Claims
- 1. An electromechanically controllable electric resistance element wherein a layer of electrically conductive material having a constant specific electric resistance is located on a substrate in a predetermined width and length, wherein said layer has at least one electric contacting terminal, and an electric contact element is movable along said surface of said layer, wherein a wear resisting layer is provided on said electrically conductive layer, said wear resisting layer having a constant thickness and specific electric resistance higher than that of said electrically conductive layer, said wear resisting layer being exclusively made of carbon similar to diamond which is in contact with said mechanically movable contact element.
- 2. The resistance element according to claim 1 wherein said electrically conductive layer comprises a metal or a metal alloy.
- 3. The resistance element according to claim 1 wherein said electrically conductive layer comprises graphite.
- 4. The resistance layer according to claim 1 wherein a bonding agent layer is formed between said electrically conductive layer and said substrate.
- 5. The resistance element according to claim 4 wherein said bonding agent layer comprises at least one of Al2O3 and carbon similar to diamond.
- 6. The resistance element according to claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a polymer plastic material.
- 7. The resistance element according to claim 6 wherein said substrate comprises a flexible film.
- 8. The resistance element according to claim 1 wherein said electrically conductive layer comprises a flexible film.
- 9. The resistance element according to claim 1 wherein said wear resisting layer formed from carbon similar to diamond at least covers an area of said electrically conductive layer which is swept during the motion of said electric contact element.
- 10. The resistance element according to claim 1 wherein said wear resisting layer completely covers said electrically conductive layer and extends beyond the outer edges thereof.
- 11. The resistance element according to claim 1 wherein at least the portion of said contact element touching said wear resisting layer is formed from graphite.
- 12. The resistance element according to claim 1 wherein, starting from a surface of said wear resisting layer contacting said electrically conductive layer, the SP3 type bond fraction becomes greater with respect to the SP2 type bond fraction in said carbon similar to diamond.
- 13. The resistance element according to claim 1 wherein a surface of said wear resisting layer contacted by said electric contact element has a hardness of at least 20 GPa.
- 14. The resistance element according to claim 12 wherein a surface of said wear resisting layer contacted by said electric contact element has a hardness ≧40 GPa.
- 15. Use of the resistance element according to claim 1 as a position sensor.
- 16. The resistance layer according to claim 2 wherein a bonding agent layer is formed between said electrically conductive layer and said substrate.
- 17. The resistance element according to claim 16 wherein said bonding agent layer comprises at least one of Al2O3 and carbon similar to diamond.
- 18. The resistance layer according to claim 3 wherein a bonding agent layer is formed between said electrically conductive layer and said substrate.
- 19. The resistance element according to claim 18 wherein said bonding agent layer comprises at least one of Al2O3 and carbon similar to diamond.
- 20. The resistance element according to claim 2 wherein said substrate comprises a polymer plastic material.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
100 58 581 |
Nov 2000 |
DE |
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a U.S. national counterpart application of international application serial no. PCT/DE01/04364 filed Nov. 17, 2001, which claims priority to German application serial no. 100 58 581.7 filed Nov. 18, 2000.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/DE01/04364 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO02/41329 |
5/23/2002 |
WO |
A |
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