Having Contact Cleaning Structure Patents (Class 200/253)
  • Patent number: 8862269
    Abstract: A robot for picking one or more parts (41) randomly distributed in a bin (40), this robot comprising a moveable arm (16a, 16b), a computing device (14) connected to said robot for controlling motion of said moveable arm and a tool (24) connected to said moveable arm for picking one or more of said parts from said bin,—said robot using said picking tool by itself or another tool (96, 98) mounted on the robot or grasped by the picking tool to stir one or more of said one or more randomly distributed parts in said bin when said computing device determines that a predetermined event requiring stirring of said parts has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Carlos Martinez, Thomas A. Fuhlbrigge, William Eakins, Heping Chen, Gregory Rossano, Steven West
  • Patent number: 7307229
    Abstract: The invention relates to a switch provided with self-cleaning contacts used, in particular for actuating a horn for a steering wheel of a motor vehicle. The inventive switch comprises at least two opposite contacts one of which is movable and touches the opposite contact by means of an actuating element. The self-cleaning of the contacts is carried out by the reciprocal sliding thereof, the contact associated with the actuating element is fixed to a supporting element which is embodied in such a way that it is elastic and fixed to an end, an opposite end being free and moveable. Said invention is characterized in that the supporting element from the fixing side outward has an inclined line with respect to the direction of actuation in the direction of said actuating element, and subsequently in the direction of the free end thereof. A line is also inclined in the direction of the free end thereof with respect to the direction of actuation starting from the actuating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
    Inventors: Helmut Bonn, Uwe Esskuchen
  • Patent number: 6495778
    Abstract: Breakable electric contact device of the type comprising two conducting strips (3, 4) between which an electric contact can be made using a conducting piece (5) in the form of a moving blade, at least one of the faces of which is intended to come into contact with the conducting strips. Furthermore the device comprises two cleaning strips (7, 8) which, located in front of the conducting strips (3, 4) in the direction of travel of the moving blade (5) toward the contact-closed position, are intended to scrape at least the region of each face of the moving blade (5) that is intended to press against a conducting strip (3, 4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Entrelec S.A.
    Inventors: Sylvain Barrat, Arsene Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6091038
    Abstract: An electrical switch (20) comprises a plastic base (40), a plurality of base terminals (102-112) mounted in the base, a manually pivotable actuator (200) supported for pivotal movement relative to the base, and at least one actuator terminal (260) mounted to the actuator. The actuator (200) is pivotable between a neutral position in which the actuator terminal (260) is in contact with one (106) of the base terminals (102-112) and at least one actuated position in which the actuator terminal is in contact with another (110) of the base terminals. The actuator terminal (260), when the actuator (200) is pivoted from the neutral position to the at least one actuated position, slides out of contact with the one (106) of the base terminals (102-116) and slides into contact with the other (110) of the base terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Christopher Murphy, Scott Jon Pollock
  • Patent number: 6031194
    Abstract: A slide switch that can remove foreign particles, such as metallic dust, from its ground terminals. When the movable contact slides toward a stroke end, the power source contact first passes through an end section of the power source terminal before disengaging the terminal. At that instant, arcs are generated between the contact and the terminal. Arcs produce metallic dust, carbide particles, etc. that adhere to the insulator and terminals creating buildup and obstructing the sliding path of the contacts. The switch is provided with a discharge hole and arc gaps along the sliding path of the contacts to eliminate the arc buildup. The contacts carry the metallic dust and carbide particles while sliding so that the dust and particles drop into the discharge hole or arc gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Aoki
  • Patent number: 5512723
    Abstract: A switch compartment 20R is formed in a switch body 20 of electrically insulating material and opens at the top surface of the body. First and second fixed contact members 23C, 24C are secured to the opposed inner walls of the compartment. The open top of the compartment is closed by a cover having a through-bore 32 facing the compartment. An actuator 10 is accommodated in the compartment and outwardly biased by a coil spring 26. The actuator 10 comprises a stem portion 13 protruding through the through-bore and a contact holder block 12 joined to the lower end of the stem portion. The holder block has a housing slot 11 extending therethrough from its front end face to its rear end face. The undersurface of the holder block is formed with a guide slit 18 extending therethrough from the front end face to the rear end face in communication with the housing slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Hosiden Corporation
    Inventor: Masaharu Joshi
  • Patent number: 5047603
    Abstract: An electrical contact mechanism for low power circuits includes a pair of movable contacts which can be pressed against fixed contacts. The movable contacts are mounted on a conductive bridge which is movable by a slider. The motion of the movable contacts is imparted in two directions, of which one is parallel to a motion direction of the slider carrying the conductive bridge, and another direction is approximately perpendicular with respect to the first direction due to a wedging action between the movable and fixed contacts which are positioned obliquely to the direction of movement of the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: CGE Compagnia Generale Elettromeccanica S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco P. Pardini
  • Patent number: 5013876
    Abstract: A contact arrangement is provided for a medium- or high-voltage switch including two contact surfaces that are generally parallel and relatively movable via a predetermined path between open and closed positions. During closing, the two contact surfaces define predetermined areas of relative engagement between the two contact surfaces. The movement along the predetermined path during contact engagement generally defines a first direction. The two contact surfaces are arranged relative to each other and the first direction such that, during closing, the relative engagement between the two contact surfaces defines a locus along each contact surface that is non-parallel to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Assignee: S&C Electric Company
    Inventor: Leonard V. Chabala
  • Patent number: 4677265
    Abstract: The gas-blast circuit breaker preferably provided for switching medium voltage has a housing (1) filled with insulating gas. In this housing (1), two contact members (7, 8) are arranged which can be moved relative to each other along an axis (6), and a fixed (8) one of which is formed of two half-shells (11, 12) spaced apart from each other along a plane of separation (16). A power terminal (5), arranged transversely to the axis (6), is electrically conductively connected to the fixed contact member (8). This circuit breaker is to be simplified while retaining a reliable current transfer from the power terminal (5) to the fixed contact member (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Assignee: BBC Brown, Boveri & Company, Limited
    Inventor: Imre Horvath
  • Patent number: 4518834
    Abstract: A matrix switch assembly has two boards on which facing surfaces carry conducting strips oriented in different directions. Slots through one of the boards are provided through which a switching element may slide to make contact between a strip associated with that slot and strips of the other board. The strips of the other board have indentations at each cross-over to provide indexing for the switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1985
    Assignee: LVC Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter C. Paranicas
  • Patent number: 4506119
    Abstract: A slide switch having at least one row of terminals arranged along a substrate has a slider movable along the terminals. The slider carries a movable contact element biased resiliently towards the terminals so as to connect separate pairs of these terminals electrically together during movement of the slider. Each of the terminals has an exposed contact portion having an arcuate surface and the movable contact element has a generally corrugated shape formed by three arcuate protrusions forming convex surfaces facing the terminals and each spaced by trough portions presenting concave surfaces facing the terminals. In this way, the arcuate surfaces of the exposed contact portions can be adapted to fit within the trough portions upon movement of the slider into particular positions so as to stabilize the slider in these positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1985
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Tanabe
  • Patent number: 4472614
    Abstract: An insulating contact holder (26) is reciprocally movable in sliding engagement between flexible stationary contacts (22, 24) to interrupt the circuit therebetween in one position of the holder and to carry a contact (32) into bridging engagement with said stationary contacts in another position of the holder. A wedge formation (40) on the holder separates the stationary contacts a predetermined distance in the circuit interrupting position, and movement therefrom to the bridging position causes said stationary contacts (22, 24) to converge immediately prior to engagement by the bridging contact (32), thereby to relieve the bias in the stationary contacts prior to said bridging engagement to reduce contact bounce. The wedge surfaces (42) are provided with a matte surface for cleaning the stationary contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1984
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Billy D. Newland
  • Patent number: 4403335
    Abstract: An arrangement for the self-wiping of contacts in multidigit interrogatory counters where the data are read through code wheels to contact wheels and to mechanical sliding contacts which sense the contact wheels. The improvement includes the arranging of the rotatably-mounted contact wheels to be mounted, independently from the frictional effect caused by the counting procedure during rotation on a movable shaft. Eccentrics control the movement of the movable shaft which make it possible to move the contact wheels in an oscillating manner against contact springs. This is accomplished in the overlap region for sensing the individual numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Assignee: Kienzle Apparate GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Wendt, Helmut Muller
  • Patent number: 4225901
    Abstract: A lampchanger for a light, such as a navigational light, having a rotatable turret for holding a plurality of lamps, fixed power contacts for engaging and lighting the lamp positioned in the operating position, and means for rotating the turret thereby placing a new lamp into operating position when a lamp burns out. The turret includes a body and a clamp yieldably urged against the body for releasably holding and locking the lamps between the clamp and the body. Lamps may slide into a tapered slot between the body and the spring-loaded clamp and are locked into place. Tilting the lamp towards the spring-loaded clamp releases the lamp. A stop limits the movement of the clamp on removing one lamp without releasing other lamps. The turret is of metal and has cooling fins for radiating heat energy. The electrical power contacts include a flat spring contact spiraling outward from the turret axis to pierce any oxides on the lamp contacts in advance of reaching the operating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1980
    Assignee: Tideland Signal Corporation
    Inventor: Dan G. Luce
  • Patent number: 4072834
    Abstract: Miniature electrical switches having a sliding cleaning action, and utilizing a U-shaped bridging element with a detent projection for engagement in between and in contact with adjacent terminals and simultaneously providing electrical connection and detent action. The bridging element may have a curved bottom; it tilts backwardly as the bottom slides forwardly over a terminal, and subsequently is tilted forwardly by the recess trailing wall. An alternative element has a rounded off leading corner, rocks over a terminal, engages the adjacent terminal, and subsequently is tilted backwardly. The limiting position is unstable and the "on" position provides a cleaner interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1978
    Assignee: ERG Industrial Corporation Limited
    Inventor: Nelson F. J. Godfrey
  • Patent number: 4012612
    Abstract: An electric switch is disposed in a cavity of a buckle. The electric switch includes a stationary first contact member, a movable second contact member, a biasing means for the second contact member, and an actuating member. The biasing means biases the second contact member to the closed position of the electric switch. The electric switch has means by which the contact end portion of the second contact member makes a wiping, self-cleaning contact with the first contact member upon actuation by the actuating member. The actuating member, in turn, is actuated by a tongue of the buckle when the tongue is inserted into the buckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1977
    Assignee: Allied Chemical Corporation
    Inventor: Yogendra Singh Loomba