Patents by Inventor Charles Raymond Gingrich, III

Charles Raymond Gingrich, III has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10476429
    Abstract: A solar junction box for a solar panel includes a contact assembly having a base configured to be mounted to a solar panel and a terminal held by the base. The base has at least one foil opening configured to receive a foil. The terminal has a protection device contact configured to be terminated to a protection device. The terminal has a foil contact configured to be terminated to the foil. The terminal has a terminating contact configured to be electrically connected to a terminating assembly. The solar junction box includes a cover covering the contact assembly. The cover has walls defining a cavity receiving the terminal of the contact assembly. The walls are configured to be mounted directly to the solar panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew Edward Mostoller, Christopher George Daily, Charles Raymond Gingrich, III
  • Publication number: 20190186719
    Abstract: A light sensor assembly includes a sensor connector configured to be coupled to a receptacle connector mounted to a light fixture. The sensor connector includes a housing having a top and a bottom defining a mating interface configured to be mated to the receptacle connector. The housing has a sealed cavity including a first sensor component in the sealed cavity sensing an environmental characteristic exterior of the sensor connector. The sensor connector includes power contacts held by the housing and extending from the bottom for electrical connection with receptacle power contacts of the receptacle connector. The sensor connector includes a lid assembly at the top of the housing. The lid assembly has a lid defining an unsealed cavity allowing airflow through the unsealed cavity. The lid assembly has a second sensor component in the unsealed cavity sensing an environmental characteristic exterior of the sensor connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Matthew Edward Mostoller, Justin Latorre, Christopher George Daily, Charles Raymond Gingrich, III
  • Patent number: 10256769
    Abstract: A solar junction box for a solar panel includes a housing having a base and walls defining a cavity. The cavity extends along a primary axis and a secondary axis generally perpendicular to the primary axis. The base has a foil opening receiving a foil of the solar panel. A terminal is received in the cavity. The terminal has a protection device contact terminated to a protection device and a foil contact configured to be terminated to the foil. The foil contact is oriented within the cavity such that the foil contact is configured to be terminated to the foil when the foil extends into the foil opening along the primary axis and such that the foil contact is configured to be terminated to the foil when the foil extends into the foil opening along the secondary axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III, Matthew Edward Mostoller, Christopher George Daily
  • Patent number: 10026568
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface and at least one opening therethrough. The substrate has a circuit. A switch mechanism is mounted to the substrate and is electrically connected to the circuit. The switch mechanism has an actuator configured to activate the switch mechanism. The switch mechanism has a housing holding the actuator and leads extending from the housing. The leads are electrically connected to the circuit. The switch mechanism is mounted to the substrate in the opening such that at least a portion of the housing is positioned below the top surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III, Matthew Edward Mostoller, Ronald Martin Weber
  • Patent number: 9985580
    Abstract: A solar junction box for a solar panel having a semiconductor layer including at least one photovoltaic cell and a foil electrically connected to the at least one cell, the solar panel having a glass layer above the semiconductor layer and a back sheet below the semiconductor layer includes a housing having walls defining a cavity. The housing is mounted at an edge of the solar panel. A terminal is received in the cavity and is configured to be terminated to the foil. An edge flap extends from the housing. The edge flap has an edge seal configured to be applied to the edge of the solar panel to seal the foil at the edge of the solar panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III
  • Patent number: 9780723
    Abstract: A solar junction box for a solar panel having at least one photovoltaic cell and a foil electrically connected to the at least one cell includes a housing having a base and walls defining a cavity. The housing is configured to be mounted to the solar panel. The base has at least one foil opening. A protection device is received in the cavity. A terminal is received in the cavity. The terminal has a protection device contact terminated to the protection device and a foil contact being crimped to the foil to electrically connect the terminal to the foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III, Matthew Edward Mostoller
  • Patent number: 9578767
    Abstract: A cover for an electronic module that has a housing holding a electrical component and a circuit board for operating the electrical component includes a cover plate having an interior surface and an exterior surface. The cover plate has a dielectric body. A majority of at least one of the interior surface and the exterior surface includes a conductive layer to provide electrical shielding for the cover plate. A connector portion is formed integrally with the cover plate defining a unitary structure. The connector portion includes a plurality of contact channels and a shroud extending from the exterior surface that surrounds a receptacle configured to receive a plug connector therein. Contacts are held in corresponding contact channels that have mating ends positioned in the receptacle and mounting ends exposed beyond the interior surface for mounting to the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III
  • Publication number: 20160380588
    Abstract: A solar junction box for a solar panel includes a contact assembly having a base configured to be mounted to a solar panel and a terminal held by the base. The base has at least one foil opening configured to receive a foil. The terminal has a protection device contact configured to be terminated to a protection device. The terminal has a foil contact configured to be terminated to the foil. The terminal has a terminating contact configured to be electrically connected to a terminating assembly. The solar junction box includes a cover covering the contact assembly. The cover has walls defining a cavity receiving the terminal of the contact assembly. The walls are configured to be mounted directly to the solar panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Matthew Edward Mostoller, Christopher George Daily, Charles Raymond Gingrich, III
  • Publication number: 20160380587
    Abstract: A solar junction box for a solar panel having at least one photovoltaic cell and a foil electrically connected to the at least one cell includes a housing having a base and walls defining a cavity. The housing is configured to be mounted to the solar panel. The base has at least one foil opening. A protection device is received in the cavity. A terminal is received in the cavity. The terminal has a protection device contact terminated to the protection device and a foil contact being crimped to the foil to electrically connect the terminal to the foil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III, Matthew Edward Mostoller
  • Publication number: 20160380585
    Abstract: A solar junction box for a solar panel includes a housing having a base and walls defining a cavity. The cavity extends along a primary axis and a secondary axis generally perpendicular to the primary axis. The base has a foil opening receiving a foil of the solar panel. A terminal is received in the cavity. The terminal has a protection device contact terminated to a protection device and a foil contact configured to be terminated to the foil. The foil contact is oriented within the cavity such that the foil contact is configured to be terminated to the foil when the foil extends into the foil opening along the primary axis and such that the foil contact is configured to be terminated to the foil when the foil extends into the foil opening along the secondary axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III, Matthew Edward Mostoller, Christopher George Daily
  • Publication number: 20160359449
    Abstract: A solar junction box for a solar panel having a semiconductor layer including at least one photovoltaic cell and a foil electrically connected to the at least one cell, the solar panel having a glass layer above the semiconductor layer and a back sheet below the semiconductor layer includes a housing having walls defining a cavity. The housing is mounted at an edge of the solar panel. A terminal is received in the cavity and is configured to be terminated to the foil. An edge flap extends from the housing. The edge flap has an edge seal configured to be applied to the edge of the solar panel to seal the foil at the edge of the solar panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventor: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III
  • Publication number: 20160286650
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface and at least one opening therethrough. The substrate has a circuit. A switch mechanism is mounted to the substrate and is electrically connected to the circuit. The switch mechanism has an actuator configured to activate the switch mechanism. The switch mechanism has a housing holding the actuator and leads extending from the housing. The leads are electrically connected to the circuit. The switch mechanism is mounted to the substrate in the opening such that at least a portion of the housing is positioned below the top surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III, Matthew Edward Mostoller, Ronald Martin Weber
  • Publication number: 20160278225
    Abstract: A cover for an electronic module that has a housing holding a electrical component and a circuit board for operating the electrical component includes a cover plate having an interior surface and an exterior surface. The cover plate has a dielectric body. A majority of at least one of the interior surface and the exterior surface includes a conductive layer to provide electrical shielding for the cover plate. A connector portion is formed integrally with the cover plate defining a unitary structure. The connector portion includes a plurality of contact channels and a shroud extending from the exterior surface that surrounds a receptacle configured to receive a plug connector therein. Contacts are held in corresponding contact channels that have mating ends positioned in the receptacle and mounting ends exposed beyond the interior surface for mounting to the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventor: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III
  • Patent number: 9166319
    Abstract: A flexible circuit board connector includes a contact having a separable mating interface mounted to a contact pad of a flexible circuit board and a terminating end terminated to a wire. A housing holds the contact and has a main body including a wire barrel configured to receive the wire. A clip is coupled to the housing with an intermediate space between the clip and the main body. The clip is movable between an open position and a closed position. The intermediate space is configured to receive the flexible circuit board when the clip is in the open position, and the clip and housing are configured to capture the flexible circuit board when the clip is in the closed position. The spring beam is configured to be electrically connected to the contact pad when the clip is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III, Matthew Edward Mostoller
  • Publication number: 20150111410
    Abstract: A flexible circuit board connector includes a contact having a separable mating interface mounted to a contact pad of a flexible circuit board and a terminating end terminated to a wire. A housing holds the contact and has a main body including a wire barrel configured to receive the wire. A clip is coupled to the housing with an intermediate space between the clip and the main body. The clip is movable between an open position and a closed position. The intermediate space is configured to receive the flexible circuit board when the clip is in the open position, and the clip and housing are configured to capture the flexible circuit board when the clip is in the closed position. The spring beam is configured to be electrically connected to the contact pad when the clip is in the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III, Matthew Edward Mostoller
  • Patent number: 8878454
    Abstract: A solid state lighting system includes an electronic driver having a power input configured to receive power from a power source and the electronic driver having a power output. The electronic driver controls the power supply to the power output according to a control protocol, and the electronic driver has at least one expansion port having a separable interface. The system also includes a light emitting diode (LED) subassembly having an LED board having at least one LED that receives power from the power output of the electronic driver to power the LED. The system further includes a first expansion module configured to be coupled to the at least one expansion port of the electronic driver having a first functionality affecting the control protocol, and a second expansion module configured to be coupled to the at least one expansion port of the electronic driver having a second functionality affecting the control protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Robert D. Rix, Ronald Martin Weber, Charles Raymond Gingrich, III, Matthew Edward Mostoller, Christopher George Daily
  • Patent number: 8851903
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing having a body and a head extending outward from the body. The housing is coupled to an LED circuit board with the head mounted to a front side of the LED circuit board and with the body extending through an opening of the LED circuit board to a rear side of the LED circuit board. The housing has driver card slot in the body configured to receive a driver card from the rear side of the LED circuit board. The housing has a contact channel open to the driver card slot with a contact therein. The contact has a mating interface configured to engage and be electrically connected to the driver card. The contact has a mounting leg extending from the head that is configured to be mounted to the front side of the LED circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Donald Francis Decker, George Irwin Peters, Jr., Matthew Edward Mostoller, Charles Raymond Gingrich, III
  • Patent number: 8845130
    Abstract: A socket assembly includes sockets ganged together to form a pod with each of the sockets comprising a socket housing having a first end and a second end. The socket housing has a receptacle and a power track routed along the socket housing between the first and second ends. The power track has a positive rail and a negative rail. The sockets also comprises an anode on the socket housing at the receptacle being electrically connected to the positive rail and a cathode on the socket housing at the receptacle being electrically connected to the negative rail. The power tracks of adjacent sockets within the pod are electrically connected together to form a power circuit. Light emitting diode (LED) packages are received in corresponding receptacles of the sockets, and each LED package has a first contact and a second contact configured to be coupled to the anode and cathode, respectively, when the LED package is received in the corresponding receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Charles Raymond Gingrich, III
  • Publication number: 20140024230
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing having a body and a head extending outward from the body. The housing is coupled to an LED circuit board with the head mounted to a front side of the LED circuit board and with the body extending through an opening of the LED circuit board to a rear side of the LED circuit board. The housing has driver card slot in the body configured to receive a driver card from the rear side of the LED circuit board. The housing has a contact channel open to the driver card slot with a contact therein. The contact has a mating interface configured to engage and be electrically connected to the driver card. The contact has a mounting leg extending from the head that is configured to be mounted to the front side of the LED circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Donald Francis Decker, George Irwin Peters, JR., Matthew Edward Mostoller, Charles Raymond Gingrich, III
  • Publication number: 20130323950
    Abstract: A connector assembly for installing a device to a ceiling grid, the ceiling grid having conductors provided therein. The connector assembly includes a housing with contact arms mounted in the housing. Contact portions of the contact arms extend from the housing and are placed in electrical engagement with the conductors when the connector assembly is mated with the ceiling grid. Mounting members extend from the housing. Mounting sections of the mounting members are placed in mechanical engagement with the ceiling grid to provide a mechanical connection between the ceiling grid and the connector assembly. A polarity protection/correction member is provided in the housing. The polarity protection/correction member protects the device from failure or damage when the polarity orientation of the device does not match the polarity orientation of the conductors of the grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles Raymond GINGRICH, III, Raymond Howard KOHLER, Marek T. LUKSIC