Magnification device for timepiece

• US 7,274,520 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Swatch Group Management Services AG (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Swatch Group Management Services AG (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Winkler, Pascal, Ferri, Yvan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack; Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stultz; Jessica T
• Application Number:
  US11/246,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 359/802, 968/372
• US Class Current: 359/802
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 19/10 Ornamental shape of the graduations or the surface of the dial; Attachment of the graduations to the dial cases for special purposes, e.g. ring or button watches G04B37/12; indicating means with special effects G04B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 39/008 with means for magnified reading combinations with a magnifying glass in general G04B47/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/00 Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece clockwork cases for special purposes G04B37/12; clocks with magnifying glass built in the face G04B39/00; time-pieces in which parts or cases produce special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects, G04B45/00, particularly with inscriptions or pictures moved by hand G04B45/003, with specially shaped cases or parts G04B45/0069; combination of writing or drawing implements with devices for indicating time B43K29/087; combined with cameras, projectors, or photographic printing apparatus G03B29/00

Abstract

The device consists in compensating for the distortion of the characters marked on the dial caused by a lens, by writing the characters with a reverse pin cushion or barrel distortion.

Claims

1. A device for magnifying alphanumerical characters or pictograms that have to be read on the dial of a timepiece, formed of a case closed by a crystal and a back cover and containing a timepiece movement, said magnification being obtained by means of a single magnifying lens, characterized wherein the writing of the characters is deformed in the opposite direction to the distortion caused by the lens.

2. The magnification device according to claim 1, wherein the lens is positioned on the dial immediately above the alphanumerical characters or pictograms.

3. The magnification device according to claim 1, wherein the lens is positioned on the crystal or formed in said crystal.

4. The magnification device according to claim 1, wherein the alphanumerical characters or pictograms are marked on a date disc driven by the timepiece movement opposite an aperture.

5. The magnification device according to claim 1, wherein the alphanumerical characters or pictograms are formed by a digital liquid crystal display.