Patents by Inventor Chuck J. Crofut

Chuck J. Crofut 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: 6509719
    Abstract: An improved battery for children's ride-on vehicles. The battery includes a sealed housing that contains an internal circuit breaker that disconnects the flow of energy from the battery to the vehicle's one or more motors upon actuation. Upon removal of the actuating event, the circuit breaker automatically resets to reestablish the electrical circuit connecting the battery and the vehicle's one or more motors. The battery may alternatively include a manual reset that is accessible external the housing. Additionally, the battery may also include an internal one-shot fuse to protect against catastrophic failure of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Chuck J. Crofut, Brian L. Bienz
  • Publication number: 20020109480
    Abstract: An improved battery for children's ride-on vehicles. The battery includes a sealed housing that contains an internal circuit breaker that disconnects the flow of energy from the battery to the vehicle's one or more motors upon actuation. Upon removal of the actuating event, the circuit breaker automatically resets to reestablish the electrical circuit connecting the battery and the vehicle's one or more motors. The battery may alternatively include a manual reset that is accessible external the housing. Additionally, the battery may also include an internal one-shot fuse to protect against catastrophic failure of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventors: Chuck J. Crofut, Brian L. Bienz
  • Patent number: 6377026
    Abstract: An improved battery for children's ride-on vehicles. The battery includes a sealed housing that contains an internal circuit breaker that disconnects the flow of energy from the battery to the vehicle's one or more motors upon actuation. Upon removal of the actuating event, the circuit breaker automatically resets to reestablish the electrical circuit connecting the battery and the vehicle's one or more motors. The battery may alternatively include a manual reset that is accessible external the housing. Additionally, the battery may also include an internal one-shot fuse to protect against catastrophic failure of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Chuck J. Crofut, Brian L. Bienz
  • Patent number: 5928020
    Abstract: A battery connector system for use with a powered ride-on vehicle for children, where the vehicle includes an electric motor adapted to drive one or more wheels of the vehicle and a wiring harness adapted to convey power to the motor. The battery connector system includes a plug attached to the wiring harness and has a case substantially enclosing positive and negative plug contacts. The plug further includes a normally-open switch interposed between a switched one of the plug contacts and the wiring harness with the switch having an actuator by which the switch may be closed, whereby the switched plug contact is not electrically connected to the wiring harness until the switch is closed. The system further includes a battery including positive and negative terminals and a socket including housing structure adapted to fit together with the plug case and substantially enclosing positive and negative socket contacts which are respectively connected to positive and negative terminals of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignees: Mattel, Inc., Ark-Les Corp.
    Inventors: Julian J. Bishop, Jr., Chuck J. Crofut, Jeffrey W. Reynolds