Display device

Abstract

To improve visibility of information in a display device equipped with a pointer which moves continuously.SOLUTION: A rotatable pointer (30), a drive unit (20) that rotates the pointer once at a predetermined cycle, and a plurality of first marks (36) and a plurality of second marks (37) alternately arranged in a rotation direction of the pointer are provided, and a positional relationship between at least a part of the pointer and a boundary line (39) between the first mark and the second mark is set based on a number obtained by dividing the predetermined cycle by a certain number.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device that displays information using pointers. [Background technology]

[0002] In display devices such as clocks and gauges that display information by the movement of hands that move above the dial, it is necessary to make it easier to identify what the hands are pointing to. For example, as in Patent Document 1, it has been proposed to devise a shape for the hands that makes it easier to identify the information on the dial that overlaps with the hands.

[0003] Furthermore, display devices that move the hands continuously (sweep movement) express information more accurately than display devices that move the hands in stages (step movement), and the emotional value of the smooth movement of the hands is also highly valued. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-148665 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] On the other hand, continuously moving hands have the problem that it is difficult to visually detect the moment when the hand points to an index on the dial (for example, the moment when the second hand of a watch points to the second).

[0006] An object of the present invention is to improve the visibility of information on a display device having continuously moving hands. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A display device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a rotatable pointer, a drive unit that rotates the pointer at a predetermined cycle, and a plurality of first indicators and a plurality of second indicators arranged alternately in the direction of rotation of the pointer, and is characterized in that the relative positions of at least a portion of the pointer and the boundary line between the first indicator and the second indicator are set based on a number obtained by dividing the predetermined cycle by a certain number. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the above aspect, it is possible to improve the visibility of information on a display device having continuously moving hands. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a clock as a display device. [Figure 2] 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a display unit of a timepiece. [Figure 3] 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a display unit of a timepiece. [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a display unit of a timepiece. [Figure 5] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating a method for forming a first indicator and a second indicator in an indicator portion according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a second embodiment of the display unit of the timepiece. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a third embodiment of the display unit of the timepiece. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The embodiment described below is applied to a clock that displays time information by moving hands above the dial as an example of a display device. Note that the display device according to the present invention is not limited to clocks, and can also be applied to instruments that display information other than time.

[0011] The hardware configuration of a watch 10 shown in Figure 1 is an electronic clock powered by electrical energy, operating on an electronically controlled time standard, and controlled by a control unit 11. The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 12, a processor that performs arithmetic operations, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 13, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 14. The CPU 12 generates signals to control each unit according to a program stored in the ROM 13, and the RAM 14 is used as a data storage area for temporarily storing various data. User operations are input to the control unit 11 via an operation reception unit 15, and the control unit 11 communicates with external devices via a communication unit 16. Power is supplied to each unit of the watch 10 from a power supply unit 17.

[0012] The drive unit 20 applies an AC voltage via an oscillator circuit 22 to vibrate the vibrator 21, converts the vibration of the vibrator 21 into an electrical signal with a one-second period using a frequency divider circuit 23 and a timer circuit 24 to count the time, generates a motor drive signal via a hand movement control circuit 25, and sends the motor drive signal to a hand movement motor 26. The hand movement motor 26 is a sweep motor (stepping motor) that rotates continuously at a constant speed and drives the hands of each embodiment described below. In this way, the drive unit 20 causes the hands to repeatedly rotate (move hands) at a predetermined period. The hands are continuously moved by the hand movement motor 26, which is a sweep motor. More specifically, while normal step hand movement stops once per second, sweep hand movement moves the hands in very fine steps, appearing to the naked eye as continuous, smooth movement. Note that the drive unit may operate the hands mechanically instead of electronically as in this embodiment.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 , the display unit of the first embodiment of the timepiece 10 includes a dial 30 and a hand 31 located above the dial 30 in a plan view. The hand 31 rotates around a shaft 32 by a hand movement motor 26 of the drive unit 20, and moves continuously in a clockwise (right-handed) direction in a plan view. In the following description, the circumferential direction of the dial 30 and the rotational direction of the hand 31 are synonymous. The hand 31 is a second hand, and makes one revolution around the dial 30 in 60 seconds. The display unit of the timepiece 10 also includes an hour hand and a minute hand (not shown), which also rotate around the shaft 32. The movement of the hand 31 is slowed down to 1 / 60 by a gear mechanism (not shown) to operate the minute hand, which makes one revolution around the dial 30 in 60 minutes. The movement of the minute hand is slowed down to 1 / 12 by a gear mechanism (not shown) to operate the hour hand, which makes one revolution around the dial 30 in 12 hours.

[0014] The dial 30 is generally circular in plan view, centered on the axis X of the shaft 32 (the rotation center of the hands 31), and multiple minute markers 33 are provided on the outer periphery of the dial 30 at intervals that divide the circumference of the dial 30 into 60 equal parts. The minute markers 33 include linear markers 33a that extend radially from the shaft 32 as their center, and wide markers 33b that are wider in the circumferential direction than the linear markers 33a. The wide markers 33b are provided at intervals that divide the circumference of the dial 30 into 12 equal parts, and also function as hour markers. Minute information is indicated by the positional relationship between the minute hand and the minute markers 33 (the orientation of the minute hand relative to the multiple minute markers 33). Hour information is indicated by the positional relationship between the hour hand and the wide markers 33b (the orientation of the hour hand relative to the multiple wide markers 33b). Further, tip 31a of hand 31 is positioned to point to minute markers 33, and second information is indicated by the positional relationship between hand 31 and minute markers 33 (the orientation of hand 31 relative to the minute markers 33).

[0015] When the hand 31 moves in a sweeping motion that moves continuously (smoothly) around the dial 30 to the naked eye, it can be difficult to visually grasp the moment (second position) when the hand 31 points to the minute marker 33. The dial 30 is provided with an indicator portion 35 to make it easier to visually grasp the second position and the second positions between the second positions.

[0016] The indicator portion 35 is an annular region centered on the axis X of the shaft portion 32 and is positioned closer to the center of the dial 30 than the minute markers 33. In other words, the indicator portion 35 is located midway along the length of the hand 31. The indicator portion 35 is provided with first indicators 36 and second indicators 37 that are arranged alternately in the rotational direction of the hand 31. The first indicators 36 and second indicators 37 each have a predetermined width in the rotational direction of the hand 31 and are set to different colors. As an example, the first indicator 36 is set to black and the second indicator 37 is set to white. Note that the color scheme of the first indicators 36 and the second indicators 37 is not limited to this example, and any colors, such as red and blue, can be selected. In particular, a color scheme with a large difference in hue and contrast that makes the first indicators 36 and the second indicators 37 easily distinguishable is preferable. Furthermore, the first indicators 36 and the second indicators 37 can be set to have different designs, such as patterns, in addition to different colors. A boundary line 39 is formed at the boundary between each of the first indexes 36 and second indexes 37. The boundary line 39 is a color change portion that separates the first indexes 36 and second indexes 37, which are different colors from each other, and the boundary line 39 itself does not have a substantial thickness. By increasing the difference in hue and contrast between the first indexes 36 and the second indexes 37, the visibility of the boundary line 39 is improved.

[0017] A hole 38 is formed in the pointer 31 at a position overlapping the index portion 35 in a plan view. The hole 38 penetrates the pointer 31, and the first index 36 and second index 37 below can be seen through the hole 38. The hole 38 has a rectangular shape that is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the pointer 31. Note that the hole provided in the pointer 31 is not limited to the rectangular hole 38 shown in the figure, as long as it satisfies the conditions for viewing the first index 36 and second index 37 described below. For example, the hole may be an elongated hole with rounded corners whose ends facing the longitudinal direction of the pointer 31 are arc-shaped, or a circular hole. Furthermore, the side edge portions of the hole along the longitudinal direction of the pointer 31 do not have to be linear extending in the longitudinal direction of the pointer 31.

[0018] The numbers of first indexes 36 and second indexes 37 correspond to the information indicated by hand 31 during one revolution. Specifically, the total number of first indexes 36 and second indexes 37 is 60, which is the number obtained by dividing the 60-second cycle of hand 31 into one-second intervals, corresponding to each second indicated by hand 31, which is a second hand whose cycle is set to complete one revolution in 60 seconds. In addition, the number of boundary lines 39 separating first indexes 36 and second indexes 37 is also 60. Because first indexes 36 and second indexes 37 are arranged alternately, the number of first indexes 36 and second indexes 37 is 30.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the indicator portion 35 and the hole 38 are configured so that only one of the first index 36 and the second index 37 is visible through the hole 38 at the second position every second. In other words, the shapes and arrangements of the first index 36, the second index 37, and the hole 38 are set so that the position where only one of the first index 36 and the second index 37 is visible through the hole 38 corresponds to "1 second." When one second advances from a first state (FIG. 2) in which only the first index 36 is visible through the hole 38, the time changes to a second state (FIG. 4) in which only the second index 37 is visible through the hole 38. By repeating the first and second states, the moment when the sweeping hand 31 reaches each second position can be clearly indicated as monochrome color information visible through the hole 38.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3 , at a second position between the second positions indicated by the first state and the second state, a portion of each of the adjacently arranged first index 36 and second index 37, which are different colors, is visible through the hole 38. In other words, at least a portion of the boundary line 39 is visible through the hole 38. In particular, the shapes and arrangements of the first index 36, the second index 37, and the hole 38 are set so that the position at which the first index 36 and the second index 37 are visible through the hole 38 with approximately equal size corresponds to the position corresponding to "0.5 seconds," which is midway between two adjacent second positions. Midway between these two second positions, the boundary line 39, which is the boundary between the first index 36 and the second index 37, is located at a position corresponding to the diagonal line of the rectangular hole 38. This not only makes the first index 36 and the second index 37 approximately equal in size, but also presents the characteristic positional relationship of the boundary line 39 relative to the hole 38 (the boundary line 39 corresponds to the diagonal of the hole 38) as supplementary visual information, making it possible to clearly indicate the moment when the sweeping pointer 31 reaches the midpoint between seconds.

[0021] As described above, even though the hand 31 moves in a sweeping motion, it is possible to clearly visually recognize that the position where only one of the first index 36 and the second index 37 is visible through the hole 38 is the second position. Furthermore, at the second position, a portion of each of the first index 36 and the second index 37 and at least a portion of the boundary line 39 are visible through the hole 38, and the size ratio between the first index 36 and the second index 37 visible through the hole 38 and the position of the boundary line 39 change as the hand 31 moves, making it easy to visually grasp the degree of movement at the second position. In particular, it is possible to clearly recognize that the middle position of the second (0.5 seconds) is when the first index 36 and the second index 37 are visible through the hole 38 at approximately equal sizes and the boundary line 39 corresponds to the diagonal line of the hole 38.

[0022] Note that a scale may be provided on the hand 31 as a complementary information display means for indicating the change in the position of the hand 31 relative to the indicator portion 35. For example, by providing a scale around the hole 38 that corresponds to the change in the position of the boundary line 39 within the hole 38 in accordance with the movement of the hand 31, the degree of movement at the second position can be made even clearer.

[0023] In order to satisfy the above-mentioned visibility conditions, the multiple boundary lines 39 separating the multiple first indices 36 and the multiple second indices 37 are each arranged non-parallel to a radial line LE (see Figure 2) extending radially from the axis center X of the shaft portion 32.

[0024] The first index 36 and the second index 37 of the indicator portion 35 can be formed, for example, as follows. In a first step, as shown in FIG. 5A, the pointer 31 is positioned at the nth second position, and a first color R1 is set for the area of ​​the indicator portion 35 that is visible through the hole 38 in a planar view. Next, in a second step, the pointer 31 is positioned at the subsequent (n+1)th second position, and a second color R2 is set for the area of ​​the indicator portion 35 that is visible through the hole 38 in a planar view. Note that both the first color R1 and the second color R2 may be different from the background color of the indicator portion 35, and the first color R1 and the second color R2 may be colored separately, or one of the first color R1 and the second color R2 may be the same as the background color of the indicator portion 35, eliminating the need for coloring, and only the other of the first color R1 and the second color R2 may be colored.

[0025] After the second step, as shown in FIG. 5B, the first color R1 region and the second color R2 region are spaced apart in the circumferential direction, corresponding to the holes 38 at two adjacent second positions in the circumferential direction. Next, as a third step, as shown in FIG. 5C, a boundary line M is set to diagonally separate the first color R1 region and the second color R2 region. The boundary line M is set so as to connect the outer edge Ma of the region located upstream in the direction of rotation of the hand 31 (the first color R1 region in the case of FIG. 5) with the inner edge Mb of the region located downstream in the direction of rotation of the hand 31 (the second color R2 region in the case of FIG. 5). The boundary line M may be set simply by virtually setting the position of the boundary line M without drawing an actual line. Next, as a fourth step, as shown in FIG. 5D, the first color R1 region and the second color R2 region are each extended to the position of the boundary line M.

[0026] The above steps are repeated for each of two circumferentially adjacent second positions (the nth and n+1th positions). That is, when the state shown in FIG. 5D is reached, the information is updated to treat the second color R2 region as the nth second position (at this stage, the color setting for the nth second position has already been completed, so the first step described above is skipped), and steps 2 to 4 are performed. Then, by repeating steps 2 to 4 a predetermined number of times, regions of the first color R1 and regions of the second color R2 are formed continuously and alternately over the entire circumferential direction of the indicator portion 35, with the first color R1 region becoming the first indicator 36 and the second color R2 region becoming the second indicator 37. Furthermore, the boundary line M becomes the boundary line 39. By forming the first indicator 36 and the second indicator 37 in the indicator portion 35 in this manner, it is possible to easily form the first indicator 36 and the second indicator 37 corresponding to holes 38 of various shapes without requiring complex calculations.

[0027] As described above, in this embodiment, the dial 30 is provided with a plurality of first indexes 36 and a plurality of second indexes 37 that are arranged alternately and continuously in the rotation direction of the hand 31, and the relative positions of at least a portion of the hand 31 and the boundary line 39 between the first index 36 and the second index 37 are set based on a certain number (60) obtained by dividing the period in which the hand 31 makes one revolution. Also, based on the certain number (60) obtained by dividing the period in which the hand 31 makes one revolution, the hole 38 that is a part of the hand 31 is set to a first state in which it overlaps with the first index 36 in the rotation direction, and a second state in which it overlaps with the second index 37 in the rotation direction. This allows the color information of each index 36, 37 visible through the hole 38 of the hand 31 to accurately indicate the moment when the sweeping hand 31 reaches each second position. Furthermore, when at least a portion of the boundary line 39 is visible through the hole 38, the relative position of the boundary line 39 with respect to the hole 38 allows the progress of the hand 31 as it moves between each second position to be accurately grasped.

[0028] The first index 36 and the second index 37 in the index section 35 may have a function other than improving the visibility of the position of the pointer 31. For example, in the dial 30 shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a cover having a cutout corresponding to the first index 36 may be placed above the solar panel, with the portion of the solar panel (e.g., substantially black) exposed through the cutout of the cover serving as the first index 36, and the portion adjacent to the first index 36 that is covered by the cover serving as the second index 37. In this configuration, the first index 36 also functions as a light receiving portion of the solar panel. The light receiving portion of a solar panel generally has a characteristic color close to black, which is useful for setting the color of the first index 36.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 6, the display unit of the second embodiment of the timepiece 10 includes a hand 40 and an annular indicator portion 41 formed on the dial 30. The hand 40 is a second hand that makes one rotation in 60 seconds, just like the hand 31, and is driven by the hand movement motor 26 of the drive unit 20 to perform continuous (smooth) sweep movement that appears to the naked eye.

[0030] The annular index portion 41 is disposed radially outward of the tip 40a of the pointer 40 and includes a plurality of first indexes 42 and a plurality of second indexes 43 arranged alternately in the rotational direction of the pointer 40. The first indexes 42 and the second indexes 43 each have a predetermined width in the rotational direction of the pointer 40 and are set to different colors. The colors of the first indexes 42 and the second indexes 43 are similar to those of the first indexes 36 and the second indexes 37 of the first embodiment described above, and the first indexes 42 and the second indexes 43 are colored in a manner that makes them easy to distinguish (e.g., black and white) due to the large differences in hue and contrast. Boundaries 44 separating the first indexes 42 and the second indexes 43 are each parallel to a radial line LE extending radially from the axis X of the shaft portion 32.

[0031] The numbers of first indexes 42 and second indexes 43 correspond to the information indicated by the hand 40 during one revolution. Specifically, a pair of first indexes 42 and second indexes 43 is provided corresponding to each second displayed by the hand 40, which is a second hand whose cycle is set to make one revolution in 60 seconds, and 60 first indexes 42 and 60 second indexes 43 are arranged. In other words, the number of indexes (first indexes 42 and second indexes 43) obtained by dividing 60 seconds, which is the cycle of one revolution of the hand 40, by 120, which is twice the number of seconds, are arranged alternately in the direction of rotation of the hand 40. In addition, the number of boundary lines 44 separating the first indexes 42 and the second indexes 43 is also 120.

[0032] The pointer 40 includes a first color region 45 and a second color region 46, which are divided in the direction of rotation of the pointer 40. A boundary line 47, which is the boundary between the first color region 45 and the second color region 46, extends in the longitudinal direction of the pointer 40 (in a radial direction from the axis X of the shaft portion 32). The first color region 45 and the second color region 46 are set to different colors. The color scheme of the first color region 45 and the second color region 46 may be the same as the color scheme of the first index 42 and the second index 43, or may be different from the color scheme of the first index 42 and the second index 43. In particular, a color scheme with a large difference in hue or contrast that makes it easy to visually grasp the positional relationship between the first color region 45 and the second color region 46 is preferable. Furthermore, the first color region 45 and the second color region 46 can be set to have different designs, such as patterns, in addition to different colors.

[0033] The tip 40a of the pointer 40 is adjacent to the inner periphery of the annular indicator portion 41. The width of a pair of first indicators 42 and second indicators 43 in the rotation direction of the pointer 40 is approximately the same as the width of the tip 40a in the rotation direction of the pointer 40. Furthermore, the width of each of the first indicators 42 and second indicators 43 is approximately the same as the width of each of the first color regions 45 and second color regions 46.

[0034] As the hand 40 sweeps, one of the first color region 45 and the second color region 46 of the hand 40 alternately coincides with one of the ranges of the first index 42 and the second index 43 in the direction of rotation of the hand 40. In the first state, the first color region 45 coincides with the range of the first index 42 in the direction of rotation, and the second color region 46 coincides with the range of the second index 43 in the direction of rotation. In the second state, which is 0.5 seconds after the first state, the first color region 45 coincides with the range of the second index 43 in the direction of rotation, and the second color region 46 coincides with the range of the first index 42 in the direction of rotation. In both the first and second states, the boundary line 47 on the hand 40 side coincides with the boundary line 44 on the index portion 41 side, and the boundary line 47 and the boundary line 44 are aligned in the longitudinal direction of the hand 40. By repeating the first state and the second state, the moment when the sweeping hand 40 moves every 0.5 seconds can be clearly indicated as information on the coincidence status of the ranges of the first index 42 and the second index 43 corresponding to the ranges of the first color area 45 and the second color area 46. Furthermore, in the first state and the second state, the first index 42 and the second index 43 on the indicator unit 41 side that coincide with the first color area 45 and the second color area 46 on the hand 40 side are switched, so it is possible to distinguish between the first state and the second state based on the correspondence between the two colors on the hand 40 side and the two colors on the indicator unit 41 side. In other words, the movement of the hand every second and the movement of the hand every 0.5 seconds can be clearly visually distinguished.

[0035] When the sweep-moving hand 40 moves between the first state position and the second state position, the first color area 45 and the second color area 46 each straddle both the first index 42 and the second index 43 in the rotation direction of the hand 40. That is, a portion of each of the first index 42 and the second index 43 is located in the same range as the first color area 45 on the hand 40 side in the rotation direction. Furthermore, the remaining portion of each of the first index 42 and the second index 43 is located in the same range as the second color area 46 on the hand 40 side in the rotation direction. This makes it possible to clearly indicate how far the sweep-moving hand 40 has progressed between the first state and the second state, which are in 0.5-second increments, from changes in the degree to which the ranges of the first color area 45 and the second color area 46 correspond to the first index 42 and the second index 43 in the rotation direction of the hand 40 and changes in the position of the boundary line 47 relative to the first index 42 and the second index 43.

[0036] In the configuration shown in Figure 6, the minute markers 33 are arranged on the outer periphery of the indicator portion 41, but since the minute markers 33 are arranged on the extension of the boundary line 44 of the indicator portion 41, the configuration may be changed to one in which the minute markers 33 are omitted.

[0037] 6, the tip of the hand 40 can also be made sharp like the tip 31a of the hand 31 of the first embodiment. Even in this configuration, the position of the hand 40 is identified based on the first index 42 and the second index 43, each of which has a predetermined width in the rotation direction of the hand 40, which makes it easier to visually grasp the position of the hand 40 every second and every 0.5 seconds.

[0038] As described above, in this embodiment, the dial 30 is provided with a plurality of first indexes 42 and a plurality of second indexes 43 that are arranged alternately and continuously in the rotation direction of the hand 40, and the relative positions of at least a portion of the hand 40 and the boundary line 44 between the first index 42 and the second index 43 are set based on a certain number (120) obtained by dividing the period in which the hand 40 makes one revolution. Also, based on the certain number (120) obtained by dividing the period in which the hand 40 makes one revolution, a first state in which the first color area 45 and the second color area 46 provided on the hand 40 coincide with the ranges of the first index 42 and the second index 43 in the rotation direction, and a second state in which the first color area 45 and the second color area 46 coincide with the ranges of the second index 43 and the first index 42 in the rotation direction are set. This allows the user to accurately grasp the moment when the sweeping pointer 40 reaches the positions every 1 second and every 0.5 seconds, based on the relative positional relationship of each part of the pointer 40 (first color area 45, second color area 46, boundary line 47) with respect to the boundary line 44 of the indicator section 41, and the degree of alignment of the first index 42 and the second index 43 in the rotational direction with respect to the first color area 45 and the second color area 46.

[0039] In the first and second embodiments described above, first indexes 36, 42 and second indexes 37, 43, each having a predetermined width in the rotation direction of the hand 31, 40, are alternately arranged in the index portion 35, 41, and the position of the hand 31, 40 is visually recognized based on the relative positional relationship of specific portions of the hand 31, 40 (holes 38, first color area 45, second color area 46, boundary line 47) with respect to the width range of the first index 36, 42, the width range of the second index 37, 43, and the boundary line 39, 44. The boundary line 39, 44 separating the first index 36, 42 and the second index 37, 43 does not have a substantial thickness, and by using the boundary line 39, 44 as a reference, the rotational position of the hand 31, 40 can be determined with much higher accuracy than when using an index with a thickness such as the linear marker 33a of the minute marker 33 as a reference. Furthermore, determining whether the area between the boundary lines 39, 44 overlaps with a specific portion on the side of the hands 31, 40 in the rotational direction can be done visually more easily and accurately than determining whether the positions of the tips 31a, 40a of the hands 31, 40 coincide with the linear marker 33a. Therefore, the configurations provided with the indicator portions 35, 41 in the first and second embodiments have the effect of improving the visibility of time information compared to existing minute markers and the like when the hands 31, 40 are performing continuous sweep movement.

[0040] The display unit of the third embodiment of the timepiece 10 shown in Figure 7 comprises a hand 50 and two annular outer and inner indicator portions 51 and 52 formed on the dial 30. The hand 50 is a second hand that makes one rotation in 60 seconds, and is driven by the hand movement motor 26 of the drive unit 20 to perform continuous (smooth) sweep movement that appears to the naked eye. The outer and inner indicator portions 51 and 52 are concentrically arranged at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the hand 50, with the outer indicator portion 51 located on the outer periphery and the inner indicator portion 52 located on the inner periphery.

[0041] The outer index portion 51 is provided with a plurality of first indexes 53 arranged at different positions in the rotation direction of the pointer 50. The plurality of first indexes 53 are arranged at intervals from one another. The plurality of 54 are arranged at intervals from one another. The inner index portion 52 is provided with a plurality of second indexes 54 arranged at different positions in the rotation direction of the pointer 50. Note that, although the first index 53 and the second index 54 are shown to be circular in FIG. 7, the shapes of the first index 53 and the second index 54 are not limited to this.

[0042] The numbers of first indexes 53 and second indexes 54 correspond to the information indicated by the hand 50 during one revolution. Specifically, the number of first indexes 53 is 60, which is the number of seconds into which the period of the hand 50 is divided. The number of second indexes 54 is 120, which is twice the number of seconds into which the period of the hand 50 is divided. In other words, the first indexes 53 are arranged so as to overlap with the hand movement positions of the hand 50 in one-second increments, and the second indexes 54 are arranged so as to overlap with the hand movement positions of the hand 50 in half-second increments. Where the first indexes 53 are provided, the first indexes 53 and the second indexes 54 are arranged so as to line up in the longitudinal direction of the hand 50.

[0043] The pointer 50 has a first hole 55 formed in a position overlapping the outer index portion 51 in a plan view, and a second hole 56 formed in a position overlapping the inner index portion 52. The first hole 55 and the second hole 56 each pass through the pointer 50, and the first index 53 below can be seen through the first hole 55, and the second index 54 below can be seen through the second hole 56. Note that although the first hole 55 and the second hole 56 are shown to be circular in FIG. 7, the shapes of the first hole 55 and the second hole 56 are not limited to this.

[0044] The first index 53 and the second index 54 may be set to a color that improves visibility when viewed through the first hole 55 and the second hole 56. For example, the first index 53 and the second index 54 may be set to a color that is brighter than the background color of the outer index portion 51 and the inner index portion 52. Furthermore, the first index 53 and the second index 54 may be different colors to make them easier to distinguish from each other. For example, the first index 53 may be set to a red color and the second index 54 to a blue color.

[0045] As the hand 50 sweeps, the first hole 55 and the second hole 56 of the hand 50 overlap the first index 53 and the second index 54 of the outer index portion 51, respectively, at a predetermined timing. In the first state, the first hole 55 overlaps the first index 53 in the rotational direction, and the second hole 56 overlaps the second index 54 in the rotational direction. That is, the first index 53 is visible through the first hole 55, and the second index 54 is visible through the second hole 56. In the second state, which is 0.5 seconds after the first state, the first hole 55 does not overlap the first index 53 in the rotational direction, but the second hole 56 overlaps the second index 54 in the rotational direction. That is, the first index 53 is not visible through the first hole 55, but the second index 54 is visible through the second hole 56.

[0046] In this way, the moment when the sweeping hand 50 reaches the second position after moving in one-second increments can be seen in the first state, and the moment when the hand reaches the second position after moving in half-second increments can be seen in the second state. When the first and second states are repeated as the hand 50 sweeps, the visual effect of the first hole 55 or the second hole 56 flashing occurs the moment the first index 53 or the second index 54 overlaps, making it possible to easily see the position of the hand 50 every one second or every half second.

[0047] It is also possible to increase the amount of information that can be displayed using the outer indicator portion 51 and the inner indicator portion 52 by varying the colors of at least some of the multiple first indicators 53 or varying the colors of at least some of the multiple second indicators 54. For example, by setting a reference color for the first indicators 53 and further setting a color different from the reference color for the first indicators 53 located at positions every predetermined number of seconds (for example, every 5 seconds), it is possible to improve the distinguishability of the position of the hand 50 every second and also to add information display relating to the predetermined second intervals.

[0048] In the configuration shown in FIG. 7 , the outer indicator portion 51 and the inner indicator portion 52 are used to make it possible to distinguish the positions of the hands 50 every 1 second and every 0.5 seconds. However, by appropriately changing the spacing between the indicators in the direction of rotation of the hands 50, it is also possible to distinguish the movement positions of the hands 50 corresponding to different time intervals. For example, the spacing between the indicators on the outer indicator portion 51 may be doubled to make it possible to distinguish the positions of the hands 50 every 2 seconds. Furthermore, the number of indicator portions arranged in the longitudinal direction of the hands 50 is not limited to two, the outer indicator portion 51 and the inner indicator portion 52, and three or more indicator portions may be arranged. By varying the spacing between the indicators on each indicator portion, it becomes possible to distinguish the positions of the hands 50 at various timings.

[0049] As described above, this embodiment includes a plurality of first indexes 53 arranged at different positions in the rotation direction of the hand 50, and a plurality of second indexes 54 arranged at different positions in the rotation direction of the hand 50 from the first index 53 in the longitudinal direction of the hand 50, and based on a predetermined period divided by a certain number (60, 120), a first state in which the first hole 55 or the second hole 56 of the hand 50 overlaps with the first index 53 and the second index 54 in the rotation direction, and a second state in which the first hole 55 or the second hole 56 of the hand 50 overlaps with only one of the first index 53 or the second index 54 in the rotation direction are set. This allows the visual information (color information) of each index 53, 54 visible from the first hole 55 and the second hole 56 of the hand 50 to accurately grasp the moment when the sweeping hand 50 reaches the position every second and the position every 0.5 seconds.

[0050] The holes 38 of the hands 31 in the first embodiment and the first holes 55 and second holes 56 of the hands 50 in the third embodiment are not simply windows that allow the display elements on the dial 30 located behind the hands 31, 50 to be easily seen without being obscured, but have the function of making the first indexes 36, 53 and second indexes 37, 54, which are arranged with a predetermined regularity in the rotational direction, visible at predetermined timing, thereby identifying the divisions between the positions of the hands 31, 50 that perform sweep movement. In other words, the arrangement of the first indexes 36, 53 and second indexes 37, 54 and the shape and arrangement of the holes 38, first hole 55 and second hole 56 work together to visually convey information regarding the timing of the movement of the hands 31, 50.

[0051] The above-described embodiment is a specific example shown to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the invention.

[0052] The above embodiment is applied to a timepiece 10 in which the drive unit 20 rotates the hands 31, 40, and 50 once every 60 seconds, but it may also be applied to a display device in which the hands rotate once every other period. For example, it may be applied to a time display device in which the drive unit rotates the hands once every 30 seconds or 180 seconds. It may also be applied to a time display device that has only a second hand, without minute or hour hands.

[0053] The information displayed by the hands of a display device is not limited to time. In other words, the present invention can be applied to display devices other than clocks. For example, the present invention can be applied to the display structure of instruments such as pressure gauges and measuring instruments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 10: Timepiece (representing a machine), 20: Motor, 30: Digital dial, 31: Hand, 35: Indicator, 36: First indicator, 37: Second indicator, 38: Hole, 39: Boundary line, 40: Hand, 41: Indicator, 42: First indicator, 43: Second indicator, 44: Boundary line, 45: First color area, 46: Second color area, 47: Boundary line, 50: Hand, 51: Outer indicator, 52: Inner indicator, 53: First indicator, 54: Second indicator, 55: First hole, 56: Second hole

Claims

1. A rotatable pointer; a drive unit that rotates the pointer once at a predetermined cycle; a plurality of first indexes and a plurality of second indexes arranged alternately in a rotation direction of the pointer; a positional relationship between at least a part of the pointer and a boundary line between the first index and the second index is set based on a number obtained by dividing the predetermined period by a certain number; Display equipment.

2. The first indicator and the second indicator have different colors. The display device according to claim 1 .

3. the pointer includes a hole that allows the first index and the second index to be visible in a plan view; a first state in which only the first indicator is visible through the hole; a second state in which only the second indicator is visible through the hole; When the pointer is in a position between the first state and the second state, a portion of each of the first indicator and the second indicator is visible through the hole. The display device according to claim 1 .

4. The boundary line between the first index and the second index is non-parallel to a radial direction centered on the rotation center of the pointer. The display device according to claim 3.

5. The hole has a rectangular shape in a plan view, When the pointer is at an intermediate position between the first state and the second state, the boundary line between the first index and the second index is set to correspond to a diagonal line of the hole. The display device according to claim 4.

6. At least a part of the pointer is provided with a first color area and a second color area that are divided in the rotation direction, a first state in which the first color region coincides with a range of a first index in the rotation direction and the second color region coincides with a range of a second index in the rotation direction; a second state in which the first color region coincides with a range of a second index in the rotational direction and the second color region coincides with a range of the first index in the rotational direction; The display device according to claim 1 .

7. A rotatable pointer; a drive unit that rotates the pointer once at a predetermined cycle; a plurality of first indicators arranged at different positions in a rotation direction of the pointer; a plurality of second indexes arranged at positions different from the plurality of first indexes in the longitudinal direction of the pointer and at positions different from the plurality of first indexes in the rotation direction of the pointer, A first state in which at least a part of the hand overlaps with the first index and the second index in the rotation direction, and a second state in which at least a part of the hand overlaps with only one of the first index and the second index in the rotation direction are set based on a number obtained by dividing the predetermined period by a certain number. Display equipment.

8. the pointer includes, in a plan view, a first hole through which the first index is visible and a second hole through which the second index is visible; In the first state, the first indicator is visible through the first hole, and the second indicator is visible through the second hole; In the second state, the first indicator is not visible through the first hole, and the second indicator is visible through the second hole. The display device according to claim 7.

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