Abstract: A moisture sensitive element having on an insulating substrate a moisture sensitive section that changes its electrical resistance according to the humidity of atmosphere. The moisture sensitive section is prepared by mixing a polymerized organic silicon compound with particles of a moisture sensitive, electrically resistant material, applying a coat of the resulting blend onto the insulating substrate, and sintering the coat. The element is strong, has good moisture sensitivity characteristics and can be used for an extended period with little decrease in the moisture sensitivity and little change in the value of resistance.

Abstract: A touch tablet is provided containing two sheets of insulating material each of which contains a plurality of spaced apart conductive lines. A resistive strip on each sheet contacts and connects electrically one end of each of the plurality of conductive lines on that sheet. Each resistive strip functions as a potentiometer. Mounted between the two sheets and spaced apart therefrom is a conductive middle sheet. The first and second sheets are mounted such that the first and second sets of a plurality of conductive lines on these sheets are orthogonal to each other. A user presses on one of the two sheets to bring all three sheets into contact. The impedence of each potentiometer is a function of the contact point. The potentiometer is used as part of an RC circuit to provide a variable time constant representative of the coordinate of the contact point.

Abstract: A metal oxide varistor is disclosed which a component of grain bodies comprised of zinc oxide and a component of grain boundary layers comprised of another metallic oxide, containing metal other than zinc wherein at least a portion of these starting materials comprised a fine particle powder prepared by a co-precipitatin method.The metal oxide varistor of the present invention is excellent in varistor characteristics such as non-linearity to voltage, life performances and capability of energy dissipation, is small in a scatter of the above characteristics between manufacture lots or within each lot at the time of manufacture, and has a good quality stability. Unexpected results are obtained when the co-precipitated fine particles are subjected to a refrigeration-dehydration type process.

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.

Abstract: A heated resistive type sensor (20) for detecting the oxygen content in an exhaust gas is connected to an electronic control unit (22) for regulating the air/fuel ratio used to operate an internal combustion engine (10). The sensor (20) has a heater (70) which provides a constant thermal energy level to a titania sensing element (76) whose resistance to the flow of electrical current is directly related to the percentage of oxygen in the exhaust gas. The electrical resistance is used as a control signal to maintain the air/fuel ratio within set limits. The resistive portion consists of three resistive elements, one that senses O.sub.2 that is made of titania - TiO.sub.2, the other two resistors are thick film type connected in series thereto. Finally, the gas sensing layer and electrode leads attached thereto are covered by a protective glass layering to prevent contamination of the sensor element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a piezoresistive gauge. This gauge comprises a support, on which are formed two pairs of electrical contacts, partly covered with a piezoresistive element, made from an electricity-conducting organic compound, chosen from among the salts of tetramethyl-tetrathiofulvalene, quaternary ammonium salts of tetracyanoquinodimethane and diethyl-dimethyl-tetrathiofulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane (DEDMTTF-TCNQ).This gauge can be used for measuring pressures of approximately 500 bars to a few kbars.

Abstract: A gas sensor comprising a layer of sintered tin oxide having a large specific surface area and high activity to oxidize and eliminate alcohol, benzene and other miscellaneous gases, whereby the sensor selectively detects alkane gases such as methane gas, propane gas and butane gas. The alkane gas is absorbed thereby decreasing an electrical resistance of the sensor in order to detect the existence of the gas.

Abstract: A varistor having good voltage-current nonlinear characteristics and a long life performance. The varistor is formed of a sintered body consisting essentially of zinc oxide as a major component, 0.1 to 5 mol % of bismuth in terms of Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0.1 to 5 mol % of cobalt in terms of Co.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0.1 to 5 mol % of manganese in terms of MnO, 0.1 to 5 mol % of antimony in terms of Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0.1 to 5 mol % of nickel in terms of NiO, and 0.001 to 0.05 mol % of aluminum in terms of Al.sup.3+.

Abstract: A control lever is distinctly movable in different planes for actuation of different control means. The control lever has, adjacent a control lever housing, a plate provided with a number of bevelled flat edges corresponding to the number of planes in which the control lever is movable. The plate is tiltable on its flat edges by means of movement of the lever on which is axially movable. A spring is provided between the plate and a fixed abutment on the lever for holding said lever in engagement with a seat and for urging said plate against a planar portion of the housing. When the lever is moved in a given direction, the plate is tilted or rocked about an edge against the action of the spring, with any risk of the lever moving in another undersired plane being effectively eliminated.

Abstract: An electrically symmetrical temperature sensor includes two highly doped zones which are formed in a semiconductor body of one conductivity type, which are provided with connection contacts, and have the same conductivity type as that of the body. A temperature-dependent resistor is formed between the two highly doped zones. In order to avoid mechanical strains due to the temperature differences which occur during operation and which invalidate the resistance value, and in order to be able to incorporate the semiconductor body without great difficulty in simply-constructed envelopes, in particular in glass envelopes of the type frequently used for rectifier diodes, the zones of the same conductivity type are located opposite each other on opposite sides of the semiconductor body. Further, the semiconductor body comprises neutron- transmuted n-type silicon.

Abstract: To simplify manufacture and assembly of a temperature-compensated titanium dioxide oxygen sensor, the sensor (9, 9') is applied as a layer on the thermistor body (1), with an electrode (8) interposed; preferably, the thermistor body is densely sintered titanium dioxide, in the form of a closed tube (1, 1') which may have a central opening (FIG. 1: 2) therethrough, with the sensor body being porous titanium dioxide and located either on the inside (FIG. 1) surface of the thermistor body (1) or on the outside (FIG. 2) surface, and supported by the thermistor body, which forms the substrate and support surface for the sensor body.

Abstract: In a liquid-level transmitter having a swingable support lever (3) which bears a float (7) and a variable electrical resistor (9) actuated thereby, the variable resistor (9) is surrounded by a bell-shaped structural part (1) which is open towards the bottom but otherwise closed. In this way, as in the case of a diving bell, no liquid can enter into the bell-shaped structural part (1) when the level of the liquid rises above the height of the liquid-level transmitter, so that parts of the variable resistor are protected in simple fashion from corrosion due to contact with the liquid to be measured.

Abstract: A method of soldering electrical lead strands (of a width at least 0.3 inch) to a printed electrical path is disclosed. The path is planted on an alumina ceramic substrate and a solder pad is attached to a portion of the path. A flat surface portion of each lead strand is forced into full interengagement with a pad, a CO.sub.2 defocused laser beam is directed onto the soldering assembly with the beam controlled to have a beam power of at least 100 watts, a beam spot diameter no less than the width of the lead strand and no greater than the width of the pad, and a beam on-time effective to exert a controlled thermal radius on the soldering assembly to reflow only a preselected portion of the pad and effect a solder joint between the pad and strand portion, the joint having a strength of at least 400 grams. The parameters of the beam power, beam spot diameter, and beam on-time are optimally correlated by the following equation: ##EQU1## where: C is the critical thermal radius, a is the Gaussian radius at 1/e.

Abstract: A multi-position return to center potentiometer having a multiple detent configuration wherein the center detent position is a dimple and other detent positions provide a resistance to rotation that is greater during rotation away from center than rotation toward the center allowing the use of a small return to center spring.

Abstract: A control unit, adapted to control a reversible, variable-speed electrical motor includes a control lever protruding through a U-shaped slot in a housing. Movement of the lever from one side to the other of the U-shaped slot controls the direction of rotation of the motor, and its position along a side of a slot determines the speed of rotation. The control lever is mounted to a pivotally mounted support member, which carries a linear potentiometer operated by the control lever, and includes a protruding portion which carries a toggle switch. The handle of the toggle switch is substantially restrained from motion, so that the switch is actuated to reverse the motor when the control lever is moved from one side of the U-shaped slot to the other.

Abstract: An electronic treadle (10) for generating an electrical signal proportioned to the degree of angular movement of a pivotally mounted treadle plate (14) includes a base (32) having side portions (26,28) which cooperate with corresponding side members (22,24) extending from the treadle plate. A pair of stops (76,78) are carried on one (26) of the side portions which cooperate with a tab (80) movable with the treadle plate (14) to limit the angular movement thereof. Movement of the treadle plate (14) is transmitted to a rotary potentiometer (66) carried on side portion (28) by a shaft (62) and socket (57) connecting the shaft to side member (22).

Abstract: A self-aligning mechanism utilizes a flexible shaft affixed at one end to a means for rotating it. The other end of the rod is configured to engage a complementarily-shaped opening in a coupler provided with a funnel-shaped front surface to guide the flexible shaft into engagement. In one embodiment, the coupler is mounted directly to the shaft of the device to be adjusted. In another embodiment, the coupler is a pulley which drives, by means of a drive belt, a device which is offset in position relative to the flexible shaft. Wire-retaining means are provided to enable the knob and shaft to be easily removed and reinstalled with a minimum of effort and adjustment, even in the presence of misalignment in the X-, Y-, and Z-axis directions.

Abstract: A varistor comprising a basic component consisting essentially of ZnO as a principal constituent and, as auxiliary components, bismuth (Bi), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), antimony (Sb) and nickel (Ni) in an amount, when calculated in terms of Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3, Co.sub.2 O.sub.3, MnO, Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3 and NiO, respectively, of Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 : 0.1 to 5 mol %, Co.sub.2 O.sub.3 : 0.1 to 5 mol %, MnO: 0.1 to 5 mol %, Sb.sup.2 O.sub.3 : 0.1 to 5 mol % and NiO: 0.1 to 5 mol %; and an additional constituent comprising boron (B) in an amount, when calculated in terms of B.sub.2 O.sub.3, of 0.001 to 1 wt % based on said basic component, the Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 of the sintered body comprising not less than 30% of .alpha.-phase . In another embodiment, the above basic component may further comprise at least one of Al, In and Ga in a prescribed amount and the above additional component may be (i) B with or without at least one of Ag and Si in a prescribed amount or (ii) a glass containing B in a prescribed amount.

Abstract: An arcuate film resistor is defined on an insulating substrate. During use, a high voltage is impressed across end terminals connected to the arcuate film resistor. A central electrode is located on the insulated substrate at a point which is surrounded by the film resistor. The central electrode is formed of a non-film resistor material and has superior adherability to the substrate. A disk-shaped film resistor is deposited at the center of the central electrode and second ring-like film resistor is formed around the outer periphery of the central electrode. A rotatable slider has a first contact positioned over the disk-shaped film resistor and a second contact which slides along the arcuate film resistor. A portion of the voltage from the arcuate film resistor can thus be transferred to the central electrode. The disk-shaped film resistor located on the central electrode improves the contact between the slider at the central electrode.

Abstract: A pneumatically actuated pressure transducer has a wiper assembly which is movable from an off position through a range of positions wherein the transducer has a varying voltage output. The pressure transducer comprises a high thermal conductivity substrate which forms a base for a potentiometer element and a resistance path coated onto the substrate. The resistance path includes a first area of low resistance material and a second area of high resistance material which meet in a chevron shaped transition zone. An insulating material coated onto the substrate defines the off position for the transducer.