Patents by Inventor Hans G. Hirsbrunner

Hans G. Hirsbrunner 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: 4837545
    Abstract: A circuit breaker device has a chamber in which is disposed a single break contact system using low contact resistance material mounted on movable and stationary supports arranged in a loop configuration in order to direct arcs between the contacts through an arc chute into a remote portion of the chamber. A push-button is connected through a kinematic linkage which transfers motion using minimal frictional engagement to a movable contact to bring the movable contact into and out of engagement with a stationary contact and to latch the contacts in engagement during normal operation. A cantilevered current carrying bimetal transfers motion caused by I R heating of the bimetal to an ambient compensating bimetal connected to the latch mechanism. The kinematic linkage includes a latch surface which engages a rollable cylindrical reaction surface of the latch mechanism to cause the movable contact to come into engagement with the stationary contact upon depression of the push-button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Carleton M. Cobb, III, Hans G. Hirsbrunner, Edward M. Gonsalves, Richard L. Jenne, Sepideh H. Nott
  • Patent number: 4812799
    Abstract: A circuit breaker device has a chamber in which is disposed a single break contact system using low contact resistance material mounted on movable and stationary supports arranged in a loop configuration in order to direct arcs between the contacts through an arc chute into a remote portion of the chamber. A push-button is connected through a kinematic linkage which transfers motion using minimal frictional engagement to a movable contact to bring the movable contact into and out of engagement with a stationary contact and to latch the contacts in engagement during normal operation. A cantilevered current carrying bimetal transfers motion caused by I2R heating of the bimetal to an ambient compensating bimetal connected to the latch mechanism. The kinematic linkage includes a latch surface which engages a rollable cylindrical reaction surface of the latch mechanism to cause the movable contact to come into engagement with the stationary contact upon depression of the push-button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Carleton M. Cobb, III, Hans G. Hirsbrunner, Edward M. Gonsalves, Richard L. Jenne, Sepideh H. Nott
  • Patent number: 4780697
    Abstract: A circuit breaker device has a chamber in which is disposed a single break contact system using low contact resistance material mounted on movable and stationary supports arranged in a loop configuration in order to direct arcs between the contacts through an arc chute into a remote portion of the chamber. A push-button is connected through a kinematic linkage which transfers motion using minimal frictional engagement to a movable contact to bring the movable contact into and out of engagement with a stationary contact and to latch the contacts in engagement during normal operation. A cantilevered current carrying bimetal transfers motion caused by I.sup.2 R heating of the bimetal to an ambient compensating bimetal connected to the latch mechanism. The kinematic linkage includes a latch surface which engages a rollable cylindrical reaction surface of the latch mechanism to cause the movable contact to come into engagement with the stationary contact upon depression of the push-button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Carleton M. Cobb, III, Hans G. Hirsbrunner, Edward M. Gonsalves, Richard L. Jenne, Sepideh H. Nott
  • Patent number: 4446501
    Abstract: A remotely controlled circuit control device has first and second load contact assemblies movable into circuit engagement and circuit disengagement positions relative to one another in which one load contact assembly is operatively connected to a solenoid so that alternate forward strokes of the solenoid moves the one load contact assembly between reset and tripped positions through a push-push mechanism having an indexing portion and a latching portion. An overload mechanism cooperates with the latch portion to cause the load contact assemblies to move to the circuit disengaged position upon occurrence of a fault condition. The second load contact assembly includes pivotably mounted contact members which are linked to the first load contact assembly in such a way that circuit engagement during solenoid energization is precluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1984
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert W. Peterson, Aime J. Grenier, Hans G. Hirsbrunner
  • Patent number: 4446500
    Abstract: A remotely controlled circuit control device has first and second load contact assemblies movable into circuit engagement and circuit disengagement positions relative to one another in which one load contact assembly is operatively connected to a solenoid so that alternate forward strokes of the solenoid moves the one load contact assembly between reset and tripped positions through a push-push mechanism having an indexing portion and a latching portion. An overload mechanism cooperates with the latch portion to cause the load contact assemblies to move to the circuit disengaged position upon occurrence of a fault condition. The second load contact assembly includes pivotably mounted contact members which are linked to the first load contact assembly in such a way that circuit engagement during solenoid energization is precluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1984
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Aime J. Grenier, Hans G. Hirsbrunner
  • Patent number: 4400677
    Abstract: A circuit breaker has a thermally responsive bimetallic member of substantial resistance properties disposed in the breaker circuit so that it self-heats and moves to trip a mechanism to open the breaker circuit after a selected period of time when a selected overload current occurs in the circuit. Conductors are joined by a thermally separable bond and are disposed in the breaker circuit in selected heat transfer relation to the high resistance bimetallic member to be thermally separated after a selected delay period by heat transferred to the bond from the bimetallic means, thereby to open the circuit in the event that movement of the thermally responsive member is ineffective to open the circuit. Spring means preferably bias the conductors to separate to assure circuit opening when thermal separation of the noted bond occurs. Preferably one of the conductors has a part of reduced cross-section adapted to rupture and open the circuit under alternate circuit conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1983
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Carleton M. Cobb, III, Roland G. Morin, Hans G. Hirsbrunner
  • Patent number: 4138251
    Abstract: An electrical contact material comprising a homogeneous, pressed and sintered mixture of from 85 to 90 percent silver metal powder, from 7.5 to 14.3 percent cadmium oxide powder, and from 0.50 to 3.0 percent zinc oxide powder, by weight, and having a weight ratio of zinc oxide to cadmium oxide content in the range from 0.05 to 0.25, is shown to display remarkably improved arc erosion and welding properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1979
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Hans G. Hirsbrunner, Stephen B. Goldman
  • Patent number: 4115325
    Abstract: An electrical contact material comprises from about 85 to 87.5 percent silver and from about 0.01 to 0.10 percent cobalt in the form of an oxide, by weight. The material also comprises from about 10.73 to 12.82 percent cadmium oxide, from about 1.6 to 2.0 percent zinc oxide, and from about 0.15 to 1.0 percent lead oxide, by weight, internally oxidized in situ in the contact material in an oxygen enriched atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1978
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Teuvo J. Santala, Hans G. Hirsbrunner