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:
Aug. 10, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 27, 2001
Mike Blossfeld, South Lyon, MI (US);
Timothy E. Hughes, Livonia, MI (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
The apparatus ( ) includes a depressible member ( ), a first membrane ( ), and a second membrane ( ). The depressible member ( ) has an unactuated condition and an actuated condition. The first membrane ( ) is connected with the depressible member ( ). The first membrane ( ) resists movement of the depressible member ( ) from the unactuated condition to the actuated condition. The first membrane ( ) further provides an increasing return force ( ) urging the depressible member ( ) to the unactuated condition as the operator moves the depressible member from the unactuated condition to the actuated condition. The second membrane ( ) resists movement of the depressible member ( ) to the actuated condition. The second membrane ( ) further provides an increasing return force ( ) to the depressible member ( ) as the operator moves the depressible member from the unactuated condition to the actuated condition. The first membrane ( ) initially acts alone and then acts simultaneously with the second membrane ( ), and the membranes ( ) provide a tactile sensation to the operator due to a reduction in the combined forces applied to the depressible member ( ) by the first and second membranes.