Electronic timepiece time zone display

• US 4,183,203 A
• Filed: 05/25/1977
• Issued: 01/15/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha
• Inventors: Maezawa, Shuji, Okada, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Witkowski, S. J.
• Application Number:
  US05/800,484
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 58/42.5, 58/43, 58/50 R
• US Class Current: 368/21
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 19/22 Arrangements for indicating different local apparent times; Universal time pieces indicating by means of numbers or signs disposed on moving devices G04B19/20; illumination of dials or hands G04B19/30; combination with a terrestial globe in general G04B47/02; electronic time-zone watches G04G9/0076
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0076 in which the time in another time-zone or in another city can be displayed at will

Abstract

A digital display for an electronic timepiece having visual indication display segments peripherally disposed around a numerical display digit to selectively indicate a predetermined time zone corresponding to the time displayed by the numerical display digits is provided. The display is characterized by a bezel surrounding the plurality of visual indication display segments, the bezel having a plurality of first distinct indicia disposed therearound. Each of the first indicia are disposed proximate to the position of a visual indication display segment to identify the predetermined time zone selectively indicated by the visual identification display segment. A plurality of second indicia are disposed on the bezel, each second indicia being positioned between a specific visual indication display segment and a further first indicia representative of the time zone adjacent to the time zone represented by the specific visual indication display segment.

Claims

1. In a digital display for an electronic timepiece comprising in combination a plurality of numerical display digits for displaying time information and a plurality of visual indication display segments peripherally disposed about said numerical display digits for selectively indicating a predetermined time zone corresponding to the time displayed by said numerical display digits, the improvement comprising a bezel surrounding said plurality of visual indication display segments and having a plurality of first distinct indication means disposed therearound, each said first indication means being disposed proximate to the position of a visual indication display segment for identifying the predetermined time zone selectively indicated by the visual indication display segment, and a plurality of second indication means disposed on said bezel, each of said second indication means being positioned intermediate a specific visual indication display segment and a further first indication means representative of the time zone adjacent to the time zone represented by the specific visual indication display segment whereby the time zone indicated by the further first indication means corresponds to the time displayed by the numerical display digits when the time displayed is daylight savings time.

2. A digital display as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of visual indication display segments includes twenty-four (24) display segments peripherally disposed around said numerical display digits, each of said display segments being representative of a specific global time zone.

3. A digital display as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said second indication means are indicia lines having a first end proximate to a specific visual indication display segment representative of one of said predetermined twenty-four (24) global time zones and the other end proximate to a first indication means representative of a time zone adjacent to the specific time zone represented by the visual indication display segment to which the first end of the second indicia line is disposed proximate to.

4. A digital display as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said indicia lines includes a substantially arrow shaped portion at the end proximate to said visual indication display segment.

5. A digital display as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first distinct indication means includes indicia representative of a time zone designation and a first indicia line having a first end thereof proximate to said time zone designation and the other end thereof proximate to said visual identification display segment corresponding to said time zone designation, and said second indication means includes a second indicia line having a first end proximate to a specific visual indication display segment and the other end proximate to a further time zone designation representative of the time zone adjacent to the time zone designated by the specific visual indication display segment.

6. A digital display as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first and second indicia lines are of a different color.

7. A digital display as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said display digits and said visual indication display segments are liquid crystal display cells.