Linear resilient material variable resistor

• US 7,788,799 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: AuthenTec Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Rogers, Michael D., Schrum, Allan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THIEM D
• Application Number:
  US11/544,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20070063811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 296/21, 296/101, 296/20, 298/25, 298/46, 338/54, 338/68, 338/92, 338/99, 338/114, 338/158, 338/183
• US Class Current: 29/610.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/06 adjustable by short-circuiting different amounts of the resistive element
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/12 by changing surface pressure between resistive masses or resistive and conductive masses, e.g. pile type
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/305 consisting of a thick film
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/38 the contact moving along a straight path
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49082 Resistor making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49085 Thermally variable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49101 Applying terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A variable resistance device comprises a resistive member having a resistive resilient material. A first conductor is configured to be electrically coupled with the resistive member at a first contact location over a first contact area. A second conductor is configured to be electrically coupled with the resistance member at a second contact location over a second contact area. The first contact location and second contact location are spaced from one another by a distance. The resistance between the first conductor at the first contact location and the second conductor at the second contact location is equal to the sum of a straight resistance component and a parallel path resistance component. At least one of the first location, the second location, the first contact area, and the second contact area is changed to produce a change in resistance between the first conductor and the second conductor.

Claims

1. A variable resistor apparatus comprising:

a resistive member comprising a resistive resilient material, wherein the resistive member is a substantially rectangular structure, and a first contact area runs substantially a length of a first edge of the rectangular structure;

a first conductor electrically coupled to the resistive member at a first location over the first contact area;

a second conductor in spaced relation to said resistive member;

a roller mechanism configured to apply a force on the resistive member at a second location selected from one of a plurality of locations to deflect the resistive member to contact the second conductor at the second location, and wherein a resistance value of the resistive member is related to a distance between the first location and the second location.

2. The variable resistor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the roller mechanism at the second location transects the resistive member substantially parallel to the first edge, and wherein the first location and the second location are separated by a distance.

3. The variable resistor apparatus of claim 2, wherein the resistive member has substantially uniform resistance.

4. The variable resistor apparatus of claim 3, wherein the resistance value between the first location and the second location varies substantially linearly with a proportional linear change along the distance.

5. The variable resistor apparatus of claim 4, wherein the roller mechanism comprises a cylindrical roller wheel movable in a linear direction.

6. The variable resistor apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cylindrical roller wheel rolls between the plurality of locations.