Combination electrical contact member and braking member for a timepiece

US4794576A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Timex Corporation · US

Inventors

• Herbert Schwartz · Wurmberg, DE
• Friedrich Mose · Pforzheim, DE
• Adolf Sedlak · Pforzheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 29, 1988
• Grant date: Dec 27, 1988
• Expiry date: Jan 29, 2008

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G04C9/00
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An improved contact spring in a movement for a timepiece having a frame, 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 electrically 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 has 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 actuated. The arm may further 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.