Patents by Inventor Gerd Hofmann

Gerd Hofmann 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: 9396886
    Abstract: An actuating device is proposed for an electric/electronic device within an in particular flame-proof housing. The electrical/electronic device includes an essentially linearly movable on/off lever. In order to provide such an actuating device being accessible on the exterior of the respective flameproof housing and allowing mechanical actuation of the respective on/off lever without adversely affecting the flameproof housing, the actuating device includes at least a rotatably mounted handle disposed on the outside of the housing and a shaft connected with it in a rotatably fixed manner, the shaft being guided into the housing interior and there being connected movably to the on/off lever by a transformation gear for transforming rotational motion into linear motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: COOPER CROUSE-HINDS GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Reinhart, Gerd Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20140326585
    Abstract: An actuating device is proposed for an electric/electronic device within an in particular flame-proof housing, said electrical/electronic device comprising an essentially linearly movable on/off lever. In order to provide such an actuating device being accessible on the exterior of the respective flameproof housing and allowing mechanical actuation of the respective on/off lever without adversely affecting the flameproof housing, the actuating device comprises at least a rotatably mounted handle disposed on the outside of the housing and a shaft connected with it in a rotatably fixed manner, said shaft being guided into the housing interior and there being connected movably to the on/off lever by means of a transformation gear for transforming rotational motion into linear motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Markus Reinhart, Gerd Hofmann
  • Patent number: 7871287
    Abstract: A branching device for at least one electric line exhibits branching contacts and a housing in which at least one electrically conducting wire terminal is accommodated in a holder. The device is characterized in that contact lips with cutting edges for cutting through the insulation of the wires of the electric line are provided on the wire terminals in that the wire terminals represent the branching contacts and in that a through-channel for the uninterrupted passage of a wire is provided in each wire terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH
    Inventors: Gerd Hofmann, Reiner Naumann
  • Patent number: 7615715
    Abstract: A cable bushing device is used to pass an electrical cable through, in particular, two adjacent housings which are explosion and/or flame-proof. The cable bushing device includes a sleeve-like external body which can be inserted by the opposite first and second end sections into corresponding housing bores. Furthermore, the device has an insert inserted into an axial opening of the external body for retaining the electrical cables passed through the device and a fixing device for fastening the device to at least one housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH
    Inventors: Gerd Hofmann, Reiner Naumann
  • Patent number: 7537472
    Abstract: The electric plug connector is intended to be used especially for explosion-proof areas. It comprises a plug and a socket. The latter includes in a housing a socket insert which, in the inserted condition of the plugs, is supported such that it is rotatable between an off position and an on position. In said socket a locking means is supported such that it is adjustable between a locking position and a release position, said locking means being provided with at least one coding projection which, in the condition in which the plug is inserted in the socket, projects into a complementary coding aperture and releases the locking means, whereupon the socket can be switched from said off position to said on position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Schwarz, Reiner Naumann, Helmut Deschner, Theo Grimm, Gerd Hofmann, Dieter Sauer
  • Publication number: 20080314637
    Abstract: A cable bushing device is used to pass an electrical cable through, in particular, two adjacent housings which are explosion and/or flame-proof. The cable bushing device comprises a sleeve-like external body which can be inserted by the opposite first and second end sections into corresponding housing bores. Furthermore, the device has an insert inserted into an axial opening of the external body for retaining the electrical cables passed through the device and a fixing device for fastening the device to at least one housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: COOPER CROUSE-HINDS GMBH
    Inventors: Gerd Hofmann, Reiner Naumann
  • Patent number: 6368145
    Abstract: A plug includes at least one plug body having an axial bore, with a cable being insertable into the plug body at the one end of the plug body, and which can be connected to electric contact elements arranged at the second end. The first end has an associated strain relief mechanism including at least two clamping elements adjustably supported for clamping the cable. The plug body also has at least two sliding guides open to the outside in the direction toward the axial bore, in which the clamping elements are movably guided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Ceag Sicherheitstechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Schwarz, Reiner Naumann, Helmut Deschner, Theo Grimm, Gerd Hofmann, Dieter Sauer