US4436435A — Analog and digital display timepiece

Claim 1

Independent Claim 298 words

A hybrid display watch comprising: a watch case having an upper display surface and an interior, said display surface having at least one display opening; a transparent cover panel within said display opening; watch movement means including at least timekeeping circuit means and a gear train and motor for driving an analog display, and driving circuit means for driving a digital display, said movement disposed within said interior; analog display means disposed within said interior between said movement and said transparent cover panel in registration with said display opening, said analog display means including a substantially planar analog dial covering at least a portion of said movement and at least an hour hand and a minute hand, said hands driven by said gear train and motor; and liquid crystal digital display means within said interior between said movement means and said transparent cover panel in the space occupied by said hands, said digital display means driven by said driving circuit means in said movement means and disposed adjacent said analog display means in registration with said at least one display opening, said digital display means occupying a smaller surface area than that of said analog display and mounted to said watch movement means and disposed in a direction of 12 o'clock of said analog display, the face of the liquid crystal digital display means being inclined to the direction of six o'clock with respect to said dial so that one side of the liquid crystal digital display means is adjacent to the dial and the other side of the display means is adjacent to the under surface of the transparent cover panel and further, said digitsal display and said hands being disposed in the same region defined by the space between said cover panel and said analog dial.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 298 words

A hybrid display watch comprising: a watch case having an upper display surface and an interior, said display surface having at least one display opening; a transparent cover panel within said display opening; watch movement means including at least timekeeping circuit means and a gear train and motor for driving an analog display, and driving circuit means for driving a digital display, said movement disposed within said interior; analog display means disposed within said interior between said movement and said transparent cover panel in registration with said display opening, said analog display means including a substantially planar analog dial covering at least a portion of said movement and at least an hour hand and a minute hand, said hands driven by said gear train and motor; and liquid crystal digital display means within said interior between said movement means and said transparent cover panel in the space occupied by said hands, said digital display means driven by said driving circuit means in said movement means and disposed adjacent said analog display means in registration with said at least one display opening, said digital display means occupying a smaller surface area than that of said analog display and mounted to said watch movement means and disposed in a direction of 12 o'clock of said analog display, the face of the liquid crystal digital display means being inclined to the direction of six o'clock with respect to said dial so that one side of the liquid crystal digital display means is adjacent to the dial and the other side of the display means is adjacent to the under surface of the transparent cover panel and further, said digitsal display and said hands being disposed in the same region defined by the space between said cover panel and said analog dial.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 1, wherein said analog display hands and said digital display means do not overlap in plan view.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 42 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 1, wherein the display surface is formed with a first analog display opening and a second adjacent digital display opening, said analog display and digital display opening in registration with said analog and digital displays, respectively.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 3, wherein said second digital display opening is adapted to keep from view the periphery of the liquid crystal display means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 87 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal display means includes two opposed transparent panels spaced apart from each other with transparent electrode means deposited on the interior surfaces of said panels for forming characters thereon and a material in the space between said panels adapted to have regions thereof rendered visually distinguishable from the remainder of said material when a predetermined voltage is selectively applied across the electrode means, an upper and a lower polarizer disposed on the outer surfaces of the panels.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 5, wherein said liquid crystal display cell further includes a reflector disposed beneath the lower surface of the lower polarizer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 58 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 5, further including a parting frame member disposed between said displays and said transparent cover plate for keeping the peripheral regions of said displays from view, said parting frame member formed with a first analog display opening and a second smaller digital display opening, said openings in registration with said respective displays.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 41 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 5, wherein said analog display includes an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand, said minute and second hands extending over a portion of said liquid crystal display when viewed in plan view.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 52 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 5, wherein said upper panel of said liquid crystal display extends beyond the opposed lower panel for providing an electrode terminal region and a resilient conductive member disposed between said terminal region and said movement for providing electrical connection to said electrode means on said panels.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 39 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 9, wherein said liquid crystal display further includes an inclined support member havng an opening therethrough, said resilient conductive means disposed in said opening for providing the electrical connection to said electrode means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 27 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 8 wherein said digital display is inclined at an angle between about 5° and 30° with respect to said analog dial.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 27 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 5 wherein said digital display is inclined at an angle between about 10° to 15° with respect to said analog dial.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 74 words

The hybrid display watch of claim 1, wherein the watch case is formed with one display opening for receipt of the cover panel and includes a parting plate formed with a first analog display opening and a second digital display opening dimensioned to cooperate with the analog display means and digital display means, the parting plate disposed within the display opening in the watch case on the inside surface of the transparent cover panel.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1987-03-13	1987-09-12	1988-03-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1991-03-13	1991-09-12	1992-03-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1995-03-13	1995-09-12	1996-03-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Analog and digital display timepiece

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