Time keeping assembly with plurality of display appearances and associated systems

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.

Claims

1. A time keeping assembly comprising: a display assembly comprising at least a first display plate and a second display plate rotationally fixed in coaxial, confronting, relation to one another; said first display plate configured to present at least a first display appearance and said second display plate configured to present at least a second display appearance; each of said first and second display plates formed of an at least partially transparent material; each of said first and second display plates comprising an illumination source extending along at least a portion of a periphery thereof; said first display appearance corresponding to a first set of numerals and a first color, said first color generated by a correspondingly positioned one of said illumination sources; said second display appearance corresponding to a second set of numerals and a second color, said second color generated by a correspondingly positioned one of said illumination sources; and said first display plate configured to display at least said first color during a first time period and said second display plate configured to display at least said second color during a second time period.

2. The time keeping assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said display is configured to automatically display either said first display appearance or said second display appearance in accordance with either said first time period or said second time period.

3. The time keeping assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said first time period corresponds with the ante meridiem time period.

4. The time keeping assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said second time period corresponds with the post meridiem time period.

5. The time keeping assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said first color of said first display appearance is displayed concurrently with said second set of numerals for at least a portion of said first time period.

6. The time keeping assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said second color of said second display appearance is displayed concurrently with said first set of numerals for at least a portion of said second time period.

7. The time keeping assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said first display appearance partially comprises the numerals 1 through 12, consecutively.

8. The time keeping assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said second display appearance partially comprises the numerals 13 through 24, consecutively.

9. The time keeping assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said second display appearance partially comprises the numerals 13 through 23, consecutively, and the numeral 00.

10. The time keeping assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second display plates respectively comprise said first set of numerals and said second set of numerals etched on to a face thereof.

11. The time keeping assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein a change in display of said first set of numerals to said second set of numerals occurs at a different time than a change in display of said first color to said second color; a change in display of said second set of numerals to said first set of numerals occurs at a different time than a change in display of said second color to said first color.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a front view of a time-keeping assembly with a first display appearance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a front view of a time-keeping assembly with a second display appearance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a time-keeping assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 is a top view of a portion of a time-keeping assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention.

(6) Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(7) With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, depicted therein is a time keeping assembly 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention utilizing a digital display 100 to present a plurality of display appearances, including but not limited to, a first display appearance 110 and a second display appearance 120. Each display appearance 110, 120 includes a set of numerals 130, comprising either a first set of numerals 131, or a second set of numerals 132, according to each of a first display appearance 110 or second display appearance 120. As such, the depicted embodiment may be configured to alternately display one of the first display appearance 110 or second display appearance 120 during certain time periods. In one embodiment, the change of display appearance may occur when the hands 140 indicate 1:00 PM or 1300 hours, and a further change of display appearance may occur when the hands 140 indicate 1:00 AM or 0100 hours. In a further embodiment, the first display appearance 110 is displayed during the ante meridiem hours as well as the post meridiem time period through and including 12:59:59 PM, whereupon striking 1:00 PM or 1300 hours, the second display appearance 120 is displayed. The second display appearance 120 may then continue to be displayed throughout the post meridiem hours as well as the ante meridiem time period through and including 12:59:59 AM, whereupon striking 1:00 AM or 0100 hours, the first display appearance 110 is displayed.

(8) In yet another embodiment, the color of the display appearance may change at a different time, and be displayed during a different time period, from the numerals 130 of the display appearance. By way of example, a first display appearance 110 may comprise a first set of numerals 131 (1 through 12) displayed in blue, while a second display appearance 120 may comprise a second set of numerals 132 (13 through 23 and 00, or, 13 through 24) displayed in red. In such an embodiment, the color of the display 100 may be configured to change from blue to red upon striking 12 O'clock noon, but the first set of numerals 131 will be maintained until striking 1 O'clock PM or 1300 Hours, whereupon the second set of numerals 132 are displayed. Additionally, the display is further configured to change from red to blue upon striking 12 O'clock midnight, but the second set of numerals 132 are maintained until striking 1 O'clock AM or 0100 Hours, whereupon the first set of numerals 131 are displayed.

(9) With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, another embodiment of a time keeping assembly 10 according to the present invention is depicted therein. In such an embodiment, the time keeping assembly 10 may include a display assembly 200, including a plurality of display plates such as a first display plate 210 and second display plate 220, a backing 290, illumination source(s) 240, a frame 250, hands 260, a mounting plate 270, and a time keeping assembly movement 280.

(10) In the depicted embodiment of FIG. 4 each display plate 210, 220 is comprised of a transparent or at least partially translucent material and includes a plurality of numerals 230 and 230 corresponding to each of the display appearances afforded by the first display plate 210 and second display plate 220. In a most preferred embodiment each of the numerals 230, 230 is etched into the surface of the display plates 210, 220. As such, when each illumination source 240 is disposed in an edge-wise relation to, and/or about the periphery of, a corresponding one of the first and second display plates 210, 220, respectively and selectively activated, the corresponding etched numerals 230 and 230 will be illuminated.

(11) The depicted embodiment also includes a set of time keeping assembly hands 260 including at least hour hand 262 and minute hand 261 which are disposed in driven relation to a time keeping assembly movement 280, which can be any of a variety of known movement such as mechanical, electric, and the like. A frame 250 may also be provided in at least partially edge-wise relation to the display plates 210 and 220, in at least partially covering relation to the illumination source(s) 240 extending along at least a portion of the periphery or circumference of each display plates 210 and 220, as represented in FIG. 4. A backing 290 may also be provided. In a preferred embodiment, the backing 290 may be opaque and of a dark color in order to facilitate perception of the illuminated numerals 230 against the backing 290.

(12) With specific reference to FIG. 4, a switch assembly including switch trigger 310 may be provided with the depicted embodiment in order to facilitate selective illumination of the display plates 210 and 220. The switch assembly 300 may be disposed in selective illuminating relation to each of the display plates 210 and 220, thereby controlling which of the display plates 210 and 220 are illuminated during a given time period. A switch trigger 310 may be disposed to be projecting from the display assembly 200 in at last partially interfering relation with at least one of the hands 260, either the hour hand 262 or minute hand 261. Accordingly, when a hand 260 sweeps past the switch trigger 310, the switch assembly 300 is activated, and a predetermined display plate 210 or 220 is selectively illuminated, while the other display plate 210 or 220 is selectively unilluminated.

(13) Accordingly, in embodiments where only one switch trigger 310 is provided, and the switch trigger 310 is further disposed in interfering relation with only the hour hand 262, the switch trigger 310 will only be activated once every twelve hours. In such an embodiment, a particularly useful scheme of alternative display appearances once every twelve hours may be realized, especially where a first display plate 210 comprises the numerals 1 through 12, and a second display plate 220 comprises the numerals 13 through 24.

(14) It will also be appreciated that other arrangements and configurations of switch triggers 310 may be provided. For example, when two switch triggers 310 are disposed 180 degrees apart, both in interfering relation with the hour hand 262, then the switch assembly 300 may be activated once every six hours. Further configurations, including those with switch triggers 310 disposed in interfering relation to the minute hand 261, hour hand 262, or both, may then be realized as well.

(15) Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiment of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

(16) Now that the invention has been described,