Patent Application
20190324409
The present invention relates to a clock using bright dot display and particularly to a clock using bright dot display which indicates time using easily readable indicator marks without making noises like a conventional analog clock with moving hands.
There are two types of conventional clocks, the analog clock and the digital clock. The analog clock typically comprises a main body, an hour hand and a minute hand, wherein time is indicated using graduation marks on the main body. This type of clock has the following disadvantages:
1. Its need to be framed restricts its aesthetic design.
2. As its hands are driven by a mechanism, the movement of the hands makes noises, which may be particularly loud at quiet night.
3. Lighting is needed when one needs to check the time at night.
The digital clock, on the other hand, displays time on a display panel. Although the digital clock does not have the foregoing disadvantages of the analog clock, it is still hard to improve the aesthetic design of its numeric representation.
Further, the functions of the variety of clocks are mostly limited to displaying time and providing decoration with its aesthetic design. Some variations may provide such additional functions as temperature detection and moisture detection without making any alteration to the conventional way of displaying time. They are monotonous and lackluster. Further, clocks may be disposed on some outdoor billboards or shop signs, but again these clocks are monotonous and lackluster. In view of this, after laborious research and experiments, the applicant has devised a clock using easily readable bright dot display.
It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a clock using bright dot display which indicates time using easily readable indicator marks and which may be beautiful and eye-catching so as to break the monotony of clock design.
A foregoing clock using bright dot display comprises spaced illuminating display units arranged for the graduation marks of the clock, a micro processing unit which causes the illuminating display units of corresponding graduation marks to illuminate according to the time calculated by a time base unit. Each of the illuminating display units includes a first illuminating state, a second illuminating state and a third illuminating state. The illuminating display unit is the “hour indicator mark” in its first illuminating state, the “minute indicator mark” in its second illuminating state, and both the “hour indicator mark” and “minute indicator mark” in its third illuminating state. A user may easily read the time by observing the on and off states of the illumination of the “hour indicator mark” and “minute indicator mark” as well as the illumination colors of the illuminating display units.
The foregoing clock using bright dot display, wherein the illuminating display units are mono-color, bi-color or multi-color LEDs for displaying the first illuminating state, the second illuminating state and the third illuminating state.
The foregoing clock using bright dot display, wherein in an interior of the clock is disposed a control circuit comprising at least a micro processing unit, a time base unit and a driving unit. The control circuit is connected to the illuminating display units for driving them to display the first illuminating state, the second illuminating state and the third illuminating state.
The foregoing clock using bright dot display, wherein the LEDs are soldered on a circular circuit board connected to the control circuit.
The foregoing clock using bright dot display, wherein at least an advertising area is disposed on a panel body for printing and arranging various kinds of advertising designs and texts thereon. On a periphery of the advertising area are spaced illuminating display units circularly arranged for the graduation marks of the clock to form a clock using bright dot display with an advertising function.
The foregoing clock using bright dot display, wherein on a base body may be disposed a standing sign thereon are spaced illuminating display units arranged for the graduation marks of the clock to form a clock using bright dot display with a decorating function.
Please refer to
In an interior of the main body 1 of the clock is disposed a control circuit 13, which is connected to the foregoing circular circuit board 12. In this preferred embodiment, the control circuit 13 includes at least a micro processing unit 131, a time base unit 132 and a driving unit 133 connected to the micro processing unit 131, and a power supply unit 134 for providing power to the entire control circuit 13. The time base unit 132 provides the calculated time to the micro processing unit 131, which then controls via the driving unit 133 corresponding illuminating display units 11 (mono-color, bi-color or multi-color LEDs) to display a first illuminating state, a second illuminating state and a third illuminating state of different colors. The illuminating display unit 11 is the “hour indicator mark” in its first illuminating state, for example, red illumination. The illuminating display unit 11 is the “minute indicator mark” in its second illuminating state, for example, green illumination. And the illuminating display unit 11 is both the “hour indicator mark” and “minute indicator mark” in its third illuminating state, for example, cyan illumination.
A combination of the foregoing elements forms a clock using bright dot display. The control circuit 13 drives the illuminating display units 11 to display a first illuminating state, a second illuminating state and a third illuminating state. A user may easily read the time by observing the on and off states of the illumination of the “hour indicator mark” indicated by the first illuminating state and the “minute indicator mark” indicated by the second illuminating state, as well as the simultaneous on state of the “hour indicator mark” and “minute indicator mark” indicated by the third illuminating state.
Please refer to
Another example is: when the time is 1:05, the illuminating display unit 11 on the one-hour position will display both the first and the second illumination states and turn into the third illumination state. In the foregoing preferred embodiment, the first and the second illumination states will be mixed and turn into cyan illumination, the third illumination state. In this manner, when an illuminating display unit needs to display two illumination states, the colors of the two illumination states will be mixed and turn into a third color, creating interesting color changes when displaying time. The overlapped illumination state may of course be presented in other manners: for example, the “hour indicator mark” in its first illuminating state may display steady red illumination, whereas the “minute indicator mark” in its third illuminating state may display blinking green illumination.
In comparison with the conventional analog clock with moving hands, the clock using bright dot display according to the present invention has at least the following advantages:
1. The present invention displays time only on the frame without using moving hands and numerical indicator marks, which may enhance the aesthetic beauty of the design.
2. Without the conventional moving hands, the present invention does not make noises and works silently.
3. The hour and the minute are displayed by illumination of different colors, so time may be directly displayed and be easily readable even at night without additional lighting.
Please refer to
As
Please refer to
The foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intended to cover various modifications and changes included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention comprises spaced illuminating display units arranged for the graduation marks of the clock. Each of the illuminating display units is the “hour indicator mark” in its first illuminating state, the “minute indicator mark” in its second illuminating state, and both the “hour indicator mark” and “minute indicator mark” in its third illuminating state. A user may easily read the time by observing the on and off states of the illumination of the “hour indicator mark” and “minute indicator mark” as well as the illumination colors of the illuminating display units.
