Patents by Inventor Rick Pepe
Rick Pepe 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).
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Patent number: 11262008Abstract: A quick connector coupling for making a severable connection with a male member and a female tube in a fluid line includes a connector body having a through bore for receiving the male member having a tubular shape sized to extend into the through bore of the connector body and having an upset, a retainer releasably securing the male member within the connector body, and a verifier including an antenna having a contact point and moving between a latched position and an unlatched position inside the connector body. The connector body includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip having a signal, which is enabled to read through the antenna when the contact point of the antenna contacts the RFID chip of the connector body in the latched position of the verifier.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: Cody Rydin, Rick Pepe, David Gabbey, Alexis Rogers
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Publication number: 20220010907Abstract: A quick connector coupling for making a severable connection with a male member and a female tube in a fluid line includes a connector body having a through bore for receiving the male member having a tubular shape sized to extend into the through bore of the connector body and having an upset, a retainer releasably securing the male member within the connector body, and a verifier including a conductor and moving between a verified position and an unverified position inside the connector body. The connector body includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip and an antenna electrically connected to the RFID chip to form a first circuit. In the unverified position of the verifier, the RFID chip electrically connected to the antenna sends an unverified signal through the antenna, and when the verifier is moved in the verified position, the RFID chip sends a verified signal through the antenna.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Applicant: TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: CODY RYDIN, RICK PEPE, DAVID GABBEY, ALEXIS ROGERS, SEONG-HWA CHOO, JEONG-HO LIM, DONG-HYEOK LEE
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Publication number: 20210285581Abstract: A quick connector coupling for making a severable connection with a male member and a female tube in a fluid line includes a connector body having a through bore for receiving the male member having a tubular shape sized to extend into the through bore of the connector body and having an upset, a retainer releasably securing the male member within the connector body, and a verifier including an antenna having a contact point and moving between a latched position and an unlatched position inside the connector body. The connector body includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip having a signal, which is enabled to read through the antenna when the contact point of the antenna contacts the RFID chip of the connector body in the latched position of the verifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2020Publication date: September 16, 2021Applicant: TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: CODY RYDIN, RICK PEPE, DAVID GABBEY, ALEXIS ROGERS
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Patent number: 10550982Abstract: A quick connect coupling includes a hollow female connector body, a male end form configured to be received in the female connector body, a retainer, and a verifier coupled. An entry end of the female connector body defines a pair of windows on opposite sides of the entry end. The retainer extends along the windows and into a bore of the female connector body. The verifier includes legs and feet that extend into the windows and into the bore. The windows define a ramped edge, and the retainer is forced against the ramped edge by an annular upset of the male end form. The retainer spreads outward and springs back after the upset clears the retainer. The feet of the verifier include a ramped surface and spread outward in response to a force applied by the upset. The verifier can be pushed down after the legs are spread apart.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2016Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: Rick Pepe, David Gabbey
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Patent number: 10352489Abstract: A quick connect coupling includes a hollow female connector body, a male end form configured to be received in the female connector body, a retainer, and a verifier coupled. An entry end of the female connector body defines a pair of windows on opposite sides of the entry end. The retainer extends along the windows and into a bore of the female connector body. The verifier includes legs and feet that extend into the windows and into the bore. The windows define a ramped edge, and the retainer is forced against the ramped edge by an annular upset of the male end form. The retainer spreads outward and springs back after the upset clears the retainer. The feet of the verifier include a ramped surface and spread outward in response to a force applied by the upset. The verifier can be pushed down after the legs are spread apart.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2016Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: Rick Pepe, David Gabbey
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Patent number: 9890887Abstract: A quick connector for making a releasable connection in a fluid line with a connector body, a male member, a retainer and a verification element. The connector body comprises a through bore, wherein the male member introduced into the through bore is releasably fixable in the through bore by the retainer. The retainer comprises a ring and the verification element has an annular body. The annular body of the verification element can be displaced in an axial direction with respect to the through bore from an initial open position to a verification position when the male member is secured by the retainer in the through bore to place the verification element in a verification and locked position. In one form, the retainer includes lifting arms pivotably attached within coupling openings which cooperate with the coupling projections of the verification element to permit axial translation of the verification element to the verification position when the male member is fully inserted into the through bore.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2014Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: TI Automotive (Fuldabrück) GmbHInventors: Iris Barthel, Alexander Bol, Kay Bube, Hans Jensen, Rick Pepe, Albert (Seong-Hwa) Choo
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Publication number: 20170363237Abstract: A quick connect coupling includes a hollow female connector body, a male end form configured to be received in the female connector body, a retainer, and a verifier coupled. An entry end of the female connector body defines a pair of windows on opposite sides of the entry end. The retainer extends along the windows and into a bore of the female connector body. The verifier includes legs and feet that extend into the windows and into the bore. The windows define a ramped edge, and the retainer is forced against the ramped edge by an annular upset of the male end form. The retainer spreads outward and springs back after the upset clears the retainer. The feet of the verifier include a ramped surface and spread outward in response to a force applied by the upset. The verifier can be pushed down after the legs are spread apart.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2016Publication date: December 21, 2017Inventors: Rick Pepe, David Gabbey
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Patent number: 9115837Abstract: Quick connector coupling having a connector body to receive a male member with a radial upset comprised of two separate, interconnected components, a head element and a sealing element which define a through-hole from a male member entry port at the end of the head element axially to an exit port at the end of the sealing element. A retainer for releasably securing the male member to the connector body is ring-shaped, and encircles the connector body head element. It includes at least one retainer element, which reaches through a window in the head element and interacts with the radial upset of the male member to secure the male member in the connector body.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2013Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Inventors: Iris Barthel, Alexander Bol, Kay Bube, Hans Jensen, Rick Pepe
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Publication number: 20140197629Abstract: A quick connector for making a releasable connection in a fluid line with a connector body, a male member, a retainer and a verification element. The connector body comprises a through bore, wherein the male member introduced into the through bore is releasably fixable in the through bore by the retainer. The retainer comprises a ring and the verification element has an annular body. The annular body of the verification element can be displaced in an axial direction with respect to the through bore from an initial open position to a verification position when the male member is secured by the retainer in the through bore to place the verification element in a verification and locked position. In one form, the retainer includes lifting arms pivotably attached within coupling openings which cooperate with the coupling projections of the verification element to permit axial translation of the verification element to the verification position when the male member is fully inserted into the through bore.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2014Publication date: July 17, 2014Applicant: TI Automotive (Fuldabrück) GmbHInventors: Iris Barthel, Alexander Bol, Kay Bube, Hans Jensen, Rick Pepe, Albert (Seong-Hwa) Choo
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Publication number: 20140125051Abstract: Quick connector coupling having a connector body to receive a male member with a radial upset comprised of two separate, interconnected components, a head element and a sealing element which define a through-hole from a male member entry port at the end of the head element axially to an exit port at the end of the sealing element. A retainer for releasably securing the male member to the connector body is ring-shaped, and encircles the connector body head element. It includes at least one retainer element, which reaches through a window in the head element and interacts with the radial upset of the male member to secure the male member in the connector body.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2013Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicant: TI Automotive (Fuldabruck) GmbHInventors: Iris Barthel, Alexander Bol, Kay Bube, Hans Jensen, Rick Pepe