...that when IBM conducted a market study of Chester Carlson's invention in 1959, the company concluded that it would take only 5000 units of his new product to saturate the market? IBM therefore declined to be part of the new product introduction. Too bad for IBM. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, and his new product was the beginning of the Xerox Corporation. It is estimated that every day, worldwide, 3,000,000,000 copies are made!!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7310041 | Circuit breaker The invention relates to a re-settable, single-phase, thermo/electric circuit breaker utilizing a U-shape bimetallic element of substantial resistance properties in the circuit, so that when a predetermined overload current occurs the bimetallic element self heats a... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7202769 | Protection mechanism for switch A protection mechanism includes a first member connected to a switch member pivotably connected to an open top of a case so as to lift a bimetallic plate when the switch device is set to an “OFF” status, and a second member that is pivotably connected to an exte... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7148784 | Safety switch device A safety switch device includes a case with a switch pivotally engaged with an open top of the case and a ramp defined in an inside of the case. Two terminals are extended from the bottom of the case and a bimetallic plate having a first end fixed to one of the term... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7034650 | Protection mechanism for switches A protection mechanism for a switch device includes a pivotably member pivotably connected to an underside of the switch member pivotably connected to an open top of the case of the switch device. The pivotable member includes a shorter tongue and two rods. An end o... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7030726 | Protection mechanism for switches A protection mechanism for a switch device includes a pull member that has one end pivotably connected to the switch member and the other end which is a hook end for lifting the bimetallic plate to set the switch device to “OFF” status. A push member is pivotabl... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7005957 | Mechanism for trip-free of the bimetallic plate of a safety switch device A switch device includes a case with a switch member pivotally engaged with the open top of the case. Two terminals extend from a bottom of the case and a bimetallic plate has a first end fixed to one of the terminals. A distal end of the bimetallic plate is located... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6940389 | Mechanism for ensuring bimetallic plate to be deformed without barrier A circuit breaker includes a bimetallic plate that has a first end fixed to one terminal and a second end which can be lowered to contact the other terminal by pushing the pushbutton on top of the case of the breaker. The second end of the bimetallic plate is movabl... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6933455 | Circuit breaker on a pushbutton switch A pushbutton switch has a pushbutton having a connection rod to be received in a connection hole defined in a distal end of the linkage which has a path in communication with the connection hole such that when the heat sensitive plate is reacted in response to heat ... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6552644 | Safety press-button switch A safety press-button switch includes a linkage formed of a lever and a switching rod pivoted together, and a press-button cap having a push rod and a hook arm respectively aimed at the switching rod and a positioning rod of the lever and adapted to force... | 04/22/2003 |
| 5889457 | Overload protective circuit breaker switch An overload protective circuit breaker switch including: a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact adapted to connect an electric appliance to power supply; a movable contact adapted to form with the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact... | 03/30/1999 |
| 5525952 | Switchblade A one-piece resilient switchblade includes contacts on its opposite end portions. A mounting arm extends transversely of the switchblade and is attached to a switchcase under bending stress for biasing the switchblade against a fulcrum. The mounting arm t... | 06/11/1996 |
| 4167720 | Circuit breaker with switching rocker A circuit breaker composed of a contact spring fixed at one end, carrying a movable contact at its free end and biassed to urge the movable contact away from an associated fixed contact, a switching rocker pivotally mounted to selectively move the spring ... | 09/11/1979 |