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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7978045 | Multi-actuation MEMS switch A multi-actuation MEMS switch for high frequency signals includes a substrate, a heater disposed on the substrate, a co-planar waveguide disposed on a lowest metal layer, and a movable membrane including at least two metal layers, and an dielectric layer disposed be... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7714691 | Versatile system for a locking electro-thermal actuated MEMS switch A lockable MEMS switching architecture provided having a clutch assembly, a switching member, and an actuator. The clutch assembly has one or more engagement features located in proximity to the switching member—particularly one or more receiving features located ... | 05/11/2010 |
| 7358740 | Thermal switch with self-test feature A normally open thermal switch (200) having a bimetallic disk (18) is configured for operational testing in its installed position when exposed to a changing temperature by a test box (400) having a power source (400a). The in-plac... | 04/15/2008 |
| 6985651 | Thermal actuator with offset beam segment neutral axes and an optical waveguide switch including the same A thermal actuator comprises a substantially straight beam. The beam has a beam length and a beam mid-point. The beam comprises a plurality of beam segments with beam segment lengths. Each beam segment has a beam segment neutral axis, thus forming a corresponding pl... | 01/10/2006 |
| 6985650 | Thermal actuator and an optical waveguide switch including the same A thermal actuator comprises a substantially straight beam. The beam has a beam length and a beam mid-point. The beam comprises a plurality of beam segments. Each beam segment has a beam segment width, the beam thus forming a corresponding plurality of beam segment ... | 01/10/2006 |
| 6983088 | Thermal actuator and an optical waveguide switch including the same A thermal actuator comprises a plurality of substantially straight and parallel beams arranged to form a beam array. The midpoint of each beam is attached or coupled to an orthogonal coupling beam. Each array beam has a beam heating parameter with a corresponding be... | 01/03/2006 |
| 6917276 | Bistable switch with shape memory metal A bistable shape memory alloy (SMA) micro-switch includes a single continuous SMA element such as a nitinol wire that provides bi-directional motion for switching functions. Bifunctional contact arms provide a mechanical force to maintain an open state of the micro-... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6882264 | Electrothermal self-latching MEMS switch and method Electrothermal Self-Latching MEMS Switch and Method. According to one embodiment, a microscale switch having a movable microcomponent is provided and includes a substrate having a stationary contact. The switch can also include a structural layer having a movable co... | 04/19/2005 |
| 6794964 | Bi-stable microswitch including magnetic latch A bi-stable microswitch (1) including a pair of contacts (4, 5) and an armature (10,11) movable between a first position and a second position to selectively break or make the pair of contacts, the armature being latched in the second position b... | 09/21/2004 |
| 6563685 | Thermal protection relay The thermal protection relay determines a value representative of the thermal image of an apparatus to be protected according to a measured current value, to a previous value of the thermal image and to preset heating and cooling time constants. The relay... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6552890 | Electrical conductor with an ignition device An electric conductor, in particular for connecting the starter relay and starter motor of a motor vehicle, includes an ignition device (5), which is in thermal contact with the conductor (1) and is intended, if a limit temperature is exceeded, for igniti... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6531947 | Direct acting vertical thermal actuator with controlled bending A micrometer sized, single-stage, vertical thermal actuator with controlled bending capable of repeatable and rapid movement of a micrometer-sized optical device off the surface of a substrate. The vertical thermal actuator is constructed on a surface of ... | 03/11/2003 |
| 6522235 | Switch structure for a heating device A switch structure for a heating device having a passage formed within the main body of the structure, an air inlet, a main flame air outlet, a second air outlet and a thermocouple insertion hole connected to the passage being formed on the main body, and... | 02/18/2003 |
| 6483419 | Combination horizontal and vertical thermal actuator A micrometer sized, single-stage, horizontal and vertical thermal actuator capable of repeatable and rapid movement of a micrometer-sized optical device off the surface of a substrate. The horizontal and vertical thermal actuator is constructed on a surfa... | 11/19/2002 |
| 6480089 | Thermal bend actuator A thermal actuator for micro mechanical or micro electro-mechanical devices, the actuator comprising a supporting substrate, an actuator extension portion, a first arm attached at a first end thereof to the substrate and at a second end to the extension p... | 11/12/2002 |
| 6448880 | Overload-protection push-button switch with retractable actuating mechanism An overload-protection push-button switch with retractable mechanism is disclosed. The switch is characterized in that a retractable rocker actuator is used to actuate or release a conducting leaf. The rocker actuator comprises a main body and a sub-body.... | 09/10/2002 |
| 6300858 | Thermal switch A thermal switch assembly includes a dielectric spacer and a switch blade member of shape memory metal sandwiched between a pair of flat metal plates. The spacer provides a cavity between the plates and the switch blade member has a switch blade portion p... | 10/09/2001 |
| 6191679 | Thermal switch assembly A thermal switch having a current carrying switch blade actuator of shape memory metal has a resistance less than 20 milliohms and a contact force greater than 150 grams. The actuator is deformed to less than about 8% strain, and a very hard high strength... | 02/20/2001 |
| 6140903 | Thermal switch A thermal switch assembly includes a dielectric spacer and a switch blade member of shape memory metal sandwiched between a pair of flat metal plates. The spacer provides a cavity between the plates, and the switch blade member has a switch blade portion ... | 10/31/2000 |
| 6133816 | Switch and relay using shape memory alloy A novel shape memory alloy electrical switch is disclosed, including both momentary and especially a latching relay. The switch/relay disclosed is particularly useful in low power control of appliances, including i.a. refrigerators. Used with a microproce... | 10/17/2000 |
| 6078244 | Thermal switch A thermal switch assembly has a stiffener disc positioned against a support flange that extends inwardly from a peripheral wall of a plastic assembly grommet. An actuator member of shape memory metal is received in a recess in the stiffener disc, and an i... | 06/20/2000 |
| 6049267 | Adaptive control module using shape memory alloy A novel shape memory alloy electrical switch is disclosed, including both momentary and especially a latching relay. The switch/relay disclosed is particularly useful in low power control of appliances, including i.a. refrigerators. Used with a microproce... | 04/11/2000 |
| 6018286 | Thermal switch A thermal switch assembly has a stiffener disc positioned against a support flange that extends inwardly from a peripheral wall of a plastic assembly grommet. An actuator member of shape memory metal is received in a recess in the stiffener disc, and an i... | 01/25/2000 |
| 6016096 | Control module using shape memory alloy A novel shape memory alloy electrical switch is disclosed, including both momentary and especially a latching relay. The switch/relay disclosed is particularly useful in low power control of appliances, including i.a. refrigerators. Used with a microproce... | 01/18/2000 |
| 5966066 | Micromechanical memory sensor A micromechanical memory sensor. The sensor comprises a latch member mechanically latching upon detection of a threshold value of a variable condition and circuitry for detecting such latching. A sensor further includes a resetting mechanism for electrica... | 10/12/1999 |
| 5963121 | Resettable fuse The present invention relates to compositions for use in forming resettable electronic circuit protection devices or fuses, methods of forming resettable fuses using the compositions, and resettable fuses formed from the compositions. Resettable fuse comp... | 10/05/1999 |
| 5949322 | Switch protecting against increased temperatures An flat casing (10) exhibiting a convex curvature to the outside on all sides, is slid onto the projection (1a) of a base (1). The casing (10) protects a contact device anchored in the base (1). The base (1) protrudes with the peripheral brackets (1b), fo... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5939968 | Electrical apparatus for overcurrent protection of electrical circuits An electrical apparatus comprising first and second PTC elements composed of a polymer composition with conductive particles dispersed therein, an insulating body, and first and second conductive terminals. Flexible conductive members having a first end t... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5898356 | Thermally-activated switch for short-circuiting a battery cell A thermally activated short-circuit switch for connection in parallel with a battery cell has first and second contact elements (6; 3) which are distinct from the electrodes of a diode, and thermally activatable means (45) for short-circuiting the first a... | 04/27/1999 |
| 5867083 | Protective device for surge current protection of associated equipment in communications systems A small-size high-performance electronic protective device (10) is provided for use in protecting communication equipment including an exchange servicing module against application of abnormal surge current due to accidental shorts between adjacent ones o... | 02/02/1999 |
| 5844464 | Thermal switch A thermal switch assembly includes a dielectric spacer and a switch blade member of shape memory metal sandwiched between a pair of flat metal plates. The spacer provides a cavity between the plates, and the switch blade member has a switch blade portion ... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5808538 | Electrical apparatus for overcurrent protection of electrical circuits An electrical apparatus comprising first and second PTC elements composed of a polymer composition with conductive particles dispersed therein, an insulating body, and first and second conductive terminals. Flexible conductive members having a first end t... | 09/15/1998 |
| 5772949 | Thermally expandable, viscosity modified wax compositions and method of use in actuators A thermally expandable wax composition and its use in polymer-based actuators is disclosed and claimed. The compositions are wax-based and include conductive filler as well as a viscosity modifier to stabilize the composition against segregation. Optional... | 06/30/1998 |
| 4366680 | Cycling Joule Thomson refrigerator A symmetrical adsorption pump/compressor system having a pair of mirror image legs and a Joule Thomson expander 40, or valve, interposed between the legs thereof for providing a new, efficient refrigeration cycle. The system further includes a plurality o... | 01/04/1983 |
| 4318071 | Interface relay for high current equipment Disclosed is a relay for high current equipment, such as, for example, an electric range. The relay provides the interface between the solid state electronics and the high wattage electric heating elements. The relay is comprised of a frame having a non-e... | 03/02/1982 |
| 4250480 | Apparatus and method of monitoring automatic safety control switches of electrical apparatus A heat-triggered, mechanically-actuated apparatus comprising a heating and conducting linkage connected in parallel with an automatically resetting safety control switch across the power supply of electrical equipment, an initial opening of the control sw... | 02/10/1981 |
| 4185206 | High voltage control devices High voltage control devices are provided comprising a housing, an aprotic liquid contained within said housing, means for effecting heat exchange with said liquid, at least two spaced electrodes contained within said liquid and each of said electrodes ex... | 01/22/1980 |
