Cts Corporation

Dennis Raesner

Ronald J Dedert

Nelson T Clark

David Larry Poole

Lewis L Seffernick

Robert M Vandenboom

Ronald L Stuckey

Stephen W Burry

Eric B Taylor

Mark N Grube

Timothy L Hartigan

A pointing stick for controlling the positioning, movement and operation of a cursor on the display screen. Specifically, there is a pointing stick that both directs a cursor and acts as the activation button for selecting items on the display screen by tapping on the pointing stick instead of clicking on a mouse button. Uniquely, the device is made of a shaft (,) having a longitudinal length oriented along a first axis (,) and having a top surface that is perpendicular to the first axis, there is a vertical force sensor (,or,), mounted on the top surface of the shaft, for sensing a vertical oriented force applied to the shaft along the first axis. Cap (,), has a cavity (,) with a top surface (,) therein, where the top surface of the shaft is positioned within the cavity and spaced from and juxtaposed to the top surface of the cavity. In one embodiment the vertical sensor includes first and second electrically conductive pads that are electrically isolated from each other. The vertical sensor also has a flexible conductive layer positioned next to the top surface of the cavity of the cap. Additionally, the vertical sensor has an electrically insulative spacer (,) shaped to position the first and second pads away from the flexible conductive layer. In a second embodiment, the vertical sensor comprises a pressure sensitive layer (,) located on the top surface of the shaft. Additionally, the alternative vertical sensor has a strain concentrator, shaped and positioned to concentrate a z-axis oriented force applied to the cap to effect the electrical conductivity of the pressure sensitive layer.

Pointing stick with top mounted z-axis sensor

The resistor network of the present invention uses nodal common points with branch conductors for distribution of electrical power to a plurality of resistors. Separating the branch conductors are electromagnetic shields which isolate individual resistors and branch conductors so as to reduce crosstalk between resistors. Additionally, resistors are alternately patterned upon each side of a substrate in order to further reduce crosstalk.

Elimination of discrete capacitors in R/C networks

Growing community of inventors

Berne, IN, United States of America

Dennis Raesner