Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 4381434 | Pressure operated electric switch and alarm system using such switch A pressure operated electrical switch and an alarm system for use in hospitals and nursing homes is constructed such that a force is applied to a pressure plate therein. Once the load is reduced below a predetermined value the pressure plate will move und... | 04/26/1983 |
| 4378476 | Pressure operated electric switch and alarm system using such switch A pressure operated electrical switch and an alarm system for use in hospitals and nursing homes is constructed such that a force is applied to the upper surface of a leaf spring therein. Once the load is reduced below a predetermined value the leaf sprin... | 03/29/1983 |
| 4362911 | Membrane keyboard switch assembly having selectable tactile properties A "membrane"-type keyboard includes a resilient foam layer having an array of holes therein with the layer being sandwiched between first and second flexible membranes having electrical conductors thereon which are arranged to complete a circuit associate... | 12/07/1982 |
| 4360716 | Area actuated switch array Disclosed is an area actuated switch which can be used, by way of example, in a keyboard for a calculator, learning aid or the like. An area actuated switch array is formed using two insulating sheets which overlie one another such that one side of each s... | 11/23/1982 |
| 4317970 | Entrapment prevention device An entrapment prevention device for ensuring that people or obstacles do not become trapped in the path of automatic doors, windows and the like features an elongate sensor which can be fitted along an edge of an opening or of a closure member adapted to ... | 03/02/1982 |
| 4311889 | Alarm device An alarm device including an alarm switch mounted on the structure of a building that carries walking surfaces such as a floor joist. A switch is actuated upon structural deflection associated with imposition of predetermined amount of weight at the area ... | 01/19/1982 |
| 4296283 | Normally closed wafer switch A sealable wafer switch which is normally closed in relaxed position but which opens when squeezed. A lower stiff plate. A first curved conductive member mounted on the lower plate with the curvature extending in the upward direction. An insulating plate ... | 10/20/1981 |
| 4293752 | Self adhering tape switch Self adhering tape switch or ribbon switch assembly is provided including a tape switch strip. A layer of deformable material bonds to the underside of said tape switch. A layer of pressure sensitive adhesive is applied to the underside of the deformable ... | 10/06/1981 |
| 4273974 | Elongate switch construction An elongate switch construction including an elongate base and an elongate flexible working member having a concave inner face and disposed longitudinally of the base with its concavity facing toward the base, an elongate rib or tongue projecting internal... | 06/16/1981 |
| 4258096 | Composite top membrane for flat panel switch arrays A composite top membrane designed for use with membrane-type switch arrays which is substantially smooth and ripple free. The composite membrane comprises: (1) a layer of plastic foam which is coated on each side with a pressure sensitive adhesive; (2) a ... | 03/24/1981 |
| 4245219 | Treadle alarm system An alarm system embodied in a treadle pad is biased open and can be closed by the application of pressure on the pad or by the removal of weight from it in another mode. Closing of the alarm switch relays an electrical signal through a control unit to act... | 01/13/1981 |
| 4237358 | Isolation membrane switch A membrane switch includes a substrate having a plurality of first conductors formed thereon and a flexible membrane having a plurality of second conductors formed thereon. A spacer is positioned between the substrate and membrane and there are openings i... | 12/02/1980 |
| 4233523 | Pressure sensitive device A pressure-sensitive device is proposed which includes an electrically conducting element in the form of a loop, a screen arranged outwardly of the loop, and a resiliently compressible, non-conducting material between the screen and element, the arrangeme... | 11/11/1980 |
| 4220815 | Nonplanar transparent electrographic sensor An electrographic sensor for the generation of coordinate signals corresponding to contacted positions on the sensor is described. This sensor is of particular value for placing in intimate contact with the nonplanar face of a cathode ray tube or the like... | 09/02/1980 |
| 4216469 | Alarm system for detecting changes in load on terrain A system for detecting changes in load on terrain and actuating an alarm in response thereto including a fluid system, a pressure-sensitive device in the fluid system having a first pressure signal output responsive to a load on a terrain, a second pressu... | 08/05/1980 |
| 4200777 | Pressure switch A pressure switch wherein a resiliently yieldable intermediate open layer is sandwiched between flexible conductive layers, all of which is enclosed between flexible outer layers, so that in the unstressed or relatively unstressed condition the contact la... | 04/29/1980 |
| 4194099 | Control panel overlay A flexible touch switch in which indicia and conductive contact portions are both formed on the undersurface of a flexible overlay that is transparent with respect to the indicia.... | 03/18/1980 |
| 4190748 | Keyboard switch assembly A keyboard assembly and a keyboard switch are presented in which the keyboard switch is a layer of flexible insulating material with circuit configurations thereon and an array of flat topped protrusions which serve as key switches to effect a snap action... | 02/26/1980 |
| 4172216 | Pressure sensitive switch A resilient insulative layer of a plastic foam material is sandwiched between a dimpled carbon powder loaded plastic sheet and a resilient carbon powder loaded plastic foam pad. The dimples extend part way through holes provided therefor in the insulative... | 10/23/1979 |
| 4164637 | Dual tread plate foot switch A foot switch includes a lower case made of a synthetic resin and having an engaging bent portion on an integrally formed strip; and a tread plate made of a synthetic resin and having an integrally formed strip with an engaging slit in which the engaging ... | 08/14/1979 |
| 4164634 | Keyboard switch assembly with multiple isolated electrical engagement regions A switch assembly includes an array of switches arranged on a substrate having a conductive pattern on a surface thereof defining a plurality of switch contacts. An apertured spacer is disposed adjacent the surface with an aperture being positioned in opp... | 08/14/1979 |
| 4137116 | Method of making a pressure switch A pressure switch and method of manufacture wherein a resiliently yieldable intermediate open layer is sandwiched between flexible conductive layers, all of which is enclosed between flexible outer layers, so that in the unstressed or relatively unstresse... | 01/30/1979 |
| 4117283 | Swimming pool touch pad construction A touch pad as used in swimming pools for timing competitions has instead an integrally formed striker plate or one comprising independently mounted panels, a plurality of hollow extruded plastic panels each with a hook portion on one edge and a hook rec... | 09/26/1978 |
| 4090045 | Keyboard strip switch assembly having multifurcated conductive screen contact with contact cleaning wiping-action A strip switch assembly or switch array formed in a flat configuration with minimal depth and of relatively small size wherein the array is formed of a number of individual switches and the switches are formed of components used in common, and wherein the... | 05/16/1978 |
| 4086458 | Electrical switch for use by the disabled A specialized switch particularly suited for use by the disabled is disclosed. The inventive switch comprises a resilient contacting assembly, having a pair of electrically conducting members, in a housing. The contacting members are maintained out of ele... | 04/25/1978 |
| 4080519 | Pressure-operated tape switches A monitoring device in the form of a ribbon or tape switch used to detect the distance an object is hit out in a field or open area. The switch consists of two conductor contacts mounted continuously on an insulated synthetic material to provide electrica... | 03/21/1978 |
| 4066851 | Keyboard switch assembly having foldable printed circuit board, integral spacer and preformed depression-type alignment fold Keyboard construction using a sheet of flexible and resilient non-conductive material preferably non-conductive plastic which is preformed in a predetermined manner for supporting both contact means and contactor means and which is adapted to be folded so... | 01/03/1978 |
| 4065649 | Pressure sensitive matrix switch having apertured spacer with flexible double sided adhesive intermediate and channels optionally interposed between apertures This is concerned with a switch device which is quite thin and can be used on either a flat or a contoured surface that includes a backing member which may be dimensionally stable, either as a flexible or a stiff membrane, with a flexible membrane spaced ... | 12/27/1977 |
| 4060705 | Pressure actuated continuous switch A pressure actuated continuous switch in the form of a cable having two coaxial wires, which form the contacts of the switch, separated by a helically wound strip of insulating material. The pitch of the turns of the helical material determines the sensit... | 11/29/1977 |
| 4046975 | Keyboard switch assembly having internal gas passages preformed in spacer member Sealed keyboard sandwich having actuator means, a plurality of contactor means, a plurality of contact means and support means therefore, said contacts and contactors forming a plurality of key units, and gas passage means positioned between said actuator... | 09/06/1977 |
| 4037069 | Mat switch A mat switch includes top and bottom cardboard sheets having opposed faces on which are formed complementary electrodes. Each electrode is a plurality of elongated generally parallel first bands of metal foil adhesively secured to the opposed faces which ... | 07/19/1977 |
| 4028509 | Simplified tabulator keyboard assembly for use in watch/calculator having transparent foldable flexible printed circuit board with contacts and actuator indicia A tabulator keyboard of simplified design may be fabricated from a single flexible circuit and a minimum of other mechanical structures. The flexible circuit combines in one piece an array of deformable upper contacts, an array of stationary lower contact... | 06/07/1977 |
| 4018999 | Keyboard switch assembly having adhesive position retainer element A keyswitch assembly including a circuit board having a plurality of circuits, each circuit terminating with a pair of first and second contacts, and a curved, resilient contact plate associated with each pair of contacts having at least a portion of its ... | 04/19/1977 |
| 4013851 | Vehicle detection apparatus Vehicle-detection apparatus, for installation at highway toll-booth, parking-area, and like sites, includes elongated thin-strip electrical switching sensors disposed near a road surface and oriented transversely to traffic directions, for responses to ti... | 03/22/1977 |
| 3978297 | Keyboard switch assembly with improved pushbutton and associated double snap acting actuator/contactor structure A keyboard device which includes a frame having a plurality of bores in which there is positioned a core for slideable motion therein, and a keyboard top positioned over the bores and preferably sealing each of the cores within the bores of the frame so t... | 08/31/1976 |
| 3969595 | Sequential switching assembly having plural, spaced flexible contact layers A multiple switching apparatus comprising two spring-like switching members disposed in a tandem array with each integral with its metallic support base. The central area of each of the switching members is defined by a plurality of slots formed in the su... | 07/13/1976 |
| 3944763 | Swimming pool touch pad A swimming pool touch pad seats on a swimming pool wall and is adapted to close an external electric circuit when contacted by a swimmer. The pad includes a nonconductive baseplate adapted to be mounted on a swimming pool wall. A normally nonconductive ge... | 03/16/1976 |
