Did You Know...
...that Robert Adler has the dubious distinction of being the Father of the Couch Potato? Back in 1955 Adler was employed by what was then Zenith Radio Corp., where he was charged to invent something that would allow viewers to turn down the TV volume without leaving their chairs. After a series of flops (such as a wired contraption that people tripped over), Adler hit on the idea of using sound waves. Thus the Remote Control was born...
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8053696 | Electric connector switch An electric connector switch for connecting lighting fixtures to a power cable is disclosed to include an electrically insulative housing, a connector body mounted inside the housing to hold a grounding unit and a conducting unit, and a switching member for controll... | 11/08/2011 |
| 7989723 | Button apparatus with automatic reset function A button apparatus includes a button, a cover pivotally engaged with the button, and a chassis secured to the cover. The chassis includes a frame, an opening defined in the frame, and an elastic element connected between two opposite sides of the frame. The elastic ... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7960664 | Seesaw switch A purpose of the present invention is to provide a seesaw switch that has a simple structure with improved opearatability. In order to achieve the purpose, a seesaw switch 1 includes pressing sections each located at corresponding locations of operated sectio... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7952044 | Rocker switch and actuator subassembly therefor An actuator subassembly is provided for a rocker switch including a housing, a plunger and a number of contact elements. The actuator subassembly includes an operating member movably coupled to the rocker switch housing at or about an opening, and including at least... | 05/31/2011 |
| 7884297 | Electronic apparatus An electronic apparatus simplifies the structure of and facilitates the manufacture of the electronic apparatus having a seesaw-type operation button which is tiltable in a plurality of directions. The electronic apparatus has: an operation button; an operation pane... | 02/08/2011 |
| 7863533 | Cantilevered push button having multiple contacts and fulcrums A cantilevered push button adapted for accepting an input on an electrical or electronic device is disclosed. The button can include an elongated button top component disposed about an exterior surface of an electrical or electronic device such that it is accessible... | 01/04/2011 |
| 7834286 | Switching device An electrical switch device including a housing having an actuator cap movably mounted thereon and a plurality of contact switches disposed therein. The cap is operable to engage the contact switches within the housing to activate the switches in a selected sequence... | 11/16/2010 |
| 7759593 | Button module having an automatic reset function A button module adapted for use in an electronic device includes a cover, a button pivotably engaged with the cover, and an elastic plate secured on the cover and attaching to the button. When the button moves relative to the cover from a first position to a second ... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7750262 | Rocker switch A rocker switch, particularly a window lift switch in a motor vehicle, has a switch housing in which a rocker lever can be adjusted from an initial position, against a restoring force, into a switch-on position. The rocker lever is disposed in the switch housing on ... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7745750 | Dimmer switch having an illuminated button and slider slot A dimmer switch for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source provides a night light feature on a user interface adapted to be provided in an opening of a traditional-style faceplate. The user interface comprises a frame... | 06/29/2010 |
| 7737377 | Slip connection An electrical device includes a cradle and a terminal. The cradle includes a body portion, a transition portion, and a connection portion. The body portion includes a transition portion that is bent from the body portion and extends between the body portion and the ... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7709761 | Electrical device cradle with multiple integral support regions An electrical device can include a cradle having a plurality of integral cradle support regions. A trough is formed through each cradle support region. Each cradle support region includes an aperture that is configured to receive an actuator assembly. Each actuator ... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7700888 | Switch with shaped face There is disclosed structure which overcomes the deficiencies with respect to prior art devices by providing a wiring device such as a switch having a paddle that pivots about its upper end and is biased to assume the same at rest position when either in its on posi... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7642477 | Button fixing mechanism A button fixing mechanism for fixing a button (50) to a base (20) of an electronic device includes a top panel (30) of the base, a shelf (40) attached to the top panel, and a pair of resilient members (60). The button includes a pa... | 01/05/2010 |
| 7595460 | Actuator assembly An electrical device can include a paddle actuatable from a first position to a second position. An actuator associated with the paddle can be configured to displace when the paddle is actuated from the first position to the second position. A cradle disposed adjace... | 09/29/2009 |
| 7576293 | Interior illumination device An interior illumination device includes a receiving housing of a design part having swinging shafts; a switching knob of a design part having swinging holes, said switching knob being swingably supported by the swinging shafts and the swinging holes; a switching un... | 08/18/2009 |
| 7572995 | Switch member and power window switch disposed with the switch member A switch member comprising a convex knob portion on which the finger of an operator catches, wherein the knob portion is retained such that it is pivotable around a pivot shaft, a base surface of the knob portion is configured as a curved convex surface, wherein the... | 08/11/2009 |
| 7569786 | Actuator for an electric push-button switch, particularly in vehicles The invention relates to an actuator for an electric push-button switch (30) comprising a housing shell (10) in whose shell opening (13) a holding plate (20) is placed. A holding suspension, together with outer stops (21) and outer... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7554050 | Rocking key button assembly and electronic device using the same An electronic device (20) includes a housing (24) and a rocking key button assembly (200) rockingly assembled to the housing. The housing includes a shaft portion (264) and a blocking board (268). The key button assembly includes a... | 06/30/2009 |
| 7554049 | Rocking switch unit A rocking switch unit includes a base section, a switch knob, a pair of tactile switches, a middle rocking section, and a pair of switch-pressing portions. The switch knob and the middle rocking section are coupled with the base section to be rockable. The switch-pr... | 06/30/2009 |
| 7528335 | Light assembly for vehicle interiors A light assembly for interiors of motor vehicles and the like includes a three-way sliding switch having a switch member that is movable to at least three positions corresponding to operating states of the switch. The switch includes an electrically conductive movab... | 05/05/2009 |
| 7521642 | Switch assembly for an automotive power window A switch assembly for an automotive power window having a housing and an actuator with two spaced-apart ends pivotally mounted to the housing about a transverse axis extending across a central portion of the actuator. The actuator includes a first actuator surface e... | 04/21/2009 |
| 7426338 | Switch mechanism usable underwater The present invention provides a switch mechanism usable underwater including a rear cover serving as an exterior member, two shaft members being displaceable in a shaft direction and fitting into two shaft holes having the same cross-sectional area provided in the ... | 09/16/2008 |
| 7397006 | Operation mechanism for electric apparatus The operation mechanism for electric apparatus is provided. An operation mechanism includes a switch element mounted on a circuit board, an upper housing formed with an opening and covering the circuit board, and an operation grip that has an operation shaft hanging... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7361858 | Swing switch A swing switch, which is disposed in a decorative panel having a surface and an opening, includes a switch body, and a panel-side guide. The switch body has an input element, a switch-side guide, and a swing center. The input element is disposed in the opening of th... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7358453 | Swinging switch device On a switch cover attached to a switch body incorporating a switching mechanism and a regulating mechanism from above, an opening is provided to expose a part of an operation knob and to allow the operation knob to be swung. A through hole is provided on the switch ... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7355136 | Button device for computer bezel A button device includes a base (11) mounted to a bezel (30) of an electronic device. A plurality of button units (17) are disposed in the base (11), and a plurality of through holes (13) are abreast provided in the base (11... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7355138 | Simplified pushbutton switch A simplified pushbutton switch includes a circuit board which has a signal circuit consisting of a common contact and at least one signal contact, a main bracket which has an anchor end on one end to couple with the circuit board and a force receiving end on another... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7351923 | Portable communication device with swiveling key A portable communication device with an external housing (1) containsat least a mechanical switch (2a; 2b) and at least one key (3) for actuation of said mechanical switch (2a; 2b), said key compr... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7339129 | Spring to actuator bearing mechanism A plastic actuator for a toggle switch has a metal rod embedded therein, with the metal surface partially exposed. This surface of the metal rod functions as a bearing surface for a positioning spring as the actuator is flipped back and forth to turn the switch on a... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7323650 | Protection mechanism for switch A protection mechanism includes a first member connected to a switch member pivotably connected to an open top of a case so as to lift a bimetallic plate when the switch device is set to an “OFF” status, and a second member that is pivotably connected to an exte... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7323957 | Electro-mechanical relay The electro-mechanical relay comprises a base having a transversal axis and a rocking member operatively connected over the base. The rocking member is pivotable, with reference to the transversal axis, between a first position and a second position. The relay also ... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7320627 | Deformable electrical connector A secure electrical connector for wire conductors. An electrical connector can be pressed into place in the base of a toggle switch and includes an electrically conductive cylinder having a slot in the forward end of the electrical connector. The wire conductor is i... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7312413 | Electronic device and key assembly thereof A key assembly (B) mounted on a circuit board (200) includes a frame (23), a keytop (24), a switch (21), and a light emitting component (22). The frame includes a protrusion (230) formed a front thereof. The keytop defines a... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7309841 | Manual reset switch cover assembly The present invention is concerned with cover assemblies for manually resetting pressure switches used on oil and gas pipelines. The cover assembly encloses a volume of space on the pressure switch that houses a reset switch which is activated by depressing a button... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7304257 | Kinetic energy transferring element applied to a button structure A kinetic energy transferring element applied to a button structure for pressing an electric switch has a curved portion, a first extended portion and a second extended portion, in which the curved portion is bridged between the first extended portion and the second... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7304253 | Switching device of an image recording and replaying apparatus A switching device of an image recording and replaying apparatus, having: a frame with a button sheet having a guide boss opening positioned in a center of the button sheet and operation boss openings positioned around the guide boss opening, pairs of the operation ... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7294800 | Switching device A switching device capable of preventing entrance of water from outside of a case through a space below an operation knob into the case is disclosed. The switching device includes: a switch; a case within which the switch is accommodated; a hollow cylinder which is ... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7294801 | Switching device A switching device has a switch, a case within which the switch is accommodated, a cylinder which is provided on an upper surface of the case and open to above and below to communicate with the inside of the case, an operation knob which covers an opening of the cyl... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7285740 | Toggle button structure A button, having two end portions along a particular direction that can be selectively depressed, is supported by a support member. Pins are formed on the support member at locations corresponding to the respective two end portions of the button, the axes of the pin... | 10/23/2007 |
