Position sensor and method of making a fiber contactor

摘要

A contacting position sensor that has a carbon fiber beam and bristle tip design for long life and low wear characteristics. The position sensor has a housing and a resistive element and is located on a flexible film mounted within the housing. A carbon fiber contactor is mounted within the housing and has a carbon fiber beam and a plurality of individual carbon fibers that are attached by an epoxy. The contactor is attached to a rotor which is positioned inside the housing. The carbon fiber contactor is made by placing a plurality of carbon fibers into a sheet of parallel aligned carbon fibers and dispensing an epoxy over the carbon fibers. One end of the carbon fiber sheet is bent and the epoxy cured. The sheet is cut into individual contactors and a bristle tip is then formed on an end of the contactor. <IMAGE>