Variable resistor
AssigneeAisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTakoyoshi Tsuzuki, Mitsuko Kotaki, Ryohei Yabuno, Masami Ishii
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable resistor having a multi-layer resistive/conductive element is provided. The resistor has three electrodes, a resistive element connecting two of the electrodes and a sliding contact between the resistive element and the third electrode. The base of the resistor is provided with test areas. Each of the test areas contains a strip of the material used to form an individual layer in the multi-layer element. The test areas provide a convenient means for measuring the thickness of the individual layers in the multi-layer element without having to destroy the resistor.
Claims11
A variable resistor comprising:
- an insulating base;
- first, second and third electrodes on said base;
- a resistive element on said base and extending between said first electrode and said second electrode;
- a first conductive cover layer providing a conductive contact between the resistive element and the first electrode;
- a second conductive cover layer providing a conductive contact between the resistive element and the second electrode;
- a contact member slidably disposed over said resistive element, said contact member being in sliding conductive contact with said resistive element and in conductive contact said third electrode;
- a first test area on said base, said first test area having substantially the same thickness as said resistive element and being provided for estimating the thickness of said resistive element;
- a second test area on said base, said second test area having substantially the same thickness as each of said conductive layers and being provided for estimating the thickness of said conductive cover layers.
A variable resistor comprising:
- an insulating base;
- first, second and third electrodes mounted on said base;
- a resistive element formed on said base;
- a first conductive cover layer formed on said base and providing a conductive contact between said first electrode and said resistive element;
- a second conductive cover layer formed on said base and providing a conductive contact between the resistive element and the second electrode;
- said resistive element comprising (i) a lower resistive layer formed on the base and contacting the conductive cover layers and (ii) an upper resistive layer, said upper layer being in conductive contact with said conductive cover layers, said lower resistive layer, and said first and second electrodes;
- a contact member slidably disposed over said resistive element, said contact member being in sliding conductive contact with said upper resistive layer and in conductive contact with said third electrode;
- a first test area on said base, said first test area having substantially the same thickness as said lower resistive layer and being provided for estimating the thickness of said lower resistive layer;
- a second test area on said base, said second test area having substantially the same thickness as said upper resistive layer and being provided for estimating the thickness of said upper resistive layer;
- and
- a third test area on said base, said third test area having substantially the same thickness as each of said conductive cover layers and being provided for estimating the thickness of said conductive layers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.