Patents Represented by Attorney Edward M. Corcoran
  • Patent number: 5342712
    Abstract: The invention relates to primary alkaline cells containing manganese dioxide cathode active material. Anatase titanium dioxide is added to the manganese dioxide cathode material resulting in an increase in the useful service life of the cell. Typically the anatase titanium dioxide comprises between 0.1 and 5 percent by weight of the cathode active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Duracell Inc.
    Inventors: Jola E. Mieczkowska, Simon P. Markfort
  • Patent number: 5339024
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrochemical cell and a related state of charge indicator comprising an electrochemically generated display. The state of charge indicator comprises two electrical contacts and an electrochemically generated display connected therebetween. The display comprises an electrochemical cell that may be permanently connected to a main cell in a parallel configuration via the contacts. The condition of the main cell may thus be continuously displayed on the indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Duracell Inc.
    Inventors: Han C. Kuo, Ignacio Chi, LiFun Lin, Louis L. Wu
  • Patent number: 5336968
    Abstract: An alkali metal vapor arc discharge lamp which operates on DC and employs an amalgam of mercury and an alkali metal such as sodium, has a cathode to anode pressure ratio no greater than 5 and a cathode end temperature at least 50.degree. C. hotter than the anode end temperature to prevent cataphoretic separation of the mercury and alkali metal in the arc discharge during operation of the lamp. The lamp is designed to have a cataphoretic driving parameter (CDP) value of less than 150. The CDP is defined as the product of the arc current in amperes, times the arc gap length in centimeters, divided by square of the inner diameter of the arc tube in centimeters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jack M. Strok, Rolf S. Bergman, John H. Ingold
  • Patent number: 5332633
    Abstract: The invention relates to sealant materials for sealing interfacial spaces within electrochemical cells. The sealant material is a thermoplastic block copolymer elastomer characterized by having at least two glass transition temperatures. The thermoplastic block copolymers form particularly useful sealants for a current collector nail which is inserted through an insulating closure member, such as a plastic grommet, used to close the open end of the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Duracell Inc.
    Inventors: David V. Adamson, Richard H. Dawson
  • Patent number: 5320557
    Abstract: To protect against flexure-induced failure of the conductors of an electrical cord terminated by an electrical connector, a strain relief in the form of an exterior collar is integrally formed with the connector in aligned relation with an exit opening in the connector body from which the cord emerges. The collar surrounds the exiting portion of the cord and is configured to provide longitudinally offset fulcrums for establishing longitudinally displaced flex points in the cord conductors depending upon the direction of flexure of the cord beyond the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John J. Gizienski
  • Patent number: 5306179
    Abstract: A base assembly and method of forming the base assembly for a lamp includes an annular eyelet having an axially outward extending protrusion. The lead wire is fed through the eyelet and folded across the protrusion while a contact member sandwiches the lead wire and confines it during a welding operation. The eyelet, contact, and lead wire are thus fusion bonded to provide a solder-free connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Nicholas E. Korenowski
  • Patent number: 5287037
    Abstract: Electric lamps made using nickel-plated, high nickel content iron alloy ferrules wherein the ferrules have been heated above their surface oxidation temperature and then reduced during the lamp-making process have strong bonds between the ferrule and solder using non-corrosive soldering flux, even when using lead-free solder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Richard F. Malinowski
  • Patent number: 5268614
    Abstract: Yttrium-containing phosphors can be stabilized for use in an aqueous slurry containing a binder, which slurry can be used for coating fluorescent lamps by treating with ammonium dihydrogen phosphate and ammonium hydrogen difluoride to inactivate free yttrium ions. The resulting aqueous slurry is stable and provides coated fluorescent lamps having uniform coatings that are bright and long lasting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mohamed E. Labib, Henry Wielicki, deceased, by Edward A. Wielicki, executor, by Joanna Wielicki, executrix, Pamela K. Whitman
  • Patent number: 5266039
    Abstract: An electrical outlet receptacle includes a thermoplastic cover and a thermoset base between which are captively mounted line and neutral contact/terminal assemblies and a grounding strap assembly in enhanced electrically isolated relation. The grounding strap assembly is equipped with quadruple wipe grounding contacts positioned to make wiping contact with a ground pin of an inserted plug before the plug blades can contact jaws of the contact/terminal assemblies. Formations molded in the cover underside provide guidance for and promote alignment of the insertions of the plug blades and pin. Tapered pockets molded in the cover underside are positioned to controllably engage the ends of BWPI terminated line and neutral wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott A. Boyer, Ralph L. Graves
  • Patent number: 5258689
    Abstract: Fluorescent lamps having a tin oxide layer protected by a layer of colloidal alumina having a median particle diameter below 0.4 micron exhibit an objectionable pearlescent coloration if the alumina layer thickness is within the range of 500-8,000 .ANG.. This coloration is reduced to an acceptable level by incorporating from 10-30 wt. % of particulate alumina having a median diameter above 0.75 micron in the colloidal alumina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jon B. Jansma, Thomas G. Parham, Pamela K. Whitman
  • Patent number: 5252887
    Abstract: A cadmium and selenium free lamp which emits a pink color when energized and when unlit contains a chrome tin pink sphene pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Juliana P. Reisman
  • Patent number: 5253153
    Abstract: This headlamp comprises a reflector and a discharge lamp comprising an inner envelope having a longitudinal axis coinciding with the optical axis of the reflector. The inner envelope includes a bulbous portion, a front leg extending along the optical axis from the bulbous portion toward the front of the headlamp, and a back leg extending along the optical axis from the bulbous portion toward the reflector. The discharge lamp further comprises a tubular shroud comprising a first hollow portion surrounding the front leg of the inner envelope, a second hollow portion surrounding the back leg of the inner envelope, and a bulbous portion between the two hollow portions. The front leg is provided with a large-diameter integral enlargement (referred to herein as a "large-diameter maria"), and the shroud is joined to the front leg by a maria seal located at the outer periphery of this maria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul G. Mathews, Gary R. Allen
  • Patent number: 5239226
    Abstract: A replaceable lamp assembly for automotive headlamps includes an incandescent lamp having a pinch seal mounted on a plastic base by means of a one piece sheet metal holder. One end of the holder clamps around the pinch seal of the lamp and the other end is secured to the plastic base via a pair of leg portions each having a spherical gimballed end RF welded to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Douglas G. Seredich, Martin J. Graf, John J. Stewart, Brian R. Swiers
  • Patent number: 5223810
    Abstract: To minimize the tripping force required to trip a GFCI receptacle, a cantilever spring, formed as an integral feature of the molded plastic receptacle case, is charged in the process of resetting a trip/reset mechanism from a tripped condition and thus is empowered to provide a spring force for setting a latch releaseably holding the mechanism in a reset condition and for returning a trip solenoid plunger from its trip-initiating extended position to a return position. While the mechanism is reset, the cantilever spring is clear of the tripping motions of the latch and plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Christopher A. Van Haaren
  • Patent number: 5217389
    Abstract: An electrical connector is provided with an adjustable strain relief including a pair of movable barriers captively mounted by the connector housing for selective rotational positioning such as to cooperate with fixed barriers formed on the two parts of the connector housing in providing strain relieving labyrinth grips on the terminal portions of at least two sizes of electric cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter A. MacKay, Scott A. Boyer, Alan A. Archambault
  • Patent number: 5212424
    Abstract: Sodium metal has been found to be effective in gettering excess halogen present in metal halide lamps containing mercury, an inert starting gas and at least one ionizable metal halide for forming a light-emitting arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy D. Russell, Raymond A. Heindl
  • Patent number: 5196759
    Abstract: Fused quartz containing both titanium dioxide and cerium oxide as UV absorbing dopants has been found to be particularly effective for lamp envelopes for high temperature lamps such as halogen-incandescent lamps and metal halide arc discharge lamps which emit both UV and visible light radiation. The codoped quartz transmits visible radiation and absorbs a substantial portion of the emitted UV radiation. The UV absorption is far superior at temperatures above 500.degree. C. and the codoped quartz does not react with the fill within.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas G. Parham, Robert L. Bateman, Jr., Gary R. Allen, Paul G. Mathews
  • Patent number: 5188451
    Abstract: An elongated jacketed discharge lamp uses an improved spacer end cap in the form of a one-piece body of thermally insulating material having an annular ring-shaped side portion and an annular disk-shaped end portion integrally-connected therewith. The annular side portion has an annular interior wall surface defining a central cavity receiving and frictionally engaging at least the periphery of an end base on an end of an envelope tube of the jacketed lamp. The annular side portion also has an annular groove formed therein receiving and seating one end of an outer sleeve which surrounds the envelope tube of the jacketed lamp. The groove is defined by an outer annular wall surface which surrounds and frictionally engages the exterior of the one end of the outer sleeve and an inner annular wall surface spaced radially inwardly from the interior of the end of the outer sleeve away from frictional engagement therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Bruce E. Shanks
  • Patent number: 5177395
    Abstract: A cadmium free bug lamp which emits a yellow color when energized and which has very low emission in the range of from 310-380 nm employs a coating wherein the yellow emitting pigment is a rutile TiO.sub.2 containing minor amounts of antimony and chromium in the rutile crystal lattice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Juliana P. Reisman
  • Patent number: 5168193
    Abstract: A coating of boron nitride disposed on a lamp arc tube or filament tube provides an integral reflector for reflecting light and heat emitted by the light source. One particularly useful application is linear, quartz incandescent heat lamps having a boron nitride coating disposed along one side of the filament chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Leonard E. Hoegler