Case for electronic watch module

• US 4,396,298 A
• Filed: 08/03/1981
• Issued: 08/02/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Textron Inc
• Original Assignee: Textron Inc
• Inventors: Ripley, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Roskoski, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US06/289,786
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 368/276-279, 368/281-283, 368/286, 368/288, 368/293, 368/300, 368/309, 368/311, 368/312, 368/313, 368/316, 368/317, 368/69, 368/70, 368/319, 368/321
• US Class Current: 368/300
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/0058 for shaped watches
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/1486 Arrangements for fixing to a bracelet building watches into bracelets (montre marquise) G04B37/12; arrangements for hanging pocket- or other watches on chains G04B37/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/008 Mounting, assembling of components

Abstract

A case is disclosed for containing an electronic watch module of the type having a display face and internal function switches manually operable by means of externally protruding depressible control buttons. The case includes a base component defining an open cavity for receiving the watch module, and a cover component with a window. Fasteners are employed to assemble the cover component to the base component at a position overlying the watch module, with the module display face visible through the cover window. Access openings in the assembled combination of the base and cover components are aligned with the module control buttons, and a spring is interposed between the module and the base component to resiliently urge the module into a fixed position within the case. The control buttons are concealed behind depressible spring contact sections which protrude outwardly through the access openings to provide a neat decorative appearance.

Claims

1. A case for containing an electronic watch module of the type having a display face and internal function switches manually operable by means of externally protruding depressible control buttons, said case comprising:

a base component defining an open cavity for receiving said watch module;

a cover component with a viewing window;

fastening means for detachably assembling said cover component to said base component at a position overlying said cavity, with the display face of the watch module in said cavity being observable through said window;

access openings in the assembled combination of said base and cover components in alignment with the control buttons on said watch module; and

,

spring means interposed between said watch module and said base component for resiliently urging said watch module into a fixed position within said case, said spring means having depressible contact sections arranged in said access openings to overlap and conceal said control buttons.

2. The case as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base component has a bottom wall underlying said watch module and opposed side walls extending along opposite sides of said watch module, said cover component has a top wall containing said window and opposed side walls externally overlapping the side walls of said base component, and said access openings extend through the side walls of both said components.

3. The case as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said base component, cover component and spring means each consists of a unitary metal stamping.

4. The case as claimed in claim 2 wherein said spring means comprises a resilient first leaf interposed between the bottom of said watch module and the bottom wall of said base component, and resilient second leaves interposed between opposite sides of said watch module and the opposed side walls of said base component.

5. The case as claimed in claim 4 wherein said first and second leaves are integrally formed as a unitary metal stamping.

6. The case as claimed in claim 4 wherein said control buttons protrude laterally from opposite sides of said watch module, and wherein said second leaves include said contact sections, whereupon depression of said contact sections into said access openings will produce a resilient flexure of said second leaves and an accompanying depression of said control buttons.

7. The case as claimed in claim 6 further comprising alignment means on said base component for opposing movement of said first leaf when said second leaves are resiliently flexed.

8. The case as claimed in claim 7 wherein said alignment means comprises parallel ribs on the bottom wall of said base component, said ribs being spaced laterally one from the other to fixedly retain said first leaf therebetween.

9. The case as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fastening means comprises spring bars, the ends of which are received in aligned holes in said base and cover components.

10. The case as claimed in claim 9 wherein said spring means is operative to resiliently urge said watch module against said spring bars.

11. The case as claimed in claim 1 further comprising connecting means cooperatively defined by said base and cover components for connecting said case to the opposite ends of a watch band.

12. The case as claimed in claim 11 wherein said watch band is of the linkage type having transversely extending link members joined for articulate movement relative to each other, and wherein said connecting means comprises end walls on said base and cover components, each end wall on said base component being upturned and having an inturned flange defining a recess for receiving a link member at one end of said watch band, and each end wall of said cover component being downturned towards said recess to retain said link member therein.