Patents Assigned to Reed Devices, Inc.
  • Patent number: 5002505
    Abstract: A shock-safe fuse holder for a cartridge fuse is provided which can be readily installed in a mating receptacle and removed therefrom for fuse replacement. The fuse holder includes a visual indicator for denoting a blown or missing fuse. The cartridge fuse is substantially enclosed within the holder to limit the access to the electrical contacts of the cartridge fuse to minimize the danger of electrical shock. The holder has a configuration for retaining the holder in a mating fuse receptacle even in the absence of an installed fuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: Reed Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Jones, Clayton D. Heidorn
  • Patent number: 4995829
    Abstract: A connector provides wire termination, without the need for any tools, facilitating electrical connection and trimming of excess wire by way of pressure applied by a human finger. Connection is accomplished by means of a rotational mechanism comprising an insulative base housing, a conductive electrical terminal and a non-conductive cam lever. The cam lever is configured around a rotating hub and has a wire passageway therethrough. the conductive electrical terminal, has a first insulation displacement contact and a second feedthrough/trimming contact, and fits slidably in the insulative base housing. With a wire installed through the wire passageway and feedthrough/timming contact, manual rotation of the cam lever and exertion of finger pressure terminates the wire in the conductive terminal and trims excess wire. A detent retains the cam lever in the engaged position. Reverse rotational movement of the cam lever frees the wire for removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Reed Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Geib, William R. Bailey, James S. Zielinski
  • Patent number: 4938715
    Abstract: An electrical terminal block adapted for mounting on a printed circuit board and having integral fuse receptacles for each pair of electrical terminals, and a cover which provides a shock-safe fuse holder and extractor is disclosed. During insertion, the cover loosely retains the fuse while applying pressure only to the end caps. Only when a spent fuse is extracted is any force applied against the body of the fuse. The cover also furnishes visual access of the fuse element while maintaining electrical isolation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Reed Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Jones, William R. Bailey
  • Patent number: 4924213
    Abstract: A terminal block assembly comprising terminals in combination with associated signal indicators is disclosed. The assembly includes one or more rows of terminals and, associated with each row of terminals, a row of signal indicators. The signal indicator typically is a light emitting diode. Each indicator is located in proximity to one or a few terminals, to which it may be connected electrically. Each signal indicator displays the operational status of a load module connected to a terminal on the terminal block assembly. Operational status may include fault detection, output signal, input signalling, or the like. The placement of the signal indicator immediately adjacent to its respective terminal simplifies and speeds up identification and eliminates any question of improper identification of the load modules connected to the terminal blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Reed Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Decho, William H. Jones
  • Patent number: 4917634
    Abstract: An electrical connector in which electrical terminals are retained within a connector housing in a simple and reliable manner to withstand expected pulling forces without unwanted release of the terminals from the housing. The housing has one or more passageways for receiving respective terminals, an abutment at the inner end of each passageway to limit the insertion depth of the associated terminal, a V-grooved abutment in each passage cooperative with yieldable tines of an associated terminal to retain the terminal in place after insertion into its passage, and walls defining each passage for maintaining the associated terminal in position after insertion into the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1990
    Assignee: Reed Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Geib, Herbert C. Naylor
  • Patent number: 4781618
    Abstract: An electrical binding post operative by use of a pushbutton which serves as an insertion and removal tool and which, upon installation into the associated post, becomes an integral part of the completed terminal. An unstripped wire is inserted within an opening provided in the pushbutton plunger element which is installed into the terminal body to cause insulation displacement contact of the wire and retention of the plunger within the terminal body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Reed Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Geib, Herbert C. Naylor
  • Patent number: 4759726
    Abstract: A cam-operated screwless electrical terminal block is provided having a generally box-shaped housing with an open top and an aperture in its front side and containing a generally C-shaped electrical terminal having vertically disposed opposing gripping elements the ends of which are adjacent the front aperture of the housing. The top opening carries a cam-lever pivotally mounted such that when the lever arm of the cam-lever is raised the electrical terminal ends are separated, and when the lever arm of the cam-lever is depressed the upper gripping element of the electrical terminal is depressed toward the lower gripping element so that a wire inserted in the front aperture of the housing between the ends of the gripping elements of the electrical terminal is securely held. The electrical terminal within the housing is adapted to make electrical contact with a circuit board and the terminal block is configured in such a way that a wide range of wire sizes may be conveniently and securely held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1988
    Assignee: Reed Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Herbert C. Naylor, Deanna L. Gross, Gregory J. Smith
  • Patent number: 4630882
    Abstract: A low profile screw terminal block is provided with a split plastic barrel which serves to prevent screw stripout and to anchor the terminal screw when the terminal screw is pressed into the barrel and is advanced so as to form corresponding self-tapping threads in the smooth barrel, thereby to leave the terminal screw in a raised position ready for immediate wire insertion, to prevent the screw from vibrating loose during assembly and shipping and to securely hold the screw when the screw is tightened against a wire. The terminal block may be mounted to a fixed panel or like structure through the utilization of the split barrel at the end sections of the block by either a bolt running through the split channel and through the fixed panel or by a self-tapping machine screw inserted up through the fixed panel and into the split channel, with the split barrel design permitting overtightening without damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1986
    Assignee: Reed Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Herbert C. Naylor, Gregory J. Smith, Howard J. Roeser, Jr.