Electricity: circuit makers and breakers inventions 08/08

20080202911 - Fail safe membrane switches: Membrane switches have at least one trace with two leads, such that its integrity can be tested during deployment of the switch.... Agent: Rutan & Tucker, LLP.

20080202902 - Knob assembly: A knob assembly applicable for an electronic device for executing a plurality of default commands is provided, which at least includes a manipulator and a plurality of push switches disposed adjacent to the manipulator, wherein the manipulator performs back and forth swing and linear movement, and touches a corresponding push... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080202898 - Input device and mobile communication device having same: An input device is provided. The input device includes a first input unit configured to provide at least two directional signals, a second input unit located in the first input unit, the second input unit being configured to provide at least two directional signals different from the at least two... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080202899 - Power electronic switching device with laminated bus: A bus system is disclosed for use with switching devices, such as power electronic devices. The system includes generally parallel bus elements that define electrical reference planes, such as for a dc bus. The bus elements are separated from one another by insulative layers, with additional insulative layers being available... Agent: Rockwell Automation, Inc./(fy)

20080202900 - Turn signal switch device: A turn signal switch device capable of setting angles (release angles) in case a first lever member deviates from an outer peripheral face of a canceling projection and advances into a rotational locus at the time of right-turn operation and left-turn operation to the same angle is provided. A bent... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

20080202901 - Acceleration switch: An acceleration switch permits a current to flow between a housing and a contact member when a conductive inertia ball stored in an airtight container composed of a header plate and a housing is brought into contact with a movable contact of the contact member. In the acceleration switch, a... Agent: Barnes & Thornburg LLP

20080202903 - Operating element with wake-up functionality: An operating element with wake-up functionality for a motor vehicle is provided, wherein a setting of an operating element can be selected by means of a translationally and/or rotationally movable grip, having at least one wiper contact track divided into sectors, having a wiper contact connected directly or indirectly to... Agent: Geissler, Olds & Lowe, PLLC

20080202904 - Switching device having a coupling element: A switching device is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the switching device includes a coupling element for non-contacting communication, and a first enclosure part. According to at least one embodiment, the switching device includes an at least partially spherical holder, in which case the partially spherical holder can rotate... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20080202905 - Keyboard with drainage structure: A keyboard with a waterproof structure disposed in an electronic device is provided, which includes a keyboard key assembly, a waterproof membrane, and a case. The waterproof membrane is assembled on the bottom surface of the keyboard key assembly and the waterproof membrane and the keyboard key assembly are together... Agent: Rabin & Berdo, PC

20080202906 - Control knob having integrated functionality: A control knob for use in a motor vehicle is provided, having a hub for attachment of the control knob to a shaft, a torsion-proof part, a rotatable part, a rotation angle sensor, means for generating rotary haptics, and an electronic system by means of which the components, located in... Agent: Muncy, Geissler, Olds & Lowe, PLLC

20080202907 - Backlighted key for a keypad of an electronic device: The invention relates to a key plunger for a key of an electronic device. The plunger comprises: a stalk made of a transparent material allowing light to pass through; a plinth connected to the top of the stalk; and a body section connected to the top of the plinth made... Agent: Mccarthy Tetrault LLP

20080202909 - Remote controlled wall switch actuator: A device to actuate a switch. The switch has a switch toggle movable between a first position and a second position. The device includes a switch yoke movable between the first position and the second position adapted to engage the switch toggle and move therewith. The device also includes a... Agent: Harness Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20080202908 - Remote switch actuator: This invention is a remote drill switch actuator assembly that will connect the switch of the cordless drill to the handle of the torque multiplying transmission device. The concept of this invention is used on a power transmission device for connecting a standard cordless battery operated drill to an ice... Agent: Paul J. Simon

20080202910 - Latching device for a spring-type drive: A latching device has a resetting device, a triggering device for producing a triggering force which acts in a first direction, a compression element, and an upper and a lower supporting element which, in the latched state, are arranged one above the other in a housing and are connected to... Agent: Lerner Greenberg Stemer LLP

20080202912 - Proximity sensor for a vehicle: A proximity sensor for controlling a component that may be installed on a window, on an interior or exterior pillar of a vehicle, on a control panel or any suitable location on a vehicle or any other structure. The sensor includes a substrate and a conductive layer disposed on the... Agent: Howard & Howard Attorneys, P.C.

20080197008 - Electrical switchgear and method for operating an electrical switchgear: An electrical switchgear has a first switching point and a second switching point The first switching point is arranged inside an evacuated region. The second switching point is arranged outside the evacuated region. The first switching point is surrounded by the second switching point. For the connection process of the... Agent: Lerner Greenberg Stemer LLP

20080197010 - Apparatus and method for air relief in an air switch: A switch assembly includes a switch operable to generate a signal, and a housing fixedly supporting the switch. The housing has a fluid conduit operable to fluidly connect to a fluid line. The switch assembly also includes a diaphragm supported by the housing and operable to affect the switch. The... Agent: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

20080197011 - Foil-type pressure sensor adapted for minimizing critical preload issues: A foil-type switching element comprises a first carrier foil and a second carrier foil arranged at a certain distance by means of an inner spacer. The inner spacer comprises at least one cut-out defining an active area of said switching element where at least two electrode structures are arranged between... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20080197001 - Circuit breaker for electrical power leads of motor vehicles: The invention relates to a circuit breaker for electric supply lines, in particular energy lines or battery cables of motor vehicles. Said circuit breaker comprises a first connection element (2) and a second connection element (4), the current path running between the first connection element (2) and the second connection... Agent: Bromberg & Sunstein LLP

20080197002 - Dome sheet with light guide for membrane switch: In an embodiment, a membrane switch may include a flexible light guide having a first refractive index. The flexible light guide may include a first wall, an opposing second wall, and one or more additional walls. One or more of the first wall, the second wall and the additional walls... Agent: Pepper Hamilton LLP

20080197003 - Electrical switching apparatus, and charging assembly and charging handle therefor: A charging handle is provided for an electrical switching apparatus including a housing having an exterior, an interior and a recess extending from the exterior toward the interior, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts, and a charging assembly. A first... Agent: Martin J. Moran Eaton Electrical, Inc.

20080197004 - Control switch apparatus: A control switch is equipped with a detent mechanism that generates a click feeling in a dial knob as a result of a detent piece of a plunger member gets over detent crests of a detent crest member. A stopper is provided in the plunger member, and the position of... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20080197006 - Spring structure for press type switch and press type switch for electronic timepiece and electronic timepiece having the same: To provide a spring structure for a press type switch and a press type switch of an electronic timepiece capable of minimizing a variation among products with regard to a click feeling and an electronic timepiece having the same. A spring structure for a press type switch of an electronic... Agent: Bruce L. Adams, Esq Adams & Wilks

20080197005 - Ultra-thin keypad: The invention discloses an ultra-thin keypad for cooperating with a circuit board in a portable electronic device. The circuit board includes a plurality of switches. The ultra-thin keypad includes a main body, a plurality of buttons, and a plurality of thin walls. The buttons are disposed on the main body,... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080197007 - Key switch for shortening distance: A key switch includes a base, a cap, an up-down mechanism and a blocker. The cap is disposed on the base. The up-down mechanism id disposed between the base and the cap and defines a maximum distance to allow the cap to move vertically relative to the base. The blocker... Agent: Reed Smith LLP Attn: Juan Carlos A. Marquez

20080197009 - Low-profile switch with flat spring actuating mechanism: A low profile limit switch utilizes a bowed spring actuator for advancing a bridge contact into and out of contact with a pair of terminal contacts to close and open the switch. The bridge contact is mounted on a glide on an end of the spring and formed from an... Agent: Erickson & Kleypas, L.L.C.

20080190746 - Locking switch: The present invention relates to a switch comprising a casing (1, 9), an actuator member (2, 3) pivotably mounted in the casing (1, 9) and integral with a switching control rod (10), capable of occupying a central position (A) and a rocked position (C), a pusher (5) slidably mounted in... Agent: Faegre & Benson LLP Patent Docketing

20080190747 - Electrical switching apparatus and interlock assembly therefor: An interlock assembly for a safety switch includes a linkage. A first end of the linkage is coupled to the operating handle of the safety switch in order that moving the operating handle results in a corresponding movement of the second end of the linkage into and out of an... Agent: Martin J. Moran Eaton Electrical, Inc.

20080190748 - Power overlay structure for mems devices and method for making power overlay structure for mems devices: One embodiment of the invention comprises a MEMS structure further comprising: a MEMS device (240) having a first surface with one or more contact structures (244, 245 and 246) thereon connected to functional elements of the MEMS device (240), a dielectric layer (100) overlying the first surface defining openings therein... Agent: General Electric Company Global Research

20080190749 - Safety switch: There is provided a safety switch arranged to allow the control of power supplied to an apparatus, wherein the safety switch is provided with a biometric sensor module arranged to obtain biological information from a user of the safety switch, such that activation of the safety switch is controlled via... Agent: Rockwell Automation, Inc./bf

20080190750 - Button actuation assembly: An improved button actuation assembly for activating a switch on hand held devices such as portable barcode readers has an improved structure that absorbs and dissipates the force exerted on the button. The improved structure thus protects the switch and the button actuation assembly itself from being damaged by excessive... Agent: Duane Morris, LLP Ip Department

20080190751 - Sensor element for a touch switch, method for the manufacture of a sensor element and touch switch: A sensor element for a touch switch device has a sensor element body of elastic, electrically conductive material. The sensor element body has two parallel end wall areas as the top and bottom surfaces, which are integrally connected in one piece by inwardly cambered side wall areas. Such a sensor... Agent: Alston & Bird LLP

20080190752 - Detent changeover switch apparatus: A small click generating member is mounted on a yoke, and a large click generating member is rotatably mounted on an operating shaft. A plunger case is relatively rotatably mounted on the operating shaft, and large and small click peaces are mounted on the plunger case. An electromagnet is mounted... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20080185270 - Reversing switch: A reversing switch for use in a multi-phase electrical system, and in particular a three phase electrical system has a conductor for linking the input and output of one of the three phases. The reversing switch has two phase switches for reversing polarity. Each phase switch has a pair of... Agent: General Electric Co. Global Patent Operation

20080185281 - Touch input device: A touch input device constructed in a carrier electronic apparatus comprises a touch panel, a flexible printed circuit board, a rubber cushion and a plurality of metal domes. The touch panel performs as a touch input interface of the apparatus to a user, the flexible printed circuit board is shaped... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080185268 - In-line lockable electrical switch: An electric switch which can be locked using any possible lock to either prevent or ensure the flow of electric power to an electrical apparatus. The switch has a toggle-handle that a bar from a lock can be fitted into and immobilize the toggle-contactor, preventing the toggle from being moved.... Agent: Nathaniel Gordon-clark

20080185269 - Turn signal switch device: A turn signal switch device comprises a control lever that has a lever portion that projects from a base portion that has a shaft hole, and a shaft that has a head disposed at one end. The head has a larger diameter than that of the other portion of the... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

20080185271 - Method and apparatus for bending electrostatic switch: An electronic circuit is formed by closely spacing metallic gate and drain interconnects to a flexible portion of a source interconnect. A gate voltage results in electrostatic attraction and lateral mechanical movement of the flexible source interconnect portion and causes an electrical short between source and drain. VanderWaals attraction between... Agent: 24ip Law Group Usa, PLLC

20080185272 - Detent changeover switch apparatus: A detent crest member is integrally rotatably mounted on a dial knob. On the other hand, on a peripheral surface of a plunger mounting member which is rotatably operated using a motor, a plurality of plunger members which generates clicks in a dial knob together with the detent crest member... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20080185273 - Pushbutton switch cover sheet: The present invention provides a pushbutton switch cover sheet formed by using a thin metal plate, in which damage or deformation, such as bending or denting, of the thin metal plate is prevented, thereby making it possible to continuously maintain a satisfactory design. The pushbutton switch cover sheet comprising: a... Agent: Rader Fishman & Grauer PLLC

20080185274 - Pushbutton switch cover sheet: The present invention provides a pushbutton switch cover sheet formed by using a thin metal plate, in which damage or deformation, such as bending or denting, of the thin metal plate is prevented, thereby making it possible to continuously maintain a satisfactory design. The pushbutton switch cover sheet comprising: a... Agent: Rader Fishman & Grauer PLLC

20080185275 - Circuitbreaker with interchangeable operating mechanism and suspended mobile contact assembly: The present invention relates to a single-pole or multi-pole switch to be used preferably in low-voltage systems. The switch (1) comprises an outer casing (2) containing for each pole at least one fixed contact (10) and one mobile contact (20) which can be reciprocally coupled to/uncoupled from each other. The... Agent: Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP

20080185276 - Power supply circuit connector and method of connecting power supply circuit: A power supply circuit connector includes: a first housing including: a pair of main circuit terminals connected with each other via a first switch terminal, and a pair of mated state sensor terminals connected with each other; a second housing mated with or detached from first housing, second housing including:... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20080185277 - Operating device and method of manufacture thereof: The operating device according to the present invention comprises a first holder 30 that holds a zoom lever 20 so as to be rotatable, an return spring 70 that energizes the zoom lever 20 in the rotation direction, and a second holder 60 that holds the return spring 70 and... Agent: Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson P.C.

20080185278 - In-vehicle knob switch: An in-vehicle knob switch comprises a tubular housing that has an opening disposed in a portion of an outer circumferential surface thereof, a holder that is disposed inside the housing, a circuit board that is fixed to the holder, and a push switch that is mounted on one surface of... Agent: Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

20080185279 - Press key structure: A press key structure is disclosed, which comprises: a keycap, configured with a bottom surface; a substrate; a first movable panel; and a second movable panel; wherein the substrate is arranged at a position underneath the keycap while disposing the first and the second movable panels in a space sandwiched... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080185280 - Circuit breaker with suspended mobile contact assembly: The present invention relates to an automatic switch (1) to be used preferably in low-voltage systems. The automatic switch (1) comprises an outer casing (2) containing for each pole at least one fixed contact (10) and at least one mobile contact (20) housed in a corresponding seat (25) provided on... Agent: Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP

20080185282 - Electrical switch: Switches include electrical conductors for the transmission of switch signals. In some embodiments the conductor may include a flexible printed circuit. Alternatively, the conductor may be formed of a molded-interconnect device (MID), wherein portions of the switch include at least one electrical line/track.... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C. / Lear Corporation