2326results about "Contact engagements" patented technology

A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take many forms such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and so on. The portable computing device can include at least a single piece housing. The single piece housing including a plurality of steps. The plurality of mounting steps are formed by at least removing a preselected amount of housing material at predetermined locations on the interior surface. At least some of the mounting steps are used to mount at least some of the plurality of internal operating components to the housing.

A switch includes at least two distributed constant lines (2a, 2b) disposed close to each other, a movable element (11) arranged above the distributed constant lines so as to oppose these distributed constant lines and connecting the distributed constant lines to each other in a high-frequency manner upon contacting the distributed constant lines, and a driving means (13) for displacing the movable element by an electrostatic force to bring the movable element into contact with the distributed constant lines. The movable element has a projection (52a, 52b) formed by notching at least one end of an edge of the movable element which is located on at least one distributed constant line side. In this projection, a width (a) serving as a length in a direction parallel to the widthwise direction of the distributed constant lines is smaller than a width (W) of each of the distributed constant lines.

The present invention relates to a hearing aid multifunctional switch comprising a base part, an externally activable switch arm, and a first and a second set of contact surfaces disposed at a surface of said base part. The first set of contact surfaces is adjacently positioned so as to form a substantially continuous surface, whereas the second set of electrically isolated contact surfaces is adjacently positioned so as to form a substantially continuous surface. The second set of contact surfaces is oppositely arranged to said first set so that the two sets have pairs of corresponding contact surfaces. A contact member is movable between said pairs of contact surfaces for providing electrical contact between a pair of corresponding contact surfaces. A pressure pad, wherein at least part of said pressure pad is positioned between a resilient member and the contact member, is biased by the resilient member against the contact member so as to ensure continuous contact between the contact surfaces and the contact member.

Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus that enables plasma etching of high aspect ratio features. In one embodiment, a method for etching is provided that includes providing a substrate having a patterned mask disposed on a silicon layer in an etch reactor, providing a gas mixture of the reactor, maintaining a plasma formed from the gas mixture, wherein bias power and RF power provided the reactor are pulsed, and etching the silicon layer in the presence of the plasma.

An interlock system is for a bypass transfer switch including first, second, third and fourth circuit breakers. First, second, third and fourth interlock assemblies each include a mounting bracket coupled on or proximate to a corresponding one of the circuit breakers, a transmitting member disposed on the mounting bracket and coupled to the poleshaft of the operating mechanism of the corresponding one of the circuit breakers, and a receiving mechanism disposed on the mounting bracket and structured to engage and actuate the circuit breaker trip lever in response to a trip condition. The transmitting member and receiving mechanism each include primary and secondary connections. A plurality of linkages are adapted to interconnect the connections among the circuit breakers in order to provide a predetermined automatic bypass interlock mechanism, without requiring a separate manual locking device.

The invention relates to a multipole fused switch arrangement for busbar systems having at least two fused switch units (10) which each holds a fuse link (20), with the fused switch units (10) having a mounting and contact apparatus (11) for a busbar, and having a switching apparatus for closing and interrupting the circuit of all the switched fuse units, with the fused switch arrangement comprising a combined switching and blocking apparatus (30), having a switching lever (40), an operating arrangement (60), a blocking apparatus (70) for each fused switch unit (10), and a locking apparatus (80).

An electronic device, e.g. a mobile telephone, may comprise an input device such as a rocker key device for operating functions in the electronic device. The input device may comprise a switch device with at least one switch pad mounted on a support structure, and an input actuator for actuating the switch device. Each switch pad comprises a plurality of press detection switches. Each press detection switch of the multiple press detection switches is configured to output a signal upon depression of the press detection switch, when the switch pad is actuated by means of the input actuator. Some embodiments of the present invention provide the user of a communication device with a more reliable input of data/commands and at the same time achieves a higher redundancy for such input. The invention also reduces the height of a portable electronic device and also the number of components required for doing this, and therefore reduces the cost of the device. Furthermore, the invention also provides a very low height and a flat shape of the actuator when implemented in a mobile device, whereby the use of the restricted space in such a device is optimized.

A single-pole relay switch capable of effective arc extinction irrespective of the current flowing directions in which the device is connected in a circuit. The switch has a housing and two sets of contacts located in the housing, each set being composed of a fixed contact and a movable contact. A contact carrier is provided to have first and second movable arms which extend commonly from a bridge and are provided respectively with the two movable contacts. An actuator applies a driving force to move the contact carrier between an ON-position of holding the movable contacts simultaneously in contact respectively with the fixed contacts, and an OFF-position of keeping the movable contacts at respective opening gaps from the fixed contacts. The housing includes a casing which is divided into first and second chambers respectively for receiving the contact sets, each of the first and second chambers being surrounded by a dielectric wall. Permanent magnet are disposed around the casing to stretch the individual arcs in opposing directions to each other and towards the dielectric walls of the first and second chambers, respectively. Thus, the individual arcs can be stretched individually within the separate chambers, i.e., in an isolated condition. Therefore, the individual arcs can be free from merging even when the current flows in such a direction as to drive the arcs in the approaching direction.

The present disclosure is directed to electrical switches that utilize conductors that are woven onto loading fibers and a mating conductor that has a contact mating surface. Each conductor has at least one contact point. The loading fibers are capable of delivering a contact force at each contact point of the conductors. Electrical connections are established between the contact points of conductors and the contact mating surface of the mating conductor when the conductor-loading fiber weave is engaged with the mating conductor and the electrical connections are terminated when the conductor-loading fiber weave is disengaged from the mating conductor. In one embodiment, the portion of the contact mating surface of the mating conductor where arcing between the conductors and the mating conductor is expected to occur is plated with a conductive arc-tolerant material, such as silver, for example. In another embodiments, the portions of the conductors where arcing is expected to occur are plated with a conductive arc-tolerant material. In an alternate embodiment, the conductors are made thicker where arcing between the conductors and the mating conductor is expected to occur. The contact mating surface of the mating conductor can include a non-conductive portion that assists in guiding the conductor-loading fiber weave when its being engaged and disengaged from the mating conductor.

A switch structure on the sidewall of a circuit board for an electronic device and manufacturing methods of the circuit board are provided. The switch structure includes a circuit board, a plurality of conductive portions, and a movable unit. The conductive portions are formed on a sidewall of the circuit board and electrically insulated from each other. The movable unit is disposed corresponding to the conductive portions to electrically connect or disconnect the plurality of conductive portions to achieve the switch function. The switch structure utilizes the structural design of the circuit board to reduce the space on the circuit board preserved for a circuit board switch.

Methods and systems for measuring and gathering data relating to publication usage by participants in publication readership studies. Some methods and systems employ portable monitors carried by participants of the studies along with publications fitted with various devices, such as piezoelectric transducers, RFID tags and others devices and circuits.

The present invention is directed to an inductively driven electromagnetic linear actuator arrangement employing eddy currents induced by a fixed drive coil to drive its armature. Eddy current focusing fields are employed to direct the eddy currents using Lorentz forces to maximize armature speed. The armature includes a shorted driven coil in a DC magnetic field. This can be supplied by a permanent magnet. When current is applied, a force is felt by the coil in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field. Such an actuator is well suited for electrical switching applications including transfer switching applications, circuit breaker applications, and ground fault interrupter applications.

An electric plant with a safety device, a method for remedying faults in a switchgear installation, and the use of a closing contact to provide security against faults. The plant includes a switchgear installation, consumer loads connected to the switchgear installation, and at least one feeder cable to the switchgear installation. The plant provides a strong consumer network that still has a high degree of safety against damage caused by short-circuiting faults. The plant includes at least two feeder cables, each connected to its own current source such as a transformer or a generator. At least one of the feeder cables is connected by a branch cable to ground. The branch cable is provided with a closing contact, which is normally open. The closing contact is arranged to be activated, i.e. to quickly close the connection to ground, in the event of short-circuiting in the switchgear installation.