WATCH ASSEMBLY HAVING A PLURALITY OF TIME-COORDINATED BELTS

• US 20150078143A1
• Filed: 04/08/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Devon Works, LLC
• Original Assignee: Devon Works, LLC
• Inventors: Wilbur, Jason M., Stephenson, Jeffrey J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,304,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/223
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 19/207 by means of bands bands as time indicating means with a reference mark or window G04B19/04
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 17/0008 by bands
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 17/0016 with date indication

Abstract

A watch for providing a digital time display comprises a movement mechanism disposed in a case that includes a number of continuous belts. The belts each have a numerical indicia consistent with hours, minutes and optionally second. The belts mounted over opposed drums, and the drums are rotated through gear engagement motors to move the belts. The arrangement of belts and drums are mounted on a frame separate from the case. The motors are operated to move the belts to cause the numerical indicia of the combined belts to register with one or more windows visible through a transparent cover to provide a time display. The belts may be oriented to overlap one another. The watch includes a microcontroller for controlling the operation of the motors, an optical sensor to determining the position of the belts, and a wirelessly rechargeable battery pack for powering the motors.

Claims

1. A portable timepiece comprising:

a casing;

a number of continuous belts disposed within the casing, wherein the belts include indicia on an outer belt surface, and wherein the belts are rotated within the case to provide a time display; and

a front cover disposed over a front portion of the casing, wherein at least a portion of the front cover is transparent, and wherein the indicia on the number of belts is visible through the front cover to provide a time display.

2. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 1 comprising a display frame comprising one or more windows for viewing respective belt indicia therethrough to provide a time display.

3. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 1 wherein the casing comprises opposed end caps that extend from the front surface to a case back surface, wherein timepiece further comprises wrist bands operatively connected with respective end caps to facilitate removably attaching the timepiece to a user.

4. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 1 wherein each belt is disposed around a respective pair of opposed belt drums to facilitate rotation of the belt, wherein the belts and respective drums are disposed on a frame attached to the case, and wherein the watch include one or more motors operatively connected with one or more belt drums to rotate the belts.

5. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 4 wherein the belt drums include surface that register with a respective belt to provide a nonslip engagement therebetween.

6. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 1 further comprising a microcontroller disposed within the case for controlling movement of the belts to provide a time display.

7. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 1 wherein one of the belts overlaps with another one of the belts.

8. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 1 further comprising a power source disposed within the case and comprising:

a rechargeable battery;

a wireless charging induction coil; and

charging circuitry.

9. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 1 wherein the belts comprise:

a first belt that includes numerical indicia for providing an hour time display; and

a pair of second belts that each includes numerical indicia for together providing a minute time display.

10. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 9 wherein one of the first or second belts overlap the other of the first or second belts.

11. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 9 wherein the belts further comprise a third belt that includes numerical indicia for providing a second time display.

12. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 9 comprising four motors, wherein a first motor is operatively connected to a first belt having numerical indicia for providing a hour time display, wherein a second and a third motor are operatively connected to respective second and third belts having numerical indicia for together providing a minute time display, and wherein a fourth motor is operatively connected to a fourth belt having numerical indicia for providing a second time display.

13. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 1 further comprising an optical sensor for detecting the position of one or more belts.

14. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 1 wherein a substantial portion of the belts independent of the indicia providing the time display is visible through the front cover.

15. A timepiece for providing a digital time display comprising:

a case having a transparent front cover for viewing a time display;

a plurality of continuous belts rotatably disposed within the case, the belts comprising;

a first belt having a numerical indicia on its surface to provide an hour time display, and

a pair of second belts having numerical indicia on their surface to when combined provide a minute time display;

one or more windows positioned adjacent the belts to register with the indicia of the combined first and second belts to provide an hour and minute time display.

16. The timepiece as recited in claim 15 wherein the belts are each disposed between opposed respective drums, and the drums are rotatably mounted to a frame separate from the case.

17. The timepiece as recited in claim 16 further comprising one or more motors that are operatively coupled to the drums to move the belts to provide the time display.

18. The timepiece as recited in claim 17 wherein each belt is driven by its own motor.

19. The timepiece as recited in claim 17 comprising a microcontroller disposed within the case for controlling the operation of the motors to move of the belts to provide the time display.

20. The timepiece as recited in claim 17 comprising a power source disposed within the case for operating the motors.

21. The timepiece as recited in claim 20 wherein the power source comprises a rechargeable battery, and wherein the timepiece comprises means for wirelessly recharging the battery.

22. The timepiece as recited in claim 15 wherein the second belts overlap the first belt.

23. The timepiece as recited in claim 15 wherein the windows are provided in a display frame that is interposed between the front cover and the belts.

24. The portable timepiece as recited in claim 15 wherein a substantial portion of the belts independent of the indicia providing the time display is visible through the front cover.

25. A timepiece for providing a digital time display comprising:

a case having a transparent front cover for viewing a time display;

a plurality of continuous belts rotatably disposed within the case, the belts comprising;

a first belt having a numerical indicia on its surface to provide an hour time display, and

a pair of second belts having numerical indicia on their surface to when combined provide a minute time display;

wherein the first and second belts are disposed over respective opposed drums, and wherein each belt is driven by a motor coupled to a respective drum;

one or more windows positioned adjacent the belts to register with the indicia of the combined first and second belts to provide an hour and minute time display.

26. The timepiece as recited in claim 25 wherein second belts overlap the first belt.

27. The timepiece as recited in claim 25 wherein the belts and drums are disposed on a frame, and the frame is attached to the case.

28. The timepiece as recited in claim 25 further comprising a microcontroller for operating the motors to move the belts to provide a time display.

29. The timepiece as recited in claim 25 further comprising a battery for powering the motors, the timepiece further comprising means for wirelessly charging the battery.

30. The timepiece as recited in claim 25 further comprising an optical sensor for detecting the position of the belts for providing a time display.

31. A method for providing a digital time display in a portable timepiece comprising the steps of:

rotating a first continuous belt disposed within the timepiece to register a numerical indicia disposed on the first belt within a window to provide an hour time display;

rotating a pair of second continuous belts disposed within the timepiece to register numerical indicia disposed on the pair of second belts within a window to provide a minute time display;

wherein the steps of rotating the first belt and the pair of second belts are achieved by operating one or more motors disposed within the timepiece.

32. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the step of rotating the first belt is achieved by operating a first motor, and the step of operating the pair of second belts is achieved by operating a second and third motor.

33. The method as recited in claim 31 further comprising rotating a third continuous belts disposed within the timepiece to register numerical indicia disposed on the third belt to provide a second time display.

34. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the first and second belts are each disposed between opposed drums, and wherein the first and second belts are rotated by gear engagement between the one or more motors and the drums.

35. The method as recited in claim 31 further comprising controlling the rotation of the first and second belts to provide a time display, wherein the step of controlling is provided by a microcontroller disposed within the timepiece.

36. The method as recited in claim 31 further comprising determining the position of the first and second belts within the timepiece, wherein the step of determining is provided by an optical sensor disposed within the timepiece.

37. The method as recited in claim 31 further comprising providing power to the one or more motors, wherein the power is provided by a battery.

38. The method as recited in claim 37 further comprising recharging the battery, wherein the timepiece includes means for recharging the battery wirelessly.

39. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the pair of second belts overlap the first belt.