Electrooptical display/lead frame subassembly and timepiece module including same

A subassembly for an electronic display device, comprising:

• a. a conductive lead frame having a central platform carrying an integrated circuit chip and having a plurality of spaced conductor members adjacent opposite edges of the central platform with the conductor members each having an inner end connected electrically to the integrated circuit chip and each having an outer end bent to form a resilient contact finger oriented in relation to the other contact fingers such that first and second rows of spaced contact fingers are provided facing one another;
• b. an insulating member encapsulating the integrated circuit chip and inner ends of the conductor members of the lead frame;
• and
• c. an electrooptical display positioned between the first and second rows of resilient contact fingers, said display having generally planar first and second electrode-bearing substrates with opposite edges which are coextensive and on which edges a plurality of spaced contact terminals connected to the substrate electrodes are disposed in such configuration that each resilient contact finger of the lead frame frictionally engages a respective one of the contact terminals when the display is positioned between said first and second rows, thereby establishing electrical connection therebetween and releasably holding the display between said contact fingers.

A module assembly for an electronic information display device, comprising:

• a. a subassembly comprising a conductive lead frame carrying an integrated circuit chip and having display conductor members connected electrically to said chip and terminating in a pattern of resilient contact fingers defining an enclosure and an electrooptical display with edges disposed within said enclosure and having display electrodes and a plurality of contact terminals connected to said display electrodes and spaced along the display edges in such a manner that each resilient contact finger frictionally engages a respective one of the display contact terminals;
• b. a plastic rear pod member having a front side with a wall defining a chamber in which the subassembly is disposed with the resilient contact fingers supported by said wall and with the electrooptical display held between said contact fingers;
• and
• c. a plastic front pod member having a recess on the side thereof facing said rear pod member to receive the electrooptical display of the subassembly and having an aperture therethrough in communication with said recess to provide a window for viewing the display, said front pod member and rear pod member having holding means associated therewith for releasably holding them together with the subassembly therebetween.

A module assembly for an electronic display device, comprising:

• (a) a subassembly comprising a conductive lead frame carrying an integrated circuit chip and having display conductor members connected electrically to said chip and terminating in a line of spaced resilient contact terminals, and an electrooptical display having multiple display electrodes and a plurality of contact terminals connected to said display electrodes and spaced along one edge of the display in such a manner that each resilient contact finger frictionally engages a respective one of the display contact terminals;
• (b) a plastic rear pod member having a front side with a support wall and an abutting wall in spaced apart relation to define a chamber in which the subassembly is disposed with the resilient contact fingers supported by said support wall and with another edge of the display abutted against the abutting wall, the subassembly being held between the support wall and abutting wall by spring action of said resilient contact fingers;
• and
• (c) a plastic front pod member having a recess on the side thereof facing said rear pod member to receive the electrooptical display of the subassembly and having an aperture therethrough in communication with said recess to provide a window for viewing the display, said front pod member and rear pod member having holding means associated therewith for releasably holding them together with the subassembly therebetween.

A subassembly for an electronic timepiece comprising:

• a. a conductive lead frame carrying an integrated circuit chip, said lead frame having a plurality of spaced display conductor members each with an inner end connected electrically to said chip and each with an outer end formed into a resilient contact finger, the contact fingers being arranged in a first pattern to define an enclosure, and having a first pair of spaced component conductor members with inner ends connected electrically to said chip and with outer ends terminating in a pair of spaced capacitor leads, a second pair of spaced component conductor members with inner ends connected electrically to said chip and with outer ends terminating in a pair of spaced quartz crystal oscillator leads and a third pair of spaced component conductor members with inner ends connected electrically to said chip and with outer ends terminating in a pair of spaced switch contacts,
• b. a capacitor connected electrically to the first pair of capacitor leads,
• c. a quartz crystal oscillator connected electrically to the second pair of quartz crystal oscillator leads, and
• d. an electrooptical display disposed within said enclosure, said display having multiple display electrodes terminating along the edges of the display and having a plurality of spaced contact terminals connected to said electrodes on said edges in a second pattern complementary to the first pattern of resilient contact fingers such that each resilient contact finger frictionally engages a respective one of the contact terminals when the display is disposed in said enclosure, establishing electrical connection therebetween and releasably holding the display between said resilient contact fingers.