Richard B Kolbas, 7910 Reed Hl Dr, East Aurora, NY 14052

5300905, Apr 5, 1994

Oct 19, 1992

7/963216

Richard B. Kolbas - Wayne MI
Claude O. Lanciano - Brighton MI

Ford Motor Company - Dearborn MI

H01H 920

335167

An electrical power disconnect switch is disclosed which provides for mechanical or manual tripping operation, as well as electrical or automatic tripping operation. The switch includes a latch pin, a switch body including a handle member, and fixed and movable contacts. A biasing spring biases the contacts to an open position. The latch pin has an electrical trip coil surrounding it to cause the latch pin to releasably hold the switch body in a position such that the contacts are closed. The latch pin is retracted from the switch body by manual depression of a handle member, causing the contacts to open. Alternatively, the latch pin is released from the switch body to open the contacts when current ceases to flow through the electrical trip coil. The current flowing through the electrical trip coil is supplied from a protection circuit. In an automobile application, the protection circuit may be, for example, a hood open or crash detection circuit.

6201678, Mar 13, 2001

Mar 19, 1999

9/272475

Richard Bernhart Kolbas - Plymouth MI
Donald Paul Bilger - Livonia MI
Andrew Matzkin-Bridger - West Bloomfield MI

Lear Automotive Dearborn, Inc. - Southfield MI

H02H 300

361 935

A switch gear protection circuit for use in electric vehicles provides parallel circuit pathways for selectively coupling a power source to a capacitive load. A first pathway includes a main switch element that preferably is a high-current contactor or a high-current, low-voltage relay switch. A second pathway, which is in parallel with the first pathway, includes a low-voltage, low-current switch element in series with a circuit breaker element such as a fuse. When it is desirable to open the main switch element in the first pathway, the second pathway is closed. Once the second pathway is closed, the voltage drop across the first pathway is reduced and the first switch element can be opened. The parallel arrangement provides the ability to use low-voltage switch elements, that are relatively inexpensive compared to high-voltage components.