Abstract: A touch responsive capacitive control for a smooth surfaced ceramic cooktop provides a continuously variable control voltage which indicates the last touched position on an elongated control surface. An alternating current potential is applied between a transmitter plate and a pair of receiver plates all of which are positioned below the surface of the cooktop. The relative area of overlap between the touching finger and the two receiver plates varies along the length of the control surface, and the resulting change in the relative currents flowing to the two receiver plates is sensed to provide a position indication used to control the cooktop.

Abstract: An in-the-wheel suspension system including a drive mechanism for coupling the rotational motion of a wheel rim to the drive shaft of an electric motor and for supporting the wheel rim with respect to the vehicle chassis using one or more springs and dampers. In a hubless version, a spring member supports extend between a frame member attached to the chassis and a bearing member that engages with the rim. In a version used with a wheel hub, the hub is supported by an axle and the spring member supports the axle in movable relation to the frame member. A pivoting support arm that is attached to the axel and pivots about a pivot point attached to the frame member at a location spaced from the wheel axis may be used to support the hub. A Peaucellier linkage may be used to support the axle for movement along a straight line vertical path, the linkage being attached to the frame member at two fixed pivot points.