Decoration display device and timepiece comprising such display device

• US 5,740,130 A
• Filed: 01/13/1997
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SMH Management Services AG (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: SMH Management Services AG (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Grupp, Joachim, Poli, Jean-Charles, Teres, Yvan
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US08/785,136
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 368/82-84, 368/223, 368/228, 368/239-242, 349/113, 349/84-87
• US Class Current: 368/82
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 45/0015 Light-, colour-, line- or spot-effects caused by or on stationary parts change of appearance by exchangeable case parts G04B47/046
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 17/0091 Combined electro-optical and electro-mechanical displays see provisionally also G04G9/0082
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/16 on clocks, e.g. controlled by the clock mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13

Abstract

Device producing an aesthetic effect by means of a field-effect or charge-effect optical shutter (5), allowing, by the switching of a power source (8), a colored decorative design (11) printed onto a non Lambertian optimized diffuse reflector (12), placed against the back face (5a) of the optical shutter, to be uncovered or masked; timepiece wherein the dial is formed wholly or partly by such a device.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a coloured decorative design,

an optical shutter having a front face through which the decorative design is observed and a back face behind which is placed a diffuse reflector and against which the coloured decorative design is placed, said shutter being capable of passing from an opaque state to a transparent state by application of an electric voltage thereto, and

an power source provided with a control device arranged for applying the electric voltage necessary for the change of state of said optical shutter,

wherein said diffuse reflector is not of the lambertian type and wherein the coloured decorative design is formed by an ink directly printed onto said diffuse reflector, without appreciably modifying the surface aspect.

2. A display device according to claim 1, wherein the diffuse reflector is a metal-plated plastic sheet having a diffusion lobe forming, with the direction perpendicular to its plane, an angle of between 40°

and 60°

, preferably 50°

when the luminance is 50%.

3. A display device according to claim 1, wherein the coloured decorative design also comprises zones which are not coated with an ink.

4. A display device according to claim 1, wherein the optical shutter is a liquid crystal cell.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the liquid crystal cell is of the "Twisted-nematic" type and comprises parallel polarisers.

6. A timepiece comprising at least one movement intended to display the time in connection with dial, said movement being housed in a case closed by a crystal, wherein the dial of said timepiece constitutes wholly or partly the display device according to claim 1.

7. A timepiece according to claim 6, wherein the switching of the power source is effected by means of an external control element.

8. A timepiece according to claim 6, wherein the switching of the power source is effected via a signal transmitted by the time base of said timepiece.

9. A timepiece according to claim 6, wherein the device forming the dial is further provided with a passage for pipes carrying hands.

10. A timepiece according to claim 6, wherein the front face of the dial forming device is further provided with a decoration or with signs.