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US 4,365,230 AGranted
Lead screw type variable resistor
AssigneeAMP Incorporated
InventorSteven Feldman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Variable resistor comprises a lead screw 12 rotatably mounted to substrate 42 by conductive mounts 18, 18' and engaging a one-piece stamped and formed sheet metal slider 16 movable along circuit trace 20 in response to rotation of the screw 12. The lead screw 12 is a conductive plastic and thus acts as a resistance element, the resistance between the mounts 18, 18' and the circuit trace 20 being varied by rotating the screw 12. Mounts 18, 18' have spring-loaded arms 34, 36 which releasably retain the lead screw 12 so it may be replaced if it is desired to change the resistance limits of the device.
Claims6
A variable resistor comprising:
- a lead screw with an integral resistance element;
- a pair of mounts which rotatably carry said lead screw, said mounts being fixed to a substrate, at least one said mount providing electrical connection between said resistance element and a first circuit element;
- a slider operatively engaging said lead screw and movable in response to rotation of said screw, said slider being in contact with said resistance element;
- a second circuit element in said substrate which said slider moves along in response to rotation of said lead screw, said slider remaining in electrical contact with said second circuit element, whereby,
- rotation of said lead screw will cause said slider to move along said resistance element, thereby varying the resistance between the first circuit element and the second circuit element.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.