Electricity: circuit makers and breakers inventions 06/08

20080149469 - Configurable keypad assembly and a kit therefor: A configurable keypad assembly adapted for vehicular controls. A kit for assembling such a configurable keypad is also disclosed. The overlay is provided with identification markings. The keypad assembly includes a configurable keypad circuit provided with a plurality of switches responsive to pressure thereon. The keypad circuit is encased in... Agent: Baker & Hostetler LLP

20080149470 - Switch sheet: A switch sheet is used in combination with a substrate having a first contact and a second contact. The switch sheet is comprised of an elastically deformable dome of a conductive material; and a sheet covering the dome and including an embossment projecting from a top of the dome. The... Agent: Sughrue Mion, Pllc

20080149466 - Power window switch apparatus: The present invention relates to a power window switch apparatus (1) having a switch housing (5) supporting at least one actuation element (2) for user access at a first surface (4) of the switch housing (5). The actuation element (2) is arranged to be slideable from a zero position in... Agent: Ford Global Technologies, Llc

20080149467 - Interlock assemblies for circuit breakers: An interlock assembly comprising: an interlock plate comprising at least one slot disposed about a central portion thereof, a first locking tab disposed perpendicular to a first side of the interlock plate, and a second locking tab disposed perpendicular to a second side of the interlock plate; and a base... Agent: Paul D. Greeley Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero & Perle, L.l.p.

20080149468 - Reach a lite: This invention consists of a plastic rod designed to turn a toggle light switch on and off. Dual mounting positions allows anyone to reach different heights when turning on a light switch that may not normally be accessible, such as a child who can not reach the light switch from... Agent: Rodney L. Smith

20080142349 - Programmable switch and method for programming the same: A programmable switch, particularly adapted for vehicle dashboards. The programmable switch includes a control circuit and a microprocessor connected to the control circuit for controlling operation of the switch. The microprocessor operates the switch in either one of an operating mode and a programming mode. The switch also includes first... Agent: Baker & Hostetler LLP

20080142343 - Locking and operating system for generator circuit breakers: A control unit for an electrical switching device comprises: a control shaft which is rotatable about a control axis for operating a moveable contact of the electrical switching device, a first blocking mechanism for the control shaft, which can be activated to block a rotary movement of the control shaft... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney Pc

20080142344 - Electrical shorting system: An electrical shorting system includes an electrical switch having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a switching terminal. The electrical shorting system also includes a housing, a first contact in electrical communication with the first terminal of the electrical switch and supported by the housing, and a second contact... Agent: Caterpillar Inc. Intellectual Property Dept.

20080142345 - Steering column module: A steering column module includes a lever, first and second printed circuit boards, and an electronics unit. The lever has a base next to a steering column and a head away from the column. The lever base includes a primary control which actuates upon the lever being pivoted. The lever... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.c.

20080142346 - Inductive switch: The invention relates to an inductive sensor unit having one or several coils, which are mounted on a printed circuit board in a planar manner. According to the invention, a change in the inductance of a sensor coil due to leakage currents in the inductive actuator is correlated with the... Agent: Jordan And Hamburg LLP

20080142347 - Mems switches with deforming membranes: MEMS switches are formed with membranes or layers that are deformable upon the application of a voltage. The MEMS switches may comprise compliant terminals and/or contact conductors to produce contact swiping.... Agent: Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP

20080142348 - Micro-switching device: A micro-switching device includes a movable electrode provided on a movable support having an end fixed to a fixing member. The switching device also includes first and second stationary electrodes. The movable electrode includes first and second contact portions. The first stationary electrode includes a third contact portion facing the... Agent: Kratz, Quintos & Hanson, LLP

20080142350 - Movable contact unit and switch using the same: A movable contact unit includes a base sheet made of polyurethane resin, a domed movable contact made of thin metal sheet, and a pushing protrusion. The movable contact is held on a first face side of the base sheet. The pushing protrusion is formed on a second face of the... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20080142351 - Angle grinder: An angle grinder is provided including a trigger assembly for selectively actuating the angle grinder. A particle separation assembly is provided for the removal of any dust, particle, or artifacts that may have entered into the housing of the angle grinder. A brush biasing system is also provided to ensure... Agent: The Black & Decker Corporation

20080142353 - Operating element for a motor vehicle: The invention concerns an operating element, in particular a pushbutton, for a motor vehicle, having at least of a touch-sensitive pushbutton operating on a capacitive basis and a housing, wherein the pushbutton is movably mounted in the housing, wherein a capacitor that forms the capacitance is composed of a metallic... Agent: Muncy, Geissler, Olds & Lowe, Pllc

20080142352 - Two circuit board touch-sensor device: An apparatus and method for detecting a presence of a conductive object on a sensor array of a first circuit board using active electronic components of a second circuit board, which is coupled to the first circuit board. The apparatus may include a first circuit board, which includes a sensor... Agent: Cypress/blakely

20080135392 - Illuminating membrane switch and illuminating keypad using the same: An illuminating membrane switch, including: an upper membrane sheet on which a plurality of wires are formed; a lower membrane sheet on which a plurality of wires are formed; and an electroluminescent device interposed between the upper membrane sheet and the lower membrane sheet, the electroluminescent device emitting rays through... Agent: Gibbons P.c.

20080135393 - Switch device: When a knob is operated, operating force is exerted on an operating point Pm of the manual switch and an operating point Po of the automatic switch from a pusher, and thus the manual switch and the automatic switch are pushed and turned on sequentially. In this case, since the... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20080135384 - Automated leveling apparatus: Various embodiments of the present invention provide an inexpensive and easy to use apparatus and method that permits a user to attach an apparatus to existing picture frames or other objects with various advantages. Such embodiments will keep a picture, object or frame in a substantially continuously level position or... Agent: Gonzales Patent Services

20080135395 - Pressure switch: In a pressure switch, a joint coupling holder is installed in a case of a housing through an opening, and a joint coupling, to which piping is connected, is connected to the joint coupling holder. The joint coupling holder includes a protective wall therein, which is arranged on a straight... Agent: Paul A. Guss Paul A. Guss Attorney At Law

20080135386 - Micro-electro mechanical tunneling switch: A micro-electromechanical system switch includes a substrate and a plurality of actuating electrodes formed the substrate wherein each actuating electrode is activatable. A cantilever beam has a first end and a second end and a plurality of stops formed thereon. The plurality of stops engages the substrate between the plurality... Agent: Gauthier & Connors, LLP

20080135385 - Spring structure for mems device: A MEM device has a movable element (30), a pair of electrodes (e1, e2) to move the movable element, one electrode having an independently movable section (e3), resiliently coupled to the rest of the respective electrode to provide additional resistance to a pull in of the electrodes. This can enable... Agent: Nxp, B.v. Nxp Intellectual Property Department

20080135387 - Man-machine interface embedded module: A man-machine interface embedded module with a hint function includes a main man-machine system and a socket. The main man-machine system has an operating interface. The operating interface has a plurality of function keys and a plurality of windows. The position of each window corresponds to each function key. The... Agent: Hdsl

20080135388 - Oled rocker switch: A rocker switch has a housing, a switch supported by the housing, a rocker supported by the housing, a switch actuator operably associated with the switch and the rocker so as to operate the switch upon rocking of the rocker, and a display supported by the housing in a position... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20080135389 - Extended actuating device for a circuit breaker including a trip assistance device: r

20080135390 - Lighting control module contact arm & armature plate: A control module for selectively switching electrical power from an electrical power source to a load circuit comprises a housing. An electromechanical actuator in the housing has a movable plunger. A fixed contact is fixedly mounted in the housing and is electrically connected to a first electrical terminal. A conductive... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20080135391 - Tie bar for two pole switching device: A multipole switching device for selectively switching electrical power from an electrical power source to a load circuit comprises a first control device comprising a housing, an electromechanical actuator in the housing including a movable plunger, and an electrical switch in the housing operated by the plunger. A second control... Agent: Siemens Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20080135394 - Pcb mountable switch: A switch system for use with a printed circuit board is provided. The switch system includes: a switch base; an anti-overstress member or feature formed in the switch base; a plurality of retention legs formed in the base for retaining a printed circuit board, wherein a first via is in... Agent: Tyco Technology Resources

20080128252 - Actuating device with push buttons: An actuating device is provided for a technical system, especially for selecting gears of a shift-by-wire speed-change gear. This includes a push button arrangement with at least one push button (1) as well as a device (4) generating electrical control signals for transmission to the technical system. The actuating device... Agent: Mcglew & Tuttle, Pc

20080128253 - Manual control unit for a vehicle:

20080128249 - Steering wheel of a vehicle: A steering wheel provided with a remote control switch. The remote control switch includes a user-settable unit and a variable circuit unit for changing a function of the remote control switch according to the configuration of the user-settable unit; for example, the function of the remote control switch may be... Agent: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (sf)

20080128258 - Pressure sensitive switching element and seat sensor: A foil-type switching element comprises a first elastic carrier foil (A) having a first thickness (a) and a second elastic carrier foil (C) having a second thickness (c), which are arranged at a certain distance (b) from each other by means of a spacer (B). The switching element is configured... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20080128250 - Key switch system having indicator lamp and flat panel display using same: An exemplary key switch system (23) includes a key switch (292), an indicator lamp (291), and a light guide portion (279). The indicator lamp is configured for indicating a working status of the key switch, and emits light beams when the key switch is switched on. The light guide portion... Agent: Wei Te Chung Foxconn International, Inc.

20080128251 - Linear actuator for circuit breaker remote operation device: A remote operation includes an electromagnetic linear actuator that has a moving part linked to a handle of a circuit breaker, and drives the handle according to a remote operation command to perform change-over operations on the handle to ON, OFF, and RESET positions. The electromagnetic linear actuator is composed... Agent: Rossi, Kimms & Mcdowell LLP.

20080128254 - Keypad with light guide layer, keypad assembly and portable terminal: Disclosed is a keypad which can realize uniform and bright illumination, small power consumption and low manufacturing cost. The keypad includes a light guide layer through which light travels, at least one key button disposed on an upper surface of the light guide layer, a lower elastic layer disposed on... Agent: Cha & Reiter, Llc

20080128255 - Arrangement for surface mounting an electrical component by soldering, and electrical component for such an arrangement: An arrangement may include a substrate and an electrical component. The electrical component may include a base made of an insulating material and a plurality of connection terminals. Each connection terminal is connected to a corresponding connection pad of the substrate by means of a spot of solder paste. The... Agent: Pepper Hamilton LLP

20080128256 - Switch and remote controller using the same: A switch includes a case having an upper surface having a hole provided therein, an operating unit inserted into the hole movably up and down, plural switch contacts activated upon the operating unit moving up and down, and a guide wall protruding downward from an inner edge of the hole.... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack L.l.p.

20080128257 - Mechanical switching contact: The invention relates to a mechanical switching contact having an insulating material support (1), on which fixed contacts (4, 5, 6) are arranged. Furthermore, a switching lever (2) is mounted such that it can rotate on the insulating material support (1) and has a pivoting arm (22). In addition, a... Agent: K.f. Ross P.c.