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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7508294 | 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... | 03/24/2009 |
| 7501926 | Heat sensing electrical receptacle An electrical receptacle has an outlet and senses the operating temperature and automatically turns off when the temperature rises above a predetermined threshold. The receptacle has a reset button that must be manually operated to enable operation of the outlet to ... | 03/10/2009 |
| 7385473 | One-shot heat sensing electrical receptacle An electrical receptacle senses its operating temperature and automatically turns off when the temperature rises above a predetermined threshold. The receptacle has a button that visually indicates when the receptacle has reached its temperature threshold. After aut... | 06/10/2008 |
| 7371982 | MEMS safety and arming devices having launch and rotation interlocks and method of manufacturing the same A device, a Micro-Electrical-Mechanical-Switch (MEMS) safety and arming (S&A) device and a method of manufacturing the MEMS S&A. In one embodiment, the device includes a body and a MEMS shuttle movably coupled to the body. In this embodiment, the shuttle is configur... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7345568 | Dual protection device for circuits A protection device includes a bi-metallic plate having a first end fixed to a first terminal and a second of the bi-metallic plate has a first contact point so as to contact a second contact point on a first end of a carrier. A contact plate has a first end in cont... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7345569 | Temperature sensitive protection device for circuits A protection device includes a bi-metallic plate electrically connected between the first and second terminals, and the bi-metallic plate is bent upward to separate two contact points when the protection device is overloaded to cut off the circuit. A contact plate h... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7339454 | Tensile-stressed microelectromechanical apparatus and microelectromechanical relay formed therefrom A microelectromechanical (MEM) apparatus is disclosed which includes a shuttle suspended above a substrate by two or more sets of tensile-stressed beams which are operatively connected to the shuttle and which can comprise tungsten or a silicon nitride/polysilicon c... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7324876 | System for remotely controlling energy distribution at local sites A power management system and associated method includes provision of local wireless energy control units at remote sites for controlling power delivery to customer loads, and a central station with a wireless transmitter for broadcasting commands to the wireless en... | 01/29/2008 |
| 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 |
| 7276991 | Multiple switch MEMS structure and method of manufacture A multiple switch MEMS structure has a higher resistance, higher durability switch arranged in parallel with a lower resistance, less durable switch. By closing the higher resistance, high durability switch before the lower resistance, less durable switch, the lower... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7268653 | Microelectromechanical system able to switch between two stable positions A microelectromechanical system includes separate conducting elements. An electromechanically deformable element can be switched between a first stable position and a second stable position. Contact elements allow for electrical continuity to be established between ... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7265652 | Controllable electronic switch A controllable electronic switch for, e.g., controlling power distribution comprises a deformable member such as a bimetal arm that can be deformed to break an electrical path. The deformable member may be anchored at one end and in controllable contact with an elec... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7239064 | Resettable latching MEMS temperature sensor apparatus and method The Resettable Latching MEMS Temperature Sensor provides the capability of recording external temperature extremes without consuming electrical power. The device incorporates a thermal bimorph, contacts, latches, and actuators for device reset. The device can be des... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7232971 | Circuit breaker A circuit breaker includes a shell, a movable press strip, a metal strip, a C-shaped plate spring, and three conductors. A first and a second conductor are inserted through the bottom of the shell, respectively have an upper end extending up in the shell, with a fir... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7142087 | Micromechanical latching switch A micro-electrical-mechanical-switch (MEMS) device comprises a semiconductor wafer, a first semiconductor layer formed on the semiconductor wafer, and a second semiconductor layer formed on the first layer. A first latching movable shuttle is formed in the second la... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7112362 | Thermally movable plastic devices and toys In accordance with the invention, thin bodies of plastic, such as sheets or strands, with substantially different thermal coefficients of expansion are laminated together to make plastic bodies which move in response to heat. The movable plastic bodies can be secure... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7059035 | Method for forming a bimetallic actuator A method for post-fabrication modification of the snap actuation properties of a thermally responsive bimetallic actuator by exposing a pre-formed bimetallic actuator to laser energy, thereby permanently altering the thermal response properties of the bimetallic act... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7041435 | Method of manufacturing micro actuated blazed grating A method for manufacturing a grating is provided. The method includes the steps as follows: a) forming a first insulating layer on a substrate; b) forming a silicon oxide layer on the first insulating layer; c) forming and hard baking a photoresist on the silicon ox... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7040504 | System and apparatus for the dispensing of drugs A system and apparatus are described in which modular receptacles are filled and transported to automated dispensing machines for later retrieval and distribution. A system of the present invention includes the loading, refilling, and replacement of the modular rece... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7034375 | Micro electromechanical systems thermal switch A Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) thermal switch. The switch includes a FET having a source and drain in a substrate and a beam isolated from the substrate. The beam is positioned over the source and the drain and spaced by a predefined gap. When the thermal... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7024940 | Force measurement of bimetallic thermal disc An apparatus and method for determining the actuation energy generated by a bimetallic actuator during transit between first and second states of stability. The apparatus and method further determining the threshold or set-point temperature of the bimetallic actuato... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6972659 | Reusable shape memory alloy activated latch A mechanical release mechanism is provided. The mechanical release mechanism includes two structural members in slideable relation one to another. A latch holds one structural member in a latched position relative to the other structural member. A shape memory alloy... | 12/06/2005 |
| 6943653 | Bistable electric switch and relay with a bi-stable electrical switch The invention relates to a bi-stable electric switch comprising a spring (101) that is configured as a bi-stable snap-action spring and carries contact elements (114, 116) on the carrier strip (104) of the spring and comprising at least one driv... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6914514 | Switch for water boiling appliance such as a kettle A steam-responsive switch for use in an electrical water boiling appliance comprises a main body (12) from which extends a tubular portion (13) having at or near its leading end a heat responsive bimetal (16) extending across the mouth thereof w... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6911891 | Bistable actuation techniques, mechanisms, and applications A bistable structure provided by the invention is characterized as including a deflection element that has mechanically constrained end points and a compliant span between the end points that is substantially free to deflect between two stable positions when a force... | 06/28/2005 |
| 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 |
| 6836205 | Thermal switch containing resistance temperature detector A multiple output thermal detection and protection device providing an output signal representative of the temperature sensed by the device, and further providing a positive output signal representative of the sensed temperature reaching a predetermined set point te... | 12/28/2004 |
| 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 |
| 6771158 | Micro electromechanical differential actuator A micro electromechanical differential actuator is comprised of a suspension arm structure and/or a bridge structure to make a two-degree-of-freedom and bi-directional motion. The actuator support base can make out-of-plane or in-plane vertical and horizontal motion... | 08/03/2004 |
| 6768412 | Snap action thermal switch A simplified snap-action micromachined thermal switch having a bimodal thermal actuator fabricated from non-ductile materials such as silicon, glass, silicon oxide, tungsten, and other suitable materials using MEMS techniques. ... | 07/27/2004 |
| 6762668 | Laser adjusted set-point of bimetallic thermal disc A thermal switch having a thermally, responsive bimetallic member that exhibits a snap-action response and a pair of relatively movable contacts positioned relative to the thermally responsive bimetallic member such that the thermally responsive bimetallic member is... | 07/13/2004 |
| 6714116 | Circuit breaker switch A circuit breaker switch is disclosed, including a rocker, an actuator, and a dielectric separator element. The rocker is positionable between a first on position and a second off position. The actuator element is coupled to the rocker such that it causes a first el... | 03/30/2004 |
| 6674033 | Press button type safety switch A press button type safety switch is constructed to include a switching mechanism for switching the circuit between on/off positions, a spring-supported press button, a push member pivoted to the spring-supported press button and controlled by the spring-... | 01/06/2004 |
| 6580351 | Laser adjusted set-point of bimetallic thermal disc A method for post-fabrication modification of the snap actuation properties of a thermally responsive bimetallic actuator by exposing a pre-formed bimetallic actuator to laser energy, thereby permanently altering the thermal response properties of the bim... | 06/17/2003 |
| 6559752 | Creepless snap acting bimetallic switch having flexible contact members A creepless snap acting bimetallic switch having flexible contact members. The bimetallic switch comprises: a bimetallic element being adapted to snap between a first mode and a second mode, the first mode corresponding to a closed position of the switch,... | 05/06/2003 |
| 6552643 | Structure of a depress-type safety switch An improved structure of a depress-type safety switch comprising a main body, press button, actuating block, the top section of the main body being opened to accommodate the press button and the actuating block, and the bottom panel being provided with a ... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6552645 | Bimetallic actuator for electronic components and other devices A calibrated bimetallic actuator has contoured areas having either raised or recessed generally annular shaped forms about the locations thereon where the actuator is affixed in assembled position on associated electronic components or other devices or wh... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6538549 | Advanced electrical circuit breaker system and method An advanced circuit breaker system and method includes first and second terminals to electrically couple the advanced circuit breaker to an electrical circuit. A cam applies a first torque to a rotatable contact arm, having an arm contact electrically cou... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6515569 | Circuit breaker with bypass conductor commutating current out of the bimetal during short circuit interruption and method of commutating current out of bimetal The high transient current sustained by arcing during opening of the main contacts of a miniature circuit breaker is commutated out of the bimetal by deflection of the bimetal in response to the overcurrent to close secondary contacts on the free end of t... | 02/04/2003 |
| 6498559 | Creepless snap acting bimetallic switch having step adjacent its bimetallic element A bimetallic switch comprising a bimetallic element having an outer edge and being adapted to snap between an open mode and a closed mode; a movable contact disposed on the bimetallic element; a first terminal in electrically conductively coupled to the m... | 12/24/2002 |