...that the x-ray was discovered purely by accident? When German physicist Wilhelm Konrad von Roentgen was experimenting with cathode rays in 1895, he put an activated Crookes tube in a book and went out to lunch. When he returned, he discovered that a key that had also been placed in the book showed up as an image on the developed film!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7964812 | Switch boot A sealing device and method are disclosed for use in connection with a switch mounted upon a panel by a panel nut engaged with a threaded bushing projecting from the panel. A boot member of a resiliently flexible elastomeric material is placed over the switch and is... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7893372 | Remote control for a mobile machine, in particular a heavy construction machine, agricultural or handling machine Remote control for a mobile machine, in particular a heavy construction machine, agricultural or handling machine comprising a remote control body, a lever fixedly attached to a handle designed to be held by a user, means for connecting the lever to the body allowin... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7872205 | Electrical switches An electrical switch may include a housing having a hollow inner cavity. Both mechanical and electrical components may be contained within the inner cavity. The components within inner cavity may be protected from contaminants entering the inner cavity by a seal adj... | 01/18/2011 |
| 7858890 | Waterproof rotary switch A waterproof rotary switch includes a holder base that has hooks extending from the periphery, a switching component set that is mounted on the holder base and has a fixed metal terminal with a fixed contact, a movable metal terminal with a movable contact, and two ... | 12/28/2010 |
| 7763816 | Actuating device The invention relates to an actuating device for closing and/or opening a movable part (2) of a motor vehicle, in particular a door, a rear flap or the like, with a housing (3), and a rotatably mounted touch element (4) which, upon actuation, ac... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7633028 | Electric switch module An electric switch module has one or more electric switches arranged on a substrate (7) of which at least one is designed as a push-pull rocker switch (2, 3) having an actuator (4) formed by a projection (5) that is asymmetrical to its ti... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7371980 | Apparatus and methods for securing switch devices Apparatus and methods for lockout of toggle switches, such as those toggle switches that include a captivating switch head (e.g., an enlarged and/or offset switch head) disposed on a cylindrical-shaped switch arm of the toggle switch. In one example, the apparatus a... | 05/13/2008 |
| 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 |
| 7355137 | Waterproof structure of push button switch A waterproof structure with a simple structure and a good assemble workability is provided. A recess portion is formed on a side of an inner casing, and a through hole is formed at the bottom of the recess portion. The through hole runs to a housing recess portion, ... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7348484 | Method of assisting a compromised barrier The present invention provides method, apparatus, and system to assist in partially or fully reestablishing the fire rating of a barrier that has been compromised by the installation of an electrical box(es) in the barrier. The electrical box includes a faceplate ha... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7332686 | Remote control electrical switch A remote control electrical switch with omnidirectional access provides remote control of electrically connected devices. The remote control electrical switch allows electrical devices to be controlled with minimal physical dexterity, easing the physical efforts req... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7329821 | Sealed pushbutton switch A sealed pushbutton switch (1) includes an insulative housing (2), a number of fixed contacts (7), an actuator (3) moveably retained in the insulative housing, a moveable contact (6) fastened to the actuator and including a pair of... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7326869 | Tactile feedback plunger switch A tactile feedback switching mechanism having a plurality of switching states. The tactile feedback switching mechanism includes a plunger switch having a plunger. When the plunger is displaced a given distance the switch changes state. A covering lies at least over... | 02/05/2008 |
| 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 |
| 7285739 | Waterproof structure for switch pins A waterproof structure for switch pins includes a pin exposed outside a switch to be connected to an electric wire. The pin and the electric wire are covered by a waterproof insulation material through an injection forming process to become an integrated manner. The... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7282657 | Assembly having an electric switching function as well as a method of producing such an assembly An assembly having an electric switching function, comprises a switch device which has associated electric conductors and a movable actuating part, on which a hood member is mounted, and which is provided in a housing comprised by an outer injection-molded body; the... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7279649 | Switch for vehicles A switch for vehicles, which temporarily holds the screw maintaining reliability, can be easily assembled, and is particularly suited for detecting the opening and closure of doors. An insertion hole is formed in a cylindrical portion of a cover covering the upper s... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7273983 | Light switch assembly A light switch assembly to replace an existing light switch, which generally includes a mounting bracket attached to an electrical box. The assembly slides into the mounting bracket and is locked into place with the mounting bracket. A decorative light switch cover ... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7247791 | Security barrier for electronic circuitry An enclosure for protecting at least a portion of a printed circuit board that includes a top and bottom cover each having an insulating layer between an outer conductive layer and an inner conductive layer. Each outer conductive layer and each inner conductive laye... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7236096 | Slope detector In a dump truck where a monitoring system prevents the raising of the cargo bed when the level of lateral tilt exceeds a safe limit, a keyed switch allows for presetting the maximum safe degree of tilt by simple left or right manipulation of the switch, and to switc... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7230195 | Button waterproofing structure Button holes 3 are formed in a front panel 2. Buttons 4 are arranged in the button holes 3, and a rib 7 convexly provided on the back surface of the front panel 2 surrounds the button holes 3. A light transmitting rub... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7217896 | Staked printed circuit board terminals for switch cases A staked terminal rivet system and method configured to mount a switch device onto a printed circuit board is disclosed as an alternative to traditional molded-in or staked-on secondary terminal systems. An electrically conductive rivet functioning as a terminal red... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7193152 | Fire resistant barrier A fire resistant assembly, which may include a first layer having a lumen therein, a second layer adjacent the first layer, a first structural member disposed between the first and second layers, and a box having a cavity defined by a wall, a first opening in the wa... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7183510 | 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 ... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7176400 | Outdoor lamp with a hidden switch An outdoor lamp with a hidden switch has a housing, a lamp, a switch and a control lever. The housing has a circumferential wall having a lever slot and a lever bracket formed inside the housing. The lamp is mounted inside the housing. The switch is mounted inside t... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7170021 | Electrical switch rocker and assembly A rocker switch assembly has several rocker shells that define cavities to receive inserts of several varieties that allow the user to provide several rockers in a side-by-side assembly of rocker switches with a wave pattern that allows each switch to be easily iden... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7157655 | Cleanable keyboard In an embodiment, a keyboard includes a barrier layer. The barrier layer may be mounted between an upper and lower housing portion of the keyboard so as to provide a substantially water impermeable pocket about a keyboard circuit. The barrier layer includes at least... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7156709 | Method for controlling the tilt position of a marine propulsion device The calibration procedure allows an upward maximum limit of tilt to be automatically determined and stored as an operator rotates a marine propulsion device relative to a marine vessel with a particular indication present. That indication can be a grounded circuit p... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7145090 | Switching device A switching device includes a switch, a case within which the switch is accommodated, a cylindrical hollow section which is disposed on the upper surface of the case and has upper and lower openings to communicate with the inside of the case, an operation knob provi... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7145091 | Waterproof and dustproof switch structure A switch includes an actuating member, a cap, and a soft elastic sleeve-shaped member for preventing entrance of water and dust; the actuating member has a base portion, and a second wall projecting upwards from the base portion; the cap has a pressing portion, a fi... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7132616 | Electrical wiring device with arc minimizer switch assembly and method An electrical wiring device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system including a power source for providing power to a load, including a compact switch assembly. The compact switch assembly includes a rocker assembly, a fixed contact assembly a... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7122755 | Switch device having operation member which is not easily disengaged from housing even when large amount of load is applied A switch device includes a switch housing having an operation member receiving part and an operation member which is mounted on the operation member receiving part of the switch housing as the main components. The switch housing has a regulation wall between an enga... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7115826 | Switch device capable of being small-sized and preventing introduction of extraneous material thereinto A tubular part of an upper case has an opened upper end and pivotably supports a segment operating body. The tubular part has a pair of first walls opposite to each other and a pair of second walls that are connected to the first walls and are opposite to each other... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7102092 | Power window switch apparatus A power window switch apparatus includes: a switch body; a operating knob pivotally supported by the switch body; a first stopper that is provided to the switch body and restricts a rotation of the operating knob to a first predetermined angle; and a second stopper ... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7087850 | Cleanable keyboard In an embodiment, a keyboard includes a barrier layer. The barrier layer may be mounted between an upper and lower housing portion of the keyboard so as to provide a substantially water impermeable pocket about a keyboard circuit. The barrier layer includes at least... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7067754 | Bezel-button assembly and method A bezel-button assembly comprising at least one button connected to a bezel. The button is moveable between a first position and at least a second position. An elastic layer connects the bezel to the button and is adapted to provide at least a partial mechanical bia... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7034234 | Switch assembly A switch assembly held in a support member by a bushing mounted to the support member by a clip carried in an outer groove formed on the bushing. A compressible seal ring is carried in another outer groove formed on the bushing so that the seal ring acts on another ... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7026564 | Paddle switch assembly A rocker switch assembly includes a switch body, a mounting strap, a frame, and a paddle for actuating the switch between an on and an off position. The paddle has a uni-convex cylindrical exterior surface. The rocker switch assembly further includes a faceplate in ... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7017275 | Portable coordinate measurement machine with improved handle assembly A portable coordinate measurement machine comprises an articulated arm having jointed arm segments. The arm includes a probe at one end thereof. The probe also includes improved switches and a measurement indicator light. ... | 03/28/2006 |