Abstract: A power conserving electronic parking meter system for receiving at least one type of payment element.

Abstract: A wrist watch (1) is provided with a cover member (3) attached to a wrist watch case (2) by a coupling portion (3) in a openable/closable manner. A liquid crystal display device (4) to display time is incorporated in the cover member (3). A retaining section (7) for retaining a disk-like data memory is provided on the upper surface of the wrist watch case (2). The data memory in the .retaining section (7) is securely held with the cover member (3) closed. Data in the disk memory (9) is read and processed by the electronic circuitry (2b) of a watch, and is sent to the liquid crystal display device (4) via a flexible circuit board (2e). The data is then converted into a time which is in turn displayed. The data memory can therefore be very easily attached or detached, and is securely held. The wrist watch itself can be made compact. Replacing the data memory with another one can provide advantages such as displaying various types of data.

Abstract: A clock display mechanism including circular discs or rings which rotate within a fixed circular plane or ring to indicate minutes and hours by providing that one rotating indicator disc or ring acts as a geometrical link between the indication of minutes and the indication of hours.

Abstract: A clock dial having a minute face, an hour face with a smaller diameter than the minute face, and a minute hand rotatable relative to the minute face. The minute face has a central axis for rotating the minute hand. The hour face is geared relative to the central axis such that one revolution of the minute hand moves the hour face for less than one full revolution. The central axis has a first gear extending therearound. This first gear engages gear teeth formed on an outer edge of the hour face. A motor is connected to the central axis on a side of the minute face opposite the hour face. The hour face is geared to the minute hand such that one revolution of the minute hand moves the hour face approximately 1/12 of a revolution. The minute face has a set of indicia representative of minutes. The hour face has a set of indicia representative of hours.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a display device for a vehicle which assures that visual recognizability can be improved by using a circular disc-shaped pointer while the pointer and characters, calibrations or the like on a dial overlap each other. A circular disc-shaped pointer composed of a polarized plate and including a slit-shaped indicating portion radially extending from the central part and the outer peripheral part of the pointer is arranged in front of a dial composed of a polarizing plate and having characters, calibrations or the like placed thereon. In addition, a light source is arranged behind the dial so as to illuminate the pointer with the light beam emitted therefrom. A movement is disposed at the central part of the light source to turn the pointer.

Abstract: A timepiece made up of a rotating hour plate and a rotating minute plate, a portion of the minute plate showing through a window formed through a fixed plate separating the two plates. Time of day is indicated by hour indicia on the hour plate adjacent the window with the minute is indicated through the window. An additional rotating seconds plate may be provided. The timepiece may be a twenty-four hour clock. Since both the hour and minute plates rotate, hour and minute indica are strategically positioned so that the timepiece is accurate. Various configurations of timepiece plates are shown.

Abstract: An all analog timepiece having a face with a center-point and a periphery and a single distinguishable time indicating hand rotatably mounted to the face at a periphery point. The single hand rotates about the periphery point at a first rate while the face rotates about its center-point at a second rate. Time is indicated by the relative direction indicated by the single hand with respect to a first reference point and simultaneously, the relative position of the periphery point about the center-point with respect to a second reference point.

Abstract: An indicating mechanism is described. The mechanism is ideally suited for the indication of time but is also applicable to other indicating functions where changing information must be displayed. The mechanism is composed of a flexible belt bearing indicia and three supportive discs. As the discs are caused to rotate, the belt and any indicia on it will rotate. This rotation will be apparent to users who see or touch the indicia on the belt, thus providing an indicating function. The unique geometry of the belt gives two full circular discoidal surfaces for decoration. Typically only one of these surfaces will be visible to users as the other is disposed directly below it. This arrangement allows times within each 12 hour period in the 24 hour day cycle to be indicated uniquely while maintaining the conventional location of each AM and PM hour's representation of the clock face.

Abstract: A timer for teaching young children the concept of time is described. The timer includes a timing mechanism contained within a housing having a timer dial and activity selector. The timer dial permits selection of a duration of predetermined length and includes an indicator which moves in relation to a time scale to graphically illustrate the change in duration of length. The activity selector permits display of a graphic representation of the activity being timed or for which the child is waiting.

Abstract: The motor driving a minute-indicator in a down counting operation which must count a finite duration is stopped when the terminal post of its control circuit is connected to "earth" potential by an electric line. A seconds-hand, rotating in synchronism with a minute-indicator, effects several revolutions during the counting operation. It is rigid with an elastic arm which, at each revolution, slides on a part of the circuit, connecting the latter to earth. This produces however stopping of the motor only at the last revolution of the seconds-hand, when a contact switch mounted in series with the sliding switch is also closed under the action of a control pin acting on an elastic blade. This pin is carried by a manually operable rocking lever which is provided with a toothed sector meshing with a pinion rigid with the minute-indicator.

Abstract: An improved clock display consists of a disc hour hand with the indicator being the minute hand which is located at a position remote for the axis of the dial. The minute hand rotates on the hour disk. Time is determined by the relative position of the minute hand about the conventional time display (hour) and the position of the minute hand about its axis (minutes).

Abstract: An analog style electronic watch employing an IC controlled electromagnetic system for driving concentrically mounted second, minute and hour ring indicators. Each ring has a plurality of equidistantly spaced permanent magnetic elements which enable the ring to be incrementally indexed by pulsed electromagnets. No gears or wheels are used. The electromagnets drive mechanism responds to clock pulses from the IC which supplies a core-wound electromagnet having asymmetric north-south poles for developing attractive and repulsive forces with respective to pairs of permanent magnet element on said rings. Asymmetry is achieved by varying the cross-sectional area of the core along the poles. The direction of ring rotation may be reversed by changing the direction of current flow in the winding.

Abstract: An clock has separate rotary dials and separate stationary hands for indicating separate units of time. The dials are rotated at speeds representative of different units of time, such as seconds, minutes and hours, while the hands are maintained stationary. The rotary dials are suspended vertically from one another, and the hands are kept stationary using a counter-balancing weight or the like.

Abstract: A time indicator for a clock or watch that has a watch plate and at least two time-indicating elements that are at least partially superimposed over one another and are driven by centrally and coaxially disposed drive elements. The time-indicating elements are formed by disks or dials that are of the same or different sizes, rotate about centrally disposed shafts, and are disposed in different planes. To indicate time, the dials are provided with openings, indicators, or colors that cover or optically suppress all other information that at any given time is not necessary for reading off that time.

Abstract: Timepiece of the analog type, in which the hour hands are replaced by two coaxial disks which are split radially and bent helically and which are arranged in such a way that each passes between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the other in the direction of rotation. One disk makes one revolution in twelve hours, the other disk being retained by a stop, then three is an exchange of the disks, and a second thereafter makes one resolution in twelve hours, the first being retained. One edge of each disk thus performs, each in its turn, the function of the hour hand. The mechanism comprises a driver, which is carried by a barrel coaxial relative to the disks and which is axially movable relative to this barrel, and a retaining stop which is preferably movable axially, but without being rotatable.

Abstract: The timepiece comprises a movement (1) that rotatably drives at least an hours-hand before a dial (5). The dial (5) is formed with at least one display aperture (g1). Signs (s1, s2), which respectively represents the numbers of the hours shown by the hours-hand when the latter is in the same angular position as the display aperture (g1) a.m. and p.m., are arranged on a disc (6) which is located beneath the dial (5) and which is driven by a mechanism (7) that is connected to the movement (1). This mechanism (7) is so designed that the first and second signs (s1, s2) appear in the display aperture (g1), one a.m. (ante meridiem), the other p.m. (post meridiem). To simplify its construction, the mechanism (7) is so designed that the disc (6) will always be rotated in the same direction.

Abstract: A wrist watch with hour and minute hands in the form of rotatable circular films, having an electrostatic shielding device which grounds a glass of the watch through a back cover of the watch, to eliminate static electricity produced in the glass. Also, because of the use of thin rotatable circular films for the minute and hour hands, the thickness of the watch can be considerably reduced.

Abstract: A timer advantageously in the form of a wristwatch and is combined with the time indicating function of the watch. The timer comprises a setting device enabling an accumulator to be loaded through the medium of a position transducer. The movement of the setting device being a stepwise one, each of its shifts enables a pulse to be generating which corresponds to a number of reference periods supplied by a time base. The accumulator is counted down by the time base and, when the accumulator is empty, a warning signal generating device is triggered.

Abstract: The rotor of a stepping motor which rotates quickly by 180.degree. after the elapse of every second is provided with an ornamental disc at the end of the rotor spindle that is directed toward the timepiece's face. The disc may be disposed above the face, where it must be arranged in such a manner that it does not interfere with the paths of the hands. Alternatively, the disc may lie below the face, with at least one window being provided in the face so as to expose part of the disc. The design on the disc is such that the portion visible in the window changes suddenly every second. For example the design on the disc may be formed of two halves of contrasting color, one of which may be a luminescent color, a fluorescent color, or a luminous color. The device then has the same effect as a blinking light.

Abstract: Movement for a wrist watch, having at least one rotatable minute disc, a drive connection between the toothed disc edge and a drive pinion, being reliably and positively maintained in that the disc is mounted with clearance and capable of tilting, in that simple guide pins for the disc edge are provided on both sides of the disc in the region of the drive connection between the pinion and the disc. For example, one guide pin may be provided on each side of the minute disc. Alternatively, one pin is provided on one side of the disc and two additional guide pins lie opposite to this first pin on the other side of the disc.

Abstract: The back cover (51) of the watch case carries a middle-bezel and forms a plate. At its center there are superimposed and concentrically pivoted, respectively, a ratchet crown-wheel (1.6) inside which a mainspring is housed, driving a core (1.3) fast with an hour-disc (1.1) comprising a toothing on its periphery, and a transparent minute-disc (1.2) comprising also a toothing on its periphery. These discs mesh on the one hand with a drive train (2, 3, 4) by which the minute-disc is driven by the hour-disc and, on the other hand with a winding and time-setting mechanism both located outside of the discs and at least partially at the same height as these discs.

Abstract: An electronic wrist-watch of greatly reduced thickness has extremely thin me indicating discs for which a special driving and guiding system is employed. Further, a single-phase motor is provided with at least two stator windings for reducing the watch's thickness. A watch case comprises an integral case band in order to assure greater rigidity of this thin watch structure.

Abstract: The watch of the invention contains a power cell 46, a quartz crystal 44, a step-by-step motor 42, a gear train 32 and a device for the analog display of the time constituted by two coaxial discs provided with index marks 24, 26 and each having external teeth so that they can be driven by the gear train. These components are all located inside a casing 10, 12 with a transparent window 14 and whose back acts as a bottom plate. All "thick" elements of the watch (cell 46, crystal 44, motor 42, gear train 32) are outside the periphery of the discs without overlapping, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the front plate of the watch, and are partially recessed into the underside of the rim 12 of the casing. The integrated circuit 50 may be hidden by the discs or also outside their periphery.

Abstract: A quartz analog watch has a disc with a minute hand thereon driven directly at its periphery by the rotor of a stepping motor. A single intermediate gear and pinion assembly performs a gear reduction to drive a conventional hour hand rotatably mounted on a center spindle which also supports the minute disc. The stepping motor watch internal components, including battery, stepping motor, intermediate gear assembly and integrated circuit are all partially hidden beneath the minute disc. A special watch crystal functions also as a top frame member controlling "endshake" of the movement members in conjunction with the caseback. A special metal clip provides a push button contact for electrically setting the watch and also holds the intermediate gear assembly in place.

Abstract: This watch comprises a date crown or date disc (9) pivoted onto a plate (10) and completely independent of a driving gear train (1, 2, 3). A second micro-motor (14) drives this crown (9) in its angular displacements.

Abstract: Instead of conventional hands, an hour disc and a minute disc are provided. The hands are represented by markers vaporized upon the undersides of the discs. The discs are pivoted on an arbor anchored in the watch glass. This arbor is hollow, and inserted in the free end thereof is a rivet-shaped retaining part which keeps the discs from slipping off the arbor. Each disc is toothed at its circumference. The teeth of the minute disc engage a gear wheel having a pinion which meshes with the teeth of the hour disc. This wheel and pinion are mounted on an arbor, one end of which is anchored in the watch glass. A retaining ring prevents the wheel from becoming detached from the arbor. This gear wheel likewise engages a pinion of another gear wheel mounted on an arbor. One end of this arbor is also anchored in the watch glass. A pinion of a stepping motor meshes with the teeth of the further gear wheel.

Abstract: An attachment for a watch that locates the time figures of a very simple disc in position to adapt the watch to a different time zone without setting the hands. In one embodiment, the disc is flexible and transparent, except for printed indicia, and is adapted for self-sticking application to the watch crystal. In another embodiment, disc is adjustable for any selected time zone.

Abstract: A switch programming mechanism is afforded by means of an endless switch chain. The switch chain is provided with switch riders or triggers serving as mechanical abutments for the actuation of the switch. The switch chain may be formed with tooth elements having truncated inner ends and being axially displaceable on their interconnection means relative to one another. The switch chain is particularly well suited for fitting within the confines of a ordinal-display switch clock and for controlling the operation thereof.

Abstract: The segments of several 7-segment character displays are defined by elongated light distributors in the form of slots or a series of holes which are in a panel. A large area light source is located on the rear side of the panel. Rotatable opaque disks are interposed between the light source and characters. Each disk has an array of holes for transmitting light to predetermined ones of light pipes which lead to slot segments in one embodiment and which lead to the holes that define segments in another embodiment. When a disk is rotated, different groups of holes in the disks become aligned consecutively with the light pipes where they are used or with the panel holes to thereby illuminate selected character segments so they define a sequence of characters such as the numbers zero to nine. In a digital clock application, a synchronous motor drives a first disk in angular steps to define minutes at their rate of occurrence.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a timepiece for indicating time by distinguishable colors, each corresponding to a standard unit of a time period. The units of the time period are represented by a plurality of uniform sections each differentiated by a distinguishable color and carried in a display area of a substantially flat annular member, preferably having a thickness or depth not more than 1/4 its diameter. The proper unit of the time period is indicated by reference means which may be a separate indicator or which may be carried on a separate cover member positioned above the display portion or area so as to indicate each of the distinguishable colors of the time period successively upon uniform, incremental and rotational movement between the reference means and the display portion carried by the annular member. The successive uniform rotational movement between each section and the point of reference is effected by a standard timepiece driving means.