Dual-Purpose Scale Timepiece for Physical Quantity Visualization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional timepieces make it difficult to easily grasp both the starting time and current physical quantity information when casually looking at the time, especially for children, which reduces interest and efficient utilization of physical quantity data.

Innovation Solution

A timepiece with a dual-purpose scale that indicates both time and physical quantity, featuring a driving unit for hands to point to the scale, an acquisition unit for physical quantity data, and indicators to display this information on the scale, allowing for easy visualization of current and predicted quantities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If conventional timepiece displays are used, then time information is displayed clearly, but physical quantity information becomes difficult to grasp at a glance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvephysical quantity information visibilityVSAvoiddisplay structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines time information and physical quantity information into a single dual-purpose scale. The scale simultaneously displays time markers and physical quantity markers, allowing both types of information to be viewed together without requiring separate display structures. This merging approach resolves the contradiction by making physical quantity information visible at a glance while maintaining the existing timepiece display simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The dual-purpose scale serves multiple functions: it acts as both a time indicator and a physical quantity indicator. By making the scale universal for both purposes, the patent eliminates the need for additional complex display mechanisms while ensuring that physical quantity information is as easily graspable as time information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of information

If separate displays for time and physical quantity are used, then both information types are visible, but the starting time reference becomes unclear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestarting time information visibilityVSAvoidinformation interpretation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By merging time and physical quantity references into a single dual-purpose scale, the patent ensures that the starting time reference is clearly indicated alongside the physical quantity information. The scale provides a unified reference system where both the starting time and current physical quantity can be easily correlated without requiring separate display interpretations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If digital displays are used for physical quantity, then precise data is shown, but visual engagement especially for children decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvephysical quantity data precisionVSAvoiduser interest and engagement
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs color-coded markers on the dual-purpose scale to represent different physical quantity levels. This visual approach using color variations maintains measurement precision while significantly enhancing visual engagement, particularly for children. The color-coded system transforms枯燥的数字数据 into visually appealing and easily interpretable information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentEP2624079B1Timepiece comprising scale for denoting both time and physical quantity
Publication Date: 2021.06.30 NIPPON TECH CO LTD
  • EP2624079B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2624079B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2624079B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

With conventional timepieces, it has not been possible to easily comprehend, with a casual glance at the time which the timepiece denotes, the time that will be treated as the starting point of a physical quantity which is denoted in association with said denoted time, or how large said physical quantity is at the present time. To solve the problem, a timepiece is provided, comprising; a dual-use scale for denoting time and a physical quantity to be described hereinafter; a pointer drive unit which drives pointers for indicating the dual-use scale in accordance with the time; a physical quantity acquisition unit which acquires information of a physical quantity, for which a prescribed time will be treated as a starting point thereof; and a physical quantity indicator drive unit which drives a physical quantity indicator for denoting the size of the acquired physical quantity on the dual-use scale, with a scale location of the dual-use scale which the pointers indicate at the prescribed time being treated as a base location of the physical quantity.