Digital watch with elastomer housing block and flexible printed circuitry

Claim 2

A digital watch having a case and a substrate on which electronic circuitry and electro-optical display devices are situated, a spacer block for supporting said substrate and for positioning and isolating at least one battery, the improvement comprising: at least one push button for activating said display devices; a flexible circuit with at least one contact for providing electrical continuity between said push buttons and said electronic circuitry and between said batteries and said electronic circuitry; and an elastomeric spacer for supporting the substrate, isolating the batteries, and acting as a spring to return the contacts of said flexible circuit to their uncontacted position after the push buttons have been depressed.

Claim 3

A digital watch as recited in claim 1, wherein said contacts on said flexible printed circuit consist of a thin layer of beryllium-copper which is applied to a thin layer of Kapton, said beryllium-copper contact electrically connecting said battery to said electronic circuitry.

Claim 4

A digital watch having a case and a substrate on which electronic circuitry and electro-optical display devices are situated, a spacer block for supporting said substrate and for positioning and isolating at least one battery, at least one push button for activating said display devices, the improvement comprising: said spacer block formed in a substantially rectangular shape and having a center portion and first and second end portions; said block having a recess for supporting said substrate, located in the center portion; said block also having two holes, one located in the first end portion and the second hole located in the second end portion; a battery situated in each hole for energizing said display devices and said electronic circuitry; and said spacer block consists of a molded elastomer material, making said digital watch shock proof and wherein said single spacer block supports an isolates all of the digital watch components, said spacer block acts as a stop for said push button and acts as a spring to return said push button to its original position after it has been depressed.

Claim 5

A digital watch having a case and a substrate on which electronic circuitry and electro-optical display devices are situated, a spacer block for supporting said substrate and for positioning and isolating at least one battery, at least one push button for activating said display devices, the improvement comprising: said spacer block formed in a substantially rectangular shape and having a center portion and first and second end portions; said block having a recess for supporting said substrate, located in the center portion; said block also having two holes, one located in the first end portion and the second hole located in the second end portion; a battery situated in each hole for energizing said display devices and said electronic circuitry; and said spacer block consists of a molded elastomer material, making said digital watch shock proof and wherein said single spacer block supports an isolates all of the digital watch components, said spacer block acts as a stop for said push button and acts as a spring to return said push button to its original position after it has been depressed.

Claim 6

A digital watch having a case, a crystal mounted on the top of said case, an oscillator for generating time signals, electronic circuitry mounted on a substrate for controlling a plurality of electro-optical display devices which display the time, wherein the improvement comprises: a spacer block formed in a substantially rectangular shape and having a center portion and first and second end portions; said block having a recess for supporting said oscillator and said substrate, located in the center portion; said block also having two holes, one located in the first end portion and the second hole located in the second end portion; a battery situated in each hole for energizing said display devices and said electronic circuitry; a plurality of push buttons for activating the display devices and setting the time; a flexible electrically conductive cable connecting said batteries and said push buttons to said electronic circuitry; and wherein said single spacer block supports and isolates all of the digital watch components, said spacer block acts as a stop for said push buttons and acts as a spring to return said push buttons to their original position after they have been depressed.

Claim 7

A digital watch having a case, a crystal mounted on the top of said case, an oscillator for generating time signals, electronic circuitry mounted on a substrate for controlling a plurality of electro-optical display devices which display the time, wherein the improvement comprises: a spacer block formed in a substantially rectangular shape and having a center portion and first and second end portions; said block having a recess for supporting said oscillator and said substrate, located in the center portion; said block also having two holes, one located in the first end portion and the second hole located in the second end portion; a battery situated in each hole for energizing said display devices and said electronic circuitry; a plurality of push buttons for activating the display devices and setting the time; a flexible electrically conductive cable connecting said batteries and said push buttons to said electronic circuitry; and wherein said single spacer block supports and isolates all of the digital watch components, said spacer block acts as a stop for said push buttons and acts as a spring to return said push buttons to their original position after they have been depressed.

Claim 8

A digital watch as recited in claim 4, wherein said spacer block consists of a molded elastomer material, making said digital watch shock proof.