Patents by Inventor Bernard Fournier

Bernard Fournier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20110317403
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, a recharging device includes a recharging port that receives a flameless candle and recharges a battery in the candle. The recharging device includes a first stacking structure that has a top portion and a bottom portion. There is a top stacking contact on the top portion. The electrical power bus is connected with the top stacking contact. The top portion of the first stacking structure is configured to mate with a bottom portion of a first stacking structure of another recharging device. In an embodiment, the bottom portion of the first stacking structure has a bottom stacking contact electrically connected with the electrical power bus. The bottom stacking contact may have a pogo spring. The recharging device may also have a second stacking structure having a top portion without an electrical contact. The second stacking structure is configured to mate with a bottom portion of another second stacking structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Bernard Fournier, Frederic Boucher, Carlos Carpintero
  • Patent number: 6799804
    Abstract: A heating footstool having a hollow casing having an inclined top wall, the inclined top wall being angled relative to a ground surface so as to allow the feet of an intended user to ergonomically rest thereupon and a heating mounted within the hollow casing for heating the inclined top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Inventor: Bernard Fournier
  • Patent number: 6515850
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power supply control module for loads or motors, which is mounted as an addition under a main electromagnetic switch appliance (Ap) and having, in a casing (1), current paths with commutating poles controlled by an electromagnet control device and substantially characterized by the fact that it includes at the rear, means (21, 22, 23, 31, 32) capable of channelling gases flowing out of the breaker chambers of the main appliance (Ap).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SA
    Inventors: Bernard Fournier, Xavier Person, Jean-Marc Romillon
  • Patent number: 6472837
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multipolar electromagnetic switching module designed to be connected by line connections (t1, t2, t3) to a main electromagnetic switching device (AP) and by load connections (U, V, W, u, v, w) to at least one motor and having, in a unit (Bo), between said connections, several load paths fitted with switching poles whose contacts are always alternately closed and controlled by a switching electromagnet (EI) driven by a control circuit, each of the switching poles (C1, C2, C3) consisting of a movable contact holder (Pc) between two conductors (Cf1, Cf2) bearing fixed contacts characterized in that, for each pole, the movable contact holder (Pc) comprises two parallel loop-shaped conductors (Cm1, Cm2) connected to a connection (T1, T2, T3) and that the two fixed contact parts (Cf1, Cf2) are loop-shaped and connected to connections (U, V, W).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SA
    Inventors: Yann Caporalin, Bernard Fournier, Xavier Person, Jean-Marc Romillon
  • Publication number: 20020030413
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power supply control module for loads or motors, which is mounted as an addition under a main electromagnetic switch appliance (Ap) and having, in a casing (1), current paths with commutating poles controlled by an electromagnet control device and substantially characterized by the fact that it includes at the rear, means (21, 22, 23, 31, 32) capable of channelling gases flowing out of the breaker chambers of the main appliance (Ap).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Applicant: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES SA.
    Inventors: Bernard Fournier, Xavier Person, Jean-Marc Romillon
  • Patent number: 6304049
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multipolar electromagnetic switching module that is connected by line connections (t1, t2, t3) to a main multipolar electromagnetic switching device (AP) and by load connections (U, V, We U′, V′, W′) to at least one motor and having between said connections several power current lines (C1, C2, C3) fitted with switching poles the contacts of which are always alternately closed, and controlled by a switching electromagnet (E2) driven by an electric control circuit (CC), and characterized in that the switching poles (C1, C2, C3) and current lines are arranged to perform a motor control function such as reverser, star-triangle or distributor and in that the pole control assembly consisting of the switching electromagnet (E2) and the control circuit (Cc) is offset relative to the switching poles and load paths in a direction perpendicular to the rear fastening surface (P) of the module such that the width (L) of the module is reduced and more or less identical t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SA
    Inventors: Bernard Fournier, Jean-Marc Romillon
  • Patent number: 6200899
    Abstract: The cleaning method of the present invention aims to remove polishing slurry residuals and metal particles remaining on the semiconductor wafer surface after chem-mech polishing a composite metal/dielectric structure for planarization purposes. The method is particularly well adapted when the metal is tungsten. In essence, it comprises the steps of brush scrubbing the wafer first with a stream of an alkaline colloidal silica slurry having a pH equal or greater than 10 for a short period of time, then with de-ionized water as standard. The cleaning step is performed after the polishing step and prior to the “touch-up” step. A standard rinsing/drying step terminates the chem-mech process step sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Bernard Fournier
  • Patent number: 6008119
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing process in a wafer is polished with slurry under selected operating conditions for a first time period that avoids overpolishing; and then polished with DI water under the selected operating conditions for a second time period until the surface of the wafer is substantially planar and dishing is minimized. The process can be used in conjunction with a damascene or dual-damascene process in which tungsten is polished with respect to BPSG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Bernard Fournier
  • Patent number: 5423187
    Abstract: A rooftop air conditioning unit for conditioning air in a conditioned space is provided with a rotary regenerative exchanger where sensible and latent heat transfer occur between exhaust air and fresh air with the use of a rotary regenerative exchanger. The exchanger is secured to the housing of the unit in front of a side opening adjacent the air circuit thereof. The position of the exchanger avoids a modification in the conditioned air ductwork of the conditioned space and allows sharing the same roof reinforcement structure with the original unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignees: Bernard Fournier, Gisele Surprenant Lemieux
    Inventor: Bernard Fournier
  • Patent number: 5153551
    Abstract: A device for manually controlling a thermal relay associated with a contactor and housed, together with the contactor, in a case having stop and reset push-buttons, comprises levers mounted for rotation in a support fixed to the front of the box of the thermal relay. Each of the push-buttons engages a respective lever so that the latter is applied on a stop pusher or a reset pusher of the thermal relay. A combined stop and reset operation from the actuation of the stop push button alone is possible because the stop lever bears on the reset lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Telemecanique
    Inventors: Bernard Fournier, Philippe Rix
  • Patent number: 5140293
    Abstract: A device is disclosed for the manual control of thermal relays, comprising a case with a push-button on a front wall and having a transmission member; the latter comprises a rigid support and a resilient lever applicable on the stop and re-set pushers of a thermal relay. A drive element proper to the push-button is applicable on an intermediate zone of the resilient lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Telemecanique
    Inventors: Bernard Fournier, Philippe Rix
  • Patent number: 4876418
    Abstract: The device for rendering contactors electrically and mechanically inoperative in accordance with the invention comprises a flat modular case, two movement take-offs adapted for coupling respectively with the mobile assemblies of two contactors, two mobile elements providing reciprocal inoperativeness, driven respectively by said movement take-offs and two switch devices whose mobile contact elements are respectively actuated by the mobile elements providing inoperativeness. These two switch devices are mounted in two through current lines directed transversely with respect to the sidewalls of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventor: Bernard Fournier
  • Patent number: 4803587
    Abstract: A changeover contact-making apparatus with interlocking member and module of protection protected against overcurrents is provided. In a same case, two contact-making systems and coil switches are disposed on each side of a median plane PP' in which the interlocking member is placed. In one of the case inner volumes defined by the plane PP' are placed a single protection module, a tripping mechanism and the respective connection terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1989
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Bernard Fournier, Maurice Contal, Andre Vergez