Abstract: A universal controller having a housing is provided. The housing includes a first curved segment and a second curved segment, the first curved segment located on a first side of the housing and the second curved segment located on an opposite, second side of the housing, the first curved segment and the second curved segment symmetrical in shape and begin from a front surface of the housing and end at a rear surface of the housing enabling a user to grip a first side wall at a rear side of the housing and a second side wall at the rear side of the housing; and a cavity created at a bottom segment of the housing, the bottom segment coupled to a bottom support structure for receiving a first battery and a second battery to provide power to a plurality of electronic components of the universal controller.

Abstract: A joystick controller in two-dimensional and one-dimensional versions. The 2-D version employs a unitary sensor surface structure having eight surface-mounted or deposited strain gauges configured as two full bridges or four surface-mounted or deposited strain gauges configured as two half bridges, one for the X direction and one for the Y direction. This unique strain gauge layout design permits a new level of mechanical simplicity not heretofore available in joystick controllers. There are essentially no moving parts to wear out. An elongated post or lever is, in the preferred embodiment, mechanically coupled to the sensor surface structure by a pair of co-axial robust coil springs to provide a psychologically appealing physical motion of the lever during activation of the joystick controller. In the 1-D version, a rotatable cam element is positioned between parallel elongated leaf springs. The cam element is positioned at one end of the springs.

Abstract: A computer controller configured to meet the environmental and physical requirements that are encountered in gaming or by military personnel. The controller provides a display, cursor movement control devices and a plurality of switches, joysticks and the like for responding to display-generated functions such as icons for selecting programs. This embodiment is hard wired to the remaining components of a full computer system. Such components would normally be contained in the same housing or be carried by a user in a backpack or mounted on waistbelts or other body-supported wearables. In another embodiment, an attachable version of the controller is used to transform an existing portable computer such as a tablet or the like. The controller is configured to be attached to the portable computer to provide trigger switches, joysticks, push buttons and the like for a more rugged or gaming configuration.

Abstract: A computer mouse controller that employs a joystick-style cursor control mechanism. This cursor control mechanism employs a plurality of strain transducers affixed to a substrate to which a vertical mechanical post is attached. The upper free end of the post may be mechanically coupled to a shell shaped as a body of revolution such as a hemispheric-shaped shell. The mechanical coupling between the post and the ball-shaped shell may be a hard unyielding attachment or an intermediate compliant device such as a spring or rubber-like member to permit some limited movement of the ball-shaped shell relative to the post. The strain transducers are preferably arranged and connected in a bridge or half bridge configuration in two orthogonal axes. The application of a horizontally directed force to the free end of the post, imparts strain (tension or compression) to the transducers in the bridge depending upon the direction, thereby altering the impedance of the transducers along respective axes.

Abstract: A bearing rotor thrust sensor assembly is provided for being secured to a bearing housing having a plurality of fingers extending between a pair of opposite portions of the housing. The assembly includes a first anchor member including a first cleat and configured to couple to a first housing portion of the pair of opposite housing portions, a second anchor member including a second cleat and configured to couple to a second of the pair of opposite housing portions, and a head sensor bracket positioned at least partially between the first and second anchor members. The head sensor bracket includes a load cell including a bridge circuit for producing a signal representative of forces on said cell.

Abstract: A bearing rotor thrust sensor assembly is provided for being secured to a bearing housing having a plurality of fingers extending between a pair of opposite portions of the housing. The assembly includes a first anchor member including a first cleat and configured to couple to a first housing portion of the pair of opposite housing portions, a second anchor member including a second cleat and configured to couple to a second of the pair of opposite housing portions, and a head sensor bracket positioned at least partially between the first and second anchor members. The head sensor bracket includes a load cell including a bridge circuit for producing a signal representative of forces on said cell.

Abstract: A joystick controller in two-dimensional and one-dimensional versions. The 2-D version employs a unitary sensor surface structure having eight surface-mounted or deposited strain gauges configured as two full bridges or four surface-mounted or deposited strain gauges configured as two half bridges, one for the X direction and one for the Y direction. This unique strain gauge layout design permits a new level of mechanical simplicity not heretofore available in joystick controllers. There are essentially no moving parts to wear out. An elongated post or lever is, in the preferred embodiment, mechanically coupled to the sensor surface structure by a pair of co-axial robust coil springs to provide a psychologically appealing physical motion of the lever during activation of the joystick controller. In the 1-D version, a rotatable cam element is positioned between parallel elongated leaf springs. The cam element is positioned at one end of the springs.

Abstract: A bearing rotor thrust sensor assembly is provided for being secured to a bearing housing having a plurality of fingers extending between a pair of opposite portions of the housing. The assembly includes a first anchor member including a first cleat and configured to couple to a first housing portion of the pair of opposite housing portions, a second anchor member including a second cleat and configured to couple to a second of the pair of opposite housing portions, and a head sensor bracket positioned at least partially between the first and second anchor members. The head sensor bracket includes a load cell including a bridge circuit for producing a signal representative of forces on said cell.

Abstract: A bearing rotor thrust sensor assembly is provided for being secured to a bearing housing having a plurality of fingers extending between a pair of opposite portions of the housing. The assembly includes a first anchor member including a first cleat and configured to couple to a first housing portion of the pair of opposite housing portions, a second anchor member including a second cleat and configured to couple to a second of the pair of opposite housing portions, and a head sensor bracket positioned at least partially between the first and second anchor members. The head sensor bracket includes a load cell including a bridge circuit for producing a signal representative of forces on said cell.

Abstract: A capacitive transducer apparatus converts mechanical force to electrical signal parameters by change of spacing between plates of a plurality of capacitors. The apparatus has two mechanical components. The first component includes an articulating member such as a post surrounded by a first capacitive plate. Means are provided for causing the articulating member to articulate responsive to user manipulation thereof, and thereafter, to return to a quiescent position. The second component includes a second capacitive plate made up of a plurality of printed metalized members disposed about the articulating member substantially parallel to the first capacitive plate. A circuit is provided for detecting respective signals from a plurality of capacitors formed by the plates, the respective signals varying in value depending on articulation of the articulating member which alters the capacitance of the respective capacitors depending on the direction and magnitude of an applied force.

Abstract: A washer having a plurality of strain gauges, at least one of which is positioned on a portion of the washer subjected to axial force and at least one of which is positioned on a portion of the washer not subjected to axial force. In a preferred embodiment, each such washer portion has two strain gauges and the total of four strain gauges are connected into a common bridge circuit. In the preferred embodiment the portion of the washer not subjected to axial force is a wedge partially cut into the washer structure and shortened axially to form a gap between the wedge and a surface abutting the washer. In this manner, axial force applied to the washer is not applied to the wedge. The resulting strain gauge configuration provides an electrical signal indication of axial stress that is high resolution and temperature insensitive.

Abstract: A shaft encoder providing a pulsed output signal with rotation of a shaft, the number of pulses being dependent upon a shaft-mounted gear and its number of teeth. In a preferred embodiment, a piezo film element is mounted in intimate contact with a spring element, the latter being positioned to engage the teeth of the gear. When the shaft rotates, the gear rotates as well. The gear teeth cause the spring element to be displaced and then return to a nominal position for each tooth. Accordingly, given a sufficient number of regularly spaced teeth around the gear, a relatively high resolution pulsed signal is generated as the shaft rotates. The piezo film element generates electrical pulses due to the mechanical displacement of the spring element to which the film is in contact. Thus, no electrical power source is required to generate the pulses. Moreover, because of the simplicity of the invention, size scaling is readily available.

Abstract: An improved force transducer which may, for example, be used as a joystick control for computer display control. Co-planar strain gauges are configured for response to forces applied in each of three orthogonal directions. A post and underlying ceramic substrate, the latter having the strain gauges mounted thereon, are mounted to a printed circuit board by means of a conductive epoxy or solder in a gap between the substrate and the circuit board. A retainer may be used to limit the extent of post displacement in X and Y directions to prevent damage to the assembly from forces which would otherwise exceed the physical limits thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the post and underlying substrate are implemented as a unitary ceramic body. In another embodiment, ballast or trim resistors for balancing the output of the transducer, are located under the post. In yet another embodiment the metal paths or traces which connect to the strain gauges, follow a unique arrangement to avoid crossing over each other.

Abstract: A force transducer includes an elongated lever arm attached to a substrate having a central portion and substantially planar tab regions that project outwardly from the central portion along first and second orthogonal force-detecting axes. The substrate undergoes localized strain approximately at the junctions of the tab regions and the central portion when an external force is applied to the free end of the lever arm. A thick film strain gauge material is screen printed directly onto the substrate in at least a first location and a second location and conductive pads on the substrate are electrically coupled to the thick film strain gauge material at each location to define a first strain gauge oriented along the first force detecting axis and a second strain gauge oriented along the second force detecting axis. The lever arm can be of a compliant construction to provide proprioreceptive feedback to a user.

Abstract: An improved force transducer which may, for example, be used as a joystick control for computer display control. Co-planar strain gauges are configured for response to forces applied in each of three orthogonal directions. A post and underlying ceramic substrate, the latter having the strain gauges mounted thereon, are mounted to a printed circuit board by means of a conductive epoxy or solder in a gap between the substrate and the circuit board. A retainer may be used to limit the extent of post displacement in X and Y directions to prevent damage to the assembly from forces which would otherwise exceed the physical limits thereof.

Abstract: A force transducer having a post connected to an underlying substrate having a plurality of strain gauges, is protected from otherwise damaging static electric discharge current using a grounding guard. The guard is preferably a flat conductive member having an aperture for receiving the post and a tab for connection to electrical ground. The guard surrounds the post and overlays the substrate to channel such current away from delicate strain gauges and other electronics. In the preferred embodiment the aperture is formed by bending up a plurality of flaps cut into the guard and bent up to receive the post in press-fit engagement.

Abstract: A resistive strain gauge pressure sensor including upper and lower housings coacting to define a pressure chamber within the housing. A board member is clamped between the housings and defines a diaphragm portion which extends across the pressure chamber to divide the pressure chamber into upper and lower chamber portions. All of the circuitry of the sensor is screen printed onto the lower planar face of the board member including the various resistor elements of the strain gauge assembly, the various elements of the conditioning circuit receiving the output of the strain gauge assembly, and the various further leads required to connect the circuitry elements to the terminals of the sensor. The sensor terminals are provided by a plurality of connector pins extending downwardly through the board member for connection at their respective lower ends to the circuitry provided on the lower face of the board member.

Abstract: A vortex meter plug for retaining an electronic support tube on a sensor and meter body. The plug secures the sensor in place by means of a plug thread. A dowel pin on the meter body prevents rotation of the sensor from the working position, and one or more set screws are directed downward to bite into the body of the sensor to prevent mutual rotation of the plug and the sensor in order to prevent accidiental release of the sensor when the pipe is under pressure.

Abstract: A one-piece unitary vortex meter body including an outer housing portion having a conduit formed therein with an inner diametrically extending generally wedge-shaped bluff body portion formed in one piece, the housing portion being formed as a relatively thin-walled tubular sleeve with first and second enlarged flange portions at opposite ends thereof, with a pair of first and second diametrically opposed and aligned integrally formed reinforcing ribs extending radially outwardly from the outer surface of the tubular sleeve and extending between the inner facing surfaces of the flange portions. On a perpendicular diameter, there is provided a thicker radially extending reinforcing rib and a relatively large diameter columnar protrusion extending radially beyond the periphery of the flange portions, the protrusion and bluff body having formed therein a receptacle for receiving therein a sensor assembly.

Abstract: A vortex meter sensor including an outer beam assembly having a receptacle formed therein for receiving therein an inner beam assembly. The outer beam assembly includes a sensor body with an integrally attached axially aligned outer cantilever beam member. The cantilever beam member has an upper tubular portion and a lower vane-shaped portion. The inner beam member is a unitary member with a flange portion for securing within a complementary portion of the receptacle, with a strain gauge beam member depending from the flange portion along with an axially aligned rod-shaped inner beam member. The inner beam member is configured for being received in spaced relation within the tubular portion of the outer beam member with the lowermost end of the inner beam member being secured to the lowermost end of the tubular portion.