Abstract: A heavy duty relay can safely switch a current of 40 A to 1 kA. The heavy duty relay is provided with a changeover spring which can be resiliently deflected by means of a switching force and with a normally-open contact, against which a contact point of the changeover spring is electrically conductively pressed in a switching position. The normally-open contact is arranged on a normally-open spring contact, which exhibits a higher spring stiffness than the changeover spring and is resiliently deflected in the switching position, and the changeover spring and/or the normally-open spring contact comprises a deflection region at least partially surrounded by a weakened zone. The spring stiffness of the deflection region is reduced relative to the region of the changeover spring and/or the normally-open spring contact surrounding the weakened zone.

Abstract: On a switch cover attached to a switch body incorporating a switching mechanism and a regulating mechanism from above, an opening is provided to expose a part of an operation knob and to allow the operation knob to be swung. A through hole is provided on the switch body so as to vertically penetrate through the same in a position of the switch body in communication with the opening. Thus, fine sand that has entered through the opening can be discharged to the outside.

Abstract: A cradle stop assembly is provided for a circuit breaker including an operating mechanism. The operating mechanism includes a pivotable movable contact arm and a cradle member which is movable between a latched position corresponding to separable contacts of the circuit breaker being closeable and an unlatched position corresponding to the separable contacts being tripped open. The cradle stop assembly includes a first member coupled to a portion of the operating mechanism, a second member disposed opposite the first member, and a generally planar stop plate extending between the first and second members. A first stop portion of the stop plate resists movement of the cradle member beyond a first predetermined position to avoid the cradle member undesirably interfering with the pivotable movable contact arm. A second stop portion resists the pivotable movable contact arm from undesirably pivoting beyond a second predetermined position.

Abstract: A trip indicator is for a circuit breaker having a housing including first and second openings, separable contacts and an operating mechanism having an operating handle protruding from the first opening. The trip indicator includes a one-piece flag member with a first end having a trip flag and a second end with first and second integral legs. The first leg biases the trip flag away from the second opening when the separable contacts are not tripped open, and includes a latching portion to maintain the flag in a viewable position to indicate the trip condition regardless of the operating mechanism position. The second leg is disposed proximate first leg and biases the operating handle toward the OFF position, thereby assisting the handle to move from the ON position in response to the trip condition.

Abstract: Provided is a stable key sheet in which, even if a key top is operated so as to be shifted sidewise, no excessive change, such as great tottering of the key top or overlapping of key tops each other, is caused. A key sheet including: a key top having a fixation protrusion protruding from a center of a bottom surface; and a base sheet to which the fixation protrusion is fixed, further includes a stopper plate having an opening through which the fixation protrusion of the key top is passed and whose edge faces a side of the fixation protrusion, in which, at a time of sidewise movement of the key top, the stopper plate abuts the key top to regulate the sidewise movement of the key top.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments provide a securement adapted to interface with a circuit breaker. A circuit breaker can comprise an actuator operable within an actuator operation zone defined by movement of the actuator between a first pole and a second pole. The securement can comprise an actuator restrainer and/or a substantially planar actuator guard coupled to said actuator restrainer. The securement can be operable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the actuator can be manually operated between the first and second pole. In the second position, the substantially planar actuator guard can be located outside the actuator operation zone and/or substantially prevent manual access to the actuator.

Abstract: A waterproof structure with a simple structure and a good assemble workability is provided. A recess portion is formed on a side of an inner casing, and a through hole is formed at the bottom of the recess portion. The through hole runs to a housing recess portion, and a dome switch opposes to the through hole in the inner casing. A protrusion of a cup member is inserted into the through hole from the outside of the inner casing. A protrusive portion protruding from the bottom surface of a push button is inserted into the opening of the cup member. A rubber sheet which couples the push button is sandwiched between the inner casing and a top cover and a back cover.

Abstract: A circuit breaker lock-off device is side-mounted to a circuit breaker case in a tenacious engagement. The lock-off device has a generally planar body carrying a lock-off arm pivotable in a plane parallel to the body to place an engagement tab extending therefrom into a position for preventing movement of the breaker handle without being physically attached to the breaker handle. The lock-off arm and the body further have complementary rings for accepting a padlock shackle in the locked off position. The invention allows a rugged lock-off accessory which is field installable and which can accommodate various breaker handle geometries.

Abstract: This invention relates to a circuit interrupting device having a trip button for disconnecting a load from a source of electrical power and a reset button for resetting the device after it has tripped. When the device is operating in its reset state, a source of electrical power is connected to a load through a set of contacts located within the device. The contacts are held closed by the spring loaded reset button which holds captive and urges a latch plate to move up to close normally open contacts. In the preferred mechanical trip mechanism, depressing the trip button causes the latch plate to move forward and be released from the reset button. The latch plate, upon being released from the reset button moves down to allow the contacts, which are biased to be normally open, to assume their normally open position. At this time, pressing the reset button initiates an electrical cycle which causes the normally open contacts to close only if the device is operating properly and there is no fault on the line.

Abstract: A magnetic assembly including a printed circuit board and a core made from magnetically permeable material positioned on the printed circuit board. Plated through holes are formed in the printed circuit board, a first plated through hole on a first side of the core, a second plated through on a second side of the core and third plated though hole on the first side of the core. A winding lead has a first leg soldered in the first plated through hole and a second leg soldered in the second plated through hole, the winding lead being a discrete electrical conductor separate from the printed circuit board. A conductive trace is formed in the printed circuit board, the conductive trace electrically connected the second plated through hole and the third plated through hole.

Abstract: A housing for a pressure switch is coupled to a pipeline. The housing has a tubular body with an explosion-proof enclosure attached to the body with a retainer sleeve inserted through an opening in the enclosure and threaded into the body to secure the enclosure to the body in an axial direction. The body of the housing may be coupled to the pipeline via an interstitial trim device. The body and trim are preferably coupled together using left-hand threads. The enclosure is further secured to the body by a pin that extends from the enclosure into a corresponding pin receptacle in the body. The pin opposes rotation of the enclosure with respect to the body and prevents attempts by field personnel to remove the pressure switch from a pipeline by simply turning the enclosure. This arrangement also avoids disruption of the calibration of micro-switch components contained within the enclosure.

Abstract: A touch panel uses a plurality of spacers shaped in the form of a letter L. The L-shape spacers can be manufactured by densely patterning the shapes of L in a certain specific orientation on a spacer sheet. Thus, a large number of such spacers can be made available out of a unit spacer sheet of a certain specific size, at a lowered rate of loss in the material utilization.

Abstract: A key switch is disclosed, including a key channel for receiving a key and including a key-insertion-dependent switching mechanism. The switching mechanism exhibits a device for key monitoring. A key switch is specified which can be inexpensively manufactured and exhibits additional security-related options. For this purpose, the key switch exhibits a device for key monitoring which exhibits a quasi-rigid system arranged axially in the key channel, which are provided for key ejection and for operating a switching element.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a cylindrically shaped superconductor component particularly useful as resistive current limiter composed of a cylindrical superconductor body, in particular of high temperature superconductor material, provided vertically to its longitudinal axis with a number of azimuthal slots 3, incised in parallel and alternating, and one longitudinal slot 2 running parallel to the longitudinal axis over almost the whole length of the cylindrical superconductor body.

Abstract: A membrane switch solves the problem of requiring a spacing layer or spacers as in the prior art, and includes an upper membrane, a lower membrane. The upper membrane has an upper elastic tongue, an upper hollow portion formed around the upper elastic tongue, and a first conductive trace printed on a top surface of the upper membrane with a first contact formed on the upper elastic tongue. The lower membrane has a lower elastic tongue corresponding to the upper elastic tongue, a lower hollow portion formed around the lower elastic tongue, and a second conductive trace printed on a bottom surface of the lower membrane with a second contact on the lower elastic tongue. The lower elastic tongue penetrates through the upper hollow portion of the upper membrane and elastically extends above the upper elastic tongue. When the lower membrane is depressed, the second contact contacts the first contact.

Abstract: A circuit breaker includes fixed and movable contacts, an operating mechanism including a movable arm carrying the movable contact, an arc chute including a plurality of spaced apart first and second arc plates, and a slot motor. A slot motor structure is disposed about the contacts and a portion of the movable arm. An insulative housing at least substantially covers and insulates the slot motor structure from the movable arm and contacts. The insulative housing includes a base and a pair of arms disposed therefrom. Each of the arms includes a first portion disposed proximate the first arc plates and a second smaller portion disposed proximate the second arc plates. A space extending from the first portion, not occupied by the second portion, is generally occupied by a portion of the second arc plates. The second portion forms a debris shield between the second arc plates and the operating mechanism.

Abstract: A linear sensor (101, 201) comprising electrically conductive textile fibers (103, 105, 205, 207) and electrically insulating textile fibers (106, 208). The sensor comprises at least two conductive elements (102, 104, 204, 206) having electricall conductive textile fibers (103,105, 205, 207). The sensor also has electrically insulating textile fibers (106, 208) spaced to sepa the two electrically conductive elements when no pressure is applied to said sensor, and to allow electrical conduction between the two conductive elements under the application of pressure.

Abstract: A set of horn switch assemblies are mounted on a base plate of a vehicle steering wheel and linked by two continuous electrical conductors that are electrically bridged to activate a horn. Each switch assembly includes an insulator base affixed to the base plate and a deflectable metal blade disposed atop the insulator base substantially parallel to the base plate. The metal blade is anchored to the insulator base at one end and deflectable toward the base plate at the other end. One electrical conductor is secured to the insulator base below and in contact with the anchored end of the metal blade, while the other electrical conductor is secured to the insulator base below and out of contact with the deflectable end of the metal blade. A driver air bag assembly deflects the metal blades to electrically bridge the two electrical conductors for activating the horn.

Abstract: A hinge type MEMS switch that is fully integratable within a semiconductor fabrication process, such as a CMOS, is described. The MEMS switch constructed on a substrate consists of two posts, each end thereof terminating in a cap; a movable conductive plate having a surface terminating in a ring in each of two opposing edges, the rings being loosely connected to guiding posts; an upper and lower electrode pairs; and upper and lower interconnect wiring lines connected and disconnected by the movable conductive plate. When in the energized state, a low voltage level is applied to the upper electrode pair, while the lower electrode pair is grounded. The conductive plate moves up, shorting two upper interconnect wirings lines. Conversely, the conductive plate moves down when the voltage is applied to the lower electrode pair, while the upper electrode pair is grounded, shorting the two lower interconnect wiring lines and opening the upper wiring lines.

Abstract: A pressure switch employs electrical contacts isolated from pressure media. By employing a snap action blade in a snap over center configuration, it is possible to provide a hysteresis effect in which the switch actuates at one pressure and deactuates at a different pressure.