Patents by Inventor Raymond C. Vivian, Jr.

Raymond C. Vivian, Jr. 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).

  • Switch system
    Patent number: 6307304
    Abstract: A piezoelectric active-mode incrementor switch system (100) includes two ratchet wheels (118, 124) that are rotationally mounted on a drive shaft (112) having a knob (102). The ratchet wheels (118, 128) form a slipping clutch with their respective drive wheels (116, 128) which are rigidly mounted to the drive shaft and mechanically loaded with spring (120). The ratchet wheels (118, 124) are mounted inversely to each other on the drive shaft (112) and make contact with their respective cantilever beams (114, 136) which each have a piezoelectric film. In operation, the switch (100) functions by mechanically stimulating the piezoelectric beams. When the knob (102) is rotated in one direction, only one of the beams (114, 136) is displaced causing a generation of an electrical charge that acts as a signal. The other beam (114 or 136) is prevented from moving and therefore its beam does not produce a signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Rudy Yorio, Andrzej T. Guzik, William Boone Mullen, III, Danny E. Ross, Raymond C. Vivian, Jr.