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 |
| 7414191 | Electrical-component assembly and method of assembling the same An electrical-component assembly that includes a first housing portion that includes a wall. The wall includes a slot. At least a portion of the slot includes threads. An electrical component includes a body and a threaded protrusion. The threaded protrusion defines... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7400239 | Universal control apparatus and methods Apparatus and methods for control of one or more functions within a premises. In one embodiment, the control apparatus comprises a “universal” electronic switch which can be configured according to any number of different desired functional and/or aesthetic sche... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7355118 | Electrical box mounting assembly An adjustable mounting bar and electrical box assembly for hanging a light fixture, fan, or other electrical device from a ceiling. All hardware required for mounting the electrical device is included with the assembly. The adjustable mounting bar includes sliding t... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7227079 | Weatherproof cover and disconnect switch A weatherproof cover for protecting electrical receptacles from the harsh elements of weather is disclosed herein. This novel weatherproof cover is operable while the electrical receptacle is in use and includes a weatherproof switch that controls power to the recep... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7135640 | Prepackaged mounting assembly A prepackaged mounting assembly for securing a device, such as a ceiling fan, light fixture, or similar device to an overhead beam. The mounting assembly includes an L-shaped mounting box that includes a large side wiring cavity and an integral flange portion. A cov... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7118254 | Recessed downlight mounting fixture A recessed downlight mounting fixture having a fixture plate formed from a blank, the fixture plate having at least one aperture for receiving a lamp housing, a junction box formed from said the blank and foldably integral with said the fixture plate, at least one j... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7040586 | Bracket assembly A hanger assembly adapted and/or configured for use in hanging, supporting, and/or securing building components, such as ducts, pipes, and the like, between structural members, such as joists, studs, rafters, or the like, and methods of making and/or using the hange... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7041902 | Modular electrical device with circuit splitting member An electrical wiring device including a housing. The electrical wiring device further includes a first electrical device disposed within the housing. The first electrical device includes a plurality of terminals. The electrical wiring device further includes a secon... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7034225 | Apparatus that enables low cost installation of a secure and tamper proof assembly that accommodates lifeline support for power line communication devices A novel apparatus is disclosed that provides a secure, tamperproof, and cordless installation to securely and reliably couple any electronic device directly onto any standard power outlet. The installation is easy, certification free, and does not need to reduce the... | 04/25/2006 |
| 6967284 | Electrical box mounting assembly An adjustable mounting bar and electrical box assembly for hanging a light fixture, fan, or other electrical device from a ceiling. All hardware required for mounting the electrical device is included with the assembly. The adjustable mounting bar includes sliding t... | 11/22/2005 |
| 6956170 | Prepackaged mounting assembly A prepackaged mounting assembly for securing a device, such as a ceiling fan, light fixture, or similar device to an overhead beam. The mounting assembly includes an L-shaped mounting box that includes a first and a second junction box. Each junction box includes an... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6924431 | Prepackaged mounting assembly A prepackaged mounting assembly for securing a device, such as a ceiling fan, light fixture, or similar device to an overhead beam. The mounting assembly includes an L-shaped mounting box that includes a large side wiring cavity and an integral flange portion. A cov... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6884953 | Switching circuit In a switching circuit, at least two bus bars are fixed with an insulator interposed therebetween and secured to a substrate of the switching circuit. Being combined with the bus bars, the insulator serves not only to insulate those bus bars but also to enhance the ... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6875937 | Recessed electrical outlet assembly A recessed electrical outlet installation comprises a wall an electrical outlet device box, an electrical outlet device and a cover plate. The wall defines a first open region behind an opening formed within the wallboard and a second open region located below the o... | 04/05/2005 |
| 6768071 | Electrical box mounting assembly An adjustable mounting bar and electrical box assembly for hanging a light fixture, fan, or other electrical device from a ceiling. All hardware required for mounting the electrical device is included with the assembly. The adjustable mounting bar includes sliding t... | 07/27/2004 |
| 6765149 | Wall box having light device A wall box includes a housing having one or more switches and one or more orifices, a frame attached to the housing and having one or more light devices engaged through the orifices of the housing for generating lights, and a transparent cover plate attached to the ... | 07/20/2004 |
| 6674031 | Power inlet box with integral circuit breaker A power inlet box adapted to connect an auxiliary power generator to an electrical system of a building includes a housing adapted for mounting to the building and having a base member defining an internal cavity, and a cover member removably interconnect... | 01/06/2004 |
| 6196882 | Electric connection box An electric connection box in which cassettes of different kinds can be attached to side walls of one casing, and by doing so, the casing can have a design for common use, and also the degree of freedom of arrangement of the cassettes can be enhanced. In ... | 03/06/2001 |
| 6150737 | Auxiliary power distribution system A power supply is adapted to be powered from an ordinary electric utility power line, or alternately from a standby storage battery, and is operable to provide a power-line-isolated output of 120 Volt RMS at a frequency of about 30 kHz. The Volt-Ampere pr... | 11/21/2000 |
| 5837938 | Electric connection box An electric connection box which has multiple functions to satisfy various types of equipment to be used. In the connection box, a plurality of first T-shaped ribs (14) of a T-shaped transverse cross-section are provided respectively at positions projecte... | 11/17/1998 |
| 5500487 | Modular pull-out assembly A modular receptacle includes opposing contacts as well as receiving portions. The receptacle slidably receiving a switch or plug therein. The switch or plug having opposing contacts which contact the opposing contacts on the receptacle and also having in... | 03/19/1996 |
| 5486664 | Seal for cord passageway of power pod A power pod enclosure having an electrical cord exit passage communicating with an open side of the enclosure has a brush seal attached to the enclosure whereby bristles project to a cover closing the open side, the bristles filling the passage to impede ... | 01/23/1996 |
| 5452175 | Construction of a panel A construction of a panel includes at least one opening defined therein, a first and a second box are respectively disposed beside the opening of the panel, each of the first and second boxes has a hole defined therein and an extending live line and an ex... | 09/19/1995 |
| 5229546 | Flush-mounted appliance outlet as combination unit A flush-mounted appliance outlet for a combination unit to be used in wiring practice, and having several types of components such as operating controls or junctions. The flush-mounted appliance outlet is constructed such that each receptacle is held on a... | 07/20/1993 |
| 5109316 | Multiple outlet receptacle with circuit breaker and continuity switch mechanisms A multiple outlet receptacle has a molded insulating body which includes multiple groups of internal contact elements disposed in the body and defining multiple electrical outlets adapted for receiving multiple outlet plugs. The receptacle also has a circ... | 04/28/1992 |
| 4924349 | Face plate assembly for electrical devices A wallbox-mountable face plate assembly includes a support plate for the control device, an intermediate plate that attaches to the support plate, and a face plate that snaps onto the intermediate plate. The face plate has a particularly simple constructi... | 05/08/1990 |
| 4733330 | Wiring-device mounting structure A wiring-device mounting structure wherein outer decorative and inner laying plates are coupled to each other through relatively short, hooked engaging projections on inner surface of the decorative plate which are engaged with mounds on the laying plate ... | 03/22/1988 |
| 4636914 | Outlet box with removable self-contained device The invention concerns an electrical device having a modular configuration which permits the assembly thereof with other electrical accessories, such as switches, outlets and the like, within receptacles common thereto or within outlet boxes or wall plate... | 01/13/1987 |
| 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 |
| 4336418 | Laminated junction box module and laminated plug-in accessory modules selectively usable therewith A unitary rectangular junction box module composed of a back rectangular base block molded from non-conductive material and having parallel bus bars laid edgewise in its front face and arranged lengthwise of its opposite side walls, the opposite ends of t... | 06/22/1982 |
| 4327264 | Fastening device for a switch A fastening device which permits snap-in assembly of a switch to a panel or receiving member includes a resilient latching member connected to the switch housing and adapted to engage a shoulder of the receiving member. A second resilient member serves to... | 04/27/1982 |
| 4295018 | Electrical housing and switch box An electrical housing and switch box are provided, in which the housing is provided with a first opening through which wires are brought to the interior thereof, and a second opening adapted to receive the switch box. A plurality of contacts are mounted i... | 10/13/1981 |
| 4282591 | Light control and indicating device A light control and indicating device including a main component adapted for mounting in a cavity of a wall, and a cover plate fitted thereover. The main component includes a frame or holder on which are mounted a plurality of operating members (referred ... | 08/04/1981 |
| 4163882 | Adapter for standard electrical wall fixtures An adapter for an electrical wall fixture such as a wall light switch having a toggle or other actuator, the adapter serving to protrude the switch outside of the wall outlet box in which it is nested to the extent necessary to project the toggle through ... | 08/07/1979 |
| 4150273 | Enclosed circuit protective device assembly A molded case circuit breaker having a raised escutcheon case portion through which its operating handle protrudes and a mounting shoulder at each end is accommodated in an enclosure having a removable frontal cover in which an opening is provided. An elo... | 04/17/1979 |
| 4088829 | Housing for electrical components A housing for the reception of an electrical component, for example an electric switch or relay, comprises a hollow casing of electrically insulating material, for example a parallelepipedic box having a removable or openable lid, a pair of spaced-apart h... | 05/09/1978 |
