Patents by Inventor Bernd Howald

Bernd Howald 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).

  • Patent number: 7915555
    Abstract: A rotary drive for a switch actuated by a toggle lever includes an operative connection which swivels, a first catch element on the operative connection, coupled to the toggle lever, and a second catch element on the operative connection. A mounting plate parallel to the switch base and a rotatable shaft are provided, the rotatable shaft disposed through the mounting plate. The rotary drive further includes a swivel arm on the shaft, a rotary knob coupled to the shaft configured to rotate the shaft. A mechanical connection couples the swivel arm to the second catch element, converting movement of the shaft into a movement of the operative connection. A swivel movement of the toggle lever is transferred to the second catch element, and the swivel arm enables the operative connection to swivel through a rotation of the shaft to move the toggle lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Eaton Industries GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Schneider, Walter Gilgen, Klaus-Dieter Nuerenberg, Bernd Howald
  • Publication number: 20100163381
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rotary drive for a switch actuated by a toggle lever. The rotary drive includes an operative connection which swivels, a first catch element on the operative connection, coupled to the toggle lever, and a second catch element on the operative connection. A mounting plate parallel to the switch base and a rotatable shaft are provided, the rotatable shaft disposed through the mounting plate. The rotary drive further includes a swivel arm on the shaft, a rotary knob coupled to the shaft configured to rotate the shaft. A mechanical connection couples the swivel arm to the second catch element, converting movement of the shaft into a movement of the operative connection. A swivel movement of the toggle lever is transferred to the second catch element, and the swivel arm enables the operative connection to swivel through a rotation of the shaft to move the toggle lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Moeller GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Schneider, Walter Gilgen, Klaus-Dieter Nuerenberg, Bernd Howald
  • Patent number: 5811749
    Abstract: An electrical switch is intended to prevent hot arc gases from contacting the terminal screw units. The arc gases are to flow off in an already deionized manner so that no damage is caused even when they flow out towards the electric cable terminals without the need for additional shielding for the terminals. A terminal cover section is designed with blow-out channels which are fully encapsulated with respect to the terminal screws and to the terminal chambers and have an outlet aperture each. To fully encapsulate and provide access to each of the terminal screws, a location dome passes through each blow-out channel. At the points where the through apertures join the quench chambers, the inserted terminal cover section is sealed against the separating wall of the housing in the region of the blow-out channel inlet apertures. The arc gases flow from arc quenching chambers through a partition by way of passage openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Klockner-Moeller GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Bausch, Franz Boder, Bernd Howald
  • Patent number: 5774031
    Abstract: A low-voltage power switch with a relative auxiliary switch which is actuated as a signalling switch only when the generally multi-pole low-voltage power switch is triggered. The problem to be solved is that of controlling relative auxiliary switches simply and independently of the switch latch. To this end, the switch latch is designed in such a way that the included angle of the moveable contacts or the switching sprindle (18) is greater in the "triggered" than in the "off" state. A radial extension (60) is arranged on the switching spindle (18) in such a way that, in the "triggered" state, it engages a fixed pivoted lever (68) which itself is effectively connected to the prestressed actuating pushrod (66) of the relative auxiliary switch (56).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Klockner-Moeller GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Linzenich, Andreas Baldewein, Bernd Howald, Volker Heins
  • Patent number: 5510761
    Abstract: A contact system for current limiting units which are combined with power circuit breakers or motor circuit breakers. The object of the invention is to improve the reliability of the current limiting unit equipped with such a contact system, while reducing the time and effort required to assemble and install such a contact system. The invention teaches that the contact systems can be assembled from a contact carrier with a stationary contact tip and a subsystem preassembled with little force, which can be installed in the arcing chambers in a stable condition and under the force of contact compression springs. The subsystem contains the wiper provided with the moving contact tip, which wiper is mounted with a direct electrical connection to a supply lead. Supports in the subsystem limit the movement of the wiper in both directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Klockner Moeller GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Boder, Bernd Howald