Moving indicator for an analogue display device
AssigneeThe Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
InventorPierpasquale Tortora
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A moving indicator for an analogue display device, in particular for a timepiece. The indicator includes a multi-layer part including an opaque metal layer and a transparent light guide layer and forming a body and a head of the indicator. The head is centred relative to a rotational axis of the indicator and arranged to receive a luminous flux on the bottom face thereof. A fluorescent material is arranged on the transparent light guide layer at the head of the indicator to absorb at least part of said luminous flux and to re-emit a second luminous fluorescence flux in the transparent light guide layer. Other aspects comprise a set of indicators, a display device and a watch comprising one or more moving indicators.
Claims12
A moving indicator for an analogue display device, in particular for a timepiece, comprising a multi-layer part including an opaque metal layer and a transparent light guide layer and forming a body and a head of the indicator, said head being centred relative to a rotational axis of the indicator and arranged to receive a luminous flux on the bottom face thereof, wherein a fluorescent material is arranged on or in the transparent light guide layer at the head of the indicator to absorb at least part of said luminous flux and to re-emit a second luminous fluorescence flux in the transparent light guide layer.
A set of indicators comprising at least a first indicator and a second indicator,
- wherein said first and second indicators comprise a multi-layer part including an opaque metal layer and a transparent light guide layer and forming a body and a head of the indicator, said head being centred relative to a rotational axis of the indicator and arranged to receive a luminous flux on the bottom face thereof,
- wherein a fluorescent material is arranged on or in the transparent light guide layer at the head of the indicator to absorb at least part of said luminous flux and to re-emit a second luminous fluorescence flux in the transparent light guide layer
- wherein said head includes a central hole wherein a sleeve made of an opaque material is arranged,
- and wherein said first indicator comprises one or more secondary holes arranged about the central hole of the head so as to allow said luminous flux to pass through the first indicator through the secondary holes so that at least part of said flux is absorbed by the fluorescent material of the second indicator when the first indicator and the second indicator are arranged such that the rotational axes of the first indicator and of the second indicator are aligned.
A display device for a timepiece, the device comprising:
- a dial;
- indicators, comprising a multi-layer part including an opaque metal layer and a transparent light guide layer and forming a body and a head of the indicator, said head being centred relative to a rotational axis of the indicator and arranged to receive a luminous flux on the bottom face thereof, wherein a fluorescent material is arranged on or in the transparent light guide layer at the head of the indicator to absorb at least part of said luminous flux and to re-emit a second luminous fluorescence flux in the transparent light guide layer, said indicators being disposed above the dial, the respective heads of the indicators being superimposed and fastened to respective arbors in order to rotate about a shared rotational axis;
- and
- a stationary lighting source arranged to illuminate beneath all of the heads of the indicators by means of a luminous flux substantially parallel to the shared rotational axis and having a shorter wavelength than the wavelength re-emitted by the fluorescent material.
A watch comprising a display device said display device comprising:
- a dial;
- indicators, comprising a multi-layer part including an opaque metal layer and a transparent light guide layer and forming a body and a head of the indicator, said head being centred relative to a rotational axis of the indicator and arranged to receive a luminous flux on the bottom face thereof, wherein a fluorescent material is arranged on or in the transparent light guide layer at the head of the indicator to absorb at least part of said luminous flux and to re-emit a second luminous fluorescence flux in the transparent light guide layer, said indicators being disposed above the dial, the respective heads of the indicators being superimposed and fastened to respective arbors in order to rotate about a shared rotational axis;
- and
- a stationary lighting source arranged to illuminate beneath all of the heads of the indicators by means of a luminous flux substantially parallel to the shared rotational axis and having a shorter wavelength than the wavelength re-emitted by the fluorescent material, said indicators being hands.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.