Time Display Device Using Color LED Projection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional time display devices using fluorescent materials face issues with temporary light emission and annoying ticking sounds, which limit their effectiveness in displaying time, especially in low-light conditions.
Innovation Solution
A time display device featuring a concave timetable panel with an illuminant module comprising three color light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged vertically, controlled by a unit that projects distinct color light beams onto the panel to represent hours, minutes, and seconds, eliminating the need for pointers and overcoming the limitations of fluorescent materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If fluorescent materials are used in pointers to enable time display in the dark, then visibility in dark conditions is improved, but the light emission is temporary and limited, causing the time display to vanish after a while
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pointer system with fluorescent materials with an optical system using LED light sources. The illuminant module projects light beams directly onto the timetable panel to form visible image areas, eliminating reliance on temporary fluorescent glow and providing continuous illumination for time display.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the illumination parameter from temporary fluorescent emission to continuous LED light projection. By using three light emitting elements with different spectral characteristics that emit different color light beams, the system achieves sustained visibility with enhanced color differentiation for hour, minute, and second indicators.
2Reliability
If mechanical pointers are used to display time information, then time can be shown continuously, but annoying ticking sounds are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pointer movement system that generates ticking sounds with a static timetable panel and an optical projection system. The illuminant module projects light beams to form image areas at different positions on the panel, eliminating mechanical motion and associated noise while maintaining continuous time display capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using physical pointers that move and tick, the patent creates optical copies or image areas of time indicators on the timetable panel. The light beams form visual representations of time information without requiring physical movement, thus eliminating ticking sounds while preserving time display functionality.
3Loss of information
If three color light beams are projected onto the timetable panel to represent hour, minute and second, then time information becomes more detailed and readable, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines three light emitting elements with different spectral characteristics into a single integrat ed illuminant module. This merging approach allows the system to emit three different color light beams while maintaining a compact structure, balancing the need for detailed time information with device simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The illuminant module is designed with multi-functionality, where three light emitting elements serve multiple purposes: they provide illumination, create color-coded time indicators, and enable detailed time breakdown (hour, minute, second) simultaneously. This universal design reduces overall system complexity by combining multiple functions into a single module.
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
This solution provides continuous and reliable time display without the need for fluorescent materials and eliminates the annoying ticking sounds, ensuring accurate and readable time information in various lighting conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The illuminant module has three light emitting elements that are arranged in a vertical sequential order
Data Source
AI summary
A time display device which utilizes light beams to display time is disclosed. The time display device at least comprises a timetable panel, an illuminant module, a counter unit, and a control unit. When the counter unit sends a counting result to the control unit, the control unit controls the illuminant module to respectively emit three color light beams projected on the timetable panel through the shielding of at least one shielding structure to form three color image areas with different distances to represent a second, a minute and a hour corresponding to the counting result.