Patents Examined by Morris Ginsburg
  • Patent number: 4700027
    Abstract: A switch arrangement is disclosed which may be used with an enclosed fluid resistant container. A pin-like element is inserted through a wall of the container to actuate a switch contained within the container. Thereafter, the circuit is not easily deactivated. The switch arrangement includes a switch located within the container for activating a particular circuit function. The switch includes a mechanical trigger which is moved to effect the switch activation. A narrow switch actuator, such as a pin, is used for moving the trigger. A slide block is positioned between the trigger and a container wall for impacting the trigger in a single direction. A plug is placed in the wall and has an aperture therethrough for receiving the switch actuator, and the plug also includes a separate labyrinth path therethrough for passing fluid to the outside of the container. The aperture in the plug is structured such that the switch actuator fits slidably in the aperture and substantially seals the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1987
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Tischhauser, Harold G. Hanley
  • Patent number: 4700026
    Abstract: A wiper driving unit for driving a wiper for a vehicle such as a motor vehicle includes: a driving gear driven by a motor, for driving the wiper; and a clutch member formed of a conductive resilient plate, rotatably supported and rotatable together with the driving gear in the biasing direction only when the driving gear is rotated in the biasing direction. An engageable member on the driving side is projectingly provided on the driving gear, and an engageable member on the driven side is connected in operational association to the clutch member. The engageable member on the driving side and the engageable member on the driven side are engaged with each other to rotate the driving gear together with the clutch member in the same direction only when the driving member is rotated in the biasing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1987
    Assignee: Mitsuba Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kamiyama, Masahide Yamada, Katsuyoshi Kitada, Masayoshi Otuka, Etsuro Kanematsu
  • Patent number: 4700025
    Abstract: A transparent touch-sensitive panel comprising a transparent touch-sensitive switch consisting of an upper plate, a lower plate, and an insulating spacer. A transparent board has an outer peripheral portion to which the lower plate is bonded via a transparent adhesive layer. A visual display such as a liquid-crystal display is mounted on the underside of the board. An uneven surface is formed on one of the upper surface of the board and the lower surface of the lower plate which are disposed opposite to each other and through which the light emanating from the visual display is transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1987
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Hatayama, Satoru Matsumora
  • Patent number: 4698727
    Abstract: A molded plastic load center enclosure allows the circuit breakers contained therein to be compactly aligned on one side of the enclosure. The insulative properties of the plastic allows the circuit breaker branch straps to be mounted on the bottom and side walls of the enclosure. The end of the bottom-mounted branch strap is formed for direct connection with the line terminals. The end of the side-mounted branch strap is apertured for convenient connection with the load terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1987
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David A. Hibbert, Larry J. Newmark
  • Patent number: 4698466
    Abstract: A vehicular switch for activating and deactivating a circuit or circuits in response to movement of one vehicular component relative to another such as a door relative to a door frame. The switch is a compact miniaturized unit insertable in the fixed component and self-adjusting to accommodate variations in spacing between fixed and movable components. Seals are provided to block access of water or other destructive materials irrespective of the position of the movable vehicle component relative to the fixed component. All electrical elements are completely enclosed in a weather-tight package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1987
    Assignee: Joseph Pollak Corporation
    Inventors: Willi K. Beck, Lincoln V. Danielson
  • Patent number: 4695685
    Abstract: Apparatus for indicating the level of flowable material in a storage bin comprising a motor mounted within a protective enclosure and coupled by a shaft to a paddle disposed within the bin to engage material contained therein. When the material reaches the level of the paddle, drag on the paddle causes the motor to rotate within the enclosure and thereby to activate switches disposed within the enclosure for indicating material level. A spring is mounted between the enclosure and the motor such that the spring urges the motor to both the switch-activating and the switch-deactivating positions in turn, and must be urged over center to permit motion of the motor in either direction between such positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1987
    Assignee: Berwind Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip P. Fleckenstein, Norman F. Marsh
  • Patent number: 4692572
    Abstract: An over-center actuator switch assembly includes a U-shaped bracket having a plurality of similar switches mounted in side-by-side relation between the flanges of the bracket. Each actuator has a depressible operator extending into the bracket. An operating lever is pivoted between the bracket flanges and contacts all of the switch operators. A control lever is also pivoted between the side flanges of the bracket, and one or more compression springs is biased between the levers. Pivotal movement of the control lever moves the levers and springs through an over-center condition to effect snap action pivoting of the switch operating lever and reversal of the condition of depression of the operating members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1987
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: James G. Heath
  • Patent number: 4692571
    Abstract: A control or front panel assembly which is suitable for inclusion in associated apparatus. The panel assembly includes a switching arrangement with individual switch actuators easily detachable and removable during final assembly prior to mounting an escutcheon plate to the front panel face. In this manner, a single piece part need only be inventoried, modifiable during final assembly, to effect the desired model variations for the associated apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1987
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinh-Dinh D. Trinh, Ronald P. Scholtes, Terence E. Sumner
  • Patent number: 4692573
    Abstract: A switch device comprises a dual push-push type switch device wherein each switch includes a cam protrusion that engages a downwardly inclined end portion of a lock pin when the switch is in a release position so that in the event of the depression of both switches simultaneously the top end portion of each of the lock pins slides over the cam protrusion of a respective operating piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1987
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Takahiko Fukuyama, Seiji Hori, Yoshihiro Ota, Yoshikazu Hayashi
  • Patent number: 4689723
    Abstract: A shielded line terminator having a pair of electrically conductive, hermaphroditic shields each having hooked tines which engage profiled recesses along an edge of an electrically conductive shell of an electrical connector. The shields form a rearward extending cavity encompassing a line terminator which engages contacts extending from the rear face of the electrical connector. Each shield has latch means positioned to engage lug means on the other shield to detachably secure the shields together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1987
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Earl C. Myers, Michael E. Shirk, Mark H. Waters
  • Patent number: 4687889
    Abstract: An interlock switch used with an electrical appliance such as a microwave oven. The interlock switch has a housing in which a plurality of switch elements are mounted. The housing also contains movable and stationary barriers which isolate selected switch elements from others so that broken off pieces from some switch elements will not come in contact with other switch elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: The Cherry Corporation
    Inventor: Raymond A. Leger
  • Patent number: 4686333
    Abstract: An inner rectangular housing insertable into a cavity of an outer rectangular housing has latching projections on sidewalls near the bottom to latch into latching recesses on inside surfaces of the sidewalls of the outer housing near the cavity entrance. Endwalls of the inner housing have stress ledges near the bottom to deflect outwardly the endwalls of the outer housing to generate permanent tension which is transferred by integral wall corners to the sidewalls of the outer housing to urge them inwardly to maintain the latched condition of the projections and recesses. Such latching and tensioning is useful in the type of electrical switch assemblies whose housings are under long-term stress, vibration and/or heat even when bonded and sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Norman E. Hoffman, Carl D. Oberman
  • Patent number: 4686334
    Abstract: The invention relates to a frame for housing a withdrawable circuit breaker. The rear wall of the frame comprises an insulating support, through which fixed connection terminals pass, each comprising an internal part on which a draw-in grip is mounted. The end of the terminal is fitted with a single latching edge cooperating with a notch of conjugated shaped, arranged in the draw-in grip, onto which it clips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Assignee: Merlin Gerin
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Nebon, Alain Gerbert-Gaillard
  • Patent number: 4684769
    Abstract: A switching system operable in response to the travel of a vehicular lever or pedal such as a clutch for opening and closing operating circuits of the vehicle. The system includes actuators for moving switch contacts to change the conditions of the circuits in which they are incorporated and extension arms connected to said actuators through ratchet-and-pawl mechanisms. The extension arms are contacted and moved by an arm of the vehicular lever or pedal against spring bias which returns the actuators to the positions they were in before contact by the pedal arm. The ratchet-and-pawl mechanisms automatically compensate for increases in travel and may be reset for decreases in travel of the lever or pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1987
    Assignee: Joseph Pollak Corporation
    Inventors: Willi K. Beck, Lincoln V. Danielson, Andrew Strange
  • Patent number: 4684768
    Abstract: A resilient intermediate section (12) is arranged inside the hollow cavity (11) of a resilient section (14) of essentially triangular cross-section. The intermediate section (12) has a flat base portion (15) which contacts the base surface (13) of the resilient section (14) and a switching strip (18) is arranged on the flat base portion (15). In addition the intermediate section (12) has limbs (16) which extend into the tapering hollow cavity (11) and encloses the sides of the switching strip (18). If the section (14) bends due to contact with an obstacle then the limbs (16) are respectively acted on by further arching of the side surfaces (17) and act in turn via inwardly directed actuating ribs (20) on the surface of the switching strip (18) which faces the apex edge (19) of the resilient section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1987
    Assignee: Erwin Sick GmbH Optik-Electronik
    Inventors: Karl H. Sackmann, Christoph Anselment
  • Patent number: 4683519
    Abstract: Connection structure for connecting electrically and mechanically electronic components or devices, such as a printed circuit board, an LSI, an IC, a display device, a switch, a printer unit or a battery, by using a noise shield plate which is made from an electrically conductive resilient thin plate for shielding electrically the electronic components from external electrical noise and which is contained in the case. The connection structure greatly reduces the number of parts required for the structure and the number of assembly steps when assembling the structure, and thus the connection structure is provided at a lower cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1987
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Osamu Murakami
  • Patent number: 4681990
    Abstract: An electric switch of the by-pass type having a pair of main fixed contacts insulated from each other which cooperates with a pair of main movable contacts which are insulated from each other is provided with a by-pass switch for electrically connecting and disconnecting the main fixed contacts on which a latch is movably mounted and having a part engageable with a fixed latch engaging element so as positively to lock the by-pass switch in closed position, the latch being operated by an actuator mounted on and movable with the main movable contacts for imparting latching movement to the latch in coordination with opening of the main movable contacts. Conversely the actuator unlatches the latch in coordination with closing movement of the main movable contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1987
    Assignee: Kearney-National, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony Osborne
  • Patent number: 4681993
    Abstract: An operating mechanism for an electrical switch comprises a drive mechanism; a drive lever having an engaging surface and connected to the drive mechanism for rotation about an axis; an actuating lever rotatable about the axis independently of the drive lever and having a first and a second engagement surface, the first engagement surface engageable with the engaging surface of the drive lever and the actuating lever being rotated when the engaging surface of the drive lever engages and pushes the first engagement surface of the actuating lever; an energy storing means connected in an over-center relationship to the actuating lever for selectively storing and discharging spring energy for opening and closing the the electrical switch in accordance with the rotational movement of the actuating lever; a driven lever rotatable about the axis independently of the drive lever and the actuating lever and having an engagement surface engageable with the second engagement surface of the actuating lever, the driven le
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1987
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Kondo, Kiyoshi Yabe
  • Patent number: 4681994
    Abstract: A high precision and compact contact switch which comprises a housing, a pair of fixed contact elements fixedly supported within the housing, a plunger axially slidably extending into the housing, a generally cylindrical movable contact member, a support piece for the support of the fixed contact elements and a biasing spring. The generally cylindrical movable contact member is tiltably carried by the plunger so as to extend transversely in relation to the plunger. The support piece is preferably made out of synthetic resin. The biasing spring is used for urging the opposite end portions of the movable contact member in order to contact the respective fixed contact elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1987
    Assignee: Omron Tateisi Electronics Co.
    Inventors: Kunio Nagata, Tatsuo Aoi, Norio Iwakiri, Hiroshi Osumi, Nobuyuki Ogata, Norihito Yamane
  • Patent number: 4680432
    Abstract: A key switch structure comprises a first insulating cover having on one surface thereof a first conductive layer and an anisotropically electrical conductive layer printed on the first conductive layer, a second insulating cover having one surface arranged at a side opposite to the anisotropically electrical conductive layer on the first cover member, and a second conductive layer sandwiched between the anisotropically electrical conductive layer and the second insulating cover. At least, one of the first and second insulating covers being flexible. A depression force is selectively introduced from the other surface side of the flexible cover through the anisotropically electrical conductive layer so as to form a conductive path between the first and second conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1987
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sugiyama, Yoshio Kawai