Abstract:
A wristwatch that includes a concave lens and concave dial contained within a bezel and housing. The concave shape of the lens causes the upper most surface of the wristwatch to be the bezel, so the upper surface of the lens cannot be scratch if the user places the watch face down on a surface. The concave shape of the dial causes an increase in surface area for time marking indicia on the dial face. This effect combines with the concave angle of the lens to increase the appearance of the indicia and reduce glare.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/088,369, filed Aug. 13, 2008, entitled Wristwatch with a Concave Lens, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to wristwatch technology and more specifically to a watch that provides for an increase in the ability for the user to see the time markings, further reduces glare, and is innately scratch resistant. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is well known that people have needed the ability to accurately tell time. As human mobility has increased so has the need to have a portable source that can keep time. Originally, the pocket watch was invented that mainly consisted of watch gears surrounded in a metal casing. The metal casing protected the glass face of the pocket watch from accidental scratching or damage. The pocket watch has been slowly replaced by wristwatches, which provided an easier mobility and easy since they were not carried in the users pocket. As a consequence of the new ease of mobility created by the wristwatch, the damage to the class covering the watch hands and gears has become more prevalent. Therefore, it has become advantageous to for wristwatches to be designed for scratch-resistance. 
         [0004]    One of the main methods to achieve scratch-resistance is by using scratch resistant glass or crystal to cover the watch face. Scratch-resistant substances have had many applications and their use in watches has great advantages since the watch lens is not significantly more difficult to be damaged. However, the additional cost of a scratch-resistant glass watch makes the use of such glass less desirable, in addition to that the glass is scratch-resistant and not scratch proof. The use of plastic as a watch cover has been used as well. Whereas, this change in material addresses the cost factor, it is rarely as clear as glass or crystal and does not provide the aesthetic appeal many watch owners&#39; desire. In addition, plastic is usually easy to scratch, but more difficult to crack than its glass counterpart. 
         [0005]    Another method of scratch resistance has been by using a guard that surrounds the watch face. This guard prevents the user from scratching the glass face of the watch when laying it face down. These guards, however, limit the viewing angle of the watch face and make time reading somewhat difficult. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides a scratch-resistant glass wristwatch that includes a concave glass lens. In one general aspect, the concave glass lens that sets upon the upper rim of a watch housing. The concave dial, of similar curvature, is between the lower surface of the watch housing and the concave glass lens. The watch hands follow the similar curve as the concave dial and concave glass lens. The curved crystal cover has enough curve in it in order to keep it inside the bezel an appropriate enough amount that when the watch is placed face down there is no part of the crystal cover that makes contact with the surface the watch was placed upon. 
         [0007]    The concave lens is held in place by a collar or bezel that attaches to the watch housing. The concave lens dimples in beyond the outer surface of the bezel, whereby making the watch innately scratch resistant since no surface of the lens extends beyond or is even with the outermost part of the watch. In addition, the combination of the concave lens and concave dial provides for both the increase in surface area for dial indicia and less light refraction, whereby reducing glare and increasing the users ability to read the time indicia. When the curvature of the dial and the lens are the same, it creates but above mentioned increased visibility of the indicia, but if the curvatures are different it allows for a possibly distortion of the indicia to either magnify the indicia or create less glare. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully disclosed in, or rendered obvious by the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, which are to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts, and further wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a wristwatch with concave glass lens in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the wristwatch with concave glass lens as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the wristwatch with concave glass lens as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the wristwatch with concave glass lens as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the wristwatch with concave glass lens shown in  FIG. 1 , as taken along lines  100 - 100  in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is top view of the wristwatch with concave glass lens in accordance with the present invention, without concave lens; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the wristwatch with concave glass lens as shown in  FIG. 6 , as taken along lines  200 - 200  in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the wristwatch with concave glass lens as shown in  FIG. 6 , with concave lens. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    This description of preferred embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. In the description, relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and normally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly,” “longitudinal” versus “lateral” and the like are to be interpreted relative to one another or relative to an axis of elongation, or an axis or center of rotation, as appropriate. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. The term “operatively connected” is such an attachment, coupling or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operate as intended by virtue of that relationship. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses, if used, are intended to cover the structures described, suggested, or rendered obvious by the written description or drawings for performing the recited function, including not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-8 , a wristwatch  1  that is innately scratch-resistant and provides for easy indicia visibility, includes bezel  2 , concave lens  6 , concave dial  13 , housing  21 , and winder  31 . Housing  21  having circular bottom wall  23  protruding inwardly from the lower end of annular outer wall  22  creates base surface  28 . Circular rim wall  25  protrudes inwardly from the upper end of annular outer wall  22  before extending downward becoming annular inner wall  24 . Circular platform wall  27  extending radially inwardly from the outer surface of annular inner wall  24 . Annular lower wall  26  is rounded and protrudes downwardly from the outer end of circular platform wall  27  before forming base surface  28 . 
         [0019]    Gearbox  40  including upper surface extending radially inward from the upper end of annular wall  42  includes drive post  41  protruding upward from upper surface  44 . Base surface  43  (not shown) protrudes radially inward from the lower end of annular  42  creating gear box  40 , which contains the mechanisms in order to keep proper time. Gearbox  40  is held center on base surface  28  by the annular lower wall  26 . Cylindrical rod  33  of winder  31  is inserted through opening  30  of outer annular wall  22  in housing  21 . Cylindrical rod  33  enters into an opening (not shown) in the annular wall  42  of gear box  40  permitting the user to either wind the watch or set the time via the internal mechanisms. A grip wheel  32  at the distal end of cylindrical rod  33  allows the user to rotate cylindrical rod  33  in order to set the time, date, spring, etc of wristwatch  1 . 
         [0020]    Concave dial  13  includes annular edge wall  16  having an upper surface  14  and lower surface  15  projects inwardly from dial edges  19  forming pinhole  17  at the exact center. Drive post  41  of gear box  40  inserts into pinhole  17 . Pinhole  17  has a diameter sized to permit drive post  41  being of an outer diameter to fit just within pinhole  17 . Annular edge wall  16  having a diameter and circumference designed to fit just within annular inner wall  24  of outer wall  22  and set upon circular platform wall  27 . Platform surface  27  can be angled slightly downward to conform to the curvature of concave dial  13 . In this embodiment, there are three time indicating hands  20 . Hour hand  10  and minute hand  11  each having an opening designed to fit around the outside diameter drive post  41  above the upper surface  14  of the concave dial  6 . Second hand  12  includes a pin  29  that corresponds to the opening in the end of drive post  41  secures the hour hand  10  and minute hand  11  to gearbox  40 . Hour hand  10 , minute hand  11 , and second hand  12  are all formed to align with the concave shape of concave dial  13  permitting the hands to rotate about drive post  41  without obstruction. Indicia  18  are displayed, through any means well known throughout the art, upon the upper surface  14  to indicate the time. The curvature of the concave dial  13  allows the indicia  18  to be printed larger than a flat dial face due to the natural increase in the size of upper surface  14 . The matching curvature to the hour hand  10 , minute hand  11 , and second hand  12  permits an extension of the length of the hands. The increased size of the hands and the indicia  18  allow the user a larger and therefore easier reading surface. 
         [0021]    Concave lens  6  having an annular edge wall  9 , an upper surface  7  and a lower surface  8  is formed to correlate to the curvature of concave dial  13 . Annular edge wall  9  having a diameter allowing it to fit within annular outer wall  22  and upon circular rim wall  25 . Circular rim wall  25  can have an angle corresponding with the curvature of concave lens  6  allowing the concave lens to properly nestle and be held in place. Bezel  2  includes circular lip wall  4  extending inwardly from the upper end of outer annular wall  3 . Inner annular wall  5  extends downward from the inner end of circular lip wall  4 . Outer annular wall  3  secures bezel  2  to annular outer wall  22  whereby securing the annular edge wall  9  of concave lens  6  between circular lip wall  4  and circular rim wall  25 . 
         [0022]    It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited to the particular constructions herein disclosed and shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the claims.