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:
Jun. 13, 1995
Filed:
Jun. 21, 1994
Lawrence E Schmutz, Watertown, MA (US);
United Technologies Corporation, Hartford, CT (US);
Abstract
The present invention teaches a touch activated switch. The switch comprises a light source for generating a light ray. Further, the switch comprises a first lens for collimating the light source's light ray. The first lens, as a result, generates a collimated light ray in a first direction. In a second direction, the first lens forms a first and a second focal point, such that the light source is positioned at the first focal point. Moreover, the switch comprises a second lens for converging the collimated light ray to a surface. This surface scatters the collimated light ray in the direction of the first lens when the surface is substantially touched. The switch also comprises a detector for detecting the collimated light ray which have been scattered by touching the surface, with the detector being positioned at the second focal point, such that the switch is activated in response to touching the surface.