluminate better known under the name Superluminova., and / or, said at least one occulting element 121 may appear darker than said at least one moon representation 111 comprising a matte, photo-absorbent material, for example made of carbon and / or carbon nanotubes, such that said at least one representation of the moon 111 reflects or diffuses light in the manner of the moon and / or said at least one occulting element 121 absorbs or masks light.

[0050] Obviously, the present invention cannot be limited to these embodiments since said at least one representation of the moon 111 and / or said at least one occulting element 121may comprise or may comprise a polarized material, in particular with a mirror effect and / or preferably transparent, so that when said at least one representation of the moon 111 and said at least one occulting element 121 do not overlap, said at least one representation of the moon 111 and / or said at least one occulting element 121 is or are not, or is or are barely visible to the user, and when they overlap, the lunation appears to the user.

[0051] Other embodiments are also conceivable since said at least one representation of the moon 111 and / or said at least one occulting element 121 may include a liquid crystal, electrochromic, and / or electrowetting display configured to modify the transparency of said at least one moon representation 111 and / or said at least one occulting element121 so that when said at least one moon representation 111 and said at least one occulting element 121 are superimposed, a representation of the lunar phase appears to the observer.

[0052] In this case, said at least one moon representation 111 and / or said at least one occulting element 121 only leaves or leaves a lunation visible when the user wants it and not when said at least one first indicator organ 110 and said at least one second indicator member 120 intersect. Indeed, when said at least one representation of the moon 111 and / or said at least one occulting element 121 may include or may include a liquid crystal display, electrochromic, and / or electrowetting, said at least one moon representation 111 and at least one occulting element 121only represents the moon phase when requested by the user and only when a current and / or voltage is applied to said at least one moon representation 111 and / or at least one concealing element 121 . Indeed, said at least one representation of the moon 111 and / or at least one concealing element 121 may comprise a liquid crystal display, electrochromic, and / or electrowetting while said at least one obscuring element 121 or said at least one representation of the moon 111 may include a polarizing material and thus the combination of the two represents a lunation.

[0053] The shape can also be important, depending on the embodiments, because said at least one occulting element 121 and / or said at least one representation of the moon 111may have a rounded, round, elliptical, disc and / or spherical shape so that the lunation is closer to reality, and on the Figures 9A & 9B , when said at least one occulting element 121 occults said at least one representation of the moon 111 .

[0054] In these embodiments, said at least one moon representation 111 can be made of a very noble material, such as gold, platinum, titanium, on the one hand or simply brass, steel, and aluminum and on the other hand, with possibly a thin layer of color deposit to best mimic the lunar color, the dimensions, such as weight, length, width and thickness, are defined so as to have a barycenter or center of gravity closest to said first axis. As for said at least one occulting element 121 , the latter, that is to say said at least one occulting element 121may possibly be made of a very noble material and the dimensions may also be defined so as to have a barycenter or a center of gravity closest to said first axis and / or said second axis.

[0055] As can be observed on the Figures 7A, 7B, 8A and 8B illustrate it, said at least one occulting element 121 may include at least one opening 122 configured to reveal totally or partially said at least one representation of the moon 111 .

[0056] Furthermore, it is entirely possible that the said at least one representation of the moon 111 includes at least one opening configured to reveal the dial completely or partially 199watch so as to represent the moon or the sun. Indeed, depending on the embodiments, a solar or lunar eclipse can be represented, as can be seen in Figures 6A and 6B respectively. In this figure, said at least one first indicator member 110 and / or said at least one second indicator organ 120 moves or move throughout the duration of the eclipse for example.

[0057] The mobility of said at least one first indicator organ 110 and / or said at least one second indicator organ 120 is enabled by at least one first driver, preferably an electric motor or a controlled stepper motor, configured to drive said at least one first indicator member 110 and / or said at least one second indicator member 120 depending on the embodiments.

[0058] Indeed, according to the embodiments, only at least one first trainer can drive said at least one first indicator member 110 and at least one second indicator organ 120 or each of said at least one first indicator organ 110 and at least one second indicator organ 120 may respectively have said at least one first driver and at least one second driver, preferably an electric motor or a stepper motor with control, so that said at least one first driver and said at least one second driver can move said at least one first indicator member 110 and said at least one second indicator member 120independently. This arrangement also simplifies the mechanism since said at least one first driver and said at least one second driver can be controlled independently of each other. In addition, the responsiveness of the display on demand is improved, as is the consumption of the function.

[0059] The control of said at least one first indicator member 110 and / or said at least one second indicator organ 120 , and more particularly of said at least one first trainer and / or of said at least one second trainer can be carried out by at least one control unit.

[0060] Said at least one control unit may typically take the form of a processor, microcontroller, microprocessor or an integrated circuit dedicated to controlling said at least one first driver and / or said at least one second driver.

[0061] Said at least one control unit is configured to control, based on a set of data 141 represented on the figure 1 , said at least one first trainer and / or said at least one second trainer so as to drive and / or superimpose said at least one first indicator member 110 and / or said at least one second indicator member 120 and that said at least one representation of the moon 111 either totally or partially obscured by said at least one obscuring element 121 .

[0062] Indeed, the superposition of said at least one first indicator organ 110 and said at least one second indicator member 120 may be dependent on a data set 141 such as the time, the date of the day, for example May 18, 2019, thanks to the perpetual calendar available in the watch or thanks to the said data set 141received by said at least one control unit via radio frequency communication, via satellite geopositioning, and / or via wired and / or light communication, so that the lunations are represented to the user as faithfully as possible depending on the moment, i.e. date and time, and / or the selected location where the user requested it.

[0063] Thus, depending on the time at which the user requests the display device to display the representation of the lunar month, for example 03:51, in which said at least one first indicator member 110 indicates approximately 3 hours and said at least one second indicator organ 120 indicates approximately 51 minutes, said at least one first indicator organ 110can remain stationary, the time to display the lunation so that said at least one first driver or said at least one second driver drives said at least one second indicator member 120 in the vicinity of said at least one first indicator member 110 so as to represent a full moon as shown on the figure 1 .

[0064] In addition, it is also possible to the display device 100 to represent a solar or lunar eclipse based on said data set 141 except that it will include either data transmitted by a means of communication mentioned above or which would be recorded on an internal memory belonging to said processor, microcontroller, microprocessor or integrated circuit.

[0065] It is also possible that said at least one first indicator organ 110 and at least one second indicator organ 120can move from their initial position, represented in the figure 2 , towards an intermediate position which could indicate a direction, see figure 3 , and / or the age of the moon, see figure 3 or 4 .

[0066] Indeed, in addition to the phase, we can indicate the age of the moon which can be 8 on the figure 3 and 15 on the figure 4 , For example.

[0067] More precisely, it is the hour, minute or second hand that can indicate the age of the moon so that the lunations are represented without a space on the dial. 199 be specially dedicated to them, and while using elements already present.

[0068] Furthermore, the display device may include a counter 195 configured to indicate the date 146of the day and / or the age of the moon when requested by the user or the number of days remaining until the new moon or full moon according to the user's wishes.

[0069] As illustrated in the figure 4 , if said at least one first indicator organ 110 or said at least one second indicator organ 120 is configured to indicate the age of the moon, a scale and / or graduation will be indicated on the dial and / or on the bezel.

[0070] According to another embodiment, said data set 141 may include at least other information, such as the geographical position 148of the user, which the latter has entered manually or through geo-satellite positioning, 49°29'29.0"N 11°46'21.5"E for example, so that the lunations are represented to the user in the most faithful way depending on the time and / or place where the user requested it.

[0071] As mentioned earlier, the geographical position 148 of the user can be entered manually or pre-selected in the manner of watches indicating several cities with the difference relative to Greenwich Mean Time, that is to say that if the user is in Bienne, the user will choose the place closest to his position on the dial of his watch, such as Geneva, and when he requests the display of the lunar month, the display device will drive, via said at least one first driver, said at least one first indicating organ 110and / or said at least one second indicator member 120 so as to represent the lunation corresponding to the date 146, on time 147 and the geographical position 148 .

[0072] There Figure 5 shows a display device 100 in which the dial is separated into two parts so as to represent the lunations in the Northern hemisphere and / or in the Southern hemisphere, when said at least one representation of the moon 111 and at least one occulting element 121 overlap.

[0073] Indeed, in addition to the phase, the position of the moon in relation to the horizon line which can be placed between 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock on the dial or on the watch glass, as shown in the Figure 5 .

[0074] The horizon line can be calculated and adapted for a particular location desired by the user, by taking the relief near the user, and displaying it on a screen acting as a dial. Above the horizon the moon can be visible, below it can be invisible. The position of the moon can provide information on the time of moonrise or moonset, for example.

[0075] Advantageously, thanks to said at least one first trainer and to said at least one control unit, said at least one representation of the moon 111 and at least one occulting element 121 can move clockwise to represent the moon's path in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere.

Claims

1. Display device (100) for displaying the phases of the moon for a timepiece on demand; said display device (100) comprising at least: - a first indicator member (110) mounted so as to be able to move and, comprising at least one representation of the moon (111); - a second indicator member (120) mounted so as to be able to move and comprising at least one occulting element (121) configured for occulting said at least one representation of the moon (111) by superposition; - driver means configured for driving said the first indicator member (110) and the second indicator member (120); and, - a control unit configured for controlling, at the request of the user, and according to a set of data (141), said driver means to drive the first indicator member (110) and the second indicator member (120) so as to represent the phase of the moon as a function of the data set (141); - in which the first indicator member (110) and the second indicator member (120) are minute hand and the hour hand of the timepiece.

2. Display device (100) according to claim 1, wherein said set of data (141) comprises at least: - a date (146); - a time (147); or - a geographical position (148).

3. Display device (100) according to claim 2, wherein the set of data (141) is configured for being received by said at least one control unit via communication by radio frequency, via satellite geopositioning, or via wireless or light communication.

4. Display device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein driver means comprise a first driver configured for driving the first indicator member (110) and a second driver configured for driving said second indicator member (120).

5. Display device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one representation of the moon (111) is configured for being lighter than said at least one occulting element (121), and / or said at least one occulting element (121) and / or said at least one representation of the moon (111) has or have a rounded, round, elliptical, disc and / or spherical shape.

6. Display device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one occulting element (121) comprises at least one opening (122) configured for completely or partially revealing said at least one representation of the moon (111).

7. Display device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one representation of the moon (111) and / or said at least one occulting element (121) comprises, or comprise, a polarised material, in particular with a mirror, semi-transparent and / or transparent effect.

8. Display device (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein said at least one representation of the moon (111) comprises a material that is shiny, reflective, luminescent and / or photoluminescent and / or said at least one occulting element (121) comprises a material that is matt or photoabsorbent.

9. Display device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one representation of the moon (111) and / or said at least one occulting element (121) comprises, or comprise, a liquid crystal, electrochromic and / or electrowetting display configured for modifying the transparency of said at least one representation of the moon (111) and / or of said at least one occulting element (121) so that, when said at least one representation of the moon (111) and said at least one occulting element (121) are superimposed, a representation of the lunar phase appears to the observer.

10. Display device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one control unit being configured for controlling said at least one first driver so as to drive said at least one first indicator member (110) completely or partially under said at least one second indicator member (120) so that said at least one representation of the moon (111) is completely or partially occulted by said at least one occulting element (121), or so as to drive said at least one second indicator member (120) completely or partially above said at least one first indicator member (110) so that said at least one representation of the moon (111) is completely or partially occulted by said at least one occulting element (121).

11. Display device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one first indicator member (110) is configured for being able to move about a first rotation axis and comprises a first proximal end (116) close to said first rotation axis and / or a first distal end (117) distant from said first rotation axis, and / or wherein said at least one second indicator member (120) is configured for being able to move about a second rotation axis and comprises a second proximal end (126) close to said second rotation axis and / or a second distal end (127) distant from said second rotation axis; said at least one representation of the moon (111) being at said first distal end (117) or at said first proximal end (116) and / or said at least one occulting element (121) being at said second distal end (127) or at said second proximal end (126).

12. Display device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one first indicator member (110) or said at least one second indicator member (120) is configured for indicating the age of the moon.

13. Display device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, which comprises a second hand indicating the age of the moon and being configured for being driven by said at least one first driver, said at least one second driver and / or by at least one third driver.

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