The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 06, 1984
Filed:
Mar. 22, 1982
Steven N Ginn, Mishawaka, IN (US);
CTS Corporation, Elkhart, IN (US);
Abstract
A variable resistor element (10) comprises two thick film resistance layers or tracks (12, 14; 40, 50) electrically insulated one from another and on an insulating substrate (11). The thick film resistance layers (40, 50) may consist of the same resistance composition and thereby have the same resistivity, but the paths (40, 50) having different widths to effect different resistances; or, the widths of the resistance layers (12, 14) may be the same but the layers (12, 14) comprise different resistance compositions having different resistivities. An electrical contactor (20) has flexible fingers (22) wipably and respectively engaging the surface of each resistance layer (12, 14; 40, 50) to complete a circuit across the tracks (12, 14; 40, 50) and through the terminals (16 and 66) of the respective layers. As the wiper (22) is moved along the resistance layers (12, 14; 40, 50), there is effected a variable rate of change of resistance per length of travel for each resistance layer, and thereby producing a characteristically nonlinear output. The ratio of the rates of change of resistance of the respective resistance layers determines the output characteristic of the dual track resistor element (10).