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).

  • Patent number: 11262008
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Cody Rydin, Rick Pepe, David Gabbey, Alexis Rogers
  • Publication number: 20220010907
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: CODY RYDIN, RICK PEPE, DAVID GABBEY, ALEXIS ROGERS, SEONG-HWA CHOO, JEONG-HO LIM, DONG-HYEOK LEE
  • Publication number: 20210285581
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: CODY RYDIN, RICK PEPE, DAVID GABBEY, ALEXIS ROGERS
  • Patent number: 10550982
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Rick Pepe, David Gabbey
  • Patent number: 10352489
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Rick Pepe, David Gabbey
  • Patent number: 9890887
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: TI Automotive (Fuldabrück) GmbH
    Inventors: Iris Barthel, Alexander Bol, Kay Bube, Hans Jensen, Rick Pepe, Albert (Seong-Hwa) Choo
  • Publication number: 20170363237
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Rick Pepe, David Gabbey
  • Patent number: 9115837
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Inventors: Iris Barthel, Alexander Bol, Kay Bube, Hans Jensen, Rick Pepe
  • Publication number: 20140197629
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: TI Automotive (Fuldabrück) GmbH
    Inventors: Iris Barthel, Alexander Bol, Kay Bube, Hans Jensen, Rick Pepe, Albert (Seong-Hwa) Choo
  • Publication number: 20140125051
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: TI Automotive (Fuldabruck) GmbH
    Inventors: Iris Barthel, Alexander Bol, Kay Bube, Hans Jensen, Rick Pepe