Patent ID: 6896403

Claim:
A mode selecting assembly for a timepiece of the type having a casing, a frame in the casing, an integrated circuit disposed in the casing and operable in at least a first mode and a second mode, a circuit board also disposed in the casing and having (i) at least a first contact pad and a second contact pad and (ii) respective signaling paths from each of the at least first and second contact pads to the integrated circuit, the mode selecting assembly comprising: a flexible hand, coupled to the frame and in the casing, the flexible hand having extending therefrom: at least a first finger being sufficiently deflectable so as to deflect from a first position where the first finger is not in contact with its associated pad on the circuit board to a second position where the first finger is in contact with its associated pad on the circuit board; and at least a second finger being sufficiently deflectable so as to deflect from a first position where the second finger is not in contact with its associated pad on the circuit board to a second position where the second finger is in contact with its associated pad on the circuit board; a setting stem mounted in and extending out of an opening in the casing, the setting stem being positionable in at least a first and a second axial position, the setting stem comprising: an annular ring for selectively contacting and deflecting the at least first and second fingers front their respective first positions to second positions; wherein in the at least first axial position, the annular ring contacts and deflects the first finger from its first position to its second position and wherein in the second axial position, the annular ring contacts and deflects the second finger from its first position to its second position; wherein when the first finger is in the second position the integrated circuit is operable in a first mode, and when the second finger is in the second position the integrated circuit is operable in a second mode; whereby when the first finger is in the second position the second finger is in the first position, and when the second finger is in the second position the first finger is in the first position.