Patents Examined by Elvin Enad
  • Patent number: 7390985
    Abstract: Disclosed is a force feedback input device including a cylindrical operating member having an open bottom. A support member that is rotatable supports a central portion of an inner surface of the operating member, and a motor which is held by the support member. A rotary shaft of the motor is arranged to be perpendicular to a central axis of rotation of the operating member. A great portion of the motor is housed in the operating member. A pinion that is fixed to the rotary shaft of the motor meshes with a ring-shaped gear that is provided at a part shifted from the central axis of rotation of the operating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Mikio Onodera
  • Patent number: 7388166
    Abstract: The present invention provides a stretchable fabric that may serve as a switch device or coupling to an electronic device and a power source by merely stretching or pushing the fabric. The stretchable fabrics may be usable in a wearable garment, furniture, or other suitable locations where it can be incorporated to close a circuit. Through a releasable stretching or pushing action by the user, electrically conductive strips integrated in the fabrics come in contact to activate related ancillary equipment such as power supplies or electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: George Marmaropoulos, Giang Truong Vu, Katharine Pulford
  • Patent number: 7388463
    Abstract: An electromagnetic coil assembly comprising a spool-spindle and a case. The spool-spindle comprises a spindle portion and a larger included portion. The spindle portion has a conductor wound thereon. The larger included portion has opening for receiving the conductor. The case has a first case end and a second case end, with an opening extending through the case. A first internal surrounding surface extends from the second case end and a second surrounding internal surface having a smaller diameter extends from the first case end. The first internal surrounding surface meets the second internal surrounding surface at an annular internal wall. The spool-spindle is positioned in the case until the larger include portion abuts against the annular internal wall, and the case and spool-spindle are joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Infusion Systems, LLC
    Inventors: John Duggan, Norbert W. Frenz, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7385149
    Abstract: A pushbutton mechanism for keyboards includes a bridge in a pushbutton that has an inner frame and an outer frame to make the pushbutton movable up and down. The inner frame and outer frame are intersected and coupled together, and have respectively inner side brackets and outer side brackets that have a stub shaft and a pivot portion to form a relative turning relationship. The inner and outer side brackets have respectively harness bosses and harness recesses corresponding to each other to allow the pushbutton to form a lifting position and a lower position in normal conditions. The bridge thus formed can generate a steadier relative turning and confine the stroke distance for the pushbutton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Tien-Min Liu
  • Patent number: 7385151
    Abstract: A device enables a camstack in an appliance timer to be rotated without applying electrical power to the switches of the appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Ellis Paul Lipp, David E. Zink, Benjamin Franklin Chestnut
  • Patent number: 7385152
    Abstract: The invention relates to a switch module comprising a selector lever that is pivotally mounted in a bearing housing. The selector lever comprises two opposing, projecting trunnions and the bearing housing has receiving openings, at least sections of the latter being configured in polygonal form. A force is exerted on the selector lever, together with its trunnions, in the direction of one vertex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Hasch, Rainer Lipfert, Karl Simonis, Roland Gruener, Bernd Binder, Juergen Suchanek
  • Patent number: 7385154
    Abstract: A cam switch assembly is actuated by movement of a member, such as a part of a convertible top that is pivoted about a first pivot axis toward and away from a surface that is fixed relative to the pivot. The cam switch comprises a holder for at least one switch that is attached to the member. A cam switch actuator having an arm is attached to the holder at a second pivot axis. The cam switch actuator opens and closes the switch as the cam switch actuator is pivoted relative to the holder about the second pivot axis. The arm has a first lost motion connection to the movable member in a first direction. The member has a second lost motion connection at the first pivot axis that is aligned with the first direction when the member is moved into engagement with the surface. The member is movable relative to the surface in a first direction and the arm is permitted to move relative to the surface without changing the angular orientation of the cam switch actuator relative to the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Magna Car Top Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Carl J. Klug
  • Patent number: 7385471
    Abstract: To provide a small-sized electromagnetic relay capable of reducing an internal resistance of a contact circuit as much as possible, and also capable of carrying a high current to the relay. The electromagnetic relay includes an electromagnetic driving block composed by a coil, an iron core, a yoke, and an armature; fixed contacts each provided on one end of each of a pair of terminals fixed to a base; and a movable spring having movable contacts provided at positions corresponding to the respective fixed contacts, the armature driving the movable spring depending on whether or not a current is carried to the coil, thereby opening or closing a contact circuit, wherein the movable spring has both ends supported by the base, the movable spring arranged in parallel to the terminals, and the movable contacts are provided on the movable spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Inventors: Hideaki Takeda, Naoya Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 7385472
    Abstract: A printed circuit board having interstitial vias. The printed circuit board has a plurality of overlying electrical conductors disposed within an inner region of the printed circuit board. The overlying electrical conductors are separated by dielectric material. The printed circuit board has an aperture passing through a portion of the plurality of overlying electrical conductors printed circuit board. The overlying electrical conductors have ends with recesses therein. An electrical conductive via passes through the aperture with distal portions of the via projecting into the recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventor: Stuart D. Downes
  • Patent number: 7382218
    Abstract: The micromechanical switch comprises a deformable bridge (1), attached via its ends to a substrate (2), and actuating means (3) to deform the deformable bridge (1) so as to make an electric contact between a first conducting element (4) formed on the substrate (2), between the bridge (1) and the substrate (2), and a second conducting element (5), securedly affixed to a bottom face of the bridge. The second conducting element (5) is permanently connected, by means of a conducting line (6) securedly affixed to the bridge (1), to a third conducting element (7) arranged on the substrate (2) at the periphery of the bridge (1). The bridge (1) comprises a first insulating layer wherein a hole (10) is drilled, in which hole a conducting material is arranged salient from the bottom face of the bridge (1) so as to form the second conducting element (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventor: Pierre-Louis Charvet
  • Patent number: 7381913
    Abstract: A switch element for surface mounting onto a printed circuit board which has a bearer element (2) and a contact element (1). Both the bearer element and the contact element are formed from an electrically conductive material and the contact element being formed from a resilient material. The bearer element and the contact element can be of an integral construction or are separate components assembled together. By this construction the bearer element comprises a peripheral retainer for the contact element. In one arrangement the bearer element has an inwardly facing C-shaped cross sectional shape to provide a recess to act as a peripheral retainer for the contact element by receiving at least a portion of the rim of the contact element in the C-shaped member recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Inventor: Philip Adrian Sjostrom
  • Patent number: 7381911
    Abstract: A multi-instruction switch includes a base, a control disk, a plurality of electrodes and a conductive element. The control disk is located above the base and can rotate relative to the base to issue instructions. The conductive element is bent to form a common contact end in the middle portion and a first contact end and a second contact end on two ends to connect respectively to a common electrode, a first electrode and a second electrode. By rotating the control disk, a guiding portion located on an inner peripheral rim of the control disk can move the conductive element in a biased manner so that the common electrode and the first electrode or the second electrode are electrically connected to generate a leftward or rightward rotational instruction. Meanwhile a rotational click is produced. The structure is simple and the fabrication cost is lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Hong-Yi Lee
  • Patent number: 7378606
    Abstract: A keypad includes a light guide panel, the interior of which light propagates through, a film positioned on the upper surface of the light guide panel and having at least one key button positioned on the upper surface thereof, and at least one reflective pattern fixedly positioned with respect to the light guide panel to reflect a part of the light, which propagates through the interior of the light guide panel, towards the key button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joo-Hoon Lee, Sun-Tae Jung, Kyoung-Youm Kim, Byung-Duck Cho, Dong-Hoon Jang
  • Patent number: 7378928
    Abstract: A magnetic pick-up tool is described having a first, small diameter, high field strength permanent magnet pellet, permanently secured within a holder presenting a pole face at a distal tip of a probe extending from a handle, and at least a second, removable, small diameter, high field strength permanent magnet pellet stored, seated adhering in a receptacle located in the proximal end of the handle having a bottom composed of a high magnetically susceptible material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Inventor: Wen-Lung Chang
  • Patent number: 7378927
    Abstract: Resettable circuit breakers having an independent trip mechanism and a reset lockout are provided. The trip mechanism operates independently of the fault protection operations, and the reset lockout prevents the resetting of the circuit breaker if the fault protection is non-operational or if an open neutral condition exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas L. DiSalvo, William R. Ziegler, Frantz Germain, David Herzfeld, Stephen Stewart, Roger M. Bradley
  • Patent number: 7375298
    Abstract: An indexing mechanism with positive ON and OFF positions for a motor starter switch mounted in an NEMA 3R enclosure. The indexing mechanism includes a shaft having longitudinally extending projections coupled in fixed relationship to a handle, an index element coupled to the shaft, and a yoke having a pin positioned to engage the index element to positively position the shaft to the first or the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Kurek, Emma Levin
  • Patent number: 7371986
    Abstract: A pushbutton provides an operator with a replaceable cam ring that converts the operating mode of the operator from push-pull to twist-to-release.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Elsa J. Varland, Darrell S. Filtz, Frank J. Graninger, Jie Ning
  • Patent number: 7372348
    Abstract: Disclosed is a MEMS device which comprises at least one shape memory material such as a shape memory alloy (SMA) layer and at least one stressed material layer. Examples of such MEMS devices include an actuator, a micropump, a microvalve, or a non-destructive fuse-type connection probe. The device exhibits a variety of improved properties, for example, large deformation ability and high energy density. Also provided is a method of easily fabricating the MEMS device in the form of a cantilever-type or diaphragm-type structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Baomin Xu, David Kirtland Fork, Michael Yu Tak Young, Eugene Michael Chow
  • Patent number: 7372353
    Abstract: An inverse phase converter includes a first bobbin, a plurality of second bobbins, a first magnetic core and a second magnetic core. The first magnetic core and the second magnetic cores are overlapped and coupled to form at least one closed magnetic path. The first bobbin has a wire gathering portion to allow a primary coil to be wound horizontally to increase the winding space thereof. The winding direction of the primary coil is normal to the winding direction of a secondary coil wound on the second bobbin. The temperature generated by the primary coil is lower, and the length of the magnetic cores may be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Taiwan Thick-Film Ind. Corp.
    Inventor: Chi-Chih Wu
  • Patent number: 7371982
    Abstract: A device, a Micro-Electrical-Mechanical-Switch (MEMS) safety and arming (S&A) device and a method of manufacturing the MEMS S&A. In one embodiment, the device includes a body and a MEMS shuttle movably coupled to the body. In this embodiment, the shuttle is configured to close a switch in response to being accelerated in two directions that are substantially orthogonal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis S. Greywall