Abstract: A pressure sensor converts fluid pressures into electrical signals by the deformation of a diaphragm. The pressure sensor is comprised of a strain gauge which includes resistance body of amorphous metal material which may be formed directly on the diaphragm by means of a physical vapor deposition process.

Abstract: A fluid leakage detecting element comprises a heat generating resistive member and a temperature compensating resistive member disposed on a substrate. Each of the resistive members is prepared in the form of a paste of a metal which has a high temperature coefficient and a high thermal conductivity and whose melting point is higher than the baking temperature of the substrate. These resistive members are printed in thick film form on the substrate which is sufficiently electrical insulating and has a high thermal conductivity.

Abstract: An electrically isolated semi-conductor transducer and method of making the same wherein a unitary piece of silicon material having opposed flat surfaces is carved out about a central portion thereof through one flat surface forming a toroidally-shaped cavity having curved bottom surfaces partway through said material surrounding a push rod having an upper flat surface lying in the same horizontal plane as the remainder of said carved out flat surface. The upper flat surface of the push rod and the curved carved surfaces surrounding the push rod are etched exposing the silicon material. A plurality of strain gages are provided on the opposite flat uncarved surface of said silicon material. These strain gages may include four diffused silicon strain gages at spaced locations along said uncarved surface.

Abstract: A current divider for use in connection with a measurement transducer. The measurement transducer includes a magnetic core, is formed as a substantially flat and longitudinal conductor with two longitudinal slits so as to partition the flat conductor into at least a measurement conductor, and at least two shunts are connected in parallel with the measurement conductor. The shunts define a plane, and the measurement conductor is disposed in the plane between the shunts. The flat conductor has two openings along the longitudinal direction, to receive the magnetic core. One slit communicates with one opening, and the other slit communicates with the other opening.

Abstract: A cooled resistor pack for a dynamoelectric machine wherein cooling water is passed through ducts in a conductive block and plurality of connectors are mechanically attached to the conductive block but electrically insulated therefrom and nichrome wires of varying length and varying in number electrically join the connectors to the conductive block and individually insulated brush segments, which have individual strands and the brush segments are connected to separate connectors in such a manner that the resistance between the brush segments and the block decreases from the trailing end segments to the leading end segments of the brush.

Abstract: A fire detector is provided with an electric insulator consisting of short segments of preferably a ceramic pipe disposed end-to-end within the space between an inside cylindrical electrode and cylindrical outside electrode. The inside electrode together with the insulator segments are covered with a thin salt-based layer and are disposed in the interior of the outside electrode so that between the insulator segments and the internal wall of the outside electrode an air space is formed along the length of the detector, whereby the insulator segments each provide a point-type contact between the internal wall of the outside electrode and the thin salt-based layer.

Abstract: A thin-film moisture sensor includes a moisture sensitive polymer film formed on a bottom electrode which is carried on a substrate, and a moisture permeable upper electrode formed on the polymer film. The moisture permeable upper electrode is made of an indium (In) thin-film. In another form, the moisture permeable upper electrode is made of a two-layered electrode including an indium (In) thin-film and a gold (Au) thin-film formed on the indium (In) thin-film.

Abstract: A tactile sensor for sensing an object in contact therewith. In its preferred form, the sensor comprises a plurality of layers disposed in a sandwich arrangement. A top layer is comprised of a flexible, electrically-insulating material and a plurality of parallel flexible conductive rods. A bottom layer is comprised of an electrically-insulating material and a plurality of parallel conductive rods that extend at right angles to the conductive rods of the top layer, thus forming a sensory array comprising a plurality of superimposed intersection points arranged in a grid pattern. An intermediate layer is comprised of a resilient, electrically-insulating material in which is disposed a plurality of parallel conductive posts that extend perpendicular to the plane of the three layers. These posts are comprised of a resilient conducting material.

Abstract: A thick film variable resistance assembly, such as for a cathode ray tube, having an improved contactor knob.

Abstract: A temperature threshold detector (10) comprises a first electrical conductor (11) and a second electrical conductor (12), which are separated by a spacing structure (13). The first and second electrical conductors (11 and 12) are made of metals that are dissimilar from each other in terms of oxidation potentials or thermally generated electromotive force. The spacing structure (13) is made of a material whose electrical resistivity is temperature dependent so that, when exposed to a temperature below a predetermined threshold value, the spacing structure (13) provides electrical isolation between the first and second electrical conductors (11 and 12). However, when exposed to a temperature above the predetermined threshold value, the spacing structure (13) enables an electromotive force to develop across the first and second conductors (11 and 12). This electromotive force is indicative of temperature rise above the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A photoconducting device fabricated from Fe-doped, semi-insulating InP crystals exhibits an exponential decay transient with decay time inversely related to Fe concentration. Photoconductive gain as high as 5 is demonstrated in photoconducting devices with AuGe and AuSn contacts. Response times from 150 to 1000 picoseconds can be achieved.

Abstract: A bounceless switch apparatus having a junction resistance which varies inversely with the pressure applied normally thereto which includes a first conductor member, a pressure-sensitive layer including a semiconducting material covering the first conductor member in intimate electrically conducting contact therewith and a second conductor member positioned in nonelectrically conducting relationship to the pressure-sensitive layer. The pressure-sensitive layer has a first surface with a multiplicity of microprotrusions of the semiconducting material which provide a multiplicity of surface contact locations. As the normally open switch is closed in response to a pressing force applied to urge the second conductor member and the first surface together, the physical contact between the microprotrusions and the second conductor increases thereby variably increasing conduction between the first conductor member and the second conductor member.

Abstract: In a contactless switch, a magnet is mounted on a rod for movement against the action of a spring to actuate a Hall effect switch. A contactless joy stick switch comprises a rod (20) supported and normally maintained in alignment with an axis (22) by an elastomeric spring (28). A plurality of Hall effect switches (42) are mounted in a circular array around the axis for actuation by a magnet (26) mounted on the rod upon displacement of the rod out of alignment with the axis. A contactless push button switch comprises a magnet (86) supported on a rod (74) which is supported for sliding movement along an axis (78) against the action of a spring (82). Displacement of the magnet (86) actuates a Hall effect switch (94). Another contactless push button switch (100) includes magnets (106, 108) positioned to actuate a Hall effect switch (110) upon sliding movement of a rod (74') against the action of a spring (82').

Abstract: Electric resistor, including a PTC body being formed of ceramic material and having opposite poles, two opposite outer side surfaces being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the PTC body and two opposite end faces perpendicular to the outer side surfaces, the PTC body having rows of mutually parallel depressions formed in the end faces defining inner surfaces and leaving partitions therebetween, metal coatings disposed on the inner surfaces at the opposite poles and partitions, metal layers disposed on the outer side surfaces, and metal strips being disposed on the end faces interleaved in comb-fashion and being connected to the metal layers, defining current flow paths from the metal layers and metal strips through the partitions being perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the depressions and electrically connecting the pole coatings of a respective row of depressions to each other, and a method for the manufacture thereof.

Abstract: A control device and method of making the same are provided, the control device having a housing provided with an actuator chamber separated from a pressure differential chamber by a wall having an opening therethrough receiving an axially movable actuator pin that transmits axial movement of a movable part in the pressure differential chamber to the actuator chamber. A Hall effect transducer is disposed in the actuator chamber and the actuator pin has a magnet unit for operating the transducer as the movable part axially moves the actuator pin relative to the housing, the magnet unit being disposed in offset relation to the axis of the actuator pin and moving in unison therewith relative to the transducer.

Abstract: An improved humidity sensitive semiconductor device comprising an insulating base member and a humidity sensitive coating on said base member having at least two spread apart metal electrodes connected thereto, the coating comprising a metal oxide of a lanthanide cobaltate of the formula L.sub.1-x Sr.sub.x CoO.sub.3 where L is a member of the lanthanide series of elements selected from the group lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, smarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, sysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium and x is from about 0 to about 0.5 and an anion selected from the group consisting essentially of the organic anions of monobasic acids, dibasic acids or polybasic acids, inorganic anions and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A moisture sensor comprises a moisture-sensitive layer formed from the oxide of highly resistive porous low density tantalum on a moisture-insensitive substrate. Between the substrate and the moisture-sensitive tantalum oxide layer there is a base electrode of an anodically oxidizable metal, preferably tantalum, of a density higher than the density of the low density tantalum from which the tantalum oxide layer is formed. A covering electrode partially covering the tantalum oxide layer has windows through which the water vapor containing medium can penetrate into the moisture-sensitive tantalum oxide layer. The inactive regions of the tantalum oxide layer disposed below the windows are removed to increase the rate of response.

Abstract: A semiconductor photoconductor having low impedance nonmetallic contacts is disclosed which has increased detectivity over prior art photoconductor structures. The improved photoconductor has metallic contacts that are separated by a contact length that is greater than the optical length of the detector. The contact regions of the semiconductor adjacent the detector region are thicker than the detector region. The process for fabricating the photoconductor includes thinning the detector region to an appropriate thickness while preserving the greater thickness of the contact regions.

Abstract: Methods for producing thermistors having predetermined resistance values at predetermined temperatures are disclosed.

Abstract: A hybrid transducer employing a ceramic substrate having on a surface a suitable geometry for defining an active or clamped area, a semiconductor strain gage is positioned on said substrate within said active area and connections are made to said gage by conductors printed on said substrate by thick or thin film techniques. Thick film printing techniques or thin film deposition techniques are employed to print the conductors, terminal areas, compensating resistors and stop members.