Summagraphics Corporation

Warner-lambert Company

Hid Corporation

David A Siefer

Alexander M Purcell

Frank R Chiappetta

Michael J Padula

Wayne J Murray

David J Dlugos

Tomas Trousil

Don Small

George Hesse

A Wiegand sensor is provided as a power source for an external circuit, wherein an alternating magnetic field changes the magnetic state of a Wiegand wire within the Wiegand sensor which, in turn, produces a substantial output pulse that is provided as a power source for the external circuit. The external circuit may be a transmitter that is powered by the output of the Wiegand sensor and upon being powered transmits an information signal to an appropriate receiver. The number of occurrences that the magnetic field alternates corresponds to and is ascertained from the number of information signals that are transmitted. The alternating magnetic field may be generated by magnets coupled to a rotating valve of a gas or water meter such that the occurrence of each transmission of the information signal represents the flow of a predetermined amount of gas or water through the meter. The use of a transmitter that is powered solely by a Wiegand sensor that senses the rotation of a meter allows for that meter to be placed in a generally inaccessible area wherein an appropriate receiver may be utilized to receive each transmitted information signal and to maintain the number of occurrences the transmitted information signal is received. The external circuit may be any number of other types of circuits including a transmitter that transmits an alarm signal to a receiver coupled to an alarm system, or a counter circuit that increments a count value stored therein each time the counter circuit is powered by the Wiegand sensor.

Wiegand effect energy generator

A stylus for use with a digitizer tablet has a tip element that includes a front portion with a tip for engaging the surface of the tablet, and a back portion of the tip element within the stylus housing. The back portion of the tip element is adapted to apply pressure to a pressure sensitive resistance element. The front and back portions of the tip element are coupled together by a spring, in order that the tip element be resiliently compressible in the axial direction of the stylus.

Pressure sensitive stylus having resiliently compressible tip element

An accessory for improving the accuracy, and/or facilitating the use, and/or improving aesthetics and/or ergonomics of digitizer cursors is disclosed. The accessory mounts an optical element to the position-sighting aperture on the cursor. In all embodiments, the accessory or accessories may be completely and easily removed from the cursor (and replaced). Optical elements may be interchanged and combined so as to permit the operator to select optics that are most efficient for a particular digitizer task. In particular embodiments, the lens is mounted directly to the position-sighting aperture or to another member which is directly mounted to the position sighting aperture. In some embodiments, the optical element is pivotally mounted so that it can be moved into and out of the operator's line of sight. This allows the operator to move the optical element out of his line of sight to the position-sighting aperture without removing the optical element from the cursor.

Optical accessory for digitizer cursors

A digitizer tablet is provided in which the working surface is illuminated by a light source which includes optical structure located over the grid or electrode array of the position determining structure of the digitizer to provide a surface-lit tablet, or beneath the grid or electrode array to provide a back-lit tablet. Preferably, a space is provided adjacent the working surface to reduce undesirable lighting effects. A fiber optics panel or an electroluminescent panel may be used as the optical structure placed above or beneath the grid to illuminate the working surface. The position determining structure and the optical structure may be integrated into a single unit to form a digitizer with an illuminated working surface, or the optical structure may be provided as a separate unit for use with a digitizer to provide an illuminated working surface for the digitizer.

Digitizer tablet with illuminable working surface

Digitizer tablet and digitizer tablet structure having an illuminable working surface are disclosed. A space between a top translucent layer having the working surface and a source of light is provided so as to eliminate or minimize undesirable lighting effects at the working surface. In the preferred embodiments, the space is an air gap (e.g. 0.060-0.250 inch) immediately adjacent the top translucent layer. The air gap is formed by transparent optical fibers or solid glass or acrylic rods. Back-lighted, translucent, back-lightable (without light source) and surface lighted digitizer tablet embodiments are described.

Digitizer with illuminable working surface

A disposable plastic razor of the type having a shaving position and a storage position in which all plastic elements of the razor are molded as a single one-piece unit.

One-piece razor with hinged sliding cap

A backlit digitizer tablet providing uniform illumination of the working surface, comprising biaxial fluorescent lamps supplying wide-area light emission under a sandwich top construction including an apertured shield electrode, a first clear spacer, an electrode array, a second clear spacer, and a translucent top, with optically transparent support means for the top.

Growing community of inventors

Orange, CT, United States of America

David A Siefer