Patents by Inventor Gilbert Soares

Gilbert Soares has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6438800
    Abstract: A door hinge assembly for use in an electrical appliance cabinet includes a door hinge member having a door plate attached to one side of an elbow, a hinge pin sleeve attached to the opposite side of the elbow, and a flange extending upwardly from the elbow. A hinge pin is removably engageable with the hinge pin sleeve, which is further removably engageable with a top edge on the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Amit Narang, Pankaj Gupta, Edgar Yee, David Thorn, Gilbert A. Soares, Harry Marvin, Robert Bruce Wallace
  • Patent number: 6435631
    Abstract: A decorative trim assembly for unit doors on a motor control unit. The decorative trim assembly comprises individual bezels that provide information about the motor control unit while distinguishing the motor control unit from other motor control units. Posts project from the back surfaces of the bezels and are received in holes in the unit doors. Retaining clips frictionally engage the posts and secure the bezels to the unit doors. Additional bezels are modularly connected to the secured bezel. The secured bezel contains a camouflaged cutout member that allows access to the unit door latch when removed. The unit door may be hingeably attached to the motor control unit along one edge of the unit door, and the unit door may contain quarter-turn latches along an opposing edge to secure the unit door to the motor control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Edgar Yee, Martin Bankhead, Gilbert Soares, Harry Marvin, Charles Piper
  • Patent number: 6433999
    Abstract: An access panel located in a motor control center for inspecting and accessing various bus connections, for example, a particular phase vertical to horizontal bus connection or a horizontal bus bar splice connection. The surface of the panel includes one or more apertures positioned to align with one or more bus bar connections. Covers are pivotally mounted along the surface of the panel adjacent to the apertures in order to access and isolate the bus connections within the motor control center. The cover is mounted to the surface of the panel such that it can be moveable between open and closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter D. Muse, James H. Cook, Gilbert A. Soares
  • Publication number: 20020095744
    Abstract: A door hinge assembly for use in an electrical appliance cabinet includes a door hinge member having a door plate attached to one side of an elbow, a hinge pin sleeve attached to the opposite side of the elbow, and a flange extending upwardly from the elbow. A hinge pin is removably engageable with the hinge pin sleeve, which is further removably engageable with a top edge on the flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Amit Narang, Pankaj Gupta, Edgar Yee, David Thorn, Gilbert A. Soares, Harry Marvin, Robert Bruce Wallace
  • Patent number: 6392140
    Abstract: An access door for an electrical enclosure is disclosed. The access door includes a hinge mechanism extending from the access door, the hinge mechanism defining an aperture including a support surface within the aperture, a flange extending from the enclosure and engaged within the aperture wherein the flange makes contact with the support surface when the door is in a fully open position to support the access door against the force of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Edgar Yee, Charles Piper, Lloyd E. Wentler, Gilbert A. Soares
  • Patent number: 6378825
    Abstract: An L-shaped bracket for mounting DIN rail comprising a support member, a base member, and a brace positioned therebetween to give support to the L-shaped structure. The support member has a rail mounting pin protruding therefrom, which comprises a shank with an oblong head disposed on the end of the shank. A hole for receiving a fastener is disposed on the support member adjacent to the rail mounting pin. A bracket mounting pin protrudes from the base member and comprises a retaining pin and a retaining foot disposed on the end thereof. The retaining pin is dimensioned and configured to slidably engage a slot in a bracket mounting plate and be retained in the slot by the retaining foot. A post also protrudes from the base member and is dimensioned to be received in a post hole. A relief is cut laterally into the base member and extends into the brace to allow the support member and the base member to flex relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Edgar Yee, Gilbert A. Soares, Richard E. Bernier, Charles Piper
  • Patent number: 6357804
    Abstract: A door latch for latching a door of an electrical equipment enclosure includes a latch body and a latch rod rotatable between locked and unlocked conditions. The latch rod includes a stem with a first end rotatably coupled to the latch body, an extension rod with a first end coupled to a second end of the stem, and a hook coupled to a second end of the extension rod. The extension rod is dimensioned to contact a portion of the electrical equipment enclosure when the latch rod is in the locked condition. The hook is separated from the portion of the electrical equipment enclosure by a clearance distance “x” during a quiescent condition within the electrical enclosure. The hook contacts the portion of the electrical equipment enclosure during a pressurized condition within the electrical equipment enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard E. Bernier, Gilbert A. Soares, James H. Cook
  • Publication number: 20020021548
    Abstract: An access panel located in a motor control center for inspecting and accessing various bus connections, for example, a particular phase vertical to horizontal bus connection or a horizontal bus bar splice connection. The surface of the panel includes one or more apertures positioned to align with one or more bus bar connections. Covers are pivotally mounted along the surface of the panel adjacent to the apertures in order to access and isolate the bus connections within the motor control center. The cover is mounted to the surface of the panel such that it can be moveable between open and closed positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Peter D. Muse, James H. Cook, Gilbert A. Soares
  • Patent number: 6313981
    Abstract: A securement assembly for providing securement of a member to a surface within an electrical distribution center. The assembly includes a first mounting member and a retaining member. The first mounting member is secured within an opening in the surface and the member is retained within the first mounting member by the retaining member which is positioned over the member and the first mounting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard E. Bernier, Gilbert A. Soares, Subrahmanyam Thota, Peter D. Muse
  • Publication number: 20010034149
    Abstract: A draw out unit mounts switching devices within a switchgear unit and electrically connects the switching devices to electrical bus bars. A cutout portion in draw out unit receives an insulative housing for a lug adapter assembly. Lug adapter assembly includes a plurality of clip assemblies positioned within receptacles formed on insulative housing. Each clip assembly slidably accepts one bus bar, thereby providing an electrical connection to bus bars. Lug adapter assembly also includes lugs, which are electrically connected to clip assemblies via a conductive bar. Lugs accept wires, which extend from lugs in switching device. Lugs are arranged to minimize bending of wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventors: Richard E. Bernier, Charles Piper, Gilbert Soares, Edgar Yee, John J. Struble, Edward B. Bynum
  • Patent number: 6301094
    Abstract: A drawout unit is dimensioned to make more efficient use of the space within the drawout unit. Devices within the drawout unit are positioned in a generally vertical configuration. A bus brace serves as a line/load terminal assembly. The bus brace has receptacle ports enabling lugs to maintain electrical contact with vertically oriented bus bars on the line terminals and transfer current to horizontally oriented load terminals. Output cables extend horizontally from the load terminals and form a single right angle bend before passing out of the bottom of the drawout unit through an exit port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gilbert A. Soares, Richard E. Bernier, John J. Struble, Jr., Charles W. Piper
  • Patent number: 6280216
    Abstract: A draw out unit (10) mounts switching devices (12,14) within a switchgear unit and electrically connects the switching devices (12,14) to electrical bus bars (16). A cutout portion (30) in draw out unit (10) receives an insulative housing (32) for a lug adapter assembly (34). Lug adapter assembly (34) includes a plurality of clip assemblies (36) positioned within receptacles (38) formed on insulative housing (32). Each clip assembly (36) slidably accepts one bus bar (16), thereby providing an electrical connection to bus bars (16). Lug adapter assembly (34) also includes lugs (40), which are electrically connected to clip assemblies (36) via a conductive bar (42). Lugs (40) accept wires (44), which extend from lugs (46) in switching device (12). Lugs (40) are arranged to minimize bending of wires (44). Clip assemblies (36) each include a plurality of staggered clips (104, 106).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard E. Bernier, Charles Piper, Gilbert Soares, Edgar Yee, John J. Struble, Jr., Edward B. Bynum, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5515236
    Abstract: A universal electrical connector is incorporated into the electric power distribution network of a motor control center to connect the main circuit breaker with the control center vertical bus conductors and the branch circuit breakers. The connector in the form of a single metal casting is configured to connect the main circuit breaker with the control center internal electrical distribution conductors without requiring additional connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin F. Nolan, Valerie R. Padilla, Richard E. Bernier, Gilbert A. Soares