Patents Examined by Marina Fishman
  • Patent number: 7928330
    Abstract: There is provided a safety switch having a housing configured to receive a removable key, and a mechanism arranged to be operated when the key is moved from an engaged position to a partially disengaged position, the mechanism being arranged to cause a signal to pass to a separate apparatus, wherein the safety switch further comprises a lock which is controlled by the separate apparatus and is arranged to prevent the key from being fully disengaged from the safety switch until a signal has been received in response from the separate apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Limited
    Inventors: Julian Poyner, David T. Williams, Gillian P Parker, David Howard Kerr, Derek W Jones, Derek Sawyer, Geoffrey Alan Talbot, William E Anderson, Michael R. Scharnick, Stephen Zbytowski
  • Patent number: 7928329
    Abstract: A tap changer is filled with an insulating liquid as well as devices for absorbing variations in the volume of the insulating liquid due to thermal conditions. A gas cushion is provided which is integrated into the tap changer vessel and is formed by members that absorb the variations in the volume of the insulating liquid by changing the shape thereof. Furthermore, a gas cushion envelope is provided which prevents the gas of the gas cushion to be mixed with the gases generated by the thermal decomposition of the insulating liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jörg Findeisen
  • Patent number: 7919720
    Abstract: In an earthing switch a release mechanism releases pressure stored in a puffer type arc cancelling chamber by releasing the chamber at a predetermined area toward a stationary contact unit during a full stroke extent of a movable contact unit so that the puffering operation can be deterred from execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shimizu, Masahito Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7910852
    Abstract: A medium voltage circuit interrupter includes a circuit interrupter housing and a plurality of poles. Each of the poles includes an encapsulated pole unit. The encapsulated pole unit includes a first unit having a first conductor, a second conductor, a vacuum interrupter electrically connected between the first conductor and the second conductor, and a first housing housing the vacuum interrupter. A removable second unit includes a third conductor, a fourth conductor having a first portion electrically connected to the third conductor and a second portion removably electrically connected to one of the first conductor and the second conductor, an electronic device structured to sense a characteristic of the pole, and a second insulative housing encapsulating the third conductor, the first portion of the fourth conductor and the electronic device. An operating mechanism is structured to open and close the vacuum interrupter of each of the poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Z. Chen, James J. Benke, Zachary R. Jenkins, Xin Zhou
  • Patent number: 7906742
    Abstract: The invention relates to a contact arrangement for a vacuum interrupter chamber (1), which comprises a pair of inner contact pieces (11, 12), configured as RMF contact pieces, and a pair of outer contact pieces (21, 22) which are connected in parallel and are mounted closely adjacent to the inner contact pieces (11, 12). At least one of the inner contact pieces (11, 12) is movably mounted. The outer contact pieces (21, 22) are also configured as RMF contact pieces. During interruption, the resulting electric arc can commutate completely or partially to the pair of outer contact pieces (21, 22). The inner contact pieces are substantially discoid. Advantageously, the contact pieces (11, 12, 21, 22) are coaxially positioned in relation to each other. The outer contact pieces (21, 22) are advantageously pot-shaped or tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexander Steffens, Dietmar Gentsch, Kaveh Niayesh
  • Patent number: 7902480
    Abstract: A vacuum insulated switchgear comprising a vacuum container accommodating at least a pair of movable contacts and a pair of fixed contacts, wherein the movable contacts are capable of taking three positions, the switchgear being a double-break three-position type switch having breaking and disconnecting functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Tsuchiya, Masato Kobayashi, Ayumu Morita
  • Patent number: 7902478
    Abstract: The switching chamber is intended for a gas-insulated high-voltage switch. It contains a housing filled with insulating gas and a contact arrangement held in the housing. The contact arrangement has, in a coaxial arrangement, the following components: two switching pieces, which are capable of being moved relative to one another along an axis, with in each case one arcing contact and in each case one tubular conductor containing a rated current contact, an insulating nozzle, and a compression apparatus with a fixed piston and a cylinder. A moveable tubular conductor of the two tubular conductors forms the wall of the cylinder, is electrically conductively and rigidly connected to one of the two arcing contacts via a base of the cylinder and bears the insulating nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Martin Kriegel, Markus Vestner, Olaf Hunger
  • Patent number: 7902479
    Abstract: A reliable, compact vacuum switchgear is provided at an inexpensive cost. The vacuum switchgear comprises a switch 1 having a fixed electrode 12 and a movable electrode 13 connectable to and disconnectable from the fixed electrode 12, another switch 2 having a fixed electrode 22 and a movable electrode 23 connectable to and disconnectable from the fixed electrode 22, conductors 3 connected to the fixed electrodes 12, 22 of the switches 1, 2, earth switches 4 connected to the conductors 3, a mold section 7 formed by molding the conductors 3 and the earth switches 4 with resin, and a vacuum container 8 accommodating the switches 1, 2 and disposed on the mold section 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Tsuchiya, Makoto Yano, Ayumu Morita, Takashi Sato, Masato Kobayashi, Tomoaki Utsumi
  • Patent number: 7902473
    Abstract: The present invention provides a key switch with an exhaust structure, which includes a keycap having a top surface and an inner surface with a cavity and an elastic member. The elastic member includes a protrusion and an elastic body. The protrusion is coupled with the inner surface of the keycap. A gas channel is formed between the cavity of the keycap and the protrusion of the elastic member. When an external force is applied to the top surface of the keycap to compress the elastic body, the gas within the elastic member can be exhausted through the gas channel of the elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Darfon Electronics Incorporated
    Inventor: Liang-Ta Yeh
  • Patent number: 7897890
    Abstract: A vacuum insulated switchgear is provided with: an enclosure having a switch block defined by a grounded metal plate, a bus block positioned above the switch block, and a cable block positioned on the rear side of the bus block; a bus provided in the bus block and connected with a fixed contact of a vacuum double-break three-position switch; the vacuum double-break three-position switch provided in the switch block so that its movable contacts are positioned below its fixed contacts; an operating device provided in the switch block so as to be positioned below the vacuum double-break three-position switch; and a lever mechanism that couples together the movable contacts of the vacuum double-break three-position switch and the operating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Kikukawa, Kenji Tsuchiya, Yuko Kajiyama
  • Patent number: 7893379
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electrical switching device, e.g., a generator circuit breaker, and to a method for improved switching-gas cooling. Gas jets are formed by a nozzle body in the exhaust area, are directed against a baffle wall and are swirled. The baffle wall is a component of the switching chamber enclosure and has a high thermal capacity and/or thermal conductivity, so that the switching gas vortices produce a highly efficient switching gas cooling on the baffle wall by turbulent convection. Exemplary embodiments relate inter alia to the design of the baffle wall and of the nozzle body. Advantages include: protection of the switching chamber enclosure against hot gases, improved switching gas cooling, and increased breaking capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Thomas Schoenemann, Jochen Kiefer, Patrick Huguenot, Max Claessens, Stephan Grob, Xiangyang Ye
  • Patent number: 7888611
    Abstract: A limit switch control device comprises a shaft, a sensor, an upper limit reed switch, a lower limit reed switch and a drive element that cooperate with a control circuit. The sensor is combined on the shaft which is driven by the drive element, which is provided with an upper limit witch and a lower limit switch, so that when the sensor detects the upper limit and the lower limit reed switches, the upper and the lower limit switches will be triggered to power off the drive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hiwin Mikrosystem Corp.
    Inventor: Tai-Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 7884299
    Abstract: A switch adapted to make and/or break a connection in an electric circuit to operate a device has a front to face the user and a rear to face away from the user, a housing, and switch mechanism. The switch mechanism includes in operative connection, a lens facing the front, an information element, a control element, a lighting element, a capacitive sensing element and a power element to operate the lighting element and sensing element. The switch includes a communication element to provide electrical connection to the device and is activated by the control element when a change in capacitance is sensed by the capacitive sensing element such that the information element and lighting element can be viewed through the lens and the device is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Inventor: Daniel John Glew
  • Patent number: 7863537
    Abstract: A gassing insulator assembly for a line conductor assembly of an electrical switching apparatus is provided having a line conductor and first and second gassing insulator members. The insulator members are constructed from a gassing material. The first gassing insulator member is disposed near a first end of the line conductor and the second gassing insulator member is generally disposed between the line conductor and a cantilevered arc runner near a second end of the line conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Shea, Nathan J. Weister, William C. Pollitt, David M. Olszewski, James R. Schachner, Ronald W. Brand
  • Patent number: 7838789
    Abstract: A rocker switch (10) is provided with a mechanical switch unit consisting of a switch housing (11) made of plastic, a switching element (14) supported in spring-loaded manner on said switch housing so as to be capable of moving back and forth, and an actuating rocker (16) connected to the switching element (14), and also with limit-stop elements (48, 49, 51, 52) for limiting the actuating angle of the actuating rocker (16), and with an electrical switch unit. In order to obtain variable actuating angles and overcompression functions, the invention provides that the actuating rocker (16) is provided with an overcompression element (36) which in one or both of the actuating directions comes to be operationally connected to an overcompression stop (46, 47) on the switch housing (11) before the limit-stop elements (51, 52) come into operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: CoActive Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Stoffers, Rainer Maurer, Uwe Gillmann
  • Patent number: 7834290
    Abstract: A protection switch, particularly for rapid quenching of electrical arcing, includes at least one single-pole protection switch module having a housing, a movable contact mounted on a switching arm for pivoting against a fixed contact between a closed position and an open position and a quenching device for quenching electrical arcing of the switch. The quenching device includes a quenching chamber with an inlet and an outlet for the arc. A first running rail connects the fixed contact with a first side wall of the quenching chamber and a second running rail connects a stopping surface, against which the movable contact abuts in the open position of the switching arm, to a second side wall of the quenching chamber. A separation strip extends substantially from side wall to side wall at the outlet of the quenching chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Ellenberger & Poensgen GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Birner, Klaus Loos
  • Patent number: 7834284
    Abstract: A key unit includes a reinforcing plate having a support frame for surrounding and supporting key groups arrayed on a key-operating surface of the key unit. The support frame is formed at least by processing the outer edge of the reinforcing plate, and the key unit is installable to a mobile device directly from an outside of a casing of the mobile device through the support frame, for example, by fitting the support frame into an opening provided on the casing of the mobile device into which the key unit should be incorporated. For a decoration to the support frame or an exposed part of the reinforcing plate, there are used printing, painting, or various film-forming methods with a metal or a nonmetal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Sunarrow Limited
    Inventor: Yuichi Iohara
  • Patent number: 7829804
    Abstract: A rolling-ball switch is adapted to be fixed on a circuit board, and includes a conductive housing defining a receiving space and having two opposite open ends, two conductive balls disposed movably in the receiving space, two insulation caps covering respectively the open ends to confine the conductive balls in the receiving space, and two terminals connected fixedly and respectively to the insulation caps. The receiving space has first and second widths along first and second directions that are perpendicular to each other. The first width is larger than the sum of diameters of the conductive balls, the second width is larger than the diameter of each conductive ball, and the diameter of each conductive ball is larger than a distance between an inner section of the respective terminal that extends into the receiving space and an inner wall of the conductive housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Inventor: Tien-Ming Chou
  • Patent number: 7829814
    Abstract: A vacuum circuit interrupter having a pole unit structure and an operating mechanism structured to move the vacuum circuit interrupter contacts between a first, closed position, wherein a movable contact is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, a fixed contact, and a second, open position wherein the movable contact is spaced from, and not in electrical communication with, the fixed contact, as well as being structured to rotate a housing assembly rotatable portion between a first position, wherein a rotatable terminal is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, a line terminal, and a second position, wherein the rotatable terminal is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, a grounded terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Francois J. Marchand, Haiyan Ma, Brad R. Leccia, Ying Che, Chun Jiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 7820934
    Abstract: A method for fixing an element to a part of an electrical apparatus may include interposing an extender between the element and the part, where the extender is able to exert forces on the element and the part to position the element with respect to the part and/or to secure the element in position with respect to the part, by friction between one side of the extender and the element and between another side of the extender and the part, and to ensure positioning and/or securing of the element with respect to the part prior to final fixing, and to perform final fixing by performing two welding operations respectively between the element and the extender and between the extender and the part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
    Inventors: Olivier Cardoletti, Hans Schellekens