Abstract:
Timepieces, in a single-housed, single-crystal design, constructed to provide an unobstructed central area of the face for enhanced display of artwork, logos, holograms, designs and/or pictures.

Description:
PRIOR APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/504,522 filed Feb. 15, 2000 (allowed), which in turn is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/195,277 filed Nov. 18, 1998. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention redesigns traditional watches, clocks and the like, in order to provide an unhindered view of the face. The unobstructed area, subsequently created by removing the center shaft from the face of the device along with repositioning the hands, provides a platform that will more prominently exhibit material for personal, artistic and business purposes. Some specific applications that would benefit in having an unencumbered display are pictures, artwork, promotion and advertising, three-dimensional images, and holograms.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Watches, clocks and like apparatus for indicating time are well known. A typical device  115  is illustrated in FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b . Commonly, device  115  will comprise a circular dial  110  that is planar and extends to device wall  117 . The obverse of dial  110  is ordinarily called the face  112 . Inscribed on face  112  near the periphery  116  of dial  110  are marks  111 . Typically, twelve marks are inscribed around the dial in equal angular increments of 30 degrees. Each mark  111  denotes an hour of the day, AM or PM. Each mark  111  also denotes a five-minute interval within an hour. A drive mechanism  150  is located beneath dial  110 . Center shaft  113  extends from drive mechanism  150 , vertically, through the center of dial  110  and face  112  and continues upward for attachment with hands  120  and  130 , thus, providing the linkage between the drive mechanism and the hands. Minute hand  120  and hour hand  130  extend radially outward from center shaft  113  above face  112 . Minute hand  120  rotates in a circular path, around center shaft  113  and parallel to face  112 , at a rate of one revolution per hour. Hour hand  130  follows the same course as minute hand  120  but in a parallel plane and rotates at a rate of one revolution every twelve hours. A second hand (not shown) may also be provided, in which case it extends radially from center shaft  113  in still a different parallel plane, and rotates at a rate of one revolution per minute. Drive mechanism  150  may be powered by a battery, wound spring or other means known in the art. Device  115  will typically provide some mechanism (not shown) for setting hands  120  and  130 , to indicate the correct time of day. Once device  115  is set, drive mechanism  150  causes hands  120  and  130  to rotate in a clockwise direction as shown. The basic principals of how the time of day is determined, based on the position of hands  120  and  130  within device  115 , are so well known that further explanation is unnecessary.  
           [0004]    The limitation with such devices as described above is that hands  120  and  130  along with the portion of center shaft  113  that is above dial  110 , obscure face  112  thereby hindering the display in the central part of the face. For example, it would be preferable to have a watch, bearing a design on its face, which did not have the central part of the image disrupted by physical parts of the device. Such unimpeded watch displays are particularly advantageous for promotional uses where a logo or advertisement can be imprinted on a watch face. Alternative applications are: forms of artistic expression, pictures, three dimensional sculptures or figures, interior coordinating design work, team and league affiliations, personal unique designs and/or text, etc. What is common to all these applications is the advantage of having an unobstructed face.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention restructures watches, clocks and other time indicating devices to provide an unobstructed central area of the device, such as the dial face, while maintaining the overall traditional perception of the device. Some specific applications that would benefit in having an unencumbered display are time indicating devices used for advertising. These devices may bear pictures, photographs, logos, artwork, three-dimensional images, holograms, or other types of advertising indicia. Similarly, time indicating devices of the present invention may be used for purposes other than advertising, such as keepsakes, souvenirs, and gifts. When used for these purposes the dial face may be used to display photographs, pictures, artwork, three-dimensional artwork, or other non-advertising indicia.  
           [0006]    According to one aspect of the invention, the hands of the device are connected to the center shaft on the underside of the dial and the center shaft above the dial is eliminated. The drive mechanism causes the hands to rotate circularly in the same manner as the hands of a conventional timing device as described in the Background section of this specification. Since the hands are positioned under the dial and the center shaft above the face is removed, there is no obstruction to the central viewing area of the face. This aspect of the invention has several preferred embodiments.  
           [0007]    In one embodiment, the hands extend from the center shaft below the dial, outward beyond the periphery of the dial, bend upward then inward and parallel with the dial towards the center of the face. The hands extend inward so as to be visible and indicate the position of the hands relative to the marks on the fare. In this way, the user of the device can determine the time indicated by the device without the face of the dial, inward of the marks, being obscured by the hands of the device. A modification would be to eliminate all explicit demarcations of time from the face and rely on the position of the hands to estimate the time.  
           [0008]    In an alternate embodiment, a bezel extends inward, parallel to and concentric with the dial face but in a higher plane than the face. In this embodiment, the hands extend from the center shaft below the dial, outward beyond the periphery of the dial, bend upward extending higher than the dial face, inward and parallel to the face sufficiently to extend over the outer aspect of the bezel, upward and higher than the bezel, outward and over the bezel to provide the indication of time. The user determines the time of day by the hands pointing to the time demarcations on the bezel, or simply relying on the position of the hands to establish the time without any time demarcations on the bezel. Additionally, patterns, design work, etc. can be incorporated on the bezel.  
           [0009]    A variation to the alternate embodiment above is to present the bezel in a plane that is below the face instead of above it. In this variation, the hands extend horizontally outward from the center shaft and over the bezel to provide the indication of time. The face, being at a higher plane, is unobscured by any aspect of the device.  
           [0010]    Still another variation to the alternate embodiment above is to present the bezel in a coincident plane to the face. In this variation, the hands extend horizontally outward from the center shaft, upward above the bezel, and outward over the bezel to indicate the time.  
           [0011]    In a third embodiment is a projection that is circumferentially positioned around the device walls and parallel to the dial of the device. The projection is at a higher plane than the dial and extends inward to overlap the dial. The center shaft stretches from the drive mechanism to the underside of the dial. In this embodiment the hands extend from the center shaft below the dial, outward beyond the periphery of the dial, bend upward extending higher than the dial face, inward and parallel to the face sufficiently to extend over the outer aspect of the projection, upward and higher than the projection, outward and over the projection to provide the indication of time. The user determines the time of day by the hands pointing to the time demarcations on the projection, or simply relying on the position of the hands to establish the time without any time demarcations.  
           [0012]    Additionally, patterns, design work, etc. can be incorporated on the projection.  
           [0013]    A variation to the third embodiment above is to present the projection in a plane that is below the face instead of above it. In this variation, the hands extend horizontally outward from the center shaft and over the projection to provide the indication of time. The face, being at a higher plane, is unobstructed by any aspect of the device.  
           [0014]    Still another variation to the third embodiment above is to present the projection in a coincident plane to the face. In this variation, the hands extend horizontally outward from the center shaft, upward above the projection, and outward over the projection to indicate the time.  
           [0015]    According to another aspect of the invention two concentric sets of indicators are provided around the periphery of the dial face. One set of indicators will indicate minutes. The other set will indicate hours. Since the indicators are at the periphery of the dial face, they do not obscure the central viewing area of the face. A digital timing mechanism controls the indicators to illuminate according to the time of day. In structuring the indicators this way, the present invention contemplates distinct and separate reference points such as LED&#39;s, LCD&#39;S, hands, dials, etc., that provide an indication with reference to time-of-day (e.g., “the hands point to 2 o&#39;clock”).  
           [0016]    In all forms and embodiments, the present invention contemplates a single-housed, single-crystal design.  
           [0017]    These and other aspects and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and written descriptions.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 a  is an illustration of the front view of a conventional watch.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 b  is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of a conventional watch corresponding to FIG. 1 a.    
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 a  is an illustration of the front view of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 b  is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 2 a.    
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 a  is an illustration of the front view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 b  is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 3 a.    
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 c  is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of a variation of the embodiment of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 3 a.    
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 d  is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of another variation of the embodiment of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 3 a.    
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 a  is an illustration of the front view of a third embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 b  is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 4 a.    
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 4 c  is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of a variation of the embodiment of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 4 a.    
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4 d  is an illustration of a cross-sectional view of another variation of the embodiment of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 4 a.    
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 is an illustration of the front view of another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]    An illustration of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b  as device  215 . Device  215  is a single-housed, single-crystal design. Device  215  contains a circular dial  210  which will usually be planar and extends radially outward from center shaft  213   a  towards device wall  217 , but not contacting device wall  217 , thereby forming a gap  219  between periphery  216  of dial  210  and device wall  217 . The obverse of dial  210  is face  212  on which marks  211  are inscribed near periphery  216 . Typically, twelve marks will be inscribed around the dial, in equal angular increments of 30 degrees. Each mark  211  denotes an hour of the day, AM or PM. Each mark  211  also denotes a five-minute interval within an hour. A drive mechanism  250  is located beneath dial  210 . Center shaft  213   a  extends from drive mechanism  250  to the underside of dial  210 . Minute hand  220  and hour hand  230  are connected to center shaft  213   a , and hidden when viewed from face  212 . The hands extend radially outward from center shaft  213   a.    
         [0032]    Minute hand  220 , actuated by drive mechanism  250 , rotates in a circular path, around center shaft  213   a  and parallel to dial  210 , at a rate of one revolution per hour. Hour hand  230 , also actuated by the drive mechanism, follows the same course as minute hand  220  but in a parallel plane and rotates at a rate of one revolution every twelve hours. A second hand (not shown) may also be provided, in which case it extends radially from center shaft  213  a in still a different parallel plane, and rotates at a rate of one revolution per minute. Drive mechanism  250  may be powered by a battery, wound spring or other means known in the art. Device  215  will typically provide some mechanism (not shown) for setting hands  220  and  230 , to indicate the correct time of day. Once device  215  is set, drive mechanism  250  causes hands  220  and  230  to rotate in a clockwise direction as shown.  
         [0033]    Since hands  220  and  230  are located on the reverse side of dial  210 , the face  212 , which is on the obverse, is not obscured. In order for hands  220  and  230  to be visible to the extent needed to indicate time, or as desired, they extend beyond the periphery  216  of dial  210 , bend upward through gap  219 , and continue inward and parallel toward the center of the face  212 . The end of hands  220  and  230 , visible on face  212 , indicate time by their position in relation to marks  211 . Thus, a user of device  215  can determine the time indicated by the device without face  212  being obscured by a center shaft and hands  220  and  230 . A bezel  212   a  may be extended inward to hide gap  219  when viewing face  212 . A modification would be to eliminate the time demarcations on periphery  216 ; the user thusly, would estimate the time of day by the position of the end of the hands. An additional modification would be to inscribe the time demarcations on bezel  212   a.    
         [0034]    An illustration of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b  as device  315 . Device  315  is a single-housed, single-crystal design. Device  315  contains a circular dial  310  which will usually be planar and extend radially outward from center shaft  313   a  towards device wall  317 , but not contacting the device wall  317 , thereby forming a gap  319  between periphery  316  of dial  310  and device wall  317 . A bezel  312   a , that parallel to and concentric with dial  310 , is positioned above dial  310  so as to form gap  319   a  between dial face  312  and bezel  312   a . Bezel  312   a  also overhangs gap  319  as well as periphery  316  of dial  310 . Inscribed on bezel  312   a  are marks  311 . Typically, twelve marks will be inscribed around the dial, in equal angular increments of 30 degrees. Each mark  311  denotes an hour of the day, AM or PM. Each mark  311  also denotes a five-minute interval within an hour. A drive mechanism  350  is located beneath dial  310 . Center shaft  313   a  extends from drive mechanism  350  to the underside of dial  310 . Minute and hour hands  320  and  330  are connected to center shaft  313   a , and hidden when viewing face  312 . The hands extend radially outward from center shaft  313   a.    
         [0035]    Minute hand  320  rotates in a circular path, around center shaft  313   a  and parallel to dial  310 , at a rate of one revolution per hour. Hour hand  330  follows the same course as minute hand  320  but in a parallel plane and rotates at a rate of one revolution every twelve hours. A second hand (not shown) may also be provided, in which case it extends radially from center shaft  313   a , in still a different parallel plane, and rotates at a rate of one revolution per minute. Drive mechanism  350  may be powered by a battery, wound spring or other means known in the art. Device  315  will typically provide some mechanism (not shown) for setting hands  320  and  330 , to indicate the correct time of day. Once device  315  is set, drive mechanism  350  causes hands  320  and  330  to rotate in a clockwise direction as shown.  
         [0036]    Since hands  320  and  330  are located on the reverse side of dial  310 , the face  312 , which is on the obverse, is not obscured. In order for hands  320  and  330  to be visible to the extent needed to indicate time, or as desired, the hands are substantially shaped in an “S”-shaped pattern so as to fit through gaps  319  and  319   a . Particularly, hands  320  and  330  extend outward from center shaft  313   a  beyond the periphery  316  of dial  310 . The hands then bend upward through gap  319 , inward and toward the center of face  312  and through gap  319   a  beyond the outer aspect of bezel  312   a , upward again until above bezel  312   a , after which hands  320  and  330  extend outward. The end of hands  320  and  330 , visible on bezel  312   a , indicate time by their position in relation to the marks  311  on bezel  312   a . Thus, a user of device  315  can determine the time indicated by device  315  without face  312  being obscured by a center shaft and hands. A modification would be to eliminate the time demarcations on bezel  312   a ; the user thusly, would estimate the time of day by the position of the end of the hands. Another modification would be to incorporate patterns, design work, etc., on bezel  312   a.    
         [0037]    An illustration of a variation of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 3 c . Dial  310  is in a higher plane than bezel  312   a , thereby creating gap  319   a . Hands  320  and  330  extend from central shaft  313   a  horizontally outward, beyond the outer aspect of bezel  312   a  through gap  319   a  extending beyond the periphery  316  of dial  310  and overlap the inscription marks  311  that appear on bezel  312   a.    
         [0038]    An illustration of an additional variation of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 3 d . Dial  310  is in a coincident plane with bezel  312   a  and inferior to the outer aspect of bezel  312   a  thus creating gap  319 . Hands  320  and  330  extend from central shaft  313   a  outward, beyond periphery  316 , upward through gap  319  until above bezel  312   a , then outward over bezel  312   a.    
         [0039]    An illustration of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b  as device  415 . Device  415  is a single-housed, single-crystal design. Device  415  contains a circular dial  410  which will usually be planar and extend radially outward from center shaft  413   a  towards device wall  417 , but not contacting the device wall  417 , thereby forming a gap  419  between periphery  416  of dial  410  and device wall  417 . A projection  412   b , extending from device wall  417  inward, is parallel to and concentric with dial  410 . Projection  412   b  is positioned above dial  410 , thus forming gap  419   a  between dial face  412  and projection  412   b . Projection  412   b  also overhangs gap  419  as well as periphery  416  of dial  410  . Inscribed on projection  412   b  are marks  411 . Typically, twelve marks will be inscribed around the dial, in equal angular increments of 30 degrees. Each mark  411  denotes an hour of the day, AM or PM. Each mark  411  also denotes a five-minute interval within an hour. A drive mechanism  450  is located beneath dial  410 . Center shaft  413   a  extends from drive mechanism  450  to the underside of dial  410 . Minute and hourhands  420  and  430  are connected to center shaft  413   a , and hidden when viewing face  412 . The hands extend radially outward from center shaft  413   a.    
         [0040]    Minute hand  420  rotates in a circular path, around center shaft  413  a and parallel to dial  410 , at a rate of one revolution per hour. Hour hand  430  follows the same course as minute hand  420  but in a parallel plane and rotates at a rate of one revolution every twelve hours. A second hand (not shown) may also be provided, in which case it extends radially from center shaft  413   a , in still a different parallel plane, and rotates at a rate of one revolution per minute. Drive mechanism  450  may be powered by a battery, wound spring or other means known in the art. Device  415  will typically provide some mechanism (not shown) for setting hands  420  and  430 , to indicate the correct time of day. Once device  415  is set, drive mechanism  450  causes hands  420  and  430  to rotate in a clockwise direction as shown.  
         [0041]    Since hands  420  and  430  are located on the reverse side of dial  410 , the face  412 , which is on the obverse, is not obscured. In order for hands  420  and  430  to be visible to the extent needed to indicate time, or as desired, the hands are substantially shaped in an “S”-shaped pattern so as to fit through gaps  419  and  419   a . Particularly, hands  420  and  430  extend outward from center shaft  413   a , beyond the periphery  416  of dial  410 . The hands then bend upward through gap  419 , inward and toward the center of face  412  and through gap  419   a  beyond the outer aspect of projection  412   b , upward again until above projection  412   b , after which hands  420  and  430  extend outward. The end of hands  420  and  430 , visible on projection  412   b , indicate time by their position in relation to the marks  411  on projection  412   b . Thus, a user of device  415  can determine the time indicated by device  415  without face  412  being obscured by a center shaft and hands. A modification would be to eliminate the time demarcations on projection  412   b ; the user thusly, would estimate the time of day by the position of the end of the hands. Another modification would be to incorporate patterns, design work, etc., on projection  412   b.    
         [0042]    An illustration of a variation of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 4 c . Dial  410  is in a higher plane than projection  412   b , thereby creating gap  419   a . Hands  420  and  430  extend from central shaft  413   a  horizontally outward, beyond the outer aspect of projection  412   b  through gap  419   a  extending beyond the periphery  416  of dial  410  and overlap the inscription marks  411  that appear on projection  412   b.    
         [0043]    An illustration of an additional variation of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 4 d . Dial  410  is in a coincident plane with projection  412   b  and inferior to the outer aspect of projection  412   b  thus creating gap  419 . Hands  420  and  430  extend from central shaft  413   a  outward, beyond periphery  416 , upward through gap  419  until above projection  412   b , then outward over projection  412   b.    
         [0044]    A second aspect of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5. Device  515  is a single-housed, single-crystal design. Device  515  is typically circular and planar in shape. Visible on the face  512  of dial  510  are two sets of indicators  520  and  530 . The outer indicators  530  denote the hour of the day. The inner indicators  520  denote minutes of an hour. Indicators  520  and  530  are positioned circumferentially around the periphery of dial  510  so that the central viewing area of dial face  512  is open for display of sundry works. The indicators comprise light emitting diodes (LEDs) in the preferred embodiment, although liquid crystal display elements (LCDs) could be used as an alternative. One advantage to using LEDs is that a user can read the time indicated by device  515  in a dark environment without the use of an additional light source. Indicators  520  may be designed to emit a color that is different from the color emitted by indicators  530 . For example, indicators  520  may emit blue, whereas indicators  530  may emit red.  
         [0045]    A digital timing mechanism (not shown) causes the LEDs to illuminate sequentially in a clockwise direction. As an example, indicator  530  has  60  LEDs spaced by equal angular increments of six degrees around the circumference of face  512 . Indicator  520  also has  60  LEDs spaced by equal angular increments of six degrees around the circumference of face  512  but within the perimeter of the set of indicators  530 . The digital timing mechanism causes the LEDs of indicator  520  to illuminate in succession. After a one-minute interval, as determined by the digital timing mechanism, the LED within indicator set  520  that is currently illuminated is turned off and the adjacent LED, in a clockwise direction, is turned on. Although one-minute increments are preferred, the increments as well as the corresponding number of LEDs may vary.  
         [0046]    The digital timing mechanism also causes the LEDs of indicator  530  to illuminate consecutively in a clockwise direction as shown. In the example, after a time interval of twelve-minutes, as determined by the digital timing mechanism, the LED within indicator set  530  that is currently illuminated is turned off and the adjacent LED, in a clockwise direction, is turned on. Although twelve-minute increments are preferred, the increments as well as the corresponding number of LEDs may vary.  
         [0047]    Reference for the time of day, within device  515 , can be obtained by having time demarcations inscribed on the bezel or on an outer aspect of face  512 . A modification would be to forego time demarcations in lieu of designs and/or text or rely simply on the position of the lit LEDs.  
         [0048]    The peripheral configuration achieves the object of maintaining an unhindered display area for presentation of the primary design within the center of the device. A battery will typically power the digital timing mechanism. The design of the circuitry in conjunction with the indicators is within the ordinary skill level of persons in the art.  
         [0049]    The present invention; therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned herein as well as other ends and advantages that are made apparent from the disclosure. While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described for the purpose of disclosure, numerous changes and modification to those embodiments described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.