Variable resistance control with end collector

Claim 2

A variable resistance control comprising a housing defined by a skirt and an end wall integral with said skirt, a resistance element lying in a plane and supported flatwise against the end wall of said housing, a collector supported by said skirt and having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the resistance element and closing one end of the housing, said collector being provided with an aperture, said collector being substantially flatwise and lying in a plane in spaced parallel relationship to said plane containing said resistance element, a contactor rotatable about an axis and positioned between said resistance element and said collector, and driver means for rotating said contactor whereby upon rotation of said driver means said contactor wipingly engages said resistance element and said collector, said collector rotatably supporting said driver means in said aperture.

Claim 3

The control of claim 1 wherein the skirt extends from the housing and has a shoulder formed therein, said collector being supported on said shoulder, and at least a portion of said skirt or said driver means is deformed over the collector to secure the collector to the housing.

Claim 4

The control of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a molded substantially cup-shaped member, the end wall of the housing is the bottom thereof, the resistance element is disposed flatwise against the bottom of said cup-shaped member, the collector defines the other end wall of the housing, the bottom of said cup-shaped member is provided with a plurality of slots, and terminals having arms passing through said slots secure said resistance element to said housing.

Claim 5

The control of claim 1 wherein a stop member extends radially from the driver means, and stop means secured to the housing is disposed in an interference path with the stop member.

Claim 6

The control of claim 4 wherein said driver means is provided with a first shaft portion in said aperture and is supported solely by said collector, the end wall being provided with an opening and said driver means being provided with a second shaft portion rotatably supported in said opening.

Claim 7

The control of claim 2 wherein said housing comprises a molded substantially cup-shaped member, the end wall of the housing is the bottom thereof, the resistance element is disposed flatwise against the bottom of said cup-shaped member, the collector defines the other end wall of the housing, the bottom of said cup-shaped member is provided with a plurality of slots, and terminals having arms passing through said slots secure said resistance element to said housing.

Claim 8

The control of claim 2 wherein a stop member extends radially from the driver means, and stop means secured to the housing is disposed in an interference path with the stop member.

Claim 9

The control of claim 3 wherein a stop member extends radially from the driver means, and stop means secured to the housing is disposed in an interference path with the stop member.

Claim 10

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having supporting means in one end and an opening in the other end, a collector disposed over said opening and having an aperture therein, a driver having a shaft rotatably supported in the aperture in said collector, said supporting means and said collector rotatably supporting said driver, said driver havinG one end of the shaft solely supported by said collector, a resistance element supported flatwise by said housing and lying in a plane in spaced parallel relationship to said collector, said collector having a diameter about as large as the diameter of the resistance element, and a contactor positioned between said resistance element and said collector, said contactor being constrained to rotate with said driver, said contactor wipably engaging said resistance element and said collector.

Claim 11

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having supporting means in one end and an opening in the other end, a collector disposed over said opening and having an aperture therein, a driver having a shaft rotatably supported in the aperture in said collector, said supporting means and said collector rotatably supporting said driver, said driver havinG one end of the shaft solely supported by said collector, a resistance element supported flatwise by said housing and lying in a plane in spaced parallel relationship to said collector, said collector having a diameter about as large as the diameter of the resistance element, and a contactor positioned between said resistance element and said collector, said contactor being constrained to rotate with said driver, said contactor wipably engaging said resistance element and said collector.

Claim 12

The control of claim 9 wherein said driver has a radially extending flange in bearing engagement with the housing adjacent the supporting means in said one end.

Claim 13

The control of claim 10 wherein a stop member is connected to said driver and extends from said flange, and stop means is positioned on said housing in an interference path with said stop member.

Claim 14

The control of claim 9 wherein the contactor comprises a paddle engaging the resistance element and a protuberance projecting from the plane of the contactor engages the collector.

Claim 15

The control of claim 9 wherein a raised annular trackway extends around the supporting means in said housing and is disposed between said supporting means and said resistance element, said contactor having contact means engaging said resistance element, and a pressure equalizing protuberance is spaced from said contact means and engages said annular trackway.

Claim 16

The control of claim 13 wherein two additional pressure equalizing protuberances are permanently deformed from said contactor for stabilizing said contactor.

Claim 17

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having a aperture in one end and an opening in the other end, a collector member disposed in one of said ends of the housing and having an aperture therein, a driver having a shaft portion rotatably supported in one of the apertures, a resistance element member supported flatwise in the other of said ends of said housing and lying substantially in a plane in spaced parallel relationship to said collector member, said plane being normal to the axis of rotation of said driver, a flange extending radially from the driver in bearing engagement with one of the ends of the housing for limiting axial movement of the driver in one direction relative to said housing, and a contactor sandwiched between said members and having contact means spring biased therebetween, said contactor being constrained to rotate with said driver, said contactor wipably engaging said members, said collector member having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the resistance element member, said collector member closing one of said ends of the housing.

Claim 18

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having a aperture in one end and an opening in the other end, a collector member disposed in one of said ends of the housing and having an aperture therein, a driver having a shaft portion rotatably supported in one of the apertures, a resistance element member supported flatwise in the other of said ends of said housing and lying substantially in a plane in spaced parallel relationship to said collector member, said plane being normal to the axis of rotation of said driver, a flange extending radially from the driver in bearing engagement with one of the ends of the housing for limiting axial movement of the driver in one direction relative to said housing, and a contactor sandwiched between said members and having contact means spring biased therebetween, said contactor being constrained to rotate with said driver, said contactor wipably engaging said members, said collector member having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the resistance element member, said collector member closing one of said ends of the housing.

Claim 19

The control of claim 15 wherein said housing is substantially cup-shaped, the one end of the housing is the bottom thereof, the resistance element member is disposed flatwise against the bottom of said cup-shaped housing, the bottom of said cup-shaped housing is provided with a plurality of slots, and terminals having arms passing through said slots secure said resistance element member to said housing.

Claim 20

The control of claim 15 wherein at least a portion of said housing or said driver is deformed over one of the members to secure the member to the housing.

Claim 21

The control of claim 15 wherein the one end of said housing is provided with an enlarged portion, the flange is disposed in said enlarged portion, a stop member extends radially from the driver, and stop means secured to the housing is disposed in an interference path with the stop member.

Claim 22

A variable resistance control comprising a base, a resistance element supported flatwise on said base, a collector supported by said base in spaced parallel relationship to said resistance element, said collector being substantially flatwise and having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the resistance element, a driver supported for rotation relative to said base, said driver having first and second shaft ends, said collector forming the sole support foR one of said shaft ends, and a contactor constrained to rotate with said driver for wipably engaging said resistance element and said collector, said contactor comprising a body lying in a single plane and a plurality of resilient arms lying in said plane, contact means coined from said arms and permanently deformed from said plane and engaging said resistance element with a predetermined pressure, and a pressure equalizing protuberance permanently deformed a predetermined distance from said plane and engaging said collector, said predetermined pressure being a function of said predetermined distance.

Claim 23

A variable resistance control comprising a base, a resistance element supported flatwise on said base, a collector supported by said base in spaced parallel relationship to said resistance element, said collector being substantially flatwise and having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the resistance element, a driver supported for rotation relative to said base, said driver having first and second shaft ends, said collector forming the sole support foR one of said shaft ends, and a contactor constrained to rotate with said driver for wipably engaging said resistance element and said collector, said contactor comprising a body lying in a single plane and a plurality of resilient arms lying in said plane, contact means coined from said arms and permanently deformed from said plane and engaging said resistance element with a predetermined pressure, and a pressure equalizing protuberance permanently deformed a predetermined distance from said plane and engaging said collector, said predetermined pressure being a function of said predetermined distance.

Claim 24

The variable resistance control of claim 19 wherein said contactor is positioned between said resistance element and said collector and two additional pressure equalizing protuberances are permanently deformed from said plane for stabilizing said contactor.

Claim 25

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having an aperture in one end and an opening in the other end, a collector closing said opening and having an aperture therein, a driver having first and second shaft ends rotatably supported in the aperture in said one end of said housing and in the aperture in said collector, said collector forming the sole support for one of said first and second shaft ends, a resistance element supported flatwise by said housing, and a contactor positioned between said resistance element and said collector, said contactor being constrained to rotate as said driver rotates, said contactor wipably engaging said resistance element and said collector.

Claim 26

A variable resistance control comprising a housing having an aperture in one end and an opening in the other end, a collector closing said opening and having an aperture therein, a driver having first and second shaft ends rotatably supported in the aperture in said one end of said housing and in the aperture in said collector, said collector forming the sole support for one of said first and second shaft ends, a resistance element supported flatwise by said housing, and a contactor positioned between said resistance element and said collector, said contactor being constrained to rotate as said driver rotates, said contactor wipably engaging said resistance element and said collector.

Claim 27

A variable resistance control comprising a molded housing having an opening in one end, a resistance element supported flatwise by said housing, a collector supported substantially flatwise by said housing, said collector being disposed over said opening and closing said opening and spaced from a plane containing said resistance element, said housing being deformed over the collector to secure the collector to the housing, a contactor positioned between said resistance element and said collector, and driver means for rotating said contactor whereby upon rotation of said driver means said contactor wipingly engages said resistance element and said collector.

Claim 28

A variable resistance control comprising a molded housing having an opening in one end, a resistance element supported flatwise by said housing, a collector supported substantially flatwise by said housing, said collector being disposed over said opening and closing said opening and spaced from a plane containing said resistance element, said housing being deformed over the collector to secure the collector to the housing, a contactor positioned between said resistance element and said collector, and driver means for rotating said contactor whereby upon rotation of said driver means said contactor wipingly engages said resistance element and said collector.