GB2227857A

GB2227857A - Clock

Info

Publication number: GB2227857A
Application number: GB9002321A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Saskia Henrica Petr Dingelstad
Original assignee: Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV
Current assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
Priority date: 1989-02-06
Filing date: 1990-02-02
Publication date: 1990-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 2010-02-02
Also published as: DE9000679U1; FR2642864A3; IT9020559U1; FR2642864B3; GB2227857B; ES1012863U; GB9002321D0; IT219212Z2; IT9020559V0; ES1012863Y; NL8900282A

Abstract

A clock comprising a housing (1), a dial (3) arranged in a housing wall (2), and a cover (4) which is pivotally connected to the housing wall by means of a hinge (8) to cover the dial in a first position of the cover and to serve as a base for an upright orientation of the housing in a second position of the cover, is characterized in that the housing (1) comprises a second housing wall (5) which is inclined at an angle ( alpha ) of between 105 DEG and 135 DEG relative to the first housing wall (2), and in that the cover (4) comprises two sections (6, 7). The hinge (8) is arranged between the second cover section (7) and the second housing wall (5) in such a way that the pivotal axis (9) of the hinge (8) extends perpendicularly to the second housing wall (5) and to the second cover section (7), the second cover section (7) being resiliently movable relative to the second housing wall (5) in the direction of the pivotal axis (9). <IMAGE>

Description

"Clock" The invention relates to a clock comprising a housing, a dial arranged in a housing wall, and a cover which is pivotally connected to the housing wall by means of a hinge to cover the dial in a first position of the cover and to serve as a base for an upright orientation of the housing in a second position of the cover.

Such a clock is generally known, cf. for example W0 82/04335. These clocks are usually of rectangular shape, the pivotal axis of the hinge extending along and in the same direction as the adjacent edges of the housing and the cover.

However, if the shape of a clock is selected in such a way that the relevant edges along which the hinge should extend are very short, so that the hinge also becomes very short, the problem arises that such a hinge becomes too weak to function correctly for a sufficiently long time.

It is an object of the invention to solve the above problem.

To this end the clock in accordance with the invention is characterised in that the housing comprises a second housing wall which is inclined at an angle of between 105 e and 135' relative to the first housing wall, and in that the cover comprises two sections which are also inclined at an angle of between 105* and 135 relative to each other, which first cover section serves for covering the dial and as a base for the housing, the hinge being arranged between the second cover section and the second housing wall in such a way that the pivotal axis of the hinge extends substantially perpendicularly to the second housing wall and to the second cover section, the second cover section being resiliently movable relative to the second housing wall in the direction of the pivotal axis.

Such a hinge is of a simple construction and is reliable.

Preferably, the second cover section and the second housing wall each have the shape of an equilateral triangle and the hinge is arranged in the centre of this triangle. Consequently, the edges of the second cover section coincide with those of the second housing wall both in the first (covering) position and in the second (read) position, so that the appearance can remain attractive.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawing. In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clock whose cover serves as a base for the housing, Figure 2 is a front view of the clock shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a side view, partly sectional view, of the clock, in which the dial is concealed by the cover.

The clock comprises a housing 1 having a housing wall 2, which accommodates a dial 3 of a clock mechanism, which for the remainder is not shown. A cover 4 is pivotally connected to the housing wall 2.

In accordance with the invention the housing of the clock comprises a second housing wall 5, which is inclined at an angle a of between 105e and 135 relative to the first-mentioned wall 2. The cover 4 comprises two cover sections 6, 7 which are also inclined at an angle a of between 105 and 135 relative to each other. The cover section 6 serves to cover the dial 3 and as a base for an upright position of the housing. The cover section 7 is pivotally connected to the second housing wall 5 in such a manner that the pivotal axis 9 of the hinge 8 extends perpendicularly to the cover section 7 and the second housing wall 5 respectively.

The cover section 7 is not only pivotable relative to the housing wall 5 in a plane perpendicular to the pivotal axis 9 but the cover section 7 is also slightly movable relative to the housing wall 5 in the axial direction of the pivotal axis. This is necessary because the cover, as it is pivoted, has to be moved past the point 16 of a housing edge 10 (see Fig. 1).

The hinge is constituted by a pin 11 which engages respective openings in the cover section 7 and the housing wall 5. The portion of the pin which is situated inside the housing is thickened. The portion of the pin inside the housing is surrounded by a spring 14, arranged between the thickened end portion 13 and the housing wall 5, preferably with an interposed washer 15. When the cover is pivoted in the direction indicated by the arrow A (see Fig. 1) the cover is automatically lifted against the force of the spring 14, as is indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3. The inner side of the cover then slides over the point 16 of the edge 10 between the two housing walls 2 and 5 (see Fig.

1). At the location of point 16 the cover is lifted to a maximum extent and the spring force is maximal. A further pivotal movement again gives a kind of stable position. In the situations illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the cover is also in a stable position.

The second cover section 7 and the second housing wall 5 each have the shape of an equilateral triangle, the hinge 8 being arranged in the centre of this triangle, so that in both stable cover positions the second cover section 7 exactly registers with the second housing wall 5.

Such a registered position is also possible when the second cover section and the second housing wall have a round shape.

Claims

Claims:

1. A clock comprising a housing, a dial arranged in a housing wall, and a cover which is pivotally connected to the housing wall by means of a hinge to cover the dial in a first position of the cover and to serve as a hsre for an upright orientation of the housing in a second position of the cover, characterised in that the housing comprises a second housing wall which is inclined at an angle of between 105' and 135' relative to each other, which first cover section serves for covering the dial and as a base for the housing, the hinge being arranged between the second cover section and the second housing wall in such a way that the pivotal axis of the hinge extends substantially perEendicularly to the second housing wall and to the second cover section, the second cover section being resiliently movable relative to the second housing wall in the direction of the pivotal axis.

2. A clock as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the second cover section and the second housing wall each have the shape of an equilateral triangle and the-hinge is arranged in the centre of this triangle.

3. A clock as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the second cover section and the second housing wall each have the shape of a circle and in that the hinge is arranged substantially at the centre of the circle.

4. A clock constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the acccmçanying drawings.