Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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H. Schwartz, F. Mase, and A. Sedlak
COM8INATION ELECTRICAL CONTACT MEM8ER AND
BRAKING M~MBER FOR A TIMEPIECE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to electronic quartz
analog timepieces with hour, minute, and seconds hands having a
stepping motor driving the hands through a gear train, having
an energy cell with electronic circuit operating the stepping
motor and a stem which is manually movable to set the timepiece
hands. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved
multiple function contact spring used in such a timepiece
movement.
Quartz analog watches occasionally require manual setting
of the hands. This is usually accomplished by pulling out a
crown attached to a stem causing a gear on the stem to be
engaged, and rotating the crown to change the hand setting. In
a three-hand watch, it:is undesirable for ~he seconds hand to
spin or move while. the hour hand and minute hand are being
set. In an electric or electronic watch, which would otherwise
permit this to happen, usually there is a mechanical brake for
the "seconds" wheel and a friction clutch permitting the gears
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carrying the hours hand and minutes hand to rotate while the
seconds wheel is held stationary. Such a friction device
permitting slippage during hand setting in a mechanical
movement is seen in U.S. Patent No. 3,487,633 issued Ja~uary 6,
1970 to P. Wuthrich.
Electric or electronic watches further have a requirement
that an electrical connection be made between the energy cell
and the watch circuit, in order to supply energy to the watch
motor. Such watches also have had a provision to disconnect
the source of electric driving pulses to the stepping motor
when the watch crown is withdrawn by actuating switching
contacts which disable the motor. With this arrangement, the
timepiece may be shipped or stored with the energy cell
effectively disconnectèd, preventing current drain and ensuring
a fresh energy cell when the timepiece is initially activated.
It is also well-known in~timepieces to provide a spring
biased arm or detent spring acting in conjunction with two or
more spaced detent grooves on the stem to hold it in one or
more selected positions when it is manually actuated by means
of the watch crown. All o~ the~above described features of
quartz analog timepieces are well-known in the art as separate
features.
IA an effort to reduce the cost of electronic quartz
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analog timepiece movements, members of intricate shape have
been devised which perform several ~unctions. For ex~mple" in
the following U.S. patents assigned to applicant's assignee,
special shaped members perform more than one necessary
function. In U.S. Patent No. 3,7~5,164 issued October lb, 1973
to Fred Esselborn, a spring member is disclosed which also acts
as a braking ~ember for a balance wheel when the stem is
actuated. In U.S. Patent No. 4,241,439 issued December 23,
1980 to Skwarek, an electrically conductive spring contact
member performs an electrical connection between the energy
cell and the circuit, while also physically holding the circuit
board in the watch frame. In another device a ~pring contact
member acts a~ a detent for the watch stem, makes contact
between the energy cell and the circuit board, and performs a
switching functlon to disconnect the motor when the stem is
actuated.
It would be desirable to devise yet additional multiple
functions to be performed by a single spring contact member in
a ~uartz analog timepiece which are necessary to the operation
of the timepiece.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to
provide an improved contact :spring which performs functions
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such as an electrical connection between the energy cell and
the watch circuit, braking of the seconds wheel when the stem
is actuated, disconnecting the electrical circuit ~rom the
motor when the stem is actuated, and detenting the stem.
Another object of the invention is to reduce the cost of
a quartz analog timepiece by improvements in a spring contact
member which performs multiple functions in the timepiece.
SUMMP~RY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the invention comprises an improved
contact spring in a movement for a timepiece having a ~rame, a
stepping motor, an energy cell, a circuit driving the stepping
motor with a switching terminal for disabling the stepping
motor, a gear train driven by the stepping motor, and a
manually actuatable stem disposed in the frame. The improved
contact spring comprises a shaped member of eiectrically
conductive spring metal with a battery contact portion and a
circuit supply portion respectively engaging the energy cell
and the supply terminal of: the circuit, the contact spring
having a spring biased first arm actuated by movement of the
stem, said first arm having a braking portion adapted to supply
a braking force to a member of the gear train when the stem is
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actuated. The first arm may urther include a switching
portion adapted to make and break contact with the switching
terminal of the circuit to disable the stepping motor when the
stem is actuated. The improved contact spring may further
include a spring-biased second arm adapted to provide detenting
of the stem.
DRAWINGS
The invention, both as to organization and method of
practice, together with further objects and advantages thereof,
will best be understood by reference to the ollowing
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,
in which:
Fig. 1 is a back plan view of a quartz analog wristwatch
movement according to one form of the present invention,
Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the improved contact
spring used in the movement of Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 is an elevation drawing in cross-section taken
along lines~ III of Fig. 1,
Fig. 4 is an elevation drawing in cross-section taken
along lines IV-IV of Fig. l,
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Fig. S is an elevation drawing in cross-section taken
along lines V-V of Fig. 1,
Fig. 6 is an elevation drawing in cross-section taken
along lines VI-VI of Fig.l, and
Fig. 7 is an elevation drawing in cross-section taken
along the lines VII-VII of Fig. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, Fig. 1 is a
bottom plan view of a wristwatch movement, shown generally as
1, with the energy cell removed. Movement 1 would normally be
i disposed in a wristwatch case and fitted with hands and dial
(none of which are shown). The wristwatch hands are set with a
manually actuatable stem 2 which extends through the watch case
and is ~itted;with a crown (not shown), so that stem 2 may be
moved long1tudinally, as well as rotated to set the hands of
the timepiece a~s is generally understood. The timepiece
movement 1 comprises a frame 3 of plastic material designed to
contain and support the other elements of the movement.
8roadly these lnclude a circuit 4, which is an assembly of a
; quactz crysta}~and a printed circuit board with an integrated
circuit and electrical contact terminals on its underside.
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Output from the integrated circuit is connected to provide
periodical pulses tc drive a stepping motor S, having a coil
and core assembly Sa and a stator 5b. An energy cell Eor
supplying power to the circuit comprises a button ceil (not
shown) disposed in a circular recess 6 in frame 3. A bridge 7
is attached to and spaced from a part of frame ~, so as to
support the rotatable members of the movement. Such rotatable
members include a stepping motor rotor assembly ~, and wheel
assemblies 9 and 10. Stepping motor rotor assembly 8 has a
permanent magnet designed to rotate within a stator Sb. Rotor
assembly 8 has a pinion which drives an intermediate wheel
assembly 9, which in turn drives a "seconds" wheel assembly
10. The "seconds" wheel assembly 10 includes a spindle 11 (see
Fig. 3) to which the "seconds" hand is attached.
The "seconds" wheel assembly has a pinion which drives a
third wheel assembly 12 through a friction drive or slip clutch
arrangement indicated at 12a. The third wheel assembly 12
includes an output pinion cooperating with additional gear
train members (not shown) which ultimately operate the
"minutes" and "hours" hands. A setting gear 13 with teeth
parallel to the gear axis (see also Fig. 3) is part of the
hours and minutes hands gear train and is engaga~le with a stem
gear 14 on stem 2 when the .stem is withdrawn from a irst
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"disengaged~ position as shown in the drawing to a second
"engaged~' (or setting) position. When stem 2 is in the setting
position with gears 13, 14 engaged, the friction drive o~
clutch assembly 12a would normally permit the continued
rotation of rotor 8 and wheel assemblies 9, 10 in a manner
known in the art by allowing the slipage of third wheel
assembly 12 on its shaft. Stem 2 is retained eithar in the
first position or in the hand setting second position by a pair
of spaced detent grooves 15 cooperating with a spring biased
arm which will be explained in detail later in connectio~ with
the subject invention.
In order to make electrical connections between the
energy cell and the watch circuit, a spring clip 16 is
provided, which makes contact on one end with the negative
terminal of the battery (see also Fig. 4) and at the other end
on the underside of the circuit board 4. The other electrical
connection between the energy cell and the watch circuit is
through a contact spring 17 which is the subject of the present
invention. Part of contact spring 17 makes permanent
electrical connection betwee~ the positive terminal on the side
of the energy cell and another part of contact spring 17 is
permanently in contact with a supply terminal 4a on the
underside of the circuit board 4 (see also Fig. 4), this being
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termed a "first electrical connection means."
The stepping motor watch circuit 4 is also provided with
a switching terminal 4b on the underside o the circuit board 4
which, when connected to the positive terminal of thè energy
cell will disable and inactivate the stepping motor. In order
that the switching terminal can be extended to the neighborhood
of the contact spring 17, an electrical bridge member 18 is
provided (see also Fig. 5).
The aforementioned components are held in the movement
frame 3 by a number of threaded screws designated at 19, 20,
21, 22, and 23. These screws serve to hold the elements of
stepping motor S, bridge 7, circuit board 4, battery spring
clip 16, and the spring contact member 17 in place, these
components being assembled from the backside of the movement.
Referring now to Fig. 2 of the drawing, the spring
contact member 17 is shown to comprise a shaped member of
electrically conductive spring metal with various extensions
which are arranged to perform several functions and are
designed in accordance with the particular constraints and
dimensions of the watch movement. Contact spring 17 includes a
battery contact portion 24, a circuit supply portion 25, a
spring biased flrst arm 26 and a; spring blased second arm 27.
The spring~biased first arm itsel~ includes several functional
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portions, these being a braking ~inger portion 28 an actuating
portion 2~, and a switching portion 30.
The spring biased second arm 27 include~ thereon a
detenting portion 31 and a stem removal tab 32.
Reference now to the various cross~sectional drawings
will illustrate the invention in better detail. Fig. 3 which
is a cross-section taken along the axis of the stem 2, shows
the elements of the stepping motor coil and core assembly Sa,
the stator portion 5b, and the stepping motor rotor assembly
8. Rotor assembly 8 drives intermediate assembly 9, which
drives "seconds" wheel assembly 10. A fixed centerpost 33 in
the movement frame 3 rotatably journals the "seconds" spindle
11 on the dial side of the watch. Other gear train elements
are omitted in order not to obscure the drawing, but would
include a gear train driven from a pinion on seconds wheel
assembly 10, and operating "hour" hand and "minute" hand
sleeves mounted on center post 33.
The manually actuatable watch stem 2 terminates in a stem
end portion 34~wlth a pointed tip'34a. The contact spring 17,
corss-sections of which~a~e identiied by multiple lead lines,
shows the actuatlng portion 29 resting on the stem end 34 when
the stem is in a first position. The detent portion 31 of
contact~ spring 17 is seen res.ting in one of the spaced detent
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grooves 15 which retains the stem in the first position. A
part of the spring biased first arm 26 is shown to be in close
proximity with a ~seconds~ wheel lOa Oe the seconds wheel
assembly 10.
Fig. 4 of the drawing, which is a section taken along
lines IV-IV illustrates the permanent electrical connections
from the energy cell to the battery. The negative battery
contact spring 16 and spring contact 17 are clamped in place to
the frame by threaded screw 23 and electrically insulated from
one another by a portion of bridge 7. The circuit supply
portion 25 of spring contact 17 extends beneath the circuit
board 4 where it makes electrical connection with a supply
terminal 4a and is rigidly connected thereto by means of
threaded screw 22.
Referring to Fig. 5 of the drawing, the frame 3 and
bridge 7 are seen to include integral pins 3a, 7a which support
and locate the electrlcal bridge 18. One end 18a of the
electrical bridge 18 contacts a switching terminal 4b on the
underside of~the circuit board for disabling the stepping motor
and the~o~ther end 18b is in close proximity to the switching
portion 30 oE spring contact 17.
Referring now to Fig. 6 of the drawing, the spring biased
s~cond arm 27 of spring contact 17 is shown with its detent
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portion 31 resting in one o~ the spaced detent grooves 15. The
stem removal tab 3Z is located in a rame recess 3b. This
permits insertion of an instrument beneath tab 32 to lift
spring biased arm 27 so that the stem can be removed ~'rom the
movement.
Reference now to Fig. 7 of the drawing shows a
cross-section through portions of the spring biased first arm,
taken along lines VII-VII of Fig. 1. However, in Fig. 7, the
actuating stem has been withdrawn into its second position with
the stem end 34 retracted, so as to allow the actuating portion
29 of spring contact member 17 to drop to a lower position in
the frame. This is because of the spring bias provided by the
first arm 26. When the stem is retracted, and when spring
contact first arm 26 is in this position, the braking portion
28 touches the "seconds" wheel lOa to prevent rotation of the
"seconds" wheel assembly 10~. In this manner, the rotatable
member 10 is prevented from rotation along with its connected
gear train rotatable members a and 9. However, the other gear
train elements such as wh~eels 12, 13 are permitted to rotate
when the stem is rotated due :to the slip clutch 12a.
When the spring biased first arm 26 drops to the position
indicated in Fig. 7 the second electrical connections means
also functions to disable the stepping motor as seen in Fig.
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5. The switching portion 30 of the contact spring will drop to
make contact with the electrical bridge 18, so as to disable
the stepping motor.
The spring biased second arm 27 of contact spring 17 with
detenting portion 31 performs a detenting function to hold the
stem in the second position while setting of the hour hands and
minute hands proceeds.
Therefore, the improved contact spring of the invention
performs many functions, which may include the following:
1. A first permanent electrical connection is made between a
battery contact portion 24 and a circuit supply portion
25.
2. A braking force~is supplied by the braking finger portion
28 when the stem is withdrawn.
3. An intermittent switching function is performed by the
switching portion 30 making contact with a switching
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termi~nal to disable the-stepping motor, and
4. A spring blased second arm performs a detenting function
to hoid the stem in first or second positions.
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While there has been described what is considered to be
the preferred embodiment of the invention, other modiEications
will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the
spring biased second arm detenting may be eliminated'in some
cases. The spring contact member may take various other
conEigurations Erom that shown, so as to it the particular
watch movement. Other modi~ications will occur to those
skilled in the art and it is desired to secure in the appended
claims all such modiications as fall within the true spirit
and scope of the invention.
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