Abstract: A non-contact type potentiometer with high resolution of rotation amount detection applicable to endlessly multiple rotations. The potentiometer has an endlessly rotatable first shaft, a first detection unit that magnetically detects a rotation angle of the first shaft in a non-contact manner, an endlessly rotatable second shaft, a second detection unit that magnetically detects a rotation angle of the second shaft in a non-contact manner, a transmission unit that decreases the speed of the rotation of the first shaft and transmits the rotation to the second shaft, and an output unit that outputs an electric signal proportional to a rotation amount of the first shaft based on detection signals from the first detection unit and the second detection unit.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant sensing system that includes at least one sensor and at least one sensor assembly. The sensor assembly has a base and an upper slide member supported for movement toward and away from the base wherein the sensor is operable to detect movement of the upper slide member toward and away from the base. The vehicle occupant sensing system also includes at least one contamination barrier member operatively attached to the upper slide member and at least partially shielding the sensor assembly to decrease contamination of the sensor assembly. The vehicle occupant sensing system may be employed in a vehicle seat to detect a condition of the vehicle seat.

Abstract: Resistive elements include a patterned region of nanofabric having a predetermined area, where the nanofabric has a selected sheet resistance; and first and second electrical contacts contacting the patterned region of nanofabric and in spaced relation to each other. The resistance of the element between the first and second electrical contacts is determined by the selected sheet resistance of the nanofabric, the area of nanofabric, and the spaced relation of the first and second electrical contacts. The bulk resistance is tunable.

Abstract: A touch sensor is physically integrated with a light emitting device to provide a switching device with built-in backlighting. In some embodiments, the touch sensor and the light emitting device share electrical components.

Abstract: A platform of the type holding a plurality of normally-open electric switches in position for activation of a selected individual switch by application of a force in a direction normal to a surface of the switch by a portion of a human body. An exemplary platform according to the invention forms a dance platform on which a user steps to activate switches in accordance with instructions viewed on a video display device. A joining structure may by used to hold two platforms in a side-by-side competition arrangement. A security vault may be affixed to structure associated with platform to resist theft of a commercially available game controller adapted to operate the video display and to receive switch input from a platform. Certain aspects of the invention include one or more, typically inert, practice platforms structured to represent the user interface surface of an activatable platform. A method for using a system of active and inert platforms is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are a zinc oxide resistor structure, and methods of forming a glass layer and a resistor, which are required for producing the resistor structure. The zinc oxide resistor comprises zinc oxide grains and an oxide glass layer which contains bismuth and boron and intervenes between the zinc oxide grains. The oxide glass layer residing between the zinc oxide grains changes the electric properties between the grains to achieve a higher resistance and a non-ohmic characteristic of a voltage-dependent resistance value in the resistor. This non-ohmic characteristic can be applied, particularly, to a non-ohmic device to be compatible with a low-voltage operation. Differently from conventional resistors, the oxide glass layer intervening between the zinc oxide grains can achieve an enhanced mechanical strength of a junction in the device.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and method utilizing magnetoelectric materials such as Cr2O3 to construct tunneling magnetoresistence and/or giant magnetoresistence structures for memory and/or logical circuitry. An applied voltage differential induces a magnetic moment in the magnetoelectric material, which in turn tunes an exchange field between it and one or more adjacent ferromagnetic layers. The resulting magnetoresistence of the device may be measured. Devices in accordance with the present invention may be utilized for MRAM read heads, memory storage cells and/or logical circuitry such as XOR or NXOR devices.

Abstract: A switch comprises a first wafer having a thin-film structure defined thereon, a second wafer having a plurality of features defined therein, and a seal between the first wafer and the second wafer forming a two-wafer structure having a liquid metal microswitch defined therebetween.

Abstract: A miniature circuit breaker includes an elastic contact piece to contact with two terminals of a circuit, thereby electrically connecting the circuit. One end of the elastic contact piece fixed to a terminal is a fixed end, and the other end of the elastic contact piece is a free end. The portion of the elastic contact piece close to the fixed end is bended to form an elastic curved section, which is capable of deforming and resuming an original state after deformation. Because of the elastic curved section, the elastic contact piece is capable of deforming, deflecting, and resuming the original state after deformation. Therefore, the length and size of the elastic contact piece can be reduced, and the circuit breaker is miniaturized.

Abstract: A platform of the type holding a plurality of normally-open electric switches in position for activation of a selected individual switch by application of a force in a direction normal to a surface of the switch by a portion of a human body. An exemplary platform according to the invention forms a dance platform on which a user steps to activate switches in accordance with instructions viewed on a video display device. A joining structure may by used to hold two platforms in a side-by-side competition arrangement. A security vault may be affixed to structure associated with platform to resist theft of a commercially available game controller adapted to operate the video display and to receive switch input from a platform. Certain aspects of the invention include one or more, typically inert, practice platforms structured to represent the user interface surface of an activatable platform. A method for using a system of active and inert platforms is also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrical device which comprises first and second laminar electrodes and a laminar PTC resistive element sandwiched between them, the device comprising (a) a main portion which comprises a main part of the first electrode, a main part of the second electrode, and a main part of the resistive element; and (b) a first connection leg which extends away from the main portion and which comprises a first leg part of the first electrode which is integral with the main part of the first electrode, and a first leg part of the resistive element which is integral with the main part of the resistive element. Such devices can be secured to circuit boards in a variety of ways, and to elastically deformed terminals. Preferably preferred devices contain two laminar electrodes, with a PTC element between them, and a cross-conductor which passes through the thickness of the device and contacts one only of the two electrodes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a chip resistor using a material substrate for which are set a plurality of first cutting lines extending in a first direction and a plurality of second cutting lines extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The method includes an upper electrode forming step A for forming a thick upper conductor layer on the upper surface of the substrate by printing and baking a metal organic paste, a lower electrode forming step B for forming a thick lower conductor layer on the lower surface of the substrate by printing and baking metal organic paste, and a resistor element forming step C for forming a thin resistor layer by depositing a resistor material on the upper surface of the substrate. Preferably, the upper and the lower surfaces of the material substrate are flat.

Abstract: An over-current protection device comprises two metal foils and a PTC material layer laminated between the two metal foils. The PTC material layer essentially comprises a polymer matrix and a conductive filler. The polymer matrix at least comprises a first crystalline polymer, e.g., LDPE, and a second crystalline polymer, e.g., PVDF, in which the melting temperature of the second crystalline polymer subtracting the melting temperature of the first crystalline polymer is equal to or more than 50° C. The conductive filler is selected from metallic grain of a volumetric resistivity less than 500 ??-cm, and is distributed in the polymer matrix. The initial volumetric resistivity of the PTC material layer is less than 0.1?-cm, and the trip temperature of the PTC material layer at which the resistance thereof increases to 1000 times the initial resistance subtracting the melting temperature of the first crystalline polymer is less than 15° C.

Abstract: A probe body (200) includes a middle closing portion (250) formed upright on a connector front portion (261A) and a female thread (261D) into which a male screw (110) is screwed. A sensor module (300) includes a slidable-contact portion (322) that slidably contacts with the connector front portion (261A), a pressing member (321) that is pressed against the middle closing portion (250) and an insertion hole (325). The insertion hole (325) has a widened portion (325B) that is inclined in such a manner that a distance between an opening on the pressing portion (321) side, the opening positioned on a screw-hole-forming-portion end surface (324), and the pressing portion (321) gradually becomes larger toward the slidable-contact portion (322) side. The insertion hole (325) has a diameter larger than that of the male screw (110).

Abstract: A multilayer PTC thermistor reliably decreases the resistance by decreasing the thickness of ceramic layers composed of a BaTiO3 semiconductor ceramic and achieves a resistance close to the resistance calculated from the multilayer structure. The thermistor is adjusted to satisfy the conditions 5?X?18 and 4?X·Y?10, wherein X is a thickness (?m) of each ceramic layer disposed between adjacent internal electrodes and Y is a donor content (%) in the barium titanate semiconductor ceramic constituting the ceramic layers, Y being expressed in terms of (number of donor atoms/number of Ti atoms)×100.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure including multiple thin film resistors having different sheet resistances and TCRs includes a first oxide layer (2) formed on a semiconductor substrate (1), a first thin film resistor (3) disposed on the first oxide layer (2), and a second oxide layer (14) disposed over the first oxide layer (2) and first thin film resistor (3). A second thin film resistor (15) is formed on the second oxide layer (14) and a third oxide layer (16) is formed over the second thin film resistor (15) and the second oxide layer (14). Interconnect metallization elements (12A,B & 22A,B) disposed on at least one of the second (14) and third (16) oxide layers electrically contact the circuit element (4), terminals of the first thin film resistor (3), and terminals of the second thin film resistor (15), respectively, through corresponding contact openings through at least one of the second (14) and third (16) oxide layers.

Abstract: Chemical sensors for detecting analytes in a fluid is disclosed. The chemical sensors include chemically sensitive resistors that utilize carbon nanotubes as a chemically sensitive element. The disclosed sensors additionally utilize polymers which selectively alter or inhibit the chemical sensitivity of the carbon nanotubes. Methods of preparing the sensors as well as methods of their use are also disclosed.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system includes a mechanical actuator having a first member configured to engage a contact block to move a contact slide for a first distance between open and closed positions of an electrical contact pair. The mechanical actuator also has a second member configured to engage an auxiliary device to move an actuator for a second distance between first and second positions, wherein the first and second distances are substantially different from one another.

Abstract: An input key to which a plurality of information elements to be inputted are assigned, comprises: a key top to be pushed; and detecting means for detecting a push on the key top and for, when detecting the push on the key top, detecting a relative displacement of the key top from a predetermined reference position.

Abstract: A capacitive humidity sensor includes: a humidity sensing element; a substrate; and an insulation film. The humidity sensing element includes a pair of comb-shape electrodes and a humidity sensitive film. The comb-shape electrodes are surrounded by a dam provided by a part of the insulation film. The insulation film on the comb-shape electrodes has a first height. The part of the insulation film on the dam has a second height higher than the first height. The humidity sensitive film has a height equal to or lower than the second height, and is disposed inside of the dam. The dam further includes a first ring pattern made of a same material as the comb-shape electrodes.