Electronic Watch Bezel Removal for Diving Display Readability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Diving watches with traditional bezels face challenges in displaying water depth and diving time due to reduced display area, making it difficult to read information effectively.

Innovation Solution

An electronic watch design that omits the bezel, using a polygonal case opening and multiple hands to indicate time, water depth, and diving time, with a pressure sensor and controller to determine water depth and elapsed time, ensuring a larger display area for easier readability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a bezel is provided with graduations for water depth and diving time, then the watch can display diving information, but the display area for time indication is reduced making it difficult to read

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediving information display capabilityVSAvoiddisplay area

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the bezel component entirely and replaces its functions with a digital display system. The bezel that previously provided water depth and diving time graduations is extracted from the mechanical structure, allowing the full dial area to be used for time indication while diving information is displayed through a separate window or digital interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical bezel system with a electronic/digital display system. Instead of using physical graduations on a rotating bezel, the watch uses a pressure sensor to detect water depth and an elapsed time counter to track diving duration, displaying this information electronically on the watch face.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Volume of moving object

If the display area is made smaller to suppress size increase, then the watch maintains compact dimensions, but the readability of time information deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewatch sizeVSAvoidreadability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the watch face into functional zones: a central analog time display area that maintains large size for readability, and a separate window or digital display area for water depth and diving time information. This segmentation allows the time display to remain prominent and readable while the overall watch maintains compact dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

Facilitates clear and easy reading of time, water depth, and diving time information without the constraints of a bezel, enhancing usability and visibility, especially in diving conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure measurement:

Data Source

PatentUS11921465B2Electronic watch

Publication Date: 2024.03.05 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

An electronic watch including an exterior case including an opening, a crystal disposed in the opening, an hour hand and a minute hand that indicate the time of day, a dial including an indicium, a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure, and a controller configured to determine a water depth based on the output from the pressure sensor, indicate the water depth with the hour hand, and indicate an elapsed time with the minute hand, the elapsed time being time elapsed after the predetermined water depth value is exceeded.