Lunar Calendar and Moon Phase Display Mechanism for Timepieces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing watch mechanisms that display lunar cycles and moon phases are often bulky, compromise on precision or readability, or require significant dial space, making them less appealing for compact and user-friendly designs.
Innovation Solution
A compact display mechanism that combines the display of lunar cycles and moon phases using a retrograde mobile with a colored strip and a circular window, allowing for precise and readable displays without occupying excessive dial space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional mechanism with a rotating Moon disc and mask is used to display moon phases, then the display precision is improved, but the device becomes bulky and occupies excessive dial space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the moon phase display function with the lunar calendar display function into a single integrated mechanism. The same rotating disc that displays the lunar calendar date also displays the moon phase through a window aperture, eliminating the need for separate display mechanisms and reducing the overall dial space required.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating disc serves multiple functions: it displays both the lunar calendar date and the moon phase simultaneously. This multi-functional design allows a single component to perform what would traditionally require separate mechanisms, thereby reducing the area occupied on the dial while maintaining display precision.
2Measurement precision
If the Moon disc and mask mechanism is made more precise, then the display accuracy is improved, but the mechanism becomes more complex and bulky
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the lunar calendar display and moon phase display into a single mechanism sharing a common rotating disc, the patent reduces the overall complexity of the system. Instead of having separate mechanisms for each function, the integrated design uses one disc with dual display purposes, simplifying the mechanical structure while maintaining accuracy.
3Area of stationary object
If a retrograde display mechanism is used to show lunar cycles, then the display compactness is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retrograde display function is integrated with the lunar calendar and moon phase display functions. The same rotating disc that provides the retrograde lunar cycle display also serves as the basis for the moon phase indicator, combining multiple functions into a single mechanism that maintains compactness without proportionally increasing complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a lunar date display mechanism (24) comprising a display hand (10) arranged to move along a lunar date indicator scale (12) in a maximum of thirty days. The mechanism (24) comprises a colored band (14) extending from one end of the indicator scale (12) to the other, parallel to the latter. The colored band (14) has a light portion (16) intended to illustrate at least partially the Moon, and a complementary dark portion (18). The proportion between said light (16) and dark (18) portions varies along the indicator scale (12) to take into account the changing appearance of the Moon as a function of the lunar date. The display hand (10) has a circular aperture (20) arranged to move along the colored band (14) and delimit a display portion thereon at each instant to show the phases. of the Moon.