Did You Know...
...that while attempting to develop a super strong glue, 3M employee Spencer Silver accidentally developed a glue that was so weak it would barely hold two pieces of paper together? However, his colleague Art Fry needed the glue. Fry sang with his church choir and marked the pages of his hymnal with small scraps of paper that often fell out. He used Silver's glue to hold the papers in place. Today we call this invention Post-it Notes.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7430847 | Electrical switches mounted in steering lever grips of zero turning radius mower A dual lever steering control mechanism for a zero turning radius mower includes left and right steering levers that are independently pivotable fore and aft between reverse, neutral and forward positions. Steering lever grips are attached to and project from the st... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7328762 | Electric vehicle An electric vehicle has traveling units, first and second electric motors for driving the respective traveling units, a speed adjusting lever for adjusting a speed of the traveling units, a speed adjustment mechanism for generating a speed adjusting signal in respon... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7154197 | Control apparatus and control method for the same A control apparatus is provided which is selectively placed in an allowed state in which the apparatus is allowed to be operated and an inhibited state in which the apparatus is inhibited from being operated. The control apparatus includes a first three-position swi... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7078640 | Opening switch for an opening and closing body An opening switch for an opening and closing body includes a switch base having a first substrate and a second substrate which are put together in a manner such that inner faces of the substrates face each other and outer faces of the substrates are outer faces of t... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7023159 | Method and device for braking a motor A method and apparatus for braking a motor has a braking power switching device coupled across windings of the motor. To brake the motor, the braking power switching device is cycled on and off. ... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7021845 | Tape printing device A tape printing device is provided with a device body. A cassette holding section is formed on one end side portion in the longitudinal direction of the body. A battery holding section is formed on the other end side portion of the device body. A plurality of batter... | 04/04/2006 |
| 6803683 | Electro-mechanical trigger switch An alignment device (10) for indicating alignment between two component parts, the first component part (12) having an arcuate track (14) with a track following member in the form of a ball bearing (28) to follow the track under the influ... | 10/12/2004 |
| 6740834 | Vehicle door handle system A vehicle door handle system includes a pair of electrodes disposed within an operating handle located on the outer surface side of a door along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A detection circuit for detecting a change in capacitance between the two elec... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6686548 | Quick shut-off device for grinding tool A grinding tool includes a handle with a grinding wheel connected thereto and driven by a driving device. An opening is defined in the handle and a switch device is received in the opening with which a cover is engaged. A recess is defined in an outer per... | 02/03/2004 |
| 6671460 | Hand-held electrical appliance such as a hair drier provided with position adjustable control members Hand-held electrical appliance of the hairdryer or similar type, including a body (1) equipped with a series of functional elements and a handle (11) displaying an array of controls (2) allowing the user to operate and adjust the said appliance, character... | 12/30/2003 |
| 6528749 | Switch attachment structure A switch attachment structure for an electric appliance which is simple but is able to provide good assembling efficiency. A first outer shell (2a) which constructs a part of a main body or pillar (2) of the electric appliance is provided in a bottom with... | 03/04/2003 |
| 6369341 | Electric shaver The electric shaver is provided with a push button switch contained in a case, a push button to press the push button switch disposed in the case switch window and switch it on and off, and a waterproof gasket disposed between the push button and the push... | 04/09/2002 |
| 6325795 | Replaceable accessory cord and handswitch A replaceable accessory cord and hand switch set for an electrosurgical instrument wherein the accessory cord electrically couples an electrosurgical generator to the electrosurgical instrument. The hand switch is electrically coupled with the accessory c... | 12/04/2001 |
| 6258088 | Switch for electrosurgical tool for performing cutting, coagulation, and suctioning A switch for use with an electrosurgical tool having a heatable tip connectable to a power source and a suction passage connectable to a suction source. The switch comprises a main body having a suction passage extending therethrough connectable to the su... | 07/10/2001 |
| 6081190 | Turn signal indicator assembly A turn signal indicator assembly, in particular for motorcycles, includes a turn signal indicator attached to one end of a handlebar and having a mass of at least 150 gram. The mass of the turn signal indicator and its securement to the end of the handleb... | 06/27/2000 |
| 6042245 | Switch attachment A new switch attachment for selectively activating an illuminated sight pin of a bow sighting device. The inventive device includes an outer casing comprising resilient compressible material. The outer casing is designed for attachment to the hand grip of... | 03/28/2000 |
| 5900603 | Seal arrangement for a switch assembly Control levers have utilized various switch assemblies mounted within the grasping portion thereof to control multiple machine functions. The mounting of the switch assembly within the control lever typically provides an opening in the control lever that ... | 05/04/1999 |
| 5844204 | Device for detection of electric current by micro-leakage A detection device associated with an electrical apparatus for detecting by contact the presence of a user, composed of an electronic circuit for detecting a presence of a user by detecting a leakage current traversing, at least partially, a portion of th... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5835351 | Modular D.C. tool switch assembly A D.C. tool switch assembly is provided with a pair of field effect transistors (FETs) maintained internally of the housing. The switch assembly is configured of a number of subassemblies maintained within the housing, including a contact subassembly havi... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5708244 | Handgrip switch assembly A safety improvement for a Motorcycles warning actuation switch. The hand grip commonly made of rubber or leather material incorporates a ribbon switch that encompasses a 360 degree area. The ribbon switch is preferably placed in the inside end of the han... | 01/13/1998 |
| 5665945 | Portable controller with deadman switch A deadman switch (4) comprises a pressing plate (5), a shaft (7) provided at the pressing plate (5), a dog plate (6) fitted over the shaft (7), a plurality of bosses (34), a spacer (9) fitted over the shaft (7), a spring (8) provided at the shaft outer ci... | 09/09/1997 |
| 5654594 | Ergonomic electrical current switching systems In order to enable switching electric currents with a part of a human hand for an accessory of a firearm having a firearm handle, that firearm handle is complemented with an arcuate member, which is formed in similarity to a portion of that human hand in ... | 08/05/1997 |
| 5598082 | Replaceable trigger switch for battery operated device A handle assembly for a portable electronic device includes a handle attached to the electronic device and a trigger projecting from the handle. A replaceable trigger switch is selectively, mechanically retained by the handle, allowing simple replacement ... | 01/28/1997 |
| 5412179 | Push button ignition switch for controlling gas flow and igniter in an ignition gun A push button type ignition switch for controlling the operation of an electronic igniter operated flame ignition type ignition gun, whereby the electronic igniter of the ignition gun is turned on to produce sparks as the button of the switch is depressed... | 05/02/1995 |
| 5304763 | Finger switch for electrosurgical handpiece An electrosurgical handpiece for accommodating an assortment of different-sized electrodes having hollow shanks and provided with means for supplying suction adjacent the electrode tip for simultaneous removal of liquids or gasses. The handpiece can be fi... | 04/19/1994 |
| 5257673 | Braking control system for a vehicle driven by an electric motor An emergency braking system for a vehicle driven by an electric motor. The vehicle includes a manually operable accelerator lever, a displacement detector for detecting displacement of the accelerator lever, an emergency detector disposed in a region of t... | 11/02/1993 |
| 5161679 | Electrical trigger switch with safety features An electrical trigger switch for controlling current through a pair of main leads. The switch includes a guard, which physically protects the trigger button from being depressed accidentally, and also an electrical safety feature. Particularly in harsh en... | 11/10/1992 |
| 4990729 | Teaching console panel for robot Disclosed is a console panel for a robot, which is provided with a dead-man switch always firmly actuated and easy to hold by the hand and does not cause substantial fatigue of the hand. In this console panel, a pressing plate 9 of a dead-man switch havin... | 02/05/1991 |
| 4989292 | Small dust catcher A small dust catcher includes a main tube and an inlet section. The inlet section is releasably connected to the main tube. The dust catcher further includes a filter assembly which is removably supported with an upper opening of the inlet section, with a... | 02/05/1991 |
| 4921140 | Bar gun with selectable outlets A bar gun incorporating a flexible stem and a bar head having a plurality of buttons selectively to dispense a plurality of individual beverage flavors in which the bar gun can dispense carbonated or still water wherein there is provided a ring main linki... | 05/01/1990 |
| 4922069 | Electrical control switch mechanism Electrical control switch mechanisms of the so-called "dead-man" type which may be used to actuate the operation of small electrically powered tools such as mowers, trimmers and the like. These switch mechanisms provide for immediate deactivation of the t... | 05/01/1990 |
| 4882801 | Electric toothbrush Electric toothbrush includes a hollow handle and a rotary brush. A gravity-induced movement responsive switch, such as mercury switch, is located within the handle, and a hand-operated switch is located on the outer surface of the handle. A user by operat... | 11/28/1989 |
| 4879443 | Waterproof switch assembly for electrical appliances A dual compartment magnetic switch interposed between a hand held electrical appliance and its electrical power input. The magnetic switch enables electrical power to be totally insulated from the electrical components within the appliance so that when th... | 11/07/1989 |
| 4847454 | Switch device for motorcycle or the like A switch device for a motorcycle or the like having a handle grip fitted to one end of a handle bar, a swtich case arranged on a inside portion of an end of the handle grip, and a switch knob element mounted on a mounting surface of the switch case. This ... | 07/11/1989 |
| 4843998 | Submersible drive means A submersible drive unit for propelling a scuba diver through water. The propulsion device comprises a shrouded propeller which is removably and adjustably attached to the diver's air tank. Removably attached to the propeller shroud is a waterproof motor ... | 07/04/1989 |
| 4614848 | Switch arrangement with closing lock A switch arrangement comprising a casing and a cover forming the enclosure for reception of a switch, provided with an automatically engaging lock pretensioned by a reset spring, a re-locking button for the lock and a pivoting switch lever for the actuati... | 09/30/1986 |
| 4552143 | Removable switch electrocautery instruments A family of removable switch electrocautery instruments is provided by springably releasably mounting a switch means to an instrument provided with a conductive member adapted to come into contact with living tissue and a handle member. The handle member ... | 11/12/1985 |
| 4469924 | Portable electric power tools A portable electric power tool incorporates in conjunction with its double-pole main switch mechanism (11) a separate carrier member (10) which carries two pairs of terminals (20; 41) for the attachment of the main electric leads and the motor stator lead... | 09/04/1984 |
| 4459522 | Circuit arrangement for counterclockwise and clockwise rotation of commutator motors In a portable power tool, two switches are provided in the handle for respectively effecting rotation of the electric motor in opposite directions. Each switch has a center contact movable between a rest contact and a working contact, the armature of the ... | 07/10/1984 |
| 4455463 | Switch arrangement for motorcycles A switch arrangement for motorcycles includes a first rocker type switch which is located on a handlebar near a handlebar grip and has an actuating rocker which is adjustable in several working positions in a plane which is normal to the handlebar, as wel... | 06/19/1984 |
