Flip Watch Bezel With Rotating Upper Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing watches with bezels have limited functionality due to restricted printed readings on the bezel face, requiring replacement or a different watch to access additional functions like dual time, elapsed time, or tachymeter functions.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable bezel assembly with a lower bezel plate and a rotatively attached upper bezel plate, featuring hinges and detents for positioning, allowing two sets of indicia to be alternately visible, enabling the user to switch between different functions by rotating the upper bezel plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single bezel with limited printed readings is used, then the device structure remains simple, but the functionality and versatility are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The bezel is divided into two separate plates: a lower bezel plate that remains stationary and an upper bezel plate that can rotate. Each plate can carry different sets of indicia, allowing multiple functions to be displayed simultaneously or alternately, thus increasing versatility without requiring complete bezel replacement
Solution Approach 2:
The upper bezel plate is made rotatable relative to the lower bezel plate through hinge connections and detent mechanisms. This dynamic capability allows the user to switch between different indicia sets on the same bezel assembly, providing multiple functions (dual time, elapsed time, tachymeter, GMT) without increasing the number of physical bezels
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple bezels are provided for different functions, then the versatility increases, but the device complexity and the number of parts increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple bezel functions are merged into a single integrated bezel assembly consisting of an upper and lower plate. The upper bezel plate can rotate to display different sets of indicia (Arabic numbers, Roman numerals, tachymeter, time zone information), effectively combining what would traditionally require multiple separate bezels into one unified structure
Solution Approach 2:
The upper bezel plate is designed with multiple surfaces or sides, each carrying different sets of indicia for different functions. By rotating the upper plate, a single bezel assembly can serve multiple purposes: standard time display, dual time, elapsed time measurement, tachymeter calculations, and GMT functions, eliminating the need for multiple specialized bezels
Data Source
AI summary
A watch with an adjustable bezel is disclosed and claimed. The adjustable bezel is an assembly including a lower bezel plate that attaches to the watch face and an upper bezel plate that is adjustable attached to the lower bezel plate. The upper bezel plate is connected to the lower bezel plate such that it is moveable to be positioned atop either half of the lower bezel plate. The exposed surfaces of the upper and lower bezel plates contain indicia that cooperate to form a complete set that extends around the perimeter of the watch. By moving the upper bezel plate to the opposite side of the lower bezel plate, different surfaces of the bezel plates are exposed. These different surfaces contain a second set of cooperating indicia that is different from the first set. Thus, the present invention allows the user to easily adjust the multiple viewable indicia on the watch.