Cts Corporation

Lewis L Seffernick

Robert M Vandenboom

David Larry Poole

Stephen W Burry

John Zdanys

Mark N Grube

Terry R Bloom

James N Hufford

Steven N Ginn

Ronald J Dedert

David L Kordecki

Ronald L Stuckey

Steven L Steinbrunner

Eric B Taylor

Dennis Raesner

Nelson T Clark

Gary W Trobridge

Timothy L Hartigan

Neal F Thomas

A ball grid array resistor network has a substrate that has top and bottom surfaces. Resistors are disposed on the top surface. Conductors are disposed on the top surface, and each conductor is electrically connected to an end of each resistor. Vias extend through the substrate and are electrically connected to the conductors. Solder spheres are disposed on the bottom surface, and are electrically connected to the vias. A cover coat is disposed over the conductors and resistors. In an alternative embodiment, the vias are eliminated and the resistor network is formed on the bottom surface of the substrate. The resistor network provides a high density of resistors per unit area.

Ball grid array resistor network

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

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

A pointing stick 10 for controlling the positioning, movement and operation of a cursor 209 on the display screen 213. The pointing stick 10 includes a solid structure 20 having a base 24 and a shaft 22 integrally formed with and perpendicular to the base. A film 30 is mounted on the base and a sensor 32 is mounted on the film. The sensor is capable of sensing strains on the base that are indicative of the direction that the shaft is being forced. The sensor functions by using strain sensitive resistors that change resistance based upon the amount of strain that they are subject to. The strain sensitive resistors are coupled to circuitry that will produce signals in response to the strain on the gages. The resulting signals are used to either control the movement of the cursor around the display screen, or to do what is commonly called 'clicking' a mouse button for selection of items or dragging of items on the display screen. A cavity 26 may be placed on the base and located circumferentially around the shaft. The recessed area or cavity area may be more flexible than the remaining base structure and typically the film having a sensor mounted thereon may be bonded to the side of the base opposite the cavity. The pointing stick may be used on a keyboard having a home-row of keys locating fingers of a user during typing. The pointing stick can be used to select an item on a display screen or move a cursor or similar object on the display screen using only one finger of one hand. During this time the remaining fingers of both hands may reside inactive on the home-row of keys.

Unified bodied z-axis sensing pointing stick

A resistor network has a substrate with top and side surfaces. Resistors are located on the side surfaces. Several side conductors are located on the side surface and are electrically connected to the resistors. Several top conductors are located on the top surface and are electrically connected to the side conductors. Each top conductor has a cavity. A solder sphere is partially located in the cavity and is electrically and mechanically connected to the top conductor by reflowed solder paste. A cover coat covers the side conductors and the resistors. The resistor network provides a high density of resistors per unit area.

Resistor network with solder sphere connector

A computer keyboard has a pointing stick integrally molded into and projecting from a surface of a plastic housing. Keyboard keys extend through holes in the same plastic housing. Strain-sensitive resistors are formed in a small location onto a circuit substrate. The same circuit substrate that carries the strain-sensitive resistors also carries conductive pads for the key switches. The strain-sensitive resistor location is bonded to the housing adjacent the pointing stick, but on an opposite surface of the housing from the pointing stick protrusion.

Computer keyboard having top molded housing with rigid pointing stick

A test system for performing a test of strain gauge resistors used on a pointing stick. The test system has a mechanical load applicator that holds the resistor and applies a mechanical force to the resistor. An electrical contactor makes and breaks an electrical connection with the resistor. An electrical tester is connected to the electrical contactor to measure electrical parameters of the resistor with and without the mechanical force. A calculator is connected to the tester and calculates several resistor parameters. The resistor parameters are indicative of the operation of the pointing stick.

Z-axis resistor test system

A pointing device for controlling the positioning, movement and operation of a cursor on a display screen. Specifically, there is an actuator with a shaft having first and second ends. The actuator also has an interposer with the first end of the shaft attached and several strain sensitive resistor are mounted on the shaft to generate an electrical signal representative of a magnitude and direction of force applied to the shaft by a user. A circuit trace is disposed on the interposer and electrically connected to the resistor. A substrate has several circuit lines electrically connected to the circuit trace. A base is mounted above the interposer and has an aperture through which the shaft passes. A cover is mounted over the base to hold the base to the substrate. The cover is held to the substrate by a mounting tab.

Pointing stick having a flexible interposer

A pointing stick for controlling the positioning, movement and operation of a cursor on the display screen. Strain gages 30 are mounted on the sides of the stick 12 and are made of pressure sensitive strips 32, for electrically changing the resistance of the material in response to the amount of strain applied thereto. A conductive contact bridge 34 for electrically connecting the two strips 32, and conductive contact pads 36 for making electrical contact to electronic circuitry (not shown) are also mounted on the sides of the stick 12. The stick 12 extends through a hole 38 in the base 4 in a Z-axis oriented direction 39, and is held in place by an adhesive bond epoxy 40. Cable 18 is positioned within cavity 16 and adhesively bonded to the cavity wall via adhesive 42. Cable 18 has electrical traces 44 and input/output (I/O) pads 46 mounted thereon. Contact pads 36 are bonded to I/O pads 46 by any suitable bond material 50.

Z-axis sensing pointing stick with base as strain concentrator

A pointing device for controlling the positioning, movement and operation of a cursor on the display screen. Specifically, there is a pointing stick assembly using resistive material strain gages mounted on the sides of a shaft or stick for sensing when the stick is experiencing stresses and strains therein because of an applied force to the stick. The pointing stick has a stick supporting collar securely attached to a substrate. The collar extends from the substrate to approximately around the location of the strain gages. The collar may have a beveled surface located between opposing surfaces of the collar and shaft.

Collar mounted pointing stick

A resistor network is disclosed which is suited for surface mount which does not incorporate wire terminations. The network is fabricated entirely from cermet, ceramic, and solder, yet will absorb thermal stresses normally associated with circuitry energization when properly mounted upon a substrate. This is accomplished by controlling the formation of solder bumps and simultaneously controlling the mounted distance between those bumps and a wiring substrate upon which the network is mounted. Additionally, the network may be formed to be either a SIP or DIP configuration, depending upon whether an additional groove is incorporated into the termination side of the substrate. Two alternative embodiments are also disclosed which incorporate various features of the invention.

All ceramic surface mount sip and dip networks having spacers and solder

An apparatus (10) and method for the automatic insertion of terminals (84) into cavities (16) of a ceramic substrate (15). A continuous carrier web (80) is advanced from a reel (90), into an automatic terminal insertion apparatus (10) simultaneously with the automatic advancement of substrates (15) along a trackway (20). As a substrate (15) is secured by a securement and lateral transmission apparatus (170) and moved laterally from the trackway (20) to align the substrate cavities (16) with associated transmittal barrels (162), a web hold down apparatus (130) secures web portion (82) of carrier web (80) and the cut-off blade (146) of a separation block (144) moves downwardly to separate a predetermined number of terminals (84) from the web portion (82) and locate the terminals in transmittal slots (152) located in a subjacent pressure pad (150). The separation block (144) and subjacent pressure pad (150) enclose the separated terminals (84) in transmittal slots (152) and move downwardly together to align the transmittal slots (152) with transmittal barrels (162). Compressed air is injected into the slots (152) and propels the terminals (84) through the slots (152) and aligned transmittal barrels (162) into the respective substrate cavities (16). The severed end of each terminal (84) bites into the respective cavity walls to securely anchor the terminals (84) in the substrate cavities (16), all without any swaging, scratching, marring, or damage to the exterior portions of the terminals. The exterior portion of each terminal is undamaged, has no cut marks, and plated terminals retain their protection against corrosion.

Growing community of inventors

Decatur, IN, United States of America

Lewis L Seffernick