Where to get small 3 digit LCD?

I'm looking for a small LCD, nothing special, just three digits, but
small, like the kind you find in those oral digital thermometers or
small digital watches. All the standard LCD's I can find are quite big,
the one I need is about .3 x .7 inches, about the size of a 14 pin IC.
I can find LED's type displays in this size, but not LCD's, I need a
low power display.

I did buy a $2 thermometer at walmart and broke it open, the LCD just
fell out and therefore is quite useable, however, it uses a rubber type
connector(zebra strip I guess they call them), I'm not sure just how to
construct a prototype device that uses this connector, the PCB board
looks easy, just pads that are gold plated, but it seems to require a
custom mechanical fit, could I somehow just glue it down for a
prototype? How do you line up the zebra strip?

thanks in advance!
steve

"steve" <bungalow_steve@yahoo.com> wrote in message 
news:1148534407.704914.204440@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> I'm looking for a small LCD, nothing special, just three digits, but
> small, like the kind you find in those oral digital thermometers or
> small digital watches. All the standard LCD's I can find are quite big,
> the one I need is about .3 x .7 inches, about the size of a 14 pin IC.
> I can find LED's type displays in this size, but not LCD's, I need a
> low power display.
>
> I did buy a $2 thermometer at walmart and broke it open, the LCD just
> fell out and therefore is quite useable, however, it uses a rubber type
> connector(zebra strip I guess they call them), I'm not sure just how to
> construct a prototype device that uses this connector, the PCB board
> looks easy, just pads that are gold plated, but it seems to require a
> custom mechanical fit, could I somehow just glue it down for a
> prototype? How do you line up the zebra strip?
>
> thanks in advance!
> steve
>
You don't need to line up the zebra stripe connectors, you just have to line 
up the PCB with the display. Put enough pressure on the PCB and display to 
make contact. The stripes are alternate conductor and insulator so as long 
as your pads have enough spacing they won't short out.

Peter 

Peter wrote:

> You don't need to line up the zebra stripe connectors, you just have to line
> up the PCB with the display. Put enough pressure on the PCB and display to
> make contact. The stripes are alternate conductor and insulator so as long
> as your pads have enough spacing they won't short out.
>
> Peter

Oh, yes, now I understand, I looked at the stripes under a magnifying
glass and the conducting strips are very narrow, so it doesn't matter
how it's lined up, very neat! (who invented this thing). It does look
like it has to be compressed quite a bit, the rubber strip is quite a
bit thicker then the space between the LCD glass and pcb board, I still
have to think of good way to prototype these parts, there doesn't seem
to be a easy way to verify the connection, thanks
steve