Motion controlled clock with alarm and flashlight features

• US 5,524,101 A
• Filed: 06/26/1995
• Issued: 06/04/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Timex Corporation (Tanager Group BV)
• Original Assignee: Timex Corporation (Tanager Group BV)
• Inventors: Houlihan, John T., Thorgersen, Harold, Kamens, Bruce H., Santana, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US08/494,984
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/67, 368/72-74, 368/226, 368/227, 368/250, 368/262-263
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 19/32 by luminescent substances disc or drum shaped indicating means with marks or windows G04B19/04; with numbers or number-marks G04B19/20; cases for housing the electrical parts G04G17/00; projection of hands and/or scales on weighing apparatus G01G19/00; on measuring instruments G01D5/262; for advertising G09F19/18
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/0454 Free standing watches (montre chevalet)
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/02 Installations within mirrors, pictures, furniture or other household articles clock-lamps, globe-clocks with a fixed dial, G04B19/04; clock in the form of a lamp with a dial mounted upon it, moved by the clockwork G04B19/21; clockwork in the form of a globe for indicating different local apparent times G04B19/22; illumination of the dial and the hands G04B19/30; clock-lamps with the lamp switched on and off by the clockwork mechanism G04C19/02, within keys G04B47/005, within lighters G04B47/006, within pens B43K29/087
• 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 13/02 at preselected times, e.g. alarm clocks
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces

Abstract

An alarm clock has a motion sensor, a time display comprising an electroluminescent dial, a manual alarm actuator with a lip cover and a flashlight actuator. When the manual alarm actuator is set in the ON position, any movement (e.g., waving a hand) in the field of view of the motion sensor causes the electroluminescent dial to become activated to a first brightness level. Furthermore, when the alarm is sounding, any movement in the field of view of the motion sensor silences the alarm for a preselected time interval, before the sounding of the alarm is resumed ("snooze" function). In the OFF position for the manual alarm actuator, the lip cover covers the motion sensor so that motion detection is prevented. When the flashlight actuator is actuated, the electroluminescent dial becomes activated to a second brightness level. The second brightness level is noticeably brighter than the first brightness level. The alarm clock has circuit means coupled to a driving circuit for the electroluminescent dial for selecting either the first or the second brightness level.

Claims

1. An improved alarm clock of the type having an alarm sounding mechanism, a motion sensor, and means coupled to the alarm sounding mechanism and the motion sensor for deactivating the alarm sounding mechanism for a preselected time interval when the alarm sounding mechanism is activated, wherein the improvement comprises:

a time display comprising an electroluminescent dial;

a manual alarm actuator having a lip cover, the lip cover covering the motion sensor when the manual alarm actuator is set in the OFF position;

a flashlight actuator;

a driving circuit coupled to the electroluminescent dial for activating the electroluminescent dial to two distinct brightness levels; and

circuit means coupled to the motion sensor, the flashlight actuator, and the driving circuit for selecting the desired brightness level.

2. An alarm clock having an alarm sounding mechanism, which comprises:

a motion sensor;

a time display for displaying the time, including the alarm time, comprising an electroluminescent dial;

a slidable alarm switch having a lip cover, the lip cover covering the motion sensor when the slidable alarm switch is set in the OFF position;

a flashlight push button;

an alarm time setting means coupled to the time display;

a driving circuit coupled to the electroluminescent dial for activating the electroluminescent dial to two distinct brightness levels;

circuit means coupled to the motion sensor, the flashlight push button, and the driving circuit for selecting the desired brightness level; and

means coupled to the motion sensor and the alarm sounding mechanism for deactivating the alarm sounding mechanism for a preselected time interval when the alarm sounding mechanism is activated.

3. The alarm clock according to claim 2, which further comprises a case upon which is disposed the motion sensor, the time display, the slidable alarm switch, the flashlight push button, and the alarm time setting means, the case housing the driving circuit, the circuit means, and the means for deactivating the alarm sounding mechanism for a preselected time interval.

4. The alarm clock according to claim 3, which further comprises a protective cover attached to the case, the protective cover serving as a stand and having a first opening corresponding to the flashlight push button and a second opening corresponding to the time display so that when the protective cover is positioned to mate with the case, only the flashlight push button and the time display are exposed to view.

5. The alarm clock according to claim 2, wherein the electroluminescent dial comprises a transparent substrate, and front and back electrodes having interposed therebetween an electroluminescent layer and an insulating layer.

6. The alarm clock according to claim 2, wherein the motion sensor is a pyroelectric infrared detector.

7. The alarm clock according to claim 2, wherein the driving circuit includes a voltage boosting circuit.

8. An analog alarm clock having an alarm sounding mechanism, which comprises:

a motion sensor;

a time display comprising a minute hand, an hour hand, an alarm hand, and an electroluminescent dial;

a manual alarm actuator having a lip cover, the lip cover covering the motion sensor when the manual alarm actuator is set in the OFF position;

a flashlight actuator;

an alarm hand setting means;

a driving circuit coupled to the electroluminescent dial for activating the electroluminescent dial to two distinct brightness levels;

circuit means coupled to the motion sensor, the flashlight actuator, and the driving circuit for selecting the desired brightness level; and

means coupled to the motion sensor and the alarm sounding mechanism for deactivating the alarm sounding mechanism for a preselected time interval when the alarm sounding mechanism is activated.

9. The analog alarm clock according to claim 8, which further comprises a case upon which is disposed the motion sensor, the time display, the manual alarm actuator, the flashlight actuator, and the alarm hand setting means, the case housing the driving circuit, the circuit means, and the means for deactivating the alarm sounding mechanism for a preselected time interval.

10. The analog alarm clock according to claim 9, which further comprises a protective cover attached to the case, the protective cover serving as a stand and having a first opening corresponding to the flashlight actuator and a second opening corresponding to the time display so that when the protective cover is positioned to mate with the case, only the flashlight actuator and the time display are exposed to view.

11. The analog alarm clock according to claim 8, wherein the electroluminescent dial comprises a transparent substrate having indicia printed thereon, and front and back electrodes having interposed therebetween an electroluminescent layer and an insulating layer.

12. The analog alarm clock according to claim 8, wherein the motion sensor is a pyroelectric infrared detector.

13. The analog alarm clock according to claim 8, wherein the driving circuit includes a voltage boosting circuit.

14. The analog alarm clock according to claim 8, wherein the alarm hand setting means comprises a rotatable member protruding externally from the time display.

15. A digital alarm clock having an alarm sounding mechanism, which comprises:

a motion sensor;

a time display for displaying the time, including the alarm time, the time display comprising an electro-optical display and an electroluminescent lamp disposed behind the electro-optical display;

a manual alarm actuator having a lip cover, the lip cover covering the motion sensor when the manual alarm actuator is set in the OFF position;

a flashlight actuator;

an alarm time setting means coupled to the time display;

a driving circuit coupled to the electroluminescent dial for activating the electroluminescent dial to two distinct brightness levels;

circuit means coupled to the motion sensor, the flashlight actuator, and the driving circuit for selecting the desired brightness level; and

means coupled to the motion sensor and the alarm sounding mechanism for deactivating the alarm sounding mechanism for a preselected time interval when the alarm sounding mechanism is activated.

16. The digital alarm clock according to claim 15, which further comprises a case upon which is disposed the motion sensor, the time display, the manual alarm actuator, the flashlight actuator, and the alarm time setting means, the case housing the driving circuit, the circuit means, and the means for deactivating the alarm sounding mechanism for a preselected time interval.

17. The digital alarm clock according to claim 16, which further comprises a protective cover attached to the case, the protective cover serving as a stand and having a first opening corresponding to the flashlight actuator and a second opening corresponding to the time display so that when the protective cover is positioned to mate with the case, only the flashlight actuator and the time display are exposed to view.

18. The digital alarm clock according to claim 15, wherein the electroluminescent lamp comprises a transparent substrate, and front and back electrodes having interposed therebetween an electroluminescent layer and an insulating layer.

19. The digital alarm clock according to claim 15, wherein the motion sensor is a pyroelectric infrared detector.

20. The digital alarm clock according to claim 15, wherein the driving circuit includes a voltage boosting circuit.

21. The digital alarm clock according to claim 15, wherein the electro-optical display is a liquid crystal display.