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Programmable capacitive horn switch
| Details |
Inventors: Neuman, David Raymond; Maynard, Roy A.; Schult, Gary W.;
Assignee: Sheldahl, Inc. (Northfield, MN)
Primary Examiner: Paladini; Albert W.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Merchant, Gould, Smith, Edell, Welter & Schmidt, P.A.
A flexible capacitor is used in a switch circuit arrangement for activating a vehicle horn. The switch circuit arrangement includes an astable circuit having a flexible capacitor. The astable circuit generates a signal having a frequency that varies in response to force applied to the capacitor. A programmed frequency sensor activates a horn activation signal if the frequency of the signal falls below a programmed threshold. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is believed to be applicable to a variety of circuit arrangements for activation of a device by application of force to an electrical switch.
The invention has been found to be particularly advantageous in an application where a switch for a horn is disposed in the hub of an automobile steering wheel.
While the present invention is not so limited, an appreciation of various aspects of the invention is best gained through a discussion of examples operating in such an application.
Referring first to FIG.
1, a first example embodiment of the invention is shown.
The switch 100 includes a flexible capacitor 102 coupled to signal generating circuit 104, which together form astable circuit 106.
Astable circuit 106 outputs a pulse input signal on line 108 to a programmable frequency sensor 110.
Programmable switch 100 is responsive to force applied at force area 112 to flexible capacitor 102 and generates an activation signal on signal line 114.
The horn subsystem 116 of a vehicle responds to the activation signal by activating a horn, which is part of the horn subsystem.
The horn subsystem 116 is conventional, and those skilled in the art will recognize suitable devices for providing the stated function.
Flexible capacitor 102 is electrically coupled to signal generating circuit 104 via lines 118 and 120.
Signal generating circuit 104 outputs a signal whose frequency varies in response to force applied to flexible capacitor 102 at force area 112.
Signal generating circuit 104 may be implemented as a resistor/capacitor network or with another circuit for generating a signal having a desired voltage level and frequency.
Astable circuit 106 generates a pulse input signal on line 108 which is provided as input to the programmable frequency sensor 110.
When no pressure is applied to the flexible capacitor 102, example astable circuit generates a signal having a frequency of 12 KHz.
When pressure is applied to the flexible capacitor 102, the frequency of the pulse input signal on line 108 is reduced
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