Electric alarm clock with battery back-up

• US 5,339,296 A
• Filed: 06/03/1992
• Issued: 08/16/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Salton Incorporated (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Time Corporation
• Inventors: Davis, Joel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roskoski, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US07/893,239
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 368/64, 368/227, 368/203, 368/204, 368/63, 368/67
• US Class Current: 368/67
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 19/30 Illumination of dials or hands dials in general G04B19/06; moving indicating means with numbers or hands, in general G04B19/20; arrangements for indicating different local apparent times by means of a globe illuminated from inside G04B19/22; continuous indication of the time by non-electric light sources G04B25/00, e.g. by electric lamps G04C17/02; illumination by electric lamps which function at fixed times or periodically G04C19/02; illuminated panels G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 21/00 Producing acoustic time signals by electrical means for mechanical clocks or watches G04B21/08, G04B25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 19/10 Arrangements for supplying back-up power

Abstract

An electric alarm clock is disclosed which operates from a conventional external AC power source but is able to continue timekeeping in the event power from the external source is interrupted. A dial illumination feature is also operable during a power failure.

Claims

1. An electric alarm clock comprising:

a dial made from translucent material and having graphics thereon for indicating time;

time and alarm indicating hands mounted on the dial;

a first set of terminals adapted to be connected to a rechargeable battery;

a second set of terminals adapted to be connected to an AC power source;

a charge circuit coupled to said second set of terminals for converting an AC voltage to DC voltage in order to supply a recharging voltage to a battery connected to the first set of terminals;

a quartz alarm movement supplied with DC power from the first set of terminals for driving the time indicating hands and performing an alarm function in accordance with the position of the alarm indicating hand;

a dial illuminating DC lamp;

a momentary ON-OFF switch coupling the first set of terminals to the DC lamp such that the DC lamp receives power from a rechargeable battery connected to the first set of terminals only when the switch is actuated;

an AC lamp coupled to said second set of terminals for illuminating the dial only when supplied with power from said second set of terminals; and

a molded light diffuser mounted behind said dial for piping and disbursing light rays from the AC and DC lamps through the dial.

2. The electric alarm clock as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a nickel-cadmium battery connected to the first set of terminals to be recharged by the charge circuit.

3. An electric alarm clock comprising:

a dial made from translucent material and having graphics thereon for indicating time;

time and alarm indicating hands mounted on the dial;

a first set of terminals adapted to be connected to a rechargeable battery;

a second set of terminals adapted to be connected to an AC power source;

a charge circuit coupled to said second set of terminals for converting an AC voltage to DC voltage in order to supply a recharging voltage to a battery connected to the first set of battery terminals;

a quartz alarm movement supplied with DC power from the first set of terminals for driving the time indicating hands and performing an alarm function in accordance with the position of the alarm indicating hand;

a dial illuminating DC lamp;

a momentary ON-OFF switch coupling the first set of terminals to the DC lamp such that the DC lamp receives power from a rechargeable battery connected to the first set of terminals only when the switch is actuated;

an AC lamp coupled to the second set of terminals for illuminating the dial only when supplied with power from said second set of terminals; and

a electroluminescent panel behind said dial for illuminating the dial with the AC and DC lamps.

4. The electric alarm clock as set forth in claim 3 further comprising a nickel-cadmium battery connected to the first set of terminals to be recharged by the charge circuit.