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US 4,823,106 AGranted
Tape element and methods, for heating, pressure measurement and circuit fabrication
AssigneeTapeswitch Corporation of America
InventorWalter C. Lovell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Ordinary inexpensive magnetic recording tape is used to create a novel resistance element which may be made pressure sensitive to perform a number of tasks involving robot finger control intrusion alarm systems, and portable weighing scales. A pressure insensitive resistance element is also used as an efficient, inexpensive heating tape element, or to make precision resistors having little bulk, and resistive networks which may be customized by a user.
Claims37
A method of making an electrical resistance element comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing first and second substantially electrically non-conductive elongated sheets having outer edges bounding the width of said sheets, and capable of being laminated together;
- (b) positioning first and second thin flat electrical conductors in a spaced apart relationship from each other and in between said sheets, the first and second conductors having inner edge portions which are separated to define a conductor gap having a given conductor gap width, and having outer edge portions positioned away from the outer edges of said elongated sheets to form margin portions enabling said first and second sheets to be tightly laminated to each other within said margin portions;
- (c) positioning portions of magnetic recording tape over said first and second electrical conductors in overlapping relationship with the inner edge portions of said conductors within an overlap area having a given width;
- and
- (d) laminating said electrical conductors, said magnetic recording tape and said first and second sheets together for causing said portions of said magnetic recording tape to be pressed firmly against said inner edge portions of said conductors within said overlap area.
2 more elements
A method of making a resistor having a selectable resistance value comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing at least one elongated electrical resistance element comprising first and second electrical conductors separated from one another, a strip of magnetic recording tape having a given width and a first tape portion firmly and permanently affixed to said first conductor in electrical contact therewith, and a second tape portion firmly and permanently affixed to said second conductor in electrical contact therewith, and wherein said conductors are elongated strips having inner and outer edge portions, said inner edge portions separated by a conductor gap and wherein said tape is wider than said gap, electrically bridges said gap, and wherein the contact pressure between said magnetic recording tape and said electrical conductors is great enough to prevent any substantial change in the resistance of said element upon the application of pressure thereto;
- and
- (b) cutting across said elongated resistance element to produce a segment having a length inversely proportional to a desired resistance.
A method of making a plurality of resistors, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) providing at least one elongated electrical resistance element comprising first and second electrical conductors separated from one another, a strip of magnetic recording tape having a given width and a first tape portion firmly and permanently affixed to said first conductor in electrical contact therewith, and a second tape portion firmly and permanently affixed to said second conductor in electrical contact therewith, and wherein said conductors are elongated strips having inner and outer edge portions, said inner edge portions separated by a conductor gap and wherein said tape is wider than said gap, electrically bridges said gap, and wherein the contact pressure between said magnetic recording tape and said electrical conductors is great enough to prevent any substantial change in the resistance of said element upon the application of pressure thereto;
- and
- (b) selectively removing entire sub-portions of at least one of said electrical conductors to produce a plurality of resistors.
A method of making an electrical resistance element comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning first and second thin flat electrical conductors in a spaced apart relationship from each other, the first and second conductors having inner edge portions which are separated to define a conductor gap having a given conductor gap width;
- (b) positioning portions of a magnetic recording tape over said firsts and second electrical conductors in overlapping relationship with the inner edge portions of said conductors to define an overlap area having a given width so that the inner edge portions of said conductors are in electrical contact with said portions of the magnetic recording tape.
A pressure sensitive tape-switch comprising:
- (a) a substrate having first and second electrical conductors positioned thereon;
- (b) a strip of magnetic recording tape situated to overlie portions of the first and second conductors;
- and
- (c) insulating means interposed between the strip of magnetic recording tape and the first and second conductors for insulating the strip of magnetic recording tape from said conductors and for selectively maintaining the tape out of contact therewith, so that only pressure exerted upon said tape-switch will cause said tape to electrically bridge said conductors.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.