Patents by Inventor Mark O. Zindler

Mark O. Zindler 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: 6259342
    Abstract: A circuit interrupter including a housing, separable main contacts disposed in the housing and rotatable between a contact open position and a contact closed position, and an operating mechanism disposed in the housing and interconnected with the contacts for rotating the contacts alternatively between the contact open position and the contact closed position. The operating mechanism includes a handle moveable by an operator between handle open and handle closed positions normally corresponding to and resulting in the contact open position and the contact closed position, with the handle including a protrusion. The operating mechanism further includes a crossbar assembly for rotating with the contacts as the contacts rotate between the contact open position and the contact closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Richard P Malingowski, Lance Gula, Craig A. Rodgers, Trent A. Chontas, Mark O. Zindler, Kathryn M. Palmer
  • Patent number: 6249197
    Abstract: A circuit interrupter including a housing, separable main contacts disposed in the housing, and an operating mechanism disposed in the housing and interconnected with the contacts. The housing has a cover securable to a base, with the cover including a downwardly-facing abutment portion. An electrical terminal is releasably disposed within the base and has a tab that abuttingly engages the abutment portion of the cover when the cover is secured to the base. The base also includes channels formed in the sides of the base, and the electrical terminal includes sides that insert into the channels and that include rib portions that frictionally engage the channels upon insertion. The base also includes tapered sides, with the electrical terminal sides being tapered in order to follow or mirror the tapered sides of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Mark O. Zindler, David C. Funyak, Teresa I. Hood, Jonathan M. Peifer, Roger W. Helms, David E. Little
  • Patent number: 6236294
    Abstract: A circuit interrupter including separable main contacts, an operating mechanism interconnected with the contacts, and a housing in which the contacts and the operating mechanism are disposed. A trip mechanism is disposed in the housing and includes a trip bar assembly that, when selectively rotated in a first direction, generates a tripping operation causing the contacts to open. The trip bar assembly includes a groove in which sits a torsion spring for rotationally biasing the assembly in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Mark O. Zindler, Joseph B. Humbert
  • Patent number: 6225882
    Abstract: A circuit interrupter including a housing, separable main contacts disposed in the housing, and an operating mechanism disposed in the housing and interconnected with the contacts. A trip mechanism is disposed in the housing and includes a rotatable trip bar assembly that, when selectively rotated, generates a tripping operation that causes the contacts to open. The trip mechanism further includes an automatic trip assembly for selectively rotating the trip bar assembly upon a predetermined current threshold. The automatic trip assembly includes a magnetic yoke having two arms with a pivot support on the top of each. Each of the pivot supports includes a pivot surface, and one of the pivot supports includes a rear retaining protrusion adjacent its pivot surface. The other of the pivot supports includes a front retaining member adjacent its pivot surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Teresa I. Hood, Jonathan M. Peifer, Raymond P. Gundy, Joseph B. Humbert, Michael McNeil, Mark O. Zindler
  • Patent number: 6172585
    Abstract: A circuit interrupter including separable main contacts, an operating mechanism interconnected with the contacts, and a housing in which the contacts and the operating mechanism are disposed. The housing includes a base and a cover. Also provided is an attaching device that secures the cover to the base. The attaching device includes a main member having a head connected to a body, with the body separated into a non-gripping portion adjacent the head and a gripping portion away from the head. The gripping portion attaches to the base, and the non-gripping portion extends through the cover with the head providing a stop for limiting the separation between the base and the cover. The attaching device further includes a compressible member that is positioned between the head and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Mark O. Zindler, David C. Funyak