Patents Assigned to Panamax
  • Patent number: 8109646
    Abstract: A pull-out light tube assembly is mounted in an equipment component such as a component that is mounted in an equipment rack. The light tube assembly includes a light tube received within a bushing. The light tube can be pulled out from the bushing and retracted into the bushing. The assembly includes a mechanism for self-centering the light tube within the bushing when the light tube is retracted into the bushing. A guide channel formed in the bushing receives and guides a guide pin formed in the light tube to a centered position. The guide channel may be a V-shaped groove with a receptacle and detent formed at an end thereof to secure the guide pin in a centered position. The mechanism for self-centering maintains a logo formed at a front end of the light tube in a properly oriented position when the light tube is retracted within the bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Panamax Corporation
    Inventor: Steven H. Newell
  • Patent number: 8035947
    Abstract: A surge protection device employing a controlled convection thermal disconnector in which a surge protective component, such as a metal oxide varistor, and a thermally responsive device, such as a thermal cut-off, are placed in separate, cross-ventilated chambers. An internal vent is positioned such that it prevents line-of-sight between the surge protective component and a mechanized portion of the thermally responsive device, in order to protect the thermally responsive device from hot surge protective component emissions from the surge protective component. An output vent is formed between the thermally responsive device and the exterior atmosphere to promote forced convective heat transfer from the surge protective component to the thermally responsive device during a thermal runaway condition, with the expanding gases in the surge protective component chamber providing the transfer impetus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Panamax Corporation
    Inventor: Michael L. Hoopes
  • Patent number: 7755216
    Abstract: A Universal Power Supply (UPS) protects audio/visual (A/V) components from damage that may occur due to a sudden power loss by first, providing back up power via a battery, and then initiating the normal, that is powered, shut down of the protected component via an infrared control signal. The infrared control signal is learned from the A/V components remote control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Panamax LLC
    Inventor: Gerald B. Hoopes
  • Publication number: 20100014285
    Abstract: A pull-out light tube assembly is mounted in an equipment component such as a component that is mounted in an equipment rack. The light tube assembly includes a light tube received within a bushing. The light tube can be pulled out from the bushing and retracted into the bushing. The assembly includes a mechanism for self-centering the light tube within the bushing when the light tube is retracted into the bushing. A guide channel formed in the bushing receives and guides a guide pin formed in the light tube to a centered position. The guide channel may be a V-shaped groove with a receptacle and detent formed at an end thereof to secure the guide pin in a centered position. The mechanism for self-centering maintains a logo formed at a front end of the light tube in a properly oriented position when the light tube is retracted within the bushing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: PANAMAX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Steven H. Newell
  • Publication number: 20090323244
    Abstract: A surge protection device employing a controlled convection thermal disconnector in which a surge protective component, such as a metal oxide varistor, and a thermally responsive device, such as a thermal cut-off, are placed in separate, cross-ventilated chambers. An internal vent is positioned such that it prevents line-of-sight between the surge protective component and a mechanized portion of the thermally responsive device, in order to protect the thermally responsive device from hot surge protective component emissions from the surge protective component. An output vent is formed between the thermally responsive device and the exterior atmosphere to promote forced convective heat transfer from the surge protective component to the thermally responsive device during a thermal runaway condition, with the expanding gases in the surge protective component chamber providing the transfer impetus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: PANAMAX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael L. HOOPES
  • Patent number: 7592719
    Abstract: An electrical connection box for wall mounting provides a recessed external plug for receiving or transmitting power to electronic components. The connection box is configured to receive a variety of signal connection modules for interconnecting associated audio/visual electronics such as DVD players, displays and the like in adjacent apertures. The signal connection modules are inserted or extracted from the face of the connection box; replacing blanking plates, and is optionally recessed from the face of the box into the wall cut-out. The configuration and mating features of the box and modules also provides for a common and isolated ground reference for surge protection of the connected components. A signal connection module includes circuitry for surge protection of the connected A/V components receiving electrical power from an adjacent wall socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Panamax
    Inventor: Gerald B. Hoopes
  • Publication number: 20090179497
    Abstract: A Universal Power Supply (UPS) protects audio/visual (A/V) components from damage that may occur due to a sudden power loss by first, providing back up power via a battery, and then initiating the normal, that is powered, shut down of the protected component via an infrared control signal. The infrared control signal is learned from the A/V components remote control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: PANAMAX
    Inventor: Gerald B. HOOPES
  • Patent number: 7271991
    Abstract: An electrical connection box for wall mounting provides a recessed external plug for receiving or transmitting power to electronic components. The connection box is configured to receive a variety of signal connection modules for interconnecting associated audio/visual electronics such as DVD players, displays and the like in adjacent apertures. The signal connection modules are inserted or extracted from the face of the connection box; replacing blanking plates, and is optionally recessed from the face of the box into the wall cut-out. The configuration and mating features of the box and modules also provides for a common and isolated ground reference for surge protection of the connected components. A signal connection module includes circuitry for surge protection of the connected A/V components receiving electrical power from an adjacent wall socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Panamax
    Inventor: Gerald B. Hoopes
  • Patent number: 7245470
    Abstract: A circuit and device protects connected equipment from a broad range of unsafe conditions of over-voltage and under-voltage by disconnecting the line voltage before surge protection components, generally MOVs, are damaged from sustained surges. However, nuisance tripping of the protective circuit is avoiding by discriminating surges that are properly handled by the MOVs and components in the load or protective device. Further, the devise are protected from sustained high voltage line conditions, which would ordinarily result in repeated cycling between the on and off states as the line voltages fluctuates slightly at or about the trip threshold, as the circuit has a deliberate hysteresis such that the turn on voltage is about 10 to 20 V lower than the shut off threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Panamax
    Inventor: Michael L. Hoopes
  • Patent number: 6979205
    Abstract: An electrical connection box for wall mounting provides a recessed external plug for receiving or transmitting power to electronic components. The connection box is configured to receive a variety of signal connection modules for interconnecting associated audio/visual electronics such as DVD players, displays and the like in adjacent apertures. The signal connection modules are inserted or extracted from the face of the connection box; replacing blanking plates, and is optionally recessed from the face of the box into the wall cut-out. The configuration and mating features of the box and modules also provides for a common and isolated ground reference for surge protection of the connected components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Panamax
    Inventors: Gerald B. Hoopes, Steven Newell
  • Patent number: 6932624
    Abstract: An electrical connection box for wall mounting provides a recessed external plug for receiving or transmitting power to electronic components. The connection box is configured to receive a variety of signal connection modules for interconnecting associated audio/visual electronics such as DVD players, displays and the like in adjacent apertures. The signal connection modules are inserted or extracted from the face of the connection box; replacing blanking plates, and is optionally recessed from the face of the box into the wall cut-out. The configuration and mating features of the box and modules also provides for a common and isolated ground reference for surge protection of the connected components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Panamax
    Inventors: Gerald B. Hoopes, Steven Newell
  • Patent number: 6816352
    Abstract: A surge protector utilizing MOVs has a capacitor connecting line input to neutral input that causes thermal fuses to sequentially disconnect the line conductor from the output of the protector under limited current abnormal overvoltages either line to ground or neutral to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Panamax
    Inventor: Michael L. Hoopes
  • Patent number: 6778375
    Abstract: A surge protector for single-phase or multi-phase power lines is disclosed, for permanent connection near the entrance of power lines to a building, that has a basic protector sub-circuit of a metal-oxide varistor (MOV) and a gas-discharge tube (GDT) connected in series between the power line and building ground. Preferably, the gas-discharge tube is a three-element GDT and is connected to two metal-oxide varistors. In a multi-phase implementation, the present invention includes one or more protector sub-circuits connected between each power line and ground, wherein each protector sub-circuit includes two metal-oxide varistors connected to a power line and a gas-discharge tube connected to the building ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Panamax
    Inventor: Gerald B. Hoopes
  • Publication number: 20020126433
    Abstract: A surge protector utilizing MOVs has a capacitor connecting line input to neutral input that causes thermal fuses to sequentially disconnect the line conductor from the output of the protector under limited current abnormal overvoltages either line to ground or neutral to ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: PANAMAX
    Inventor: Michael L. Hoopes
  • Patent number: 5768081
    Abstract: A modular primary surge protector assembly where various detachably connectable modules provide primary surge protection for different types of electrical lines. The modules are detachably connectable to a common bus which is permanently connected to a building ground wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Panamax Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Cohen, Chris Ducey
  • Patent number: 5734542
    Abstract: A surge protection module which provides surge protection for at least two telecommunications lines, with some wires of each telecommunication line being protected according to a first limiting voltage, and other the wires of the telecommunications line being protected according to a second limiting voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Panamax Corporation
    Inventor: Richard L. Cohen
  • Patent number: 5691872
    Abstract: A surge protection circuit having x protected paths, a first input connector connected to all x of the protected paths and a second input connector connected to fewer than x of the protected paths. For example, the second input connector may be connected to x/2 of the protected paths. Using different modular jack connections, it is possible to use the surge protection circuit to protect either one line of x wires (paths), or two lines of x/2 wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Panamax Corporation
    Inventor: Richard L. Cohen
  • Patent number: 5365395
    Abstract: A fuse block includes a body having a front face and a flat rear face. A plurality of terminal lugs mounted are on the front face, and a plurality of fuse clips are each connected to one of the terminal lugs. The terminal lugs and fuse clips are arranged in a plurality of pairs, each pair being positioned to receive a fuse. A plate receives the fuse block. The plate includes a front face and a rear face. The front face of the plate is flat and adapted to couple with the rear face of the fuse block. A plurality of metal straps are each affixed to the rear face of the plate and extend from the plate for termination into respective ones of each terminal lug pair. A single metal strap is also affixed to the rear face of the plate and extends from the plate for receiving a single terminal lug and a grounding wire. A plurality of metal oxide varistors are each connected between unique respective ones of the metal straps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Panamax, Inc.
    Inventor: Jerry Callaway
  • Patent number: D495301
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Panamax
    Inventor: Steven H. Newell
  • Patent number: D382855
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Panamax Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Salmond, John Curlett