Patents Examined by Laramie E. Askin
  • Patent number: 5008494
    Abstract: A busbar system with holders, the tops of the holders having a number of receptacles for busbar sections running at a specific interval and parallel with respect to one another, the busbar sections being fixed in position in these receptacles. The busbar system can be easily extended using prefabricated units with the busbar sections being completely covered on the side facing the mounting surface. The holders are designed as rectangular carrier plates aligned with the longitudinal sides of the plates parallel to the busbar sections. The busbar sections terminate flush with the narrow sides of the carrier plates. On the narrow sides of the carrier plates, the facing end sections of the receptacles and/or the busbar sections accommodate one-half of connecting elements aligned in the longitudinal direction of the busbar sections. The connecting elements can be connected so as to be electrically conducting when the holders are connected in a row with the ends of busbar sections abutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Inventor: Hans Wagener
  • Patent number: 5003129
    Abstract: A protecting structure for a harness arranged over stationary and movable sides of a telescopic steering column comprises a flat, wide harness protector for protecting the harness. The harness protector includes a pair of openings opposing each other in its longitudinal direction to introduce the harness thereinto or to extract the harness therefrom. The harness protector is in itself constructed to telescopically move according to telescopic motion of the steering column when the harness protector is arranged over both of the stationary and movable sides of the steering column. The harness protector includes a harness guide provided midway therebetween for defining two branch harness passageways converged towards the openings to arrange the harness in such a manner as to branch the harness into two harness sections in its transverse direction, thereby allowing the two branched harness sections to move inwardly or outwardly in a transverse direction according to the telescopic motion of the steering column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunichi Toyomasu, Kazuyuki Mori
  • Patent number: 5003130
    Abstract: A grommet comprising a generally planar portion having less than a complete 360 degree circumference, thereby exposing at least a first and a second surface with an angular gap therebetween. A conical section is connected to the generally planar portion, the conical section including a flap located approximately adjacent the angular gap. The flap overlaps a remainder of the conical section when the generally planar portion is radially compressed for installation into a firewall such that at least portions of the first and second surfaces are in contact with one another, thereby eliminating the angular gap. Thus, the flap is adjustable to accommodate various size wiring harnesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: Paccar Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Danforth, Randy J. De Bortoli
  • Patent number: 5001305
    Abstract: A holder for protection and handling of a brittle electrical conductor element, such as a ceramic superconductor, limited in its ability to withstand tensile and compression forces exerted thereon and bending along its axial length beyond a predetermined arcuate path. The holder has a flexible housing which encompasses and protects the superconductor element. A helically disposed strengthening element is integral with the housing. The strengthening element resists tensile forces exerted on the housing in an axial direction and resists radially imposed forces on the housing isolating the superconductor element from these forces. The strengthening element also provides for limited arcuate bending of the housing for limiting the bending beyond a predetermined arcuate path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Proprietary Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald D. Bartholomew
  • Patent number: 5001300
    Abstract: A closure for an electric cable splice includes first and second generally rectangular shell segments having side walls and end walls constructed and arranged to be telescopically secured together. A threaded fastener is connectable to extend through the first and second shell segments and is adapted to urge the shell segments together with sufficient force to extrude sealant in the first and second shell segments through entrance openings to encapsulate ends of spliced cables to provide a moistureproof seal between the spliced cables and the end wall adjacent the entrance openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Communications Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Selim Messelhi
  • Patent number: 4999458
    Abstract: A cylinder is flanged onto the wall of a vacuum chamber in which a workpiece is to be coated and is to brought into contact with a current or power conductor for accomplishing same, and the current conductor in the form of a piston rod extends through this cylinder. The piston rod includes at one end a disk of graphite intended to contact the workpiece. An annular piston which is rigidly mounted on the piston rod is subjected at its outer side to the atmospheric pressure and closes a space off located within the cylinder and enclosed by a bellows, which space communicates with the vacuum chamber. A spiral pressure spring within the cylinder which rests against its bottom and against the inner side of the piston counteracts the atmospheric pressure at the outer side of the piston. In case of a subatmospheric pressure in the space, the piston is moved inwards into the cylinder against the action of the spring and the contact between the current conductor and the workpiece is established automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Anton Kunz
  • Patent number: 4994629
    Abstract: An electrical ground system as a metal conductor surrounded by a composition comprising a mixture of portland cement, sized calcined fluid petroleum coke, micro-carbon rods and carbon black.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Cathodic Engineering Equipment Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph F. Tatum, Jr., Thomas H. Lewis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4992627
    Abstract: An enclosure especially suitable for telecommunications applications. The opening and closing of the cover of the enclosure is about an axis that permits the installation of the enclosure in environments requiring a minimum of clearance. More specifically, the cover is affixed to a side of a base member of the enclosure opposite to an open face; and the cover has a centrally located hinge which permits the cover to rotate closely about the axis of the open face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: Raychem Corporation
    Inventor: Julian S. Mullaney
  • Patent number: 4992629
    Abstract: An apparatus including an elongate three-part housing with end portions separable from a main housing portion. A cable extends through the housing and has a looped portion within the housing. Within the housing is a coil return spring attached at its ends to clamp members affixed to the cable, whereupon a tensioning or stretching of the cable effects separation of the housing portions with subsequent return of the cable to an initial position subsequent to removal of tensioning of the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Inventor: Fortunato R. Morais
  • Patent number: 4990723
    Abstract: A bulkhead connector assembly for supporting a bus bar as it passes through a bulkhead including a rectangular portion having a substantially rectangular cross section and including a rectangular passageway extending therethrough and a circular portion having a substantially circular cross section and including a circular passageway extending therethrough and in communication with the rectangular passageway of the rectangular portion. A mounting flange which is integral with the rectangular and circular portions is disposed intermediate of the rectangular and circular portions for mounting the assembly to a bulkhead. The circular passageway of the circular portion has a plurality of shoulders within the circular passageway with the shoulders defining a rectangular passage within the circular passageway which substantially corresponds to the rectangular passageway of the rectangular portion for mounting and supporting a bus bar as it passes through a bulkhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Rick P. Ziberna, Timothy D. Kaptur
  • Patent number: 4990722
    Abstract: Ducting for electrical conductors with a stiffening arrangement formed by stiffening clamps, each of which comprises two or more parts between which there are transverse gaps separating aligned mutually inserted engaging members of both parts; each pair of adjacent parts are connected by lateral flaps attached to each part across a weakened area.The ducting is of the type having a base wall, two side walls having top ends provided with coupling formations, and intermediate longitudinal partition members each provided with an upper terminal formation. The engaging members of the stiffening clamps engage the upper terminal formations of the intermediate partition members; and coupling parts on the ends of the stiffening clamps connect to the coupling formations on the top ends of the side walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: Aparellaje Electrico S.A.
    Inventor: Juan M. Benito Navazo
  • Patent number: 4988304
    Abstract: An electrode device including an insulating body, at least one conductor mounted on the insulating body, and an insulating member mounted on the conductor and supporting high voltage slip-ring electrodes to which high voltages are applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kouki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 4988833
    Abstract: A retractable coiled cable having a retractable member imbedded in the jacket of the coiled cable so as to utilize space between adjacent coil turns of the coiled cable, allowing the adjacent coil turns of the coiled cable to fit together with no increase in diameter over that of a coiled cable having no retractable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Vu A. Lai
  • Patent number: 4988831
    Abstract: A strain relief apparatus for relieving strain on a cable of an electrical device having a housing with a notched-out portion therein. The strain relief apparatus is generally planar and is mounted directly into the notched-out portion. The strain relief apparatus has a U-shaped channel which is dimensioned to provide an interference fit with the cable after the cable is mounted therein. The design of the strain relief apparatus introduces bends in the cable to further facilitate strain relief if, for example, the cable is accidentally jerked or pulled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Hillis L. Wilson, Peter W. Yaichuk
  • Patent number: 4984973
    Abstract: A hermetic terminal for carrying electric current into the housing of a hermetic compressor, including a cup-shaped metallic body member having a plurality of metallic conductor pins extending therethrough which are electrically insulated from the body member by hermetic glass seals. The body member includes a closed end having an inwardly facing contoured end surface, to which a correspondingly contoured contacting surface of an electrically insulating cap member is secured by means of a uniform layer of electrically insulating bonding material therebetween. The pins extend through passages in the cap member, whereby the cap member defines an oversurface distance between the pins and the body member. A portion of the oversurface distance is protected from contaminants which the compressor housing by means of an annular gap between the outer periphery of the cap member and the sidewall of the body member, and by respective annular gaps between the pins and corresponding passages in the cap member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1991
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventors: Terry Itameri-Kinter, David W. Sauerbrey
  • Patent number: 4982055
    Abstract: The feedthrough device includes first and second half housing members, each of which has an internal chamber. The feedthrough device further includes a removable header member that fits within the chambers of the first and second half housing members when they are threaded together. The first half housing member has a threaded protrusion which fits into a threaded aperture located in the wall of a sealed structure, such as the wall of a vacuum furnace. The threaded protrusion arrangement includes a first "O" ring which seals the periphery of the aperture in the wall of the sealed structure. The header has first connectable terminals on one end and second connectable terminals on the other end. In between the first and second connectable terminals of the header there is located a plate member which fits along the edge of the first half housing member chamber; and located between that edge and the plate is a second "O" ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Assignee: Three E. Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Pollack, John Lawson
  • Patent number: 4980515
    Abstract: An electrical apparatus with an in-tank shield has a tank which houses an electrical device such as a transformer. A plurality of bushings extend into the tank. Inner shields having good electrical conductivity surround the inner portions of the bushings and are connected to the outer portions of the bushings. A shorting plate having a good electrical conductivity connects the inner shields to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Sakuma, Katsuji Sokai
  • Patent number: 4980517
    Abstract: A multi-strand electrical cable having electrically conductive strands of different cross-sections, i.e. cross-sectional areas, arranged in ascending order of strand cross-section from the center toward the outer circumference of the cable and sized in accordance with an irrational and preferably golden ratio progression in such a way that larger strands are located outwardly toward the cable circumference relative to smaller strans and stabilize the smaller strands against resonant vibration in a manner such as to reduce cable resonance produced by fluctuating current flow through the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: TP Orthodontics, Inc.
    Inventor: George F. Cardas
  • Patent number: 4975543
    Abstract: An energy-absorbing towline (14) comprises an elastomeric core (16) having a set of internal polymeric strands (18) helically wound around the outer surface (20) of the core in a first direction and a set of external polymeric strands (22) helically wound around the outer surface (24) of the internal strands in a direction opposite to the first direction. There may be more internal strands than external strands in order to maintain torque balance as the cable elongates. Each of the internal and external strands consists of a plurality of filaments (30), and each external strand (22) may have fewer strand filaments than each internal strand (18) so as to aid in torque balancing. Electrical conductors (26) may be helically disposed between turns of the external or the internal strands. When the towline experiences tension, the elastomeric core elongates, as do the helixes. But the diameters of the helixes contract, so the strands themselves do not elongate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Sanders Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger I. Saunders
  • Patent number: 4973798
    Abstract: A rigid electrical insulator of the type having a base or a pin at its bottom and having at least one groove (18 or 19) for receiving an electrical cable at its top, the insulator being characterized by the fact that it includes at least one central rod (1) fixed at its bottom end to the base (5) or to the pin and at its top end to a rigid head (7) provided with at least one channel (8 or 9), the outside faces of the rod and of the rigid head (7) being covered in waterproof manner by a covering (10), with the head covering being of a flexible elastomer and the rod covering being selected from elastomers, resins, and varnishes, the groove (18 or 19) being defined by the channel (8 or 9) covered by its covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: Societe Anonyme dite: Sediver Societe Europeenne D'Isolateurs En Verre Et Composite
    Inventors: Rene Parraud, Guy Thevenet