DE20311114U1 - Speech-controlled starlight clock, generates light in response to specific spoken word, using LEDs connected via plastics fibers to facet figures arranged on transparent front panel - Google Patents

Abstract

The clock includes a transparent front panel (1) with facet figures (2) arranged in a circle, and connected to a back base panel (6) via spacer rods (4), conveying a sense of spatial depth. Illumination circuitry (8) is connected to an independent power supply. And generates light using white LEDs and a plastics fiber bundle to guide light to the facet figures (2). The light is generated in response to a specific spoken word, and switches off after a certain time.

Description

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DESCRIPTION 1/4

Voice-controlled starlight clock
(“Starlight-Clock, speech-controlled”)

The invention relates to a picture clock according to the preamble of claim 1.

Known living room lights of this type have the disadvantage that they do not structurally meet cosmically oriented spatial requirements.

Furthermore, in the dark, the battery-powered lighting for the time display arrangement cannot be switched on/off remotely and permanently.

In addition, the chosen background motif is usually spoiled by the central hole used to attach the clock system.

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a cost-effective watch according to the preamble of claim 1, which has the following features:

Realization of a spatial starlight arrangement with integrated clock

- Enabling user-friendly battery replacement in
standardized clockwork

Omnidirectional remote acoustic and permanent on/off switchability of the battery-powered lighting for the digit arrangement including the hands.

The object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are defined in subclaims 2-6.

The invention is described below with the necessary details. It is shown:

- Overall system, Fig. 1
Bottom plate, Fig. 2

- Lighting electronics, Fig. 3

Functional concept

Our clear starry sky gives the naked human eye the impression of depth because the stars closest to our planet stand out larger and brighter against the dark background than the smaller, seemingly far-away, faint ones.

The functional concept for realizing cosmic space depth is therefore based on simulating star sizes of different brightness on two levels.

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Thus, in the first level, i.e. on the front disk (1), any configuration of relatively large constellations is generated by multiplying a point light source in the facet numbers (2), in the form of star-shaped circular areas on spacer rods (4) and in the second level, star points of different brightness in through holes (10) on the base disk (6).

This concept also has the advantage that it can be easily transferred to other design configurations.

For example, a starry sky above a cathedral silhouette can be easily produced as a city-related "monument clock", as well as the Big Bang as a "Big Bang clock" with a round, black clockwork (7), and a logo/coat of arms represented by light points as an advertising or anniversary gift using colored light-emitting diodes (9 and 14) and appropriately adapted voice control.

Likewise, within the framework of this concept, laser pointer diodes (e.g. class 2) can be used instead of the light-emitting diodes (9 and 14), which are also used to generate the above-mentioned point light sources for multiplication in the facet numbers (2).

Fig. 1, overall system

The solution to the defined tasks is based on the fact that, in contrast to commercially available clocks, on the front level of a laterally open clock case, consisting of a transparent, motifless front panel (1) with lens-shaped, clear stones with diamond-like or other facet cut, so-called facet numbers (2), attached in a circle instead of time numbers, the standardized, black clockwork is mounted centrally behind and its hands in front of the front panel, whereby this panel is attached via cylindrical, light-conducting, externally black spacer rods (4) to a black base panel (6) that can be attached to a stand/wall, the diameter of which is smaller than that of the specified number circle, and the height between the panels allows the battery to be changed easily in the also black clockwork (7) and spatial depth between the luminous facet numbers (2), the luminous circular areas at the end of the fixed with screws below the facet numbers 1, 3, S, 7, 9 and 11. Spacer bars (4) and the relatively small, but differently bright star points on the base disc (6), the design of which is not spoiled by a hole for attaching the clock system.

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The lighting effects are generated by white light from a lighting electronics unit (8) installed on the disc covering the base disc, with a power supply independent of the clockwork, using light-emitting diodes (9 and 14), which is guided into the spacer rods (4) and then into a plastic fibre tree (13) bundled by a ring (12), which ends in through-holes (10) on the base disc (6) used for star points.

In this context, for the illumination of the facet numbers (2) described above, certain fibers of the plastic fiber tree (13) aligned at an angle generate a light beam (S) which is guided through the air from the base plate (6) into a light-conducting, transparent, cylindrical arch with a collimator of a certain focal length (3), which is mounted centrally and vertically, here only under the facet numbers 2, 4, 6, 8,10 and 12 on the front plate (1).
This has the advantage that in the dark and when the lighting electronics on the cover plate (8) are activated, the 6 circular areas on the spacer rods (4), the facet digits 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12, the star points on the base plate (6) and thus the entire digit arrangement including the hands are illuminated cost-effectively.

In a more complex configuration, all facet numbers can also be illuminated by a light beam (5) and arc (3) each.

To implement voice control, the released patent DE 19541563A1 is suitable, which uses sharply pronounced ss spectra, which must be included at least once in an operating instruction.
For example, by saying the words "stars or yes" in English, the lighting can be switched on for a certain period of time and then automatically switched off again.
This results in a significantly reduced load (extension of the operating time) of the additional battery source mounted on the cover plate (8) to supply the lighting electronics.

Fig. 2, bottom plate

The base plate (6) is provided with through holes (10) at predetermined locations to accommodate the ends of the light-conducting plastic fiber tree (13). These holes serve to create star points and light rays, the latter, as already explained, illuminating the facet numbers (2).

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In addition, corresponding threaded holes for fastening the spacer rods (4) are machined into the edge of the base plate (6), as well as axis-aligned holes into which 6 white-illuminating diodes (9) are inserted.

Furthermore, the base plate (6) is provided with threaded holes on its back for fastening the

It is equipped with a cover plate equipped with sound passage holes with lighting electronics (8) installed on it, light-emitting diodes (9 and 14) soldered onto it and a battery holder soldered onto it, and also has a holder (11) provided with holes for fixing the plastic fibre tree ring (12), in front of which a 7th light-emitting diode (14) controlled by the lighting electronics is placed centrally and axially aligned.

Fig. 3, Lighting electronics

The lighting electronics, consisting of an omnidirectional and remotely acoustically actuated voice switch, the components of which are a microphone (M), a downstream audio amplifier, a downstream evaluation logic, 7 activated white light-emitting light-emitting diodes (LEDs, 9 and 14) and a holder with batteries, is explained with regard to its voice-controlled functions in the released patent specification DE 19541563 A1, i.e. by the description of Figure 2 (M via MDl to Ml, pin 3).

The application example shown in the specified DE is particularly suitable for the applications presented here due to its cost-effective implementation effort.

This creates the activation interval for the 7 LEDs of defined brightness (9 and 14) at the output of the evaluation logic (Ml, pin 3).

With the slide switch (S) also shown, which is easily accessible from the outside, the 7 LEDs (9 and 14) can also be switched on/off permanently, independently of the remote acoustic control provided by the two unmarked, downstream decoupling diodes.

Here is a sheet of drawings.

Claims (6)

1. Picture clock, e.g. B. in the form of a grandfather/wall clock, the battery-powered clock system of which is integrated by means of a central hole in an illuminated image carrier with numbers or number replacements arranged therein, in such a way that the clockwork is invisibly behind it and its hands, given the hand axis length of the clockwork, are arranged in front of it, characterized in that a spatial starlight arrangement with an integrated clock is realized by means of a laterally open housing consisting of two levels, in that facet numbers ( 2 ) are applied in a circle on a transparent, motif-free front panel ( 1 ) instead of time numbers, this front panel is mechanically connected to a black base panel ( 6 ) which can be attached to a stand on a wall and whose diameter is smaller than that of the fixed number circle, by light-conducting, cylindrical, externally black spacer rods ( 4 ) below the facet numbers 1 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 9 and 11 , the standardized, black clockwork ( 7 ) is mounted centrally behind and its hands in front of the front disc, the height between the front and base disc, the battery change in the clockwork easily enables and conveys spatial depth between the luminous facet digits ( 2 ), the luminous circular areas at the end of the spacer rods and the relatively small, differently bright star points on the base disc, furthermore these lighting effects are generated by a lighting electronics ( 8 ) installed on the disc covering the base disc, with a power supply independent of the clock system, by means of the light-emitting diodes ( 9 and 14 ) in that their white light is directed into the spacer rods, a plastic fiber tree ( 13 ) which ends in through holes ( 10 ) on the base disc and which, by means of certain, aligned fibers, guides a light beam ( 5 ) through the air over a transparent arch ( 3 ) into the facet digits 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 and 12 , so that in the dark the entire arrangement of digits including the clock hands become visible, this light is generated by a specific spoken word and is automatically switched off again after a set time. 2. Starlight clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the front panel ( 1 ) for fastening the spacer rods ( 4 ) and the clockwork ( 7 ), with 6 holes and a central hole, is further equipped with applied, light-conducting, cylindrical and transparent arches with a collimator of a certain focal length ( 3 ), centrally and vertically below the seat of the facet numbers 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 and 12 . 3. Starlight clock according to claim 2, characterized in that the spacer rods ( 4 ) are provided at one end with centrally machined threaded holes for screwing the front disc ( 1 ) and at the other end with external thread for fastening in the edge of the base disc. 4. Starlight clock according to claim 3, characterized in that the base plate ( 6 ) is equipped with through holes ( 10 ) at predetermined locations for receiving the ends of the light-conducting plastic fiber tree ( 13 ), the base plate edge is equipped with corresponding threaded holes for fastening the spacer rods ( 4 ) and with corresponding axially aligned holes for receiving 6 light-emitting diodes ( 9 ), furthermore the base plate has threaded holes on the back for fastening the cover plate provided with sound through holes with installed lighting electronics ( 8 ), furthermore is equipped with a holder ( 11 ) for fixing the plastic fiber tree ring ( 12 ), in front of which a 7th light-emitting diode ( 14 ) controlled by the lighting electronics is placed centrally and axially aligned. 5. Starlight clock according to claim 4, characterized in that the lighting electronics on the cover plate ( 8 ), consisting of a voice switch which, when a certain word is pronounced, generates a voltage pulse at the monostable multivibrator output (M1, pin 3) of the evaluation logic via a microphone (M), an audio amplifier with downstream evaluation logic, the 7 light-emitting diodes (9 and 14) connected to it with defined brightness are activated for a certain time and their light is directed into the spacer rods ( 4 ) and into the plastic fiber tree ( 13 ) bundled by the ring ( 12 ), the diodes being soldered directly under the spacer rods and the ring, axially aligned in the cover plate with installed lighting electronics ( 8 ) including their supply battery holder. 6. Starlight clock according to claim 5, characterized in that all light-emitting diodes (9 and 14) can be permanently switched on/off by means of a slide switch (S) which is easily accessible from the outside and downstream, unmarked decoupling diodes.