A MECHANICAL CLOCK

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to c mechanical clocks in motor vehicles.

Background to the Invention

Mechanical clocks are well known and are perceived as high luxury given the strong technical skill and craftsmanship involved in their manufacture. Clocks of this type comprise a winding mechanism which must be periodically wound in order for the clock to maintain its function. Fixed mechanical clocks generally must be wound using a winding key or similar. However, portable clocks, for example watches, have been developed whereby the winding mechanism of the watch is wound through natural movement of the watch itself, for example, when worn on a user's wrist. Such watches may be referred to as "automatic" watches. An automatic watch self-winds using the movement of the wearer, such as the movement of the wearer's wrist or arm during every day movements such as walking. The movement of the wrist, arm and body cause a metal weight attached to a winding mechanism ("the rotor"), to pivot freely on its axis in the centre of the movement. The rotor rotates back and forth in a generally circular motion through action of the wrist, arm or body of the user. The rotor's movement winds the main spring, generally a flat coiled spring that powers mechanical watches.

It is common for clocks to be included within a motor vehicle. Clocks of this type are commonly battery or electrically powered rather than mechanical. However, it would be advantageous to be able to provide a mechanical clock within a vehicle given the perceived higher level of quality. Unfortunately, given the requirements of mechanical clocks to be wound periodically, it is not at present possible to do so without the need for a user to manually wind the clock given that the natural movement of a vehicle will not necessarily automatically wind the clock. Furthermore, given that it is possible in some situations for a vehicle to remain idle for a long period of time, such as overnight for example, a known mechanical clock within a vehicle would not function properly as it would not be wound frequently enough.

DE 10 2011 118952 A1 discloses a motor vehicle according to the preamble of annexed independent claim 1. This vehicle comprises a holder in which a watch with an automatic, self-winding mechanism actuated through movement of the watch is releasably mounted. The vehicle includes a mechanism for rotating the holder in order to automatically wind the watch whilst it is mounted in the holder. Whilst DE 10 2011 118952 A1 addresses the issue of keeping an automatic watch wound whilst it is mounted in a vehicle, the arrangement disclosed provides the driver with only limited functional control over the holder and watch whilst it is mounted in the holder. Furthermore, the holder is designed to allow a watch to be easily mounted at the start of a journey and removed at the end of the journey. This is suitable for a mounting a watch that a user will normally wear when not driving but it is not suitable for mounting a high value clock in a vehicle where the clock will usually remain in the vehicle and unauthorised removal of the clock is undesirable.

It would therefore be advantageous to provide a mechanical clock which can be located within a vehicle which does not suffer the drawbacks of the prior art.

It is therefore an aim of an embodiment or embodiments of the present invention to provide a motor vehicle comprising a mechanical clock which is an improvement on the prior art.

Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, the invention is defined in appended independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

The automatic clock may function as hereinabove described with reference to automatic watches.

In this way, the electrical system of the motor vehicle may power the winding of the winding mechanism without the need for a user to manually wind the mechanism. The present invention therefore allows for the provision of a mechanical clock within a vehicle without the drawbacks of the prior art.

In some embodiments, the automatic winding means may be operable in use to continuously wind the winding mechanism. Alternatively, the automatic winding means may be operable in use to wind the winding mechanism in a periodic manner. The automatic winding means may be operable to wind the winding mechanism at least every 10 minutes, or at least every 30 minutes, or at least every 45 minutes, or at least every 1 hour, for example. The automatic winding means may be operable to wind the winding mechanism for at least 1 minute, or at least 2 minutes, or at least 5 minutes, for example.

The clock may be operable to rotate fully (i.e. 360) in order to wind the winding mechanism. In such embodiments, the clock may be operable to continuously rotate to wind the winding mechanism for the length of time for which the winding mechanism is to be wound. In other embodiments the clock may rotate only partly (i.e. less than 360). In such embodiments, the clock may be operable to repeatedly rotate to a certain extent to wind the winding mechanism for the length of time for which the winding mechanism is to be wound. In either case, the automatic winding means may be operable in use such that subsequent to rotation of the clock for the set period of time, the clock is returned to a set position.

The one or more indicators of the clock may comprise numerals, such as Arabic numerals or Roman numerals, for example.

The motor vehicle may additionally comprise a positional sensor operable in use to determine the rotational position of the clock itself. In this way, the sensor may be operable in use to determine whether the clock has been returned to its set position subsequent to winding. Furthermore, the sensor may be operable to determine whether the clock itself is returned to a correct configuration subsequent to movement of the clock itself. In some embodiments the positional sensor comprises an optical sensor.

The electrical system of the vehicle will commonly be powered by a battery, such as a car battery, for example. In some embodiments the automatic winding means of the mechanical clock may be operable in use to automatically wind the winding mechanism of the clock irrespective of whether the engine of the vehicle is operational or is turned off. In this way, the automatic winding process may carry on even when the vehicle is not in use.

The rotational mechanism may also be powered by the electrical system of the connected vehicle. In this way, the time displayed by the hands of the clock may be altered automatically by the vehicle, or by a user's interaction with the vehicle. In further embodiments the rotational mechanism of the clock may not be electrically connected to the vehicle.

The user interface switch may be operable in use to override the automatic winding operation of the winding mechanism. For example, in some embodiments the user interface switch may be operable in use so that, when switched, the automatic winding mechanism is wound for a given length of time. This may be desirable as in certain situations a user may wish to demonstrate the operational use of the mechanical clock, or to test that the automatic winding of the mechanism is functioning correctly. In some embodiments the user interface switch may be operable in use to disconnect the clock from the vehicle for removal from the vehicle. In such embodiments, the clock may be configured such that under the operation of the user interface switch it is moved to a certain position, through rotational or translational movement to a position where it may be disconnected from the vehicle. In some embodiments the user interface switch is operable in use to perform two or more of the above-mentioned tasks.

The user interface switch may comprise a push button, or a flick switch, for example. In embodiments wherein the interface swtich comprises a button, the button may be operable in use to perform one or more of the above-mentioned tasks upon depression of the button for a set period of time, or for a set number of times consecutively. In embodiments wherein the interface switch comprises a flick switch, the switch may be operable in use to perform one or more of the above-mentioned tasks upon movement of the switch from a first position to a second position for a set period of time, or for a set number of times consecutively.

The holder may comprise the user interface switch.

In some embodiments the mechanical clock is positioned on or within a dashboard of the vehicle. In other embodiments the mechanical clock may be positioned on or within a centre console of the vehicle.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figures 1-4 are a series of schematic diagrams illustrating a clock for use in a motor vehicle in accordance with the present invention.

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate a mechanical clock 2 for use in a motor vehicle of the present invention showing various operational uses. The clock 2 is an automatic, self-winding clock. The clock 2 is housed a holder 4 which is mounted in the dashboard or centre console of a vehicle (not shown), for example. The clock 2 houses the clock mechanisms including a winding mechanism and is rotated in the holder 4 via a rotating mechanism (not shown). The clock 2 includes a clock face 6 and comprises a crown wheel 8 and indicia in the form of Arabic numerals 10 thereon. The crown wheel 8 is operable in use to alter the position of the hands of the clock 2 (not shown) manually. In addition, the holder 4 includes a user interface switch in the form of a button 12 located at the bottom of the holder 4 in the orientation shown in the Figures.

Although not shown in the Figures, it is to be understood that the clock 2 is electrically connected to the electrical circuitry of the vehicle. In this way, the winding mechanism may be wound automatically via rotation of the clock 2 within the holder 4 which is powered by a battery within the vehicle, which may be the vehicle battery itself.

The Figures illustrate the clock 2 in a number of different configurations and show the operational use of the clock 2. Figure 1 shows the clock 2 in its resting position, i.e. the position which it is in for the majority of the time wherein it displays the time to a user. In this position, the clock face 6 is positioned such that the numeral 12 (indicia 10) is shown centred and at the top of the clock 2.

Figure 2 illustrates the automatic winding of the clock 2. To wind the clock 2, the clock 2 is rotated with respect to the holder 4 in the direction shown by arrows 14 on Figure 2 (although it is to understood that the clock 2 may be configured such that it may be rotated in the opposite sense). The rotation of the clock 2 with respect to the holder 4 acts to wind the winding mechanism of the clock (not shown) to ensure that the clock 2 functions as is required, i.e. keeps time and does not lag. The rotation of the clock 2 is powered by the electrical system of the connected vehicle.

It is envisaged that the clock 2 will rotate constantly for a set period of time, or for a set number of rotations, in order to wind the winding mechanism of the clock 2. Furthermore, this rotation of the clock 2 will be performed in a periodic manner, for example, every hour, in order to ensure that the clock 2 remains functional. This may be performed irrespective of whether the vehicle to which the clock 2 is connected is in use.

To ensure that the clock face 6 is returned to the position shown in Figure 1 subsequent to winding, the clock 2 may additionally comprise a sensor (not shown), which in some cases will comprise an optical sensor located on either the body of the clock 2 or on the clock face 6 operable to detect the rotational position of the clock 2 or clock face 6, in use.

The sensor may additionally be used to check whether the clock 2 and clock face 6 is in the correct position during 'normal' use, i.e. when the winding mechanism is not being wound. This is illustrated figuratively in Figure 4 where the clock has been rotated with respect to the holder 4 in the direction shown by arrow 20. This unwanted rotation may have been caused by vibrations from the vehicle to which the clock 2 is connected to. If such a rotation occurs, the sensor may detect this and in doing so, instruct the clock 2 to rotate back to the correct position. In this way, the clock face 6 is kept in the correct position at all times. Again, this rotation may be powered by the electrical system of the vehicle to which the clock 2 is connected.

Figure 3 illustrates a further feature of the clock 2 of the invention showing an operational use of the user interface button 12. Depression of the button 12 acts to instruct the clock 2 to rotate with respect to the holder 4 (in the direction shown by arrow 16) through a given angle in order to present the crown wheel 8 to a user. The crown wheel 8 may subsequently be moved manually, for example in a direction illustrated by arrow 18 to a second position (shown by reference numeral 8' on Figure 3). In this position, the crown wheel 8 may then be rotated axially with respect to the clock face 6 in order to alter the position of the hands of the clock 2.

The button 12 may additionally be operable to perform further tasks with regards to the operation of the clock 2. For example, depression of the button 12 may cause the clock 2 to rotate once through 360°. In this way, the winding of the winding mechanism may be undertaken 'manually' to either simply display this feature, or to check that automatic winding of the mechanical clock 2 is functioning correctly. Furthermore, the button 12 may also be operable, upon depression, to rotate the clock 2 with respect to the body 4 to a position whereby the clock 2 itself disconnects from the connected vehicle. This may be desirable to enable the clock 2 to be removed for servicing or cleaning, for example. It is envisaged that the button 12 may be used to perform two or more of the above actions and in such cases the length of time for which the button is depressed, or indeed the number of times the button is depressed consecutively may be different depending on which action is to be undertaken.

The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.