Dial and watch

Abstract

In a dial with multiple types of scales for displaying multiple types of content, the user can easily recognize which scale the pointer is pointing to. [Solution] The dial 3 has a plurality of mode indicator scales 36 for indicating the current mode and a seconds count scale 37 for indicating the seconds count, and at least a portion of the mode indicator scales 36 and the seconds count scales 37 are arranged alternately.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dial and a clock.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been disclosed a clock that can perform two types of displays in one display area by separately arranging two types of scales with different display contents on the left and right in one display area (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in such a clock, due to the arrangement of two types of scales on the left and right in one display area, when only one type of scale is arranged in one display area, each type of scale has to be arranged in a narrower range compared to the case where only one type of scale is arranged in one display area. There is a problem that it is difficult for the user to understand which scale the pointer is pointing to, and the user cannot read fine values.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to enable a user to easily recognize which scale a pointer is pointing to in a dial having a plurality of types of scales for indicating a plurality of types of display contents.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, the dial according to the present invention has a plurality of first scales for showing a first type of display content and a plurality of second scales for showing a second type of display content different from the first type, and is characterized in that at least a portion of the plurality of first scales and the plurality of second scales are arranged alternately. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, in a dial having multiple types of scales for displaying multiple types of content, the user can easily recognize which scale the pointer is pointing to. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a plan view of the clock according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows a magnified view of the first region of the dial in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the seconds counter lit up to a certain point. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the indicator pointing to WT mode. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below are subject to various technically preferred limitations for carrying out the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and illustrated examples below.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the clock 1 according to the present invention is, for example, a wristwatch-type clock. The clock 1 comprises a housing 2, a dial 3, and operating parts such as push-button switches B1, B2, B3, B4 and a crown C1. The dial 3 is located inside the housing 2 and its top surface is covered by a transparent crystal (not shown). Inside the housing 2 of the clock 1, below the dial 3, are a circuit board (not shown), a motor and gears that rotate the minute hand 32 and hour hand 33 around the pointer axis O1, and a motor and gears that rotate the pointer 35 around the pointer axis O2. The bottom surface of the clock 1 is sealed by a back cover (not shown).

[0011] The circuit board located below the dial 3 contains, for example, a control unit such as a microcontroller, a memory unit (such as flash memory) that stores programs, a large-capacity capacitor, electronic circuits (oscillating circuit, frequency divider circuit, timing circuit), and a crystal oscillator. The control unit controls the motors and gears that rotate the minute hand 32 and hour hand 33 based on the electrical signals output from the electronic circuits, thereby displaying the time. The control unit also switches modes in response to the operation of push-button switches B1 to B4, and controls the motors and gears that rotate the pointer 35 according to the mode to display the mode, perform measurements according to the mode, count on the seconds scale 37, and control the display of the 7-segment display unit 38 and the digital display unit 39, which will be described later.

[0012] In this embodiment, the dial 3 is circular, and hour markers 31 (indices) and markings are arranged along the circumference of the dial 3. A pointer axis O1 is provided at the center of the dial 3. The minute hand 32 and hour hand 33 rotate around the axis of the pointer axis O1 to indicate the time appropriately by pointing to the hour markers 31 or markings.

[0013] Furthermore, the dial 3 is provided with a display area 34 for displaying various information. The display area 34 is a display area that can be digitally displayed, for example, by an LCD, and is composed of a first area 341 and a second area 342. As shown in Figure 2, the first area 341 is provided with a pointer 35, a mode display scale 36 (first scale), and a seconds count scale (second scale) 37. Note that the minute hand 32 and hour hand 33 are not shown in Figures 2 to 4.

[0014] The mode display scale 36 is a scale indicating the current mode (first type of display content) of the clock 1, as indicated by the pointer 35, and is printed on the screen of the display area 34. The mode display scale 36 consists of multiple scales (five in this case) that indicate the BT (base time) mode, WT (world time) mode, ST (stopwatch) mode, TR (timer) mode, and AL (alarm) mode, respectively. The length of each scale on the mode display scale 36 is not uniform, with more frequently used modes (for example, BT mode) being longer. Each scale on the mode display scale 36 is arranged radially around the pointer axis O2, and on the extension of each scale from the pointer 35, a string of characters or symbols representing the mode indicated by each scale (BT, WT, ST, TR, AL) is displayed. In Figures 2 to 4, the BT mode is represented by an ellipse. The pointer 35 indicates the mode by rotating around the axis of the pointer axis O2 and pointing to the scale corresponding to the current mode of the clock 1.

[0015] The seconds counting scale 37 consists of 10 divisions, M1 to M10, and displays the seconds count (time information: second type of display content) by lighting up or turning off in 1-second or 0.1-second increments, starting from M1. For example, in BT mode, the seconds counting scale 37 lights up in 1-second increments, starting from M1, and once the count up to 10 seconds is complete and M10 is lit, it repeats the process of turning off in 1-second increments, starting from M1. Also, for example, in ST mode, the seconds counting scale 37 lights up in 0.1-second increments, starting from M1, and once the count up to 1 second is complete and M10 is lit, it repeats the process of turning off in 0.1-second increments, starting from M1. Figure 3 shows the seconds counting scale 37 with divisions M1 to M4 lit. Note that in Figure 3, the positions of M5 to M10, which are off, are indicated by dotted lines, but these dotted lines are not actually displayed.

[0016] If, hypothetically, the first area 341 were divided in half, with scale 36 placed in one area and a second-counting scale 37 in the other, the range in which each scale could be placed would narrow, resulting in a narrower interval between the scales. Consequently, it would become difficult for the user to visually determine which scale the pointer 35 is indicating, potentially leading to misinterpretation.

[0017] Therefore, in the clock 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, at least some of the markings on the mode display scale 36 and the second count scale 37 are arranged alternately. This allows the spacing between the markings on both the mode display scale 36 and the second count scale 37 to be widened, making each marking easier to see, and allowing the user to easily recognize which marking the pointer 35 is pointing to. Furthermore, if the pointer 35 points to both the mode display scale 36 and the second count scale 37, the large number of markings makes it difficult to determine which marking the pointer 35 is pointing to. However, by not indicating the second count scale 37 with the pointer 35, and by arranging the markings of the second count scale 37 that are not indicated by the pointer 35 between the multiple markings of the mode display scale 36 that are indicated by the pointer 35, the user can easily recognize which marking the pointer 35 is pointing to.

[0018] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the mode indicator scale 36 and the seconds counting scale 37 differ in color and shape. For example, the mode indicator scale 36 is red, while the seconds counting scale 37 is the same color as the background of the first area 341 when off (e.g., white or black), and a predetermined color (e.g., black or white) when lit. Also, the mode indicator scale 36 has a long, slender needle shape, while the seconds counting scale 37 has an elliptical shape. By making the appearance of the mode indicator scale 36 and the seconds counting scale 37 different in this way, the difference between them is highlighted, preventing users from misinterpreting the scales. In addition, the seconds counting scale 37 is not lit when seconds are not being counted in ST mode, and therefore becomes the same color as the background. This makes the pointer 35 easier to see.

[0019] Furthermore, the multiple markings on the mode indicator scale 36 are positioned so as not to be symmetrical with respect to the pointer axis O2. For example, in Figure 2, the pointer 35 points to the BT mode indicator scale 36, but the mode indicator scales 36 for other modes and the seconds count scale 37 are not positioned on the dashed line L1, which indicates a position symmetrical to the BT mode indicator scale 36 with respect to the pointer axis O2. Similarly, in Figure 4, the pointer 35 points to the WT mode indicator scale 36, but the mode indicator scales 36 for other modes and the seconds count scale 37 are not positioned on the dashed line L2, which indicates a position symmetrical to the WT mode indicator scale 36 with respect to the pointer axis O2. As a result, even when using a pointer 35 with a tip 35a on the forward side and a rear end 35b on the rear end side of the pointer axis O2 of approximately the same length, the user can easily recognize which marking the pointer 35 is pointing to.

[0020] Furthermore, if the tip 35a and the rear end 35b of the pointer 35 are of roughly the same length, it becomes difficult to distinguish between the two. Therefore, as shown in Figure 2, it is preferable that the tip 35a of the pointer 35 has a long, pointed shape, and the rear end 35b has a blunt shape. This makes it easier for the user to distinguish between the tip 35a and the rear end 35b of the pointer 35.

[0021] Further, the tip portion 35a may have a length that overlaps with the scale 36 for mode display, and the rear end portion 35b may have a length that does not overlap with the scale 36 for mode display. Thereby, when the pointer 35 points to the scale 36 for mode display, the tip portion 35a and the scale 36 for mode display overlap, so that the user can more surely determine which scale the pointer 35 is pointing to. Also, it becomes easier for the user to determine that the rear end portion 35b is not pointing to the scale. Note that the scales M1 to M10 of the scale 37 for second count are arranged at positions where at least a part thereof does not overlap with the rear end portion 35b of the pointer 35 when the pointer 35 points to the scale 36 for mode display, so that the scale 37 for second count is visible regardless of which mode the pointer 35 is indicating.

[0022] Returning to FIG. 1, in the second region 342, a 7-segment display unit 38 that displays numbers in 7-segment format and a digital display unit 39 that displays characters and numbers are provided. For example, the digital display unit 39 displays a date and a day of the week. Also, in the ST mode, the digital display unit 39 displays the minutes and seconds of the elapsed time from the start of measurement, and the 7-segment display unit 38 displays the seconds in units of 0.1 seconds and 0.01 seconds. Thereby, the user can recognize a more accurate measurement value.

[0023] As described above, the dial 3 of the clock 1 has a plurality of scales 36 for mode display for indicating the current mode and a scale 37 for second count for indicating second count, and at least a part of the scale 36 for mode display and the scale 37 for second count are alternately arranged. Therefore, the arrangement interval of each scale of the scale 36 for mode display and the scale 37 for second count can be widened, so that each scale can be displayed clearly and the user can easily recognize which scale the pointer 35 is pointing to.

[0024] For example, the mode indicator scale 36 is a scale indicated by the pointer 35, while the seconds count scale 37 is a scale not indicated by the pointer 35. By arranging the seconds count scale 37, which is not indicated by the pointer 35, between multiple scales of the mode indicator scale 36, which is indicated by the pointer 35, the user can easily recognize which scale the pointer 35 is pointing to.

[0025] Furthermore, by making the mode indicator scale 36 and the seconds counting scale 37 different in shape, for example, users can easily distinguish between the mode indicator scale 36 and the seconds counting scale 37, thereby preventing users from misinterpreting the scales.

[0026] Furthermore, by using different colors for the mode indicator scale 36 and the seconds count scale 37, users can easily distinguish between the two scales, thus preventing users from misinterpreting the scales.

[0027] Furthermore, the multiple mode indicator scales 36 are positioned so as not to be symmetrical with respect to the pointer axis O2 (rotation axis) of the pointer 35 that points to the mode indicator scales 36. This ensures that even when using a pointer 35 with a tip 35a and a rear end 35b of roughly the same length, the user can reliably recognize which scale the pointer 35 is pointing to.

[0028] Furthermore, by making the tip 35a of the pointer 35 pointed and the rear end 35b not pointed, it becomes easier for the user to distinguish between the tip 35a and the rear end 35b of the pointer 35.

[0029] Furthermore, each of the seconds counting scales 37 is positioned so that it does not overlap with the pointer 35, at least partially, when the pointer 35 is pointing to the mode display scale 36, allowing the user to see the seconds counting scales 37 regardless of which mode the pointer 35 is indicating.

[0030] Furthermore, since the seconds count scale 37 indicates the seconds count by lighting up or turning off, the user can recognize what the seconds count scale 37 indicates even when it is close to the pointer 35 and the mode display scale 36.

[0031] The description in the above embodiment is merely a preferred example of the clock 1 according to the present invention, and is not limited thereto.

[0032] For example, in the above embodiment, the first scale is a scale 36 for displaying the mode and the second scale is a scale 37 for counting seconds, but these are just examples and are not particularly limited.

[0033] Furthermore, the detailed configuration and operation of clock 1 can also be modified as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0034] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but is determined based on the claims. Furthermore, equivalent scopes of the present invention that have been modified from the claims but are not related to the essence of the present invention are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0035] 1 Clock, 3 Dial, 35 Hands, 36 Mode indicator scale, 37 Second count scale

Claims

1. Multiple first scale divisions to indicate the content of the first type, Multiple second scales for displaying content of a second type different from the first type, It has, At least a portion of the multiple first scales and the multiple second scales are arranged alternately. A dial characterized by the following features.

2. The first division is the division indicated by the pointer, The second scale is a scale that is not indicated by the pointer. The dial according to feature 1.

3. The first and second scales have different shapes. The dial according to feature 1.

4. The first and second scale divisions are different colors. The dial according to feature 1.

5. The multiple first scales are positioned so as not to be symmetrical with respect to the axis of rotation of the pointer. The dial according to claim 2.

6. The tip of the aforementioned guideline is pointed, while the rear end is not pointed. The dial according to claim 2.

7. The tip of the pointer is of a length that overlaps with the first scale, and the rear end is of a length that does not overlap with the first scale. The dial according to claim 2.

8. The second scale is positioned such that, when the pointer is pointing to the first scale, it does not overlap with at least a portion of the pointer. The dial according to claim 2.

9. The second scale indicates the content of the second type of display by being lit or extinguished. The dial according to feature 1.

10. The content of the first type of display is mode information, and the content of the second type of display is time information. The dial according to feature 1.

11. A dial according to any one of claims 1 to 10, Guidelines and, A watch equipped with [a specific feature / ability].

Images