Abstract: The invention relates to a pressure sensitive electro-conductive material which can be utilized as a pressure sensitive electro-conductive switch or as a variable resistor. The switch comprises two electrodes with a deformable pressure sensitive electro-conductive material sandwiched between the electrodes. The electro-conductive material comprises a deformable elastomeric material impregnated with a plurality of electro-conductive micro-agglomerates of unbound finely divided electro-conductive carbon particles enclosed by a matrix of the elastomeric material and finely divided electro-conductive carbon particles bound together by the elastomeric material.
Abstract: A variable force push button is used as an input device for a control system. Specifically, a bi-directional storage device produces a command that is applied to an element to be controlled. A signal is generated having a characteristic representative of the force applied to the push button. A representation of the characteristic is integrated by the storage device. In addition to changing the characteristic by varying the force applied to the push button, the user can change the direction of the integration, thereby increasing and decreasing the value of the command. The push button comprises a pressure sensitive element sandwiched between electrically conductive contacts one of which is actuated by the user. The pressure sensitive element is constructed of conductive particles in an elastomeric matrix. Preferably, electrically conductive micro-agglomerates of unbound finely divided electro-conductive carbon particles having a maximum dimension of between about 0.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 6, 1986
Date of Patent:
June 7, 1988
Assignee:
Advanced Micro-Matrix, Inc.
Inventors:
Wayne E. Snyder, Michael Michalchik, Peter T. Cunningham
Abstract: A pressure sensitive electro-conductive material which can be utilized as a pressure sensitive electro-conductive switch or as a variable resistor. The switch comprises two electrodes with a deformable pressure sensitive electro-conductive material sandwiched between the electrodes. The electro-conductive material comprises a deformable elastomeric material impregnated with a plurality of electro-conductive micro-agglomerates of unbound finely divided electro-conductive carbon particles enclosed by a matrix of the elastomeric material and finely divided electro-conductive carbon particles bound together by the elastomeric material.