Patents Examined by Ray Barrera
  • Patent number: 6320486
    Abstract: The relay has a structure with a coil, yoke and armature as well as contacts, whereby one of the contacts is connected to a terminal element via the yoke and a plug fuse. The yoke has a yoke section that extends laterally at the relay into the proximity of the bottom side. A laterally projecting spring clip is respectively secured both to the yoke section as well as to the appertaining terminal element. The two spring clips are bridged by the plug fuse attached laterally to the relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Logistics AG
    Inventors: Roman Dietrich, Peter Ritter
  • Patent number: 6262642
    Abstract: A rotary contact arrangement for circuit breakers of the type including a pair of contact springs arranged on each side of a rotary contact arm, as the contact springs interconnect between the rotors and the contact arm via a pair of U-shaped levers. The provision of the U-shaped levers provides uniform contact pressure between both pairs of fixed and moveable contacts to prevent contact erosion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Rolf-Dieter Bauer
  • Patent number: 6249198
    Abstract: A magnetic actuator for reciprocating motion of a compressor diaphragm, piston or the like. The actuator comprises a stator with stator poles, excitation windings, and a backing plate. Non-magnetic support arms carry arced magnet poles and actuate a pair of compressed diaphragms. With the introduction of coil current, magnet poles are attracted to the central stator poles and repulsed by outer poles. A torque about pivot results and hence movement of arms with consequential actuation of the diaphragms. Performance is improved by increasing the flux produced by the electromagnet, thereby reducing flux leakage and fringing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Huntleigh Technology PLC
    Inventors: Richard Edward Clark, Stephen John Cook
  • Patent number: 6249199
    Abstract: Quick magnetizing and demagnetizing device for screwdrivers, including two symmetrical outer casings mated with each other and two sintered magnets. The upper and a lower sections of the interior of each of the outer casings are respectively formed with two receiving cavities. With the identical poles opposite to each other, the two sintered magnets are respectively received in the upper and lower receiving cavities of the outer casings. The engaging ribs formed in the receiving cavities engage with and fix the sintered magnets therein. When a screwdriver with magnetism is abraded back and forth against the demagnetizing face of the outer casings and at the same time rotated, the screwdriver is demagnetized for use in computer equipment or sophisticated instrument. When the demagnetized screwdriver is fitted into the screwdriver socket of the outer casings between the two sintered magnets and abraded back and forth therein and rotated at the same time, the magnetism of the screwdriver is restored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Inventor: George Liu
  • Patent number: 6246304
    Abstract: A circuit breaker having an external trip indicator, having a circuit breaker housing, a trip mechanism within the housing, sensing a trip condition and being responsive thereto to mechanically break an electrical circuit, an indicator, having a selectively operable retaining mechanism and being biased outward from the circuit breaker housing, and a linkage, sensing a trip condition of the trip mechanism and selectively releasing the selectively operable retaining mechanism to allow the indicator to move outwardly from the housing. The external trip indicator is operated by sensing an overcurrent condition with the trip mechanism, breaking the electric circuit in response to the overcurrent, sensing a mechanical movement of the trip mechanism, and thereby releasing a positional restraint on the mechanical indicator; and allowing the mechanical indicator to protrude from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Airpax Corporation, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas G. Gasper
  • Patent number: 6239680
    Abstract: In order to provide a magnetic field stabilization method, magnetic field generating apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus that is not affected by the temperature distribution in an installation space, in stabilizing a magnetic field of a magnetic field generating apparatus 2 having a pair of permanent magnets facing each other with a space interposed and yokes constituting a magnetic circuit for the permanent magnets, heat quantities to be applied to a plurality of positions are individually controlled (172, 174) based on the temperatures detected at a plurality of positions 154, 158 on the yoke to stabilize the respective temperatures at the plurality of positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: GE Yokogawa Medical Systems, Limited
    Inventors: Shigeo Nagano, Tsunemoto Suzuki, Hideaki Uno, Yuji Inoue, Yoshifumi Higa, Yoshiaki Tsujii
  • Patent number: 6229421
    Abstract: An autosecuring solenoid utilizes an interposing device that restrains the solenoid plunger when the solenoid is de-energized and/or energized, effectively preventing undesired movement of the plunger. When a voltage is applied across the coil, the flowing current creates an magnetic field. This field causes the plunger to slide within the solenoid cavity, unless restrained. This field also causes displacement of a movable magnet in the interposing device. The direction of motion of the movable magnet will depend on the magnetic field orientation of the movable magnet with respect to the magnetic field. Thus, the interposing device may move either toward or away from the plunger. Additionally, if using two interposing devices, one device could move away from the plunger and the second device could move toward the plunger. The second interposing device could even permit the plunger to move until the second interposing device engaged a recess or notch in the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Mas-Hamilton Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Tracy Floyd, John Passafiume, Joseph Luciano, Tommy Lowe
  • Patent number: 6229416
    Abstract: In a magnetic switch for a starter, an impact force due to return force of a contact pressing coil spring 25 for a plate shaped movable contact 19 is received by a collar 18a formed integral with a movable non-magnetic shaft 18, and an insulative spring stopper member 22 having a cylindrical portion 22a is disposed beneath the contact pressing coil spring concentrically therewith in an overlapping manner along the movable non-magnetic shaft. A hollow cylindrical coil 14 is secured by a casing side plate 16 of a casing 15 and another side plate 17 having a tapered cylindrical protrusion 17a in axial and radial directions with respect to a magnetic core including the side plates 16, 17 and the casing 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koohei Ebihara, Tamotsu Tokita
  • Patent number: 6229423
    Abstract: The magnetic shield device including a plurality of concentrically arranged open-ended cylinders having a magnetic shaking applied thereto. A rectangular magnetic ribbon is fixed on the innermost cylinder such that a longitudinal direction of the ribbon is in parallel with or substantially in parallel with a circumferential direction of the cylinder to obtain a large magnetic shielding enhancement on a transverse direction, and a coil is wound around the innermost cylinder for supplying a magnetic shaking current. A rectangular magnetic ribbon is fixed on at least one cylinder except for the innermost one such that a longitudinal direction of the ribbon is in parallel with or substantially in parallel with an axial direction of the cylinder to obtain a large magnetic shielding enhancement on the axial direction, and a coil is wound around the cylinder for supplying a magnetic shaking current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Kyushu University
    Inventors: Ichiro Sasada, Eugene Paperno, Hiromi Naka
  • Patent number: 6225887
    Abstract: A magnetic structure generating a substantially uniform magnetic field within a region of interest using permanently magnetized wedge-shaped blocks of magnetic material. In a preferred embodiment, the permanently magnetized wedge-shaped blocks are provided in pairs positioned on opposite sides of the x z plane of an arbitrary x,y,z coordinate system, and each of the blocks are magnetized in certain directions. The uniform field is created in the vicinity of the z axis. In another embodiment, the parts of the structure below the x-axis are replaced by a high-permeability, soft magnetic plate to form a so-called mirror system. In still another embodiment, permanently magnetized blocks positioned outside of the wedge-shaped blocks are employed as the main compensation means for field distortions arising from the practical need to truncate the wedge-shaped blocks to a practical size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: New York University
    Inventors: Jens Jensen, Manlio G. Abele, Henry Rusinek
  • Patent number: 6225880
    Abstract: The inventive relay has a base body in the form of a coil body (1), the base body supporting a core (16), a yoke (20), an armature (22) and a contact spring (23) which is connected to the armature. Fixed contact supports (34) and a contact spring connection pin (5) which consist of semi-finished wire with a preferably rectangular or square cross-section are embedded in a flange (12) of the coil body (1). The inventive electromagnetic relay is therefore very simple to produce. There is no wasted material, no punching tools are needed for the contact connection parts and since no particles of plastic are abraded by insertion, there is no risk of this impairing the quality of the relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corp
    Inventor: Josef Kern
  • Patent number: 6225886
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electromagnet, comprising a coil (30) which can be supplied with current and which thus generates a magnetic field and moves an armature (11) when supplied with current, and wherein the armature (11) serves for controlling a valve or another element. In order to improve the running properties of the armature (11), it is proposed that the armature (11) runs on a plastics sliding surface (2), in particular a sliding film (20) made of plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Dipl.-Ing. Wolfgang E. Schultz
    Inventors: Dieter Kleinert, Horst Wassermann
  • Patent number: 6218921
    Abstract: A flux transfer shunt trip actuator has an elongated seat member extending between the legs of a U-shaped magnetically permeable frame member. A plunger is magnetically latched against the seat formed by the seat member in a retracted position by permanent magnets positioned adjacent the seat. The field generated by permanent magnets produces a latching force which exceeds a bias force generated by a helical compression spring extending along the elongated seat member and biasing the plunger toward an actuated position spaced from the seat. A coil surrounding the elongated seat member and the spring, generates an electromagnetic field when energized which bucks the permanent magnet field so that the plunger is driven to the actuated position by the spring. Preload on the spring is adjusted by an adjusting member positioned along a threaded shaft coaxial with the spring and extending from the bight of the U-shaped frame in the opposite direction from the pair of legs of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: William George Eberts, Robert Michael Slepian, James Russell Everett
  • Patent number: 6218918
    Abstract: A mechanical latch relay started by a current pulse is disclosed which comprises an electromagnetic generating unit, a connecting mechanism and a mechanical locking mechanism, and which can maintain the existing operation state when the current pulse starting the relay disappears, and it changes its operation state when another current pulse is provided, and then it keeps the operation state even if the pulse disappears so that it can provide a stable operation state of current on/off unnecessary to be provided with a current for a long time, which enables to provide an effective control for current on/off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Glorywin International Group Limited
    Inventors: Ian G. Mawston, Antonio Chi-Shing Wu
  • Patent number: 6215380
    Abstract: An electromagnetic relay is designed so that it can be manufactured inexpensively and is based on a small unit size. The relay has a base group and a magnet system, it being possible to manufacture these separately and join them together as preassembled modular units. The base group has a base plate in which a component having a component wire is fixed in position. The magnet system has two flat pins each of which has a hole with a sharpened edge. When the magnet system is joined together with the base group, the flat pins are pushed into the base plate, in each case the edge at the wire component forming a contact created by an insulation displacement connection. The relay is preferably used in the automotive industry, especially if installation conditions are cramped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Schrumpf, Sonja Reitenspiess
  • Patent number: 6211757
    Abstract: A trip actuator (66) includes a trip spring (106) to bias the trip arm (104) in a clockwise direction about trip arm pivot (120). In the latched and ready to operate state, the clockwise moment about the axis of the latch pivot (132) created by force “F” opposes the counterclockwise moment created about the axis of the latch pivot (132) created by the horizontal component “fx” of force “f”, to hold the latch (110) in the upright position against the force of the trip arm (104). When a trip (triggering) signal is provided to the flux shifter (102), the flux shifter (102) releases the plunger (130). With the force “F” removed, the trip arm (104) will drive the latch pin (134), causing the latch (110) to rotate counterclockwise about the latch pivot (132). As the latch (110) and trip arm (104) rotate, the latch pin (134) slides off the latch surface (126), fully releasing the trip arm (104) and allowing the trip paddle (96) to move the secondary latch tab (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Roger N. Castonguay, James L. Rosen, Dave Christensen, Girish Hassan
  • Patent number: 6211756
    Abstract: An electromechanical relay (10) that includes a frame (52) and a header assembly (20) having a plurality of contacts (24, 26, 28). The relay (10) also includes a core assembly (62) having an end engaging the frame (52). The relay (10) further includes an armature assembly (64) pivotally connected to the core assembly (62). The armature assembly (64) has at least one actuator (76, 77) engaging one of the contacts (24, 26). The relay (10) also includes a shield (16) connected to the header assembly (20) and defining a cavity (84) in which the contacts (24, 26, 28) are disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Teledydne Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Sun, Given Chun, Ricardo E. Vallero
  • Patent number: 6181227
    Abstract: The windings of an NMR magnet coil are formed of at least two adjacent non-crossing conductor paths which are electrically insulated from one another. Each conductor path of a partial coil can be transformed geometrically into one respective conductor path in each partial coil through the symmetrical operations. The various conductor paths in each partial coil are coded in such a manner that the conductor paths adjacent to one another in a winding and attributed with identical successive cardinal numbers as code numbers in their geometric order. The conductor paths in the various partial coils which can be transformed into one another through symmetrical operations have the same code numbers. Each conductor path in a partial coil is electrically connected in series with one conductor path each in at least one other partial coil. These series connections of conductor paths are electrically connected to one another in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Brucker Analytik GmbH
    Inventors: Hartmut Schmidt, Michael Westphal
  • Patent number: 6175292
    Abstract: An electrical park latch actuator for the automatic transmission selector lever of a road vehicle, the actuator including a support member, first and second electromagnet windings carried by a common electromagnet core of the support member, and first and second plungers moveable relative to the support member, and responsive to energization of the first and second electromagnet windings respectively, said first and second plungers being positioned with their movement axes parallel and part of said second plunger being slidably received within said first plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Kelsey-Hayes Company
    Inventor: James M Gruden
  • Patent number: 6157276
    Abstract: An MR magnet assembly includes a cylindrical vessel for housing a superconducting magnet and having a vacuum between its inner and outer walls. The vessel defines a magnet bore for receiving a patient to be imaged. A gradient coil assembly is mounted in the bore adjacent the inner wall of the magnet assembly. To reduce gradient coil noise, the inner wall is constructed of a non-conductive material which does not support eddy currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Arvin Hedeen, William Alan Edelstein, Sayed-Amr El-Hamamsy, Kenneth Gordon Herd, Robert Adolph Ackermann