Resilient material potentiometer
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. The straight resistance component increases or decreases as the distance between the first contact location and the second contact location increases or decrease, respectively. The parallel path resistance component has preset desired characteristics based on selected first and second contact locations and selected first and second contact areas. The first and second contact locations and first and second contact areas can be selected such that the change in the resistance between the first and second contact locations is at least substantially equal to the change in the straight resistance component or the change in the parallel path resistance component.
1 .- 40 . (canceled)
41 . A variable resistor apparatus comprising:
a. a first conductor and a second conductor separated by a gap, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are non-uniformly shaped;
b. a resistive member, wherein the resistive member comprises a resistive resilient material, configured to bridge the gap between the first conductor and the second conductor over a range of positions along the gap, and thereby forming a resistive path with a resistance, the resistive member having a contact footprint.
42 . The variable resistor of claim 41 , wherein the gap width is substantially constant.
43 . The variable resistor of claim 42 , wherein the first conductor and the second conductor is substantially triangular.
44 . The variable resistor of claim 43 , wherein the resistive member has substantially uniform unit area resistance.
45 . The variable resistor of claim 44 , wherein the resistive member bridges the gap substantially symmetrically.
46 . The variable resistor of claim 45 , wherein the resistive member slides in response to a mechanical force from a first location to a second location.
47 . The variable resistor of claim 46 , wherein the resistance changes non-linearly to a proportional change from the first location to the second location along the gap.
48 . The variable resistor of claim 47 wherein the second location does not contact either the first conductor or the second conductor.
49 . The variable resistor of claim 48 , wherein the resistive member contact footprint is substantially circular.
50 . The variable resistor of claim 48 , wherein the resistive member contact footprint is substantially rectangular.
51 . A method of providing a variable resistance from a resistive member including a resistive resilient material, the method comprising:
a. forming a contact footprint with the resistive member bridging a gap between a first non-uniform conductor and a second non-uniform conductor separated by a gap, thereby forming a resistance between the first and second non-uniform conductors;
b. moving the resistive member along the gap from a first location to a second location thereby changing the resistance.
52 . The method of claim 51 , wherein a mechanical force slidably moves the resistive member along the gap from a first location to a second location.
53 . The method as claimed in claim 52 , wherein the mechanical force is asserted through a button coupled to the resistive member.
54 . The method as claimed in claim 53 , wherein the resistive member has substantially uniform unit area resistance.
55 . The method as claimed in claim 54 , wherein the resistive member bridges the gap substantially symmetrically.
56 . The method as claimed in claim 55 , wherein the resistance changes non-linearly with a proportional movement of the resistive member along the gap.
57 . The method as claimed in claim 56 , wherein the resistive member can be positioned such that it does not contact either the first conductor or the second conductor.
58 . The method as claimed in claim 57 , wherein the contact footprint of the resistive member is substantially circular.
59 . The method as claimed in claim 57 , wherein the contact footprint of the resistive member is substantially rectangular.
60 . A method of manufacturing a variable resistor from a resistive member including a resistive resilient material, comprising the steps of:
a. forming a first conductor and a second conductor separated by a gap, wherein the first and second conductor are non-uniformly shaped; and
b. forming the resistive member configured to bridge the gap between the first and the second conductors at a first location having a first resistance, wherein the first resistance changes to a second resistance when the resistive member is positioned at a second position along the gap.
61 . The method as claimed in claim 60 , wherein the first non-uniformly shaped conductor and the second non-uniformly shaped conductor is formed such that the gap width is substantially constant.
62 . The method as claimed in claim 61 , wherein the first and second conductors are formed in a substantially triangular shape.
63 . The method as claimed in claim 62 , wherein the resistive member bridges the gap substantially symmetrically.
64 . The method as claimed in claim 63 , wherein the resistive member is formed to slidably move in response to a mechanical force from the first location to the second location along the gap.
65 . The method as claimed in claim 64 , wherein the resistive member and first and second conductor are formed such that the resistance changes non-linearly with a proportional movement of the resistive member along the gap.
66 . The method as claimed in claim 65 , wherein the resistive member is formed such that it can be positioned such that the resistive member is not in contact with the first or second conductor.
67 . The method as claimed in claim 66 , wherein the resistive member is formed to make a substantially circular contact footprint.
68 . The method as claimed in claim 66 , wherein the resistive member is formed to make a substantially rectangular contact footprint.