Patents Examined by Michael L. Gellner
  • Patent number: 6137394
    Abstract: A bobbin for insulating a coil including a base portion comprising an electrically insulative material having an inner surface, an outer surface, an outer periphery, and a pole opening (54). An inner flange extends outwardly from the base portion in a first direction from the pole opening and at least partially defines the pole opening. Moreover, an outer flange extends outwardly from the base portion in the first direction from the outer periphery of the base portion. With this configuration, the bobbin is sized and configured to be placed on a side of the coil to provide ground insulation thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Carl Alfred Holmes, Robert Michael Koca, William Donald Fisher
  • Patent number: 6137393
    Abstract: A power cord transformer includes a core of ferromagnetic material, a primary coil and a secondary coil both provided around the core. The core and coils have such a shape that the distance between two points on the primary coil and also the distance between two points on the secondary coil is always smaller than twice the largest axis of the power cord cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Argus F. C. Doss Desouza, Pieter J. M. Smidt, Pieter J. Van Der Zaag, Martinus A. M. Gijs, Gerjan F. A. Van De Walle
  • Patent number: 6137391
    Abstract: A flux-controlled variable transformer can control voltage at a high speed without using any voltage adjusting tap. The transformer has a first and second magnetic circuits. The first magnetic circuit is composed of a first and second U-cut cores (13 and 11) which contact at their cut ends with each other in the state either of the two cores has been turned by 90.degree. in a twisting direction relative to the other. The primary winding (14) is wound in common around the second magnetic circuit and the first U-cut core (13) of the first magnetic circuit, the secondary winding (17) is wound around the second magnetic circuit and a control winding (12) is wound on the second U-cut core (11) of the first magnetic circuit. The magnetic flux linking the primary and secondary windings (14 and 17) can be controlled by change of the magnetic resistance in the first magnetic circuit with the primary winding (14) by changing a value of exciting current flowing in the control winding (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Tohoku Electric Power Company, Incorporated
    Inventors: Koichi Mitamura, Mitsuru Maeda, Masaaki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6137390
    Abstract: An inductor with enhanced inductance and reduced electromagnetic inductance (EMI) interference. It contains: (a) a magnetic core; (b) an electrically conducting coil wound about the magnetic core; and (c) a magnetic resin layer compression-molded to embed at least a portion of the outer periphery of the electrically conducting coil. The magnetic resin contains a magnetic powder dispersed in a polymer resin. For relatively low inductance inductors, instead of being of a hard metal rod, the magnetic core can be made of the same material as the magnetic resin. The inductance of the inductor can be controlled by controlling the magnetic permeability of the magnetic resin or the thickness of the magnetic resin layer, or both. The magnetic core can be a magnetic metal/metal oxide core, or a consolidated magnetic core made of the same or different magnetic resin as the magnetic resin layer. A metal magnetic sheath can be further provided outside of the magnetic resin layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Mean-Jue Tung, Yu-Ting Huang
  • Patent number: 6133538
    Abstract: A push button switch is provided to include a key cap, a baseplate, a switch element, an internal arm element, an external arm element and an elastic element. The switch element is disposed on the baseplate and made selectively electrically conductive in response to up-and-down motion of the key cap. The internal arm element is movably connected to the baseplate and has a receiving space. The elastic member is disposed within the receiving space and moves responsive to movement of the key cap and selectively actuates the switch element. The improvement of the push button switch is characterized in that the internal arm element, which is movably connected to the baseplate, has a receiving space for accommodating the elastic member. The elastic member moves responsive to movement of the key cap and selectively actuates the switch element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Acer Peripherals Inc.
    Inventor: Chien-Shih Hsu
  • Patent number: 6133536
    Abstract: A key switch assembly of the present invention comprises a housing, first and second contacts, and a metal dome. The housing forms an aperture inwardly recessed from a side surface thereof. The first and second contacts are partially received in the housing and include first and second contact portions, first and second mounting portions for being mounted on the circuit board, and first and second connecting portions respectively connected between the first and second contact portions and the first and second mounting portions. The metal dome is securely received in the aperture of the housing and includes a base and a mating portion extending from the base. The mating portion contacts the first contact portion of the first contact and the base contacts the second contact portion of the second contact when the metal dome is depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Kuo Hunag, Max Peng
  • Patent number: 6133815
    Abstract: The invention relates to a solenoid valve with a coil body, a magnet core, an armature with armature guide and a yoke. In a first variant there is provided between the yoke and the armature guide a pole tube which has first means for producing an electrical contact with the armature guide and second means for producing an electrical contact with the yoke. In a second variant the solenoid valve also has a fixing plate which is disposed on the side of the solenoid valve on which the armature guide projects out of the yoke, the armature guide projecting through the fixing plate. According to the invention, in this variant a contacting element which produces an electrical contact between the fixing plate and the armature guide is provided between the fixing plate and the armature guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Nass Magnet GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Leuschner, Helmut Latt, Jan-Peter Ossenbruegge
  • Patent number: 6132262
    Abstract: Electrical connector, the two parts (1, 2) of which each comprise, in a housing (5, 8), an insulator divided into a front part (6, 9) and a rear part (7, 10) which are provided with retaining means (23) for the contacts (3, 4) and with means (15) for securing the retaining means (23) in the plugged-in position of the contacts (3, 4). The two parts (6, 7; 9, 10) of the insulator of the two connector parts (1, 2) may be injection moulded from plastic, without any remachining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Air-LB GmbH
    Inventor: Lucien Blanchet
  • Patent number: 6130387
    Abstract: A switch (12, in FIG. 1) for mounting on a circuit board (P), has a minimum number of parts and a very small height. The switch includes an insulative support (29) for lying on the circuit board and a switch element (33) with a pedal (58) extending above the upper face (18) of the support to be downwardly deflected by a card as the card reaches its fully installed position. The switch element is formed of electrically conductive sheet metal material, with a connect tab (43) for permanently engaging a first switch trace (25) on the circuit board, and with a contacting part (44) for lying over a second trace (26) on the circuit board. When the pedal is depressed, it also depresses the contacting part (44) to press it against the second trace to thereby close the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Herve Guy Bricaud, Yves Pizard
  • Patent number: 6130592
    Abstract: There is provided an electro-magnetic relay including (a) a coil assembly including a core, a coil wound around the core, and a magnet located at the center of the coil assembly, (b) an armature block assembly including an armature swingable relative to the core, a spring swingable together with the armature and having a contact at a distal end thereof, and an insulating block formed integral with the armature and the spring, (c) a base assembly including a fixed contact facing to the spring, a fixed contact terminal on which the fixed contact is formed, a neutral terminal to be electrically connected to the spring, a coil terminal to be electrically connected to the coil, and an insulating block formed integral with the fixed contact, the fixed contact terminal, the neutral terminal, and the coil terminal, and (d) a cover housing therein the coil assembly, the armature block assembly, and the base assembly, the cover including (d-1) an enclosure having both a bottom edge defining an open bottom, and an insul
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Okihara
  • Patent number: 6130386
    Abstract: Disclosed and claimed is a switch. The switch can allow for push only, pull only, push-pull, left turn only, right turn only, left and right turn, or push-pull left turn right turn combinations of action, with the switch actions being maintained, momentary, or combinations of both in any switch with multiple positions. The switch can incorporate multiple means of mounting, multiple means of signal wire termination, an extensive variety of circuit possibilities, and an array of multiple LED illumination capability packaged in the smallest controller switch footprint available today. The resultant improvement in panel density and signal functions per cubic volume of space provides customers with unparalleled cost savings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Inventor: Alan David Jorczak
  • Patent number: 6130597
    Abstract: An electrical device in which a resistive element composed of a conductive polymer composition and two electrodes is made by a method in which the device is cut from a laminate of the conductive polymer composition and the electrodes, is exposed to a thermal treatment at a temperature above the melting temperature of the conductive polymer composition, and is then crosslinked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Inventors: James Toth, Mark F. Wartenberg, Mark Bannick
  • Patent number: 6129590
    Abstract: A network interface device is attachable to an intermediate field of a building entrance protector unit. The network interface device includes a jack section having a jack which is designed to receive the plug of a standard telephone. The jack includes wire leads which are connected to the telephone network terminals on the intermediate field. The jack section is mountable into a base module which is in turn attachable to the intermediate field by wedging a portion of the base module between adjacent terminals on the intermediate field. A plug section includes a plug having a pair of conductive blades therein which are connected to a pair of wire leads, which terminate in screw terminals for connection to the customer side equipment. The network interface device performs a connecting function when the plug is positioned within the jack, and an electrical connection is established between the wire leads connected to the telephone company network and the wire leads connected to the customer equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Bassel Hage Daoud
  • Patent number: 6129584
    Abstract: There is provided an asymmetric connector including (a) a plurality of L-shaped terminals having first and second ends, and (b) a housing block in which the L-shaped terminals are arranged in a row, the housing block having a side wall formed with an opening in facing relation to the first ends of the L-shaped terminals, and a flat bottom through which the second ends of the L-shaped terminals project, the housing block being formed at the flat bottom thereof with at least one hole, and further being formed at an upper surface thereof with a recess into which a pushing jig is to be inserted for downwardly pushing the asymmetric connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Chiba, Kenichi Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 6130595
    Abstract: An electromagnetic switch has a solenoid coil, a sleeve and a movable core which slides in the sleeve. A metal thin film is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the movable core by electroplating. The metal thin film is harder than the inner surface of the sleeve, and has high melting point and high smoothness. Accordingly, adhesive wear between the sleeve and the movable core is reduced, and sliding durability under high temperature is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Masami Niimi
  • Patent number: 6127914
    Abstract: Described are a thin-film temperature-sensitive resistor material which comprises, at a temperature-sensitive resistor portion, a mixed crystal of a nitride and oxide of a transition metal such as vanadium preferably, that represented by the formula: MN.sub.x O.sub.y wherein 0<x<1, and 2.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.13/6, simultaneously exhibits a high temperature coefficient of resistance and a low specific resistance at about room temperature, and has excellent sensitivity at about room temperature; and a process for the production of a thin-film temperature-sensitive resistor material, which comprises forming its temperature-sensitive resistor portion by using a gas-atmosphere composed mainly of a nitrogen gas preferably, a mixed gas composed of nitrogen, argon and oxygen, and has a flow rate ratio of nitrogen to oxygen (nitrogen/oxygen) of 14/1 to 23/1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Tokuhito Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6127912
    Abstract: A bobbin for an encapsulated coil is provided for use in a coil assembly in which flange portions are provided on each end to ensure that during the process of encapsulating the coil with an over-molded material a positive seal is established between the bobbin and the over-molded material. Each of the flange portions have first, second, and third flange sections and each of the flange sections have predetermined diameters and peripheral surfaces that are angled with respect to a reference axis of a hole defined in the bobbin. The thin sharp edges formed by the peripheral surfaces of the respective flange sections melt back during the over-molding process. This melt back creates an intricate blend between the over-molded material and the bobbin thus producing a positive seal therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Maurice J. Dust, John A. Hoffman, II
  • Patent number: 6127910
    Abstract: A magnetic proximity switch comprises an elongated, substantially cylindrical body which houses a switching circuit, said switching circuit closing when a magnetic target passes within a certain range of the switch. This switching circuit preferably comprises two leaf portions hermetically sealed in a glass enclosure within the switch body, a biasing magnet being positioned adjacent one leaf portion for generating a flux that is shared with the one leaf portion, extending the magnetic field toward the end of the switch body and effectively increasing the sensing range of the switch. The switch also is equipped with a plurality of visual indicators, preferably light-emitting diodes, which are illuminated when the switch is closed to provide immediate visual indication as to the position of the switch, regardless of the rotational orientation of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Topworx, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Webb, Lisa Santos, Mark Peters
  • Patent number: 6127639
    Abstract: An apparatus for activating and deactivating a switch mounted on a circuit board includes a bracket and a switch actuator opening formed in the bracket to receive a switch actuator. The switch actuator is operatively connected to the switch and is biased in a first direction. The bracket further includes a mounting post having an opening formed therein for receiving a fastener. A sleeve member is positioned over the mounting post. The sleeve member includes a flange portion for contacting the switch actuator to activate and deactivate the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald A. Greco, John J. Connell, Daniel J. Lecinski, Amir Koradia
  • Patent number: 6124777
    Abstract: A magnet tool and method of assembly, utilizes an alignment insert in a central opening of the magnet to coaxially align fastener guide holes through polar plates or protective covers on opposing planar sides of the magnet and a fastener guide hole in the insert, whereby insertion of the fastener through the guide holes laterally aligns the components of the assembly without the use of adhesive. A method of assembly of the tool without the use of adhesive is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Sulo Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg S. Snider