Clock

Details Clock Clock

2002-02-28

2004-10-19

Gibson, Randy W. (Department: 2841)

Horology: time measuring systems or devices

Displays or display device details

C368S076000, C368S228000, C368S232000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06807129

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to clocks. More particularly, though not exclusively, the invention relates to a clock having a number of suspended elements.
Known “analog” clocks have a dial over which a number of hands sweep. The dial or face usually has hour markings at which the hands of the clock point. The face serves little or no purpose other than to display the markings. Of course, the date is sometimes shown as well, but then some sort of window has to be made through the dial or face through which the date can be seen. In other words, clock dials or faces have only limited useful surface area, namely that part which displays the hour markings, and are therefore an inefficient means of displaying those markings.
Many novelty clocks have been proposed over the years, but they all have a face or dial. The central part of many clock dials has been used to show brand names, cartoon characters and the like, but this is but a mere exploitation of otherwise wasted surface area.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages and/or more generally to provide an improved clock.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved clock having no dial extending from its centre to its time indicators.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a novelty clock having a suspended hand-moving mechanism and time indicators suspended separately from the hand-moving mechanism.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
There is disclosed herein a clock comprising a support, a hand-moving mechanism attached to the support, a plurality of time indicators attached to the support independently of the hand-moving mechanism, and a hand attached to the hand-moving mechanism and adapted to point to the time indicators by action of the hand-moving mechanism.
Preferably, the support is a hanger from which the hand-moving mechanism and time indicators are suspended.
Preferably, the hand-moving mechanism and time indicators are suspended from the hanger by cords.
Preferably the cords are torsionally resilient to prevent permanent twisting of the time indicators.
Preferably the hand-moving mechanism is suspended by two said cords.
Preferably one of the time indicators is suspended from the hand-moving mechanism.
Preferably the time indicators are Arabic numbers.
Preferably each time indicator has a cord connector by which it is attached to one of said cords.
Preferably some of the time indicators include two cord connectors, one positioned above the other in use, the lower one of which suspends another said time indicator with another cord.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4421421 (1983-12-01), Bradt
patent: 5303211 (1994-04-01), Yanaka et al.
patent: 5521888 (1996-05-01), Fransen
patent: 6278664 (2001-08-01), Huffman et al.
patent: 6421602 (2002-07-01), Bullock et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Clock does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Clock, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Clock will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3262872