Variable-speed input unit having segmented pads for a power tool
AssigneeBlack & Decker Inc.
InventorsErik A. Ekstrom, Michael D. Grove, Alpay Hizal, Alexandros T. Theos
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Abstract
An electronic module is provided including: a circuit board including conductive pads and a sense pad coupled to an output signal; an actuator having a wiper member accommodating a conductive wiper, the wiper having a first end arranged to slidably engage the sense pad and a second end arranged to slidably engage at least one of the conductive pads; and at least one gap disposed to partition the sense pad into segments along an axial movement path of the conductive wiper, the segments being electrically connected to each other to have the same electric potential.
Claims19
An electronic module comprising:
- a circuit board comprising a plurality of conductive pads and a sense pad coupled to an output signal;
- an actuator having a wiper member accommodating a conductive wiper, the wiper having a first end arranged to slidably engage the sense pad and a second end arranged to slidably engage at least one of the plurality of conductive pads;
- and
- at least one gap disposed to partition the sense pad into a plurality of segments along an axial movement path of the conductive wiper, the plurality of segments being electrically connected to each other to have the same electric potential.
An electronic module comprising:
- a circuit board comprising a plurality of conductive pads and a sense pad coupled to an output signal;
- and
- an actuator having a wiper member accommodating a conductive wiper, the wiper having a first end arranged to slidably engage the sense pad and a second end arranged to slidably engage at least one of the plurality of conductive pads;
- wherein the plurality of conductive pads comprise an end pad disposed at a distal end of the plurality of conductive pads closest to the sense pad, the end pad being segmented to a plurality of segments via at least one end pad gap disposed along the axial movement path of the conductive wiper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.