Abstract: A superconducting temperature controller that can sense the temperature of an area and also heat the enclosed area. A superconducting thin film resistor mounted on a substrate is disposed in an enclosed housing that forms a vacuum. Also disposed within the housing is a heat sink that keeps the temperature inside the housing below the transition temperature of the superconducting material that forms the thin film resistor. By applying a constant voltage to the thin film resistor, the temperature of the substrate and thin film resistor can be maintained at a predetermined level that is within the transition temperature region of the superconducting material being used.

Abstract: An improved magnetically driven resistor gauge (50) which includes a plastic base and plastic cap hermetically sealed together by ultra sonic welding to isolate the interior (90) of the gauge from the external environment. A dedicated ground terminal (100) is molded into the cap to ensure an effective ground. A contact plate (118), forming a part of the pivotal pointer assembly, includes resilient arms (120, 121 and 122) which are in electrical contact with the ground terminal and resistance wire (94), respectively.

Abstract: An RTD (resistance temperature sensor or detector) sensing device which is a long, thin, unitary device adapted to be distributed across an extended field for the continuous, uninterrupted sensing or interrogation of such field, avoiding the inaccuracy, unreliability, and excessive expense of conventional "point" RTD and thermocouple sensors currently employed for this purpose. According to the invention, a very long, thin, ductile protective metal outer sheath houses a coextensive body of insulation material, which in turn supports and electrically insulates one or more coextensive RTD filaments and in most forms of the invention one or more heater filaments. Distributed RTDs of the invention may, along their lengths, have continuous linear function sensitivity, continuous variable function sensitivity, or step function sensitivity.

Abstract: A material device for electronic circuitry that provides pro-tection from fast transient overvoltage pulses. The electroded device can additionally be tailored to provide electrostatic bleed. Conductive particles are uniformly dispersed in an insulating matrix or binder to provide material having non-linear resistance characteristics. The non-linear resistance characteristics of the material are determined by the interparticle spacing within the binder as well as by the electrical properties of the insulating binder. By tailoring the separation between conductive particles, thereby controlling quantum-mechanical tunneling, the electrical properties of the non-linear material can be varied over a wide range.

Abstract: An infrared detector includes a high resistance substrate, a compound semiconductor disposed on the substrate, a pair of electrodes disposed on the compound semiconductor, and a plurality of grooves in the compound semiconductor perpendicular to a current path between the electrodes, wherein the grooves have shallower than the thickness of the compound semiconductor.

Abstract: A high voltage cable having a wound conductor made by winding a metallic wire around a ferrite rubber covered reinforcing core, in which the ferrite rubber layer is additionally provided with conductive particles or fibers in order to improve noise suppression characteristics in the 30-200 MHz frequency range.

Abstract: An elongated heater unit including an elongated resistor helix, terminals connected to the ends of the helix, at least a first surrounding metallic sheath, powder insulation material disposed within the first sheath and spacing the resistor helix from the sheath. The sheath is provided with at least one indentation and/or groove extending along at least a portion of the length of the first sheath. The method for constructing the heater unit includes forming the indentation by means of a roll with a protrusion, by utilizing a mandrel, by utilizing a temperature sensitive member or by utilizing a reducing sheath.

Abstract: An illuminating type linear resistor for volume control having an insulating substrate; a pattern of resistor and collector formed on one surface of the insulating substrate; a lead formed on the other surface of the insulating substrate for supplying power to an LED; a slider mount assembly surrounding the insulating substrate and separatably formed into first and second slider mounts; a knob provided on the first slider mount which knob is formed at its upper end with a receiving portion for receiving the LED; a first slider mounted on the first slider mount and adapted to slidingly contact the pattern of resistor and collector; a second slider mounted on the second slider mount and adapted to slidingly contact the lead; and a clip provided at an extension of the second slider for holding a terminal of the LED which clip is received in the knob of the first slider mount.

Abstract: A membrane of an ionic pendant-containing, water-insoluble copolymeric poly(amino acid) composed of a first moiety derived from a first amino acid which gives a water-soluble poly (amino acid) with ionic groups of carboxyl and/or amino groups as the pendants to the molecule, e.g., glutamic acid, aspartic acid, lysine and ornithine, and a second moiety derived from a second amino acid which gives a water-insoluble poly (amino acid), e.g., leucine, alanine and methionine, in a specified molar proportion serves as a functional element of an electronic device such as a non-linear resistor capable of working in an aqueous medium and exhibiting a non-linear voltage-current relationship or a phenomenon of hysteresis in the voltage/current scanning.

Abstract: A molded resin casing of a rotary- or sliding-type electronic part internally accommodating a board on which are formed electric conductor patterns slidingly contacted by contacts of a slider of the electronic part, wherein a flexible board having the electric conductor patterns formed on a film comprising a synthetic resin material is used as the board, and the flexible board is inserted inside the synthetic resin casing in such as manner that the electric conductor patterns are exposed to the interior of the casing.

Abstract: A voltage non-linear resistor having lightning discharge current withstanding capability, switching surge current withstanding capability, and voltage non-linear index .alpha., including a resistor element body consisting essentially of zinc oxide, and a side highly resistive layer composed of a zinc silicate phase consisting essentially of Zn.sub.2 SiO.sub.4 and a spinel phase consisting essentially of Zn.sub.7 Sb.sub.2 O.sub.12 arranged on a side surface of the resistor element body, can be attained, having a porosity of the resistor element body of 2% or less, zinc silicate particles existing continuously in the side highly resistive layer, and a porosity of 10% or less in a region of the side highly resistive layer within 30 .mu.m or less from the resistor element body. A method of producing the voltage non-linear resistor is also provided.

Abstract: A throttle sensor for an internal combustion engine includes a circuit board and a rotatable body disposed adjacent the circuit board which is connected to the throttle valve and having a pair of brushes disposed in sliding contact with the circuit board. A resistance body, including a basic resistance layer and a protective resistance layer covering a basic resistance layer are formed on the circuit board for engagement by one of the brushes, and a collecting body, including an electric conductive layer and an additional protective resistance layer covering the electric conductive layer is formed on the circuit board for engagement by the other brush. The protective resistance layers protect the basic resistance layers against undue wear and atmospheric conditions.

Abstract: A touch sensor device, and its method of operation, that provides information as to the position of a touch thereon together with information as to the amount of pressure applied to the sensor at the touch position. The device has a pair of spaced-apart membranous sheets with coatings thereon suitable for the determination of position information in a conventional manner. In addition, switching units are included which, during a given time interval of operation, supply a uniform electrical potential in one of the sheets. During that same interval contacts or electrodes on opposite edges of the second sheet are rapidly switched to alternately be oppositely connected to ground on one edge and to the information processing unit at the other edge. In this manner, there is a fixed potential applied to the contact resistance circuit created between the sheets due to the touch pressure, and the alternate switching averages the potential on the second sheet.

Abstract: The wiper or movable contact of an electrical potentiometer employs fingers of an oval-like transverse cross section to increase the useful service life of the potentiometer in application such as a throttle position sensor where the potentiometer may be subjected to mechanical vibration, repeated random shock loading, constant movement, etc.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a chemically sensitive sensor material, having an electrical resistance or dielectric constant which changes under the effect of the gases or vapors. According to the invention, this sensor material, which comprises either hydrophobic metal complexes, or a mixture of at least one phthalide and at least one acidic compound, serves as resistance or as dielectric material. These sensor materials change their ion mobility and/or their ionic concentration under the effect of gases or vapors, thereby changing their resistance or capacitance. The change in resistance or the change in capacitance can expediently be converted into a frequency change by a multivibrator. Thus, one obtains an especially simple and very effective sensor for gases and vapors.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor that includes a thin film of nominally undoped monocrystalline indium arsenide. An indium arsenide film is described that appears to have a naturally occurring accumulation layer adjacent its outer surface. With film thickneses below 5 micrometers, preferably below 3 micrometers, the presence of the accumulation layer can have a very noticeable effect. A method for making the sensor is also described. The unexpected improvement provides a significant apparent increase in mobility and conductivity of the indium arsenide, and an actual increase in magnetic sensitivity and temperature insensitivity.

Abstract: A process for preparing an electrical device which has a conductive polymer exhibiting PTC behavior. The cross-linking may be to a level of 50 to 100 Mrad or higher for devices designed to withstand high voltage test conditions. The device may be a laminar device having a center layer of higher resistivity than two surrounding layers.

Abstract: A thick film resistor (TFR) is provided that is capable of being compensated for impedance variations related to the TFR laser-trimming process. According to the invention, a thick film capacitor (TFC) metallization is provided in parallel with the thick film to compensate the RF impedance. A method is also provided for calculating the exact length of the TFC metallization necessary to compensate the RF impedance. Once this length (L) is known, the TFC metallization can be laser-trimmed to obtain the desired length.

Abstract: A nonlinear resistor which exhibits substantial temperature independence over a wide range of temperatures, including low temperatures, is provided. The resistor is formed of a zinc oxide-based ceramic composition which exhibits nonlinear voltage/current characteristics and is essentially unafffected by magnetic fields. The nonlinear resistor provides protection for electrical devices in a circuit from voltage surges and/or transients. In a preferred form, the resistor is manufactured as a multilayer capacitor-type device.

Abstract: A circuit and method for interrupting power applied to an electrically conductive panel such as a vehicle windshield or window upon cracking of the conductive coating or element thereon. The circuit includes structure for (1) monitoring the resistance of the conductive element and (2) interrupting power applied thereto when the resistance of the conductive element assumes a value indicative of element cracking.