Abstract: A linear-moving type displacement detector has a movable electrode disposed between a pair of stationary electrodes such a manner that the electrodes are in parallel with one another, thus forming a pair of variable capacitors. The movable electrode is movable in a direction forming an angle with the stationary electrodes while being kept parallel with the stationary electrodes, so that one of the capacitances of the two capacitors is increased with the movement of the movable electrode, while the other is decreased, and vice versa. The capacitors are coupled to oscillators, the output frequencies of the oscillators are mixed in a mixer, to provide the difference frequency therebetween, or some analogous signal which is responsive to the difference frequency. The difference frequency or the analogous signal is utilized for displacement measurement.

Abstract: An improved technique for the manufacture of capacitive touch switch panel assemblies, utilized to control appliances and the like, provides simplified construction and manufacture. The technique involves the formation of conductive touch pads on one major surface of a dielectric panel and the formation of pairs of spaced-apart conductive pads and conductive lead members to the conductive pads on a separate flexible synthetic resin sheet. The synthetic resin is bonded to the opposite major surface of the dielectric panel with each pair of conductive pads on the synthetic resin sheet in registry with a corresponding touch pad on the one major surface of the dielectric panel. The synthetic resin sheet includes a portion having a conductive lead pattern formed thereon which is not bonded to the dielectric panel; this portion serves as a flexible connector for connection of the touch panel to a circuit board or the like.

Abstract: A probe for the measurement of the level of conductive materials within a conductive vessel is disclosed which is particularly suitable for the measurement of the level of conductive granular materials such as coal or other minerals or plastics or vegetable matter which are conductive. In a preferred embodiment the probe comprises a conductive steel core covered with a layer of insulating plastic and covered further with a layer of a semi-conductive material which preferably comprises a plastic which has been partially filled with a conductive material such as carbon black. Other embodiments wherein the probe may comprise a conductive plate covered by insulation further covered by a similar semi-conductive layer are also disclosed. Reference is made to prior art disclosures of circuitry and theory which enable the use of the probe of the invention.

Abstract: An improved technique for the manufacture of capacitive touch switch panel assemblies, utilized to control appliances and the like, provides simplified construction and manufacture. The technique involves the formation of conductive touch pads on one major surface of a dielectric panel and the formation of pairs of spaced-apart conductive pads and conductive lead members to the conductive pads on a separate flexible synthetic resin sheet. The synthetic resin is bonded to the opposite major surface of the dielectric panel with each pair of conductive pads on the synthetic resin sheet in registry with a corresponding touch pad on the one major surface of the dielectric panel. The synthetic resin sheet includes a portion having a conductive lead pattern formed thereon which is not bonded to the dielectric panel; this portion serves as a flexible connector for connection of the touch panel to a circuit board or the like.

Abstract: A capacitive touch entry structure utilizes an array of at least one capacitive touch sensor fabricated upon a double-sided printed circuit board adhesively mounted upon a surface of a transparent insulative substrate. The substrate has sufficient thickness to safely insulate user personnel, contacting the substrate surface furthest from an electrode of the capacitive touch sensor, from electrical potentials present adjacent to the panel surface upon which the capacitive touch sensor is fastened. Touch sensor circuitry and interconnections may be advantageously fabricated directly upon the pair of conductive planes, sandwiching an insulative layer therebetween, to form the printed circuit portion of the structure. A conductive guard may also be disposed adjacent to the substrate to shield at least the lead portions of the touch sensors from capacitive effects.

Abstract: A rotary displacement capacitive transducer for indicating the angular position of a shaft comprises first and second cylindrical electrodes each electrode having inner and outer conducting members connected together by insulative adhesive and a part cylindrical screen mounted to the shaft is disposed between the electrodes and rotated with the shaft to vary the capacitance between the electrodes. The surfaces of the conducting members define the capacitance of the transducer.

Abstract: A control for use upon a solid panel, devoid of control shaft apertures, allows data entry by rotational positioning of a human member, such as one's finger, about a pattern of a plurality of interdigitated electrodes formed upon an interior surface of the panel. The position of the member varies the capacitance between adjacent ones of the electrodes, with position-decoding electronics energizing successive ones of the plurality of electrodes with successive phases of a master signal and recovering information relating the phase of the signal returned from the control to the position of the member. A light-emitting display may be positioned behind the panel to indicate the index of the control knob by a variable-length circular bar of light, a digitized display and the like.

Abstract: A hybrid sensor for simultaneously sensing pressure and temperature in non-interacting manner, includes an insulative substrate having a temperature-sensitive printed thick film resistor fabricated thereon. A conductive plate is insulatively spaced above the resistor and supported by a pressure-tight insulative barrier. The distributed capacitance between the plate and the resistive pattern is a function of the pressure applied to the exterior face of the plate, while the resistance of the resistive thick film is a function of temperature of the surrounding environment.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the amount of relative displacement of mutually facing electrodes in such a direction as to cause a change in the distance therebetween, comprises:a power source generating an AC signal of a determined frequency;a phase-shifting means comprising a resistor and the mutually facing electrodes, the phase-shifting means being adapted to apply the AC signal to the mutually facing electrodes through the resistor and to generate an output signal of which the phase is shifted in response to the amount of relative displacement of the mutually facing electrodes; anda phase difference measuring means for measuring phase difference between the output signal of the phase-shifting means and the AC signal and generating a signal corresponding to the amount of relative displacement of the mutually facing electrodes.

Abstract: A dielectric probe comprising a pair of electrically conductive wires embeddable in or mountable on resin matrix composite materials for monitoring changes in the dielectric property of the composite structure due to moisture content therein, thermal spikes or fatigue degradations experienced thereby.

Abstract: A control for use upon a solid panel, devoid of control shaft apertures, allows data entry by rotational positioning of a sector-shaped electrode to vary the capacitance to at least one of a plurality of sector-shaped electrodes formed about a central disc upon an interior surface of the panel. A magnetizable disk is attached to the exterior of the panel, with the control knob having a magnetized member attracted to the disk for maintaining the control knob in proper position while allowing control knob rotational adjustments. Position-decoding electronics energize successive ones of the plurality of electrodes with successive phases of a master signal and recover zero-crossing information relating the phase of the signal returned from the control to the control position. A light-emitting display is positioned behind the panel to indicate the index of the control knob by a variable-length circular bar of light, a digitized display and the like.

Abstract: The disclosure is of a cathode ray tube having a face plate for displaying information and carrying an electrode assembly which is curved to adhere smoothly to the face plate. The electrode assembly includes a shield against radio frequency interference and an insulating support sheet having an inner surface and an outer surface, on each of which an array of rows and columns of conductive areas is formed. On the inner surface, the rows of conductive areas are electrically connected together to output contact pads at a side edge of the sheet, and, on the outer surface, the columns of conductive areas are electrically connected together to output contact pads along the lower edge of the sheet. Each outer conductive area overlies and is capacitively coupled to an inner conductive area. A column conductor which extends from a contact pad at an edge of the outer surface of the sheet is capacitively coupled to each column of outer conductive areas.

Abstract: A dielectric tube, such as glass or plastic, having a square cross section extends between the two plates of a capacitance-sensing transducer. The opposite sides of the tube have a spacing only slightly greater than the diameter of the capsules to be checked. The capsules to be classified are oriented prior to their introduction into the tube so that they enter in an end-to-end relationship. The requisite spacing between the capsules is accomplished by an air jet device that rapidly accelerates the leading capsule as it enters the tube to such a velocity that it leaves the transducer before the next capsule enters, thereby assuring that only one capsule is in the transducer at any given moment. The capacitance-sensing transducer is repeatedly charged and discharged by means of a high frequency oscillator circuit.

Abstract: Radiant energy is converted into electric energy by irradiating a capacitor including an ionic dielectric. The dielectric is a sintered crystal superionic conductor, e.g., lanthanum trifluoride, lanthanum trichloride, or silver bromide, so that a multiplicity of crystallites exist between electrodes of the capacitor. The radiant energy cyclically irradiates the dielectric so that the dielectric exhibits a cyclic photocapacitive like effect. Adjacent crystallites have abutting surfaces that enable the crystallites to effectively form a multiplicity of series capacitor elements between the electrodes. Each of the capacitor elements has a dipole layer only on or near its surface. The capacitor is initially charged to a voltage just below the dielectric breakdown voltage by connecting it across a DC source causing a current to flow through a charging resistor to the dielectric. The device can be utilized as a radiant energy detector or as a solar energy cell.

Abstract: A non-contact type, capacitance distance sensing probe having one or two electrodes disposed about one end of an objective lens system in an optical video disc system is used with a focus control servo loop to maintain focus of a light beam on the surface of a reflective disc record despite undesirable axial displacements of the surface when the record is rotated. The two electrode probe is balanced to provide immunity to variations in the impedance of the external circuit which grounds the disc.

Abstract: An apparatus for gauging the shape of a specimen conducting surface or load distribution between normally mateable specimen conducting surfaces. A capacitance pad which is insertable between the specimen surface in question and a reference surface of known shape or normally mateable surfaces has multiple electrodes sandwiched between dielectric plates which are, during operation, situated adjacent the reference and specimen surfaces. The electrodes in the capacitance pad may be individually energized and selectively connected to a capacitance measuring circuit. Capacitance between the reference and specimen surfaces or between the normally mateable specimen surfaces changes the frequency of the measuring circuit when selected capacitance pad electrodes are connected to that circuit.

Abstract: A laminated capacitive touch-pad having a thin film touch-plate electrode deposited upon a first (exterior) surface of a first, relatively thin dielectric layer and having spaced transmitter and receiver electrodes deposited upon a second surface of the first layer within the outline of and opposite to the touch electrode, with a relatively thick backing layer of dielectric material laminated upon the second surface to provide a total thickness, as measured between the furthest opposed surfaces of the first and second layers, as required for high voltage insulation purposes and to provide additional impact strength. The touch, transmitter and receiver electrodes may be of thin film construction.

Abstract: A control for use upon a solid panel, devoid of control shaft apertures, allows data entry by rotational positioning of an electrode to vary the capacitance to at least one of a multiplicity of electrodes formed upon an interior surface of the panel. A magnetizable disk is attached to the exterior of the panel, with the control knob having a magnetized member attracted to the disk for maintaining the control knob in proper position while allowing control knob rotational adjustments. A light-emitting display is positioned behind the panel to indicate the index of the control knob by means of a variable-length, circular bar of light.

Abstract: A dynamic biasing capacitance is formed between a transmitting electrode and a receiving electrode of a capacitive touch-pad device to couple a portion of the scan voltage signal into the sense node of a voltage comparator circuit, coupled to the receiving electrode, to offset the comparator circuit threshold voltage. The dynamic biasing capacitance may be formed by overlapping portions of the electrodes, with a dielectric layer positioned therebetween, or by the parasitic capacitance between aligned end surfaces of the two electrodes, with the magnitude of the dynamic biasing capacitance being adjusted by variation of interelectrode geometries.

Abstract: A human touch on an etched copper electrode produces a capacitive change to vary the time constant of an RC network as a part of an oscillator. The variation in the capacitance of the sensor changes the time constant of the RC network which results in a change in frequency of the output signal of the oscillator. This change in frequency thus varies with the human touch to the copper electrode. To develop a directional indication of the touch position, four electrodes are arranged in opposed pairs along orthogonal axes. Each electrode is part of an RC network connected to an oscillator with each of the four oscillators identified with one of the four positions along the orthogonal axes. The output signal from each of the oscillators is transmitted to timing and control circuitry that generates four separate pulse trains, one pulse train identified with each of four positions along the orthogonal axis.

Abstract: An electrical oscillator having a piezoelectric resonator, the shift in frequency of which is automatically compensed when the oscillator is subjected to an acceleration. Consequently, the oscillator is practically insensitive to high accelerations and can be used as a frequency standard in an aircraft or space vehicle. Said oscillator comprises, in an oscillator loop, the resonator and a capacitance for adjusting frequency connected in series with the resonator. The adjusting capacitance is formed of at least one variable capacitor. Means sensitive to acceleration are provided for controlling the variable capacitor so that the frequency shift caused by the variable capacitor is opposed to the frequency shift of the resonator caused by acceleration.

Abstract: A spectrometer generally of the electro-opto-acoustic type, using a capacitor type detection instead of acoustic detection. A holder with a sample carrier having a dielectric and with a conducting backing plate on one surface of the sample carrier and a transparent conducting coating and an electrical potential on the opposite surface, with the potential applied after sample accumulation. A source for directing a beam of radiation onto the sample for cyclically heating the sample and varying the spacing between the metal backing plate and conducting coating, and an ac detector circuit connected to the backing plate providing an ac signal varying with the spacing and hence with the composition of the sample.

Abstract: A new capacitance type non-contact displacement and/or vibration measurement instrument sensing head is described together with a novel method of maintaining calibration of the instrument using such sensing head. The invention takes the form of a central probe member having a first guard ring disposed in coaxial, electrically insulated relationship about the central probe member and driven at the same potential and frequency as the probe member. A secondary driven guard ring coaxially surrounds the first guard ring and is electrically isolated from it and is driven at the same alternating current frequency but at a higher voltage of the order of 1.5 to 1 times higher. The additional secondary guard ring, driven at a suitably boosted voltage level and the same frequency as the central probe member, serves to focus the otherwise divergent electric field, thus producing a very significant improvement in the output linearity when operated at relatively large displacements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically switching a circuit to regulate artificial light in an area. The artificial light is turned on by a person entering the area and reflecting an ultrasonic wave pattern toward a receiver. The light is turned off by a person moving into contactless proximity of a capacitance comparison circuit which utilizes the capacitance of the human body as one of the circuit elements. The ultrasonic circuit operates at different levels of sensitivity, depending upon the existing available light in the area, such as during daylight hours. Optionally, a capacitance comparison circuit may be utilized for both turning on and turning off of the artificial light.

Abstract: A capacitance displacement type measuring probe for measuring the vibration of a dynamoelectric machine including a dynamoelectric machine with helical grooves in its collector ring is disclosed. The probe measures the vibration of the dynamoelectric machine by measuring the change in capacitance of a capacitor established by the probe and the collector ring. The probe has a parallelogram sensing face which includes a sensing electrode having a parallelogrammed sensing surface whose axial length is of a predetermined dimension to coact with the parameters of the collector ring. The axial length of the sensing surface is formed such that the sensing surface scans a constant total high and total low area on the collector as the collector rotates. To measure vibration the probe is deployed at a fixed point in space with its parallelogrammed sensing face in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the rotating member to form a capacitor.