JP2004144692A - Simple azimuth meter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simple azimuth meter which is easily used in the both Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere. <P>SOLUTION: A solar position display part 8 has a Northern Hemisphere solar position display part 8N and a Southern Hemisphere solar position display part 8S that are based on movement of a solar position in the Northern Hemisphere and Souther Hemisphere. The solar position display part 8 is arranged in a ring shape, with the Northern Hemisphere solar position display part 8N and the Souther Hemisphere solar position display part 8S are disposed with a bisector line in the radial direction as a border. By individually using the Northern Hemisphere solar position display part 8N and the Southern Hemisphere solar position display part 8S, it can be used in a simple manner in both Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a simple azimuth meter that can know the azimuth from the position of the sun.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Many conventional azimuth meters of this type are incorporated in watches, and some have azimuth indications of east, west, north and south on a rotatable bezel. In this timepiece, when the 12-hour hand that makes one rotation in 12 hours is directed toward the sun, the middle direction between the direction indicated by the 12-hour hand and the direction indicated by the line connecting the center of the dial and the 12 o'clock position is south. In the direction of Therefore, when the bezel is rotated and the display "S" indicating the south of the bezel is adjusted to the direction, an approximate omnidirectional can be known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
In addition, a 24-hour hand that rotates once in 24 hours is provided, and when the 24-hour hand is pointed in the direction of the sun, the direction can be known using the fact that the 12 o'clock position of the dial faces north. Clocks are widely used.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
British Patent 1,094,554
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The south direction and the north direction that can be known by the compass or the timepiece having the direction display function differ depending on whether the place to be used is the northern hemisphere or the southern hemisphere. For this reason, in the case where a fixed azimuth display is provided, two types of azimuth meters having a display for the northern hemisphere and an azimuth meter having a display for the southern hemisphere have to be prepared. In addition, when the bezel is rotated to adjust a specific direction to a predetermined direction, the usage may be mistaken between the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere, and it has been demanded that the usage can be grasped more easily.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the related art, and provides a simple compass that can be used in either the northern hemisphere or the southern hemisphere and that can be used more easily.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The simple azimuth meter according to the present invention includes an azimuth display unit indicating an azimuth, and a sun position display unit indicating a position of the sun with respect to the azimuth corresponding to time, as described in claim 1, wherein the sun position display unit Has a northern hemisphere sun position display unit set based on the movement of the sun position in the northern hemisphere, and a southern hemisphere sun position display unit set based on the movement of the sun position in the southern hemisphere. The sun position display section of this simple compass is formed on a watch top display section. In addition, the sun position display section in the simple compass is arranged in a ring shape as described in claim 3, and a sun position display section for the northern hemisphere and a sun position for the southern hemisphere on a line bisected in the radial direction. A position display is provided. The northern hemisphere sun position display unit and the southern hemisphere sun position display unit in the simple compass each include a display indicating the sun position during 12 hours during the day, as described in claim 4.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In the simple compass of the present invention, the sun position display unit that indicates the position of the sun with respect to the azimuth corresponding to the time has a sun position display unit for the northern hemisphere and a southern hemisphere based on the movement of the sun position in each of the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. are doing. The sun position display unit is arranged in a ring shape, and a northern hemisphere sun position display unit and a southern hemisphere sun position display unit are disposed with a line bisected in the radial direction as a boundary. In the simple compass of the present invention, the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere can be used in the same simple manner by selectively using the northern hemisphere sun position display part and the southern hemisphere sun position display part.
[0009]
【Example】
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a simple compass according to an embodiment of the present invention. This simple azimuth meter is formed on a watch upper surface display portion such as a dial, a ring, a glass inner surface, or a bezel of a wristwatch. In the embodiment shown in FIG. Is formed. This simple compass measures north (N), north-northeast (NNE), northeast (NE), northeast (NE), east (E), southeast (ESE), southeast (SE), southeast (SSE), and south (SSE). ), South-southwest (SSE), southwest (SW), west-southwest (WSW), west (W), west-northwest (WNW), northwest (NW), and north-northwest (NNW). And a sun position display unit 8 that indicates the position of the sun with respect to the azimuth by a number corresponding to the time. The direction display unit 6 and the sun position display unit 8 are both arranged in a concentric ring shape.
[0010]
In addition, the sun position display unit 8 has a southern hemisphere sun position display unit 8S at 12 o'clock side and a northern hemisphere sun position display unit 8N at 6 o'clock side with respect to the line between 3:00 and 9 o'clock in the figure. ing. Since the sun moves 15 degrees per hour, the southern hemisphere sun position display section 8S indicates the numbers from "6" to "18" formed at an interval of 15 degrees per hour counterclockwise from the 3 o'clock position. It is configured. The northern hemisphere sun position display section 8N is composed of numbers from "6" to "18" formed at an interval of 15 degrees per hour clockwise from the 3 o'clock position. In addition, since the display of the sun position is set in the range of 6 to 18 o'clock, it is originally impossible to recognize the direction at night when the sun is not coming out, so it is set only during the day when the sun is coming out. It was done.
[0011]
The dial 2 also has a southern hemisphere (SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE) and a northern hemisphere for indicating that the southern hemisphere sun position display 8S and the northern hemisphere sun position display 8N of the sun position display 8 are for the southern hemisphere and the northern hemisphere, respectively. (NORTHEN HEMISPHERE) The use area display sections 10 and 12 are provided along the southern hemisphere sun position display section 8S and the northern hemisphere sun position display section 8N.
[0012]
Next, recognition of the azimuth using the simple azimuth meter shown in FIG. 1 will be described. When used in the northern hemisphere, a northern hemisphere sun position display section 8N is used as shown in FIG. That is, when the time is 10:10, the line 16 connecting the center 14 provided with the pointer axis of the clock and the point P slightly past the display "10" of the northern hemisphere sun position display section 8N in the clockwise direction. The direction of the simple compass is set so that the sun 18 is located on the extension of. Since the orientation display unit 6 is in a state of indicating the orientation with respect to the position of the sun 18 when oriented in this manner, the orientation can be known from the display.
[0013]
On the other hand, when used in the southern hemisphere, the sun position display section 8S for the southern hemisphere is used, and the line connecting the center 14 and the point of the sun position display section 8S for the southern hemisphere which coincides with the time is used in the same manner as the above-mentioned usage method. The azimuth can be known from the display of the azimuth display unit 6 in the direction of the sun at this time.
[0014]
3 and 4 show another embodiment of the simple compass according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a front view of a rotating ring 20 composed of a rotatable bezel or an inner ring in a wristwatch, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view of a glass 34 that covers a display unit of the wristwatch. In this embodiment, an azimuth display unit 26 having the same configuration as that of the above-described embodiment, and a sun position display unit 28 having a sun position display unit 28S for the southern hemisphere and a sun position display unit 28N for the northern hemisphere are provided on the surface of the rotating ring 20. Is formed. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the area display portions 10 and 12 formed on the surface of the dial 2 are replaced with the sun position display portion 28S for the southern hemisphere and the sun position for the northern hemisphere on the surface of the rotating ring 20 in this embodiment. The area display sections 30 and 32 are formed near the display section 28N. Further, an arrow 36 is provided at the 12 o'clock position and a positioning line 38 is provided at the 6 o'clock position on the inner surface of the glass 34.
[0015]
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the point corresponding to the current time in the sun position display unit 28 is directed to the sun by rotating the rotating ring 20 instead of rotating the entire wristwatch. At this time, the azimuth display unit 26 provided on the same rotating ring 20 also rotates, and indicates the azimuth corresponding to the sun position at that time.
[0016]
It is also possible to know a desired direction in relation to the direction indicated by the arrow 36 fixedly displayed in the glass 34. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when returning from the start point A to the start point A via the points B, C, and D, the user first stands at the start point A and turns the entire wristwatch to turn the glass 34 on. Set the arrow 36 in the direction of point B. Next, if the time at this time is 9 o'clock, the rotating ring 20 is turned while the direction of the arrow 36 is kept as it is, and the display “9” on the northern hemisphere sun position display unit 28N (or the southern hemisphere sun position display unit 28S) is performed. In the direction of the sun (so that the sun is located on the extension of the line connecting the center of the watch and the display “9”). From this, it can be seen that there is a point B in the direction of 90 degrees (west) to the south from the display of the direction display unit 26 and the direction of the arrow 36. Therefore, it is possible to reach the point B by proceeding while checking the direction.
[0017]
Assuming that it took 3 hours to walk to the point B at a constant speed, the arrow 36 is turned at the point B in the direction of the point C, and the display “12” on the northern hemisphere sun position display unit 28N that matches the current time (12:00) In the direction of the sun. At this time, the display on the azimuth display unit 26 indicates that the point C is in the south direction, and the user can arrive at the point C by proceeding in that direction.
[0018]
Assuming that it took one hour to the point C, the arrow 36 is similarly directed to the direction of the point D, and the display “13” in the northern hemisphere sun position display unit 28N corresponding to the current time (13:00) is directed to the sun. As a result, it is found that the point D is in the east direction, and the user can arrive at the point D by proceeding in that direction.
[0019]
Assuming that it took three hours to reach the point D, the arrow 36 is similarly directed toward the start point A, and the display “16” on the northern hemisphere sun position display unit 28N corresponding to the current time (16:00) is directed toward the sun. . As a result, the start point A is found to be in the north direction, and it is possible to return to the start point A by proceeding while checking the direction.
[0020]
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a rotation ring 40 is added to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and a mark 42 such as an arrow is provided on the rotation ring 40 to specify a desired direction as described above. Can be configured to be possible. For example, first, the azimuth is specified using the sun position display unit 8 and the azimuth display unit 6 based on the usage method described above, and the mark 42 is turned in the direction in which the rotating ring 40 is turned. Thereby, the direction of the traveling direction can be known.
[0021]
In each embodiment, the simple compass is provided on the display unit on the top surface of the wristwatch. However, the compass can be combined with a pocket watch, a small electronic device such as a mobile phone, or the like.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since the sun position display unit is configured by the northern hemisphere sun position display unit and the southern hemisphere sun position display unit, the region to be used is not limited and can be used anywhere.
[0023]
In addition, since the usage method of recognizing the azimuth using the hemisphere sun position display unit such as the southern hemisphere sun position display unit is the same usage method and simple, it can be easily handled anywhere.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a simple compass according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of using the simple compass shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front view showing a simple compass according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a front view showing a glass assembled to the timepiece shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of using the simple compass shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
FIG. 6 is a front view showing a modification in which a rotating ring is added to the simple compass shown in FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Dial 4 Ring 6, 26 Orientation display 8, 28 Sun position display 8S, 28S Sun position display 8N, 28N for southern hemisphere Sun position display 10, 12, 30, 32 for northern hemisphere Use area display

Claims (4)

An azimuth display unit indicating the azimuth;
A sun position display unit that indicates the position of the sun with respect to the direction in accordance with the time,
The sun position display unit includes a northern hemisphere sun position display unit set based on the movement of the sun position in the northern hemisphere, and a southern hemisphere sun position display unit set based on the movement of the sun position in the southern hemisphere. A simple compass. The simple azimuth meter according to claim 1, wherein the sun position display section is formed on a watch top display section. The sun position display unit is disposed in a ring shape, and a northern hemisphere sun position display unit and a southern hemisphere sun position display unit are disposed with a line bisected in a radial direction as a boundary. Item 3. The simple compass according to item 1 or 2. The simple azimuth meter according to claim 3, wherein each of the northern hemisphere sun position display unit and the southern hemisphere sun position display unit comprises a display indicating the sun position during 12 hours during the day.

Images