Patents Examined by Richard K. Lee
  • Patent number: 7071430
    Abstract: The sensor comprises a body in which a diaphragm is mounted so as to define a variable-volume chamber to which a fluid pressure is supplied in use, and a plurality of electrical switches connected to the diaphragm so that the diaphragm can bring about switching of the switches when the pressure in the chamber exceeds corresponding different threshold values which are predetermined by associated calibration means including, for each switch, a respective spring the compression of which can be varied by means of a corresponding reaction member the position of which relative to the body is adjustable. The reaction members are connected rigidly to the ends of an interconnection structure translatable in a guide structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: ELBI International S.p.A.
    Inventors: Michele Farano, Angelo Muneretto
  • Patent number: 7060922
    Abstract: A push button switch has a housing, a switch actuator movably supported by the housing, an organic light emitting diode display supported by the housing in a position to be viewable by a user of the push button switch, and a switch supported by the housing so as to operable by the switch actuator when the switch actuator moves relative to the housing. A controller circuit is electrically coupled to the push button switch so as to control the organic light emitting diode display in response to operation of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Gamesman Limited
    Inventors: George Hoehne, Martin Peek
  • Patent number: 7060924
    Abstract: A keypad assembly comprising a substrate, a membrane, and a logic component. The substrate has at least one set of electrical contact points that comprise a first, second, and a third conductive electric-contact area. The membrane comprises domed elements having a conductive elements fixedly attached thereto. Each conductive element is configured to interface with one or more of the electrical contact points with a soft press and a hard press. The logic component is in operative communication with the substrate and the membrane. The logic component is configured to distinguish between the soft press and the hard press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Kyocera Wireless Corp.
    Inventors: David Beene, John Philip Taylor
  • Patent number: 7057127
    Abstract: A safety electric switch in which a safety plate is insertable through a button into an actuating member to lock the actuating member to the button for enabling the actuating member to be moved with the button to switch on/off the electric circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Inventor: Kuo-Lung Kuan
  • Patent number: 7057126
    Abstract: A press button light emitting structure consists of a light-pervious press button circuit board and a light guiding board installed underneath light-pervious press buttons, wherein peripheries of the light guiding board are pasted with light emitters. Light can be uniformly distributed and transmitted in an interior of the light guiding board, and penetrate out from the light-pervious press button circuit board and press buttons, when the light emitters emit light. The light penetrated out has a good brightness and uniformity. In addition, a control circuit is used to dynamically control lighting display, such as an on/off, brightness, and color, to the light emitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Sunwave Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Chih-Shu Lin
  • Patent number: 7034232
    Abstract: A keysheet module is provided which comprises: a one-sided printed circuit board having a plurality of wiring patterns formed on one side thereof; and contact switches, LEDs for illuminating a keypad, and electric elements such as resistors and capacitors, all provided on the one-sided printed circuit board; wherein an insulating layer is provided between predetermined, separate wiring patterns of the plurality of wiring patterns and a conductive film jumper is formed over the insulating layer to three-dimensionally connect the separate wiring patterns. With this arrangement, a degree of freedom of locating LEDs and electric elements is enhanced, improving a keypad illumination efficiency. The use of the conductive film jumper can reduce a thickness of the keysheet module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiko Ide, Isao Miyashita
  • Patent number: 7030325
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) includes a switch assembly (12). The switch assembly (12) includes a housing (16) and a set of contacts (14) supported by the housing. The set of contacts (14) includes a first contact (20) and a second contact (40). The first contact (20) includes a first pad portion (22) supported in the housing (16) and a first connector portion (26) protruding from the housing. The first connector portion (26) includes a compliant connector (220). The second contact (40) includes a second pad portion (42) supported in the housing (16) and a second connector portion (54) protruding from the housing. The second pad portion (42) is movable relative to and is engageable with the first pad portion (22). The second connector portion (54) includes a compliant connector (220).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: TRW Automotive U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Mike Blossfeld, John Cranick
  • Patent number: 7022922
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power switch (100) that comprises a contact element (105, 107) mobile in an axial direction and an extinction gas flow that moves in said axial direction when the switch is actuated. Said extinction gas flow is coaxially surrounded by a flow guide device (1, 1a,b,c) one surface area of which is provided with at least one discharge opening (10a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l; 12a,b,c,d,e,f) for deflecting at least a part of the extinction gas flow towards a discharge direction, said discharge direction being oriented tangential and substantially at an angle to the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andrzej Nowakowski
  • Patent number: 7019233
    Abstract: The invention relates to a closing device consisting of a grip housing (10) containing a pivotably mounted grip flap (12). Said grip flap (12) is loaded by means of a restoring force (38) in the direction of its neutral position (12.1), against which force the manual actuation of the grip flap (12) must be carried out. Furthermore, an electrical switch (20) is associated with the grip housing (10), said switch comprising a spring-loaded (28) contact actuator (24). In order to provide a compact, cost-effective closing device, the restoring force (38) of the grip flap (12) can be directly generated by the spring-loading (28) of the contact actuator (24) of the electrical switch (20). In this way, separate springs are not required for the grip flap (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Uwe Spies
  • Patent number: 7012206
    Abstract: A waterproof keyboard includes a generally flat key panel supporting keytops thereon. Membranes support thereon key contacts and connecting circuits for the contacts, and are supported by a generally flat support base, corresponding in shape to the key panel. Between the membranes and the key panel, a waterproof layer is supported by the support base for sealing the membranes in cooperation with the base. The waterproof layer, made of a sheet of flexible synthetic resin, is pressed with an elongate elastic member against the edge portion of the support base. The key panel is fixed to the support base to cause the waterproof layer and support base to seal the membranes, which will surely be protected from dust and moisture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Keytec Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Oikawa
  • Patent number: 7009129
    Abstract: A switching device including housing and a breaker mechanism, the latter consisting of a trip lever, a catch, a displaceable contact arm and a deflection shaft that is fixed to the housing. The aim is to generate a constant contact force. To achieve this, the end of the catch is coupled to the displaceable contact arm by way of a bolt. The bolt is configured to be displaced in a receiving element that is formed by the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Winfried Vierling
  • Patent number: 7005590
    Abstract: The main power service panel is provided with a special sliding gate on the face plate which can be selectively positioned to control the manual throw of adjacent circuit breaker handles for main and auxiliary power inputs fed thereto. The control is such that only one of the two circuit breakers can be conditioned for power transmittal at any one time. Accordingly, primary and auxiliary power supplies can be readily wired to associated main and auxiliary circuit breakers of the main power panel so that distribution circuit breakers of the panel can be energized in the event of failure of one of the power supplies, assuring a supply of power to the discrete distribution circuits. This selected supply to either breaker is accomplished with assurance there will be no back feed of electrical energy to the alternative supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Inventor: Angelo Willis
  • Patent number: 7005593
    Abstract: A liquid electrical switch is disclosed that uses a plurality of droplets of conducting liquid to form an electrical path. In a first embodiment, at least a first voltage differential is used to create a separation distance between two droplets. The droplets are illustratively contained within a housing and surrounded by an immiscible, insulating liquid. In this embodiment, the at least a first voltage differential draws at least a portion of at least one of the droplets away from a second droplet, thus preventing electrical current from flowing from the at least one droplet to the second droplet. In another embodiment, the at least a first voltage differential is changed in a way such that at least one liquid droplet is made to come into contact with a second droplet, thus creating an electrical path between the two droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Arman Gasparyan, Timofei Nikita Kroupenkine, Joseph Ashley Taylor, Donald Weiss
  • Patent number: 7002085
    Abstract: A slide switch, in particular for an electric small appliance, with a switch slide slidably mounted in a housing and a locking switch that is arranged in the switch slide and is adapted to be locked with the housing or with a member connected with the housing in at least one switching position of the switch slide. The locking switch is comprised of at least one resiliently biased pushbutton pivotal about a pivot axle, the pivot axle being arranged in a fixed relationship to the switch slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Ullmann, Thorsten Pohl
  • Patent number: 6998550
    Abstract: An interface linkage assembly for a network protector is provided. The network protector includes a circuit breaker structured to move in and out of a housing assembly, and having a mechanical trip assembly and an electrical close assembly. The interface linkage includes a coupling device, a housing assembly portion and a rollout portion. The coupling device has a first component and a second component. The housing assembly portion is coupled to the coupling device first component. The rollout portion is coupled to the coupling device second component. The rollout portion is structured to be coupled to the mechanical trip assembly and the electrical close assembly, and further structured to move the mechanical trip assembly over a lesser arc and the electrical close assembly over a greater arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur James Jur, Douglas Michael Brandt, John Wesley Fail
  • Patent number: 6989501
    Abstract: A multipole current limiting circuit breaker comprising an insulating enclosure that contains: a) for each pole, at least one fixed contact and at least one movable contact, which can be mutually coupled/uncoupled upon closure/opening of the circuit breaker; b) actuation means which provide the energy for moving said movable contacts and determines their coupling/uncoupling with the corresponding fixed contacts, said actuation means comprising a rotating actuation bar that is operatively coupled to the movable contacts of the poles; characterized in that said movable contacts have a fork-shaped body having a base element that supports two arms provided with plates for electrical contact with corresponding coupling surfaces of the fixed contact, and in that said fork-like body is connected to the actuation bar by virtue of elastic means accommodated at least partially in a seat formed in the bar, said elastic means being anchored to said bar and being fixed to said base element so as to support the movable con
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: ABB Services S.R.L.
    Inventor: Osvaldo Carrara
  • Patent number: 6984793
    Abstract: An actuator suitable for multi-directional actuation of a push button switch is disclosed. This actuator has an actuation button attached to a plunger to define a predetermined angle therebetween. The actuation button has a surface for multi-directional activation. The actuator also has a pair of hinge pins that is attached to the actuation button for pivotably mounting the actuator about a pivoting axis. Activation on any point on the surface of the actuation button results in a unidirectional moment about the pivoting axis to tilt the plunger to releasably actuate the push button switch. Also disclosed is a personal digital assistant that uses the actuator for actuating a notification switch from between two orthogonal directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Kwan Wee Anthony Chew
  • Patent number: 6982393
    Abstract: Power terminals constituting a power switch are provided in both of connector housings, respectively. Fitting sensing terminals forming a fitting sensing switch are provided in a lever attached to the one connector housing and the other connector housing. When the lever is operated from an operation start position to an operation completion position, the power terminals are brought into contact with each other to turn ON the power switch, and thereafter, both of the fitting sensing terminals are brought into contact with each other to turn ON the fitting sensing switch, and a power supply circuit is brought into a conductive state by the turning ON of the fitting sensing switch. The fitting sensing terminal provided in the other connector housing is formed of a pair of male terminals utilizing bus bars, and the fitting sensing terminal provided in the lever is formed of a short pin formed into a substantially U-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Matsui, Hideomi Adachi
  • Patent number: 6969815
    Abstract: A keyboard key capable of lowering its overall height, which comprises a key cap body and a key cap base being coupled to the keyboard and disposed at the areas of four corners correspondingly having a displacing pillar and elevating groove, and an accommodating section of an electrically conductive cap body disposed at the corresponding central position of the key cap base and the key cap body, and a fixing section and a positioning section coupled to the key cap body and the key cap base respectively, and the displacing pillar and elevating groove are disposed separately at the four corners to reduce the moment of any point of the key cap body pressing the electrically conductive cap body in order to achieve the purposes of effectively lowering the overall height of the key and making the keyboard thin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Tien-Min Lu
  • Patent number: 6967297
    Abstract: A sensor for detecting a rupture or length change in a belt. The sensor has a movable transmission element operatively connected to the belt, that acts on an electrical switch having a contact system in the event of a length change or rupture of the belt. The contact system comprises a switching contact with a contact surface arranged on a first end, and an associated fixed contact. The transmission element acts on the second end of the leaf spring. A limb extends approximately from the first end of the leaf spring in the direction of the second end, and a further limb extends from the second end of the leaf spring in the direction of the first end. The free ends of the two limbs are clamped offset from one another on a carrier part of the switch, such that the switching contact switches over in a bistable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Marquardt GmbH
    Inventors: Heinrich Müller, Manfred Lonau