Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Ark-les Corporation

U.S. Controls Corporation

William E Bargholtz, Jr

Kenyon A Hapke

Michael Osvatic

Spencer C Schantz

Mark R Heckenkamp

Jerald J Smith

Brian A Stelloh

XianBo Wang

Steve L Sagar

Maxwell J Kirby

A printed circuit board provides lateral notches for receiving wire conductors in a lateral direction to be joined with printed circuit board traces by solder or an insulation displacement connector eliminating the need for laborious sequential insertion of conductors through printed circuit board holes.

Printed circuit board with side access termination pads

Improved adhesion, electrical connection, and thermal connection between an electrical heater and a wax motor element are obtained by using multiple zones of different adhesives optimized for different properties. The location of the zones and the area of the zones may be a controlled to effect a trade off between different properties and to limit the expression of the conductive adhesive.

Adhesive system for attaching PTC heater to a wax motor

A casing (11, 12) holds an actuator (18) having a stem (21) that is moves a plunger with substantial force in response to the actuator (18) being heated. The movement of the plunger (22) loads a compression spring (23) that is located between a base end of the plunger (22) and an opposing end wall of the casing. Two longitudinal casing sections (11, 12) form arcuate projections (43, 44) on the opposing end wall (49) which are inserted within at least one coil of the spring with an interference fit to hold the casing half sections together. Beams (64, 65, 74, 75) adjacent the base end wall (17) add support against the thrust reaction movement of the actuator housing (18) in response to movement of the plunger (22) against the compression spring (23).

Actuator assembly for use in appliances

Growing community of inventors

Palmyra, WI, United States of America

William E Bargholtz, Jr