Abstract: Disclosed is an illumination type rotary variable resistor, in which a hollow shaft rotatable and displacable in the thrust direction and is coupled to a rotatable knob, in which a photo-conductive element is disposed within the hollow shaft and the knob, in which one end of the photo-conductive element is exposed at an end surface of the knob, in which a light source is provided close to the other end of the photo-conductive element, in which a driver member is placed in contact with a forward end of the hollow shaft to cause a switch to perform its switching operation, and in which a reflex surface is formed on the driver member to reflect light from the light source towards the photo-conductive element.

Abstract: A dual shaft rotary electric device comprises inner and outer concentric shafts, slider supports attached to the inner and outer shafts respectively, sliders attached to the slider supports respectively, and insulating substrates stacked in the longitudinal direction of the dual shaft arrangement and respectively correspondingly to said sliders. An insulating spacer is inserted between the insulating substrates, and is held in place by opposite arms of a front side plate.

Abstract: A single-turn miniature potentiometer includes a first substrate having an annular conductive track formed thereon and a second substrate facing the first and having an annular resistive track formed thereon. An insulating layer is placed between the two substrates and has an opening provided therein for receiving a disk-like rotor which bears an electrically conductive wiper for simultaneously contacting both the conductive and resistive tracks. Electrical connections are made between the resistive and conductive tracks by means of external U-shaped clips.

Abstract: A load cell, of the type that converts the magnitude of an applied load into an electrical signal, has a circuit board designed to facilitate wiring. The load cell includes a load cell body, strain gauges attached to the load cell body, and the circuit board which also is attached to the load cell body. The circuit board is composed of a flexible board, a wiring pattern formed on the flexible board, and soldering portions provided on the wiring pattern on either side of a bending portion at which the flexible board is bent for attachment to the load cell body. Symbol marks for identifying terminals are provided adjacent prescribed terminals of the wiring pattern formed on the circuit board.

Abstract: A moisture responsive element comprises a moisture responsive organic membrane in contact with electrically conductive members, in which the organic membrane consists essentially of a crosslinked organic polymer having a hydrophilic group. The element has excellent water and moisture resistance, long-term stability and excellent humidity response over a range of humidity from 0 to 100 percent. The moisture responsive element includes a protective layer of cellulose acetate and/or polyvinyl acetate.

Abstract: A device for regulating the temperature of an electronic component, such as a surface acoustic wave (SAW) component in a hybrid package, without dissipating large amounts of power. The device includes a positive-temperature-coefficient thermistor positioned in contact with the component of which the temperature is to be controlled, and an insulating body with included air spaces, positioned between the thermistor and the package, to provide a high thermal resistance between the thermistor and the package. In one preferred form of the invention, the insulating body is a length of glass tubing that has been deformed to include two flat surfaces for contacting the thermistor and the package. Another disclosed embodiment includes a second thermistor and insulator combination, to further increase the thermal resistance between the component and the package.

Abstract: A thick film temperature sensitive device and method of making the same, comprising the steps of applying to the surface of a substrate and firing a resistance material comprising a mixture of glass frit and particles containing palladium and iron. The mixture is fired in a non oxidizing, neutral, or reducing atmosphere at a temperature between 700.degree. C. and 1100.degree. C. at which the glass frit softens. When cooled, a device is provided with a glass film strongly bonded to the substrate and having dispersed therein conductive metal particles of an alloy of palladium and iron. The device provides a relatively high positive temperature coefficient of resistance, a relatively high resistivity, and a resistance to temperature characteristic which is highly linear, and can be processed by spiralling and terminated by the use of electroless plating.

Abstract: Disclosed is a metal oxide varistor which comprises; a sintered body containing (a) ZnO as a principal component, and (b), as auxiliary components, Bi, Co and Mn in amounts of 0.05.about.2 mole %, 0.05.about.2 mole % and 0.05.about.2 mole %, when calculated in terms of Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3, Co.sub.2 O.sub.3 and MnO.sub.2, respectively, and at least one selected from Al, In and Ga in amounts of 1.times.10.sup.-4 .about.3.times.10.sup.-2 mole %, when calculated in terms of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, In.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Ga.sub.2 O.sub.3, respectively; said sintered material having been reheated at a temperature of 650.degree..about.900.degree. C. after sintering; and a non-diffusible electrode provided on said sintered body. The metal oxide varistor has excellent pulse response and volt-ampere non-linearity even with respect to a pulse having a short rise time of less than a microsecond.

Abstract: The invention provides new potentiometer-type function generators that have (1) a resistance element having a two-dimensional contact surface with boundaries arranged so that a non-uniform voltage distribution is produced when the resistance element is electrified and (2) a contact member which is mounted so as to permit relative movement in two different directions between it and the contact surface of the resistance element.

Abstract: A strain sensor includes an insulating resin, e.g. polyimide resin, film formed on a beam body having a strain generating section and a wiring layer having a resistance material, e.g. nickel-chrome, layer formed on the polyimide resin film and a gold layer selectively formed on the nickel-chrome layer. A solid powder, e.g. silicon dioxide, is mixed with the polyimide resin film.

Abstract: A slider arrangement comprises an insulator member, and two sliders each made of a resilient metal matel plate embedded in the insulator member and each having slender contacts exposed from the insulator mold member. The slender contacts of each of the sliders forms a pair of contact sets adapted to slide in contact with a resistive element and a collector member respectively, the pair of contact sets of one slider being located between the pair of contact sets of the other slider. A method of producing the above-mentioned slider arrangement comprises the steps of embedding a resilient metal plate having sliders into an insulator member, with contact forming portions of the sliders exposed, cutting off portions bridging the sliders and the contacts formed at the contact forming portions while holding the metal plate by the insulator member, and bending each of the contacts to its proper position.

Abstract: Provided is a pressure sensor of semiconductor type, having a semiconductor diaphragm, wherein the diaphragm comprises at least one of thin wall parts and at least one of thick wall parts, and defines therein recesses formed in the lower surface of the diaphragm below the thin wall parts, piezoresistance elements are laid on the upper surface of the diaphragm near the thin wall parts, and a supporting member is sealingly jointed to the thick wall parts at the lower surface of the diaphragm, so that the recesses are sealed and confined so as to prevent high pressure fluid from blowing off when the thin wall part is broken.

Abstract: A variable level liquid rheostat having a tubular overflow member between a starting chamber and a tank for controlling the level of electrolyte in the starting chamber. The overflow member has a closed upper end inside the starting chamber and lateral discharge orifices and communicates with the electrolyte in the tank. The overflow member produces a siphoning effect when the electrolyte level in the starting chamber is substantially above the discharge orifices for causing a sudden drop of the level in the starting chamber until the electrolyte level in the starting chamber again reaches the discharge.

Abstract: A gas sensor comprising an electric resistor of noble metal and a sintered piece of a metal oxide covering the resistor and serving as a semiconductor. The ratio of the combined resistance Ro of the resistor and the semiconductor to the resistance ro of the resistor, Ro/ro, is within the range of 0.45<Ro/ro<0.95. The sintered piece may be prepared from a mixture of SnO.sub.2 powder of usual particle sizes and a superfine powder of SnO.sub.2 by sintering the mixture at about 600.degree. C. to about 800.degree. C.

Abstract: A humidity-sensitive element which has excellent humidity-sensitive characteristics and has a small drift after being exposed to a high humidity for a long period of time. The humidity-sensitive element of the invention includes a porous metal oxide sintered body, a simple substance or an oxide of phosphorus or sulfur carried on the porous metal oxide sintered body, and copper ions carried on the porous metal oxide sintered body.

Abstract: A gas sensor is described which includes a layer of a sensitive material formed on an electric insulating substrate and spaced electrodes electrically connected to the layer. The layer is formed of a porous film of a uniform mixture which contains a p-type compound oxide semiconductor with a perovskite type of crystal structure as the major ingredient and one or more of vanadium, niobium, tantalum and/or compounds thereof as minor ingredients. The minor ingredients are contained in the layer in an amount of 0.01 to 5% by weight, based on the weight of the p-type compound oxide semiconductor, and are incorporated into the layer by diffusing them into the layer. The gas sensor exhibits a small change with time and a reduced tailing effect attendant on variations in the gas combustion. With this, it is possible to effect measurements, detection and control with a high reliability.

Abstract: In a slide rheostat with first and second light sources wherein at least one set of resistor and collector is printed on an insulating base plate so as to establish a variable resistance, and wherein the first and second light sources are disposed so as to display the resistance in either of their emission colors, the light sources being connected to a common lead and at least one power supply lead so as to be energized; the improvement comprising the fact that the power supply lead is formed with a portion adopted to accommodate the sliders energizing both of the light sources so as to emit light in the composite color of their emission colors.

Abstract: A layer of carbon fiber materials sandwiched between two conductive layers provides a tactile feedback sensor which is particularly useful in manipulator systems for robotics and assembly automation.

Abstract: An electric potentiometer is proposed which serves to convert a mechanical movement into an electrical value. The potentiometer includes a pickup embodied as a wiper and a resistor pad which has a plurality of connections for parallel resistors distributed over the displacement range of the pickup and serving as support points. With these parallel resistors, the partial resistance established by the pickup can be varied to a predetermined course. The support points extend crosswise to the contact track of the pickup on the resistor pad and are embodied as only so long that they terminate before reaching the contact track.

Abstract: A joystick controller of the electrically non-contact type is provided with a pair of magnetosensitive elements having a magnetresistive effect. The magnetosensitive elements are placed fixedly on a stator member in a given relation at right angles to detect the rotary motion of a permanent magnet embedded in a rotor member movably supported by the stator member. Each of the magnetosensitive elements is supplied by a constant bias magnetic field generated by added magnets on the stator member to improve the sensing characteristics of the controller. In addition, a spring sheet member is assembled between surfaces of the rotor and stator members to afford appropriate feeling and handling for operation of the lever.