Patents by Inventor Kyle Benjamin Adkins

Kyle Benjamin Adkins 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).

  • Vehicle control switch with capacitive touch redundancy actuation
    Patent number: 9559689
    Abstract: A vehicle control switch for controlling operation of a device in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle control switch includes an electromechanical switch switchable between ON and OFF states responsive to physical actuation of the electromechanical switch by an operator, the physical actuation comprising an application of force onto the electromechanical switch by the operator. The vehicle control switch also includes a capacitance sensitive touch sensor positioned adjacent the electromechanical switch and whose capacitance changes when brought into contact with a grounded object, with activation of the electromechanical switch into the ON state being inhibited until a grounded object is brought into contact with the capacitance sensitive touch sensor, such that an activation of the rocker switch to the ON state is enabled only upon contact with the capacitance sensitive touch sensor by the grounded object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Kyle Benjamin Adkins, Dana Kathryn Leland
  • VEHICLE CONTROL SWITCH WITH CAPACITIVE TOUCH REDUNDANCY ACTUATION
    Publication number: 20150203056
    Abstract: A vehicle control switch for controlling operation of a device in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle control switch includes an electromechanical switch switchable between ON and OFF states responsive to physical actuation of the electromechanical switch by an operator, the physical actuation comprising an application of force onto the electromechanical switch by the operator. The vehicle control switch also includes a capacitance sensitive touch sensor positioned adjacent the electromechanical switch and whose capacitance changes when brought into contact with a grounded object, with activation of the electromechanical switch into the ON state being inhibited until a grounded object is brought into contact with the capacitance sensitive touch sensor, such that an activation of the rocker switch to the ON state is enabled only upon contact with the capacitance sensitive touch sensor by the grounded object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Kyle Benjamin Adkins, Dana Kathryn Leland