Dial and watch

Abstract

To provide a dial with a sheet-like decorative member that enables expression of stereographic effect and depth, and to provide a timepiece having the same.SOLUTION: A dial provided herein comprises a tabular base material and a sheet-like decorative member lying on a surface of the base material and comprising laminated multiple fibers, the decorative member having undulations formed on a surface thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Dials of clocks with various decorations are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a display plate in which Japanese paper is sandwiched between a translucent upper plate and a reflector.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the display plate as described above, since thin Japanese paper is used, it has been difficult to express a three-dimensional effect and depth.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a dial and a clock that can express a three-dimensional effect and depth by a sheet-like decorative member.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The dial according to the present invention has a plate-like base material and a sheet-like decorative member in which a plurality of fibers are laminated and arranged on the surface of the base material, and undulations are formed on the surface of the decorative member.

[0007] Moreover, in the dial according to the present invention, it is preferable that the undulations on the surface of the decorative member include undulations formed by bending the decorative member to deform a part of the fibers.

[0008] Furthermore, in the dial according to the present invention, it is preferable that the surface irregularities of the decorative member include irregularities formed by pressing a part of the decorative member and deforming a part of the fibers.

[0009] Furthermore, in the dial according to the present invention, it is preferable that the decorative member is a member that has been colored by being immersed in a liquid containing dye while the fibers are deformed.

[0010] Furthermore, in the dial according to the present invention, it is preferable that the decorative member is a member that has been colored by immersing in a liquid containing indigo as a dye.

[0011] Furthermore, in the dial according to the present invention, the decorative member is preferably made of paper.

[0012] Furthermore, in the dial according to the present invention, the decorative member is preferably made of Japanese paper.

[0013] Furthermore, it is preferable that the dial according to the present invention further includes a translucent protective plate that covers the surface of the decorative member.

[0014] Furthermore, in the dial according to the present invention, it is preferable that the decorative member has light-transmitting properties.

[0015] The clock according to the present invention is characterized by having a dial according to the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The dial and clock according to the present invention make it possible to express a sense of three-dimensionality and depth using a sheet-like decorative member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a plan view of clock 1. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of clock 1. [Figure 3] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the dial 13. [Figure 4]It is a diagram for explaining an example of a pattern expressed on the dial plate 13. [Figure 5] It is a diagram for explaining an example of a pattern expressed on the dial plate 13. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart showing the process of manufacturing the dial plate 13. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing the surface of the decorative member.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described while referring to the drawings. It should be noted that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to those embodiments, but extends to the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the clock 1 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the clock 1 taken along the II-II section of FIG. 1. The clock 1 is a solar-powered clock that operates by sunlight. The clock 1 includes an outer case 11, a windproof glass 12, a dial plate 13, hands 14, and a drive mechanism 15.

[0020] The outer case 11 houses each component of the clock 1. The outer case 11 has a cylindrical body portion 111, an annular bezel 112 provided at one opening of the body portion 111, and a back cover 113 that closes the other opening of the body portion 111. The outer case 11 is formed of stainless steel. The outer case 11 may be formed of other metals such as titanium or resin.

[0021] The windproof glass 12 is attached so as to be surrounded by the bezel 112 of the outer case 11. The windproof glass 12 has a disc shape and is formed of glass such as sapphire glass or mineral glass having translucency. The windproof glass 12 covers the dial plate 13, the hands 14, etc. so that they can be visually recognized from the outside of the clock 1.

[0022] The dial 13 is a flat, circular component on which hour markers H, such as numbers or bar indices, are formed, and which are indicated by the hands 14. The dial 13 is housed in the outer case 11 and is positioned between the hands 14 and the drive mechanism 15. The surface of the dial 13 (the side facing the crystal 12) is decorated with a predetermined pattern using the traditional Japanese indigo dyeing technique, as will be described later. In the example shown in Figure 1, a regular hexagonal pattern is depicted as the predetermined pattern. The structure of the dial 13 will be described later using Figure 3, so the details of the cross-sectional structure of the dial 13 are omitted in Figure 2.

[0023] The hands 14 include hour, minute, and second hands and indicate the time by pointing to the hour marker H on the dial 13. The hands 14 are connected to the drive mechanism 15 through through holes formed in the dial 13. The hands 14 are driven by rotational force transmitted from the drive mechanism 15.

[0024] The drive mechanism 15 is configured to drive the pointer 14 and includes a solar cell 16, a movement 17, a secondary battery 18, and an inner frame 19. In Figure 2, the details of the cross-sectional structure of the solar cell 16, movement 17, and secondary battery 18 are omitted.

[0025] The solar cell 16 generates electricity through the photoelectric effect and uses the generated electricity to charge the secondary battery 18. The solar cell 16 is positioned in front of the drive mechanism 15, facing the dial 13. The solar cell 16 generates electricity from light that enters the watch 1 and passes through the dial 13.

[0026] The movement 17 is configured to generate rotational force to drive the pointer 14, and includes, for example, a quartz oscillator, a stepping motor, and a gear train. The quartz oscillator generates a signal of a predetermined frequency when powered by a secondary battery 18. The stepping motor generates rotational force at a predetermined period based on the signal generated by the quartz oscillator. The gear train consists of multiple gears and transmits the rotational force generated by the stepping motor to the pointer 14 while changing the rotational speed.

[0027] The secondary battery 18 is a component for supplying power to the movement 17, and is, for example, a lithium-ion battery. The secondary battery 18 is charged by power supplied from the solar cell 16 via a charging circuit (not shown). The secondary battery 18 also supplies power to the quartz oscillator and other components of the movement 17 via a power supply circuit (not shown).

[0028] The inner frame 19 is made of resin or the like and holds the movement 17 and secondary battery 18 in place relative to the outer case 11 so that they do not move.

[0029] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the dial 13. In Figure 3, the front surface of the dial 13 is shown facing upwards, and the back surface of the dial 13 is shown facing downwards. The dial 13 comprises a base material 131, an adhesive 132, a decorative member 133, and a protective plate 134.

[0030] The base material 131 is formed in a flat plate shape from a translucent resin. Examples of translucent resins include polycarbonate, polyamide, and polyethylene. Preferably, the base material 131 is formed from a colorless, transparent resin. The base material 131 has a thickness of, for example, 100 μm.

[0031] Adhesive 132 adheres the surface of the base material 131 to the back surface of the decorative member 133. Adhesive 132 is, for example, a hot-melt adhesive containing ethylene vinyl acetate. In the example shown in Figure 4, the surface of the base material 131 and the back surface of the decorative member 133 are separated by adhesive 132, but part or all of the back surface of the decorative member 133 may be in contact with the surface of the base material 131.

[0032] The decorative member 133 is a sheet-like member made of multiple fibers, such as plant fibers, laminated together. The decorative member 133 is, for example, paper (referring to Japanese paper and Western paper) in which multiple fibers are irregularly arranged and laminated together. Preferably, the decorative member 133 is Japanese paper in which multiple fibers are irregularly intertwined and laminated together. The decorative member 133 has light-transmitting properties because it transmits light through the gaps between the fibers. Compared to Western paper, Japanese paper has many gaps between the multiple fibers, so if the decorative member 133 is Japanese paper, the transmittance of light incident on the clock 1 increases, improving the power generation efficiency of the solar cell 16. In addition, if the decorative member 133 is Japanese paper, the roughness and intertwined texture characteristic of Japanese paper improve the aesthetic appearance of the clock 1. The decorative member 133 may also be a cloth laminated by weaving together multiple fibers bundled in a thread-like manner. If the decorative member 133 is Japanese paper, the decorative member 133 has a thickness of, for example, 30-50 μm.

[0033] The surface of the decorative member 133 has undulations. These undulations include not only those that are generally present in the decorative member 133, but also those formed by deforming some of the fibers of the decorative member 133. For example, the undulations on the surface of the decorative member 133 include those formed by bending the decorative member 133 and deforming some of the fibers. The undulations on the surface of the decorative member 133 may also include those formed by pressing a part of the surface of the decorative member 133 and deforming some of the fibers. In this way, a three-dimensional effect and depth can be expressed with the sheet-like decorative member 133. Washi paper, an example of a decorative member 133, has fibers that are irregularly intertwined and laminated, so generally, small undulations with a height difference of 5 μm or less are formed on its surface. However, by bending or pressing washi paper, large undulations with a height difference of 10 μm or more can be formed.

[0034] The surface texture of the decorative component 133 may include textures formed using a technique called shibori, which is used to create patterns in indigo dyeing. In the shibori technique, the decorative component 133 is colored by immersing it in a solution containing indigo as a dye while the fibers are deformed.

[0035] For example, in the folding tie-dyeing technique, the decorative member 133 is folded and immersed in a liquid containing indigo as a dye. Since the dye does not easily penetrate the areas corresponding to the folds, colored and uncolored areas are formed in a geometric arrangement depending on the folding method, and a pattern is expressed. At this time, as the decorative member 133 is folded, the fibers in the areas corresponding to the folds are deformed, and undulations are formed on the surface of the decorative member 133. In another technique, the board-clamping tie-dyeing technique, the decorative member 133 is sandwiched and pressed between boards of a predetermined shape and immersed in a liquid containing indigo as a dye. Since the dye does not easily penetrate the areas pressed by the boards, colored and uncolored areas are formed in an arrangement where the colored areas surround the uncolored areas corresponding to the shape of the boards, and a pattern is expressed. At this time, as a part of the decorative member 133 is pressed, the fibers in the pressed area are deformed so that the pressed area becomes thinner, and undulations are formed on the surface of the decorative member 133. By doing so, during the process of coloring the decorative member 133, undulations are easily formed on the surface of the decorative member 133.

[0036] The protective plate 134 is formed in a flat shape from a translucent resin so that the decorative member 133 is visible to the user, and is positioned to cover the upper surface of the decorative member 133. Examples of translucent resins include polycarbonate, polyamide, and polyethylene. Preferably, the protective plate 134 is made of a colorless, transparent resin. The protective plate 134 has a thickness of, for example, 100 μm.

[0037] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a pattern displayed on the dial 13.

[0038] The decorative member 133 has a colored area 133a and an uncolored area 133b. The decorative member 133 is colored by indigo dyeing. That is, the decorative member 133 is colored by immersing it in a liquid containing indigo as a dye. This enhances the aesthetic appearance of the clock 1 with the characteristic hue of indigo.

[0039] The dial 13 expresses a predetermined pattern by the arrangement of colored areas 133a and uncolored areas 133b of the decorative member 133. In the example shown in Figure 4, the colored area 133a has a region C1 at the center of the decorative member 133 and its vicinity, three straight line regions L1-L3 extending from the center toward the outer periphery, and a region E1 along the outer periphery. As a result, a regular hexagonal pattern, as shown in Figure 1, is expressed on the dial 13.

[0040] The solar cell 16, positioned opposite the dial 13, has a plurality of cell sections 161 that generate power by the photoelectric effect, and a connecting section 162 that connects the plurality of cell sections 161. The decorative member 133 has a colored area 133a positioned to cover the connecting section 162 when the dial 13 is housed in the outer case 11. That is, when the dial 13 is housed in the outer case 11, the connecting section 162 faces the colored area 133a. In the example shown in Figure 4, the connecting section 162 has a region D1 near the center of the solar cell 16, three linear regions M1-M3 extending from the center toward the outer periphery, and a region F1 along the outer periphery. Region C1 of the decorative member 133 covers region D1 of the connecting section 162, regions L1-L3 of the decorative member 133 cover regions M1-M3 of the connecting section 162 respectively, and region E1 of the decorative member 133 is positioned to cover region F1 of the connecting section 162. Furthermore, the uncolored region 133b is positioned to cover the cell portion 161.

[0041] In this way, by positioning the colored area 133a to cover the connection portion 162 of the solar cell 16, the connection portion 162 becomes less visible through the dial 13, thus preventing a decrease in the appearance quality of the watch 1 due to the use of the decorative member 133. That is, since the cell portion and the connection portion of the solar cell are made of different materials, their textures and colors differ from each other. Therefore, there was a risk that the connection portion, which has partially different textures and colors, could be seen through the dial, thus degrading the appearance quality of the watch. In particular, when a member made of multiple laminated fibers was used as a decorative member, there was a risk that the connection portion would become more visible due to the gaps between the fibers.

[0042] In contrast, in the dial 13, the decorative member 133 is positioned such that the colored area 133a covers the connecting portion 162. Because the light transmittance of the colored area 133a is low, the connecting portion 162 is concealed, preventing a deterioration in the appearance quality of the watch 1. The connecting portion 162 is an example of a concealed portion on the front of the drive mechanism.

[0043] Furthermore, by arranging the uncolored region 133b, which has a high light transmittance, to cover the cell portion 161 of the solar cell 16, much of the light incident on the clock 1 reaches the cell portion 161, thereby improving the power generation efficiency of the solar cell 16. Note that the uncolored region 133b is not limited to a region that is not colored at all, and may include a region where the degree of coloring is less than that of the colored region 133a. Generally, the uncolored decorative member 133 is white or a similar color. In this case, the uncolored region 133b includes a region with a higher brightness than the colored region 133a.

[0044] Figure 5 illustrates another example of a pattern expressed on the dial 13. In the example shown in Figure 5, the colored area 133a has a central area C2 and its vicinity, six linear areas L4-L9 extending from the center outward, and an area E2 along the outer periphery. This creates a pattern consisting of the sides and diagonals of a regular hexagon. The connection portion 162 of the solar cell 16 has a central area D1 of the solar cell 16, three linear areas M1-M3 extending from the center outward, and an area F1 along the outer periphery, similar to the example shown in Figure 4.

[0045] Region C2 of the decorative member 133 covers region D1 of the connection portion 162, regions L4, L6, and L8 of the decorative member 133 cover regions M1-M3 of the connection portion 162 respectively, and region E2 of the decorative member 133 is positioned to cover region F1 of the connection portion 162. Regions L5, L7, and L9 of the decorative member 133 are positioned to cover the cell portion 161. In this way, the colored region 133a may be positioned to cover the connection portion 162 and a part of the cell portion 161. In this case as well, the connection portion 162 is prevented from being seen through the dial 13, improving the aesthetic appearance of the watch 1. In addition, since a part of the cell portion 161 is covered by the uncolored region 133b, the power generation efficiency of the solar cell 16 is improved to some extent.

[0046] Furthermore, the patterns displayed on the dial 13 are not limited to the examples shown in Figures 4 and 5, and may be arbitrarily determined based on the shape of the connection portion 162 of the solar cell 16.

[0047] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing process for the dial 13. The following description explains the manufacturing method when the decorative element 133 is made of Japanese paper, but the manufacturing method is similar when the decorative element 133 is any sheet-like material made of multiple layers of fibers.

[0048] First, washi paper is prepared as a decorative element 133 (step S11). The washi paper prepared is larger than the dial 13, for example, A4 size.

[0049] Next, ridges are formed on the surface of the decorative member 133 (step S12). The decorative member 133 is folded into a predetermined shape so that a predetermined pattern can be expressed when it is colored. The decorative member 133 may also be sandwiched between plates of a predetermined shape so that a predetermined pattern can be expressed when it is colored. These steps create ridges on the surface of the decorative member 133.

[0050] Next, the decorative member 133 is dyed (step S13). The decorative member 133 is immersed in a solution containing indigo, and then colored by the oxidation of the indigo in the air. The coloring may be repeated multiple times until the color of the colored area 133a reaches the desired intensity. The colored decorative member 133 is then dried in the air.

[0051] Furthermore, before step S12 or S13, a waterproof konjac paste may be applied to one side of the decorative member 133. This improves the water resistance of the decorative member 133 and makes it less likely to tear when immersed in a liquid containing dye.

[0052] Next, the decorative member 133 is bonded to the base material 131 (step S14). The adhesive 132 is applied to the surface of the base material 131 while heated, and the decorative member 133 is positioned so as to cover the adhesive 132. After that, the adhesive 132 is cooled. This bonds the decorative member 133 to the base material 131.

[0053] In step S14, it is preferable that the adhesive 132 is applied so that it is thinner than the thickness of the decorative member 133. This makes it difficult for the adhesive 132 to impregnate the surface of the decorative member 133, so that the swell and three-dimensional effect of the fibers of the decorative member 133 is visible, improving the aesthetic appearance of the watch 1.

[0054] Next, the base material 131 and the decorative member 133 are cut into a circular shape, which is the shape of the dial 13 (step S15). Preferably, the base material 131 and the decorative member 133 are cut by irradiating them with laser light. This makes it less likely for fibers to fray on the outer periphery of the decorative member 133 compared to when they are cut by pressing or the like. Alternatively, the base material 131 and the decorative member 133 may be prepared in advance, already cut to the shape of the dial 13. In this case, step S15 is omitted.

[0055] Next, the protective plate 134 is positioned to cover the upper surface of the decorative member 133 (step S16). This completes the manufacturing of the dial 13. Alternatively, adhesive may be applied to the surface of the decorative member 133 to bond the decorative member 133 to the protective plate 134. This prevents the protective plate 134 from separating from the decorative member 133.

[0056] Figure 7 shows the dial 13 according to the embodiment with the protective plate 134 removed. Figure 7 shows the decorative member 133 that has been colored by folding and pressing. As shown in Figure 7, a part of the decorative member 133 is raised due to being folded, forming a large undulation.

[0057] As described above, the dial 13 has a plate-shaped base material 131 and a sheet-like decorative member 133 made of multiple laminated fibers arranged on the surface of the base material 131, with an uneven surface formed on the surface of the decorative member 133. This makes it possible for the dial 13 to express a sense of three-dimensionality and depth through the sheet-like decorative member.

[0058] Furthermore, the surface irregularities of the decorative member 133 are formed by bending the decorative member 133 or by pressing a portion of the upper surface of the decorative member 133, thereby deforming a portion of the fibers. This makes it easy to form irregularities on the surface of the decorative member 133.

[0059] Furthermore, the decorative member 133 is colored by immersing it in a dye-containing solution while the fibers are deformed. This allows for the formation of surface irregularities on the decorative member 133 during the coloring process.

[0060] Furthermore, the decorative component 133 is colored by immersing it in a solution containing indigo as a dye. This enhances the aesthetic appearance of the clock 1 with the characteristic hue of indigo.

[0061] Furthermore, the decorative member 133 is made of paper. As a result, the undulations formed on the surface of the decorative member 133 are preserved as deformations of the fibers, thus preserving the three-dimensional effect and depth of the decorative member 133 over a long period of time.

[0062] Furthermore, the decorative component 133 is made of Japanese paper (washi). This enhances the aesthetic appeal of the clock 1, as it provides a texture unique to washi, such as a rough surface and intertwined fibers.

[0063] Furthermore, the dial 13 has a translucent protective plate 134 that covers the upper surface of the decorative member 133. This prevents the fibers of the decorative member 133 from fraying and detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the watch 1, or from becoming entangled with the hands 14 and affecting the movement of the hands 14.

[0064] Furthermore, the decorative component 133 is translucent. This improves the power generation efficiency of the solar cell 16 in the clock 1.

[0065] The embodiments of clock 1 are not limited to the examples described above. For example, clock 1 may be implemented using the following modifications.

[0066] In the above description, the clock 1 is assumed to be a solar-powered clock having a solar cell 16, but it may also be a quartz clock or a mechanical clock without a solar cell 16. In this case, the decorative member 133 may have a colored area 133a that covers the inner frame 19 as a concealed part on the front of the drive mechanism 15. Alternatively, the decorative member 133 may have a colored area 133a that covers the rotating parts of the movement 17 exposed on the front of the drive mechanism 15 as a concealed part on the front of the drive mechanism 15. Furthermore, if the clock 1 does not have a solar cell 16, the base material 131 does not need to be light-transmitting.

[0067] In the above explanation, the dial 13 is assumed to have a protective plate 134, but this is not the only example. The dial 13 does not need to have a protective plate 134. This allows the depth and three-dimensionality of the decorative element 133 to be more directly perceived by the user.

[0068] In the above description, the decorative member 133 is assumed to be colored by indigo dyeing, but the example is not limited to this, and it may be colored by any dye or pigment in any way.

[0069] In the above description, the decorative member 133 is assumed to have a colored region 133a and an uncolored region 133b, but it is not limited to this example. The decorative member 133 may not have an uncolored region 133b and may only have a colored region 133a. That is, the entire surface of the decorative member 133 may be colored. Since the decorative member 133 transmits light through the gaps in the fibers, the power generation efficiency of the solar cell 16 can be maintained to some extent even in this case. Furthermore, the decorative member 133 may not have a colored region 133a and may only have an uncolored region 133b.

[0070] In the above explanation, the dial 13 was assumed to be circular, but this is not the only example. The dial 13 may be any shape, such as a polygon, depending on the design of the watch 1.

[0071] The above description described an embodiment relating to a clock face, but the present invention is not limited to such examples. The present invention may be applied to any display panel.

[0072] Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing the scope of the present invention. For example, the embodiments and modifications described above may be combined as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0073] 1 Clock 13 Dial 131 Base material 133 Decorative components 134 Protection plate

Claims

1. A plate-shaped base material, The substrate has a sheet-like decorative member, which is made up of multiple layers of fibers, arranged on the surface of the substrate. The surface of the decorative member has an uneven surface, The aforementioned undulations include a first undulation and a second undulation with different elevation differences. The first undulation is an undulation formed without deforming the fibers, The second undulation is an undulation formed by deforming a part of the fiber. A dial characterized by the following features.

2. The second undulation on the surface of the decorative member is an undulation formed by pressing the decorative member and deforming a portion of the fibers. The dial according to claim 1.

3. The decorative member is a member that has been colored by immersing the fibers in a dye-containing solution while they are deformed. The dial according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The decorative member is a member that has been colored by being immersed in a liquid containing indigo as the dye. The dial according to claim 3.

5. The decorative member is made of paper. The dial according to any one of claims 1-4.

6. The decorative member is made of Japanese paper. The dial according to claim 5.

7. The decorative member further comprises a translucent protective plate that covers the surface of the decorative member. The dial according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The decorative member has light-transmitting properties. A dial according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A clock having the dial according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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