Abstract:
A pressure transducer device particularly useful in an electronic musical instrument includes a flexible base folded to define upper and lower flexible base portions, a donut-shaped first spacer between the upper and lower base portions and a resiliently deformable diaphragm attached about its periphery to the upper flexible base portion with a second donut-shaped spacer therebetween. A center region of the diaphragm laterally spaced from the second spacer is adhesively attached to a central region of the upper flexible base portion so that the upper flexible base portion moves inwardly and outwardly in response to the movement of the diaphragm. A pair of conductors are disposed on the folded flexible base member to face one another. A pressure responsive composition disposed over the conductors provides a contact resistance across the pair of conductors which varies inversely with the amount of pressure force exerted against the diaphragm. The upper flexible base portion may be attached between the first and second spacers about its entire periphery or at a small hinge region with the upper base portion being a flap movable about the hinge region in the region surrounded by the first spacer.
Abstract:
A key signal entering device for thin electronic apparatus comprises paired electrodes provided on an insulating substrate, an anisotropically electroconductive sheet disposed on said electrodes and a layer of an electroconductive material disposed thereon. A key signal is generated by selectively pressing said device from above to modify the electroconductive area in the thickness direction of said anisotropically electroconductive sheet thereby electrically connecting said electrodes with said electroconductive layer. An alternative device comprises an anisotropically electroconductive sheet sandwiched between flexible sheets having electrodes arranged in mutually facing relationship, wherein a key signal is generated by pressing said flexible film to render said anisotropically electroconductive sheet conductive thereby electrically connecting electrodes on said flexible sheets.
Abstract:
An electrical connector in sheet form or the like which has a low through resistance in a volume between opposing surface contacts on opposite sides or surfaces of the sheet and provides a substantially higher isolation resistance in all volumes thereof between a contact on the surface of the sheet which is at a distance greater than the thickness of the sheet from any of the first of the above mentioned contacts.
Abstract:
A first resistor layer is formed on the lower surface of a base in film form, and at the same time, a second resistor layer in which particles of different particle diameters are dispersed is formed and layered on the lower surface of the first resistor layer, and thus, a pressure sensitive conductive sheet is formed. In this configuration, the second resistor layer in uneven form makes contact with the fixed contacts in accordance with a pressing force so that electrical connection is made via the second resistor layer and the first resistor layer, and therefore, a thin panel switch with little fluctuation in the resistance value resulting from repeated operation where a stable resistance value can be gained can be realized.
Abstract:
A housing having key portions of a resilient pad extending therethrough with a metal impregnated elastomer pad overlying the rear surface thereof, a sheet of insulating material having openings therethrough corresponding with the key portions and a plurality of contact areas on a printed circuit board overlying the insulating sheet and having a plurality of contacts on the rear surface thereof, a connecting link formed of a second sheet of insulating material having a plurality of areas of metal impregnated elastomeric material extending therethrough and corresponding in position with the contacts, a second PC board having a plurality of contacts in contact with the elastomeric areas of the connecting link and a frame compressing all of the components together to provide an electrical contact to the elastomeric material in the connecting link and complete a circuit between various contacts on the two printed circuit boards and provide a weather-tight multi-push button switch.
Abstract:
Keyboards for use in calculators, control equipment and the like, and which include a circuit board supporting electrical pathways, an insulator separator having openings registerable with portions of the pathways, a non-conductive elastomeric layer supporting a plurality of non-selfsupporting flexible conductive members or pathways and contactors thereon, said flexible conductive circuit contactors registerable with said openings whereby pressure applied to said elastomeric layer causes one or more of said contactors to extend through one or more openings to make electrical contact with portions of one or more circuit pathways supported by said board.
Abstract:
A first resistor layer is formed on the lower surface of a base in film form, and at the same time, a second resistor layer in which particles of different particle diameters are dispersed is formed and layered on the lower surface of the first resistor layer, and thus, a pressure sensitive conductive sheet is formed. In this configuration, the second resistor layer in uneven form makes contact with the fixed contacts in accordance with a pressing force so that electrical connection is made via the second resistor layer and the first resistor layer, and therefore, a thin panel switch with little fluctuation in the resistance value resulting from repeated operation where a stable resistance value can be gained can be realized.
Abstract:
A bounceless switch apparatus having a junction resistance which varies inversely with the pressure applied normally thereto which includes a first conductor member, a pressure-sensitive layer including a semiconducting material covering the first conductor member in intimate electrically conducting contact therewith and a second conductor member positioned in nonelectrically conducting relationship to the pressure-sensitive layer. The pressure-sensitive layer has a first surface with a multiplicity of microprotrusions of the semiconducting material which provide a multiplicity of surface contact locations. As the normally open switch is closed in response to a pressing force applied to urge the second conductor member and the first surface together, the physical contact between the microprotrusions and the second conductor increases thereby variably increasing conduction between the first conductor member and the second conductor member.
Abstract:
A dual switch apparatus has two switches simultaneously actuated in response to a single touch force where at least one of the switches has a pressure responsive variable contact resistance. A first support member has a first and a second conductor disposed thereon and a second support member has a third and a fourth conductor disposed thereon so that the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors have mirror image conductor patterns. A semiconducting composition layer is disposed to cover at least one of the four conductors. The first and second support members are positioned facing one another with the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors transversely aligned so that a transverse force causes the first and third conductors and the second and fourth conductors to move into electrically conducting relationship. A spacer maintains the first and second support members in normally spaced relationship. A utilization circuit may be coupled across each of the first and third and second and fourth conductors. In one embodiment, the first conductor has two electrically isolated contact members with interdigiting fingers with the third conductor acting as a shunt.