Pressure sensitive piezoelectric signal generator assembly
First Claim
1. A signal generator assembly comprising:
- a piezoelectric subassembly, including a substantially planar, rigid yet manually flexible, substrate member, one or more discrete piezoelectric elements affixed to said substrate member and respective electrical conducting means connected to opposite sides of each said piezoelectric element for developing a signal voltage therebetween in response to deformation of the respective piezoelectric element by an applied force;
a flexible electroluminescent panel;
a plastic housing having a cavity and including a transparent, rigid yet manually flexible, cover element, said cover element being an integral portion of said housing;
said piezoelectric subassembly and said electroluminescent panel being positioned in said housing cavity in mutual force-transmitting relation with said cover element, said electroluminescent panel being interposed between said cover element and said piezoelectric subassembly; and
means disposed in said housing cavity for maintaining said cover element and said piezoelectric subassembly in sealed, force-transmitting relation with said cover element.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pressure sensitive signal generator assembly includes a piezoelectric subassembly, a flexible electroluminescent panel and a transparent cover element so arranged that the cover element is in force-transmitting relation with the piezoelectric subassembly and the electroluminescent panel is interposed therebetween. The piezoelectric subassembly includes a substantially planar, rigid yet manually flexible, substrate member; one or typically several, discrete piezoelectric elements, preferably crystals; and electrical conductors connected to the opposite surfaces of respective piezoelectric elements for developing a voltage therebetween in response to deformation of the piezoelectric element. An applique sheet, interposed between the cover and the electroluminescent panel contains indicia for identifying the respective piezoelectric elements. The cover element may be an integral portion of a plastic housing in which the signal generator assembly is housed. The various members of the signal generator assembly are maintained in sealed, force-transmitting relation by potting compound within the housing.
63 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A signal generator assembly comprising:
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a piezoelectric subassembly, including a substantially planar, rigid yet manually flexible, substrate member, one or more discrete piezoelectric elements affixed to said substrate member and respective electrical conducting means connected to opposite sides of each said piezoelectric element for developing a signal voltage therebetween in response to deformation of the respective piezoelectric element by an applied force; a flexible electroluminescent panel; a plastic housing having a cavity and including a transparent, rigid yet manually flexible, cover element, said cover element being an integral portion of said housing; said piezoelectric subassembly and said electroluminescent panel being positioned in said housing cavity in mutual force-transmitting relation with said cover element, said electroluminescent panel being interposed between said cover element and said piezoelectric subassembly; and means disposed in said housing cavity for maintaining said cover element and said piezoelectric subassembly in sealed, force-transmitting relation with said cover element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification