Electronic wristwatch with calculator having improved conductive packing sheet switch element

• US 4,184,321 A
• Filed: 05/20/1977
• Issued: 01/22/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha
• Inventors: Tarusawa, Yasutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, James R.
• Application Number:
  US05/798,959
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5 A, 200/1 R, 200/159 A, 200/159 B, 200/302, 200/340, 58/152, 58/85.5, 58/50 R, 340/365 R, 364/705
• US Class Current: 235/61.00A
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/00 Structural details; Housings constructional details of radio-controlled time-pieces, e.g. antennas G04R60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/007 combined with a calculator or computing means
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/703 characterised by spacers between contact carrying layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/078 Conductive rubber
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/028 Contacts in depressions of layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/026 Pencil operated
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/002 replaceable; adaptable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/002 sealed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/002 Calculator, computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/028 Watch

Abstract

A digital display electronic wristwatch having a calculator therein includes a single actuating packing sheet of a resilient material formed with projections to register with the input keys for making electrical contact with terminals on the watch and calculator body. The packing is formed with at least one opening for viewing the digital display of time and calculator data.

Claims

1. A digital display electronic wristwatch having a calculator therein comprising watch and calculator body means including display means and multi-input means;

watch case means adapted to permit viewing of said display means and including at least ten openings therethrough for defining a keyboard region for permitting actuation of said multi-input means; and

a unitary packing sheet means of a resilient material positioned intermediate said watch case means and said multi-input means disposed over the keyboard region and having an electrically conductive surface on the side disposed towards said multi-input means and further having a peripheral lip of a larger thickness than the keyboard region positioned around said multi-input means for providing a water-tight seal about said watch case means openings by being compressed by said watch case means, and a portion of said packing sheet disposed over the keyboard region of said multi-input means adapted for manipulation through said openings to effect selective actuation of said multi-input means, said packing sheet means formed with a hollow frusto-conical projection for each opening in the keyboard region, said projections projecting from said sheet toward said openings and a finger projection from each said projection towards and in registration with each of said multi-input means, whereby manipulation of a projection through the associated openings displaces said finger to the associated multi-input means for making contact with said multi-input means for the selective actuation of said multi-input means, said finger returning to its original position upon the release of said projection due to the resiliency of the packing sheet.

2. The wristwatch of claim 1, including a key member mounted for displacement in each of said watch case means openings in engagement with the projecting end of the associated projection, whereby a selected multi-input means may be actuated by engagement by a user from outside of said watch case means of the associated key member to displace the associated finger into engagement with said multi-input means, said key member returning to its original position upon release by said user due to the resiliency of said resilient sheet.

3. The wristwatch of claim 1, including a key member mounted in each of said watch case means openings for selective displacement from outside of said watch case toward the associated multi-input means to effect actuation thereof by said packing sheet means.

4. The wristwatch of claim 3, including a plurality of said key members and a corresponding plurality of watch case means openings arranged in a keyboard region of said watch case means.

5. The wristwatch of claim 4, wherein said watch case means includes a watch case formed with a first enlarged opening on the display side of said case and a cover glass mounted in said first enlarged opening, said cover glass being formed with said watch case means openings associated with said multi-input means for defining the keyboard region.

6. The wristwatch of claim 5, wherein said packing sheet means is retained in sealing relation at least in part between said cover glass and said watch case.

7. The wristwatch of claim 6, wherein said packing sheet means is retained in sealing relation between said cover glass on the one hand and said watch case and watch and calculator body on the other hand.

8. The wristwatch of claim 7, wherein said first enlarged opening of said watch case extends so as to overlie said display means to render said display means visible through said cover glass, said unitary packing sheet means including a portion extending around the periphery of said cover glass and defining a water-tight seal between said cover glass and said watch case.

9. The wristwatch of claim 8, wherein said watch case includes a second enlarged opening therethrough and a case back member, the portion of said watch case defining a sealing relation with said packing sheet means being said case back member.

10. The wristwatch of claim 5, wherein said key members are free of input and operational symbols.

11. The wristwatch of claim 10, wherein said numerical and operational symbols for said input key members are displayed on the top surface of said cover glass adjacent each of said key members.

12. The wristwatch of claim 10, wherein said numerical and operational symbols for said key members are displayed on a lower surface of said glass cover adjacent each of said key members.

13. The wristwatch of claim 10, wherein said numerical and operational symbols for said key members are displayed on a display panel mounted on said cover glass in said keyboard region.

14. The wristwatch of claim 13, wherein said display panel is mounted on the outer surface of said cover glass and includes a portion extending into the region intermediate said watch case and cover glass for retension in position therebetween.

15. A packing sheet for providing a water-tight seal between at least two actuatable members of a keyboard device and a key member displaceable toward and away from each said actuatable member for selective actuation thereof comprising a unitary sheet of resilient material formed with a keyboard region having a frusto-conical projection in registration with each actuatable member and projecting toward and supporting the associated key member and including a finger projecting from each of said projections toward the associated actuatable member and a conductive surface facing said actuatable member, and a peripheral lip formed about the keyboard region of said sheet of larger thickness than said keyboard region for providing the water-tight seal about said keyboard region, whereby manual displacement of said key member toward said actuatable member displaces the associated projection toward said actuatable member to effect actuation thereof, the resiliency of said resilient material returning said key member to its initial position upon release thereof.

16. An electronic wristwatch including a calculator comprising watch and calculator body means including display means and multi-input means;

a watch case having an opening therethrough for receipt of said watch and calculator body means;

a cover glass mounted in said opening on the display side of said watch case for permitting the viewing of said display means, said cover glass including a keyboard region having at least two openings therethrough for permitting actuation of said multi-input means;

a case back releasably engaged by said watch case for forming the periphery of said wristwatch with said watch case and cover glass; and

a unitary packing sheet disposed intermediate said cover glass and said watch and calculator body means having a keyboard region disposed over said multi-input means, said packing sheet formed of a resilient material having an electrically conductive surface on the side facing said multi-input means for selectively completing an electrical circuit to said multi-input means, said packing sheet formed with a peripheral lip having a greater thickness than the keyboard region of said packing sheet, said lip disposed about said multi-input means and watch and calculator body means for providing a water-tight seal about said watch case and openings through said cover glass, said lip being compressed between said cover glass and said case back, said packing sheet formed with a plurality of hollow frusto-conical projections for each of said openings through said cover glass in the keyboard region, said projections projecting from said sheet toward said openings and a finger projecting from each said projection towards and in registration with each of said multi-input means, whereby manipulation of a projection through the associated openings displaces said finger to the associated multi-input means for completing the electrical circuit to said multi-input means for the selective actuation of said multi-input means, said finger returning to its original position upon the release of said projection due to the resiliency of said packing sheet.

17. The wristwatch of claim 16, including a key member mounted for displacement in each of said watch case means openings in engagement with the projecting end of the associated projection, whereby a selected multi-input means may be actuated by engagement by a user from outside of said watch case means of the associated key member to displace the associated finger into engagement with said multi-input means, said key member returning to its original position upon release or by said user due to the resiliency of said resilient sheet.