US3704462A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Manually resettable electromagnetic indicators
Assignee: Minelco Inc
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Filing: 1970-09-21
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Granted: 1972-11-28
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Expires: 1990-09-21
Abstract
Abstract A manually resettable electromagnetic flag indicator capable of binary indication comprising a sealed electromagnet sub-assembly and a display sub-assembly coupled together so that a pulse input to the electromagnet sub-assembly will cause the display subassembly to be operated to provide a first predetermined indication. The two sub-assemblies are coupled so that manual rotation of a portion of the display sub-assembly relative to the electromagnet sub-assembly will cause a second predetermined indication to be displayed.
Inventors
- 👤 George E Pihl
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 04:28
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B5/00; G08B5/22; G08B5/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
356 words
A bistable electromagnetic indicator comprising a case, an electromagnet unit secured within said case, said electromagnet unit comprising coil means and magnetic core means providing first and second poles which are oppositely magnetically polarized when said coil means is energized, permanent magnet means secured within said case having third and fourth poles of opposite magnetic polarities, said first and second poles being disposed in alternately occuring relation to said third and fourth poles about the axis of said case, first and second magnetic stop means spaced with respect to each other so that upon rotation as a unit on said axis they can move from engagement with said first and second poles respectively into engagement with said third and fourth poles respectively, means supporting said first and second stop means for rotation as a unit on said axis, a magnet mounted for rotation on said axis independently of rotation of said stop means, said magnet being polarized diametrically relative to said axis and being disposed so that said stop means are located in its path of rotational movement and determine first and second limit positions for said magnet, cooperating indicating members for providing a first indication when said magnet is in said first limit position and a second indication when said magnet is in said second limit position, spring means for urging said first and second stop assemblies means into engagement with said first and second poles, terminal means for said coil means whereby said coil means may be energized to establish magnetic polarities at said first and second poles such as to cause said first and second stop means to magnetically repel said magnet from said first limit position to said second limit position, and means for manually rotating said first and second stop means as a unit out of engagement with said first and second poles and into engagement with said third and fourth poles, the polarities of said third and fourth poles being such as to cause said first and second stop means when in engagement therewith to magnetically repel said magnet from said second limit position back to said first limit position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
356 words
A bistable electromagnetic indicator comprising a case, an electromagnet unit secured within said case, said electromagnet unit comprising coil means and magnetic core means providing first and second poles which are oppositely magnetically polarized when said coil means is energized, permanent magnet means secured within said case having third and fourth poles of opposite magnetic polarities, said first and second poles being disposed in alternately occuring relation to said third and fourth poles about the axis of said case, first and second magnetic stop means spaced with respect to each other so that upon rotation as a unit on said axis they can move from engagement with said first and second poles respectively into engagement with said third and fourth poles respectively, means supporting said first and second stop means for rotation as a unit on said axis, a magnet mounted for rotation on said axis independently of rotation of said stop means, said magnet being polarized diametrically relative to said axis and being disposed so that said stop means are located in its path of rotational movement and determine first and second limit positions for said magnet, cooperating indicating members for providing a first indication when said magnet is in said first limit position and a second indication when said magnet is in said second limit position, spring means for urging said first and second stop assemblies means into engagement with said first and second poles, terminal means for said coil means whereby said coil means may be energized to establish magnetic polarities at said first and second poles such as to cause said first and second stop means to magnetically repel said magnet from said first limit position to said second limit position, and means for manually rotating said first and second stop means as a unit out of engagement with said first and second poles and into engagement with said third and fourth poles, the polarities of said third and fourth poles being such as to cause said first and second stop means when in engagement therewith to magnetically repel said magnet from said second limit position back to said first limit position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
An indicator according to claim 1 wherein said means for manually rotating said stop means comprises a ring rotatably mounted on said case, and further wherein said means supporting said stop means is secured to and rotatable with said ring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
An indicator according to claim 2 wherein said case, said electromagnet unit, said permanent magnet means and said terminals means form a first discrete sub-assembly and said cooperating indicating members, said first and second stop means, said magnet and said ring constitute a second discrete sub-assembly that is separable from said first assembly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
An indicator according to claim 1 wherein said magnet is mounted on the end of a first shaft and further including means for rotatably supporting said first shaft connected to said means for supporting said stop means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
An indicator according to claim 3 wherein said means for rotatably supporting said stop means for rotation on said axis comprises first and second rotatably connected members with said first member forming part of said first assembly and said second member forming part of said second assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
An indicator according to claim 5 wherein said first and second members are disposed in coaxial telescoping relation to each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
An indicator according to claim 5 wherein said magnet is mounted on the end of a first shaft and further wherein said first shaft is rotatably supported by said first member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
An indicator according to claim 1 wherein said means for rotatably supporting said stop means comprises a first member having a shaft section and a peripheral flange section, and a second shaft member disposed in fixed relation to said electromagnetic unit, said shaft section and shaft member rotatably coupled together in axially aligned relationship, said stop assemblies being affixed to said flange section in radial spaced relation to said shaft section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
An indicator according to claim 8 wherein said magnet is mounted on the end of a shaft that is rotatably supported by said first member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
An indicator according to claim 9 wherein the shaft section of said first member has an axial bore and the shaft on which said magnet is mounted is rotatably disposed in said axial bore.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
An indicator according to claim 8 wherein said spring is a helically coiled spring surrounding said shaft section within said case, one end of said spring being connected to said shaft section and the opposite end of said spring being anchored against movement with respect to said case.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
115 words
An indicator according to claim 8 wherein said flange section is disposed between said magnet on the one hand and said electromagnet unit and said permanent magnet means on the other hand, and said stop means comprises first portions on one side of said flange and second portions on the opposite side of said flange, said first portions disposed to engage the poles of said core means and the poles of said permanent magnet means according to the rotational position of said stop means relative to the poles of said core means and said permanent magnet means and said second portions disposed to be engaged by said magnet in each of its two limit positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
An indicator according to claim 1 wherein said electromagnet unit comprises two elongate cores and two coils with each coil wound on a separate one of said cores, said coils being connected in series between said terminal means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
An indicator according to claim 13 wherein said cores are disposed in parallel spaced relation to each other and said axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
An indicator according to claim 13 further including magnetic means connecting said two cores.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
An indicator according to claim 13 wherein said permanent magnet means comprises two elongate permanent magnets disposed in parallel spaced relation to each other and said axis.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
An indicator according to claim 16 wherein said elongate magnets and said cores are disposed about said axis in alternately occurring relation to each other.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
An indicator according to claim 1 further inclUding shunt means for providing a low reluctance path for said permanent magnet means when said magnet is moved by energization of said coil means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
172 words
An electromagnetic indicator comprising a rotatably mounted magnet, magnetic stop means for limiting movement of said magnet between first and second limit positions, an indicator member mounted for movement with said rotatably mounted magnet and adapted to provide a different indication in each of said limit positions, electromagnetic means operable when energized to rotate said magnet in a direction determined by the direction of current flow through said electromagnetic means, a permanent magnet reset assembly, said magnetic stop means being moveable relative to said permanent magnet reset assembly and said permanent magnet reset assembly being disposed so as to be mechanically engageable by said magnetic stop means, and means for moving said magnetic stop means into and out of mechanical engagement with said permanent magnet reset assembly, said permanent magnet reset assembly being arranged so that when engaged by said magnetic stop means its magnetic field will cause said magnet and thereby said indicator member to rotate in a direction opposite to the movement thereof caused by energization of said electromagnetic means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
172 words
An electromagnetic indicator comprising a rotatably mounted magnet, magnetic stop means for limiting movement of said magnet between first and second limit positions, an indicator member mounted for movement with said rotatably mounted magnet and adapted to provide a different indication in each of said limit positions, electromagnetic means operable when energized to rotate said magnet in a direction determined by the direction of current flow through said electromagnetic means, a permanent magnet reset assembly, said magnetic stop means being moveable relative to said permanent magnet reset assembly and said permanent magnet reset assembly being disposed so as to be mechanically engageable by said magnetic stop means, and means for moving said magnetic stop means into and out of mechanical engagement with said permanent magnet reset assembly, said permanent magnet reset assembly being arranged so that when engaged by said magnetic stop means its magnetic field will cause said magnet and thereby said indicator member to rotate in a direction opposite to the movement thereof caused by energization of said electromagnetic means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
An indicator according to claim 1 further including damping means for damping rotational movement of said stop assemblies by said spring means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
An indicator according to claim 3 further including damping means for damping rotational movement of said stop means by said spring means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
An indicator according to claim 21 wherein said damping means is disposed between said first and second sub-assemblies.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
An indicator according to claim 22 wherein said damping means is a viscous material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
168 words
An electromagnetic indicator comprising an indicator assembly that includes a magnet and an indicator member connected to move as a unit, support means rotatably supporting said indicator assembly, said support means including magnetic stop means for limiting rotational movement of said indicator assembly between predetermined limit positions, electromagnetic means operable when energized to magnetically urge said magnet to rotate in a direction determined by the direction of current flow through said electromagnetic means, a permanent magnet reset assembly, means connecting said support means and said reset assembly so that said support means is rotatable relative to said reset assembly, said reset assembly being disposed so that by relative rotation of said support means and said reset assembly said stop means are moveable into and out of proximity to said reset assembly, said reset assembly being adapted to exert a magnetic force of rotation on said magnet when said stop means are in proximity to said reset means and said indicator assembly is in one of said limit positions.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
168 words
An electromagnetic indicator comprising an indicator assembly that includes a magnet and an indicator member connected to move as a unit, support means rotatably supporting said indicator assembly, said support means including magnetic stop means for limiting rotational movement of said indicator assembly between predetermined limit positions, electromagnetic means operable when energized to magnetically urge said magnet to rotate in a direction determined by the direction of current flow through said electromagnetic means, a permanent magnet reset assembly, means connecting said support means and said reset assembly so that said support means is rotatable relative to said reset assembly, said reset assembly being disposed so that by relative rotation of said support means and said reset assembly said stop means are moveable into and out of proximity to said reset assembly, said reset assembly being adapted to exert a magnetic force of rotation on said magnet when said stop means are in proximity to said reset means and said indicator assembly is in one of said limit positions.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-11-28 | 1976-05-29 | 1976-11-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-11-28 | 1980-05-29 | 1980-11-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-11-28 | 1984-05-29 | 1984-11-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |