Encapsulated magnetically sensitive circuit elements for depth-indicating purposes or the like

A flexibly interconnected array of a plurality of like encapsulated single circuit elements, each of which single circuit elements comprises an elongate encapsulating body with two laterally spaced flat metal-strip interconnections between and longitudinally spacing each adjacent pair of said circuit elements, one of said two interconnections for all adjacent pairs comprising a single continuous metal strip running the length of said array and passing through all circuit-element bodies of the array, the other of said two interconnections being unique to the interconnection of adjacent ends of each adjacent pair, an electrically resistive connection within each body and connecting the said other interconnections unique to each body, and electrical-connection means serially including a magnetic-reed switch within each body and interconnecting said metal-strip interconnections at one end of each of said bodies.

A flexibly interconnected array of a plurality of like encapsulated single circuit elements, each of which single circuit elements comprises an elongate encapsulating body with two laterally spaced flat metal-strip interconnections between and longitudinally spacing each adjacent pair of said circuit elements, one of said two metal-strip interconnections at each of said circuit-element bodies comprising a single flat strip extending through said body and projecting longitudinally beyond each longitudinal end of said body, the other of said two interconnections being unique to the interconnection of adjacent ends of each adjacent pair, an electrically resistive connection within each body and connecting the said other interconnections unique to each body, and electrical-connection means serially including a magnetic-reed switch within each body and interconnecting said metal-strip interconnections at one end of each said body.

A flexibly interconnected array of a plurality of like circuit-element networks, comprising a single flexible mounting strip of insulating material, said strip having a repeated lead-aperture pattern for the elements of each network in longitudinally spaced array;

• each network comprising a resistor element on one side of said mounting strip and with lead connections through two of the lead apertures of said pattern and electrically series-interconnecting said resistors of adjacent networks, each network further comprising a magnetic-reed switch adjacent said resistor element and having a first connection to one of the resistor-lead connections and a second connection including a lead through a third aperture of said pattern, and electricalbus connection means interconnecting all leads of said second connections via the other side of said strip.

As an article of manufacture, a coiled flexible assembly comprising two spaced electrical bus conductors extending the longitudinal extent of the assembly, and a plurality of individually encapsulated like longitudinally spaced magnetically-sensitive electrical switch units assembled to and maintaining the spaced relation of said conductors, each of said switch units comprising an elongate body having a terminal connection at each of its longitudinal ends to the adjacent end-terminal connection of the next-adjacent body, a resistor element within each body and interconnecting the end-terminal connections of the body, and a magnetic-reed switch within each body and interconnecting one of said bus conductors and one of the end-terminal connections of the body.

An encapsulated circuit element adapted to define a single unit of length when interconnected in longitudinal succession with a plurality of said elements to form an elongate array representing a succession of a corresponding plurality of said units of length, said encapsulated circuit element comprising an elongate generally rectangular-prismatic encapsulating body of substantially said unit length and having two equally spaced stiffly compliant terminals extending free of said body at each of its opposite longitudinal ends, all said terminals being bent to extend parallel to each other and in the same direction normal to and beyond the plane of one of the elongate surfaces of said body, both terminal bends at one end being spaced by said unit length from both terminal bends at the other end, a first electrically conductive connection within said body between one terminal at one end and one terminal at the other end, a second electrically conductive connection within said body between the other terminal at one end and the other terminal at the other end, and electrical-connection means serially including a magnetic-reed switch within said body and interconnecting the respective terminals at one end of said body.

A flexibly interconnected array of a plurality of like encapsulated circuit elements, each of which circuit elements comprises an elongate encapsulating body with three laterally spaced flexible metal interconnections between and longitudinally spacing each adjacent pair of said circuit elements, one of said three interconnections for all adjacent pairs comprising a single continuous length of metal running the length of said array and passing through all circuit-element bodies of the array, the second of said three interconnections being unique to the interconnection of adjacent ends of each adjacent pair, an electrically resistive connection within each body and connecting the said second interconnections unique to each body, and electrical-connection means serially including a magnetic-reed switch within each body and a resistor within the next-adjacent body, the third of said three interconnections providing the inter-body series-connection of said electrical-connection means, one of the ends of said electrical-connection means being connected to said second interconnection within one of said adjacent-pair bodies, and the other end of said electrical-connection means being connected to said first interconnection within the other of said adjacent-pair bodies.