IIIH
US006893153B2
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,893,153 B2
Hofifer et al. (45) Date of Patent: May 17,2005
(54) TEMPERATURE-INDICATING POWER ADAPTER AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE THAT OPERATES THEREWITH
(75) Inventors: Cary J Hotter, Albany, OR (US);
James F Bausch, Salem, OR (US)
(73) Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development
Company, L.P., Houston, TX (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 10/187,189
(22) Filed: Jun. 28, 2002
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2004/0001526 Al Jan. 1, 2004
(51) Int. CI.7 G01K 13/00; G01K 1/08;
G01K 07/00
(52) U.S. CI 374/152; 374/183; 374/208;
374/141
(58) Field of Search 374/141, 162,
374/152, 159, 183, 185, 208; 116/207
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,121,462 A * 10/1978 Mohrman 374/163
4,156,365 A * 5/1979 Heinmets et al 374/162
4,249,697 A * 2/1981 Savage, Jr 374/112
4,278,970 A * 7/1981 Streczyn et al 374/185
4,459,046 A * 7/1984 Spirg 374/162
RE31,715 E * 10/1984 Coates et al 374/162
4,576,487 A * 3/1986 Conover et al 374/183
4,891,250 A * 1/1990 Weibe et al 374/162
5,249,141 A * 9/1993 Vandebroek et al 702/132
5,355,123 A * 10/1994 Nishiura et al 340/653
5,532,524 A * 7/1996 Townsley et al 307/64
5,588,747 A * 12/1996 Blevins 374/162
5,699,239 A * 12/1997 Komori 363/21.07
5,841,204 A * 11/1998 English 374/132
5,841,285 A * 11/1998 Bailey 374/162
5,997,964 A * 12/1999 Klima, Jr 428/1.54
6,005,484 A * 12/1999 Ko 340/662
6,078,511 A * 6/2000 Fasullo et al 363/50
6,114,941 A * 9/2000 Scott 337/332
6,243,276 Bl * 6/2001 Neumann 363/53
6,266,261 Bl * 7/2001 Lanni 363/144
6,307,746 Bl * 10/2001 Beckman 361/687
6,437,543 Bl * 8/2002 Oter et al 320/150
2002/0038795 Al * 4/2002 Katooka et al 219/130.21
2002/0079866 Al * 6/2002 Odaohhara 320/150
2003/0024465 Al * 2/2003 Perner et al 116/217
2003/0103366 Al * 6/2003 MacDonald et al 363/131
2003/0231695 Al * 12/2003 Cheah 374/141
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
EP 0432486 Al * 6/1991 374/101
GB 2034033 A * 5/1980 G01K/11/16
GB 2199981 A * 7/1988 374/162
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—Diego Gutierrez
Assistant Examiner—Mirellys Jagan
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—-Jeff D. Limon
(57) ABSTRACT
A temperature-indicating power adapter includes a case, a conversion module coupled to the case that receives a first voltage and produces a second voltage. The adapter also includes a temperature-indicating device that is also coupled to the case for indicating the temperature of the case.
15 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets
