Abstract: A vehicle occupant sensing system for detecting a condition of a vehicle seat assembly that includes at least one base and at least one upper slide member supported for movement toward and away from the base. The upper slide member is movable in response to the condition of the vehicle seat assembly. The vehicle occupant sensing system further includes at least one biasing member for biasing the upper slide member away from the base. At least one of the base and the upper slide member includes at least one retention member that is adapted for retaining the biasing member. The vehicle occupant sensing system may be employed in a vehicle seat to detect a condition of the vehicle seat.

Abstract: An operating device for a household appliance is formed with an aperture, and an operating element is guided through an assembly hole in the aperture. A plurality of light sources in the operating element, indicate the operational state of the household appliance. The information content is increased with the plurality of light sources that indicate at least two mutually different operational states of the household appliance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a control panel assembly for a washing machine, which provides an improved structure enabling a knob smoothly to rotate without making noise. The present invention includes a board having a switch and parts mounted thereon, a control panel installed at one side of a cabinet of the washing machine to cover the board to protect, and a knob connected to the switch to penetrate the control panel wherein a rear end is partially contacted with a backside of the control panel.

Abstract: A control panel assembly is disclosed for making it easy to manipulate buttons of home appliances, the control panel including at least one LED connected to a circuit board for selectively emitting light, a switch connected to the circuit board and provided adjacent to the LED for controlling a home appliance, a control panel provided in front of the LED and having at least one first hole, and at least one elastic button coupled with an edge of the first hole for selectively coming into contact with the switch in response to a user pressing the button, the elastic button having a pushing member including a first light-transmitting part for transmitting therethrough light emitted from the LED.

Abstract: A saw switch box includes a supporting base resting on a switch platform, a switch shelter pivotally connected to the supporting base to define a sheltering cavity between the switch shelter and the supporting base for receiving a switch member, and a locking device for locking the switch shelter on the supporting base at the idle position. In which, at an operation position, the switch shelter is pivotally folded to a position that a contacting side of the switch shelter is adapted for contacting with the switch member to protectively shelter the switch member within the sheltering cavity in position while the saw machine is operating, and at the idle position, an operation side of the switch shelter is pressed to force the contacting side thereof for pivotally pressing the switch member downward to switch off the saw machine.

Abstract: A high voltage over-current protection device includes a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) electrically conductive heat-dissipation layer and two metal electrodes. The PTC electrically conductive heat-dissipation layer includes at least one polymer, an electrically conductive filler, and a heat conductive filler. Due to the high thermal conductivity of the heat conductive filler (with a coefficient of thermal conductivity higher than 1 W/mK), the high voltage over-current protection device has a high thermal conduction characteristic, and the withstand voltage thereof can be substantially uniformly distributed in the PTC electrically conductive heat-dissipation layer to enhance its high voltage withstanding characteristic.

Abstract: A variable resistance device comprises a resistive member having a resistive resilient material. A first conductor is configured to be electrically coupled with the resistive member at a first contact location over a first contact area. A second conductor is configured to be electrically coupled with the resistance member at a second contact location over a second contact area. The first contact location and second contact location are spaced from one another by a distance. The resistance between the first conductor at the first contact location and the second conductor at the second contact location is equal to the sum of a straight resistance component and a parallel path resistance component. At least one of the first location, the second location, the first contact area, and the second contact area is changed to produce a change in resistance between the first conductor and the second conductor.

Abstract: A controller for selectively adjusting a power seat includes a seat adjuster including a base panel, a stepped panel extending laterally from a surface of the base panel, selector areas inclined with respect to and extending between the base panel and the stepped panel and along at least a portion of a periphery of the stepped panel. Multiple spaced depressions are formed on an outer surface of the selector areas. A contactless sensor is secured to an inner surface of the selector areas at each a depression, each sensor selectively producing a signal representing a seat adjustment function.

Abstract: An electrical device for low-voltage applications that comprises at least one fixed contact designed to connect to a corresponding mobile contact; the electrical device also comprises at least one module, on which said fixed contact is housed, and the module is operatively connected to a structural part of the device and is at least partially separable from said structural part.

Abstract: A trip bar is provided for an electrical switching apparatus, such as a circuit breaker. The circuit breaker includes a housing, an operating mechanism, and a number of accessories installable within the housing. At least one of the accessories has an actuator, such as a stem. The trip bar includes an elongated pivot member having a first end pivotably coupled to the operating mechanism, a second end disposed opposite and distal from the first end, and at least one protrusion extending outwardly from the elongated pivot member between the first and second ends. Such protrusion is actuatable by the stem to pivot the elongated pivot member. A deflecting mechanism, such as a cam surface, is disposed at or about the second end of the elongated pivot member. When such one of the accessories is being installed within the housing, the stem deflects the cam surface to facilitate insertion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved thin touch switch that includes a penetrating hole disposed on a plastic body and proximate to an exposed end of a metal component of a terminal and a high heat resisting and waterproof plastic material filled and sealed at the penetrating hole, such that when pins of the metal components of the touch switch are soldered to a printed circuit board, the plastic material used for sealing and combining the metal components and the plastic body can totally block the cleaning solution from entering from the joint that connects the metal components and the plastic body during the soldering process and can prevent possible short circuits to the metal components of the terminal, so as to effectively improve the life expectancy and safety of the touch switch.

Abstract: An over-current protection device comprises two metal foils and a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material layer. The PTC material layer is sandwiched between the two metal foils and comprises plural crystalline polymers with at least one polymer melting point below 115° C., and a non-oxide electrically conductive ceramic powder. The non-oxide electrically conductive ceramic powder exhibits a certain particle size distribution. The PTC material layer has a resistivity below 0.1 ?-cm. The initial resistance of the device is below 20 m?, and the area of the PTC material layer is below 30 mm2. The over-current protection device exhibits a surface temperature below 100° C. under the trip state of over-current protection.

Abstract: A metal dome switch assembly with a good snap ratio and having a desired click characteristic near to that of an isolated metal dome includes a carrier base layer and adhesive layer which have a plurality of holes bounded by annular sections which engage the lower outer surfaces of the domes and are larger than the keypad actuation posts, at positions corresponding to fixed contact points on a circuit board. The switch array is especially important in cell phone designs where the snap ratio, tactile feel, is desirable. The switch array can also incorporate an electroluminescent (EL) lamp while still improving the snap ratio.

Abstract: A circuit element has a substrate layer with first and second faces. A conductive first layer overlays the first surface, and a conductive second layer overlays the second surface. The first layer defines a pattern with a trimmable portion. The second layer defines a pattern having a first conductive element registered with at least a portion of the trimmable portion, and a second conductive element electrically isolated from first element and encompassing the first element. The second element may be a ground plane that has an aperture surrounding the first component, which serves as a shield to prevent damage to any elements beyond the second layer.

Abstract: A chip resistor includes a resistor element in the form of a chip, and at least two electrodes formed on the resistor element. The resistor element includes an upper surface, a lower surface, and two end surfaces extending between the upper and the lower surfaces and spaced from each other. The two electrodes are provided on the lower surface of the resistor element. Each of the end surfaces of the resistor element is formed with a conductor film integrally connected to a corresponding one of the electrodes. The conductor film is made of copper, for example, and is higher in solder-wettability than the resistor element.

Abstract: A variable resistor includes a reduction rotation transmission mechanism including a plurality of gears for transmitting rotation of an operating member, a resistance member including a rotary member for varying resistance, and a rotation transmission member for rotating the rotary member. A plate-shaped clutch is disposed between the rotation transmission member and a geared wheel disposed at a termination end of the reduction rotation transmission mechanism, so that a clutch mechanism is formed. The transmission of the rotation of the rotation transmission member is performed and the rotation of the rotation transmission member is stopped by the clutch mechanism.

Abstract: A keyboard for an electronic device that incorporates a flexible carrier for the keys. The flexible carrier has cutouts or slots that aid in decoupling the actions of one from its neighbors. Moreover, in addition to or instead of cutouts or slots, the flexible carrier optionally has cutouts around its outer perimeter. In some embodiments, the keys are molded as part of the flexible carrier. In other embodiments, the keys are attached to or inserted in the flexible carrier during manufacture. Various embodiments of the invention employ various key shapes to aid the user's tactile experience while typing.

Abstract: A collapsible keyboard comprises a first key assembly, a second key assembly rotatably connected to the first key assembly and a third key assembly rotatably connected to the second key assembly. The first key assembly is located between the second and third key assemblies when the collapsible keyboard is in a collapsed mode, and the first key assembly, the second and third key assemblies are substantially located on the same level when the collapsible keyboard is in an operating mode.

Abstract: A preferred varistor body 2 has a structure of alternately laminated internal electrode layer 12 and varistor layer 14. The varistor layer 14 has a composition containing ZnO as the main component, and Co, Pr, and Zr as the auxiliary components. An analysis of the varistor body 2 in the depth direction from the surface thereof satisfies the formula (1) and (2): 0.4×Z1/Z0+0.5?P1/P0?0.4×Z1/Z0+0.9??(1) 1<Z1/Z0<2.2??(2) where, Z0 is the Zr content at a reference depth where the Zr content becomes almost constant, Z1 is the Zr content at a level of 2 ?m at the surface side above the reference depth, P0 is the Pr content at the reference depth, and P1 is the Pr content at a level of 2 ?m at the surface side above the reference depth.

Abstract: A pressure transducer assembly including: a pressure sensor header; a transducer assembly member; and a joining arrangement disposed at an interface of the header and the transducer assembly member, for joining the header with the transducer assembly member, the joining arrangement including: a recessed female joining element formed in one of the header and the transducer assembly member; and a protruding male joining element formed on the other of the header and the transducer assembly member, the male joining element received in the female joining element.