Patents Examined by Karl D. Easthom
  • Patent number: 6700474
    Abstract: A resistor structure is disclosed that is constructed out of two layers of polysilicon. The intrinsic device is made using the top layer which is either a dedicated deposition, or formed as part of an existing process step such as a base epi growth in a BiCMOS flow. This poly layer can be made with a relatively high (greater than 2000 ohms per square) sheet resistance by appropriate scaling of the implant dose or by insitu doping methods. The resistor ends are formed by the addition of a bottom poly layer in a self aligned manner with a deposition which may already be part of the process sequence. The end result is that the intrinsic resistor body is formed of a single poly layer, while the ends are created out of two layers. These ends are thick enough so that standard silicide and contact etch processing may be added to the structure without special care.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Steven M. Leibiger
  • Patent number: 6700473
    Abstract: A dielectrically isolated temperature compensated pressure transducer including: a wafer including a deflectable diaphragm formed therein, the diaphragm being capable of deflecting in response to an applied pressure, and the diaphragm defining an active region surrounded by an inactive region of the wafer; a plurality of dielectrically isolated piezoresistive elements formed on the active region of the wafer and coupled together to form a Wheatstone bridge configuration so as to cooperatively provide an output signal in response to and indicative of an amount of deflection of the diaphragm, the plurality of piezoresistive elements being undesirably operative to introduce an undesirable error into the output according to exposure of the wafer to an environmental condition; and, a dielectrically isolated resistor formed on the inactive region of the wafer and electrically coupled in series to the plurality of piezoresistive elements so as to at least partially compensate for the undesirable error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony D. Kurtz, Andrew V. Bemis, Joseph VanDeWeert
  • Patent number: 6700085
    Abstract: The present invention has as its object to provide a push switch utilizing a click spring with superior electrical conduction during operation of the switch. The push switch 20 of the present invention has a fixed contact 4, and a spherical click spring that contacts the fixed contact 4 and acts as a traveling contact, the click spring 10 having a projection 11a that projects upward from a central part of the click spring 10, and further, an aperture part 11 formed inside the projection so as to be open at the bottom. When the projection 11a is pressed downward the bottom edge 11b of the aperture part and the fixed contact 4 form a line contact (see FIG. 2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Teruyama, Kazunori Hamasaki
  • Patent number: 6696916
    Abstract: The high-voltage resistor is of the vertical type, and is formed in a chip which includes a high-voltage region and a low-voltage region superimposed on the high-voltage region, both having a first conductivity type. An isolation region, at least partially buried, extends between the high-voltage region and the low-voltage region, and delimits a vertical resistive region connecting the high-voltage region to the low-voltage region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Delfo Sanfilippo, Davide Patti
  • Patent number: 6696915
    Abstract: A knob having a button for a rheostat includes a base, at least one arcuate contacts, a hub, a pushbutton cap with a conductive arc corresponding to the arcuate contacts and a biasing member mounted in the pushbutton cap. The biasing member can be mounted between the pushbutton cap and the hub or the base to make the pushbutton cap return to its original position when pressure on the pushbutton cap is released. A rotating shaft of a rheostat extends out from the base and connects to the hub. The pushbutton cap is mounted on the hub to turn the hub and the rotating shaft to change resistance of the rheostat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Forhouse Corporation
    Inventor: Francis Pan
  • Patent number: 6693250
    Abstract: A hybrid gas insulation switchgear apparatus comprises an enclosure in which an insulating gas is sealed, a bushing unit provided for the enclosure, a breaker unit disposed inside the enclosure, a disconnector unit disposed inside the enclosure and including disconnectors to be connected electrically in series to both sides of the breaker unit, an earth switch unit disposed inside the enclosure and including earth switches disposed between the breaker unit and the disconnectors, respectively, the earth switches being provided with main pole side electrodes disposed on the side of the breaker unit, and a current transformer unit mounted to the enclosure. The bushing unit including bushings each having a conductor connected to an electrode in the disconnector on a side opposite to the breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kozo Matsushita, Katsumi Suzuki, Hiroshi Furuta, Kenji Arai, Osamu Nakano, Kazutoshi Ogata
  • Patent number: 6690258
    Abstract: A surface-mount positive coefficient thermistor includes a plate-like positive coefficient thermistor element, a pair of electrodes on the respective two main surfaces of the positive coefficient thermistor element, a pair of metal terminals each having a cutout at one end region connected to the corresponding electrode, the metal terminals including a metal having a low thermal conductivity, and solders each connecting the end region of the corresponding metal terminal to the outermost layer of the corresponding electrode. The metal terminal is readily and uniformly soldered to the electrode in a short period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayo Katsuki, Masanori Nishibori
  • Patent number: 6686828
    Abstract: A high-temperature detector comprises a temperature sensor comprising a high-temperature measuring element, a first connection and a second connection which are made of a high-temperature-stable material and which are connected to the measuring element. The high-temperature sensor is arranged in an elongate housing adjacent a first end thereof, and the housing comprises a first and a second conductor track produced from a high-temperature-stable material, the conductor tracks being connected to the first and second connections and extending in the direction of a second end of the housing. Furthermore, a connection point is provided, which is used for tapping a signal produced by the high-temperature sensor and which is arranged adjacent the second end of the housing. In order to produce such a device, the sensor is first provided and subsequently arranged in an opening of a first substrate adjacent a first end of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Inventors: Georg Bernitz, Heinrich Zitzmann
  • Patent number: 6686825
    Abstract: A chip inductor has electrode layers, insulating layers disposed on the electrode layers, and an uppermost insulating layer all disposed on a ceramic board. An inorganic pigment such as a Co oxide or an Al oxide is added to the insulating layer at a concentration of from about 2% to about 20% by weight. Break grooves are formed in the form of a lattice on the insulating layer by a laser beam irradiation, and the board is divided along the grooves. By adding the inorganic pigment, the break grooves are effectively formed, and the mother board is divided accurately along the break grooves, such that a chip inductor having an increased L value and an increased Q value is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eita Tamezawa, Keishiro Amaya
  • Patent number: 6686827
    Abstract: A surface mountable laminated circuit protection device comprises a first metal layer including a first unit and a second unit, a first insulating layer disposed on the first metal layer, and a second metal layer disposed on the first insulated layer. There is also a composite electroplated layer containing carbon black disposed on the second metal layer, and a first conductivity composite material layer having positive temperature coefficient (PTC) characteristics disposed on the composite electroplated layer containing carbon black. Above the first conductivity composite material layer having PTC characteristics is a third metal layer. Furthermore, there is a first conducting mechanism for conducting the first metal layer and the second metal to each other; and a second conducting mechanism for conducting the third metal layer and the first metal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Protectronics Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Rei-Yian Chen, Chih-Yi Chang, Tung-Hsiang Liu
  • Patent number: 6683525
    Abstract: An electrical circuit having at least one electrical component, in particular a strain-sensitive resistor and conductor tracks which are applied to a metallic carrier with the intermediate positioning of at least one insulating layer, at least one further conductor track, which is connected to at least one conductor track of the circuit, is applied to the surface of the metallic carrier. The invention also relates to methods for manufacturing the electrical circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens AG
    Inventors: Waldemar Brinkis, Erich Mattmann
  • Patent number: 6680668
    Abstract: A fast heat rise resistor comprising a substrate, a foil bridge on the surface of the substrate, the foil bridge having an elevated portion and a contact portion, the elevated portion above the substrate, the contact portion in contact with the substrate, a conductive layer attached to the contact portion of said foil bridge. The activation energy and/or response time is reduced as the foil bridge is suspended over the substrate. Another aspect of the invention include a method of manufacturing the foil bridge and application to autoignition vehicle airbags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: George V. Gerber, Anthony E. Troianello, Haim Goldberger
  • Patent number: 6677849
    Abstract: A high-voltage variable resistor includes a high-voltage variable-resistor substrate, which has at least a base, having at least a resistor element and at least one land electrode on the front surface thereof, and a plurality of through-holes formed at the land electrode so as to electrically connect the front and rear surfaces of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Kato, Yoshihiro Sako
  • Patent number: 6677850
    Abstract: An electrical current sensor and utility electricity meter, the current sensor comprising a &pgr; resistor shunt configuration, wherein the resistors comprise layered conductors at substantially equal temperatures to provide a zero temperature coefficient sensor. A fiscal electricity meter is described together with a four-layered current sensor fabricated using PCB techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Sentec Ltd.
    Inventor: Andrew Nicholas Dames
  • Patent number: 6670881
    Abstract: A method for retaining a terminal of a terminal assembly for a positive temperature coefficient resistor/overload resistor (PCTR/OL) assembly includes providing a body having an inner surface, and disposing at least one retaining member to the inner surface. The retaining member is configured to engage the terminal substantially perpendicular to an axis of symmetry of the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan J. Janicek, Kennett R. Fuller, Mark A. Heflin
  • Patent number: 6666707
    Abstract: A unit for connecting conductors to terminals having a body having a bottom, and devices for connecting two conductors to a same terminal and disconnecting one of the conductors without disconnecting the other conductor as well as connecting to the terminal one of the conductors and thereafter the other conductor also without the one conductor being affected, with acting on the conductors perpendicularly to the bottom of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Inventor: Maria Cristina Moret Codina
  • Patent number: 6667682
    Abstract: An integrated dual-purpose sensor is shown. The dual-purpose sensor in one embodiment of the present invention includes a full Wheatstone bridge or a half Wheatstone bridge providing two output measurements. Specifically, the Wheatstone bridge provides two output measurements that are utilized to determine a temperature sensor reading and a magnetic sensor reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Hong Wan, Lakshman S. Withanawasam
  • Patent number: 6664494
    Abstract: A current collector, in which contact portions are free from dissolved loss even both fixed and moving contacts slidingly contact with each other, and durability as well as a current-carrying perfomance is improved, including a container, which is filled with an insulating arc-extinguishing medium and in which a cylindrical-shaped fixed contact and an torus-shaped contact disposed concentrically with the fixed contact and adapted to come into fitting contact with the fixed contact to carry current are received, and a torus-shaped current collecting member formed from a conductive material and provided on a contact portion of the torus-shaped contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Inc.
    Inventors: Junzo Kida, Makoto Hirose, Tomoyuki Andou
  • Patent number: 6664493
    Abstract: A gas-insulated switchgear of an 1½ CB system, in which three circuit breakers are electrically connected in series between a pair of buses and a connecting line for supplying and receiving electric power is led out from between the circuit breakers, is characterized in that new connecting lines for supplying and receiving electric power are led out from the main buses through disconnecting switches to a diameter which is an end portion of the gas-insulated switchgear. A leading out side of the connecting lines is outside the main bus, and an installation area of the gas-insulated switch gear is not increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yamada, Mamoru Okabe, Toshihisa Miyamoto, Isamu Ozawa, Chikara Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 6661332
    Abstract: A press-type varistor switch is disclosed. A center of an upper cover is formed with a round hole. A head of a silicide cap is embedded into the round hole. Opposite sides of the seat are formed with a metal guide pin. The head of the silicide cap protrudes from a round hole of the upper cover so that the silicide cap is enclosed between the upper cover and the seat. Each of the adjacent sides of the metal guide pins are extended with a carbon-film resistor; and the two carbon-film resistors are not in contact to one another. An interior of the head is installed with a conductive rubber. The conductive rubber is above the two carbon-film resistors. When a force is applied to the silicide cap, the two carbon-film resistors are in contact with the two metal guide pins partially or fully so that the impedance is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Inventor: Wei Hsu