Optical Guide with Sequentially Illuminated Extractors for Watch Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing timepieces with optical valves for displaying decorative patterns are costly to manufacture and complex in terms of electrical connections, making them unsuitable for low-cost, general public devices.
Innovation Solution
A timepiece with an optical device featuring a light source and optical extractors with predefined geometrical features, including reflective or refractive surfaces, that form figurative images by reflecting or refracting light, reducing manufacturing costs and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an optical valve with liquid crystal cell and transparent electrodes is used to display decorative patterns, then the decorative pattern can be displayed with transparent/black states, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex liquid crystal cell and transparent electrode components from the optical system. Instead, it uses a simple light guide plate with integrated optical extractors that can be manufactured as a single piece, removing the need for separate electrode deposition processes and complex assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, complex optical valve components with simpler, cheaper optical extractors made from standard light guide plate materials. These extractors can be manufactured using conventional molding techniques rather than requiring precise electrode deposition and liquid crystal filling processes.
2Device complexity
If an optical valve with liquid crystal cell is used to display decorative patterns, then the decorative pattern can be displayed with transparent/black states, but the electrical connection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the electrical connection requirements entirely by eliminating the liquid crystal cell and its control electrodes. The optical extractors are passively controlled by light injection, requiring no electrical wiring, connectors, or power management circuits for the display elements themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electrical control mechanism (electrodes controlling liquid crystal orientation) with an optical control mechanism (light injection controlling extractor illumination). This substitution eliminates the need for electrical connections while maintaining the ability to control the display state.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple optical extractors are arranged on the light guide plate, then multiple figurative images can be formed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs optical extractors with universal geometrical features (reflective surfaces, refractive surfaces, or combinations) that can be arranged in various patterns to create multiple different figurative images. The same basic extractor design can serve multiple display functions by changing its position and orientation on the light guide plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the light guide plate into multiple zones with different extractor arrangements, where each zone can form independent figurative images. This segmentation allows complex displays to be broken down into simpler, manageable extractor groups that can be manufactured and positioned separately.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution allows for the creation of attractive, illuminated decorative patterns at a lower cost, with options for multi-colored and animated displays, while maintaining an aesthetic appearance and efficient energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
each of the extractors having predefined geometrical features including at least one reflective surface... the light source... emit light inside the optical guide and cooperate with the reflective surfaces to form the figurative image directly defined as a function of the geometrical features of the extractors, by reflecting light onto the reflective surfaces
Implementation Method 2
Alternatively, the optical extractors could each include at least one refractive surface, as the light extractor surface, instead of the reflective surface... so that it is refracted onto the refractive surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed a timepiece (40) including optical means for forming a decorative pattern, in the form of a figurative image, in response to an action by the user. The optical means forming a figurative image include an optical guide (1, 51) having two large faces (10, 11) and at least one lateral face (12). Optical extractors (19) each having at least one light reflective surface (20) are arranged in at least one of the large faces (11). A light source (8, 8a, 8b, 8c) is arranged so as to emit light in the direction of the reflective surfaces (20), via the lateral face (12) of the optical guide. Thus, each of the reflective surfaces causes a reflected light beam to form in a well defined direction, the set of light beams forming a figurative image in that direction, which can typically be selected as the normal with respect to the mid-plane of the watch.