Patents by Inventor Michael Allen Blanchfield

Michael Allen Blanchfield 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: 7137848
    Abstract: A connector family that has a central housing having a connector mating face and a board mounting interface. An outer shell is shaped to fit over the central housing. The outer shell at least partially encloses the board mounting interface and exposes the connector mating interface of the central housing. The outer shell has a cable interface that is configured to be joined to a cable. Contacts are held in the central housing. The contacts, central housing and outer shell are used in different configurations depending upon the application. In a first application, the outer shell is mounted over the central housing to form a first configuration. In a second application, the outer shell is removed to expose the board mounting interface on the central housing to form a second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: David Allison Trout, Richard Nicholas Whyne, Michael Allen Blanchfield
  • Patent number: 6776635
    Abstract: A multi-beam power contact is provided including a main body and a plurality of at least three beams, which may be grouped in beam pairs, extending from the main body. The beams are adapted for mating with a mating connector, and the beams comprise contact areas adapted for electrical connection with the mating connector. Additionally, the multi-beam power contact may optionally include at least one initial contact beam and at least one non-initial contact beam. The initial contact beam is arranged to electrically connect to the mating connector before the non-initial contact beam electrically connects while the multi-beam power contact is being mated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Allen Blanchfield, Michael Stephen Garland, Troy Everette Conner, James Charles Shiffler
  • Patent number: 6641420
    Abstract: A connector assembly is provided with a floatable mounting apparatus formed thereon to enable the connector assembly to correct for misalignment between mounting structures. The connector assembly includes a connector housing having peripheral surfaces with an outer contour shaped to loosely fit in an inner contour of a mounting structure, such as a card, panel, circuit board, bulk head, rack assembly and the like. The connector housing is slidably inserted into the opening through the mounting structure. A chamber is provided in the connector housing adapted to securely retain contacts. At least one latch beam is formed with the connector housing and aligned to engage the mounting structure. A float gap is located between the inner contour of the opening through the mounting structure and the outer contour of the connector housing to enable relative movement therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Allen Blanchfield, John Bossert Brown, III, Troy Everette Conner
  • Patent number: 6575776
    Abstract: An electrical connector having improved cooling is provided. The electrical connector has a housing having at least one mating surface defined on a first plane and a surface defined on a second plane, where the first and second plane are perpendicular to each other. At least one passageway is defined by the mating surface and adapted to receive at least one contact. At least one vent is defined by the surface and adapted to create turbulent airflow in an interior chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Troy Everette Conner, Daniel Robert Ringler, Melissa Ann Sherman, Michael Allen Blanchfield
  • Publication number: 20030017747
    Abstract: A connector assembly is provided with a floatable mounting apparatus formed thereon to enable the connector assembly to correct for misalignment between mounting structures. The connector assembly includes a connector housing having peripheral surfaces with an outer contour shaped to loosely fit in an inner contour of a mounting structure, such as a card, panel, circuit board, bulk head, rack assembly and the like. The connector housing is slidably inserted into the opening through the mounting structure. A chamber is provided in the connector housing adapted to securely retain contacts. At least one latch beam is formed with the connector housing and aligned to engage the mounting structure. A float gap is located between the inner contour of the opening through the mounting structure and the outer contour of the connector housing to enable relative movement therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventors: Michael Allen Blanchfield, John Bossert Brown, Troy Everette Conner
  • Patent number: 6506081
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a floatable mounting apparatus that enables the connector assembly to correct for misalignment between mounting structures. The connector assembly also includes a connector housing having peripheral surfaces with an outer contour shaped to loosely fit in an inner contour of a mounting structure, such as a card, panel, circuit board, bulk head, rack assembly and the like. The connector housing is slidably inserted into the opening through the mounting structure. A chamber is provided in the connector housing adapted to securely retain contacts. At least one latch beam is formed with the connector housing and aligned to engage the mounting structure. A float gap is located between the inner contour of the opening through the mounting structure and the outer contour of the connector housing to enable relative movement therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Allen Blanchfield, John Bossert Brown, III, Troy Everette Conner
  • Publication number: 20020193019
    Abstract: A multi-beam power contact is provided including a main body and a plurality of at least three beams, which may be grouped in beam pairs, extending from the main body. The beams are adapted for mating with a mating connector, and the beams comprise contact areas adapted for electrical connection with the mating connector. Additionally, the multi-beam power contact may optionally include at least one initial contact beam and at least one non-initial contact beam. The initial contact beam is arranged to electrically connect to the mating connector before the non-initial contact beam electrically connects while the multi-beam power contact is being mated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Michael Allen Blanchfield, Michael Stephen Garland, Troy Everette Conner, James Charles Shiffler
  • Publication number: 20020182897
    Abstract: A connector assembly is provided with a floatable mounting apparatus formed thereon to enable the connector assembly to correct for misalignment between mounting structures. The connector assembly includes a connector housing having peripheral surfaces with an outer contour shaped to loosely fit in an inner contour of a mounting structure, such as a card, panel, circuit board, bulk head, rack assembly and the like. The connector housing is slidably inserted into the opening through the mounting structure. A chamber is provided in the connector housing adapted to securely retain contacts. At least one latch beam is formed with the connector housing and aligned to engage the mounting structure. A float gap is located between the inner contour of the opening through the mounting structure and the outer contour of the connector housing to enable relative movement therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventors: Michael Allen Blanchfield, John Bossert Brown, Troy Everette Conner
  • Patent number: 5823811
    Abstract: The present invention provides an environmentally sealed electrical connector assembly including a housing (100,200) having a rigid section and a flexible section. The rigid section includes a front portion (102,202), a rear portion (104,204), a plurality of electrical terminal receiving cavities (106,206), and a passageway (107,207) disposed within the rigid section so as to be in fluid communication with various outlets positioned within the outer surfaces (120,172,272) of the rigid section. The flexible section of the housing comprises a unitary sealing member (108,208) that is fixedly adhered to either the front portion (102,202) of the rigid section, the rear portion (104,204) of the rigid section, or both. A portion (168,268) of the unitary sealing member is embedded within the rigid section of the housing (100,200).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Allen Blanchfield, Albert Washington Frantum, Jr., George Warren Wolverton