2356results about "Contact mechanisms" patented technology

The present invention relates to assisting patients in the taking of medication, and to assisting third parties in accumulating information regarding patient medication intake. The invention may be embodied a system including a portable medication monitor used in association with an instrumented medication package to provide intake data acquisition and patient support functions. The system may further be connected to a computer or computer network allowing information distribution between the medication monitor and third parties, such as physicians or pharmacists.

Methods, systems and devices implement changes in operating mode for a media player, wireless telephone, portable computer or other device having a force sensor and a proximity sensor. A force indication is received from the force sensor and a proximity indication is received from the proximity sensor responsive to user input. The device is then switched from a second operating mode to a first operating mode in response to an occurrence of user input being indicated by both the force and proximity indications. A trigger event occurring during one of the operating modes evokes a response by the device that is not evoked by the trigger event in the other of the first and the second operating modes.

A waterproof button knob includes an elastic button seat with a housing trough mating with a button port of a case. The button seat isolates the interior and the exterior of the case to achieve waterproofing. The housing trough has a plurality of apertures on the bottom. The housing trough holds a button cap that has a plurality of button stems extended downwards to pass through the apertures and form a tight coupling. The button stems may be moved to hit switches located in the case.

A multifunctional switch for any automobile application having a need for a multiple detent switch. The switch includes a button that is moveably connected to a base. The switch includes a first lever connected to the button at a point of the first lever that is closer to a first end of the first lever than a second end of the first lever. The switch also includes a first tactile bridge fixed to the base. The first tactile bridge is adapted to be contacted by the first end of the first lever and thereby close a first switch. The switch further includes a second tactile bridge fixed to the base. The second tactile bridge is adapted to be contacted by the second end of the first lever and thereby close a second switch.

Safety systems for power equipment are disclosed. The safety systems include a detection system adapted to detect contact between a person and a working portion of a machine, where the detection system is adapted to capacitively impart an electric charge on the working portion and to detect when that charge drops; and a reaction system associated with the detection system to cause a predetermined action to take place relative to the working portion upon detection of contact between the person and the working portion by the detection system. Machines equipped with safety systems are also disclosed, such as saws, jointers, etc. The machines include a working portion, such as a cutter or blade, a detection system adapted to detect a dangerous condition between a person and the working portion, and a reaction system associated with the detection system to cause a predetermined action to take place upon detection of the dangerous condition, such as a brake system to stop the working portion, a retraction system to retract the working portion, or a system to cover the working portion. The machines may include a control system adapted to control the operability of one or more of the working portion, the detection system and the reaction system.

An energy management system for an appliance comprising an interface to receive a schedule having an off-peak time segment and an on-peak time segment; a control to determine an operation to be performed by the appliance; a mode selecting device to select between an energy management mode and an immediate start mode; and a controller connected to the interface, the control, and the mode selecting device. The controller is arranged such that upon selection of the energy management mode, the controller initiates the operation only when a current time is within the off-peak time segment; and upon selection of the immediate start mode, the controller initiates the operation immediately.

A two-level pressure sensitive keyboard includes at least one key and a membrane switch circuit module. The membrane switch circuit module includes a first contact, a second contact, a first spacing layer for separating the first contact from the second contact, a third contact, a fourth contact, and a second spacing layer for separating the third contact from the fourth contact. The thickness of the second spacing layer is greater than that of the first spacing layer. When the key is depressed in response to the first pressure, the first contact and the second contact are electrically connected with each other to generate a first sensing signal. When the key is depressed in response to the second pressure, the first contact and the second contact are electrically connected with each other and the third contact and fourth contact are electrically connected with each other to generate a second sensing signal.

A capacitive touchpad with physical key function comprises a soft flexible first conductive layer; a second conductive layer; and a soft flexible insulator layer disposed between the first and the second conductive layers. The insulator layer has at least a through hole for the first conductive layer to connect to the second conductive layer while the touchpad is pressed and cause the voltages on the first or the second conductive layers to change and thus to trigger a predetermined key function.

An input device including a support structure, such as a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), and a switch device, e.g. a switch dome, mounted on the support structure. The switch device may be configured to provide tactile feedback to a user upon depression of the switch device by a finger of the user. The input device also comprises a capacitive touch sensing device, e.g. a capacitive touch screen, which is positioned in relation to the switch device such that the capacitive touch sensing device is configured to sense the capacitance of the finger upon depression of the switch device by the finger. The invention also concerns an electronic device, e.g. a mobile phone, comprising one or several input devices.

A multi-functional remote controller (1) has a multi-functional button (20) consisting of an LCD panel (21), a touch panel (22), a transparent button sheet (23), and mechanical switches (22). The transparent button sheet (23) has a shape with concavities and convexities, and the shape enables a user to recognize the position of each button in the pattern using their sense of touch. When the user presses down the touch panel (22), a mechanical switch (24) is pressed down to give a click sensation.

A two-way radio frequency lighting control system comprises a master control including a plurality of manual actuators, and a plurality of dimmers, in which the number of dimmers does not exceed the number of manual actuators. After the lighting control system is installed in an intended end user location, and prior to the first time the lighting control system is energized in the intended end user location, each of the manual actuators is operative to affect the status of one, and only one, of the plurality of dimmers. A turn key lighting control system in which there is a one-to-one correspondence of manual actuators to dimmers is thereby provided.

An appliance network having a first networked appliance, an energy controller, at least one of a smart dimmer and smart adapter, and a communication network coupling the first networked appliance, energy controller, and the at least one of the smart dimmer and smart adapter for communication therebetween.

A smart dimmer switch for control of a lighting load from an AC voltage source can replace any switch in a three-way or four-way lighting control system. The smart dimmer switch can be connected on the line-side or the load-side of a three-way system with a standard three-way switch in the other location. Further, the dimmer switch can replace a four-way switch in a four-way system and is operable to be coupled to two standard three-way switches. The dimmer switch includes either one or two semiconductor switches to control the intensity of the connected lighting load. The dimmer switch preferably includes a sensing circuit for detecting an electrical characteristic (i.e., either a voltage or a current) at a terminal of the dimmer to determine the state of the connected three-way switch(s) or four-way switch. The dimmer switch preferably controls the state of the semiconductor switch in response to either a toggle of any of the other switches in the system or an actuation of a toggle button of the dimmer switch.

A rope tensioner sets the tension of a rope operated switch assembly actuable to switch between first and second conditions on a change in tension of the rope. The tensioner comprises a body, a rotatable member which engages the rope, a shaft for rotating the member relative to the body to adjust tension in the rope by winding the rope around the member, and a lock to lock the member in position relative to the body. The rope opperated switch assembly is much simpler to install than previous assemblies, as the tensioner may be simply threaded or otherwise installed onto the rope without the rope having to be cut.

A versatile keyboard input and output device is described. The keyboard device includes a housing having a plurality of buttons, with each button individually clickable, and a capacitive sensing element under each button for touch sensing. The versatile keyboard input and output device further includes a lighting element under each button to provide selective lighting for each button, and a plurality of button glyphs for the plurality of buttons respectively, wherein the button glyphs are selectively visually changeable. The keyboard input device also includes a haptic feedback mechanism included in the housing for providing haptic feedback for the plurality of buttons.

A mobile communication device may include logic configured to receive input on a touch sensitive surface of a device and activate an ultrasonic element to vibrate in response to the received input, where the vibration provides tactile feedback to a user indicating that the device has received the input.

A smart dimmer for control of a lighting load from an AC power source can replace any switch in a three-way or four-way lighting control system. The smart dimmer can be connected on the line-side or the load-side of a three-way system with a standard three-way switch in the other location. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the dimmer includes two triacs to control the intensity of the connected lighting load. The dimmer preferably includes two gate drive circuits coupled to the gates of the triacs for rendering the triacs conductive each half-cycle of the AC power source. The gate drive circuits include sensing circuits for detect whether the gates currents are flowing after the triacs are rendered conductive. A controller is operable to determine the state of the lighting load in response to whether the gate current is flowing or not flowing.

A flexible touch-sense switch includes a force sensitive composite and an at least one proximity sensor. The force sensitive composite includes a plurality of force sensors disposed between a first layer and a second layer of polymide film defining a displacement region. The at least one proximity sensor generates an electromagnetic field that defines a detection region. The force sensitive composite and the at least one proximity sensor are mounted to the first layer of the polymide film for forming a flexible printed circuit board. A control circuit is electrically connected to the force sensitive composite and the at least one proximity sensor for selectively controlling the touch-sense switch activation in response to coincident actuation thereof.

A keyboard mechanism for a low-travel keyboard and methods of fabrication are described. The low-travel keyboard is suitable for a thin-profile computing device, such as a laptop computer, netbook computer, desktop computer, etc. The keyboard includes a key cap that can be formed of a variety of materials in the form of a flat slab. The key cap is attached to one end of a support lever that supports it from underneath. In one embodiment, the support lever is formed of a rigid material and is pivotally coupled with a substrate on the other end. In another embodiment, the support lever is formed of a flexible material and is fixedly attached to the substrate on the other end. The portion of the support lever that is attached to the key cap is positioned over a metal dome that can be deformed to activate the switch circuitry of the membrane on printed circuit board underneath the dome.

An acoustic warning or alerting system for directing an audible warning signal to at least one intended recipient, while reducing the chance that the warning signal will be heard by others within the proximity of the system. The system includes a modulator for modulating an ultrasonic carrier signal with a processed audio signal, a driver amplifier for amplifying the modulated carrier signal, and a parametric array of acoustic transducers for projecting the modulated and amplified carrier signal through a propagation medium for subsequent regeneration of the audio signal along a pre-selected projection path. The parametric array of audio transducers operates by employing the nonlinear interaction between high frequency sound components and the propagation medium to generate at least one highly directional beam of lower frequency sounds within the propagation medium. The directional acoustic alerting system may be employed as a replacement for conventional alerting systems such as horns, whistles, and bells to assure that primarily only those people and / or animals intended to hear the warning signal actually hear the sound.

An operation device is provided with an outer support section 1c which projects towards an outer face of a button 1, an inner support section 1e which projects towards an inner face of said button 1, a maintaining section 5b which is provided on a decorative front panel 5 and which maintains said outer support section in free rotation, a maintaining section 3a which is provided on a button depression member 3 and which maintains said inner support section 1e in free rotation and a flange 1b which is provided continuously on the outer edge of the aperture of the button 1. Thus it is possible to provide a smaller device than the conventional example while maintaining the rigidity of the outer support section 1c. A smaller button 1 and smooth see-saw operation can be realized as well as reductions in escaped light.

A roller pump including a stator and a rotor assembly disposed within the stator. The rotor assembly includes a rotor hub, a first roller slide and a second roller slide slidingly disposed within the rotor hub. Each of the roller slides rotatably supports a roller. An occlusion adjustment knob for adjusting a radial position of the first and second roller slides and a magnetic detent assembly for providing an audible indicator as the occlusion adjustment knob is rotated.

A force feedback mouse interface device connected to a host computer and providing realistic force feedback to a user. The mouse interface device includes a mouse object and a linkage coupled to the mouse that includes a plurality of members rotatably coupled to each other in a planar closed-loop linkage and including two members coupled to ground and rotatable about the same axis. Two actuators, preferably electromagnetic voice coils, provide forces in the two degrees of freedom of the planar workspace of the mouse object. Each of the actuators includes a moveable coil portion integrated with one of the members of the linkage and a magnet portion coupled to the ground surface through which the coil portion moves. The grounded magnet portions of the actuators can be coupled together such that a common flux path between the magnet portions is shared by both magnets. At least one sensor is coupled to the ground surface that detects movement of the linkage and provides a sensor signal including information from which a position of the mouse object in the planar workspace can be determined.

A mobile communication device may include logic configured to sense a position of input relative to a plurality of keys, wherein the plurality of keys are printed on a surface; detect a displacement of the surface; and determine an input key based on a sensed position of input when displacement of the surface is detected.

A power circuit interrupter includes a housing having an opening, one or more vacuum interrupters including separable contacts, and an operating mechanism, supported by the housing, adapted to open and close the contacts. A linear actuator cooperates with the operating mechanism to open and close the contacts, and is responsive to a close signal to close the contacts. A pivotable trip member protrudes through the opening of the housing and cooperates with the operating mechanism and the linear actuator to open the contacts when pivoted from a first position to a second position. A close circuit includes an input inputting the close signal. A micro-switch includes an operator and a contact electrically connected in series with the input of the close circuit. The operator is engaged by the pivotable trip member to open the contact in response to partial pivoting thereof from the first position toward the second position.