Patents Examined by Karl D. Easthom
  • Patent number: 6660952
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a safety switch in an electronic device comprising a seat having an opening and a trigger switch fitted in a cavity of the opening, wherein one end of a signal cable extended from the trigger switch is formed as a connector, and the signal cable sequentially run over two spaced apart cylinders disposed in the opening and passes through a gap on the bottom of the opening for exposing the connector outside the seat, such that, while a pulling force exerted on the signal cable, an additional support provided by the cylinders will prevent the pulling force from transmitting to the trigger switch along the signal cable to cause a disengagement of the trigger switch from the signal cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: First International Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Hsin-An Hsu
  • Patent number: 6657532
    Abstract: Disclosed is a variable voltage protection device for electronic devices which in one aspect comprises a thin layer of neat dielectric polymer or glass positioned between a ground plane and an electrical conductor for overvoltage protection, wherein the neat polymer or glass layer does not include the presence of conductive or semiconductive particles. Also disclosed is the combination of the neat dielectric polymer or glass thin layer positioned on a conventional variable voltage protection material comprising a binder containing conductive or semiconductive particles. A multi-layer variable voltage protection component is disclosed comprising three layers of overvoltage protection material wherein the outer two layers contain a lower percentage of conductive or semiconductive particles and wherein the inner layer contains a higher percentage of conductive or semiconductive particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: SurgX Corporation
    Inventors: Karen P. Shrier, Gerald R. Behling, James B. Intrater, Kailash C. Joshi, William W. Alston, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6653926
    Abstract: A Platinum temperature sensor comprises a ceramic substrate and a platinum thin-film resistor applied to said ceramic substrate, a ceramic cover layer and a connecting layer generated from a ceramic green layer by pressure and temperature treatment. The ceramic cover layer is connected with the ceramic substrate in such a way via the connecting layer that the platinum thin-film resistor is sealingly encapsulated with regard to the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Sensotherm Temperatursensorik GmbH
    Inventor: Heinrich Zitzmann
  • Patent number: 6653927
    Abstract: The scribe line is constituted by a large number of depressed portions of desired depth formed by radiation of a laser beam in a surface of the raw substrate corresponding to a boundary line between adjacent insulating substrates so that the depressed portions are arranged in a line at fixed pitch intervals along the boundary line, and a portion where the pitch intervals of the depressed portions are reduced is provided over a desired length on the way of the scribe line, or a portion where the depth of the depressed portions is increased is provided over a desired length on the way of each of the scribe lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fukumoto, Tokihiko Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 6653928
    Abstract: A dry load test apparatus 40 comprises multi stage resistor bodies 57R, 57S and 57T for high voltage load tests. having a large number of flat shaped resistor assemblies Ri, Si and Ti consisting of numerous elongate resistor elements rj provided side by side in a flat shape with interval and serially connected at an end thereof, said large number of resistor assemblies Ri, Si and Ti being provided side by side with multi stages with interval in order that flat planes thereof become parallel so that numerous resistor element columns which are formed with corresponding said resistor elements rj of the multi stage resistor assemblies Ri, Si and Ti are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Tatsumi Corporation
    Inventor: Toyoshi Kondo
  • Patent number: 6653581
    Abstract: A device for closing the door of an electric household appliance, in particular a dishwasher, includes a latch that is fitted in rotary manner to the door to cooperate with a catch fixed to the electric household appliance, and is connected to a switch, acting on a circuit of the electric household appliance, by a control lever cooperating with a contact on the switch. The control lever is hinged directly to a support fitted integrally to the door, and is connected to the latch by an elastic element, which keeps the control lever resting permanently on the contact and activates the switch as soon as the latch begins rotating when the door is opened, thus eliminating any dangerous delay in stoppage of the electric household appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: ITW Industrial Components S.R.L.
    Inventor: Alberto Bassi
  • Patent number: 6646539
    Abstract: A temperature-compensated semiconductor resistor includes two series-connected semiconductor resistance elements having mutually inverse resistive temperature-dependent responses in a temperature range of interest. The semiconductor resistance elements are preferably made of doped polycrystalline semiconductor material such as polycrystalline silicon that is oppositely doped, i.e. n-doped and p-doped, respectively. A semiconductor integrated circuit, in particular a CMOS circuit, containing a semiconductor resistor, is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Martin Bloch
  • Patent number: 6646540
    Abstract: A conductive structure is used in electric variable resistance devices to provide changes in electrical resistance with movement and changes in pressure, the variable resistance device comprising externally connectable electrodes (10) bridged by an element (14) containing polymer and particles of metal, alloy or reduced metal oxide, said element (14) having a first level of conductance when quiescent and being convertible to a second level of conductance by change of stress applied by stretching or compression or electric field, the device further comprising by means (18) to stress the element (14) over a cross-sectional area proportional to the level of conductance required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Peratech Limited
    Inventor: David Lussey
  • Patent number: 6642835
    Abstract: A ceramic composite having at least one electrical resistor run integrated into the ceramic composite, with the composite including at least one layer that covers the resistor run toward the outside. The layer covering the resistor run has at least one opening through which the resistor run can be trimmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Olaf Jach
  • Patent number: 6642459
    Abstract: An improved switch consists of a seat, a button key, a first elastic element, a second elastic element, and a cap. The switch offers users pushing or depressing operations to control switching or selection of various function and may give users more touching sense during operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Shin Jiuh Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Tsui-Jung Su, King-Long Lee
  • Patent number: 6639506
    Abstract: A method and device, employing positive-temperature-coefficient material, for sensing plural properties of a fluid, such as temperature and flow rate. Can be used in a wind gauge or in a device for sensing position of mechanical elements such as valve diaphragms. Single sensor device, with energy and ohmic resistors, produces two voltages which completely characterize temperature and flow rate of fluid under study.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Lansense, LLC
    Inventor: Donald G. Landis
  • Patent number: 6639160
    Abstract: A steering switch assembly structure which facilitates mounting of a pad member and switch assemblies to a metal core of a steering wheel, and which reduces assembly steps and is low in cost. The pad member is disposed between first leg pieces and second leg pieces on a bracket, compression coil springs are arranged between mount pieces of the pad member and the second leg pieces. In this state, the first leg pieces are inserted into mount slots of the switch assemblies. When the mount pieces are moved against elastic force of the springs and brought into contact with horn contacts, a horn device is actuated. The pad member is engaged by bottom surfaces of the switch assemblies, and is prevented from falling off the bracket, which is secured to the metal core, in a direction of separation from the bracket, without use of any further fastening means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Shoichi Ibe, Keisuke Imai
  • Patent number: 6639507
    Abstract: A plated precision potentiometer (PPP), consists of resistance plates, disc, a screw, springs and a cylinder to enclose all moving parts. The PPP will produce a resistance determined by the location of the disc on the plates. The disc will travel on the screw; the change in location of the disc will adjust the resistance value proportionally to the distance it travels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Inventors: Vladimir Tubaltsev, Aleksandra Tubaltseva
  • Patent number: 6639505
    Abstract: A temperature sensor which features improved response characteristics and in which a thermistor element is contained in a metal enclosure in a state where a pair of electrode wires for taking out signals are connected in an exposed manner at two opposing end surfaces thereof. The temperature sensor comprises a metal enclosure 2, a thermistor element 3 contained in the metal enclosure, and a pair of electrode wires 4 connected to the two opposing end surfaces of the thermistor element in a form being exposed over the thermistor element in the metal enclosure to take out thermistor signals, wherein a distance H between the thermistor element and the metal enclosure is not smaller than 0 but is not larger than 0.3 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Murata, Atsushi Kurano
  • Patent number: 6636137
    Abstract: An ignition coil assembly having an inner core element formed from an interlocked stack of elongate laminae plates. Each of the laminae plates has a substantially common length and a substantially uniform width along the length thereof, with the length of each laminae plates being greater than a width thereof. A first one of the plurality of laminae plates being the widest laminae plate in the stack is located substantially in a center thereof with others of the laminae plates located above and below the first laminae plate and having progressively decreasing widths. Each of the laminae plates in the stack being interlocked to an adjacent laminae plate and the stack having substantially planar end surfaces that are provided with guide elements that are aligned substantially perpendicular to the widths of the plurality of laminae plates. The guide elements include notches and/or projections that can have various geometric shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: L.H. Carbide Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas R. Neuenschwander
  • Patent number: 6636143
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a resistor and a manufacturing method of the same. The invention aims at providing the resistor and the manufacturing method thereof that can reduce a soldering area that occupies a mount area, when the resistor is mounted on a mount board. In order to achieve the foregoing object, a resistor comprises a substrate (21), a pair of first upper surface electrode layers (22), each provided on a side portion of an upper surface toward a portion of a side surface of the substrate (21), a pair of second upper surface electrode layers (23) provided in a manner to make electrical connections with the first upper surface electrode layers (22), a resistance layer (24) provided in a manner to make electrical connections with the second surface electrode layers (23), and a protective layer (25) provided to cover at least an upper surface of the resistance layer (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Hashimoto, Hiroyuki Yamada, Seiji Tsuda
  • Patent number: 6636142
    Abstract: A sensor element, especially a temperature sensor (5) is proposed, having a sensitive area (11), whose electrical resistance changes under the influence of a temperature to which the sensitive area (11) is exposed. In this case, sensitive area (11) has a glass ceramic fusion (15) of a starting material containing at least one component which is furnished at least substantially with a surface metallization. The proposed temperature sensor (5) is especially suitable for use at temperatures in excess of 1000° C., at which it shows resistance characteristics like that of a platinum resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Heinz Geier, Gert Lindemann, Friederike Lindner, Thomas Brinz, Ulrich Eisele
  • Patent number: 6630637
    Abstract: An AC disconnect switch having a first embodiment with an enclosure with portions of its side walls removed for easier access. The first embodiment of the AC disconnect switch also has a cover that is hinged at the top of the case and opens at an angle greater than 180 degrees to further enhance access. In a second embodiment, the cover is reversibly hinged on the side of the case of the enclosure for enhance access. Both embodiments of the AC disconnect switch have the terminal lugs with roughened surfaces on the terminal block aligned in the transverse direction of the enclosure to accommodate precut and prestripped wiring harnesses. The terminal block is mounted to the case by a tab arrangement which requires only a single screw. The AC disconnect switch also has a locking mechanism with retractable hasp to minimize shipping volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Diversitech Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Barry Ward, Scott Clinn Ellyson, Jeff Sweeney
  • Patent number: 6628193
    Abstract: A thin-thickness variable resistor is provided, which is capable of stabilizing electrical connection between metallic terminals and a resistor by increasing the holding strength for a second terminal by a substrate while preventing the bending strain during the bending work from spreading to a conductive portion conductive to the resistor. A variable resistor comprises a substrate, metallic terminals formed in the substrate by insert-molding, and a slider sliding on a resistor formed on the substrate, wherein the slider is rotatably attached by crimping an eyelet formed in a first metallic terminal. External-connecting portions of the metallic terminals are extended from the bottom portion of the substrate to be bent upwardly along sides of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Doi, Yukinori Ueda
  • Patent number: 6621404
    Abstract: A resistor having a desired temperature coefficient of resistance and a total electrical resistance. A first resistor segment has a first temperature coefficient of resistance and a first electrical resistance. A second resistor segment has a second temperature coefficient of resistance and a second electrical resistance. The first resistor segment is electrically connected in series with the second resistor segment, and the total electrical resistance equals a sum of the first electrical resistance and the second electrical resistance. The desired temperature coefficient of resistance is determined at least in part by the first temperature coefficient of resistance and the first electrical resistance of the first resistor and the second temperature coefficient of resistance and the second electrical resistance of the second resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventor: Robindranath Banerjee