US3096498A - Potentiometer - Google Patents

Potentiometer Download PDF

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Publication number
US3096498A
US3096498A US112026A US11202661A US3096498A US 3096498 A US3096498 A US 3096498A US 112026 A US112026 A US 112026A US 11202661 A US11202661 A US 11202661A US 3096498 A US3096498 A US 3096498A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
potentiometer
wiper mechanism
pivot
resistance
pivot member
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US112026A
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English (en)
Inventor
Edward H Tumbusch
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Techno Components Corp
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Techno Components Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Techno Components Corp filed Critical Techno Components Corp
Priority to US112026A priority Critical patent/US3096498A/en
Priority to FR889063A priority patent/FR1316136A/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3096498A publication Critical patent/US3096498A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01C—RESISTORS
    • H01C10/00—Adjustable resistors
    • H01C10/30—Adjustable resistors the contact sliding along resistive element
    • H01C10/32—Adjustable resistors the contact sliding along resistive element the contact moving in an arcuate path
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01C—RESISTORS
    • H01C10/00—Adjustable resistors
    • H01C10/14—Adjustable resistors adjustable by auxiliary driving means
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S338/00—Electrical resistors
    • Y10S338/01—Worm gear drive

Definitions

  • a potentiometer is basically a variable voltage divider device or, stated differently, it is a resistor which has a variable contact arm so that any portion of the potential applied between its ends may be selected.
  • An almost infinite variety of applications exist for potentiometer devices in the electronics field such as, for example, radio, instrumentation, controls, etc.
  • radio for example, potentiometer devices are oftentimes used to intercouple succeeding stages or for volume-control purposes.
  • a potentiometer will oftentimes be used as one of the arms in a bridge circuit of a meter.
  • the present invention fulfills this need in that it provides a potentiometer containing fewer parts than prior devices of this type, with the result that the potentiometer to be described herein may be more compact, as well as more mechanically and electrically reliable, than the earlier devices.
  • FIG. 1 is a top view of the resistance element as it is mounted in the potentiometer casing
  • FIG. 2 is a top view of the remaining elements as they are mounted in the bottom part of the potentiometer casing;
  • FIG. 3 is a side-view in cross section of the entire potentiometer assembly
  • FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a novel wiper element in the potentiometer of the present invention.
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 show in perspective the external construction of the potentiometer and, in particular, respectively illustrate two arrangements for mounting and holding the leads in place.
  • FIG. 1 wherein is shown a wire-wound v toroidal-shaped potentiometer resistance element 10 fixed- 1y mounted on the upper part 11 of the potentiometer casing, a suitably shaped recess being provided in member 11 for the resistance element.
  • the wall forming a boundary for the recess is designated 12.
  • the FIG. 1 section of the potentiometer also includes a pair of T-shaped connecting pins generally designated 13 and 14, the pins being relatively rigid structurally and bemg mounted in position on casing member 11.
  • connecting pins 13 and 14 resemble ordinary nails in that each connecting pin includes a prong-like element and a head mounted on one end thereof and at right angles thereto.
  • the prong like element and head for connecting pin 13 are respectively designated 13a and 13b whereas the prong-like element and head for connecting pin 14 are respectively designated 14a and 14b.
  • Casing member 11 also includes a plurality of semicircular open ings 16a, 16b, and 160, in which elements 13a and 14a respectively lie.
  • connecting pins 13 and 14 are held in position by casing member 11 with elements 13a and 14a protruding therefrom.
  • a pair of wire leads 17 and 18 respectively interconnect the ends of resistance element 10 with connecting pins 13 and 14, lead 17 being connected at one end to head 13b and, therefore, to element 13a, while lead 18 is connected at one end thereof to head 14b and, therefore, to element 14a.
  • connecting-pin elements 13a and 14a are electrically connected through their associated heads and wire leads to ends of resistance element 10.
  • FIG. 2 wherein is illustrated the potentiometer arrangement in the bottom portion 20 of the potentiometer casing.
  • the arrangement includes a worm screw 21 whose threads mesh with the teeth of a gear 22, the worm screw being inserted in a tunnel 23 bored into casing 20 at one side thereof.
  • the dimensions of tunnel 23 are such that the worm screw can be easily turned, the latter being prevented from moving out of the tunnel by means of a keeper pin 24 which extends into a groove 25 circumferentially machined in the body portion of the screw.
  • worm screw 21 protrudes from the potentiometer casing and is slotted, that is, contains a keyway 26, so that the worm screw can be turned with the aid of a screwdriver or other device.
  • Gear 22 is mounted on a hollow cylindrically-shaped boss 20a which is centrally located in an upright position on the potentiometers bottom casing, a pivot 27 being mounted in a vertical position in the hollow of the boss.
  • a wiper mechanism 28 Immediately above gear 22 and resting on both the gear and pivot 27 is a wiper mechanism 28, the wiper mechanism being held firmly in contact with the gear and pivot by means of a retaining ring 30.
  • the retaining ring itself is fastened down by a portion of pivot 27.
  • the arrangement in FIG. 2 also includes a connecting pin generally designated 31, this connecting pin also having two parts to it, namely, a prong element 31a and a head 31b.
  • the head is fitted into a slit 32 formed in the casing and the prong element rests in the center one of three semicircular openings in the casing designated 33a, 33b, and 33c.
  • openings 33a, 33b, and 330 are respectively in registration with openings 16a, 16b, and Ida in FIG. 1 so that when the arrangement of FIG. 1 is inverted and placed as a lid over the arrangement of FIG.
  • the wiper mechanism basically includes three elements, namely an L-shaped element 55, an annular shaped disc-like element 36 and a V-shaped element 37.
  • Element 35 has a long side and a short side bent at a right angle to the long side to form an L shape, the long side having an elongated hole 35a therethrough for reasons that will be more fully explained below.
  • Element 36 is integral with and extends from the short side of element 35 and at right angles to it so that element 36 is substantially parallel to the long side of element 35.
  • Element 36 also has a circular hole 36a therethrough located beneath elongated hole 35a so that the two above said holes have the same center line.
  • V-shaped element 37 this element is integral with and extends from element 36 upwardly and away from the long side of element 35 so that its plane forms an acute angle with the plane of element 36.
  • the apex of element 37 is shaped concave downward for reasons that will also be described later.
  • pivot 27 has four major sections, three of them being cylindrical in shape, one above the other, and the fourth section being conical in shape and uppermost on the pivot. More specifically, a bottommost section has the widest cross-sectional diameter, the intermediate cylindrical section has the narrowest cross-sectional diameter, and the third and uppermost cylindrical section has a cross-sectional diameter that is intermediate the previous two. Integral with and extending upwards from the third cylindrical section is the conical-shaped section.
  • Pivot 2.7 is firmly held in position both by casing 20 and boss 20a, the pivot being cemented to the casing at its base whereat may also be found a keyway 38 into which one end of wire lead 34- is inserted for interconnecting the pivot with pin 31.
  • Gear 22 is mounted on boss Ztla and rests on and is supported by the boss.
  • wiping mechanism 28 annular-shaped element 36 of the wiper mechanism resting directly on the gear and the long side of L-shaped element 35 resting directly on the conical-shaped section of the pivot.
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 Slight modifications of the potentiometer described above are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. More specifically, as modified, relatively rigid pins 13, M, and 31 are replaced by highly flexible wire leads 46, 41 and 42.
  • the orifices formed by easing members 11 and 2t) and through which the Wire leads enter the casing to connect with the potentiometer assembly are of slightly smaller diameter than the leads themselves. As a result, casing members 11 and 20 press against the wire leads and thereby help to firmly keep them in place. In this way, too, therefore, the potentiometer of the present invention is more mechanically reliable.
  • a potentiometer the internal structure of said p otentiometer comprising: a circular resistance member non-rotatably fixed in position; a shaft-like pivot member immovably mounted along the axis of said resistance element; a wiper mechanism mounted on said pivot member and rotatable thereabout, said Wiper mechanism being in direct electrical contact with said resistance and pivot members; input means for applying a potential difierence between the ends of said resistance member; output means electrically connected to said pivot member for developing an output potential corresponding to the point of contact between said wiper mechanism and said resistance member; and means for rotating said wiper mechanism to selectively obtain difierent points of contact between said mechanism and said resistance element.
  • a potentiometer the internal structure of said p tentiometer comprising: a circular resistance member non-rotatably fixed in position; a shaft-like pivot member immovably mounted along the axi of said resistance element; a gear mounted for rotation around said pivot member; a Wiper mechanism rotatably mounted on said pivot member and mechanically coupled to said gear, said wiper mechanism being in direct electrical contact with said resistance and pivot members; a worm screw for rotating said gear in order to rotate said wiper mechanism, said wiper mechanism thereby being brought into contact with ditterent points on said resistance member; input means for applying a potential difference between the ends of said resistance member; and output means electrically connected to said pivot member for developing an output potential corresponding to the point of contact between said wiper mechanism and said resistance element.
  • a potentiometer apparatus comprising: a hollow structure for housing the potentiometer; a circular resistance element rigidly mounted in the hollow of said structure on one surface thereof; a shaft-like pivot member rigidly mounted in the hollow of said structure on the surface facing said one surface and along the axis of said resistance element, said pivot member including first, second and third cylindrical sections and a conical section one above the other in the order named, said first and second sections respectively having the largest and smallest cross-sectional diameters and said third section having a cross-sectional diameter that is intermediate said other two; a J-shaped wiper mechanism respectively having a pair of co-lined openings through the opposite sides thereof, said pivot member extending through said openings in such a manner that the short side of said wiper mechanism rests on the conical section of said pivot member and is in electrical contact therewith and the long side of said mechanism rings the second section of said pivot member, whereby said mechanism is rotatable about said pivot member, the free end of the long side of said Wiper mechanism being in electrical contact with
  • said second means includes a gear rotatably mounted in the hollow of said structure on the surface facing said one surface, said pivot member projecting axially through the center thereof; a worm screw for rotating said gear, said screw being mounted on said structure and through a wall thereof to couple with said gear; and a retaining ring for fastening said wiper mechanism to said gear, whereby the rotation of said gear causes said wiper mechanism to rotate.
  • said apparatus further including first and second connecting pins electrically connected to the ends of said resistance element, said first and second connecting pins extending through a Wall of said structure and rigidly held in position thereby; and a third connecting pin electrically connected to said pivot member at the base thereof, said third connecting pin extending through a wall of said structure and rigidly held in position thereby.
  • the potentiometer apparatus defined in claim 4, said apparatus further including first and second connecting pins electrically connected to the ends of said resistance element, said first and second connecting pins extending through a wall of said structure and rigidly held in position thereby; and a third connecting pin electrically connected to said pivot member at the base thereof, said third connecting pin extending through a wall of said structure and rigidly held in position thereby.
  • a potentiometer the internal structure of said potentiometer comprising: a rigidly mounted circular resistance element; a shaft-like pivot member rigidly mounted perpendicular to and along the axis of said resistance element, said pivot member including first, second and third cylindrical sections and a conical section one above the other in the order named, said first and second sections respectively having the largest and smallest cross-sectional diameters and said third section having a cross-sectional diameter that is intermediate said other two; a wiper mechanism having an L-shaped section, an annular section integral with and extending from the small side of said L-shaped section parallel to the long side thereof, and a V-shaped section integral with and normally extending at an angle from said annular section in a direction away from said long side, the apex of said V- shaped section being shaped concavely and opening in a direction away from said resistance element, said wiper mechanism respectively having a pair of co-lined openings through said L-shaped and annular sections, said Wiper mechanism being mounted on said pivot member in such
  • said means includes a gear mounted so as to encircle said pivot member and rotatable thereabout; a worm screw for rotating said gear; and a retaining ring for fixedly coupling the annular section of said wiper mechanism to said gear.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Adjustable Resistors (AREA)
US112026A 1961-05-23 1961-05-23 Potentiometer Expired - Lifetime US3096498A (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US112026A US3096498A (en) 1961-05-23 1961-05-23 Potentiometer
FR889063A FR1316136A (fr) 1961-05-23 1962-02-23 Potentiomètre

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US112026A US3096498A (en) 1961-05-23 1961-05-23 Potentiometer

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US3096498A true US3096498A (en) 1963-07-02

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FR (1) FR1316136A (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3195092A (en) * 1963-05-31 1965-07-13 Techno Components Corp Potentiometer
US3389363A (en) * 1967-10-18 1968-06-18 Beckman Instruments Inc Shaft retainer for variable resistance device
US3488618A (en) * 1968-07-01 1970-01-06 Electra Midland Corp Miniaturized trimmer potentiometer
US3522572A (en) * 1969-01-10 1970-08-04 Bourns Inc Gear-adjusted potentiometer

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2561116A (en) * 1947-08-07 1951-07-17 Hof Zygmunt Variable resistor
US2887554A (en) * 1957-06-03 1959-05-19 Hughes Aircraft Co Subminiature potentiometer
US2968015A (en) * 1958-08-04 1961-01-10 Daystrom Inc Phasable ganged potentiometer

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2561116A (en) * 1947-08-07 1951-07-17 Hof Zygmunt Variable resistor
US2887554A (en) * 1957-06-03 1959-05-19 Hughes Aircraft Co Subminiature potentiometer
US2968015A (en) * 1958-08-04 1961-01-10 Daystrom Inc Phasable ganged potentiometer

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3195092A (en) * 1963-05-31 1965-07-13 Techno Components Corp Potentiometer
US3389363A (en) * 1967-10-18 1968-06-18 Beckman Instruments Inc Shaft retainer for variable resistance device
US3488618A (en) * 1968-07-01 1970-01-06 Electra Midland Corp Miniaturized trimmer potentiometer
US3522572A (en) * 1969-01-10 1970-08-04 Bourns Inc Gear-adjusted potentiometer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1316136A (fr) 1963-01-25

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