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:
Nov. 19, 1996
Filed:
May. 17, 1995
Applicant:
Inventor:
Gordon B Langford, Sandy, UT (US);
Assignee:
Sensitron Inc., Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01C / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
338 50 ;
Abstract
An automobile control system includes a flexible potentiometer that is connected to a horn control circuit. The flexible potentiometer changes resistance as it is deflected. The flexible potentiometer is adjacent to a steering wheel hub cover. The horn control circuit activates a horn in response to deflection of the flexible potentiometer when a driver presses against the hub cover. The horn control circuit responds to rapid changes in the resistance of the flexible potentiometer, but not to more gradual changes caused by, for example, temperature changes. Additional flexible potentiometers may be used to control other functions such as cruise control.