Miniaturized single turn potentiometer with hermetically sealed rotor and substrate

Claim 2

In a miniaturized potentiometer, the combination comprising a rotor of shallow cup shape having an axial flange spaced inwardly from the periphery to define a central recess and an annular axially facing shoulder, a wafer of substrate of substantially the same diameter arranged below the rotor and contacting the lower surface Of said axial flange, an interrupted circular resistance element on the substrate centered about a central contact, a contact spring secured to said rotor in said central recess and having a flat body integrally including a resilient wiper and a central resilient leaf engaging said resistance element, said resilient leaf extending from the plane thereof so that when the contact spring is seated in the recess the wiper extends slightly beyond the axial flange thereby to ensure engagement with the resistance element and central contact respectively when the axial flange is ridingly seated on the substrate, a resilient O-ring encircling the axial flange and resiliently sandwiched between the shoulder on the rotor and the surface of the substrate for providing an hermetic seal between the rotor and substrate in all rotational positions of the rotor, a base member underlying said substrate and supportingly engaging the lower surface of said substrate, and means enclosing the rotor, substrate and base member while providing access to the rotor for rotational adjustment, said enclosing means pressing against the upper surface of said rotor and the lower surface of said base member to hold the rotor, substrate and base member together while slightly compressing said O-ring to provide said hermetic seal between said rotor and substrate.

Claim 3

In a miniaturized potentiometer the combination comprising a rotor of shallow cup shape having an axially extending flange extending about its periphery defining a central recess, an O-ring mounted adjacent the flange having a normal diameter greater than the height of the flange, a wafer of substrate arranged below the rotor having an interrupted circular resistance element surrounded by a land engaging the lower surface of said axial flange and said O-ring, a contact spring secured to said rotor in said central recess and having a flat body integrally including a resilient wiper and a central resilient leaf engaging said resistance element, said resilient leaf extending from the plane thereof so that when the contact spring is seated in the recess the wiper extends slightly beyond the axial flange thereby to ensure application of predetermined pressure against the resistance element when the flange is in riding engagement with the substrate, a central lead penetrating the substrate for making pivoting contact with the resilient leaf, terminal leads penetrating the substrate for making contact with the ends of the resistance element, a base member immediately underlying the substrate and supportingly engaging the lower surface of said substrate, said base member being channeled for reception of the leads, the rotor, substrate and base having substantially the same diameter, a cup-shaped enclosure surrounding the rotor, substrate and base, said enclosure pressing against the upper surface of said rotor and the lower surface of said base to hold the rotor, substrate and base together while slightly compressing said O-ring to provide a hermetic seal between said rotor and substrate, stop members interposed between the rotor and enclosure for determining the limits of movement of the rotor, means for keying together the substrate and base, and means for keying together the enclosure and base for automatic positional phasing of the wiper with respect to the resistance element,

Claim 4

In a miniaturized potentiometer the combination comprising a rotor of shallow cup shape having an axially extending flange extending about its periphery defining a central recess, an O-ring mounted adjacent the flange having a normal diameter greater than the height of the flange, a wafer of substrate arranged below the rotor having an interrupted circular resistance element surrounded by a land engaging the lower surface of said axial flange and said O-ring, a contact spring secured to said rotor in said central recess and having a flat body integrally including a resilient wiper and a central resilient leaf engaging said resistance element, said resilient leaf extending from the plane thereof so that when the contact spring is seated in the recess the wiper extends slightly beyond the axial flange thereby to ensure application of predetermined pressure against the resistance element when the flange is in riding engagement with the substrate, a central lead penetrating the substrate for making pivoting contact with the resilient leaf, terminal leads penetrating the substrate for making contact with the ends of the resistance element, a base member immediately underlying the substrate and supportingly engaging the lower surface of said substrate, said base member being channeled for reception of the leads, the rotor, substrate and base having substantially the same diameter, a cup-shaped enclosure surrounding the rotor, substrate and base, said enclosure pressing against the upper surface of said rotor and the lower surface of said base to hold the rotor, substrate and base together while slightly compressing said O-ring to provide a hermetic seal between said rotor and substrate, stop members interposed between the rotor and enclosure for determining the limits of movement of the rotor, means for keying together the substrate and base, and means for keying together the enclosure and base for automatic positional phasing of the wiper with respect to the resistance element,

Claim 5

The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which the keyed connection between the enclosure and base is in the form of nonsymmetrical inwardly bent tabs on the enclosure registering with corresponding nonsymmetrical recesses in the base.

Claim 6

The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which the leads are sealed to the substrate and in which the base is formed with channels for accommodating the lead wires of L-shaped configuration so that the leads are bent sharply within the base for mechanical anchoring thereof.

Claim 7

In a miniaturized potentiometer, the combination comprising a rotor of shallow cup shape having an axial flange spaced inwardly from the peripheRy to define a central recess and an annular axially facing shoulder, a wafer of substrate of substantially the same diameter arranged below the rotor and contacting the lower surface of said axial flange, an interrupted circular resistance element on the substrate centered about a central contact, a contact spring secured to said rotor in said central recess and having a flat body integrally including a resilient wiper and a central resilient leaf engaging said resistance element, an O-ring surrounding the flange and sandwiched between the substrate and shoulder thereby to provide a moisture and dustproof seal for the resistance element and contact member, a base member underlying said substrate and supportingly engaging the lower surface of said substrate, an enclosing shell surrounding the rotor, substrate and base member while permitting access to the rotor for angular adjustment of the latter, said enclosing shell pressing against the upper surface of said rotor and the lower surface of said base member to hold the rotor, substrate and base member together while slightly compressing said O-ring to provide a hermetic seal between said rotor and substrate said shell and said rotor having cooperating stops to define the range of angular movement of the rotor, the shell being keyed to the substrate and the contact spring being keyed to the rotor thereby to ensure that the path of the wiper on the contact spring is phased with the resistance element.

Claim 8

In a miniaturized potentiometer, the combination comprising a rotor of shallow cup shape having an axial flange spaced inwardly from the peripheRy to define a central recess and an annular axially facing shoulder, a wafer of substrate of substantially the same diameter arranged below the rotor and contacting the lower surface of said axial flange, an interrupted circular resistance element on the substrate centered about a central contact, a contact spring secured to said rotor in said central recess and having a flat body integrally including a resilient wiper and a central resilient leaf engaging said resistance element, an O-ring surrounding the flange and sandwiched between the substrate and shoulder thereby to provide a moisture and dustproof seal for the resistance element and contact member, a base member underlying said substrate and supportingly engaging the lower surface of said substrate, an enclosing shell surrounding the rotor, substrate and base member while permitting access to the rotor for angular adjustment of the latter, said enclosing shell pressing against the upper surface of said rotor and the lower surface of said base member to hold the rotor, substrate and base member together while slightly compressing said O-ring to provide a hermetic seal between said rotor and substrate said shell and said rotor having cooperating stops to define the range of angular movement of the rotor, the shell being keyed to the substrate and the contact spring being keyed to the rotor thereby to ensure that the path of the wiper on the contact spring is phased with the resistance element.

Claim 9

In a miniaturized potentiometer, the combination comprising a rotor of shallow cup shape having an axial flange spaced inwardly from the periphery enclosing a central recess, a wafer of substrate of substantially the same diameter arranged below the rotor and contacting the lower surface of said axial flange, an interrupted circular resistance element on the substrate centered about a central contact, a contact spring secured to said rotor in said central recess and having a flat body integrally including a resilient wiper and a central resilient leaf engaging said resistance element, an O-ring adjacent the flange for contacting the substrate, a base member underlying said substrate and supportingly engaging the lower surface of said substrate, an enclosing shell surrounding the rotor, substrate and base member and having a central opening for permitting access to the rotor for angular adjustment of the latter, said enclosing shell pressing against the upper surface of said rotor and the lower surface of said base member to hold the rotor, substrate and base member together while slightly compressing said O-ring to provide a hermetic seal between said rotor and substrate, said shell and said rotor having cooperating stops to define the range of angular movement of the rotor, the shell being keyed to the substrate and the contact spring being keyed to the rotor thereby to ensure that the path of the wiper on the contact spring is phased with the resistance element.

Claim 10

In a miniaturized potentiometer, the combination comprising a rotor of shallow cup shape having an axial flange spaced inwardly from the periphery enclosing a central recess, a wafer of substrate of substantially the same diameter arranged below the rotor and contacting the lower surface of said axial flange, an interrupted circular resistance element on the substrate centered about a central contact, a contact spring secured to said rotor in said central recess and having a flat body integrally including a resilient wiper and a central resilient leaf engaging said resistance element, an O-ring adjacent the flange for contacting the substrate, a base member underlying said substrate and supportingly engaging the lower surface of said substrate, an enclosing shell surrounding the rotor, substrate and base member and having a central opening for permitting access to the rotor for angular adjustment of the latter, said enclosing shell pressing against the upper surface of said rotor and the lower surface of said base member to hold the rotor, substrate and base member together while slightly compressing said O-ring to provide a hermetic seal between said rotor and substrate, said shell and said rotor having cooperating stops to define the range of angular movement of the rotor, the shell being keyed to the substrate and the contact spring being keyed to the rotor thereby to ensure that the path of the wiper on the contact spring is phased with the resistance element.

Claim 11

The combination as claimed in claim 6 in which keying between the rotor and contact spring is brought about by forming the recess to match the profile of the contact spring with an interfering fit for permanent retention of the spring after it has been pressed into place.

Claim 12

The combination as claimed in claim 6 in which the contact spring is straight sided and in which the recess in the rotor is correspondingly formed for permanent keyed reception of the contact spring.

Claim 13

The combination as claimed in claim 6 in which the wiper is at one end of the contact spring, the recess being conformed to mate with the profile of the contact spring for nested reception of the spring, and the recess being nonsymmetrical with respect to the axis of the rotor to ensure unique orientation of the wiper with respect to the stop on the rotor.

Claim 14

In a miniaturized potentiometer, the combination comprising a rotor of shallow cup shape having a peripheral flange enclosing a central recess, and O-ring arranged adjacent the flange, a substrate having an interRupted circular resistance element surrounded by a land engaging the lower surface of said flange and said O-ring, a contact spring secured to said rotor in said central recess and having a flat body integrally including a resilient wiper and a central resilient leaf extending from the plane thereof and engaging said resistance element, leads penetrating the substrate for making connection to the ends of the resistance element, a central lead penetrating the substrate and projecting beyond the surface thereof for making contact with the resilient leaf on the contact spring, said leads being sealed to the substrate, the rotor having an adjusting slot formed in its upper surface, a base member underlying said substrate and supportingly engaging the lower surface of said substrate, means including a shell for enclosing and clamping together the rotor, substrate and base member and including a central aperture for access to the adjusting slot, said shell pressing against the upper surface of said rotor and the lower surface of said base member to hold the rotor, substrate and base member together while slightly compressing said O-ring to provide said hermetic seal between said rotor and substrate.

Claim 15

In a miniaturized potentiometer, the combination comprising a rotor of shallow cup shape having a peripheral flange enclosing a central recess, and O-ring arranged adjacent the flange, a substrate having an interRupted circular resistance element surrounded by a land engaging the lower surface of said flange and said O-ring, a contact spring secured to said rotor in said central recess and having a flat body integrally including a resilient wiper and a central resilient leaf extending from the plane thereof and engaging said resistance element, leads penetrating the substrate for making connection to the ends of the resistance element, a central lead penetrating the substrate and projecting beyond the surface thereof for making contact with the resilient leaf on the contact spring, said leads being sealed to the substrate, the rotor having an adjusting slot formed in its upper surface, a base member underlying said substrate and supportingly engaging the lower surface of said substrate, means including a shell for enclosing and clamping together the rotor, substrate and base member and including a central aperture for access to the adjusting slot, said shell pressing against the upper surface of said rotor and the lower surface of said base member to hold the rotor, substrate and base member together while slightly compressing said O-ring to provide said hermetic seal between said rotor and substrate.