Rectilinearly Movable Contact Patents (Class 338/194)
  • Patent number: 7167075
    Abstract: A dual resistor for eliminating the requirement for two different value resistors. The dual resistor includes a conditioning resistor at a high resistance value and a run resistor at a low resistance value. The run resistor can travel inside the conditioning resistor. The run resistor is capable of being advanced by a drive assembly until an electrical path is completed through the run resistor thereby shorting out the conditioning resistor and allowing the lower resistance run resistor to take over as the current carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Lynn Siggins, Charles W. Murray, Richard L. Walker
  • Patent number: 7002447
    Abstract: A resistor card for a fuel level sensor has improved resistance to corrosion and wear. The resistor card has a substrate with a resistive layer and a conductive layer. A nickel layer covers the conductive layer. A nickel-gold alloy layer covers the nickel layer. The nickel-gold alloy layer protects the conductive layer from sulfur corrosion and improves wear resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: CTS Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Dedert, Robert Heimann, Craig Hoffman, Kevin Kurtz
  • Patent number: 6747544
    Abstract: An electric switch (1) having digital switch position detection includes a switching device (2) for contacting switch contacts associated with individual code tracks (A, B, C), different switch contacts being contacted by the switching device in different switch positions in totality and the tap off of the switch contacts contacted by the switching device (2) being applied to an evaluation unit (9). Depending on the position of the switching device (2) in at least some switch positions the voltage level has a different value to additionally distinguish this switch position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Dunsch, Markus Adam
  • Patent number: 6507270
    Abstract: The present invention provides a linear operation type electric part in which a spring member for restoring the movement of a movable member and a spring member for preventing the backlash of the movable member are formed of the same kind of coil spring, thereby reducing the number of part used therefore, and enabling lower cost and increased productivity, and in which a movable member can be moved smoothly. The linear operation type electric part of the present invention includes the spring assembly, composed of the spring member for restoring the movable member from its movement and the spring member for preventing the movable member from backlash, both formed of the same type of coil springs. Therefore, it is possible to provide a linear operation type electric part which, when compared to conventional counterparts, requires fewer parts, thus providing lower cost and increased productivity. Moreover, in the present invention, the spring member does not slide along the case as in conventional counterparts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Okumura, Kyuichiro Terui
  • Patent number: 4978939
    Abstract: A settable resistor has a resistance path array (4) to which is allocated a contact piece (9) which is guidable in the longitudinal direction (13) over the resistance path array and has an adjusting device for the position of the contact piece. In order not to restrict the free displacement travel of the contact piece with a simple construction independent of the setting of the adjusting device, so that a high resolution is achieved particularly for application in the hand switch of a power tool with speed control regardless of a set maximum value, the contact piece (9) is additionally adjustable transverse to the longitudinal direction (13of the resistance path array (4) by means of the adjusting device (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: Telefunken electronic GmbH
    Inventor: Heinrich Zeitvogel
  • Patent number: 4583032
    Abstract: A linear motion encoder which employs a potentiometer type motion detector. It includes an elongated rectangular or cylindrical housing in which are one or two rails for guiding an insulated block to move lengthwise of the housing while being moved by a shaft connected to the block via an anti-backlash spring means. The block carries wiper contacts which respectively contact a fixed resistance element and a fixed commutator strip mounted on one wall of the housing or on the rail. An analog to digital circuit may be disposed in the housing to apply a reference voltage to opposite ends of the resistance strip. The circuit takes a linearly variable analog voltage from the commutator strip when the block moves lengthwise inside the housing driven by the axially moving shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1986
    Assignee: Vernitron Corporation
    Inventors: Charles A. Nunziata, James A. White
  • Patent number: 4539546
    Abstract: A sliding rheostat includes two slider supports mounted to a support member between a pair of resistance base plates and in the direction that the slider supports move. Screws are mounted between the corresponding sliders and the support member to adjust the positions of the sliders relative to the support member, thus permitting the points at which the sliders are in contact with their respective resistance base plates to be placed in a line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1985
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiji Takezawa
  • Patent number: 4473814
    Abstract: A linear potentiometer, having a longitudinal housing with a resistance path and with a wiper guided by a push rod sliding therein. The push rod is supported at its entry into the housing of the potentiometer via a slide bearing which contains an elastic ring element, preferably an O-ring. This ring element embodies the sole connection between a stationary outer bearing and an inner bearing which is movable in a swinging manner relative to the outer bearing because of the elastic connection. The push rod slides in the inner bearing. The inner and outer bearings, by means of opposing annular grooves, receive the elastic ring element connecting them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1984
    Assignee: Novotechnik KG Offterdinger GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Fritz Blessing
  • Patent number: 4143335
    Abstract: A pressure transducer such as for use in a radiosonde includes a substrate and a plurality of conductive contacts formed thereon. An arm is movable over the contacts in accordance with the sensed ambient pressure. A group of resistors of different values of resistance are operatively connected to the contacts whereby each contact is characterized by a unique value of resistance. The resistance may be connected as the frequency-determining element of an oscillator, such that each unique value of resistance may be converted to a unique corresponding frequency and upon decoding determine which unique contact is operatively connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1979
    Assignee: Beukers Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: John Beukers, Maurice Friedman, Luken Potts
  • Patent number: 4109138
    Abstract: A fan-heater appliance, e.g., hair drier, has a tapping arrangement for providing a variable supply to a fan motor to regulate the speed thereof. The tapping arrangement comprises a current collector which is slidable over a row of heads of tubular rivets which are attached to the coil tips of a linearly coiled resistance heating wire arranged transversely of the air flow path through the appliance. The current collector is operated by a crank arrangement including a knurled disc operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1978
    Assignee: Firma Fritz Eichenauer
    Inventor: Helmut Ohnmacht
  • Patent number: 4039994
    Abstract: A variable output function double bias potentiometer having first and second low resistance zones to provide two bias voltages and a high resistance zone with which output means are in contact to provide an output function which can be freely varied between the two bias voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1977
    Assignee: Clarostat Mfg. Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Frank L. Ward