Force transducer
US4493219A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 2, 1982 |
| Grant date | Jan 15, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 2, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H2239/024
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An energy conversion and transmission device is disclosed which, in its preferred embodiment, has a rigid substrate with a resistive area printed on its top surface, a spacer of non-conductive material with an aperture therethrough positioned in register with the rigid substrate resistive area, and a flexible substrate with a resistive area printed on its bottom surface in register with the aperture and the rigid substrate resistive area so that application of a force to the flexible substrate with an elastomeric actuator will move the flexible substrate resistive area to establish an electrical contact area with the rigid substrate resistive area, which electrical contact area increases and, thus, the resistivity of that area decreases as the applied force increases. Thus, when an electrical potential is applied across the two resistive areas, current flow through the two resistive areas increases as the applied force increases. Capacitive, inductive and other embodiments of the device are also disclosed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.