...that the Band-Aid Bandage was invented by a Johnson & Johnson employee whose wife had cut herself? Earl Dickson's wife was rather accident prone, so he set out to develop a bandage that she could apply without help. He placed a small piece of gauze in the center of a small piece of surgical tape, and what we know today as the Band Aid bandage was born!
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7351948 | Safety system and method utilizing multiple laser beams for an industrial machine A method of operating a safety system for an industrial press having a moveable section and a stationary section, the safety system providing a plurality of continuous planar laser beams having a generally constant lateral width, each laser beam being spaced at vary... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7342276 | Method and apparatus utilizing monocrystalline insulator A semiconductor device, including: a semiconductor material; a conductive element; and a substantially monocrystalline insulator disposed between the semiconductor material and the conductive eleme... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7329854 | System and method of connecting multiple safety light curtains A light screen safety curtain system including multiple light screens cascaded together to cooperatively protect an area or machine against unwanted intrusion. Such a system includes a plurality of independently operating light screens electrically connected to each... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7265512 | Actuator with feedback for end stop positioning Methods for operating an actuator including providing a position sensor and using the position sensor to provide end-stop functionality for the actuator. The actuator may have a motor controlled by control circuitry, with the control circuitry reading a variable fro... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7236849 | Safety system for power equipment Apparatus and method is disclosed for providing a safety system for power equipment comprising a machine having a lower tool, an upper tool, and a safety controller. The lower tool is electrically isolated from the reversible upper tool. A safety controller is coupl... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7120560 | Lamp monitoring and control system and method A system and method for remotely monitoring and/or controlling an apparatus and specifically for remotely monitoring and/or controlling street lamps. The lamp monitoring and control system comprises lamp monitoring and control units, each coupled to a respective lam... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7113893 | Lamp monitoring and control unit and method A unit and method for remotely monitoring and/or controlling an apparatus and specifically for remotely monitoring and/or controlling street lamps. The lamp monitoring and control unit comprises a processing and sensing unit for sensing at least one lamp parameter o... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7088253 | Flame detector, method and fuel valve control A flame detector and burner fuel valve control has an ultraviolet sensitive, cold cathode, gas discharge tube in a DC quench circuit. In the presence of a flame, the circuit generates a pulse signal at a frequency related to the intensity of radiation from the flame... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7057363 | Circuit for fan motor A circuit (10) for a fan motor comprises a driver circuit (12) having an FG terminal which is able to output a first signal carrying speed information of the fan motor, a photo coupler (142) connected to the FG terminal to receive the first sign... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7046154 | Flame-monitoring device The invention relates to a flame-monitoring device in which an a.c. input voltage (U1) is limited to a voltage limit (U2) by means of a voltage limiter (4). Said voltage limit (U2) is applied to a flame sensing device (7) which ope... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7004128 | Control apparatus for device having dead band, and variable valve system A control unit employed in a variable valve timing apparatus vibrates a control signal for controlling an oil-pressure control valve. If the vibration center of the duty value of the control signal for driving the oil-pressure control valve lies in a dead band, the ... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6906467 | Continuously variable headlamp control A system for automatically controlling continuously variable headlamps on a controlled vehicle includes an imaging system capable of determining lateral and elevational locations of headlamps from oncoming vehicles and tail lamps from leading vehicles. The system al... | 06/14/2005 |
| 6903327 | Laser guarded industrial press safety system A safety system for an industrial press having a moveable section (30), the safety means including: a laser emitting means (1) for emitting a continuous planar laser beam (9) having a generally constant lateral width; a light receiving means ( | 06/07/2005 |
| 6483470 | Power supply for a light pole mounted wireless antenna The present invention provides electrical power to wireless communication antenna systems by tapping into the electrical circuit used to power outdoor elevated lighting systems. The connection is made by interrupting the lighting circuit at the electric e... | 11/19/2002 |
| 5495385 | Fully automatic, photosensor-controlled time switch device A fully automatic, photosensor-controlled time switch device, which includes a control box having an input port connected to power supply and an output port for connecting the load to be controlled, and a control circuit installed inside the control box a... | 02/27/1996 |
| 5444307 | Wiper-activated headlight circuit A relay circuit connects the headlight circuit and wiper circuit of a motor vehicle to actuate the low-beam lamps whenever the windshield wipers are activated. The relay circuit includes a delay circuit to permit continuous operation of the headlights eve... | 08/22/1995 |
| 5374852 | Motor vehicle headlight activation apparatus for inclement weather conditions A lighting control apparatus for a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having an electrical power supply, an ignition switch, lights, a lighting control switch for illuminating the lights, a wiper device, and a wiper control switch for actuating the wiper de... | 12/20/1994 |
| 5266807 | Passive infrared detection system The present invention teaches an improved passive infrared detection system for use in controlling electrical wiring devices and systems in residential, commercial and industrial environments. Interior or exterior lighting, by way of example only, and the... | 11/30/1993 |
| 5195016 | Photoelectric load control system A photoelectric load control system for applying a.c. power to a street light as a function of ambient light level includes switching means for selectively applying a.c. power to a street light for turning the street light on and off; a trigger circuit ha... | 03/16/1993 |
| 5187383 | Headlight actuator associated with windsheild wiper actuation having delay circuits and daylight detection The disclosed circuit for actuating headlights has two time delay circuits, an AND gate, a power relay, and connections for appropriate installation to the circuitry of the automobile. When windshield wipers are operated, a pulse of the windshield wiper m... | 02/16/1993 |
| 5089931 | Safety device for electrical apparatus containing a dielectric gas, in particular circuit breakers or voltage-droppers for measurement purposes A safety device for an electrical apparatus comprising an enclosure filled with gas under pressure, the safety device comprising first means for detecting the appearance of an arc inside the enclosure, and second means controlled by the first means to est... | 02/18/1992 |
| 5016134 | Driver circuit for single coil magnetic latching relay A single coil magnetic latching relay drive circuit which utilizes AC power for energizing/deenergizing the relay. To energize the relay, a single full half cycle of the AC power at a first polarity is applied to the relay coil. To deenergize the relay, a... | 05/14/1991 |
| 4914721 | Safety device A safety device for an apparatus to be manipulated by an operator. The apparatus is connected via a supply line for a supply means to a supply means source. A handgrip is provided to be grasped by the operator for controlling the operation of the apparatu... | 04/03/1990 |
| 4851969 | Optical control system particularly suited for infrequently activated devices An optical system that controls the operation of infrequently used electrically activated devices of a vehicle, such as hood or trunk latches or door locks, is disclosed. The optical control system comprises a storage device and an optical device. The sto... | 07/25/1989 |
| 4841164 | Light-sensitive switch structure and method with inverse off/on ratio Light-sensitive switch structure for and method of turning a street light or other load on or off in response to variations in light level. The switch is designed to recognize a specific sequence of daily variations in light level and is capable of switch... | 06/20/1989 |
| 4814632 | Safety device A safety device for an apparatus to be manipulated by an operator. The apparatus is connected via a supply line for a supply means to a supply means source. A handgrip is provided to be grasped by the operator for controlling the operation of the apparatu... | 03/21/1989 |
| 4791413 | Soil moisture detector with light activated audio alarm inhibitor The soil moisture alarm device comprising of a conductivity sensor, a photoelectric light sensor, an ON-OFF controllable audio generator, a buzzer and a DC battery as a source of power. The device can be placed in the pot permanently. It will not work wit... | 12/13/1988 |
| 4782424 | Circuit arrangement for the non-contacting control of a sanitary fitting In a circuit arrangement for the non-contacting control of a sanitary fitting, the signal, by which the solenoid valve or valves is/are controlled, is monitored with regard to the leading or decaying edge. If the leading edge appears, then the sensitivity... | 11/01/1988 |
| 4771186 | Light-sensitive switch structure and method with inverse off/on ratio Light-sensitive switch structure for and method of turning a street light, or other load, on or off in response to varying light levels. The switch is designed to recognize the daily variations in light level and is capable of switching a load off at a li... | 09/13/1988 |
| 4757430 | Entrance door night light An entrance door night-light contained within an enclosure that is mounted to the head of an entrance doorway between the storm door and the entrance door. The enclosure is positioned to project light onto the doorhandle and lockset area. The enclosure co... | 07/12/1988 |
| 4733323 | Photothermic and time switch devices for outdoor low tension power supply system A light responsive control and overload protection circuit for low voltage illumination systems includes means responsive to ambient light for providing an enabling output. Control means respond to the enabling output for switching heating current on when... | 03/22/1988 |
| 4723192 | Automatic electricity control monitoring exit/entry device A device turns ON and OFF electrical power in a building in response to entry and exit of people. Four sets of infra red light emitters and receivers supply receiver signals to entry and exit monitor circuits having integrated circuits connected together ... | 02/02/1988 |
| 4685018 | Arc detector for gas insulated electrical apparatus An arc detector includes a luminous diode 22 for irradiating the space within a vessel 1 containing an electrical device such as a bus bar 5 and filled with insulating gas such as SF6. A shielded photo-diode 24 receives light reflected back fro... | 08/04/1987 |
| 4621300 | Safety monitoring system for punch press operators This safety monitoring system for punch press operators is designed to prevent the operators from being injured by such presses or other factory equipment. Primarily, it consists of a pair of wrist units which are strapped to the wrists of the operators, ... | 11/04/1986 |
| 4618770 | Electrical controller having a window discriminator An electrical control has a detector which senses the infrared radiation within a given area. A pair of comparators function as a window discriminator. A voltage divider provides reference bias potentials to the comparators. The same divider provides a bi... | 10/21/1986 |
| 4599052 | Control device for metering pump An electromagnetically operated fuel feed pump has an electronic control which comprises a phototransistor circuit with a delay element and a threshold switch. With this control a wear-free operation of the control is possible in a space-saving arrangemen... | 07/08/1986 |
| 4523251 | Electronic apparatus comprising an input stage with a binary output connected to a relay control circuit An electronic apparatus has an input stage (11) with a binary signal output (19). This signal output is connected to a relay control circuit which deenergizes or energizes the relay (15) in dependence on the output signal (0 or 1). The relay (15) can be h... | 06/11/1985 |
| 4489359 | Card key switch A card key switch including a card key obtained by forming notches, in accordance with a key code, on opposite side edges of a card or a card casing for accommodating the card, a key cylinder formed with a key slot, a plurality of tumblers, a light emitti... | 12/18/1984 |
| 4458290 | Circuit for controlling a D.C. electromagnetic brake A circuit for controlling a D.C. electromagnetic brake, in which a series circuit consisting of a solenoid 35 for the electromagnetic brake and a transistor 52 for controlling the current that flows into the solenoid is connected to a D.C. power source 8 ... | 07/03/1984 |
| 4364111 | Electronically controlled valve actuator A valve actuator is provided for use in conjunction with a valve having an actuating member movable between a first position in which the valve is closed and a second position in which the valve is open. The valve actuator comprises a reversible motor hav... | 12/14/1982 |