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US4257115A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Switch structure for electronic timepiece

Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1978-02-10
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Granted: 1981-03-17
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Expires: 1998-02-10
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Abstract

Abstract A switch structure for an analog quartz crystal timepiece having a watchglass plate, a time dial to display time in an analog mode, and a digital display device, which switch structure comprises a plurality of transparent electrically conductive electrode films provided on the watchglass plate at positions corresponding to numerical display indicia on the time dial to permit generation of input signals corresponding to the numerical display indicia, respectively.

Inventors

  • 👤 Toshikazu Hatuse
  • 👤 Minoru Natori
  • 👤 Toshikazu Shimazaki
  • 👤 Kouhei Kawanobe
  • 👤 Hiroshi Ogawa

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 11:51
CPC Classifications
G; G04; G04G; G04G21/00; G04G21/08; G04G13/00; G04G13/02; G04G13/026; G04G9/00; G04G9/0082

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 273 words
In an analog quartz crystal timepiece providing a multi-alarm function and having a watch case, and a watch movement adapted to drive time indicating hands and having a circuit board mounted thereon, the improvement comprising: a time dial disposed in said watch case and including a plurality of circumferentially spaced time-indicating numerical indicia, and an access window; an electro-optical digital display device mounted on a bottom surface of said time dial at said access window to provide a display of said multi-alarm function; a plurality of display indicia indicative of said multi-alarm function and formed on said time dial at an area other than those in which said time-indicating numerical indicia are formed; a watch glass plate secured to said watch case above said time dial; a plurality of first transparent electrically conductive electrode films formed on said watch glass plate at positions corresponding to said plurality of circumferentially spaced time-indicating numerical indicia, respectively, to permit generation of input signals corresponding to said time-indicating numerical indicia, each of said plurality of transparent electrically conductive electrode films having a terminal portion formed on a bottom surface of said watch glass plate; a plurality of second transparent electrically conductive electrode films formed on said glass plate at positions corresponding to said plurality of display indicia, respectively and serving as switches for inputting a plurality of alarm time data; a transparent insulating film formed over said watch glass plate and said plurality of transparent electrically conductive electrode films; and a plurality of electrically conductive connectors disposed between said circuit board and the corresponding ones of said terminal portions of said plurality of electrically conductive electrode films.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 273 words
In an analog quartz crystal timepiece providing a multi-alarm function and having a watch case, and a watch movement adapted to drive time indicating hands and having a circuit board mounted thereon, the improvement comprising: a time dial disposed in said watch case and including a plurality of circumferentially spaced time-indicating numerical indicia, and an access window; an electro-optical digital display device mounted on a bottom surface of said time dial at said access window to provide a display of said multi-alarm function; a plurality of display indicia indicative of said multi-alarm function and formed on said time dial at an area other than those in which said time-indicating numerical indicia are formed; a watch glass plate secured to said watch case above said time dial; a plurality of first transparent electrically conductive electrode films formed on said watch glass plate at positions corresponding to said plurality of circumferentially spaced time-indicating numerical indicia, respectively, to permit generation of input signals corresponding to said time-indicating numerical indicia, each of said plurality of transparent electrically conductive electrode films having a terminal portion formed on a bottom surface of said watch glass plate; a plurality of second transparent electrically conductive electrode films formed on said glass plate at positions corresponding to said plurality of display indicia, respectively and serving as switches for inputting a plurality of alarm time data; a transparent insulating film formed over said watch glass plate and said plurality of transparent electrically conductive electrode films; and a plurality of electrically conductive connectors disposed between said circuit board and the corresponding ones of said terminal portions of said plurality of electrically conductive electrode films.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 309 words
In an analog quartz crystal timepiece equipped with an electronic calculation circuit to provide calculation data and having a watch case, a watch movement adapted to drive time indicating hands and having a circuit board mounted thereon, and an electro-optical display device to display said calculation data, the improvement comprising: a time dial disposed in said watch case and including a plurality of circumferentially spaced time-indicating numerical indicia, a plurality of display indicia representing a plurality of function key symbols and formed on said time dial at an area other than those in which said time-indicating numerical indicia are formed, and an access window; a watch glass plate secured to said watch case above said time dial; a plurality of transparent electrically conductive electrode films formed on said watch glass plate at positions corresponding to said plurality of circumferentially spaced time-indicating numerical indicia and said display indicia, respectively, and serving as numeric and function key switches for said electronic calculation circuit to permit generation of input signals corresponding to said time-indicating numerical indicia and said display indicia, each of said plurality of transparent electrically conductive electrode films having a terminal portion formed on a bottom surface of said watch glass plate; a transparent insulating film formed over said watch glass plate and said plurality of transparent electrically conductive electrode films; and a plurality of electrically conductive connectors disposed between said circuit board and the corresponding ones of said terminal portions of said plurality of electrically conductive electrode films; said electro-optical display device mounted on a bottom surface of said time dial at said access window and including a transparent upper glass plate, a transparent lower glass plate, and a shield layer formed over said transparent upper glass plate constituting said dial plate and said plurality of numerical display indicia and said display indicia being formed over said shield layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 309 words
In an analog quartz crystal timepiece equipped with an electronic calculation circuit to provide calculation data and having a watch case, a watch movement adapted to drive time indicating hands and having a circuit board mounted thereon, and an electro-optical display device to display said calculation data, the improvement comprising: a time dial disposed in said watch case and including a plurality of circumferentially spaced time-indicating numerical indicia, a plurality of display indicia representing a plurality of function key symbols and formed on said time dial at an area other than those in which said time-indicating numerical indicia are formed, and an access window; a watch glass plate secured to said watch case above said time dial; a plurality of transparent electrically conductive electrode films formed on said watch glass plate at positions corresponding to said plurality of circumferentially spaced time-indicating numerical indicia and said display indicia, respectively, and serving as numeric and function key switches for said electronic calculation circuit to permit generation of input signals corresponding to said time-indicating numerical indicia and said display indicia, each of said plurality of transparent electrically conductive electrode films having a terminal portion formed on a bottom surface of said watch glass plate; a transparent insulating film formed over said watch glass plate and said plurality of transparent electrically conductive electrode films; and a plurality of electrically conductive connectors disposed between said circuit board and the corresponding ones of said terminal portions of said plurality of electrically conductive electrode films; said electro-optical display device mounted on a bottom surface of said time dial at said access window and including a transparent upper glass plate, a transparent lower glass plate, and a shield layer formed over said transparent upper glass plate constituting said dial plate and said plurality of numerical display indicia and said display indicia being formed over said shield layer.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-03-16 1984-09-15 1985-03-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-03-16 1988-09-15 1989-03-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-03-16 1992-09-15 1993-03-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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