Battery lead plate member for an electronic wrist watch

A battery lead plate assembly comprises a one-piece integral structure for connecting together a circuit block and a battery of an electronic timepiece. The assembly comprises a casing composed of electrically insulative material and having a slotted arm portion, a lead plate element composed of electrically conductive material and having an end portion inserted into the slot, and an insulating plate composed of electrically insulative material and having an end portion inserted into the slot - all three parts being thermo compression bonded into a one-piece integral structure. The lead plate element is configured so as to contact and make electrical connection between the circuit block and the battery and the insulating plate is configured so as to extend along the side of the lead plate element opposite the battery for electrically insulating the lead plate element from other parts of the timepiece.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a battery lead plate assembly for an 
electronic wrist watch. The conventional battery lead plate assembly 
generally has one of the following constructions. 
(I) A battery lead plate assembly comprised of a battery lead plate element 
and a battery lead plate insulating casing formed as one part, and a 
battery insulating plate as a separate part. 
(II) A battery lead plate assembly comprised of a battery lead plate 
element and a battery insulating plate formed as one part, and a battery 
lead plate insulating casing as a separate part. 
In the case of (i), the battery lead plate assembly is assembled after the 
orientation of the battery insulating plate during the assembling process. 
If the parts are carelessly assembled, the battery insulating plate shears 
causing the danger of short circuit or deterioration of battery life 
because of mis-assembly of the battery insulating plate. 
In the case of (ii), the assembling process is troublesome since the 
battery lead plate insulating casing is oriented before assembling and 
then the battery lead plate assembly is oriented and assembled. 
This invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned difficulties and 
insufficiencies, and has for its principal object to compose the battery 
insulating plate, the battery lead plate element and the battery lead 
plate as a one piece insulating casing integral structure in order to 
simplify the initial assembling procedure and later servicing.

The present invention will be more fully described with reference to FIGS. 
1-4 which show the battery lead plate assembly which comprises a battery 
lead plate element, 1 made of metal, a battery insulating plate, 2 formed 
of electrically insulative material and a battery lead plate insulating 
casing 3 made of electrically insulative plastic material all three parts 
being integrally connected into a one-piece structure by thermo 
compression bonding. More particularly, the casing 3 has a slotted arm 
portion 3a in which are inserted end portions of the lead plate element 1 
and the insulating plate 2 and then, by application of heat and pressure, 
the plastic material of the casing 3 fuses together the three parts into a 
one-piece bonded structure. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery lead plate 1 serves as a nagative 
lead of a battery 4. And a battery holder 5 serves as the positive lead 
with the battery holder 5 being fixed together with a circuit block 8 on 
the battery lead plate assembly through a tubular sleeve 6b and a screw 7. 
The sleeve 6b extends through an opening in a support plate 6 and fits 
into a cylindrical cavity within the lead plate insulating casing 3, and 
the support plate 6 is provided with a recessed portion 6a in which fits 
the under portion 3b of the battery lead plate insulating casing to 
thereby position the battery lead plate assembly during assembling. 
Numeral 9 is a working lever which slides on the upper surface of the 
plate 6 and movement of the working lever 9 in the upper direction is 
prevented by a protruding portion 3c of the battery lead plate insulating 
casing 3. 
As illustrated, according to the present invention, the afore-mentioned 
disadvanteges on assembling ae eliminated since the battery lead plate 
element 1; the battery insulating plate 2 and the battery lead plate 
insulating casing 3 are performed as a one-piece integral structure. 
Further, the incorporating position of the battery lead plate assembly is 
precisely determined by fitting the under portion 3b of the battery lead 
plate insulating casing 3 into the recessed portion 6a and by fitting the 
casing 3 atop the tubular sleeve 6b on the plate 6. Furthermore, unwanted 
movement of the working lever 9 is prevented by the protruding portion 3c 
of the battery lead plate insulating casing 3.