Patents Examined by R. S. Luebke
  • Patent number: 10062930
    Abstract: A battery cell assembly includes a thin sensor assembly having a plastic sheet, first, second, third, and fourth conductive pads, first and second resistive traces, a sensing circuit, a microprocessor, and an electrical connector. The plastic sheet has a first side and a second side. The plastic sheet further having first and second sheet portions, a first connecting portion, and first, second, and third tabs. The first connecting portion is coupled to and between the first and second sheet portions. The first and second resistive traces are disposed directly on and coupled to the first and second sheet portions, respectively. The first and second conductive pads are disposed directly on and coupled to the first and second tabs, respectively, on the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventor: Greg Bober
  • Patent number: 9865946
    Abstract: A mounting structure includes a printed wiring board, a connector housing mounted on the printed wiring board, and a plurality of terminals retained by the connector housing. Tail surfaces of the plurality of terminals are respectively positioned opposite upper surfaces of a plurality of conductor patterns laid on the printed wiring board, and tails of the plurality of terminals are respectively soldered to the plurality of conductor patterns. The connector housing has a side surface provided with a plurality of grooves formed by partitions, and the tails of the plurality of terminals are respectively placed in the plurality of grooves, and a clearance is formed between a side surface of each tail of the plurality of terminals and a corresponding one of the partitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazunori Miura
  • Patent number: 9843121
    Abstract: A communication outlet for use with a communication plug comprising a plurality of plug contacts. The outlet includes contact pads, contact members, and a biasing member. The contact members each have an electrically conductive portion attached to an electrically non-conductive portion. Each of the conductive portions forms an electrical connection with a different corresponding one of the contact pads. Each of the contact members is movable with respect to its corresponding contact pad. The contact members are movable with respect the plug contacts. The biasing member is attached to the non-conductive portion of each of the contact members and is configured to bias the conductive portion of each of the contact members toward a different corresponding one of the plug contacts when the plug is inserted into the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Bryan L. Sparrowhawk, Hua Wang
  • Patent number: 9793072
    Abstract: Provided are a switch module and a push switch that have a soft sensation when pressed. A push switch and a switch module have a substrate, a first fixed contact point disposed on the substrate surface, a second fixed contact point disposed around the first fixed contact point on the substrate surface, a convex dome-shaped upper spring disposed on the substrate surface so that an end part is in contact with the second fixed contact point, the upper spring being pressed so as to invert the dome shape and to establish conduction between the first fixed contact point and the second fixed contact point, and a lower spring disposed below the upper spring, the lower spring adjusting the operation load applied to the upper spring during inversion of the dome shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignees: CITIZEN ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Watanabe, Satoshi Okuma
  • Patent number: 9620316
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a pole part of a circuit-breaker arrangement having an insulation housing for accommodating a vacuum interrupter containing a pair of corresponding electrical switching contacts, wherein a fixed upper electrical contact is connected to an upper electrical terminal molded or assembled in the insulation housing and a movable lower electrical contact is connected to the insulating housing by a support plate of the insulation housing via a flexible conductor that includes a first end for attaching the flexible conductor to the lower electrical terminal and a second end for attaching the flexible conductor to the movable lower electrical contact. The second end of the flexible conductor is provided with an inside thread which is screwed to an outside thread arranged on the distal end of the movable lower electrical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Dietmar Gentsch, Manfred Sauer
  • Patent number: 9514898
    Abstract: A switch device for a sunroof includes: a glass switch piece, which is switchable between glass opening positions and a glass closing position, which are for selecting whether to open or close the opening of a sunroof with a roof glass; and a shade switch piece, which is switchable between a shade opening position and a shade closing shade positions, which are for selecting whether to open or close the opening with of a roof shade. The shade closing positions include a first closing position and a second closing position. The switch device is provided with an interlocking portion, which links the glass switch piece to the shade switch piece so that the glass switch piece is moved into the glass closing position when the shade switch piece is moved to the second closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignees: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Fukamizu, Hideki Fuchigami, Takeshi Iwai, Shohei Kobata
  • Patent number: 9493341
    Abstract: A method of forming at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) includes patterning a wiring layer to form at least one fixed plate and forming a sacrificial material on the wiring layer. The method further includes forming an insulator layer of one or more films over the at least one fixed plate and exposed portions of an underlying substrate to prevent formation of a reaction product between the wiring layer and a sacrificial material. The method further includes forming at least one MEMS beam that is moveable over the at least one fixed plate. The method further includes venting or stripping of the sacrificial material to form at least a first cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anthony K. Stamper, John G. Twombly
  • Patent number: 9362061
    Abstract: A switching device including a breaker electrically connectable to an electrical conductor, and an at least partially electrically conductive housing to which the breaker is mounted, the housing having an outer surface. The breaker includes an electrically conductive first contact and an electrically conductive second contact, the second contact being movable and in relation to the first contact and in relation to the housing, and when the first and second contacts are in contact the breaker is in a closed position, and when the first and second contacts are separated the breaker is in an open position. The switching device is arranged to provide a current path between the breaker and the electrical conductor, and the housing houses a guiding member for operating the second contact, the guiding member being movable in relation to the housing, wherein the guiding member includes a biasing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Thor Endre, Tom-Rune Bjortuft, Paal Kristian Skryten, Havard Hadland, John-Anders Tveten, Stanley Lohne, Jan-Arild Zinke, Robert Espeseth
  • Patent number: 9293273
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tap changer having vacuum interrupters for switching over between winding taps of a tapped transformer without interruption. The tap changer according to the invention having vacuum interrupters is based on the general idea of combining the functionalities of at least one conventional vacuum switching contact which switches under load and a further mechanical switching means according to the prior art in just one single vacuum interrupter with two separately moving contact systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignees: MASCHINENFABRIK REINHAUSEN GMBH, SIEMENS AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Albrecht, Christian Hammer, Christoph Heynen, Rainer Frotscher, Christian Kotz, Andreas Sachsenhauser, Christian Pircher, Werner Hartmann, Sylvio Kosse, Andreas Lawall, Astrid Renz, Roman Renz, Andreas Stelzer, Joerg Teichmann, Norbert Wenzel
  • Patent number: 9240782
    Abstract: A touch sensitive device includes a capacitive touch panel with plural electrodes, a driving and sensing circuit electrically connected to the electrodes through sensing lines, and at least one conductive member. The conductive member is arranged orthogonal to and crosses the sensing lines without contact and is electrically connected to the driving and sensing circuit. Therefore, a stable coupling capacitance is provided for a one dimensional capacitive touch panel for improved touch sense performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: TOUCHPLUS INFORMATION CORP.
    Inventors: Yung-Chan Chou, Shih Hsien Hu
  • Patent number: 8933355
    Abstract: A switch triggering device of an electronic device is provided. By the switch triggering device, a switch on a top surface of a circuit board can be controlled from a bottom side of the electronic device. The switch triggering device includes a first linkage element, a second linkage element and a third linkage element, which are arranged between an upper cover and a base of the electronic device. The second linkage element is pivotally coupled to the upper cover. The two ends of the second linkage element are pivotally coupled to the first linkage element and the third linkage element, respectively. When the first linkage element is pressed from the base and moved toward the upper cover, the second linkage element is rotated relative to the upper cover. Consequently, the third linkage element is correspondingly moved toward the switch so as to trigger the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Shih-Chieh Lan, Ying-Che Tseng
  • Patent number: 8888535
    Abstract: A corrosion resistant electrical system for communicating between a power source and multiple electric devices on a truck box or trailer. A hard plastic junction block with a male connector for power input communicates internally with two or more female connectors for power output, allowing multiple electric motors or other devices to receive electricity from a single power cable. The assembly includes cables with female or male connectors at the ends, the connectors having corresponding projecting portions and passageways, and U-shaped flanges and spaces, that fit together. The space between the projecting portions and the passageways are sealed by a resilient gasket around the projecting portion, and the U-shaped flanges and projecting portions contain aligned apertures to receive a lock pin to secure the mated connectors together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Shur-Co, LLC
    Inventors: Steven James Knight, Jason E. Anderson
  • Patent number: 8884726
    Abstract: A contact structure for electromechanical switch includes a static contact and a moving contact to allow many kinds of actuations and provide great switch characteristics, such as high isolation and low insertion loss, for using in the applicable range from DC to high frequency microwave. In the contact structure, there is a gap disposed between the static contact and the moving contact so that the static contact and the moving contact are parallel with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Intai Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Richard Loon Sun
  • Patent number: 8858251
    Abstract: A connector having a coupler-body continuity member is provided, wherein the coupler-body continuity member electrically couples a coupler and a body, thereby establishing electrical continuity between the coupler and the body. Furthermore, the coupler-body continuity member facilitates grounding through the connector, and renders an electromagnetic shield preventing ingress of unwanted environmental noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: PPC Broadband, Inc.
    Inventor: Noah P. Montena
  • Patent number: 8816233
    Abstract: A capacitive touch panel unit includes a transparent substrate, a conductive layer and a protection layer. The transparent substrate has a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The conductive layer is disposed on the second side. The protection layer is correspondingly attached to one side of the conductive layer, which side is opposite to the transparent substrate. By means of the design of the capacitive touch panel unit, the number of the conductive layer is reduced to lower the manufacturing cost and reduce the total thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Inventor: Chih-Chung Lin
  • Patent number: 8803016
    Abstract: A dome sheet structure of a mobile communication terminal may include: a metal dome covering a contact point printed on a printed circuit board; and a light guide film disposed on the metal dome. The light guide film may be bonded with the metal dome in a bonding area, and the bonding area may be an area between two concentric circles having different diameters and centered at a center of the metal dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Pantech Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Choon Kwon Kang
  • Patent number: 8772659
    Abstract: Key impact noise produced during data entry operations is abated with a configuration in which the deformable portion of the resilient member can abut the bottom surface of the key top and a gap is formed between the key top and the membrane sheet when the key top is displaced to the lowered position. This allows for the key top to be prevented from abutting the membrane sheet when the key top is displaced by the user from the raised position to the lowered position. As a result, the noise of collision between the key top and the membrane sheet is no longer produced and the key impact noise of the keyboard can be diminished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 8766122
    Abstract: A push type switch which enables an operator to obtain an upscale impression when he operates the push type switch. A switch body 3 is rigidly fixed to a printed wiring board 5. A casing 7 having a plurality of guide grooves 71h is fixed to the printed wiring board 5. A plurality of rails 91a provided on a knob 9 capable of transmitting a pushing force to the switch body 3 are slidably inserted into the guide grooves 71h such that the knob 9 can slide on the casing 7. A grease is applied to the guide grooves 71h and the rails 91a. The viscosity of the grease is set to be within a range of 1000 to 2750 Pa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Limited
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Takiguchi, Naoki Iwao
  • Patent number: 8753153
    Abstract: A canted coil spring includes a plurality of canted coils generally canted relative to a centerline extending through the coils. At least one coil when viewed in the direction of the centerline appears to have a non-elliptical shape and a non-circular shape when the at least one coil is in the unbiased state. The plurality of coils is generally canted at a first coil angle relative to the center line. The at least one coil includes at least one section canted at a second coil angle relative to the centerline. The second coil angle is different from the first coil angle when the at least one coil is in an unbiased state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Gordon Leon
  • Patent number: 8729414
    Abstract: A portable electronic device may have an inverted dome switch assembly. The switch assembly may have an inverted dome that has a base and a conductive underside. The base may be attached to a button member. Two electrical contacts in the button member may face the conductive underside. Corresponding conductive traces may be connected to the contacts. The dome may bear against a housing member. The button member may be movable with respect to the housing member from an unactuated position to an actuated position. The dome switch may form a footprint based upon the dome base area. The housing member may extend into a portion of the footprint and not into the remaining portion of the footprint allowing that space to be otherwise utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Duckworth Mittleman, Robert Scritzky, Bradley Hamel