EP3620866B1 - Active lighting device for wearing on the wrist of a person - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an active lighting device portable to a person's wrist, in particular for illuminating a path taken when ambient light is insufficient. The portable active lighting device may be in the form of an electronic or electromechanical watch, or of a bracelet with electronic components.

STATE OF THE ART

To adequately illuminate a path or a road taken by a person on foot, it is known to use a portable lighting device with a suitable adjustment of the intensity of the light generated by one or more light sources. Such a lighting device can also be used for a walk or a run in the dark. Such a lighting device can be arranged for example on the head of a person and switched on manually when walking or running in the dark.

We can cite in this respect the patent application US 2018/0112839 A1 , which describes a bracelet with an orientable light source. However, nothing is defined concerning the orientation of the light source taking into account the movement of the bracelet during a walk or a run. Thus, such a light source bracelet does not make it possible to correctly illuminate the path taken by the walker or the runner wearing said bracelet, which constitutes a drawback.

The patent application US 2017/0241634 A1 describes a bracelet with the possibility of fixing and connecting different light sources, but as for the previous document the light sources remain in a well-defined direction and do not allow the path taken by the walker or runner wearing said bracelet to be correctly illuminated , which is a drawback.

Finally, we know the document US2012 / 140451 A1 , which describes an illumination device according to the preamble of the appended claim 1.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is therefore to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above to produce an active lighting device portable to the wrist of a person easy to use and without complications to allow good lighting of a path taken by the person. while taking into account the movement of the person's wrist.

To this end, the invention relates to a portable active lighting device placed on the wrist of a person, which comprises the features of independent claim 1.

Particular embodiments of the lighting device are defined in dependent claims 2 to 14.

An advantage of the lighting device according to the invention lies in the fact that the lighting device in use makes it possible to maintain the same direction of the light generated by the first light sources in order to illuminate a path to be followed by a person wearing the lighting device. Thus the first light sources are selected by a control unit on the basis of measurements from a movement sensor so as not to follow the movement of the person's wrist when walking or running for keep an illumination always in the same forward direction.

Advantageously, second light sources can be provided, which are arranged in the lighting device to generate illumination towards the rear and of a color other than illumination towards the rear. front to signal the presence of the person using the lighting device to vehicles or other people coming from behind.

Preferably, the lighting device may be in the form of a wristwatch, or even only a wristband with electronic components. In the case of a wristwatch, the light sources can be mounted on a portion of the case, for example on a watch bezel to each generate, once activated, a beam of light in a radial direction towards the outside of the case. , that is to say substantially in a direction parallel to a dial and perpendicular to a caseband of the case. Each beam of light from one activated light source is from a different direction from another activated light source. A selection of light sources to be activated is managed by a control unit based on measurements from at least one motion sensor, such as a magnetometer or an accelerometer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

• la figure 1 représente un schéma bloc simplifié des composants du dispositif d'éclairage actif selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 représente de manière simplifiée une forme d'exécution d'un dispositif d'éclairage actif portable sous la forme d'une montre-bracelet en position de fonctionnement selon l'invention,
• la figure 3 représente de manière simplifiée une coupe partielle de la forme d'exécution de la figure 2 d'un dispositif d'éclairage actif portable sous la forme d'une montre-bracelet selon l'invention, et
• la figure 4 montre schématiquement un dispositif d'éclairage actif portable sous la forme d'une montre-bracelet porté au poignet d'une personne pour éclairer le chemin emprunté par la personne selon l'invention.

The aims, advantages and characteristics of a portable active lighting device placed on the wrist of a person will appear better in the following description on the basis of at least one non-limiting embodiment illustrated by the drawings in which:

• the figure 1 represents a simplified block diagram of the components of the active lighting device according to the invention,
• the figure 2 shows in a simplified manner an embodiment of a portable active lighting device in the form of a wristwatch in the operating position according to the invention,
• the figure 3 shows in a simplified way a partial section of the embodiment of the figure 2 a portable active lighting device in the form of a wristwatch according to the invention, and
• the figure 4 schematically shows a portable active lighting device in the form of a wristwatch worn on the wrist of a person to illuminate the path taken by the person according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, reference is made to an active lighting device portable to be placed on a person's wrist. All the electronic components, which are well known to a person skilled in the art in this technical field, are only described in a simplified manner. The lighting device can advantageously be in the form of a wristwatch or a bracelet with electronic components.

It should be noted that in the form of a wristwatch does not necessarily mean that it is inherently a wristwatch. On the other hand, the configuration of the lighting device is of a shape identical to that of a wristwatch with a case, a glass closing the top of the case to view information on a dial or a liquid crystal display, and a one or two strand bracelet connected to the case for placing the lighting device around a person's wrist.

The figure 1 shows in a simplified manner the various main components of a portable active lighting device 1 to be placed on the wrist of a person according to the invention. The lighting device 1 is in the form of a wristwatch with at least one case connected by a bracelet with one or two strands, or a bracelet with electronic components. The lighting device 1 can also be a wristwatch as explained in figures 2 to 4 .

The lighting device 1 comprises at least one movement sensor 3, 4 connected to a control unit 2, and at least first light sources 5 connected to the control unit 2. The control unit 2 is connected to a DC power source not shown. This source The power supply is preferably a DC voltage source, which comes from a rechargeable or primary battery, or which is extracted and rectified from received electromagnetic radiation. The lighting device 1 can be activated manually by the action of a switch button or a tactile key on the housing or the glass closing the housing, as explained below with reference to figures 2 and 3 .

For a lighting device 1 in the form of a wristwatch, the first light sources 5 can be placed on the middle part of the case closed by a glass, or on a bezel fixed on the middle part of the case as explained below. after with reference to figures 2 and 3 . The lighting device 1 can also include second light sources 6 connected to the control unit 2. These second light sources can also be placed on the middle part of the case, for example of the watch case closed by a glass, or on a bezel attached to the middle of the case.

The first light sources 5 are provided to generate, once activated, each a beam of light with a different orientation from each other light source. Thus, this allows the control unit 2 to automatically select on the basis of measurements from the motion sensor 3, 4 certain first light sources 5 so as to keep an illumination L1 of the path followed by the person wearing the device 1 d lighting always in the same direction. The selection of the first light sources 5 depends on the movement of the wrist of the person wearing the lighting device 1 to illuminate the path to be followed in the same forward direction despite the movement of the wrist.

The second light sources 6 are also provided to generate, once activated, each a beam of light with a different orientation from each other light source. The control unit 2 also automatically selects based on measurements from the motion sensor 3, 4 certain second light sources 6 to generate an L2 illumination opposite to the L1 illumination while keeping the L2 illumination in the same opposite direction. to L1 illumination.

In the case of a lighting device 1 with the first and second light sources 5, 6, it can be envisaged to have the illumination L1 of the first light sources 5 of a different color from the illumination L2 of the seconds. light sources 6. For example, the illumination L1 for illuminating towards the front of the person wearing said illumination device 1 may be white light, while the illumination L2 for providing light towards the rear in order to signal the presence of the person on a walking or running path can be a red light.

The second light sources 6 can also be controlled by the control unit 2 so as to provide a second flashing illumination L2 of red color. This makes it possible to generate more visibility to signal the presence of the person using the lighting device to vehicles or other people coming from behind, and further reduces the power consumption.

Of course, it can also be envisaged to have first two-color light sources 5. Under these conditions, there are no second light sources 6, but the first light sources must be selected by the control unit. control for generating L1 forward illumination of a first color and L2 rearward illumination of a second color when walking or running. The second L2 illumination can also be flashing.

Each first or second light source can be a light-emitting diode LED, or even a combination of two light-emitting diodes LED mounted for example head-to-tail for on the one hand to provide a light beam of a first color during a direct polarization or d 'a second color different from the first color on reverse bias.

The lighting device 1 can include two motion sensors, such as a magnetometer 3 and an accelerometer 4 to supply measurement signals to the control unit 2. The magnetometer 3 and the accelerometer 4 can be of the triaxial type. Said control unit 2 can also include at least one memory 21 for storing measurements made by the movement sensor (s) 3, 4 and at least one calculation algorithm for the management and calculations of the measurements made by the sensors. The control unit 2 can also include its own time base 22 such as a low frequency oscillator, which can be a clockwork quartz oscillator or MEMS, so as to clock the measurement and control operations of the first and second seconds. light sources 5, 6. Thus, this control unit 2 can be a microcontroller.

It should also be noted that the control unit 2 once activated can take into account the initial position by at least one movement sensor 3, 4 of the wrist of the person wearing the lighting device 1. This makes it possible to initially calibrate the direction of the first illumination L1 and also that of the second illumination L2 before a walking start or for a run. Thus, a direction of illumination L1, for example once calibrated, makes it possible to always have this direction of illumination L1 kept fixed whatever the movement of the wrist, which is sought to properly illuminate the path to follow in the dark.

In principle, there is no adjustment of the light intensity of the different activated light sources, but it is rather sought to have the maximum intensity at each illumination generated by the light sources activated by the control unit. control 2.

The figures 2 and 3 show an embodiment of a portable active lighting device 1 in the operating position. The lighting device 1 is here a wristwatch. This wristwatch 1 comprises a case with a middle part 12 closed by a back 14 with a sealing gasket 13, the case being closed by a watch glass 18 fixed by a seal 17 to a bezel 10, which itself is fixed to the middle part 12 with another sealing gasket 11. Through the watch glass 18, one can see a dial 16 and hands 20 for indicating the time in particular. A bracelet 30 is connected to the middle part 12 of the case with a clip for placing the lighting device 1 on the wrist of a person using it. A push-button 40 in figure 2 , which is mounted through the middle part 12 to be connected to the control unit 2, is also provided for manually adjusting the time indication or for initializing and activating the lighting device 1. There can also be provided a touch key connected to the control unit 2 in the housing to initialize and activate the lighting device 1.

The wristwatch 1 also comprises inside the case a watch movement or an electronic watch module 19, and the control unit 2 connected to one or two movement sensors 3, 4, which are a magnetometer 3 and an accelerometer 4 for example. The control unit 2 is electrically connected to each light source 5, 6 as specified below by means of a flexible printed circuit board 15. Preferably, at least the first light sources 5 are placed in line. partly in cavities of the bezel 10 and opening partly towards the outside of the bezel 10, in particular in the form of a lens.

Schematically in figure 2 , the first light sources 5 are arranged on or partly in the watch bezel 10, which in this case is of annular or circular shape. Several first light sources 5 are provided, arranged on a portion of a circle at the periphery of the bezel 10, preferably being regularly spaced from one another. The first light sources 5 can be placed on a portion of a circle which can range up to 180 ° between noon and 6 o'clock. Each first light source 5 is electrically connected to the control unit 2 arranged in the watch case so as to be able to be activated as a function of measurements from the movement sensor 3, 4, which is also arranged in the watch case. . Each first light source 5 can generate once activated a beam of light F shown in figure 3 running radially towards the outside of the case, that is to say substantially in a direction parallel to the dial 16 and perpendicular to the middle part 12 of the case. So every first light source 5 generates a light beam F of different orientation from another activated light source. The light beam F can be in the form of a cone.

In the present case, for the generation of a first illumination L1, there are for example four first light sources 5 activated by the control unit 2 and shown in gray on the figure 2 , and defining a first illuminated sector. The other first light sources 5 are inactive. However, during a movement of the person's wrist at an angle θ, another selection and activation of successive first light sources 5 is carried out by the control unit 2, for example four other first selected and successive light sources, to maintain the same direction of illumination L1 at an angle α with respect to the ground 50 of the path taken by the person wearing the lighting device 1. The first illumination L1 is the combination of four light beams F from four activated first light sources 5. The direction of illumination L1 was memorized according to an initial position of the wrist following the manual action of the push-button 40 of the figure 2 when using the lighting device 1.

If used, the second light sources 6 are also disposed on or in part in the watch bezel 10 of annular or circular shape. Several second light sources 6 are provided, arranged on a portion of a circle of the periphery of the bezel, preferably being regularly spaced from one another. The second light sources 6 can be placed on a portion of a circle which can range up to 180 ° between 6 a.m. and midnight. Each second light source 6 is electrically connected to the control unit 2 arranged in the watch case so as to be able to be activated according to measurements from the movement sensor 3, 4, which is also arranged in the watch case. Each second light source 6 can generate, once activated, a beam of light directed radially towards the outside of the watch case, that is to say substantially in a direction parallel to the dial. watch and perpendicular to the middle of the case. Thus each second light source 6 generates a beam of light with a different orientation from another activated second light source. The number of second light sources 6 may be equal to the number of first light sources 5 in order to generate a second illumination L2 opposite to the first illumination L1.

In the present case, for the generation of the second illumination L2, there are for example four second light sources 6 activated by the control unit 2 and shown in gray on the figure 2 and defining a second illuminated sector opposite the first illuminated sector. The other second light sources 6 are inactive. However, during a movement of the person's wrist at an angle θ, another selection and activation of successive second light sources 6 is carried out by the control unit 2, for example four other selected and successive second light sources, to maintain the same direction of illumination L2 at an angle α with respect to the ground 50 of the path taken by the person wearing the lighting device 1. The second illumination L2 is the combination of four light beams from four activated second light sources 6. The direction of illumination L2 has been memorized according to an initial position of the wrist following the manual action of the push-button 40 at the time of use of the lighting device 1. The first illumination L1 may be white in color, while the second illumination L2 may be red for example.

It should be noted that it can also be envisaged to have only first two-color light sources over the entire periphery of the bezel 10. Under these conditions, each first light source 5 comprises two light-emitting diodes mounted head to tail. In this way, the control unit 2 can activate on a first illuminated sector first light sources 5 generating a colored light beam. white, and on a second illuminated sector other first light sources 5 generating a light beam of red color.

According to figure 3 , the first light sources 5 can be arranged around the entire periphery of the bezel 10 while being partly in cavities of the bezel 10. It can also be imagined if it is also used second light sources to place them on. all around the bezel 10 above or below the first light sources 5 and coaxially. An electrical connection from every second light source to the control unit 2 can be made through the flexible printed circuit board 15, which is arranged to pass below the dial 16.

The figure 4 schematically shows a portable active lighting device 1 in the form of a wristwatch worn on the wrist of a person to illuminate the path taken by the person. In this scenario, the wristwatch is worn on the wrist of the left arm B, but it may be possible to make the same wristwatch to be worn on the wrist of the right arm. It is noted that during the movement of the arm B with the wrist from bottom to top in direction D, the first illuminations L1 and L2, initially calibrated at the start of the use of the lighting device 1, always remain in the same direction d illumination towards the front for the first illumination L1 and towards the rear for the second illumination L2. This therefore makes it possible to properly illuminate the path taken by the person wearing the lighting device 1 when walking or running on a path or a route taken.

It should be noted that the first light sources 5, or even the second light sources 6 can be placed on an outer wall of the watchband 12 in figure 3 or in exterior cavities of the middle part 12, rather than on or in the bezel 10. The arrangement of the light sources may be identical to that described above with reference to figures 2 and 3 .

It should also be noted that the shape of the case may be different from a generally cylindrical shape, that is to say circular in top view. It can be elliptical in top view or rectangular or the like. Under these conditions, the light sources must be well oriented, for example on an edge of the middle part or on an outer wall of the middle part so as to allow a selection of light sources to be activated whatever the movement of the wrist to always have uniform illumination forward without variation.

The lighting device can also be a bracelet with electronic components, where the first light sources, or even the second light sources, can be mounted on the side edge of the bracelet. The light sources must also be properly oriented for the generation of at least the first forward illumination without variation.

From the description which has just been given, several variant embodiments of an active lighting device portable to the wrist of a person are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the following claims.

Claims (14)

1. Active lighting device (1) to be worn on a person's wrist to light a path taken by the person wearing the lighting device (1), the lighting device (1) being in the form of a wristwatch having at least a case closed by a crystal (18) and a bracelet (30) connected to a middle part (12) of the case, or of a bracelet with electronic components,
   the device including:

   - first light sources (5), which are controlled by a control unit (2) of the device, said first light sources (5) being placed on a first portion of a case or of a bracelet,

   - at least one motion sensor (3, 4) connected to the control unit (2) to determine the wrist movement of the person wearing the device,

   characterized in that each first light source activated by the control unit (2) is arranged such that it can produce a light beam of different orientation from another first light source activated by the control unit (2), and
   in that the control unit (2) is arranged to select certain first light sources (5) to be activated depending on said determined movement of the person's wrist in order to light the path to be followed in a same defined forward direction.
2. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the device includes:

   - second light sources (6) which are controlled by the control unit (2), said second light sources (6) being placed on a second portion of the case or of the bracelet, wherein each second light source activated by the control unit (2) can produce a light source in a different direction from another second light source activated by the control unit (2), and

   in that the second light sources (6) activated by the control unit (2), as a function of the measurements made by the motion sensor (3, 4), produce a second illumination (L2) in an opposite direction to a first illumination (L1) produced by the first light sources (5) activated by the control unit (2).
3. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first and second light sources (5, 6) are light emitting diodes.
4. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first light sources (5) each include two light emitting diodes mounted head-to-tail, wherein a first light emitting diode produces a light beam of a first colour once activated, whereas the second light emitting diode produces a light beam of a second colour different from the first colour once activated.
5. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the motion sensor is a magnetometer (3) or an accelerometer (4).
6. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the device includes two motion sensors, which are a magnetometer (3) and an accelerometer (4).
7. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit (2) includes a memory (21) for storing measurements made by one or two motion sensors (3, 4) and at least one computational algorithm for the management and calculations of measurements made by the sensors, and a time base having a low frequency oscillator for clocking the operations of measuring and selecting the light sources to be activated.
8. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the control unit (2), once manually activated, determines the initial position of the lighting device (1) placed on a person's wrist in order to calibrate and initially store the direction of a first forward illumination (L1) produced by first light sources activated and selected by the control unit (2).
9. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device (1) is in the form of a wristwatch with a case of generally cylindrical shape, characterized in that the first light sources (5) are mounted on or partly inside a bezel (10) of circular shape, fixed to a middle part (12) of the case.
10. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that several first light sources (5) are placed at least on a portion of a circle less than or equal to 180° at the periphery of the bezel (10) while being preferably regularly spaced apart from each other.
11. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 10 characterized in that several second light sources (6) are placed on at least one other portion of a circle less than or equal to 180° at the periphery of the bezel (10) and facing the first light sources, and in that the second light sources (6) are regularly spaced apart from each other.
12. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the first light sources (5) are placed over the entire periphery of the circular bezel (1) while preferably being regularly spaced apart from each other.
13. Active lighting device (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the first light sources (5) each include two light emitting diodes mounted head-to-tail, wherein a first light emitting diode produces a light beam of a first colour once activated, whereas the second light emitting diode produces a light beam of a second colour different from the first colour once activated, and in that certain first light sources (5) selected and activated by the control unit (2) produce a first, white, forward illumination (L1), whereas certain other first light sources (5) activated and selected by the control unit (2) produce a second, red, backward illumination (L2).
14. Active lighting device (1) according to any of claims 2 and 13, characterized in that the second illumination (L2) produced by the first or second activated light sources (5, 6) is a flashing light.

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