Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Multiple circuit control – Sequential operations
Patent
1984-10-09
1986-07-08
Scott, J. R.
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Multiple circuit control
Sequential operations
200 16A, 200275, H01H 1364, H01H 106
Patent
active
045994960
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a manually operable variable control device.
It is known that control devices capable of varying the range of shift of a parameter are usually in the form of a rotary switch or potentiometer. These devices are physically large and in some cases the design of the devices only permits two or three selectable positions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a variable control device comprising a manually operable member arranged to be moved in a first direction by an operator, a substrate provided with a plurality of contacts spaced apart in a plane transverse to said first direction, and a further member disposed between the manually operable portion and substrate, one of the further member and substrate being deformable and said further member being provided with a conductive surface facing the substrate whereby upon movement of the manually operable member in said first direction a progressively greater number of contacts are bridged by the conductive surface provided on the further member due to relative deformation between the further member and the substrate.
The present invention comprises a variable control device which resembles a push-button. There is a functional relationship between the output of the device and the degree to which the device is pressed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGS. 1a and 1b show a first embodiment of the present invention with FIG. 1a showing the neutral position and FIG. 1b the depressed position;
FIGS. 2a and 2b show a second embodiment of a control device according to the present invention in which FIG. 2a shows the neutral position and FIG. 2b shows the depressed position; and
FIGS. 3a and 3b show a further embodiment of a control device according to the present invention in which FIG. 3a shows the neutral positon and FIG. 3b shows the depressed position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
According to the embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a plurality of switch contacts which close in a successive sequence in response to increased pressure on a deformable member. The relationship between the pressure required to close a switch is not necessarily linearly related to the position of a switch in the sequence. It may require much more pressure to close a particular switch in the sequence of switches than it did to close the immediately previous switch.
As shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, a control device generally indicated by the reference numeral 1 comprises a resilient member 3 and a number of spaced and electrically separate conductors 4 located opposite the member 3 on a circuit board 2 or other rigid insulating member. The conductors are in the form of spaced parallel tracks which for convenience are printed on the substrate and extend in a plane transverse to the direction of movement of the key position 5. The resilient member 3 in this embodiment is shaped to provide a manually operable key portion 5 and a bulbous contact-making portion 6. At least the portion 6 is made of or has its surface provided with a conductive elastomeric material which can be deformed by pressure such as can be applied by one finger.
One of the conductors 4, preferably the centre conductor, is used as a common conductor and is in contact with the member 3 when in the neutral position as shown in FIG. 1a. In use, an operator applies pressure to the key portion 5 in the direction of the arrow A which causes the portion 6 to deform and flatten as shown in FIG. 1b in directions at right angles to the direction of pressure so as to increase the number of conductors 4 contacted by the portion 6.
When the control device 1 is in use in a micro-processor controlled apparatus, for example, the individual conductors 4 can be scanned by the micro-processor in the same way as it would scan a conventio
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Edgell G. Paul
Sachs Edward E.
Scott J. R.
Walder Jeannette M.
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