Alarm clock

• US 5,568,452 A
• Filed: 11/01/1991
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: One Stop Publishing, Inc., O.S.P. Publishing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: O.S.P. Publishing, Inc.
• Inventors: Kronenberg, Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): Roskoski, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US07/786,125
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/72-74, 368/243-244, 368/250, 368/254, 368/262, 368/263
• US Class Current: 368/262
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 23/02 Alarm clocks by other means G04B25/005; waking up by electric lamps G04C19/02; electrically released alarm signals G04C21/00; alarm clocks with electric contacts G04C23/06
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 25/06 by moving figures, e.g. cuckoo clocks, trumpet clocks figures or part of figures set in motion by the clockwork and creating an optical special effect G04B45/0007; figures or parts of figures not used to indicate time G04B45/0038; clockworks driving inscriptions or figures G04B45/0023; time indication by means of plates or bands driven electrically G04C19/04
• 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

Abstract

An alarm clock is provided which has a moving display signal and a characteristic sound signal. The alarm clock comprises a housing having an interior chamber, an actionable member located within the interior chamber, and means for moving the actionable member at a predetermined time. Further provided are sound generating means generating a characteristic sound signal.

Claims

1. An alarm clock for emitting a characteristic sound signal and a moving display signal at a predetermined time, comprising

a housing having an interior chamber and a surface defining an opening in said housing;

an actionable member including a carrier portion located within said interior chamber and having an aperture, said actionable member being sized to fit through said housing opening;

release means at least partially extended in said aperture for moving said actionable member from a first position in said interior chamber to a second position;

an electronic clock mechanism mounted within said housing, said clock mechanism including alarm means for setting a pre-selected alarm signal generated by said clock mechanism;

electronic sound generating means for generating a characteristic sound signal in response to said alarm signal; and

electronic actuation means for operating said release means and for operating said sound generating means in response to said alarm signal

wherein said actionable member is manually displaceable to said first position thereby terminating said characteristic sound signal and thereby resetting said alarm signal and said sound generating means.

2. The alarm clock of claim 1 wherein said housing further includes a base.

3. The alarm clock of claim 1 wherein a clock display is mounted within said housing.

4. The alarm clock of claim 1 further including a switch mounted within said housing effective to disable said characteristic sound signal when said actionable member is manually displaced from said second position into said first position.

5. The alarm clock of claim 1 wherein said housing is in the form of a sports ball, said housing bearing indicia and markings to simulate said sports ball and said actionable member having the form of a human being, said human being bearing indicia, markings, and gestures characteristic of the sport associated with said sports ball wherein said characteristic sound signal is a voice recitation, said voice recitation being characteristic for said characteristic actionable member associated with said sport.

6. The alarm clock of claim 1 wherein said housing is in the form of a sports ball, said housing bearing indicia and markings to simulate said sports ball and said actionable member having the form of a human being, said human being bearing indicia, markings, and gestures characteristic of the sport associated with said sports ball wherein said characteristic sound signal is a characteristic voice recitation, said voice recitation being characteristic for said characteristic actionable member associated with said sport, wherein said housing includes a switch mounted within said housing effective to disable said characteristic sound signal when said actionable member is manually displaced from said second position into said first position.

7. The alarm clock of claim 1 wherein said sound generating means is contained within said base.

8. The alarm clock of claim 1 wherein said clock mechanism and clock display are digital, said clock mechanism being contained within said base and being connected to said clock display.

9. The alarm clock of claim 1 wherein said clock mechanism and clock display are analog, said clock mechanism being contained within said base and being connected to said clock display.

10. The alarm clock of claim 1 wherein said sound generating means includes:

a microcomputer adapted for receipt of a signal through said actuation means for operation upon receipt of said signal;

a memory connected to said microcomputer for storing a signal corresponding to said characteristic sound signal;

an analog-to-digital converter connected to said microcomputer to receive said signal corresponding to said characteristic sound signal;

an amplifier connected at an output of said analog-to-digital converter; and

a speaker connected at an amplified output of said amplifier for broadcasting said characteristic sound signal.

11. The alarm clock of claim 10 further comprising:

a time-base means operable in conjunction with said microcomputer for timing an interval during which reoccurring sequences of said characteristic sound are produced.

12. The alarm clock of claim 11 further comprising a manually operable switch connected to said microcomputer to cancel said reoccurring sequences of said characteristic sounds.

13. The alarm clock of claim 5 wherein said sports ball is selected from the group of sports balls consisting of baseballs, footballs, basketballs, golf balls, and soccer balls.

14. The alarm clock of claim 6 wherein said sports ball is a baseball and said actionable member is a baseball umpire, said umpire making a thumb gesture wherein said voice recitation is, "Don'"'"'t argue with me, You'"'"'re outta here".

15. The alarm clock of claim 1 further including a battery power supply.

16. The alarm clock of claim 1 further comprising means for connecting said clock to AC power.

17. An alarm clock for indicating a predetermined time by an alarm signal, comprising:

a housing in the shape of a sports ball, said housing having an interior chamber and a surface defining an opening in said housing;

an actionable member including a carrier portion located within said interior chamber and having an aperture, said actionable member being sized to fit through said housing opening;

release means at least partially extended in said aperture for moving said actionable member from a first position in said interior chamber to a second position;

an electronic clock mechanism mounted within said housing, said clock mechanism including alarm means for setting a pre-selected alarm signal generated by said clock mechanism;

electronic sound generating means for generating a characteristic sound signal in response to said alarm signal; and

electronic actuation means for operating said release means and for operating said sound generating means in response to said alarm signal wherein said housing is in the form of a sports ball, said housing bearing indicia and marking to simulate said sports ball and said actionable member having the form of a human being, said human being bearing indicia, markings, and gestures characteristic of the sport associated with said sports ball wherein said characteristic sound signal is a voice recitation, said voice recitation being characteristic for said characteristic actionable member associated with said sport

wherein said actionable member is manually displaceable to said first position,thereby terminating said characteristic sound signal and thereby resetting said alarm signal and said sound generating means.

18. The alarm clock of claim 17 wherein said housing includes a switch mounted within said housing effective to disable said characteristic sound signal when said actionable member is manually displaced from said second position into said first position.

19. The alarm clock of claim 17 wherein a clock display is mounted within said housing.

20. The alarm clock of claim 17 wherein said sound generating means is contained within said base.

21. The alarm clock of claim 17 wherein said clock mechanism and clock display are analog, said clock mechanism being contained within said base and being connected to said clock display.

22. The alarm clock of claim 17 wherein said clock mechanism and clock display are digital, said clock mechanism being contained within said base and being connected to said clock display.

23. The alarm clock of claim 17 further including a battery power supply.

24. The alarm clock of claim 17 further comprising means for connecting said clock to AC power.