Abstract:
To provide an intermediate support structure having both functions of a supporting function and a grounding function by a minimum size and an electronic timepiece using the same. An intermediate support structure of an electronic timepiece is constituted such that a base material is constituted by a resin and is elastically deformable, a conductive portion produced by dispersing a conductive carbon nanotube in the resin base material is included and the conductive portion is brought into contact with corresponding conductive parts at surface exposed contact portions to provide a conductive path between the two conductive parts.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention:  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a novel intermediate support structure, more in details, to a novel intermediate support structure capable of serving to support and ground a part.  
           [0003]    Here, an intermediate support structure typically indicates a constitution interposed between a substantially rigid frame member and a substantially rigid article to be supported for fixing or holding the article to be supported to or by a Frame member,  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art:  
           [0005]    With respect to a watch, a gear portion at an inner end of a wiring stem is engaged with a train wheel of a movement and by turning a winding crown at a projected end of the winding stem, displayed time and a hand position is corrected or a date is adjusted by way of the train wheel, a pinion portion or the like of the movement. Further, a current watch is of a mode of a so-to-speak quartz type electronic timepiece and the movement is assembled with an integrated circuit (IC) or a circuit block for controlling to drive or operate a crystal oscillator, a motor or the like.  
           [0006]    However, there is a case in which the above-described mechanical connection or contact relationship brings about an unexpected drawback electrostatically. That is, when a user of the watch or the like touches the winding crown of the watch by the electrostatically charged body in order to correct displayed time or date, there is a case in which as shown by FIG. 4A, static electricity is conducted from the body of the user to a part made of a metal of a winding crown  110  by passing through the finger, further to a metal portion of a movement  130  including a train wheel in mesh with a gear portion at a front end of a winding stem  120  by way of the winding stem  120  made of a metal attached with the winding crown  110  and finally reaches IC  140  or the like of the movement  130  to thereby cause leakage of static electricity. At this occasion, when an amount of electricity of flowing static electricity is large or potential or voltage of the body is high, there is a concern that excessively large current flows at IC  140  or the like or excessively large voltage is applied to IC  140  or the like to thereby destruct or erroneously operate IC  140  or the like. Further, there is also a concern that even when there is not a direct conductor path reaching IC  140  or the like, by discharge under high voltage, IC  140  or the like is destructed or erroneously operated.  
           [0007]    There is also known an electronic timepiece in which in order to avoid such an adverse influence of static electricity, a metal plate is provided at a back face of the movement  130  supported by a middle frame or the like and a leaf spring made of a metal is provided between the metal plate and a case back or a hole reaching a conductive portion at inside of the movement  130  is formed at the back face of the movement  130  and a helical spring made of a metal is provided between a conductor at a bottom of the hole and the case back made of a metal to thereby escape static electricity. However, according to a conventional electronic timepiece of this kind, it is difficult to avoid a size such as a thickness of the watch from enlarging or a shape of the movement  130  per se from being restricted in order to ensure a space for arranging a spring or the like.  
           [0008]    The invention has been carried out in view of the above-described various points, and it is an object thereof to provide a novel intermediate support structure having both functions of an intermediate supporting function and a grounding function by a minimum size.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    It is another object of the invention to provide an electronic timepiece having such a novel intermediate support structure.  
           [0010]    In order to achieve the above-described object, an intermediate support structure of the invention is an elastically deformable intermediate support structure, a base material of which comprises a resin and which includes a conductive portion produced by dispersing a conductive carbon nanotube in the resin base material and the conductive portion is constituted to be brought into contact with a corresponding conductive article at a surface exposed contact portion to provide a conductive path between two of the conductive articles.  
           [0011]    According to the intermediate support structure of the invention, there is provided “the conductive portion constituted to be brought into contact with the corresponding conductive article at the surface exposed contact portion” and therefore, the conductive path is provided between (two of) the conductive articles by the conductive portion of the intermediate support structure. Further, according to the intermediate support structure of the invention, “the base material comprises a resin and is elastically deformable” and therefore, different from a case in which the intermediate support structure is substantially rigid (for example, a case in which the intermediate support structure comprises a metal material such as stainless steel), without interposing a spring or the like between the intermediate support structure for supporting an article to be supported and a substantially rigid frame member or the like, by pressing the intermediate support structure per se to the substantially rigid frame member, the article to be supported can be fixed to or held by the frame member and therefore, an occupying space can be minimized. Here, both of such a conducting function and an elastic intermediate supporting function are simultaneously satisfied by providing “the conductive portion produced by dispersing the conductive carbon nanotube in the resin base material” by the intermediate support structure.  
           [0012]    “Elastic deformation” indicates either one or both of elastic deformation caused by a shape liable to undergo bending deformation such as a thin-walled annulus-like shape, a thin-walled ring-like shape, a shape of a thin-walled piece or the like, and softness of a material per se since the base material comprises a rein (a material per se is liable to be elastically deformed by compression or the like) Incidentally, when an article of the same shape as that of the intermediate support structure is assumedly formed by a metal material such as stainless steel, since the material is provided with high rigidity and devoid of softness of the material per se, in either of the respects, it is difficult to actually regard the material as “elastically deformable” and it is difficult to avoid use of a spring member or the like. As the resin, for example, polycarbonate resin is used. However, any other resin may be used so far as the resin is a material suitable for forming the elastically deformable intermediate support structure in the above-described meaning and is a material capable of uniformly and homogenously dispersing the carbon nanotube. When elastic deformation owing to softness of the material per se is utilized, the intermediate support structure typically includes a projected portion pressed to other article (typically, rigid frame member). At least a portion of the projected portion serves to be a surface exposed contact portion. In that case, the surface exposed contact portion achieves both functions of a supporting function and a grounding function.  
           [0013]    In this case, a total of the intermediate support structure may comprise a conductive portion, or the intermediate support structure may be formed by including a nonconductive main body portion produced by dispersing a nonconductive carbon nanotube in the resin of the base material and integrally molding the nonconductive main body portion with the conductive portion. In this case, the intermediate support structure supports an object to be supported typically by a nonconductive portion (nonconductive main body portion) to minimize to effect an influence of static electricity on the article to the supported. In order to constitute the supporting, there may be provided contact engagement such that portions of surfaces of both members are brought into contact with each other, the both members may be engaged with or fitted to each other by providing shapes thereof complimentary to each other, or fixed to each other by a screw or a pin, or other mode of supporting maybe constituted. However, the article to be supported may be supported by the conductive portion so far as there is provided a conductive path sufficient for leaking static electricity at a location remote from the article to be supported. Further, although in this case, typically, the nonconductive main body portion occupies a volume larger than that of the conductive portion, depending on cases, the conductive portion may be provided with a volume larger than that of the nonconductive main body portion.  
           [0014]    According to other respect, in order to achieve the above-described object, the intermediate support structure of the invention is an intermediate support structure interposed between a substantially rigid article to be supported and a substantially rigid frame member attached with two of conductive articles for fixing the article to be supported to the frame member, including a nonconductive main body portion and at least one conductive portion integrally molded with the main body portion, the nonconductive main body portion includes a nonconductive carbon nanotube, the conductive portion includes a conductive carbon nanotube and there are provided contact portions exposed at two locations of a surface of the intermediate support structure to provide a conductive path between the two conductive articles and at least one of the nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion is provided with a projected portion elastically pressed to the frame member.  
           [0015]    In this case, according to the intermediate support structure of the invention, “the conductive portion is provided with the contact portions exposed at two locations of the surface of the intermediate support structure to provide the conductive path between the two conductive articles” and therefore, the two conductive articles are conducted by the conductive portion via the contact portions at the two locations. Therefore, even when one conductive article of the two conductive articles is directly effected with influence of static electricity as in, for example, a winding crown, by providing the two contact portions at the locations at positions at which an article for providing a place for escaping static electricity such as a conductive exterior part of a timepiece, constitutes other conductive article, static electricity unavoidably brought from a conductive part such as the winding crown, can be leaked such that adverse influence is not effected to an electronic part such as IC.  
           [0016]    Further, “the substantially rigid frame member attached with two of the conductive articles” signifies to include a case in which both of the two conductive articles form a portion or a total of the substantially rigid frame member and a case in which one of the two conductive articles substantially forms a portion of the rigid frame member and other is attached to the rigid frame member movably or lightly (the above-described example of the winding crown) and a case in which both of the two conductive articles are movably or lightly attached to the rigid frame member. “substantially rigid” signifies to be difficult to deform in comparison with the shape of the intermediate support structure or the elasticity (easiness to elastically deform) of the material.  
           [0017]    Further, according to the intermediate support structure of the invention, the conductive portion is integrally molded with the nonconductive main body portion of the intermediate support structure and therefore, different from a case in which a spring member made of a metal is additionally arranged, extra space is not needed. Therefore, not only a size of an apparatus integrated with the intermediate support structure can be minimized but also a degree of freedom of a shape of other part (for example, article to be supported) arranged adjacently to the intermediate support structure is enhanced.  
           [0018]    Further, according to the intermediate support structure of the invention, the nonconductive main body portion includes the nonconductive carbon nanotube, the conductive portion includes the conductive carbon nanotube and therefore, the nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion which are integrally molded, can be formed by materials which differ from each other only in respect of conductivities thereof and substantially similar to each other in other respect and therefore, the nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion can integrally be molded solidly. Further, the nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion can be reinforced respectively by the nonconductive and the conductive carbon nanotubes by including the carbon nanotubes and therefore, mechanical strength of a total thereof is also increased. Therefore, the nonconductive main body portion can adopt an arbitrary geometrical shape or a three-dimensional shape to be adopted by the intermediate support structure. As a result, “an engaging portion mechanically engaged with an article for supporting the article” of the nonconductive main body portion can be formed by a complicated shape as desired and therefore, it is easy to provide a supporting or engaging function particular to the nonconductive portion.  
           [0019]    Further, according to the intermediate support structure of the invention, at least one of the nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion, is provided with a projected portion elastically pressed to the frame member and therefore, the intermediate support structure can fixedly be held by the frame member by being interposed between the substantially rigid article to be supported and the substantially rigid frame member attached with the two conductive articles and elastically deforming the projected portion and therefore, the object to be supported can fixedly be held by the frame member via the intermediate support structure. In this case, when the material of the intermediate support structure is comparatively soft, the projected portion is typically constituted by an elastically compressible projected portion projected from the surface substantially orthogonally, meanwhile, when the material of the intermediate support structure is comparatively hard, the projected portion is typically constituted by a spring portion in a shape of a thin piece projected skewedly from the surface. However, if desired, other type may be permissible.  
           [0020]    A number of the contact portions of the conductive portions may be two or three or more so far as the number is at least two. Further, the two contact portions may be constituted by a face actually the same as a face constituting the surface of the intermediate support structure or a face different therefrom.  
           [0021]    Further, with regard to electric conductivity of the intermediate support structure, “nonconductivity” of the main body portion signifies conductivity of the main body portion is low in comparison with the conductive portion to an identifiable degree. Therefore, although when the conductive portion is provided with metallic conductivity or conductive degree, the nonconductive main body portion is typically constituted by so-to-speak insulator having high electric insulating performance, depending on cases, the nonconductive main body portion may be semiconductive (typically, semiconductive conductive property and conductive degree in a temperature range of use). Further, when the nonconductive main body portion is constituted by a plurality of nonconductive areas separated from each other via the conductive portion, all of the nonconductive areas may be constructed by a substantially similar constitution, or one or a plurality of nonconductive areas may be constructed by constitutions different from each other. Meanwhile, when the conductive portion is provided with semiconductivity, the nonconductive main body portion is typically constituted by an insulator. Further, so far as the nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion differ from each other to an identifiable degree with regard to the conductivity, depending on cases, both of the nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion may be provided with conductivity normally referred to as metallic, or both may be provided with nonconductivity (insulating performance) normally referred to as electric insulating performance, or both may normally be provided with semiconductivity. Further, when the conductive portion is constituted by a plurality of conductive areas separated from each other via a nonconductive area constituting a portion of the nonconductive main body portion, all of the conductive areas may be constructed by a substantially similar constitution, or one or a plurality of conductive areas may be constructed by constitutions different from each other.  
           [0022]    So far as the conductive portion is provided with the contact portions exposed at two locations of the surface of the nonconductive main body portion to provide the conductive path between two of the conductive articles, a portion thereof other than the exposed contact portions may be distributed in the nonconductive main body portion in any way. Further, the conductive article may be conductive at a total thereof or may be conductive at a portion of an area including the portion in contact with the contact portion. Further, the contact portion of the conductive portion may be disposed, for example, at an end portion of a slender conductive portion or may be disposed at a middle portion thereof, further, the conductive portion may constitute an endless loop.  
           [0023]    A mode of exposing at the contact portion may be in the form of a layer along the surface of the intermediate support structure or a projected portion projected from the surface of the intermediate support structure. In the latter case, typically, a contact of the contact portion is formed at a front end of the projected portion of the conductive portion projected from the surface of the nonconductive main body portion. Further, depending on cases, the exposed contact portion may be constituted by a spring projected portion projected elastically deformably from the nonconductive main body port ion and pressed to the conductive article.  
           [0024]    In this case, the projected portion which has been constituted by a separate metal spring member conventionally, can be integrated to the nonconductive main body portion as a portion of the conductive portion and therefore, not only the composite electric part can be downsized as a whole but also in integrating the intermediate support structure, the intermediate support structure is dealt with extremely easily. Further, when the intermediate support structure is fabricated by the two colors or multicolors injection molding, carbon nanotubes forming slender projected portions can typically be aligned more or less along a direction of extending the projected portion and therefore, bending strength of the projected portion is also increased.  
           [0025]    The number of the conductive portions may be one or one piece or one layer or may be plural (for example, one pair or two or three or more). In this case, the number of the conductive portions refers to the number of the conductive portions electrically insulated from each other. Therefore, one conductive portion may be provided with one or a plurality of branches or divided branches.  
           [0026]    Meanwhile, the conductive portion may be embedded in the nonconductive main body portion, a portion thereof other than the terminal portion may be exposed partially to the surface of the nonconductive main body portion, or the conductive portion may be exposed at the surface of the nonconductive main body portion in all of the areas, at an area thereof other than a vicinity of the contact portion electrically connected to the conductive article such that an occupied space of the intermediate support structure also in consideration of electric insulation from or capacity coupling to the article to be supported, can be minimized. In this case, the nonconductive main body portion may support the article to be supported by being engagedly brought into contact with the surface of the article to be supported, or support the article to be supported by being engaged with an engaged portion of the article to be supported by fitting or the like, or support the article to be supported by being fixed to the article to be supported by fastening or fixing means of screws or the like. Further, although the conductive portion is provided with substantially constant or similar cross-sectional shape and size regardless of a portion thereof in a longitudinal direction, the cross-sectional shape or the like may differ by a portion in an extending direction thereof.  
           [0027]    Although most of the carbon nanotube included in the conductive portion is typically constituted by the conductive carbon nanotube, so far as the conductivity of the conductive portion is sufficiently higher than that of the nonconductive main body portion, a portion or a corresponding portion of the carbon nanotube included in the conductive portion may relatively be nonconductive. Although a rate of the corresponding portion is typically equal to or smaller than, for example, about 50%, depending on cases, the rate may exceed about 50%. Further, substantially all of the carbon nanotube included in the conductive portion may be constituted by the conductive carbon nanotube. Further, the conductive portion may simultaneously be blended or mixed with a constitution other than the carbon nanotube.  
           [0028]    Similarly, most of the carbon nanotube included in the nonconductive main body portion is typically constituted by the nonconductive carbon nanotube, so far as the conductivity of the nonconductive main body portion is sufficiently lower than that of the conductive portion, a portion or a corresponding portion of the carbon nanotube included in the nonconductive main body portion may relatively be conductive. Although a rate of the corresponding portion is typically equal to or smaller than about 50%, depending on cases, the rate may exceed 50%. Further, substantially all of the carbon nanotube included in the nonconductive main body portion may be constituted by the nonconductive carbon nanotube. Further, the nonconductive main body portion may simultaneously be blended or mixed with a constitution other than the carbon nanotube.  
           [0029]    When the nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion of the intermediate support structure are constituted by dispersing the carbon nanotubes of the respective conductive properties in the same or the same kind of resin base material, the intermediate support structure is typically provided with a raised portion as the projected portion. In this case, since the rigidity of the resin base material is low (in comparison with the metal material such as stainless steel), by elastically deforming the raised portion including the resin base material and pressing the raised portion to the frame member, the intermediate support structure can fixedly be held by the frame member. In this case, typically, the contact portion constitutes the raised portion and the contact portion is provided with both of the supporting function and the grounding function. However, there may be provided the raised portion at other than the contact portion, further, a portion or a total of the contact portion may be constituted by the raised portion.  
           [0030]    With regard to the carbon nanotube, the conductivity or the nonconductivity indicates a case in which the carbon nanotube is conductive or nonconductive with respect to the (conductive) portion and the main body portion of the intermediate support structure and a case in which similarly, in view of the conductivity, the electric conductivity is relatively high or low to an identifiable degree, typically, the conductive carbon nanotube indicates the carbon nanotube having the metallic conductivity and the nonconductive carbon nanotube indicates the carbon nanotube having comparatively high electric insulating performance such as a semiconductor having a comparatively large band gap or an insulator.  
           [0031]    Further, there is well known the fact per se that the carbon nanotube is conductive (metallic conductivity) or nonconductive (conductivity of semiconductor or electric insulator) in accordance with a diameter or a chiral angle (spiral degree) thereof. The conductive carbon nanotube may be constituted by those having a constant diameter of chiral angle or mixed with those having different diameters of chiral angles so far as those are provided with the conductivity sufficiently larger than that of the nonconductive carbon nanotube. Further, diameters or the like of respective carbon nanotubes per se may not be constant. Similarly, the nonconductive carbon nanotube may be constituted by those having a constant diameter or chiral angle or mixed with those having different diameters or chiral angles so far as those are provided with the conductivity sufficiently smaller than that of the conductive carbon nanotube. Although it is preferable that a length of the carbon nanotube is sufficiently shorter than the size of the nonconductive main body portion macroscopically to disperse the carbon nanotube uniformly, so far as the resin operating as the base material can disperse the carbon nanotube sufficiently uniformly or homogenously, the length may comparatively belong. Further, depending on cases, the length may comparatively be long to make bond (including intertwining or the like) between the carbon nanotubes solid.  
           [0032]    Although the carbon nanotube is typically constituted by so-to-speak single layer nanotube, so far as desired conductive property is achieved, the carbon nanotube may be constituted by those of plural layers (multilayers) or mixed with those of single layer and those of plural layers. Further, although the carbon nanotube is typically constituted only by carbon, depending on cases, an atom other than carbon may be interposed at an inner portion or a surface of the nanotube or between tubes.  
           [0033]    The nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion of the intermediate support structure are typically constituted by dispersing carbon nanotubes having different conductivities at different areas or portions of the same resin. That is, typically, there are separately prepared a nonconductive resin material constituted by dispersing a nonconductive carbon nanotube in a resin material at a desired rate by a uniform dispersion density (when the nonconductive main body portion is constituted by a plurality of kinds of secondary nonconductive portions, one kind or a plurality of kinds of nonconductive resin materials in accordance with the kinds), and a conductive resin material constituted by dispersing a conductive carbon nanotube in a resin material at a desired rate by a uniform distribution density (when the conductive portion is constituted by a plurality of kinds of secondary conductive portions, one kind or a plurality of kinds of conductive resin materials in accordance with the kinds), the nonconductive main body portion (area) and a desired pattern of the conductive portion (area) are formed and integrally molded by, for example, so-to-speak two colors or multicolors injection molding. According to the carbon nanotube dispersed in the resin by the uniform distribution density, a direction or an orientation thereof may be distributed also uniformly (isotropically), however, when the carbon nanotube is provided with a strip-like or a piece-like or linear shape as a whole, the orientation may be aligned to a certain degree or substantially completely in the longitudinal direction. Further, the two colors or multicolors injection molding technology per se of resin is well known (refer to for example, “Chapter 1.5.6. two colors (multicolors) injection molding process” in “Scold for injection molding Machine  7 ” (issued by the Institute of Discovery and Invention in Patent Map Series edited by the Patent office).  
           [0034]    As the resin, for example, as described above, polycarbonate resin is used. However, any other resin may be used for far as the resin is a material suitable for forming the intermediate support structure and a material capable of uniformly or homogeneously dispersing the carbon nanotube.  
           [0035]    A rate of dispersing the carbon nanotube particle or powder in the resin may arbitrarily be selected in accordance with properties to be provided to the nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion so far as the nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion can integrally be formed in the intermediate support structure. From the view point of the conductivity, particularly, at the conductive area (portion) constituted by dispersing the conductive carbon nanotube, it is preferable that the rate of the carbon nanotube is high. Meanwhile, from the view point of the mechanical strength, in the case in which there is a concern that integration by the resin as the base material is liable to deteriorate when the rate of the carbon nanotube is high, there is substantially an upper limit in the rate of blending the carbon nanotube in accordance with a kind of a movable member, a kind of the resin or the like. Further, an upper limit may be provided in an amount of including the carbon nanotube or the rate of blending the carbon nanotube by constituting a reference by making softness of the base material resin in an elasticity limit stay at or above a predetermined level. Meanwhile, typically, the carbon nanotube is not only provided with high mechanical strength but also is provided with the elasticity of its own and therefore, the mechanical strength or the elasticity can be increased by dispersing the carbon nanotube in the resin. Therefore, from the view point of the mechanical property, a lower limit can be produced in the rate of the carbon nanotube in accordance with the kind of the intermediate support structure, the kind of the resin or the like. Particularly, when the contact portion of the conductive portion is projected from the nonconductive main body portion and pressed elastically to a conductive article as in a spring to ground or the like, it is preferable that the conductive portion includes the conductive carbon nanotube at a comparatively high rate at at least the projected area and a vicinity thereof. As described above, the upper limit and the lower limit, that is, a preferable range differs in accordance with the kind of the intermediate support structure, the kind of the resin or the like.  
           [0036]    Instead of achieving to integrate the nonconductive main body portion and the conductive portion by the resin constituting the base material, a molded product of the intermediate support structure having a high rate or purity of the carbon nanotube may be formed by initially molding the intermediate support structure by using an organic material operating as a binder, thereafter, substantially burning off the binder portion by thermal decomposition or vaporization by heating to thereby substantially sinter the carbon nanotube. In this case, for example, the carbon nanotubes are bonded to each other by a residue produced by burning off the binder portion. However, when the carbon nanotubes can be bonded to each other by desired strength in accordance with use of the intermediate support structure, the residue or the like may actually be dispensed with.  
           [0037]    Further, when a static electricity blocking function is provided along with the grounding function or in place of the grounding function, the intermediate support structure may be provided with the nonconductive main body portion including the nonconductive carbon nanotube and the conductive portion including the conductive carbon nanotube integrally molded with the main body portion for surrounding an article to be blocked in order to restrain a disturbing signal from entering the article to be blocked.  
           [0038]    As described above, according to the intermediate support structure, a size thereof can be minimized and therefore, the intermediate support structure is suitable for being used as a small electric machine part such as a part of an electronic timepiece such as a quartz type watch. In comparison with the exemplified conventional technology, one of two conductive parts in contact with two surface exposed contact portions or contact portions at two locations of the conductive portions of the intermediate support structure, corresponds to, for example, the winding stem and other thereof corresponds to an exterior part of a timepiece such as the case back. In this case, the intermediate support structure achieves two roles of a role of for example, the middle frame or the movement main body portion and a role of the spring. Naturally, the intermediate support structure may achieve a role of other one or plural timepiece parts in place of the middle frame or the movement main body portion of the electronic timepiece or may be used as a part of an electronic apparatus or an electronic machine apparatus other than the electronic timepiece. Meanwhile, at an area proximate to or in contact with an electronic/electric machine part portion of the movement including IC or the circuit block of the timepiece or the movement per se, in order to avoid static electricity from leaking or flowing to IC or the circuit block, the area may be made nonconductive, that is, may be included in the nonconductive main body portion. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0039]    A preferred form of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 1 is a bottom explanatory view of an electronic timepiece of a preferable first embodiment according to the invention (state removed of case back);  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a section taken along a line II-II of FIG. 1;  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 3 is a perspective explanatory view of a middle frame of the electronic timepiece of FIG. 1;  
         [0043]    FIGS.  4  illustrate views for explaining flow of static electricity when a winding crown is touched by the charged body in which FIG. 4A is an explanatory view of a case of a conventional electronic timepiece and FIG. 4B is an explanatory view of a case of the electronic timepiece of FIG. 1;  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 5 is a bottom explanatory view of an electronic timepiece of a preferable second embodiment according to the invention (state removed of case back);  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a section taken along a line VI-VI of FIG. 5; and  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 7 is a view for explaining flow of static electricity when a winding crown is touched by the body bearing static electricity in the electronic timepiece of FIG. 5. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0047]    An explanation will be given of several preferable modes for carrying out the invention based on preferable embodiments shown in the attached drawings as follows.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a quartz type watch  1  for a female person constituting an electronic time piece using a middle frame  10  as an intermediate support structure of a preferable first embodiment according to the invention. According to the watch  1 , an exterior case  3  is formed by a case body  30  constituting a rigid frame member and a glass plate  2  at a front face attached thereto as well as a case back  40  constituting a rigid frame member attached to the case body  30  and a movement  50  constituting an article to be supported is contained at inside of the case  3 . Further, numeral  4  designates a dial and numeral  5  designates hands (second hand  5   a , minute hand  5   b , hour hand  5   c ).  
         [0049]    The case body  30  substantially in a ring-like shape includes concentric opening portions or central hole portions  31  and  32  having a small diameter and a large diameter at a center thereof, the glass plate  2  is attached to a ring-like notched portion  33  at a surface side peripheral edge portion of the small diameter opening portion  31  and the dial  4  is brought into contact with a ring-like planar portion  34  between the large diameter opening portion  32  and the small diameter opening portion  31 .  
         [0050]    The movement  50  is supported by the case body  30  via a main plate  51 , the main plate  51  is formed with a battery containing recessed portion  52  opened to a side of the case back  40  and a button type battery  6  for driving the movement  50  is contained at the recessed portion  52 . The movement  50  electrically or electronically includes a circuit board (not illustrated) as well as a circuit block (not illustrated) mounted with various kinds of electric machine parts (not illustrated) or electric parts  9  of an integrated circuit chip (IC)  7 , an oscillator  8 , a motor and the like driven by the battery  6  and having wiring patterns, and mechanically drives to rotate the hands  5  by way of a train wheel (not illustrated) and a pinion portion  53  driven under control of circuits mounted to the circuit block and the circuit board.  
         [0051]    Further, at a peripheral wall  35  of the case body  30 , there is formed a diameter direction hole  36  opened at a peripheral face of the large diameter recessed portion  32 , the hole  36  is inserted with a winding stem  60  made of a metal, a front end gear portion (not illustrated) of which is engageable with the pinion portion  53  via the train wheel and a winding crown  62  operable by the finger is attached to a base end or an outer side end of the winding stem  60 . The winding crown  62  includes, for example, a portion  63  made of a metal and a nonconductive portion  64 .  
         [0052]    More in details, between the movement  50  and the case back  40 , there is arranged the middle frame  10  made of a composite conductive resin material produced by uniformly dispersing and integrally molding a conductive carbon nanotube to a resin. As shown by a perspective view of FIG. 3 in addition to a plane view of FIG. 1 and a sectional view of FIG. 2, the middle frame  10  includes a main body portion  11  substantially in a ring-like shape, and supporting leg portions  12   d ,  12   e ,  12   f  and  12   g  (designated by notation “12” when generally referred to or respectives thereof are not discriminated) projected to the caseback  40  in parallel with a central axis line C of the timepiece  1  at four areas D, E, F and G in a peripheral direction B substantially at equal intervals in the peripheral direction B of the main body portion  11 . Further, at the region E, the supporting leg portion  12   e  is constituted by two leg portions  12   e   1  and  12   e   2  formed at an interval in the peripheral direction B and a recessed portion  13  for arranging the winding stem  60  is formed between the leg portions  12   el  and  12   e   2 . Further, a bridge portion  13   a  constituting a bottom wall of the recessed portion  13  is brought into contact with a front end large diameter portion  65  of the winding stem  60 . Meanwhile, also at the region G, there are formed two leg portions  12   g   1  and  12   g   2  at positions substantially symmetrical with the leg portions  12   el  and  1   2 e 2  with respect to the center axis line C. Further, as is known from FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, at base portions of the respective leg portions  12   d ,  12   e ,  12   f  and  12   g , there are formed projected portions or raised portions  14   d ,  14   e ,  14   f  and  14   g  (designated by notation  114 ″ when generally referred to or respectives are not discriminated) projected in radius directions relative to the middle frame main body portion in the ring-like planar shape, and the middle frame  10  is brought into contact with a peripheral  77 ; face of the large diameter opening portion  32  of the case body  30  and supported by the case body  30  at projected ends of the projected portion  14   d ,  14   e  (comprising  14   el  and  14   e   2 ),  14   f  and  14   g  (comprising  14   g   1  and  14   g   2 ) An inner peripheral face  15  substantially in a circular shape of the middle frame main body portion  11  is notched with recessed portions  16   a  and  16   b  (designated by notation “16” when generally referred to or respectives thereof are not discriminated) to fit to a shape of the movement  50  (including the main plate  51 ) to be arranged on an inner side thereof, meanwhile, the main plate  51  of the movement  50  is formed with a notched portion  55  providing engaging faces  54   a  and  54   b  (designated by notation “54” when generally referred to or respectives thereof are not discriminated) extended in an axial direction and extended in a diameter direction for receiving portions of an inner peripheral face  16  ant a front side end face  17  of the ring-like main body portion  11  of the middle frame  10 .  
         [0053]    Further, as is known from FIG. 3, the main body portion  11   of  the middle frame  10  as the intermediate support structure, is not only elastically deformable such that according to an annular shape or a ring-like shape thereof, an annulus or a ring becomes noncircular in a face of the annulus or the ring but also elastically deformable such that the annulus or the ring is twisted around an axis line along a diameter in an arbitrary direction and the face formed by the annulus and the ring becomes a curved face. Further, according to the middle frame  10 , a base material thereof comprises a resin and therefore, when the middle frame  10  is exerted with large external force, the support leg portion  12  constituting the projected portion in the axis line direction and the projected portion  14  in the diameter direction become compressibly be deformed comparatively easily in an elasticity limit thereof.  
         [0054]    Therefore, when the middle frame  10  is integrated into the time piece  1  by engaging an engaging portion (not illustrated) of the case back  40  to an engaging portion (not illustrated) of the case body  30 , with respect to the axis line direction, a lower end or a projected end  18  of the leg portion  12  is pushed to a front side in Cl direction by a bottom face  42  of an inner side recessed portion  41  of the base back  40 , a portion of the front side end face  17  is brought into contact with a corresponding engaging face  54   b  of the main plate  51  of the movement  50  and the movement  50  is pressed to the dial  5  supported by the ring-like planar portion  34  of the case body  30  to thereby fix the movement  50  to the case back  30 .  
         [0055]    Meanwhile, with respect to the diameter direction, when the middle frame  10  is integrated into the timepiece  1  by engaging the case back  40  and the case body  30 , the projected portion  14   of  the middle frame  10  is brought into contact with a peripheral face of the large diameter opening portion  32  of the case body  30  and is pressed to a corresponding outer peripheral portion of the movement  50  by the inner peripheral face  16  of the ring-like main body portion  11  of the middle frame  10  and therefore, the movement  50  is fixed to the case body  30 .  
         [0056]    In integrating the middle frame  10 , even when force in C 1  direction exerted to the support leg portions  12   d ,  12   e ,  12   f  and  12   g  of the middle frame  10  differs to some degree due to a dimensional error, an error in the shape or the like, the main body portion  11  in the ring-like flat plate shape of the middle frame  10 , absorbs or compensates for the error in dimensions or shape by twisting the main body portion  11  within the elasticity limit such that the plane of the annulus is bent into a shape of a curved face or the support leg portions  12   d ,  12   e ,  12   f  and  12   g  are compressively deformed in the elasticity limit. Similarly, even when force in the diameter direction exerted to the support leg portions  12   d ,  12   e ,  12   f  and  12   g  of the middle frame  10  differs to some degree due to a dimensional error, an error in the shape or the like, the error in dimensions or shape is absorbed or compensated for by making the annulus of the ring-like main body portion  11  of the middle frame  10  noncircular such as an elliptic shape within the elasticity limit or by compressively deforming the projected portions  14   d ,  14   e ,  14   f  and  14   g  within the elasticity limit. Here, elastic deformation of the middle frame  10  serves to fix the movement  50  into the case  3  including the case body  30  and the case back  40  by the middle frame  10 .  
         [0057]    According to the electronic timepiece  1  constituted as described above, when the user of the timepiece  1  touches the metal made portion  63  of the winding crown  62  by the finger, for example, for setting time in a state in which the user is electrostatically charged, as shown by FIG. 4B, static electricity of the body of the user is conducted from the metal made portion  63  of the winding crown  62  to the metal made winding stem  60 , successively conducted from the front end large diameter portion  65  of the winding stem  60  to the bottom bridge portion  13   a  of the recessed portion  13  of the middle frame  10  made of a conductive composite resin material brought into contact with the large diameter portion  65 , further, conducted from the support leg portion  12  of the middle frame  10  made of the conductive composite resin material to the case back  40  in contact therewith. Naturally, a flowing direction of electric charge or a flowing direction of current is reversed in accordance with whether charge of the finger is plus or minus relatively. Further, when there is not actually a potential difference between the finger of the right hand and the wrist of the left hand wearing the timepiece  1 , regardless of whether the user is charged, there is not actually a concern that electric charge of static electricity flows to IC  7  or the like of the movement  50  of the timepiece  1 .  
         [0058]    As a result, when the user of the watch  1  touches the metal portion  63  of the winding crown  62  in the charged state, there is hardly a concern that electric charge caused by static electricity flows to IC  7  or the like of the watch  1  and there is hardly a concern that IC  7  or the like is destructed or erroneously operated.  
         [0059]    As described above, according to the watch  1 , the middle frame  10  comprising the composite resin material is interposed between the movement  50  and the case back  40  and the case body  30  and therefore, nonuniform stress or excessively large compressive stress can be absorbed by elastic deformation of the middle frame  10  per se in view of the shape and in view of the material and therefore, the middle frame  10  can fixedly hold the movement  50  at inside of the case  3  without using a spring made of a metal or the like. Further, according to the example, arrangement or the number of the support leg portions  12 , arrangement or the number of the projected portions  14 , further, the shape of the middle frame  10  or the like can be changed as desired.  
         [0060]    Further, according to the watch  1 , the middle frame  10  comprising the conductive composite resin material is brought into contact with the winding stem  60  at the surface side recessed portion  13  and is brought into contact with the metal made case back  40  at the lower end face  18  of the support leg portion  12  and therefore, even when static electricity is brought from the portion of the winding crown  62 , the static electricity can be made to flow to the metal made case back  40  via the C 1  conductive middle frame  10  such that it can substantially be avoided that current by the static electricity flows to IC  7  or the like at inside of the movement  50  or excessive voltage is applied to IC  7  or the like of the movement  50  and therefore, there is hardly a concern that IC  7  or the like is destructed or erroneously operated.  
         [0061]    Further, so far as the middle frame  10  is provided with a conductive path between the recessed portion  13  and the lower end face  18  of the support leg portion  12 , instead of making a total of the middle frame  10  conductive, a portion of the middle frame  10  may be conductive. Particularly, in order to avoid a concern of bringing about discharge or the like accompanied by electric charge at areas of the middle frame  10  directly contiguous to or opposed to various electronic parts, wiring patterns or the like of the movement  50 , areas of the movement  50  including these areas may be made nonconductive. Further, when desired, a portion or a total of the projected portion  14  brought in contact with the peripheral face of the opening portion  32  of the case body  30  or a larger area including the projected portion  14  may be made nonconductive. Such a nonconductive area constituting a nonconductive main body portion may be smaller or larger than a conductive portion or area, for example, the nonconductive area may occupy most area of the middle frame  10 . In any of the cases, the nonconductive area is formed by a nonconductive composite resin material produced by dispersing a nonconductive carbon nanotube in a resin. In this case, in order to form the nonconductive area, typically, there is used a resin base material substantially the same as the resin base material of the conductive composite resin material for dispersing the conductive carbon nanotube in order to form the conductive area for forming the conductive path and the conductive area (conductive portion) and the nonconductive area (nonconductive portion or nonconductive main body portion) are integrally molded by so-to-speak two colors or multicolors injection molding process.  
         [0062]    Further, rigidity (modulus of elasticity in a unit of N/m 2  with respect to compressive deformation) of a composite resin material is sufficiently smaller and harder than rigidity of a metal material such as stainless steel although the composite resin material is dispersed with a carbon nanotube and reinforced by the carbon nanotube and therefore, instead of forming the middle frame  10  separately from the main body portion of the movement  50  (for example, main plate  51  or the like), as shown by FIGS. 5 and 6, a main body portion  70  of the movement  50  may be formed by a conductive portion  71  and a nonconductive portion  72  to constitute an intermediate support structure. Other portion of the movement  50  is typically fixed to the main body portion  70  directly or indirectly by fastening the other portion by screws or attachedly fitting the other portion thereto. In this case, the conductive portion  71  is typically formed by a conductive rigid resin material produced by dispersing a conductive carbon nanotube in a resin base material, the nonconductive portion  72  is typically formed by a nonconductive rigid resin material produced by dispersing a nonconductive carbon nanotube in a resin base material the same as or the same kind of the resin base material of the conductive portion  71  and the conductive portion  71  and the nonconductive portion  72  are integrally molded by the two colors or multicolors injection molding process. Further, according to a second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5 through FIG. 7, members, portions or elements the same as or similar to those of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, are attached with notations the same as those in the case of the first embodiment.  
         [0063]    More in details, for example, the conductive portion  71  is constituted by a winding stem supporting portion  73  brought into contact with the large diameter portion  65  of the winding stem  60 , projected portions  75   d ,  75   e ,  75   f  and  75   g  (designated by notation “75” when generally referred to or respectives thereof are not discriminated) projected from a back face  74  of the movement main body portion  70  opposed to the bottom face  42  of the inner side recessed portion  41  of the case back  40 , and a surface conductive path portion  76  connecting the winding stem supporting portion  73  and the projected portion  75 . The surface conductive path portion  76  includes, for example, a circular or a ring-like conductive path  76   a  connecting the projected portions  75  and conductive paths  76   b  and  76   c  in a diameter direction and an axis line direction for connecting the ring-like conductive path  76   a  and the winding stem supporting portion  73 . Further, either one of the conductive winding stem supporting portion  73  and the conductive large diameter portion  65  may constitute a conductive bearing portion (also similarly in the case of the first embodiment).  
         [0064]    Further, according to the watch  1  of the second embodiment, at portions of the peripheral face portion of the movement main body portion  70  proximate of the surface of the watch  1 , there are formed the projected portion  14   d , the projected portion  14   e  (that is, projected portions  14   e   1 ,  14   e   2 ), the projected portion  14   f , and the projected portion  14   g  (that is, projected portions  14   g   1 ,  14   g   2 ) constituting portions of the nonconductive main body portion  72  comprising the nonconductive composite resin material.  
         [0065]    According to the watch  1  of the second embodiment, the movement  50  can be fixed into the case  3  by absorbing various errors of dimensions and shape in integrating the movement  50  by the case back  40  and by deformation of the projected  1  portions  75  and the projected portions  14  of the movement main body portion  70  made of the composite resin material within the elasticity limit.  
         [0066]    Further, according to the watch  1  of the second embodiment, there is formed the surf ace conductive pathportion 76  connecting a contact face of the winding stem supporting portion  73  and contact faces of the projections  75  at the main body portion  70  of the movement  50  and therefore, even when the metal portion  63  of the winding crown  62  is touched by the finger in a state in which the body is charged by static electricity, the static electricity escapes from the metal portion  63  of the winding crown  62  to the case back  40  by passing through the winding stem  60  as well as the conductive portion  71  (that is, the conductive winding stem supporting portion  73 ′ the conductive path  76  and the conductive projected portions  75  of the conductive portion  71 ) of the movement min body portion  70 . Therefore, there is hardly a concern that excessively large current by static electricity flows or excessively large voltage by static electricity is applied to IC  7  or the like constituting an electronic processing main body portion of the movement  50  and there is hardly a concern that IC  7  or the like is destructed or erroneously operated.