Patents by Inventor Ivan E. Brohard

Ivan E. Brohard 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: 4212101
    Abstract: A method for adjusting the operating gap between the actuator beam (11, 12) and the moveable contact spring (13, 14) of a piezoelectric relay to achieve a gap (gf) of a width to achieve optimum relay reliability. A fixed contact (24) upon which the contact (35) of the spring (13) rests, is mounted on a bracket (25) in turn mounted on the relay substrate (15) by a solder layer (30). The relay actuator beam (11), normally adapted to raise the spring (13) to separate the contacts, is separated from the spring (13) by an initial gap (g) and is energized by an adjust voltage (Va) of a magnitude to exert a force just equal to the spring force. The solder layer (30) is then heated to the melting point to permit the spring (13) to force bracket (25) downward and itself into contact with the beam (11). When the forces exerted by the beam (11), the fixed contact, and the spring (13) reach equilibrium, the solder layer (30) is allowed to set and the adjust voltage (Va) is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1980
    Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
    Inventors: Ivan E. Brohard, James R. Freeburg