Variable resistance control with multiple paddle contactor and method of making the same
AssigneeCTS Corporation
InventorRonald L. Stuckey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A variable resistance control of the rectilinear and multiturn type is provided with a contactor having a plurality of contactor paddles. The contactor paddles are wedge-shaped, are defined by a saw-tooth shaped shear line in a planar portion of the contactor, and are bent upwardly to provide flexing clearance between adjacent contactor paddles.
Claims15
In a variable resistance control, the combination of a resistance element having first and second ends and a first contactor surface therebetween, a first terminal electrically connected to the resistance element proximal to one of the ends, a collector element having a second contactor surface and being in spaced relationship to the resistance element, a second terminal electrically connected to the collector element, a contactor electrically engaging the first and second contactor surfaces, means for moving the contactor along a predetermined path to engage the first contactor surface at selective distances from the first terminal, the contactor comprising a piece of sheet metal having a planar portion including an upper surface, and a plurality of integral contactor paddles providing electrical engagement of the contactor with one of the contactor surfaces, the contactor paddles being wedge-shaped fingers defined by a first saw-tooth shaped shear line disposed in the planar portion and disposed substantially orthogonal to the direction of motion of the contactor along said predetermined path, each of the paddles having a wide end integral with the planar portion and substantially orthogonal to the direction of motion and a severed narrow end, each of the paddles having a first side extending from the wide end thereof to the narrow end thereof at an acute angle to the direction of motion and severed from one of the sides of an adjacent wedge-shaped finger by the shear line, each of the paddles having a severed second side extending from the wide end thereof to the narrow end thereof and a raised portion extending upwardly from the upper surface providing a portion of the electrical engagement of the plurality of contactor paddles with one of the contactor surface.
In a variable resistance control of the type that includes a resistance element having first and second ends and a first contactor surface therebetween, a first terminal being electrically connected to the resistance element proximal to one of the ends, a collector element having a second contactor surface and being in spaced relationship to the resistance element, a second terminal being electrically connected to the collector element, a contactor electrically engaging the first and second contactor surfaces, and means for moving the contactor along a predetermined path to engage the first contactor surface at selective distances from the first terminal, the improvement comprising the contactor comprising a piece of sheet metal having a planar portion operatively engaging the means and having a plurality of integral contactor paddles providing electrical engagement of the contactor with one of the contactor surfaces, the contactor paddles comprising a plurality of wedge-shaped fingers defined by a saw-tooth shaped shear line disposed in the planar portion and disposed substantially orthogonal to the direction of motion of the contactor along the predetermined path, each of the paddles having a raised portion extending from a surface of the planar portion and providing a portion of the electrical engagement of the plurality of contactor paddles with the one of the contactor surfaces.
An electrical contactor for a variable resistance control comprising a piece of sheet metal having a planar portion including upper and lower surfaces, a first saw-tooth shaped shear line in the planar portion defining a plurality of adjacent and oppositely disposed wedge-shaped fingers, each of the fingers including both a narrow end and a pair of sides severed from the planar portion and from adjacent ones of the fingers by the shear line, each of the fingers including a wide end integral with the planar portion and proximal to a narrow end of an adjacent one of the wedge-shaped fingers, the wedge-shaped fingers having an acute-angle upward bend proximal to the wide end thereof and a downward bend intermediate of the wide and narrow ends thereof, both bends being substantially orthogonal to a line bisecting the pair of sides thereof whereby the bends are effective to move each of the narrow ends distal from adjacent ones of the wide ends thereby effectively providing clearance between adjacent sides of the wedge-shaped fingers that are defined by the shear line and thereby providing clearance space for individual flexing of the wedge-shaped fingers toward and away from the upper surface.
A method of producing a multipaddle electrical contactor for a variable resistance control comprising the steps of:
- a. shearing a saw-tooth shaped shear line into a planar portion of sheet metal intermediate of the edges thereof, to form a plurality of adjacent and oppositely disposed wedge-shaped fingers, each of the fingers having a wide end integral with the planar portion and having both a narrow end and side edges severed from the planar portion and from adjacent ones of the wedge-shaped fingers by the saw-tooth shaped shear line, and
- b. forming an upwardly raised portion in each of the wedge-shaped fingers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.