US 5,047,746 A · Potentiometer wiper assembly

Abstract

A wiper assembly for a potentiometer, particularly a rotary potentiometer having a rotor for carrying the wiper assembly along a resistive element, includes a metal plate attached to the rotor. A strip of metal formed integrally with the plate is bent back over itself out of the plane of the plate to form a cantilevered spring arm having a free end. Attached to the free end is an array of resilient, conductive wires arranged in a parallel, side-by-side relationship, each of the wires forming a resilient, cantilevered wiper finger. The spring arm and the array of wire wiper fingers attached to it form a hybrid wiper arm assembly. Preferably, the plate includes a first such hybrid wiper arm assembly arranged to function as a wiper for the resistive element in the potentiometer, and a second such wiper arm assembly arranged to function as a wiper for a conductive collector element in the potentiometer.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A wiper assembly for a potentiometer, wherein the potentiometer has a carrier for carrying the wiper assembly along a resistive element, the wiper assembly comprising:

a substantially planar, solid metal plate adapted for attachment to the carrier;
a strip of metal formed integrally with the plate and bent back over itself out of the plane of the plate to form a cantilevered spring arm having a free end;
an array of resilient, conductive wires, each of the wires having first and second ends, the first end of each of the wires being attached to the free end of the spring arm, so that the wires are arranged in a parallel, side-by-side relationship, each of the wires thereby forming a resilient, cantilevered wiper finger, extending beyond the free end of the spring arm.

A contact/rotor assembly for a rotary potentiometer having a substrate with an arcuate resistive element and a conductive collector element deposited on the surface thereof, the contact/rotor assembly comprising:

a rotor having a central post;
a plate made of a resilient, conductive metal, and having a central aperture receiving the rotor gear post;
a first strip of metal formed integrally with the plate and bent over itself out of the plane of the plate to form a cantilevered resistive element spring arm having a free end;
a first array of resilient, conductive wires attached to the free end of the resistive element spring arm in parallel, side-by-side relationship, each of the wires thereby forming a resilient, cantilevered wiper finger, extending beyond the free end of the resistive element spring arm;
a second strip of metal formed integrally with the plate and bent over itself out of the plane of the plate to form a cantilevered collector element spring arm having a free end;
a second array of resilient, conductive wires attached to the free end of the collector element spring arm in parallel, side-by-side relationship, each of the wires thereby forming a resilient, cantilevered wiper finger, extending beyond the free end of the collector element spring arm;
and
clutch means, operationally engageable between the rotor and the plate, for causing the rotor and the plate to rotate together until the plate is blocked from further rotation, whereupon the rotor gear is allowed to continue turning without the plate.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Potentiometer wiper assembly

Life of this patent

Potentiometer wiper assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20