The ice cream cone was invented at the St. Louis Worlds Fair by Ernest Hamwi in 1904. His waffle booth was next to an ice cream vendor who ran short of dishes. Hamwi rolled a waffle to hold ice cream and the cone was born.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7288735 | Switching device The conductors are shaped into a flat shape and a part of the conductors is exposed from the recess portion formed in a part of the insulator respectively to constitute fixed contacts. Therefore, there is no necessity to bend the conductors and thus a bending error ... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7285741 | Push-button switch It is intended to provide a push-button switch capable of providing a comfortable and natural click touch. To achieve the purpose, the button turns downward about the point which joins the buckling wall to the base on the back face side. Accordingly, the pulling for... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7282656 | Slide switch A slide switch having a reduced number of parts and formed thin. The slide switch includes a case having first electrode pairs and a second electrode pair arranged in a bottom thereof, a slide member slidably mounted in the case, and a biasing member for biasing the... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7283030 | Doubly-anchored thermal actuator having varying flexural rigidity A doubly-anchored thermal actuator for a micro-electromechanical device such as a liquid drop emitter or a fluid control microvalve is disclosed. The thermal actuator is comprised of a base element formed with a depression having opposing anchor. A deformable elemen... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7279650 | Electronic apparatus having illumination button An electronic apparatus with an illuminated button, the apparatus comprising a first operation button, a second operation button, a first board mounted with a first switch corresponding to the first operation button, wherein a portion of the first board is notched, ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7276917 | Printed capacitive sensor The invention relates to a flexible, resilient capacitive sensor suitable for large-scale manufacturing. The sensor includes a dielectric, an electrically conductive detector and trace layer on the first side of the dielectric layer including a detector and trace, a... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7262374 | Pointing device and key sheet for pointing device Provided are a pointing device allowing accurate depressing operation on a key top and involving no erroneous input or erroneous operation, and a key sheet for the pointing device. On the back surface of a base sheet (14) of a key sheet (15) for a poin... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7259342 | Noise reduction key structure A noise reduction key structure is disclosed. The noise reduction key structure is applied to an electronic device having a housing and a substrate, the substrate being installed in the housing, the housing having a key portion, the noise reduction key structure com... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7259339 | Enhanced key structure with combined keycap for a mobile computing device A key structure assembly is provided for a mobile computing device. The key structure assembly includes a keycap having at least a first segment and a second segment. A first actuation member extends inward into the housing from the first segment of the keycap, and ... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7256359 | Key operation detection unit of an electronic keyboard instrument A key operation detection unit of an electronic keyboard instrument that suppresses increase in reaction forces with key depression operation, to improve a key touch feeling. A depression operation of any one of keys of the keyboard instrument is detected by first a... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7253368 | Pin anchoring structure for button switches A pin anchoring structure for button switches has a wiring space in an insulation seat to hold a first pin and a second pin that are separated. Through a pressing action, the first pin and the second pin form an electric connection via a conductive connection member... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7252444 | Switch configuration A switch configuration for use with a keyboard comprises a plurality of support structures positioned adjacent each other in spaced relation and a plurality of dome switches, with at least one dome switch being coupled to each of the plurality of support structures.... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7250581 | Push-on switch A push-on switch in which dome-like movable contacts are placed in an invertible manner in two or upper and lower stages in an accommodating portion of an insulative body having plural stationary contacts. In order to fix the lower movable contact without using a de... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7250937 | Hard base key unit A first object is to provide a key unit capable of preventing a problem that a key top gets under a key window frame of a casing of a movable telephone or the like during key pushing down, and capable of preventing floating of the key top and interferences with move... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7246749 | Braille signage A thin plastic sheet has material displaced into braille characters protruding from the front face to provide information for the blind. The plastic sheet can be a clear plastic material having information for the sighted printed on the rear side for viewing from th... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7241960 | Integrated snap-back noise suppression switch A button assembly comprising a panel having a hole and a button configured to extend through the hole. The assembly further includes an integral switch pad and gasket member, with the switch pad having a base and a flexible dome including a contact extending from th... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7236159 | Handheld or pocketsized electronic apparatus and hand-controlled input device A handheld or pocketsized electronic apparatus, such as a mobile telephone, having a display unit and a touch surface that is position-sensitive in a first and second direction for control of the electronic apparatus; the display unit having a display area taking up... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7235755 | Input device for a cellular phone An input device includes a casing having a retention groove, a flexible membrane disposed on the casing and having a plurality of keys, a connecting portion an outer flange extending outwardly from an outer surface of the connecting portion, an upper recess formed o... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7232973 | Capacitive touch switch A capacitive touch switch includes a sensor button which is disposed between a circuit board and a cover plate and which forms a terminal of a capacitor that is variable in its capacitance by an approach. The sensor button includes a body of a flexible material, whi... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7229296 | Contact device for improving lifetime of electrical connections A contact device for enhancing the conductance of an electrical connection which includes two conductors (21 and 23) in contact with each other essentially including an interposed conductive element arranged between the two contact surfaces (22 ... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7228679 | Electrical method of sensing operator presence on a walk-behind mower An operator presence control assembly for a walk-behind greens mower includes a handle supported on a frame of the walk-behind greens mower, a ribbon switch on the outer perimeter of the handle, and a circuit including the ribbon switch. The circuit is completed by ... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7230198 | Flexible sheet for resistive touch screen A resistive touch screen, comprising: a) a substrate; b) a first conductive layer located on the substrate; c) a flexible cover sheet having integral compressible spacer dots; and d) a second conductive layer located on the flexible cover sheet between and over the ... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7211760 | Membrane switch A membrane switch which can be opened and closed with a small pushing load. A fixed contact point 4 is formed on one surface of a first sheet 3. Flexible movable contact points 7 opposed to the fixed contact point 4 via a space in a manne... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7208691 | Touch screen having undercut spacer dots A touch screen comprising: a) a substrate; b) a first conductive layer located on the substrate; c) a flexible sheet comprising a substantially planar surface and integral compressible spacer dots formed thereon, each integral compressible spacer dot having a base c... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7205493 | Pressure sensitive horn switch A horn activation system for a lightweight utility vehicle can comprises a pressure sensitive horn switch (PSHS) operably connected to a horn button. The horn button is operable with the PSHS such that pressing the horn button compresses the PSHS. The horn activatio... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7201175 | User interface for an in-sink dishwasher A dish-cleaning appliance comprises a sink having a bowl defining a wash chamber with an open top for providing access to the wash chamber. A liquid recirculation system is provided for spraying liquid throughout the wash chamber. A drain conduit can be provided, al... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7200009 | Integrated electromechanical arrangement and method of production It is an object of the invention to provide a electromechanical structure comprising an input device and a printed wired board (3, 4), which structure is advantageous in terms of manufacturing and offers freedom to the layout design of the printed wired board... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7199322 | Variable spacer dots for touch screen A touch screen comprising: a) a substrate; b) a first conductive layer located on the substrate; c) a flexible sheet comprising a substantially planar surface and integral compressible spacer dots formed thereon, each integral compressible spacer dot having a base c... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7196281 | Resistive touch screen having conductive mesh A touch screen comprising: a) a substrate; b) a first conductive layer located on the substrate; c) a flexible sheet comprising a substantially planar surface and integral compressible spacer dots formed thereon, each integral compressible spacer dot having a base c... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7192102 | Control panel assembly A control panel assembly of a home appliance enables a planar contact to be made during a thermal fusion of a display panel to a control panel, so that a secure adhesion between the display panel and control panel can be established regardless of design contours of ... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7190355 | Input device and electronic apparatus having the same An input device and an electronic apparatus using such an input device capable of providing visual amusement at the time of operating thereof and allowing the down sizing and thinning are provided. The input device has a reversible chromatic layer exhibiting color c... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7187264 | Foil-type switching element with improved spacer design A foil-type switching element comprises a first carrier foil and a second carrier foil arranged at a certain distance from each other by means of a spacer 10. The spacer 10 comprises at least one recess 12 defining an active area of the switchin... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7186939 | Movable contact unit and panel switch A small movable contact unit and a panel switch which prevent peeling from an edge even though the width between the edge of a base sheet and a movable contact is narrowed. The movable contact unit includes the movable contact and base sheet. The movable contact has... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7186938 | Membrane switch, method for manufacturing membrane switch, and contact switch A pressure detection switch includes a membrane switch and a key pad arranged on the membrane switch. The membrane switch includes first and second insulation sheets arranged to face each other. An electric circuit, which includes a first electrode and a voltage-div... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7180017 | Integrated center stack switch bank for motor vehicle An interface is in the form of a switch bank for the center stack of a motor vehicle. The switch bank comprises a motor vehicle interior trim component and at least one non-movable switch located behind the interior trim component. The switch is operable to actuate ... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7176397 | Water resistant switch mat having activation across its entire surface An electrical switch mat which generally includes a first layer of flexible matting material, a second layer of flexible matting material, and a perimeter ribbon switch disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The ribbon switch has a longitudinal edge ... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7176889 | Force sensing pointing device with click function An input device for an electronic system includes a force sensor having conductive interdigitated traces on a bottom substrate and a flexible substrate spaced apart from the bottom substrate. The flexible substrate has a resistive layer deposited on a bottom side fa... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7173201 | Remote controller A remote controller 1 is capable of achieving switching operation even when the user presses substantially any place of a switch. A toilet seat open/close switch 12 has a tiltable member 20 which is tiltably supported at its front lower portion ... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7168751 | Automotive center stack panel with contact-less switching An automotive center stack panel assembly is provided comprising an instrument panel face plate having an outer face plate surface and an internal face plate surface. A display window region is formed into the instrument panel face plate and has a curved internal wi... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7164089 | Thin keyboard structure A thin keyboard structure comprises a substrate, a flexible circuit and a keycap. The substrate comprises a base, a first portion with a first end, and a second portion with a second end. At least one of the first portion and the second portion protrudes from the ba... | 01/16/2007 |