Cts Corporation

David L Kordecki

John Zdanys

David Larry Poole

Lewis L Seffernick

Steven N Ginn

Kevin D Kurtz

A position sensor comprises a rotor and shaft connected to a housing for rotation about a rotational axis. A sensor base is fixedly connected to the housing and is spaced from the rotor. A Hall-effect sensor is fixedly connected to the sensor base, and a magnet is connected to the rotor for rotational movement therewith. The magnet has an upper polarized surface that faces the magnetic sensor to thereby generate a magnetic field coincident with the magnetic sensor. The polarized surface is semi-parabolic in shape to form a variable gap between the magnetic sensor and the polarized surface as the shaft and rotor are turned about the rotational axis to thereby vary the strength of the magnetic field at the magnetic sensor. With this arrangement, the strength of the magnetic field sensed by the magnetic sensor is indicative of the amount of relative movement between the rotor and the housing.

Rotary position sensor having a semi-parabolic magnet

A weighing device designed to accurately measure an object's weight that is easier and more cost effective to produce. In particular, the device consists of a strain gage load cell having a pair of substrates mounted in parallel. The first and second substrates each contain a pair of resistors which are embedded in the surface of the substrate pair, forming a Wheatstone Bridge configuration. The substrates may be formed of ceramic.

Shear beam load cell

According to the present invention, a zero-speed rotary pulse generator is disclosed. The zero-speed rotary pulse generator detects and counts shaft rotation of DC motors. The invention measures the rotation of a shaft by being coupled to a disc-shaped magnet having alternating polarity on its face. The magnet rotates at the same speed as the motor. Positioned close to the rotating magnet is a Hall effect device that can sense the alternating magnet polarity as the shaft rotates. The Hall effect device provides a digital output based upon the direction and the strength of the magnetic field it senses.

Rotary magnetic encoder using hall effect for detecting revolution of a

A membrane potentiometer that uses magnets to keep the membranes separated. A controller has a backplate and a cover that has sidewalls and a top wall which has a central opening defining a cavity. The cover mounts to the backplate. A pair of membrane potentiometer are interposed between the cover and the backplate to receive a first voltage, and output a second voltage that is a percentage of the first voltage. A pair of magnet assemblies are located on outer surfaces of the membrane potentiometer to generate a magnetic repulsion force to keep the membrane potentiometer separated from each other.

Resistive controller using magnetic repulsion

A sensor is provided with a conductive sensing element that has a composition adapted to provide a resistance large enough that predetermined magnitudes of voltage noise do not create a false indication of removal, e.g. by abrasion or corrosion. Also, the sensing element composition is adapted to provide a temperature coefficient of resistivity small enough that measurements are substantially independent of temperature. Resistance is preferably greater than 10 ohms and the absolute value of TCR is preferably less than 1000 parts per million per .degree. C. The conductive sensing element may be formed from several materials, including alloys of palladium or lead, particularly palladium-gold, lead-bismuth, or lead-palladium. A combination sensor is provided that includes an abrasion sensing element and a corrosion sensing element on the same substrate. A multi-purpose sensor with a single sensing element is provided by incorporating attributes of both an abrasion sensor and a corrosion sensor such that the multi-purpose sensor is susceptible both to abrasion and corrosion. A method is also provided for detecting when selected characteristics of a subject fluid, such as abrasiveness or corrosiveness, exceed a predetermined limit.

Fluid abrasion and/or corrosion sensors and method of sensing abrasion

A device that allows for simple cost effective connections to flexible multilayered circuits and flexible membrane switches. The invention provides a connecting device that includes a housing that has a base and a closeable lid. At least one contact is attached to the housing. One end of the contact(s) extends beyond the housing and is suitable for making a connection to an electrical circuit. The other end of the contact(s) is positioned inside the housing for connecting to the flexible circuit board or flexible membrane. The lid can be fixed in the closed position whereby the end of the contact(s) inside the housing is compressed with the flexible circuit. The lid can be attached to the base with a hinge, and when the lid is closed it snap locks in place so that the contact(s) are firmly held to the conductive pads of flexible circuit. The membrane or flexible circuit is quickly and accurately positioned in place and securely held by using tabs on the housing which protrude through slots in the membrane or flexible circuit.

Snap lock membrane connector

An illuminated controller having a membrane potentiometer for use as a light dimmer or other voltage controlling device. The controller has a backplate that acts as a sturdy base, and a cover, having sidewalls and a top wall with a central opening. The cover is mounted on the backplate and a layered structure is interposed between the cover and backplate. The layered structure includes a membrane potentiometer for varying voltage, and an electroluminescent panel, for generating light to illuminate the controller.

Illuminated controller

A pressure switch is illustrated that includes only three piece parts--two dimpled covers and a spacer. By selecting both the type and thickness of cover materials, switching pressure ranges can be selected to accommodate a very wide range of operating pressures. Fine adjustment of the switching pressure may be made by modifying the cover dimples. Reliability and a hermetic seal is attained through the use of appropriate materials for the covers and spacer, together with active metal braze seals which provide high temperature, moisture and chemical resistance. A vacuum port is added for providing the ability to modify the air pressure within the pressure switch.

Growing community of inventors

Elkhart, IN, United States of America

David L Kordecki