US3693129A - Variable resistor - Google Patents

Variable resistor Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3693129A
US3693129A US133211A US13321171A US3693129A US 3693129 A US3693129 A US 3693129A US 133211 A US133211 A US 133211A US 13321171 A US13321171 A US 13321171A US 3693129 A US3693129 A US 3693129A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
carrier
housing
variable resistor
insulating plate
elongated
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US133211A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Yutaka Shimizu
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Alps Alpine Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Alps Electric Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP7655670U external-priority patent/JPS5338824Y1/ja
Application filed by Alps Electric Co Ltd filed Critical Alps Electric Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3693129A publication Critical patent/US3693129A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01C—RESISTORS
    • H01C10/00—Adjustable resistors
    • H01C10/30—Adjustable resistors the contact sliding along resistive element
    • H01C10/38—Adjustable resistors the contact sliding along resistive element the contact moving along a straight path
    • H01C10/44—Adjustable resistors the contact sliding along resistive element the contact moving along a straight path the contact bridging and sliding along resistive element and parallel conducting bar or collector

Definitions

  • a variable resistor includes an elongated housing, a dielectric base which supports elongated resistive and conductive strips, and a cover member. An elongated guide rail is mounted on the dielectric base and extends parallel to the resistive and conductive strips.
  • a slider or carrier is provided with a groove at the lower surface thereof for slidably engaging the upper surface of the guide rail of the base.
  • a control member is connected to the upper end of the slider and projects through an elongated slot in the cover member.
  • a resilient member is so positioned between an upper surface of the slider and the inner surface of the top wall of the cover member that the slider is pushed evenly onto the guide rail.
  • the present invention relates to a variable resistor and control device therefor and particularly to a variable resistor of the type having a slider movable rectilinearly in the housing.
  • Variable resistors of the type herein described provide for a contact adapted to slidingly engage elongated resistive and conductive strips mounted on an elongated insulating base.
  • the slider mechanism is supported in a housing having side walls and a slotted top through which the slider control member extends.
  • Resistors of this type are particularly well adapted for use in adjustable volume control mechanisms and communication receivers, but its use is not so limited. It is imperative for successful operation of such variable resistor devices that the slider contacts have a smooth sliding engagement with the conductive and resistive strips along the entire length thereof. In currently available devices of this type the path of the slider mechanism is defined by the inner side walls of the housing within which it is confined.
  • the device is generally designed and produced with substantial clearance between the housing side walls and the slider.
  • this clearance and of such deformation or imperfection in the housing side walls as may result from the manufacturing or assembling process the slider movement may be erratic to the extent that the contacts may run off the resistive and conductive strips.
  • a second problem usually encountered in the design of devices of this type is maintaining the contacts in firm electrical engagement. Normally the operative slider contacts are forced into engagement with the resistive and conductive strips by the top wall of the housing. Again, however, any deformation or imperfection in the top wall, the insulating base or the operative strips themselves may result in skipping or jumping of the slider contacts as they move along their respective strips. Conventional methods of dealing with this problem have generally been unsatisfactory. Thus, if the slider is sandwiched relatively tightly between the top wall of the housing and the base, the slider becomes difficult to move and slight imperfections in the various parts may result in sticking and severe wear on the sliding surfaces of the various parts.
  • an inverted U-shaped housing having a top wall provided with an elongated slot.
  • the housing is operatively connected to an insulating base at its open face to thereby form an elongated enclosure adapted to slidingly receive a slide or carrier.
  • the base includes one or more resistance elements printed on a surface thereof and extending lengthwise thereof, and a corresponding number of elongated conductive elements secured on the base surface and extending parallel to and spaced from the resistance elements.
  • An elongated guide rail is mounted on the surface of the base and extends parallel to the resistive and conductive elements.
  • the slider or carrier is made of an in sulating material and is provided with a groove at its lower surface adapted to slidingly engage the guide rail.
  • a pair of resilient contactors are secured to the aforesaid lower surface and include contacts wipably engaging the resistive and conductive elements.
  • the device is adapted to be actuated by a control member having one end secured to the slider and the other end projecting through the elongated slot in the top of the housing.
  • a resilient member is provided between an upper surface of the slider and the inner surface of the top wall of housing for maintaining the slider mounted on the guide rail and providing a smooth even sliding engagement between the contacts and the conductive and resistive elements.
  • variable resistor as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
  • FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a variable resistor in accordance with this invention
  • FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the variable resistor taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view, partly broken away, of a variable resistor taken along the line 3-3 of FIG.
  • FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of a guide rail in accordance with the invention.
  • FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 show cross sectional views, partly broken away, of further embodiments in accordance with the invention.
  • variable resistor generally designated comprises a housing or cover member generally designated 11 having a top wall 13, elongated side walls 14 and end walls 16.
  • the top wall 13 of housing 11 is provided with an elongated slot 18 and a plurality of tabs 20 extend downwardly from a lower edge of side walls 14, the purpose of which will become apparent hereinafter.
  • the entire housing 11 may be fabricated from a single blank of sheet metal by a suitable punching operation, side walls 14 and end walls 16 being thereafter bent downwardly as shown.
  • a thin sheet 22 of any suitable insulating material is provided forelectrically insulating the remaining parts from metallic housing 11 as described hereinbelow.
  • Insulating sheet 22 is provided with an elongated slot 24 of approximately the same length as slot 18 in housing 11, the sheet positioned within housing 11 against the inner surface of top wall 13, slot 24 being in registration with slot 18.
  • Housing 11 is adapted to be disposed over a base member made of an insulating material such, for example, as bakelite, these members cooperating to provide an enclosure for the slider mechanism to be described hereinafter.
  • the base 26 includes a plurality of notches 28 at side edge portions thereof for receiving tabs 20 of the housing 11, the tabs 20 being folded under base 26 to secure the structure.
  • An elongated resistive element or strip (here shown as two strips) 30 and 32 are deposited on the upper surface of base 26 by a conventional resistive printed process and extend longitudinally therealong. Electrical terminals 34 and 36 are secured at one of their ends to opposite ends of the resistive elements 30 and 32, respectively, the other ends of the terminals extending downwardly through slots 38 provided in the base 26 for that purpose.
  • base 26 is preferably formed from a single blank of insulating material by a simple stamping operation.
  • the base 26 is provided with a plurality of openings 46 spaced along a center line thereof (three openings are shown for purposes of illustration).
  • An elongated guide rail member generally designated 48 is adapted to be secured on base 26.
  • Guide rail 48 is provided with an upper rounded guide surface 50 and a flat lower surface from which a plurality of stem-like projections 52 depend.
  • the guide rail 48 is secured to the base 26 by insertion of the projections 52 through the openings 46 of base 26, openings 46 being of a size adapted to receive projections 52 with a relatively tight fit.
  • a slider generally designated 54 is adapted to slide within the channel-like enclosure formed by housing 1 1 and base 26 and includes a main body portion or carrier 56 made of an insulating material, a control member 58 having one end secured to body 56 and its other end extending outwardly of housing 11 through slit 24 in sheet 27 and slot 18 in housing 11.
  • a groove 60 having a rounded cross section is provided on the lower surface 62 of the sliding body 56, groove 60 being adapted to receive the rounded upper surface of rail 48 and ride thereon.
  • a resilient member 64 having an opening or slot 68 is mounted centrally on the top surface 70 of body 56, control member 58 being received through slot 68.
  • Resilient member 64 is fabricated from a suitable resilient material such as sheet metal and is in the shape of an H, having two pairs of arms 72 extending outwardly in opposite directions from its central portion 74 in the longitudinal direction (the direction of sliding). Portion 74 lies flat on the upper surface of slider body 56 and arms 72 are bent slightly upwardly from the plane of portion 74. Each arm 72 is provided with a rounded contact 75 mounted on the end thereof and projecting upwardly therefrom.
  • a thin sheet of low friction insulating material 76 is mounted on resilient member 74 of slider 54 for sliding movement therewith.
  • Sheet 76 is provided with an opening or slot 78 through which control member 56 extends, sheet 76 being sandwiched between sheet 22 and contacts 75.
  • the operative electrical connections are made by a pair of contactors generally designated 80 and 82.
  • Contactors 80 and 82 are formed of a resilient conductive material such as sheet metal and each comprise a base portion 84 and 86 and three contactor arms 88, 90, 92 and 94, 96, 98, respectively, extending therefrom in parallel relationship in the direction of slider movement.
  • Contactors 80 and 82 are adapted to be secured to the lower surface 62 of body 56.
  • studs and 102 are formed integral with body 56, project downwardly from the lower surface 62 thereof and are received in openings 104 and 106 in the base portions 84 and 86 of contactors 80 and 82, the head portions of the studs 100 and 102 then being rounded by heating thereof to securely hold the contactors to the body.
  • Arms 88-98 are bent slightly downwardly and are provided at their ends removed from base portions 84 and 86 with contacts 108, 110, 112 and 114, 116, 118 respectively.
  • Contacts 108 and 110 are adapted to wipingly engage the resistive element 30 while contacts 116 and 118 are adapted to wipingly engage resistive element 32.
  • Contacts 112 and 114 are adapted to wipingly engage conductive elements 40 and 42, respectively.
  • the control member 58 of this sliding variable resistor is moved in either direction along the slot 24 in insulating plate 22. Accordingly, the slider body 56 will be moved longitudinally within the enclosure formed by housing 11 and base plate 26, being guided therein along guide rail 48 received in groove 60 in its lower surface, movable insulating plate 76 will slide along the lower surface of fixed insulating plate 22, and the contacts 108-118 of contactors 80 and 82 will be moved slidingly along the upper surface of resistive elements 30 and 32 and conductive elements 40 and 42, whereby the resistance value of the utilized portion thereof may be varied in accordance with the movement of the control member.
  • variable resistance device in accordance with the present invention is so constructed that the slider body is resiliently biased away from both the upper top wall 13 of the housing 11 and the insulating base plate 26 by resilient arms 72 and resilient contacts 80 and 82, respectively, undesirable vertical play during sliding movement in either direction is substantially eliminated and an even and smooth movement of the sliding parts is assured. Moreover, the provision of a movable insulating plate 76 between the resilient member 54 and the fixed insulating plate 22 results in a smoother frictional engagement of these members.
  • the sliding motion of the device of this invention because it utilizes primarily insulating members far softer than metal, exhibits a feel or touch substantially smoother than conventional devices, a particular advantage when used as a manually adjustable volume control for a communication receiver.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention utilizing a guide rail having an upper rounded surface 122 formed integral on an insulating base plate 124.
  • This construction eliminates the step of mounting the guide rail on the base plate, and facilitates the deposition of the resistive elements on the upper surface of the base plate in precise parallel relationship with the guide rail 120.
  • FIG. 5 shows a guide rail 126 having a generally rectangular cross section with a flat upper surface 128 in sliding engagement with the flat recessed surface 130 of a correspondingly rectangular groove 132 in the lower surface of sliding body 56.
  • FIG. 6 shows a guide rail 134 with an inverted V- shaped upper surface 136 received in a correspondingly shaped groove 138 in the lower surface of sliding body 56.
  • FIG. 7 utilizes a generally U- shaped guide rail 140 having two generally rectangular spaced projections 142 received in two corresponding shaped parallel grooves 144 in the lower surface of body 56.
  • FIG. 8 shows two parallel spaced guide rails 50a similar to guide rail 50 received in two correspondingly shaped grooves 60a in body 56. Additional configurations will be apparent.
  • a variable resistor comprising an elongated housing comprising a base plate and a cover member operatively connected together to form an elongated enclosure, resistive material deposited in an elongated strip longitudinally along said base plate, a contact slidable over said resistive strip, a carrier to which said contact is secured, a guide rail mounted substantially along its entire length on said base plate parallel to said elongated resistive strip and operatively sliding engaging said carrier, said carrier being spaced from at least two opposite walls of said housing, and means for moving said carrier within said housing along said guide rail, whereby said contact slidably engages said resistive strip.
  • variable resistor of claim I wherein said cover member is provided with an elongated opening in the wall opposite said base plate and said carrier moving means comprises a control member secured to said carrier and extending through said elongated opening in said housing wall.
  • variable resistor of claim 1 wherein said contact is resilient and is flexed into sliding engagement with said resistive strip.
  • variable resistor of claim 1 further comprising means to bias said carrier away from at least one housing wall and into engagement with said guide rail.
  • variable resistor of claim 4 wherein said carrier biasing means comprises a resilient member secured to said carrier and operatively engaging said at least one wall of said housing.
  • variable resistor of claim 5 further comprising an insulating plate disposed between said at least one housing wall and said resilient member, said insulating plate being movable with said carrier.
  • variable resistor of claim 6 further comprising a fixed insulating plate interposed between said at least one wall of said housing and said movable insulating plate whereby said movable insulating plate is urged into sliding contact with said fixed insulating plate.
  • variable resistor of claim 5 wherein said resilient member comprises a main body portion secured to said carrier in the region of said control member and a plurality of resilient arms extending outwardly from said control member and upwardly from said carrier towards said at least one housing wall, whereby rolling or pitching torques on said carrier resulting from forces applied to said control member are resisted by said resilient arms.
  • variable resistor of claim 8 further comprising an insulating plate disposed between said at least one housing wall and said resilient member, said insulating plate being movable with said carrier.
  • variable resistor of claim 9 further comprising a fixed insulating plate interposed between said at least one wall of said housing and said movable insulating plate whereby said movable insulating plate is urged into sliding contact with said fixed insulating plate.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Adjustable Resistors (AREA)
US133211A 1970-07-31 1971-04-12 Variable resistor Expired - Lifetime US3693129A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP7655670U JPS5338824Y1 (ja) 1970-07-31 1970-07-31
JP10759770U JPS5130591Y1 (ja) 1970-10-29 1970-10-29

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3693129A true US3693129A (en) 1972-09-19

Family

ID=33078962

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US133211A Expired - Lifetime US3693129A (en) 1970-07-31 1971-04-12 Variable resistor

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US3693129A (ja)
JP (1) JPS5130591Y1 (ja)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USRE30923E (en) * 1973-01-02 1982-05-04 Bowmar Instrument Corporation Calculator keyboard switch with disc spring contact and printed circuit board
US5825279A (en) * 1995-05-26 1998-10-20 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Slide potentiometer
US20160125984A1 (en) * 2014-10-31 2016-05-05 Yu-Chen Chuang Slide-type variable resistor
US20160217891A1 (en) * 2015-01-22 2016-07-28 Taiwan Alpha Electronic Co., Ltd. Variable resistor
USD924819S1 (en) * 2015-05-28 2021-07-13 Lutron Technology Company Llc Illuminated control device
USD956003S1 (en) 2015-05-28 2022-06-28 Lutron Technology Company Llc Illuminated control device

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USRE30923E (en) * 1973-01-02 1982-05-04 Bowmar Instrument Corporation Calculator keyboard switch with disc spring contact and printed circuit board
US5825279A (en) * 1995-05-26 1998-10-20 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Slide potentiometer
US20160125984A1 (en) * 2014-10-31 2016-05-05 Yu-Chen Chuang Slide-type variable resistor
US9466410B2 (en) * 2014-10-31 2016-10-11 Taiwan Alpha Electronic Co., Ltd. Slide-type variable resistor
US20160217891A1 (en) * 2015-01-22 2016-07-28 Taiwan Alpha Electronic Co., Ltd. Variable resistor
US9443647B2 (en) * 2015-01-22 2016-09-13 Taiwan Alpha Electronic Co., Ltd. Variable resistor
TWI557755B (zh) * 2015-01-22 2016-11-11 Inverted brush type variable resistor
USD924819S1 (en) * 2015-05-28 2021-07-13 Lutron Technology Company Llc Illuminated control device
USD956003S1 (en) 2015-05-28 2022-06-28 Lutron Technology Company Llc Illuminated control device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5130591Y1 (ja) 1976-08-02

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3746923A (en) Dimmer switch with linearly movable control
US2706230A (en) Variable resistor
US3982807A (en) Zero force printed circuit board connector
US2668218A (en) Translatory potentiometer
US3944760A (en) Switch assembly having slider actuator insulating plate inserted between normally closed contacts
US3022481A (en) Electrical connector
US2203555A (en) Electric switch
US2242327A (en) Variable resistance
US3693129A (en) Variable resistor
US3271535A (en) Switch device with improved detent structure
US4196328A (en) Electric switch
US3412361A (en) Variable resistance control
US3461252A (en) Multiposition slide switch
US3732521A (en) Mounting means and slideable electrical contact for linear potentiometer
US3699292A (en) Slidable contact member for minature switch
US2926324A (en) Adjustable resistor
US2785240A (en) Slide switches
US3742421A (en) Potentiometer having a transport screw and diamond shaped contact spring
US3787653A (en) Electrical switch assembly
US4767896A (en) Stamped circuitry assembly
US3728499A (en) Adjustable electrical control device with longitudinal indexing for slide switch
US4016377A (en) Slide switch assembly having improved fixed knife blade type contact structure
US3671915A (en) Sliding type variable resistor
US4047146A (en) Variable resistor assembly
US3173306A (en) Detent spring