Abstract:
A portable alarm clock is provided. The alarm clock comprises a base receptacle sized and shaped for portability. A striking plate is secured and receivable within the base receptacle with a striking mechanism secured to the striking plate. A chime plate is secured to the striking plate with an chime bar secured to the chime plate. A clock mechanism programs chime functions and displays time and is hingedly secured to the chime plate. A cover is secured to the clock mechanism for closing the base receptacle wherein the striking plate, the striking mechanism, the chime plate, the acoustic chime bar, and the clock means are receivable within the base receptacle and the cover closing the base receptacle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates generally to a portable clock and, more particularly, the invention relates to portable clock with a chime signal which can be programmed to countdown to zero and chime at decreasing periodic intervals or to strike its chime repeatedly at any set interval.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Mechanical alarm clocks were invented in the nineteenth century and changed little until the advent of the quartz clock movement in the 1970s. This led to the production of a wide variety of novelty alarm clocks which woke the users with some version of loud and unpleasant sound. The present invention is the first portable alarm clock with a mechanically-actuated acoustic alarm sound that wakes the user gradually and gently with a series of chime strikes that increase in frequency over a ten (10) minute period. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a portable alarm clock that can produce a pleasant awakening experience with gentle acoustic chimes.  
           [0005]    Beyond its use and function as an alarm clock, the present invention serves as a periodic chiming timer for meditation, yoga, or similar spiritual practices. Bells and chimes have been used by practitioners of these ancient traditions as signals to begin or end the practice, or as periodic signals that tell the meditator to refocus or to tell the yoga practitioner to change positions. Traditionally, these chime signals have been produced by hand by the teacher or leader of the practice. But, the present invention allows the practitioner to practice with these signals without the necessity of a third party to ring the chime. Because of the importance of maintaining a quiet and aesthetically pleasant environment for such practices, the conventional timers for sports or for culinary activities are not suitable for spiritual practice due to their electronic beeping sounds or aesthetically unpleasant bell signal sounds. The present invention thus provides the functionality and the aesthetic sound quality that has not been previously available to these practitioners.  
           [0006]    Long-resonating, aesthetically beautiful bells and chimes are used in both Eastern and Western meditation traditions. In the Christian monastic tradition, the ringing of the bell during meditation reminds the practitioners to return to the object of worship. Similarly, Zen monks have used gongs and “mindfulness chimes” to begin their meditations and during meditation to bring them out of their mental processes back to the stillpoint of emptiness. Therefore, it would also be desirable to have a portable clock with a countdown mode repeat function allowing the aesthetically beautiful chime to sound repeatedly at any set period so that as the chime repeats, it brings the meditator back to the focal point of concentration.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0007]    The present invention is a portable clock. The portable clock comprises a chime, a striking mechanism for striking the chime, and means for causing the striking mechanism to strike the chime in a predetermined decreasing interval progression countdown countdown thereby moving a person from mental processes back to a stillpoint of emptiness.  
           [0008]    In addition, the present invention includes a portable alarm clock. The alarm clock comprises a base receptacle sized and shaped for portability. A striking plate is secured and receivable within the base receptacle with a striking mechanism secured to the striking plate. A chime plate is secured to the striking plate with a chime secured to the chime plate. A clock mechanism programs chime functions and displays time and is hingedly secured to the chime plate. A cover is secured to the clock mechanism for closing the base receptacle wherein the striking plate, the striking mechanism, the chime plate, the chime, and the clock means are receivable within the base receptacle and the cover closing the base receptacle.  
           [0009]    The present invention further includes a method for timing yoga and meditation exercises and bringing a meditator back to the focal point of concentration. The method comprises providing a chime, enclosing the chime in closable receptacle, and striking the chime in a predetermined decreasing interval progression countdown. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustrating a portable clock with chime signal, constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating electronics of the portable clock with chime signal of FIG. 1, constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating the portable clock of FIG. 1, constructed in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a schematic illustrating the countdown function of the portable clock with the striking mechanism striking the chime bar in periodic decreasing intervals. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]    As illustrated in FIG. 1, the present invention is a portable clock, indicated generally at  10 , with chime signal for bringing meditators out of their mental processes back to the stillpoint of emptiness. The portable clock  10  of the present invention is a horological instrument using a mechanical chime mechanism for annunciation, whereby the initiation of the chime striking mechanism is controlled and automatically adjusted to insure that the striking of the chime occurs synchronously with the clock timer and display reaching the preassigned trigger time, thereby compensating for changes in battery voltage, or mechanical wear, or production tolerances of the striking mechanism. The present invention serves as an alarm clock and as a chiming timer designed for use in practices such as meditation and yoga. Furthermore, the portable clock  10  has a countdown mode repeat function allowing an aesthetically beautiful chime to sound repeatedly at any set period so that as the chime repeats, it brings the meditator back to the focal point of concentration.  
         [0015]    The portable clock  10  of the present invention includes a base receptacle  12  having a first side wall  14 , a second side wall  16  opposite to and substantially parallel to the first side wall  14 , a third side wall  18  between the first side wall  14  and the second side wall  16 , a fourth side wall  20  opposite the third side wall  18  and between the first side wall  14  and the second side wall  16 , and a base wall  22  between the first side wall  14 , the second side wall  16 , the third side wall  18 , and the fourth side wall  20 .  
         [0016]    A cover plate  24  is hingedly secured to the base receptacle  12  such that the cover plate  24  alternatively moves between an open position during use and a closed position for traveling and storage. The hinged connection between the cover plate  24  and the base receptacle  12  will be discussed in further detail below.  
         [0017]    Preferably, the base receptacle  12  and the cover plate  24  are constructed from a wood material although constructing the base receptacle  12  and the cover plate  24  from other materials including, but not limited to, plastic, metal, glass, etc., is within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0018]    In one embodiment, the combined base receptacle  12  and cover plate  24  have a length of approximately nine (9″) inches, a width of approximately two (2″) inches, and a height of approximately two (2″) inches. In another embodiment, the combined base receptacle  12  and cover plate  24  have a length of approximately seven and one-half (7½″) inches, a width of approximately two (2″) inches and a height of approximately two (2″) inches. It should be noted, however, that it is within the scope of the present invention that the combined base receptacle  12  and cover plate  24  have other dimensions other than those set forth above.  
         [0019]    The portable clock  10  of the present invention further includes a striking plate  26  secured within the base receptacle  12  by screws  28  or the like. The striking plate  26  includes a cam driven striking mechanism  30  for striking a chime bar  32  and a battery compartment  34  for receiving batteries (not shown) or other self-contained power source. The battery compartment  34  is aligned with an opening  36  formed in the base receptacle  12  such that batteries can be inserted into the battery compartment  34  through the base receptacle opening  36 . A releasably secured battery cover  38  for the battery compartment  34  can also be provided to assist in maintaining the batteries within the battery compartment  34 . Furthermore, the portable clock  10  can be constructed with AC power means for receiving an AC power plug.  
         [0020]    The cam driven striking mechanism  30  has a gearbox  40  for moving a striking hammer  42  in a general direction away from the chime bar  32  and then releasing the striking hammer  42  at the preprogrammed time or time interval. As the striking mechanism  30  draws the striking hammer  42  away from the chime bar  32 , the striking striking hammer  42  contacts at least one spring secured to the striking plate  26  and electrically connected to a clock timer  46  of the portable clock  10 . Once the striking hammer  42  depresses the springs, the striking hammer  42  is released to strike the chime bar  32 . In this manner, the striking mechanism  30  is controlled and the timing is automatically adjusted to insure that the striking of the chime bar  32  by the striking hammer  42  occurs synchronously with the clock timer  46  and display reaching the preassigned trigger time. Compensation for changes in battery voltage, or mechanical wear, or production tolerances of the striking mechanism  30  are also a part of the clock timer  46 .  
         [0021]    In addition, the portable clock of the present invention includes a chime plate  48  secured to the striking plate  26  utilizing the same screws  28  which secure the striking plate  26  to the base receptacle  12 . The chime bar  32  is secured to the chime plate  48  in a manner allowing the cam driven striking mechanism  30  to strike the chime bar  32  at a predetermined time or at predetermined intervals. In a preferred embodiment, the chime bar  32  is actually suspended above the chime plate  48  by a pair of strings or threads  50  which are looped and/or knotted about the chime bar  32  and tied to the chime plate  48 . At least a portion of the cam driven striking mechanism  30  can travel through an aperture  52  formed in the chime plate  48  striking the chime bar  32 .  
         [0022]    In an alternative embodiment, the striking plate  26  is secured to the chime plate  48  by a plurality of screws. Then, the combined striking plate  26  and chime plate  48  are placed within the base receptacle  12 . Different screws extending through the chime plate  48  connect the combined striking plate  26  and chime plate  48  within the base receptacle  12 .  
         [0023]    The chime bar  32  of the portable clock  10  of the present invention can be “tuned” to find the “sweet spot”. The chime bar  32  can be adjusted by changing the position of the chime bar  32  on the strings  50  relative to the striking point of the striking mechanism  30 . The chime bar  32  position is changed by physically moving the chime bar  32  around within the strings  50 . The user then listens to the chime sound of the chime bar  32  until the chime sound and resonation of the chime bar  32  is optimized or desirable to the ears of the user.  
         [0024]    As described above, the portable clock  10  of the present invention has the ability to countdown in periodic decreasing intervals with the striking mechanism  30  striking the chime bar  32  at the preprogrammed time. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the first strike of the chime bar  32  is at the ten (10) minute period, the second strike is at the three minutes and forty-eight seconds (3:48) period, the third strike is a the two minutes and twenty-one seconds (2:21) period, etc. Once the ten (10) minute period has lapsed, a terminal cycle begins with a chime every six and one-half seconds (0:06.5).  
         [0025]    It should be noted that while the chime bar  32  has been described and illustrated as being an elongated bar, it is within the scope of the present invention to have any type chime for producing a tone.  
         [0026]    The portable clock  10  of the present invention further includes a clock plate  58  hingedly secured to the chime plate  48  by a pair of hinges  60 . A programmable clock mechanism  62  having the clock timer  46  and display  64  is secured to the clock plate  58 . The clock plate  58  and the clock mechanism  62  are secured within the cover plate  24  by screws  66  or the like.  
         [0027]    The following features are included with the portable clock  10  of the present invention:  
         [0028]    1. The portable clock  10  of the present invention is a horological instrument using a mechanical chime for annunciation, whereby the initiation of the chime striking mechanism is controlled and automatically adjusted to insure that the striking of the chime occurs synchronously with the clock timer and display reaching the preassigned trigger time, thereby compensating for changes in battery voltage, or mechanical wear, or production tolerances of the striking mechanism.  
         [0029]    2. The portable clock  10  of the present invention is a portable horological instrument with a mechanically driven chime which exhibits a “Soft” wake cycle.  
         [0030]    3. The portable clock  10  of the present invention has a countdown timer with a mechanically driven chime and LCD for display and setting countdown times.  
         [0031]    4. The portable clock  10  of the present invention has a countdown timer with a mechanically driven chime and LCD for display and setting countdown times with repeat cycle.  
         [0032]    5. The portable clock  10  of the present invention is a portable horological instrument with a mechanically driven chime which exhibits a “soft” wake cycle with a countdown timer and a mechanically driven chime and LCD for display and setting countdown times.  
         [0033]    6. The portable clock  10  of the present invention is a portable horological instrument with a mechanical chime mechanism controlled by a digital microprocessor.  
         [0034]    7. The portable clock  10  of the present invention includes an annunciation of the chime based on a golden mean annunciation cycle.  
         [0035]    8. The portable clock  10  of the present invention include a portable microprocessor controlled horological instrument with a mechanically driven chime striking, whereby the rest position of the striking is detected by the microprocessor.  
         [0036]    The portable clock  10  of the present invention can be actively incorporated into meditation practice as a form of “mantra” or “yantra”. The chiming of the portable clock  10  can be used as an external mantra or sonic yantra. In addition, the portable clock&#39;s  10  countdown mode repeat function allows the chime to sound repeatedly at any set period so that as the chime repeats, it brings the meditator back to the focal point of concentration.  
         [0037]    In use, the portable clock  10  of the present invention can be programmed to countdown to zero and chime, or to strike its chime repeatedly at any set interval. In the alarm clock or countdown timer modes, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the portable clock&#39;s  10  chime gradually increases through a pre-programmed 10 minute progression. The portable clock  10  can also be set to chime once every hour on the hours a “mindfulness chime”.  
         [0038]    The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawings and described in detail, with varying modifications and alternative embodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown, described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to the claims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention as disclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in the absence of the specific elements which are disclosed herein.