Patents Examined by Elvin Enad
  • Patent number: 7268306
    Abstract: A temporary clamping structure for electronics includes a bracket fastened to a ceiling surface of the interior of a room, an electronic device body connected to the ceiling surface by screwing down to the bracket, fitting holes formed on the bracket side, and a fitting pawl provided on the electronic device body and fittable into the fitting holes. The temporary clamping structure for electronics is arranged such that the fitting pawl is unfixed from the fitting hole by bending the tip end of second protrusion of the electronic device body in the direction in which the second protrusion goes away from the first protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Ikunami
  • Patent number: 7268305
    Abstract: A vehicle control switch assembly for use with a printed circuit board that includes a switch having an elastomeric pad portion and a first insert interface attached to the pad. The assembly also includes first and second electrical contacts, each contact being selectively operable to actuate a vehicle function. The switch assembly also includes a pivotable beam member bridging a span between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact. Movement of the switch in a first direction causes the first insert interface to depress the beam member thereby engaging the first electrical contact with the printed circuit board to actuate the first electrical contact. Further movement of the switch in the first direction causes the first insert interface to slide along the beam member in a second direction to further depress the first beam member thereby actuating the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Robert M. Schmidt, Mark G. Feldman, James B. Wright
  • Patent number: 7265311
    Abstract: An arc chamber barrier for a circuit breaker is provided. The arc chamber barrier has a body with a first interlock component that is structured to engage a second interlock component disposed in the circuit breaker primary cover. The arc chamber barrier body is further structured to be disposed in an elongated contact chamber at the interface of an arc chamber portion and an operating mechanism portion. In this configuration, the arc chamber barrier first interlock component resists displacement of the arc chamber barrier body when a pair of separable contacts moves between the second, closed position and the first, open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Caton Corporation
    Inventors: Brian John Schaltenbrand, Robert William Mueller, Mark Anthony Janusek, Keith Edward Thomas
  • Patent number: 7265304
    Abstract: A joystick for an electro-hydraulic control system is provided with a rotary potentiometer having a pivotable arm. This pivotable arm is integrally arranged on a rotary shaft and pivots responsive to pivotal control of a joystick in a predetermined direction or a direction opposite to the predetermined direction. The joystick is also provided with a torsion coil spring for normally holding the pivotable arm in a neutral position, a pin arranged on the pivotable arm and capable of expanding the torsion coil spring upon pivotal movement of the pivotable arm, a holding pin for holding the torsion coil spring at its coil portion, and a cover member having a pair of guide portions for limiting movements of the coil portion of the torsion coil spring in the predetermined direction and the opposition direction when the torsion coil spring is in its neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Ichiki, Mitsuhisa Tougasaki, Kaoru Endo, Hiroyasu Masubuchi
  • Patent number: 7262678
    Abstract: With a view to providing a magnet apparatus which can form a medium magnetic field with use of permanent magnets, the magnet apparatus having a pair of parallel disc-like permanent magnets with magnetic poles of mutually opposite polarities opposed to each other through a spacing, further comprises: two pairs of rings constituted by permanent magnets and provided respectively on pole faces of the pair of permanent magnets coaxially and doubly, the two pairs of rings each having a magnetizing direction inclined relative to a magnetizing direction of the pair of permanent magnets and having magnetic poles of mutually opposite polarities opposed to each other through a spacing; and two pairs of cylinders formed by a ferromagnetic material and partitioning the interiors of the pair of permanent magnets respectively coaxially and doubly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventor: Fengshun Tan
  • Patent number: 7262378
    Abstract: A combination switch comprising a body 1 mounted in a bracket of a vehicle body side, the body 1 including lever switches on a right side and a left side of the body 1, a bottom cover 3 detachably mounted to the body 1, the bottom cover 3 supporting a flat cable for supplying power from the vehicle body side to a steering wheel side, as well as including a right and a left connector support section 11, 13 corresponding to the lever switches on the right and the left side and a connection cord 5, wherein both ends of connectors 15, 17 are supported to the connector support sections 11, 13 and the connectors 15, 17 are connected to the lever switches by the connection cord 5, is characterized in that a cord engagement section 27 is projected on an outer peripheral section of the bottom cover 1, and the connection cord 5 is engaged to the outer peripheral section of the cord engagement section 27 to be disposed along an outer peripheral side of the bottom cover 3 so as to bypass the bottom cover 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Niles Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Adachi, Tetsuya Inotsuka
  • Patent number: 7259651
    Abstract: An energy storage coil comprises a core having an electrical conductor wound thereabout in a plurality of turns. The turns define a main zone and at least one first auxiliary zone extending along the core. The main zone has a first end and a second end. The turns in the main zone overlie one another. The first auxiliary zone is arranged adjacent to the first end of the main zone. The turns in the first auxiliary zone are arranged to provide the first auxiliary zone with lower parasitic capacitance from turn to turn than the main zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics UK Ltd.
    Inventors: Neil Dudley, Melvyn McGann
  • Patent number: 7259647
    Abstract: A reed switch apparatus utilizes one or more reed switches to communicate with one or more devices. In one configuration, the reed switch apparatus utilizes a single magnetic field to simultaneously activate two or more reed switches. In another configuration, two or more reed switches, each acting independent of one another are simultaneously activated by a single magnetic field. Additionally, a method of controlling at least two devices includes exposing a reed switch apparatus to a single magnetic field. Yet another method includes a activating a device via the use of a single reed switch mounted to a portion of a warehouse structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Inventor: Glendell N. Gilmore
  • Patent number: 7256669
    Abstract: Processes for preparing contacts on microswitches have been invented. The first is a wet process, involving the use of one or more acids, bases and peroxides, in some formulations diluted in water, to flush the contacts. The second process involves exposing the contacts to plasmas of various gases, including (1) oxygen, (2) a mixture of carbon tetrafluoride and oxygen, or (3) argon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Northeastern University
    Inventors: Richard H. Morrison, Jr., Nicol E. McGruer, Jeffrey A. Hopwood
  • Patent number: 7256670
    Abstract: A micro-electromechanical (MEM) RF switch provided with a deflectable membrane (60) activates a switch contact or plunger (40). The membrane incorporates interdigitated metal electrodes (70) which cause a stress gradient in the membrane when activated by way of a DC electric field. The stress gradient results in a predictable bending or displacement of the membrane (60), and is used to mechanically displace the switch contact (30). An RF gap area (25) located within the cavity (250) is totally segregated from the gaps (71) between the interdigitated metal electrodes (70). The membrane is electrostatically displaced in two opposing directions, thereby aiding to activate and deactivate the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher V. Jahnes, Jennifer L. Lund, Katherine L. Saenger, Richard P. Volant
  • Patent number: 7256359
    Abstract: A key operation detection unit of an electronic keyboard instrument that suppresses increase in reaction forces with key depression operation, to improve a key touch feeling. A depression operation of any one of keys of the keyboard instrument is detected by first and second corresponding detectors of the detection unit. The detectors are surrounded by an outer resilient projection and each comprised of an inner resilient projection and a movable portion extending therefrom toward a base plate of the unit. With key depression, the movable portion of the first detector is in contact with the base plate and its inner resilient projection is deformed to generate a reaction force. With further key depression, the inner resilient projection of the second detector brought in contact with the base plate is deformed to generate a reaction force smaller than the reaction force from the first detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Nishida
  • Patent number: 7253709
    Abstract: Apparatus for a micro-electro-mechanical switch that provides for latching switching action. The switch has a cantilever arm disposed on a substrate that can be moved in orthogonal directions for latching and unlatching. To latch the switch, the cantilever arm is moved back by a comb-drive actuator and then pulled down by electrodes disposed on the substrate and the cantilever arm. The comb-drive actuator switch is then released and the cantilever arm moves forward to be captured by a dove-tail structure on the substrate. When the voltage to the electrodes on the substrate and the cantilever arm is removed, the cantilever arm is held in place by the dove-tail structure. The switch is unlatched by actuating the comb-drive actuator to move the cantilever arm away from the dove-tail structure. The cantilever arm will then pop up once it is released from the dove-tail structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: David T. Chang, James H. Schaffner, Tsung-Yuan Hsu, Adele E. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 7253710
    Abstract: Systems and methods for actuating micro-magnetic latching switches in an array of micro-magnetic latching switches are described. The array of switches is defined by Y rows aligned with a first axis and X columns aligned with a second axis. Each switch in the array of switches is capable of being actuated by a coil. In an aspect, a row of coils is moved along the second axis to be positioned adjacent to a selected one of the Y rows of switches. A sufficient driving current is proved to a selected coil in the row of coils to actuate a selected switch in the selected one of the Y rows of switches. In another aspect, a plurality of first axis drive signals and a plurality of second axis drive signals are generated. These signals drive an array of coils, wherein each coil in the array of coils is positioned adjacent to a corresponding switch in the array of switches. Each first axis drive signal is coupled to coils in a corresponding column of coils in the array of coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
    Inventors: Jun Shen, Cheng Ping Wei
  • Patent number: 7253370
    Abstract: A computer button apparatus includes a switch (30), an opening (12) defined in a panel (11), a bracket (40) receiving the switch, and a button (20). A plurality of flanges extends from the edges of the opening. A plurality of protrusions (134) is formed on the flanges. The bracket includes a pair of hooks (43). The button comprises a pair of clasps (25) for actuating the switch. The bracket is mounted on one side of a panel corresponding to the opening by the hooks engaging with the flanges and the protrusions retaining the bracket. The button is mounted on the opposite side of the panel corresponding to the opening by the clasps engaging with the flanges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun-Lung Chen, Quan-Guang Du
  • Patent number: 7250578
    Abstract: A multifunction switching arrangement for an electronic transmission control which includes a button on a knob casing which can be moved in opposite circumferential directions and alternatively operates two switches in the assemblage which in turn causes an upshift or downshift of the transmission. When a button is advanced in an axial direction, a third switch is operated to activate or deactivate the transmission overdrive. in one embodiment only a single button is moved to operate all three switches, while in two other embodiments a separate push button in the end of the knob casing is used to control the third switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Dura Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Mullard, Chad Edward Brott
  • Patent number: 7250837
    Abstract: The electro-mechanical micro-switch device includes first and second fixed electrodes. A movable electrode is positioned with respect to the first and second fixed electrodes so that the position of the movable electrode can be selectively placed in one of two opposing states defined by the fixed electrodes. The stored elastic potential energy of the movable electrode and its flexible supporting structure is used for switching between the two states. An electrostatic hold voltage is used to hold the movable electrode in the two switch states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Gregory N. Nielson, George Barbastathis
  • Patent number: 7250838
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for packaging a plurality of micro-magnetic switches is described. A bonded substrate structure includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a magnetic layer. The first substrate has a plurality of cantilevers formed thereon. The second substrate has a first surface that is bonded to the first substrate. Each cantilever of the plurality of cantilevers on the first substrate is housed in a corresponding space formed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The magnetic layer is formed on a second surface of the first and/or second substrate to induce a magnetization in a magnetic material of each housed cantilever. The bonded substrate structure is singulated to form a plurality of separate micro-magnetic switch packages. Each micro-magnetic switch package of the plurality of micro-magnetic switch packages includes at least one housed cantilever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
    Inventors: Jun Shen, Prasad S. Godavarti
  • Patent number: 7250583
    Abstract: A gas-insulated switchgear device comprising a first casing housing: at least a first terminal for input/output connection; a disconnector unit comprising at least a first fixed contact operatively coupled to said first terminal and a corresponding first movable contact which can be electrically connected/disconnected with said first fixed contact, during operation of the disconnector unit; a circuit breaker unit electrically connected to said disconnector unit and comprising at least a couple of interruption contacts which can be actuated, during operation of said circuit breaker unit, between a circuit breaker closed position where they are electrically coupled and a circuit breaker open position where they are electrically separated; actuating means for operating said disconnector unit and said circuit breaker unit; a second casing operatively coupled with said actuating means, which houses said interruption contacts and on the outer surface of which at least said first movable contact is mounted; characte
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Roberto Cameroni, Libero Sfondrini, Vittorio Gargioni
  • Patent number: 7250584
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to prevent local spikes from being created in a contact element of a contact arrangement used for interrupting a current in a distribution network, said contact element comprising a contact support (8) that encompasses a hollow cylindrical wall section (9) and a bottom wall (10), and a contact disk (11) which is located opposite the bottom wall (10) in a longitudinal direction while slots (2) are provided for generating a magnetic field. Said aim is achieved by providing the slots (2) with rounded edges (3) having a defined radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Caspar Asmus, Klaus Oberndörfer, Roman Renz
  • Patent number: 7249436
    Abstract: An animal and bird deterrent apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a flexible dielectric material, and electrically conducting strips disposed on a top surface of the flexible material. In one embodiment the flexible material is secured to a structure by an adhesive and the strips are coupled to a high voltage source such that a shock is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: KABA Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Ravenelle, Laurent Ouellette