With Time Indicia Shifting Means Patents (Class 368/231)
  • Patent number: 11822293
    Abstract: The invention relates to a watch having a variable dial, and more specifically a watch that provides the wearer with the possibility of partially changing the appearance of the dial. According to the invention, the watch has a dial (1) that has at least one opening (6, 7) occupied by a removable bezel (3, 5) and the watch further has a plurality of carrying arms (9, 10) disposed radially on a carousel (8), each arm end situated on the circumference carrying a bezel (3, 5) and the carousel (8) being able to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the dial (1) and passing through the center thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Inventor: Claude Chouet
  • Patent number: 11733652
    Abstract: A system (100) for displaying time or time derivative information, in particular a measured time, the system including a limb (10) comprising at least one modifiable graphic element (20a-f) forming time or time derivative reference information, a member (1) for indicating the time or time derivative information in cooperation with the limb, a device (2, 8, 22, 71) for modifying the graphic element, and a device (3, 4, 34) for resetting, by action of a user, to a predetermined configuration, in particular for resetting to zero, the time or time derivative information displayed by cooperation of the indication member and of the limb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: ROLEX SA
    Inventor: Ludovic Zbylut
  • Patent number: 10037005
    Abstract: A method displaying a series of sequential timekeeping periods on a timekeeping device includes, at a beginning of a time period, rotating an indicia dial in a first direction, and aligning a first set of indicia on the indicia dial with a corresponding set of apertures on a cloaking dial, thereby displaying a first 12-hour period of time on the timekeeping device. The method further includes, at an ending of the time period, rotating the indicia dial in a second direction opposite the first direction, and aligning a second set of indicia on the indicia dial with the corresponding set of outer dial apertures of the cloaking dial, thereby displaying a second 12-hour period of time on the timekeeping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Inventor: Donald J. Lecher
  • Patent number: 10012958
    Abstract: A time keeping assembly comprises a display configured to present at least a first display appearance and a second display appearance, the first display appearance corresponding to a first time period and, the second display appearance corresponding to a second time period. The first display appearance may also be associated with a color, such as red, while the second display appearance may also be associated with another color, such as blue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventor: Paul Antoney Gallimore
  • Patent number: 9880520
    Abstract: A dial including first indicia where each indicium of the first indicia is disposed on the dial at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to adjacent first indicia, and wherein the first indicia represent a first 12-hour period of time. The dial further including second indicia where each indicium of the second indicium is disposed on the dial at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to adjacent second indicia, and where the second indicia represents a second 12-hour period of time sequentially following the first 12-hour period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Donald J. Lecher
  • Patent number: 9836026
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a wall clock with changeable size comprising a clock base, a front cover, a dial, a framework assembly, a rear cover and a framework assembly disposed between the dial and the rear cover, in which the framework assembly comprises a central dish for displaying time, which is configured to be suitable for passing through one of the holes of the dial; a plurality of arms, each of which is configured to be retractable in a length direction thereof, and has one end being secured to the central dish; and a plurality of fixing members for the arms, mounted removably and radially at different positions of the other end of the respective arms so that the framework assembly can be fixed in the clock base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Inventor: Lai Fun Wan
  • Patent number: 9612577
    Abstract: A timekeeping device including a first dial including a plurality of first dial display regions, each of the plurality of first dial display regions disposed at an angle of 90-degrees with respect to each adjacent first dial display region and a center of the first dial, a second dial disposed adjacent the first dial and configured to rotate in two directions about a central axis of rotation of the second dial, and a set of two adjacent third dials disposed adjacent the second dial, each dial of the set of two adjacent third dials configured to rotate about a respective central axis of rotation, the set of two adjacent third dials each comprising indicia representing at least one value configured to represent a date of a month.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventor: Donald J. Lecher
  • Patent number: 9116506
    Abstract: A timepiece includes a timepiece movement provided with an information display mechanism driven from a power take-off. The display mechanism includes N display members for the information regularly distributed over a perimeter of the movement. The N display members are each pivoted on a drive arbour perpendicularly and can take different first and second radial positions in relation to the center of the movement. The display members are driven in succession over time by a common first annular jumping drive so that each display member changes in succession from the first position to the second position and is held in the second position until the end of a cycle in which all of the display members are in their second position. A second annular drive is arranged to reposition all of the display members in their first position at the start of the following cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Harry Winston SA
    Inventor: Ludovic Ballouard
  • Publication number: 20140269229
    Abstract: An analog timekeeping apparatus includes an hour hand, a minute hand, a disc including twelve or more of the digits 1 through 24 displayed thereon generally circumferentially with digits between 1 and 12 alternating with digits 13 between 24; a faceplate disposed over top of the disc, the faceplate comprising a plurality of openings configured to allow generally half of the numbers to be visible through the openings at one time; wherein the apparatus is configured to automatically transition from a first configuration displaying some or all digits between 1 and 12 to a second configuration displaying some or all digits between 13 and 24.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Ursula Boudreaux
  • Patent number: 8233356
    Abstract: Timepiece with an hour circle formed by a module placed around the movement. The module cover comprises openings at the position of each hour. Inside the module are rockers with decorations in two particular positions. An oscillating mass moves when the inclination of the plane of the timepiece changes and moves the rockers from one position to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Paul Hartzband
    Inventor: Andre Saunier
  • Patent number: 8213269
    Abstract: A timepiece includes: a frame (10) defining a housing designed to accommodate a timepiece movement; and a dial (14) positioned on the frame and defining a plane, the dial including at least one opening (16) whose dimensions are such as to allow at least one index (18) mounted rotationally on the frame to be seen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Paul Hartzband
    Inventor: André Saunier
  • Patent number: 8199612
    Abstract: Timepiece including indicator members actuated or not actuated by the movement. These indicator members are composed of movable hour marks represented by the faces of the studs (30, 40) mounted on staffs having planet wheels (34) driven by a rack (50). The faces of the studs carry stones of various colors. When the movement operates the rack, it determines the change of the hour marks. When operation by the movement is disengaged, manual control elements allow the hour marks appearing on the dial to be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Paul Hartzband
    Inventor: Hugues Jolidon
  • Patent number: 6525997
    Abstract: A wearable mobile computing device/appliance (e.g., a wrist watch) with a high resolution display that is capable of wirelessly accessing information from the network and a variety of other devices. The mobile computing device/appliance includes a user interface that includes software mechanisms for enabling watchface orientation in either of: circular and elliptical modes, and further to enable the further display of textual content in remaining portions of the display when in either circular and elliptical mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chanrasekhar Narayanaswami, Mandayam T. Raghunath
  • Patent number: 6496449
    Abstract: A clock having a time display and including a pressure-sensitive variable-conductance sensor for creating a varying analog value according to varying depression applied by a finger of a human user to the analog sensor. Multiple analog sensors are sometimes utilized. In one preferred embodiment the analog sensor(s) include resilient dome cap(s) for providing tactile feedback to the finger depressing the analog sensor. Circuitry within a housing is connected to the analog sensor for reading the varying analog value from the analog sensor and causing representative varying of the time value shown by the time display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Inventor: Brad A. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 5687140
    Abstract: A timepiece capable of selectively showing a before-noon display or an after-noon display. A cam (26) is driven by an hour wheel (10) and an intermediate wheel (12) to make one rotation a day in the counterclockwise direction. During before-noon hours, a lever (20) remains in contact with a larger diameter portion forming part of the cam (26). At 12.00 noon, the lever (30) reaches the transition point of the cam where the larger diameter portion merges into a smaller diameter portion. As the cam (26) further rotates in a direction of an arrow (FB), the lever (30) is instantaneously shifted from the larger diameter portion to the smaller diameter portion of the cam (26) by the action of a spring (34). The shift of the lever (30) is transferred to a movable dial plate (36) via a tooth section (31) provided at the end of the lever (30) and a switching groove (39), so that the dial plate (36) is rotated by a predetermined angle in a direction of an arrow (FC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Orient Watch Company Limited
    Inventors: Kiyose Sekine, Tetsushi Asao
  • Patent number: 5600836
    Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for processing date-dependent information in two-digit format where the dates are in one or two centuries. The system according to the invention includes time change interfaces that convert date data from local time to zone time so that all of the dates are in one century. An application processes the date data in zone time instead of local time. The date data output from the application after processing is represented in zone time and therefore is converted by a time change interface from zone time to local time. According to the inventive method, the two-digit years provided as inputs to the application are adjusted by either a time change value or a complement value. The time change value is the difference in years between local time and zone time. The complement value is the difference between one hundred years and the time change value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Turn of the Century Solution, Inc.
    Inventor: Harvey Alter
  • Patent number: 5124959
    Abstract: An hour chime clock has an hour-indicating hand and a plurality of display units disposed circumferentially around the hour-indicating hand at different hour positions. The display units are displaceable between two positions to display either an ornament or an hour numeral. At each hour, a melody chimes and the display units undergo a predetermined pattern of movements. After chiming the hour, the display unit at the present hour position is placed in a different display state from the display state of all the other display units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Seikosha Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamazaki, Teruo Takane, Kenji Oshima, Shigeru Shimozono, Shinya Tamura, Kunio Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 4993006
    Abstract: A timepiece having a housing and at least one decorative element mounted for rotation relative to the housing. The mounting comprises a rotary member supporting the decorative element and rotatably mounted on a shaft connected to the housing, a stationary gear mounted on the shaft, a drive motor mounted on the rotary member for rotation therewith, and a pinion for engaging the drive motor with the stationary gear to effect rotation of the decorative element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: Seikosha Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Oshima, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Shigeru Shimozono, Shinya Tamura
  • Patent number: 4953149
    Abstract: A two-speed battery powered quartz daylight saving clock operating for a first six months' period beginning on the shortest day of the year at two and one-half seconds per hour fast (fast time) and then being adjustable to operate for a second six months' period beginning on the longest day of the year at two and one-half seconds per hour slow (slow time) to complete each annual cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Inventor: Daniel Marvosh
  • Patent number: 4763311
    Abstract: The application discloses two time clocks interconnected by a transmission, one clock is driven by a 60 cycle synchronous motor for standard time which drives the second clock at fast time for six months then slow time for six months.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1988
    Inventor: Daniel Marvosh
  • Patent number: 4725714
    Abstract: A drip-type hot water feeder of a coffee maker incudes an electric heater for heating and boiling water fed from a water reservoir, and a timer for controlling the time for supplying an electric current to the heater to regulate the hot-water supply to a brewer. The timer has a manually movable control member for continuously variably setting the current supply time and a scale indicating the quantity of hot-water supply corresponding to the time set by the control member. Each mark of the scale has a predetermined width in the setting movement direction of the control member and includes a plurality of compensating indexes indicative of the adjustment of the control member necessary to compensate the set current supply time and thus the quantity of hot water to be supplied indicated by each mark for variations in cold water conditions influencing the time required for supplying a desired quantity of a hot water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1988
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Kanazawa Industries Co., Ltd., Koyusha Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Naya, Shinichi Takahashi, Masayuki Kuzumaki
  • Patent number: 4651147
    Abstract: A device for setting a numeric display (11) comprises a continuously turnable potentiometer (12) by which the setting area can be repeatedly passed through by turning in the same direction. The potentiometer and the display are connected to a computer (10), preferably a microcomputer. The computer is arranged to repeatedly sense the instantaneous resistance value of the potentiometer or a parameter representing said value. Further, the computer is arranged to store the first one (T.sub.1 high) of a series of measurement values and for each subsequent measurement value (T.sub.2 high) in the series to determine if the difference between the present and the first measurement value exceeds a reference value (T.sub.diff), in which case the display (11) is operated to increase or decrease its value by one step of a predetermined magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1987
    Assignee: AB Electrolux
    Inventors: Lars H. Wennersten, Mats I. Karrman