A light actuated switch apparatus is described in which no movable switch contacts are employed. The switch uses a light source and shutter to activate an array of light sensitive devices to generate a binary code that provides the switching function. One embodiment of the switch apparatus is employed inside a control knob providing a binary code generated by shutter action of a light source on an array of phototransistors. Another embodiment employes the above control knob including switch apparatus as well as a second knob and printed board to form a dual switch apparatus. As no switch contacts are employed there is considerable reduction in electrical components. Additionally, this also greatly reduces the space required for mounting the switch, is readily serviceable or replaceable as no parts are located within an instrument, and is less expensive as no contacts eliminate any wear and potential problems associated with movable through stationary contacts.
A drive control, for example for a sewing machine, for controlling speeds and positioning of of a drive shaft driven by a drive motor includes a control box accommodating a speed control circuit and a positioning control circuit and a nominal value pick up which is releasably attachable with respect to the control box. The nominal value pick up can be fixedly adjusted on the control box.
The frequency divider allows division of the frequency of two signals in phase opposition .phi..sub.1 (t) and .phi..sub.2 (t). A shift register 10 comprises an assembly of transistors and capacitors which form a plurality of cells connected one after the other, each cell being comprised of two identical stages which are connected in series and are supplied respectively by the periodic signals. Means for detecting particular stages of the register comprise the MOS transistors T.sub.8, T.sub.9, and T.sub.10. Means for producing a signal with a frequency which is a sub-multiple of that of the said periodic signals comprise the transistors T.sub.11 and T.sub.12, the transistor T.sub.13, the capacitor C.sub.7 and the capacitor C.sub.9. The divider is especially suitable for use in quartz oscillator watches.
A push-button switch including a housing, at least one pair of push-buttons movably mounted in the housing, a plurality of light-emitting elements, a plurality of photo-sensors arranged to receive light from the light-emitting elements and light blocking members on the push buttons for selectively blocking light received by the photo-sensors. The buttons are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction and each includes a light blocking member which is movable with the push-button from a non-operating position to a plurality of signal sending positions in a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The light-blocking members are spaced apart in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and vertical directions and overlap in the longitudinal direction. The light-blocking members are shaped to allow light emitted from at least one light-emitting element to be received by the respective photo-sensor element when at least one of the push-buttons is in each of the signal sending positions.
A miniature position encoder (10) provides means for transducing angular changes in shaft (60) position to an electrical output representing the Gray code. The miniature position encoder (10) comprises an annular housing (12) having an aperture (14) with a bushing (20) disposed therein opposite an open end (18) of the housing (12), a plurality of light emitting diodes (50) disposed in non-linear alignment in a substrate (40) mounted adjacent the bushing (20), and a metallic shaft (60) journalled within the bushing opening (15) and having a metallic logic disk (70) secured at one end, the logic disk having a plurality of radially spaced and angularly limited openings representing the Gray code. A window disk (110) is mounted within the housing cavity (28) and adjacent the logic disk (70) for the purpose of restricting the amount of light emitted by each of the light emitting diodes (50), and a plurality of phototransistors (100) are mounted upon a substrate (90) positioned at the open end (18) of the housing and adjacent the window disk (110), with a cover (120) enclosing the open end of the housing. Rotation of the shaft (60) effects rotation of the attached logic disk (70) which modulates the light passing through the openings within the logic disk, whereby the Gray code is transmitted as an eight bit parallel output code received by light receptors (100). The Gray code data may be transmitted directly to a microprocessor, or transmitted to an exclusive OR gate circuit for conversion into digital binary code.
A two axis joystick controller (14) produces at least one output signal in relation to pivotal displacement of a member (32) with respect to an intersection of the two axes. The member (32) is pivotally movable on a support (42) with respect to the two axes. The support (42) has a centrally disposed aperture (46). A light source (34) is mounted on the pivotally movable member (32) above the aperture (46) to direct light (47) through the aperture. A light sensor (48) is mounted below the aperture (46) in the support (42) at the intersection of the two axes to receive the light (47) from the light source (34) directed through the aperture (46). The light sensor (48) produces at least one output signal related to a location on the sensor (48) at which the light (47) from the light source strikes the sensor (48). The two axis controller (14) is small enough in size to be mounted on another, hand-operated X-Y controller (10) for thumb operation by a hand positioned to operate the other X-Y controller (10). Knob (18) has a saddle shaped top (20) dimensioned to receive the thumb.
