Luminous Dial for timepiece

Details Luminous Dial for timepiece Luminous Dial for timepiece

2000-10-30

2003-01-28

Martin, David (Department: 2859)

Horology: time measuring systems or devices

Chronological

With auxiliary illumination for display

C368S226000, C368S227000, C368S232000, C313S510000, C362S023000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06512721

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dial for a timepiece, such as a wrist watch, and which has a luminescent function, and a timepiece have such a luminescent dial.
2. Description of Related Art
According to an earlier development, there is a dial for timepiece, such as a dial for wrist watch, which comprises a luminescent member made of an EL element (Electro Luminescence element) and which enables a user to recognize time even in a dark place by emitting the luminescent member.
As a dial for timepiece, there are ones disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,838,640, 5,930,204, 5,880,796 and 6,020,943.
As this type of dial for timepiece, for example, there is one having a structure in which a light-transmissive member is provided in an upper position of the luminescent member, or one having a structure in which a decoration member having a through hole for decoration is provided in an upper position of the luminescent member.
However, in the former dial for timepiece, a light emitted from the luminescent member is transmitted through the light-transmissive member and the transmitted light only illuminates the upper whole surface side of the light-transmissive member. In the latter dial for timepiece, a light emitted from the luminescent member is transmitted through the through hole for decoration, which is provided in the decoration member, and the transmitted light only illuminates the upper surface side of the decoration member partially in accordance with the through hole. In any one of the dials for timepiece, there is a troublesome problem that a sufficient decoration effect cannot be obtained.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was developed in view of these problems. An object of the present invention is to recognize time even in a dark place and to obtain various decoration effects.
In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention comprises the following elements.
Reference numerals attached to each element which will be explained in each embodiment described below, and the like are attached to each element with parentheses.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, as shown in
FIGS. 1
to
4
, a dial (
4
) for timepiece, comprises:
a decoration member (
10
) having a through hole (
13
) for decoration, and
a luminescent member (
11
) disposed under the decoration member;
wherein a surface processed layer (second surface processed layer
16
) is provided on an upper surface of the luminescent member.
According to the present invention, because a light transmitted through the through hole of the decoration member during the emission of the luminescent member, illuminates the upper surface side of the decoration member partially in accordance with the through hole, it is possible to recognize time even in a dark place. Further, because the decoration effect caused by the decoration member and the decoration effect caused by the surface processed layer of the luminescent member in accordance with the through hole of the decoration member are obtained, various decoration effects can be obtained by both two decoration effects.
In accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, as shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, a dial (
20
) for timepiece, comprises:
a decoration member (
10
) having a through hole (
13
) for decoration,
a light-transmissive member (
21
) disposed under the decoration member, and
a luminescent member (
11
) disposed under the light-transmissive member;
wherein a surface processed layer (third surface processed layer
22
, fourth surface processed layer
23
or second surface processed layer
16
) is provided on at least one surface of an upper surface of the light-transmissive member, a lower surface of the light-transmissive member and an upper surface of the luminescent member.
According to the present invention, because a light transmitted through the through hole of the decoration member during the emission of the luminescent member, illuminates the upper surface side of the decoration member partially in accordance with the through hole, it is possible to recognize time even in a dark place. Further, a three-dimensional decoration effect can be obtained by the decoration effect caused by the decoration member and by the decoration effect caused by the surface processed layer provided on at least one surface of an upper surface of the light-transmissive member, a lower surface of the light-transmissive member and an upper surface of the luminescent member in accordance with the through hole of the decoration member. Therefore, more various decoration effects can be obtained.
As shown in
FIGS. 1
to
6
, the surface processed layer (second surface processed layer
16
, third surface processed layer
22
or fourth surface processed layer
23
) is a decoration layer formed by application, printing, deposition or the like. When the color of the surface processed layer is similar to that of the decoration member (
10
), the through holes (
13
) of the decoration member can be blind during the non-emission of the luminescent member (
11
).
As shown in
FIGS. 12 and 17
, because the surface processed layer (third surface processed layer
39
) is an irregular layer made by forming a surface of the irregular layer into a finely irregular shape, it is possible that a light emitted from the luminescent member (
11
) is diffused from the through holes (
13
) of the decoration member (
10
) to the outside of the dial for timepiece during the emission of the luminescent member. Thereby, the diffused light can brightly illuminate the outer peripheral side of the through holes.
As shown in
FIGS. 11
to
15
, the surface processed layer (third surface processed layer
39
) which is an irregular layer made by forming a surface of the surface processed layer into a finely irregular shape, is provided on the upper surface of the light-transmissive member (
37
),
the surface processed layer (fourth surface processed layer
40
) which is an irregular layer made by forming a surface of the surface processed layer into a finely irregular shape, or the surface processed layer which is a decoration layer formed by application, printing, deposition or the like, and having light-transmissive property, is provided on the lower surface of the light-transmissive member, and
the surface processed layer (second surface processed layer
41
) which is a decoration layer formed by application, printing, deposition or the like, and having light-transmissive property, is provided on the upper surface of the luminescent member (
11
).
Thereby, the decoration effect shown during the emission of the luminescent member and the decoration effect shown during the non-emission thereof, which are different from each other can be obtained.
As shown in
FIGS. 16
to
20
, the surface processed layer (third surface processed layer
39
) which is an irregular layer made by forming a surface of the surface processed layer into a finely irregular shape, is provided on the upper surface of the light-transmissive member (
37
),
the surface processed layer (fourth surface processed layer
46
) which is an irregular layer made by forming a surface of the surface processed layer into a finely irregular shape, or the surface processed layer which is a decoration layer formed by application, printing, deposition or the like, and having no light-transmissive property, is provided on the lower surface of the light-transmissive member, and
the surface processed layer (second surface processed layer
47
) which is a decoration layer formed by application, printing, deposition or the like, and having no light-transmissive property, is provided on the upper surface of the luminescent member (
11
).
When the surface processed layer which is a decoration layer having no light-transmissive property, is formed into the shape of a pattern, a figure, a design or the like, the decoration effect shown during the emission of the luminescent member and the decoration effect shown during the non-emission ther

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