Patents Examined by Mark Olds
  • Patent number: 5981879
    Abstract: A device providing an insulating support for an electrical conductor includes a body having a through bore with an upper, cylindrical portion and a lower, threaded portion. A hook extends integrally from the upper end of the body over the upper end of the cylindrical bore. A piston in the cylindrical bore has an upper end for mating engagement with the hook to define a fully enclosed passageway surrounding the conductor upon movement of the piston from an initial position, wherein the conductor may be moved laterally to a position between the hook and the upper end of the piston, to a terminal position wherein the conductor is fully surrounded by surface portions of the hook and piston. A threaded insert is engaged in the threaded portion of the body axial bore. A passageway through the insert has a one-way valve for injection of silicone gel into the cylindrical portion of the body bore to move the piston from its initial to its terminal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: New Line Products, LLC
    Inventor: Douglas Blanding
  • Patent number: 5977485
    Abstract: A cover of a simple construction is provided which can deal with a distance variation between battery posts. The cover 6 is made of a rubber material and has a narrow box-like configuration. A bottomed middle portion of the cover 6 forms a tubular portion 107 through which a braided wire 3 of a battery connection terminal 1 is to be passed, and the opposite ends thereof form post cover portions 108 for covering battery posts 2. Further, slits 9 are formed in side walls between the tubular portion 107 and the post cover portions 108, so that the post cover portions 108 can be bent upward. In this way, since the cover 6 can be elongated and contracted according to a distance between the battery posts 2, it can be easily mounted and the action of an undesired force on the cover 6 due to the vibration of batteries 5 can be effectively prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanobu Yoshimura, Suminori Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5977487
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high voltage insulator of ceramic material, which includes a longitudinal shank having molded sheds and to whose ends of the shank metal caps are shrink-fitted. The ends of the longitudinal shank are enlarged so that the diameter of the enlarged ends is at least 1.05 times the diameter of the longitudinal shank. The cylindrical surface, and the end face of the enlarged ends of the longitudinal shank are machined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Hoechst CeramTec Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Martin Kuhl
  • Patent number: 5977484
    Abstract: A low odor cover for a connector of a cable is disclosed, which has two interfitting sleeves which are chemically swellable and which are initially in dilated configuration, and which subsequently shrink into place by evaporation of the volatile dilation composition. Both sleeves are made of a high density elastomeric material, such as a natural or synthetic rubber, preferably (EPDM), neoprene or Hypalon.TM. rubbers. The volatile liquid combination dilation composition used is composed of a C.sub.7 -C.sub.8 aliphatic hydrocarbon component and a fluorocarbon component. The device provides a protective cover for a cable connection or splice which can be easily installed, quickly shrunk into tight vapor resistant protective covering within a matter of a few minutes, and can be installed without the need for any application of heat or use of special tools, equipment or materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Inventors: Michael G. Jones, Bernard K. Mueller
  • Patent number: 5969291
    Abstract: An overhead-line mast includes a bar-shaped and insulated mast head, current-carrying conductors fastened to insulators of the insulated mast head and a ground conductor disposed on a mast tip of the insulated mast head. The ground conductor is connected electrically to a neutral point on a mast base by a ground conductor connection extending in the interior of the overhead-line mast. The ground conductor connection is sheathed by an insulating layer. The insulating layer is covered in each case by an insulating cone at the level of the current-carrying conductors. An annular electrode extends in or on each insulating cone. An insulating filler is inserted between the insulating layer and the insulating cones on one hand and the insulators of the insulated mast head on the other hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: ABB Research LTD
    Inventors: Arnaldo Bertazzi, Helmut Bohme, Johannes Kaumanns, Karl-Bernhard Muller, Gernot Schlayer, Andrea Catenacci
  • Patent number: 5939677
    Abstract: A roller electrode includes an elongated hollow roller, a stationary shaft, and an electrically conductive fluid. The hollow roller and the stationary shaft are electrically conductive. The hollow roller has an inner surface which confines an interior chamber. The stationary shaft is provided coaxially in the interior chamber of the hollow roller and is journalled to the hollow roller. The stationary shaft has an end section which extends out of the interior chamber for connection to a power supply. The fluid is provided in the interior chamber around the stationary shaft to provide a stable electrical connection between the stationary shaft and the hollow roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Inventor: Chien-Hsin Ko
  • Patent number: 5936197
    Abstract: A clamp for an overhead line including a clamp body in which a first gripping groove for gripping the overhead line is formed; a clamp cap in which a second gripping groove for gripping the overhead line is formed and which is pivotably attached to the clamp body via a hinge unit; a fastening unit for fastening the clamp body and clamp cap in a manner enabling free opening and closing so that the overhead line is affixed between the first and second gripping grooves so as to be unable to move in an axial direction at the pivot position of the final fastening state; and an expansion unit for causing the clamp cap to stop at a position where it is forcibly kept open by a predetermined clearance from the clamp body against a fastening force given by the fastening unit so that the clamp body and the clamp cap are not located at the pivot position of the final fastening state and in addition so that a clearance is formed between the first and second gripping grooves and the overhead line and a method for attachmen
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignees: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Chubu Electric Power Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Katoh, Naoshi Kikuchi, Tomoyuki Watanabe, Takaharu Mitsuhashi, Yoshitake Shibata, Kazuhiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5929382
    Abstract: This assembly is for attaching wire harnesses such as flat wire harnesses together. Preferably, the flat wire harnesses then are attached to a motor vehicle interior trim panel or to the vehicle's body. The assembly includes a plurality of wire harnesses, each wire harness having at least one aperture therethrough, the plurality of wire harnesses having a first surface and a second surface with the plurality sandwiched therebetween, and at least one Christmas tree retainer passing through an aperture of each wire harness in the plurality of wire harnesses, the retainer having a Christmas tree section extending beyond the first surface and a post end extending beyond the second surface with the plurality sandwiched therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: UT Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Moore, Richard Chutorash
  • Patent number: 5914461
    Abstract: A device for making a personal computer child proof is disclosed. The device includes two mirror image adhesive-backed mounting plates and one guard. One mounting plate is adhered to one side of the personal computer case. The second mounting plate is adhered to the opposite side of the personal computer case. The guard is fed through both mounting plates and snapped into the deployed position. To disable the guard, the adult need only unhook the guard and feed it clear from both mounting plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Inventor: Thomas Michael Brandt