Patent Publication Number: US-2012026840-A1

Title: Wristwatch

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns the field of the wristwatches, and namely it regards a watch adapted to display in a novel fashion the time and possibly other data, signs or information. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The above mentioned field, as known, is subject to a strong and relentless research activity, the aim of which is to retrieve new solutions satisfying the always changing needs of a vast and demanding public. Said research considers the functional aspects of the watch, without however disregarding the aesthetical factors, which are in fact of primary importance in a product which is also and in particular a fashion accessory, besides of a powerful status symbol. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is thus to provide a new wristwatch which combines, in a completely novel and surprisingly effective manner, high technology advanced functional aspects with an outstanding aesthetical characterization. 
     This and other objects are accomplished by the wristwatch according to the invention, the essential characteristics of which are defined by the attached claim  1 . 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The characteristics and advantages of the wristwatch according to the present invention shall become clearer from the following description of an embodiment thereof, given as an example and not for limiting purposes, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  schematically represents an exploded view of a wristwatch according to the invention, with parts omitted for the sake of clarity; 
         FIG. 2  is a longitudinal section view of the watch of  FIG. 1 , that is a sectional view on a plane orthogonal with the central axis of the bracelet when the same is wound in a ring-like fashion around the wrist of a user; and 
         FIG. 3  is a different perspective view of the watch, with further details represented and the case omitted, in a use configuration with the time displayed on the dial. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to the above figures, a watch according to the present invention comprises a bracelet  1  and a case  2 , generally designed according to any fashion and/or technical solution of a known kind. 
     In a likewise conventional manner, the case  2  has a wide opening  2   a,  circular in this case, shut by a screen  3  made of a transparent material such as scratch-proof glass. On the opposite side, intended to make contact with the skin of the user, the case  2  is shut by a bottom plate  9 . The case houses the so called “movement” of the watch, not shown, featuring a conventional quartz timing unit with a digital output signal. Above the movement, close to the screen  3  though spaced from it, a plate  4  defines the dial  4   a  of the watch, that is the surface on which one can read, in particular but not exclusively, the time. 
     According to the invention, a magnetic attraction system is arranged under the plate  4 , comprising a slab  5  internally partitioned in a plurality of cells made of a ferromagnetic material mutually separated by a net of an amagnetic material (i.e. permeable to magnetism and not magnetizable), typically according to an orthogonal Cartesian grid. The cells, via an excitation electrical system of a type per se known, are made capable of exerting a magnetic attraction, in a mutually independent and selective manner. The excited cells correspond to respective surface portions of the plate  4 , in turn made of an amagnetic material, and in said portions the magnetic attraction becomes selectively concentrated, while the attraction remains absent in the remaining cells. 
     Movable means or members (movable according to at least one degree of freedom) responsive to the magnetic attraction exerted by the cells of the slab  5  are arranged over the dial  4   a.  In the depicted embodiment, and according to a preferred solution, such movable means take the fashion of granular members  6 , each comprising in particular a precious gem  61  supported by a mounting  62 , made of a ferromagnetic material, which defines the support basis of the stone on the dial  4   a  and in contact therewith. 
     As an alternative, according to a different embodiment not shown, the movable means may be normal hands at least partially made of a ferromagnetic material and freely pivotable, when attracted by the magnetic attraction force, around a central support pin protruding from the dial  4   a.    
     The magnetic attraction means and the timing unit are wired to a programmable control unit (in turn not represented), typically a microchip printed circuit board, adapted to, among other functions, to convert the digital signal outputted by the timing unit in an input control signal to the magnetic attraction means, or more precisely to the relative excitation system, the input control signal comprising information on which among the cells of the slab  5  must be made attractive, as a function of the current outputted time. 
     A switch is provided for turning on and off the electric excitation, and consequently the magnetic attraction. The switch may comprise a press button  7  to be manually operated on a side of the case  2 , or an inertial device making use of an acceleration sensor, to be operated simply by strongly and swiftly shaking the arm on the wrist of which the watch is worn. Two alternative examples of acceleration sensors are represented in  FIG. 1 , indicated at  81  and  82 . Miniaturized acceleration sensor that can be used to this purpose are e.g. those marketed by the US company DYTRAN INSTRUMENTS INC. (www.dytran.com). 
     The watch finally comprises energy feeding means such as typically battery means  10 , advantageously arranged in housings formed in the bracelet  1  at one or both the ends adjacent with the case  2 . Clearly, the battery means  10  feed, via wires  11 , besides the timing unit as in known watches, the magnetic attraction means (and specifically the electric excitation system), the acceleration sensors if present, and the control unit. 
     The operation of the watch according to the invention will be immediately apparent from the foregoing description. In a normal condition, the granular members  6  will be free to move in the space between the transparent screen  3  and the dial  4   a,  and the watch will take on the aspect of a simple ornamental accessory, with the additional peculiarity of the gems that can be seen spreading around freely over the dial as the arm of the user swings. 
     When one wishes to display the time of the day, the manual or inertial switch will be operated. In this way the control unit, once read the digital time output, will activate the selective excitation of a distribution of cells such as to “draw” or compose the time figure, with the gems (or hands) magnetically attracted. The time figure may comprise the hour and minutes in Arabic numerals, as in  FIG. 3  the time 11:11, or a hand-like pattern. It goes without saying that, besides to the hour and minutes (and seconds), other type of information may be displayed (date, day of the week, local times of different time zones etc.), or even, more generally speaking, images, patterns or preset graphic or numeric symbols, even to be customized when the watch is purchased (mane of the owner, logos of various kinds etc.). 
     Once the need for time display ceases, by switching again the switch, or after that a predetermined display period has lapsed, the excitation of the magnetic attraction means will be interrupted, bringing back the gems (or the hands) in the original free condition. Second and further magnetic attraction means may be optionally provided, having an arrangement analogous to the first attraction means described above, adapted to generate a magnetic field opposing the field generated by the first magnetic attraction means, in order to neutralize possible residual and undesired magnetic forces that could disturb a correct visualization. To this purpose, it may even suffice that the magnetic polarity of the same first magnetic field be reversed. 
     Accordingly, the wristwatch according to the invention fully attains the prefixed object, considering that with a structurally simple solution the result is obtained of arousing the interest of the public, above and beyond for the peculiar functionality, for outstandingly appealing aesthetic contents. 
     The distribution of selectively magnetizable cells over the slab  5  may be arranged according to different patterns, namely in circular sectors or other patterns, even fancy ones, as a function of the specific display modes one wishes to obtain. More generally, the structure of the magnetic attraction means may vary with respect to the one in the exemplifying embodiment, according to implementation that will be obvious to the skilled person. 
     According to a further different simplified embodiment, not shown, the same hands of the watch may take the function of the magnetic attraction means, again excited by an electric system, with the granular members that, in this case, have mostly the effect of emphasizing and enriching the legibility of the same hands. In this embodiment, the hands will therefore necessarily have a laminar structure, arranged close to the dial surface  4   a  of the plate  4 , so as to leave room to the movable gems  6 . In case of hours with superimposed hands, the exceeding gems that do not find place over the hands can be left free or used, as already mentioned, for designing other patterns. This indeed applies also to the depicted main embodiment, when the number of gems exceeds the number required for displaying a specific time figure. The dial can also be associated with lighting means, so that the light radiation will be diffused by the gems so as to obtain an aesthetical effect even more peculiar and a better readability in poor visibility conditions, such as at night. 
     The present invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. It should be understood that there can be other embodiments that make use of the same inventive concept, as defined by the scope of the claims attached hereafter.