Movable Magnet Actuates Resistor Through Housing Or Partition Patents (Class 338/12)
  • Patent number: 11817278
    Abstract: A magnetic type keyswitch includes an actuating member and a switch unit. The actuating member is movable in response to a pressing force. The switch unit includes a circuit board, a Hall sensor electrically connected to the circuit board, and a magnet spaced apart from the Hall sensor by a fixed distance. When the pressing force is not applied, the magnet enables the Hall sensor to output a first voltage, and when the pressing force is applied, the actuating member moves relative to the magnet and the Hall sensor in response to the pressing force, so that the Hall sensor outputs a second voltage different from the first voltage, and the magnetic type keyswitch generates a triggering signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: DARFON ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Da-Shan Hsu, Shao-Lun Hsiao, Chen Yang, Yu-Chun Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9568092
    Abstract: A device is mounted with a capability for angular movement in a mounting unit, the movement being detected by an element that is able to send electrical signals within a processing unit. The element consist of a single 2D Hall-effect sensor able to measure the rotations of the magnetic field, the sensor being mounted in close proximity to a dual magnet to measure two rotations of the lever in two planes, each corresponding to the P, R, N, D and M+, M and M? positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: DURA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS SAS
    Inventors: Hugues Derouet, Dominique Beaufils
  • Publication number: 20140077922
    Abstract: A contactless potentiometer includes a shaft and a magnet rotatable together with the shaft and detects a rotational angle of the shaft corresponding to a change in magnetic fields caused by the rotation of the magnet, the magnet being held in a tip end portion of the shaft. The potentiometer includes a cover member attached to a housing at a tip end side of the shaft and arranged to define a closed sensor area between the cover member and the housing, and a circuit board mounted to the cover member at a side of the sensor area in a perpendicular or substantially perpendicular relationship with the shaft. The cover member includes a recess portion arranged on a surface of the cover member facing the circuit board, the recess portion cooperating with the circuit board to define a component-mounting spare space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: NIDEC SERVO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro HORIGUCHI, Masaru YAMANOI
  • Patent number: 6909353
    Abstract: A multi-directional control device comprising a base (1) on which is mounted a stick (2) which is maintained in a non-active central position by elastic means (3) and which can be manually inclined to any orientation around said non-active central position against the force of said elastic means (3). Four hall effect sensors (4) are associated with said base (1) and one magnet (5) attached to said stick (2). The Hall effect sensors (4) are adapted to issue a signal in response to the variations in magnetic field produced by the movement of said magnet (5) when the stick (2) is inclined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Industrias Lorenzo, S.A.
    Inventors: Nuria Lorenzo Riera, Ricardo Romero Herrera
  • Patent number: 6879240
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint with integrated angle sensor for a motor vehicle, especially for the chassis of the motor vehicle is created. The ball-and-socket joint has a ball-and-socket joint housing (6) provided with a joint opening (7), a ball pivot (1) having a joint ball (2) and a pin (3), which is mounted, with its joint ball (2), rotatably and pivotably in a hollow-ball-shaped bearing surface in the ball-and-socket joint housing (6), and projects, with its pin (3), through the joint opening (7) out of the ball-and-socket joint housing (6). A two-pole field transducer (5) is provided at the end of the joint ball (2) facing away from the pin (3). The poles of the field transducer (5) are arranged on the ball surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Lenförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Jochen Kruse
  • Patent number: 6874224
    Abstract: A three phase transformer circuit is provided that includes a supply side, wherein the supply side is selectably configurable, via the use of se of terminal boards, between a delta connection and a wye connection at a time of use and, a load side, wherein the load side is selectably configurable between a delta connection and a wye connection at the time of use. The three-phase transformer also provides for selecting an input voltage, from multiple input voltages, via the sets of terminal boards, at the time of use, and for selecting an output voltage for the supply side, from multiple output voltage, at the time of use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Waukesha Electric Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajendra Ahuja, Joseph Nguyen, Mostafa Jafarnia
  • Patent number: 6867680
    Abstract: A dual magnet Hall effect switch for contactless switching is provided. The Hall effect switch includes a magnet carriage and a Hall effect sensor positioned inside a switch housing. The magnet carriage includes two magnets positioned with opposite polarities facing the Hall effect sensor and in contact. When the switch is actuated, the magnet carriage is displaced within the switch housing and relative to the Hall effect sensor. The two magnets positioned inside the magnet carriage are also displaced. The positional displacement of the magnets relative to the Hall effect sensor alters the magnetic field detected by the Hall effect sensor. When the magnetic field detected by the Hall effect sensor reaches a predetermined level, the switch is actuated. The Hall effect switch also includes a boot seal sealing the switch and an internal clicker ball to provide an audible or tactile indication of the switch's actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Otto Controls Division, Otto Engineering, INC
    Inventor: Roger K. Kulle
  • Publication number: 20040263312
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electromechanical switch arrangement, having at least one contact 7 that is movable relative to one or more other contacts 8, 9 within the switch, and further comprising a variably resistive material 20. The variably resistive material 20 being arranged such that as the contacts 7, 8, 9 move from an open condition to a closed condition, a force is applied to the variably resistive material 20 to provide a current flow path through the switch before the contacts 7, 8, 9 are in electrical contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Brian Johnson, Romain Henri Gabriel Anguila
  • Patent number: 6812435
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention an operating device for a glass ceramic hob (25) can be provided and has an operating unit (11). The operating unit (11) has a rotary toggle (12), which is magnetically mounted on a glass ceramic hob (25). A bearing device (13) below the glass ceramic hob has guide magnets (15), which form a magnetically acting guide link, which permits both a rotary movement (R) and a linear movement (L) of the rotary toggle (12). The rotary toggle (12) has signalling magnets (19) along its outer circumference and with them are associated beneath the hob (25) Hall sensors (21). Further Hall sensors (22) are positioned between the guide magnets (15). A random movement (R, L) of the rotary toggle (12) can be detected with the Hall sensors (21, 22). The operating unit (11) can be removed. The glass ceramic hob (25) requires no openings or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventor: Wilfried Schilling
  • Patent number: 6667682
    Abstract: An integrated dual-purpose sensor is shown. The dual-purpose sensor in one embodiment of the present invention includes a full Wheatstone bridge or a half Wheatstone bridge providing two output measurements. Specifically, the Wheatstone bridge provides two output measurements that are utilized to determine a temperature sensor reading and a magnetic sensor reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Hong Wan, Lakshman S. Withanawasam
  • Patent number: 6639544
    Abstract: An actuator, a vehicle mounted radar device, and an automobile drive control system that employ a non-contact type potentiometer to detect a rotation angle of a rotary shaft. The non-contact type potentiometer includes a pair of planar magnets disposed opposite and parallel with respect to each other on a U-shaped magnetic yoke, the polarities of the magnets being arranged such that approximately parallel magnetic fields are formed around a magnetic detection element that is retained on a support shaft connected to a rotary shaft on an actuator, and can freely rotate relative to the stationary member. By rotating the rotary shaft on the actuator, a change in the output from the magnetic detection element occurs, thus allowing a rotation angle of the rotary shaft to be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke Yamada, Takeshi Okuda, Akira Inui
  • Patent number: 6175296
    Abstract: The potentiometer of the present invention includes at least a pair of giant magnetoresistive effect elements, in which the giant magnetoresistive effect elements to be paired are formed on a substrate in a state that the elements are connected mutually electrically with the orientations of magnetization axes of the pinned magnetic layers facing 180° opposite each other, and a magnetic coding member is rotatably provided to face the giant magnetoresistive effect elements on the substrate, the magnetic coding member is disposed in such a manner that the center of rotation of the magnetic coding member passes through an intermediate position of the giant magnetoresistive effect elements to be paired, and the magnetic coding member has at least two magnetic poles formed along the direction of rotation of itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichirou Tokunaga, Seiji Kikuchi, Yoshito Sasaki, Takashi Hatanai
  • Patent number: 5237304
    Abstract: A magnetically sensitive switch is provided with an electromagnetic interference shield molded within the housing of the switch. In one embodiment, the magnetically sensitive switch is a vane switch for use in an automobile ignition system. The electromagnetic interference shield is formed by appropriately bending a flat sheet at a plurality of bend lines to form a box-like structure. The box like structure has five surfaces and one or more connection legs extending from one of the surfaces. One surface of the box-like structure also serves as a potting dam when a potting material is deposited into the cavity formed by the five surfaces during the process by which internal components are potted within the cavity of the EMI shield. The vane switch also includes a magnet encapsulated within its housing structure and spaced apart from the magnetically sensitive device within the EMI shield by a predetermined gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Gall
  • Patent number: 5231508
    Abstract: A signaling gauge may utilize a magnetically actuated variable resistor made up of a plurality of noncaptivating, magnetically actuated switch elements, each of which is mounted in an influence zone of a path of a magnet carried on an arm of a condition sensor such as a gauge movement. The arm may be an indicating pointer of the gauge. The gauge may alternatively utilize a magnetically-sensitive, variable-resistance element in a contactless arrangement with a magnet. The variable resistance element may include a plurality of noncaptivating, magnetically actuated switch elements and associated resistors mounted in an influence zone of a path of a magnet. The contactless arrangement eliminates the need for electromechanical contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Inventor: Frank W. Murphy, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5144274
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an improvement of a sealed variable resistor including a variable resistor and an arm member attached to a shaft of the variable resistor enclosed in a sealing container, and rotatably supporting a dial knob about a shaft outside the sealing container such that when the dial knob is energized, the arm member moves in association by virtue of magnetic force. The reliability and operability of such a sealed variable resistor are extremely improved by forming the arm member and dial knob into a circular plate, and attaching to the arm member and dial knob at least two magnet pairs apart from each other. These render the sealed variable resistor very useful in various electrical devices which may be exposed to moisture when in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Ken Hayashibara
    Inventor: Kazumi Masaki
  • Patent number: 4960125
    Abstract: Disclosed is a novel device for low-frequency electrotherapy wherein a moisture proof variable resistor is used to control the output level of a low-frequency diphasic action potential circuit. The diphasic circuit produces a voltage having a pulse width of 0.1 to 10 seconds and a frequency off 10 to 300 Hertz superimposed on the voltage having a pulse interval of 0.1 to 10 seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Ken Hayashibara
    Inventor: Kazumi Masaki
  • Patent number: 4812804
    Abstract: Disclosed is a novel controller for electric devices directed to use in bath, comprising a moisture- and waterproof container that encloses the main part of an electric device; a magnet movably provided outside the container; a switch means provided inside the container, the switch means being operable by moving a movable piece; and a magnetic body equipped to the movable piece in correspondence with the moving route of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: Ken Hayashibara
    Inventor: Kazumi Masaki
  • Patent number: 4644315
    Abstract: In a push-button switch, the switch element is a cantilever (2) of thin silicon strain gauge material with a small magnet (1), e.g. of samarium cobalt alloy at its free end. Adjacent to the free end there is an annular magnet (3), e.g. of plastics material impregnated with samarium cobalt alloy, on the push rod (4) of the switch. The annular magnet (3) is so poled that movement of the rod (4) causes, due to magnetic forces, the deflection of the silicon strain gauge to give an electrical output.The return force, plus collapse action, is provided by a soft iron collar (5) on the switch structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1987
    Assignee: International Standard Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Hodges
  • Patent number: 4578624
    Abstract: A speed setting arrangement for a sewing machine comprises a permanent magnet mounted for unitary rotation with the foot pedal of the sewing machine, and a magnetic sensor including a plurality of magnetoresistors arranged in pairs to form a bridge circuit on a stationary plane spaced a distance from the plane of rotation of the magnet. The magnetic sensor provides an output signal which is exclusively a function of the magnetic orientation of the magnet and thus serves as a valid indication of the amount of pedal depression. An analog to digital converter is coupled to the magnetic sensor to convert its output into a digital signal for speed control purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1986
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Neki, Nozomu Shinozaki, Takashi Dohi