Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Other

Robert Dam

Richard R Herzog

David R Nowak

Karl S Morgan

Chong Bin Wong

Richard D Gjerde

Joseph J Gierut

Kurt A Kuehn

Anatoly I Gosis

Anthony R Caringella

Alberto Bassi

Juan J Barrena

Massimo Aleardi

Earl J Genz

Stephen Virgilio

Robert G Tegel

Michael W Hartley

Michael W Davis

John G Drelicharz

Abram Cervantes

Chuck Esposito

Ronald R Hostert

Richard D McAffrey

Julie Suvada Rutkowski

Theodore James John Veselsky

Charles E Marx

Mike Davis

A thermally actuated lock for an appliance incorporates a fusible material that holds a spring-loaded bolt in retraction. Temperatures that would indicate an appliance fire allow the bolt to extend between the housing and appliance door to lock the appliance door in a closed position.

Thermally actuated dryer door lock

A dual function switch assembly includes a switch housing part containing multiple switches at different elevations and a rotor having cam surfaces aligned with the switches for operating the switches. A mounting part is connected to the switch housing part and provides mounting features for attachment in a desired installation.

Dual function switch assembly

A system for dampening an opening motion of a door includes a frame, an access door and at least one dampening member. The access door is rotatably secured to the frame. The access door is configured to be moved with respect to the frame between closed and completely open positions. The at least one dampening member is secured to the access door or the frame. The dampening member(s) dampens movement of the access door toward the completely open position over a range of motion.

Door motion dampening system

A latch device including a latch strike retention assembly adapted for press-fit insertion into a panel opening and retention within the panel opening upon melting of any plastic components. The latch strike retention assembly includes a generally 'U' shaped spring member having spring legs operatively connected to bushings arranged in converging opposing relation to one another and adapted to engage and retain a strike member disposed in opposing relation to the strike retention assembly. The spring member is held within a bracket member of substantially 'U' shaped cross section. The bracket member is disposed in transverse orientation to the spring member.

Latch device

Embodiments of the present invention provide a leveling assembly configured to be secured to an appliance. The leveling assembly supports the appliance on a floor, and includes a base having a column integrally connected to a ledge, which is integrally connected to a stem. The assembly also includes a spring positioned around the stem, and a sleeve secured to the stem and positioned around the spring. The spring exerts equal and opposite forces into the sleeve and the ledge, respectively.

Leveling assembly

A gas appliance control assembly includes a gas valve and a reed switch operated simultaneously by rotation of a single shaft. The reed switch opens and closes a circuit including an electronic ignition module and a spark igniter so that spark is provided as the gas valve is adjusted to a burner igniting condition.

Rotary actuated reed switch control

The invention relates to devices configured and adapted to give a fluid stream the appearance of being lighted. Different colors of light, such as those provided from LEDs, may be used to generate an aesthetically pleasing effect of flowing colored fluid. In some embodiments, the fluid illumination may be accomplished by a light source directed towards a fluid stream from an external angle, for example. Alternatively, the light source may be pointed in the direction of the fluid stream, lighting it substantially internally. In yet other embodiments, the fluid illumination may be enhanced with the employment of reflective surfaces that bounce light around and through the fluid stream. To increase the appearance of being lighted, the reflective fluid surface area may be increased by generating turbulent flow. In certain embodiments, turbulent flow is achieved with the use of a separator to separate a single fluid stream into a plurality of micro-streams.

Lighted water stream

An actuator mechanism is provided for a dishwasher dispensing assembly including a detergent dispenser actuator and a rinse agent dispenser actuator. Shape memory wire is connected to each actuator and is used to open a detergent reservoir and a rinse aid reservoir by operating the actuator through contraction of the shape memory wire.

Dishwasher dispensing assembly actuator mechanism

An airflow control device has a fixed damper element and a movable damper element. Shape memory wires are connected to the fixed damper element and the movable damper element. The shape memory wires are alternately electrified to cause the contraction thereof to move the movable damper element in opposite directions. A heater can be provided along with the damper elements to overcome frost buildup in cold environments, such as refrigeration systems.

Airflow control device

A beverage cup and cupholder system made in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes a beverage cup 10 and a cupholder 50. The beverage cup 10 includes a sleeve 13, a liner 19, and a base 20. The base 20 includes an O-ring 22, a plate 23, a heating element 27 and spring terminals 28a, 28b. The heating element preferably exhibits a variable PTC effect. The base further includes a contact ring 25 and a contact disk 29. The cupholder 50 is adapted to mate with the base 20 of the beverage cup 10. Preferably, the cupholder 50 has recessed land areas 57, 58 which lie below a plane of support 53 for the beverage cup 50. The recessed land areas 57, 58 are electrically isolated from each other. The cupholder includes spring contacts 52, 54 which are adapted to receive connections from an external source of electrical current. The spring contacts 52, 54 extend into the recessed land areas 57, 58. The beverage cup 10, when filled with a hot beverage, is placed into the cupholder 50. As the beverage cup 10 is placed into the cupholder 50, the contact disk 29 and contact ring 25 automatically align with the recessed land areas 57, 58 and make contact with the spring contacts 52, 54. The use of a heating element 27 having a PTC effect maintains a beverage at a desirable equilibrium temperature for an extended period of time.

Electrically heated beverage cup and cupholder system

An accelerator module comprises a printed circuit board having resistance elements mounted thereon, and an actuator pivotably mounted upon the printed circuit board and having a wiper member mounted upon a first end of the actuator. A rotary input shaft, connected to an accelerator pedal of an electric vehicle, has an input shaft arm fixedly mounted thereon, and the input shaft arm is pivotably connected to a second end of the actuator whereby the structural arrangement defines a mechanically advantaged linkage system whereby a predetermined pivotable movement of the rotary input shaft and its associated input shaft arm translates into an enhanced, enlarged, or magnified pivotable movement of the actuator and its associated wiper member for movement along the resistance elements of the printed circuit board.

Accelerator module

A switch structure is provided for use in computer pen-based applications which can be easily adapted to perform either as a 'writing' pen, an 'artist' pen, or a 'CAD' pen. The switch structure includes a top compression spring, an actuator, a bottom compression spring, a pair of PCB-connectible terminal pins, a printed circuit board having a pair of fixed spaced-apart electrodes and a cover plate which are especially arranged within a housing. The pair of terminal pins are in engagement with a respective one of the pair of electrodes. In one preferred embodiment, one end of the bottom compression spring contactly engages the pair of terminal pins to produce an electrical connection between the pair of electrodes when the actuator is in its fully extended position. The components of the switch structure can be easily modified so as to be utilized in each of the three common pen applications, thereby reducing cost in manufacturing and assembly. The uniquely-designed PCB-connectible terminal pins are adapted for electrical connections with a pair of electrodes formed on the printed circuit board, thereby eliminating the necessity for soldering hard-wire connections.

Switch for computer pen

A switch structure is provided for use in computer pen-based applications which can be easily adapted to perform either as a 'writing' pen, an 'artist' pen, or a 'CAD' pen. The switch structure includes a top compression spring, an actuator, a bottom compression spring, a pair of terminals, and a cover plate which are uniquely arranged within a housing. The pair of terminals are disposed in the opposite sides of the housing. In one preferred embodiment, one end of the bottom compression spring contactly engages the pair of terminals to produce an electrical connection therebetween when the actuator is in its fully extended position. The components of the switch structure can be easily modified so as to be utilized in each of the three common pen applications, thereby reducing cost in manufacturing and assembly. The unique switch structure allows a circuit between the pair of terminals to reliably break at relatively small displacements of the actuator, with a relatively small amount of force.

Growing community of inventors

Aurora, IL, United States of America

Robert Dam