Patents by Inventor Timothy W. Brooks
Timothy W. Brooks 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: 11899052Abstract: A vehicle LED lighting outage detection circuit is disclosed for detecting a fault in the LED light and automatically increasing the power drawn from the light power supply in response to the fault. A complementary detection circuit is also disclosed for detecting the increased power draw and signaling a fault to an operator. The increased power draw can be selected to be in the form of a pulse that settles to a lower power draw state after a time to avoid excessive and wasteful power draw. The system can be mounted in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a semi-tractor truck.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2022Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Timothy W. Brooks, Eric Thorstensen, Christopher Busse
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Publication number: 20220283212Abstract: A vehicle LED lighting outage detection circuit is disclosed for detecting a fault in the LED light and automatically increasing the power drawn from the light power supply in response to the fault. A complementary detection circuit is also disclosed for detecting the increased power draw and signaling a fault to an operator. The increased power draw can be selected to be in the form of a pulse that settles to a lower power draw state after a time to avoid excessive and wasteful power draw. The system can be mounted in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a semi- tractor truck.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2022Publication date: September 8, 2022Applicant: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Timothy W. Brooks, Eric Thorstensen, Christopher Busse
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Patent number: 11372039Abstract: A vehicle LED lighting outage detection circuit is disclosed for detecting a fault in the LED light and automatically increasing the power drawn from the light power supply in response to the fault. A complementary detection circuit is also disclosed for detecting the increased power draw and signaling a fault to an operator. The increased power draw can be selected to be in the form of a pulse that settles to a lower power draw state after a time to avoid excessive and wasteful power draw. The system can be mounted in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a semi-tractor truck.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Timothy W. Brooks, Eric Thorstensen, Christopher Busse
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Publication number: 20210190845Abstract: A vehicle LED lighting outage detection circuit is disclosed for detecting a fault in the LED light and automatically increasing the power drawn from the light power supply in response to the fault. A complementary detection circuit is also disclosed for detecting the increased power draw and signaling a fault to an operator. The increased power draw can be selected to be in the form of a pulse that settles to a lower power draw state after a time to avoid excessive and wasteful power draw. The system can be mounted in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a semi-tractor truck.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2020Publication date: June 24, 2021Applicant: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Timothy W. Brooks, Eric Thorstensen, Christopher Busse
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Patent number: 10794946Abstract: A vehicle LED lighting outage detection circuit is disclosed for detecting a fault in the LED light and automatically increasing the power drawn from the light power supply in response to the fault. A complementary detection circuit is also disclosed for detecting the increased power draw and signaling a fault to an operator. The increased power draw can be selected to be in the form of a pulse that settles to a lower power draw state after a time to avoid excessive and wasteful power draw. The system can be mounted in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a semi-tractor truck.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2018Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Timothy W. Brooks, Eric Thorstensen, Christopher Busse
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Patent number: 10589658Abstract: A tie-down strap tensioner maintains a desired strap tension on cargo when placed on a truck flatbed or sea transport. Tie-down strap tensioners are made of rubbery-type resins that remain compressive in the amount of hand applied pressure on the strap assigned to a given cargo container shape. The tie-down strap tensioner has at least three different embodiments: one is for round or radius corners such barrels, one is for square corners such as boxes, and one is for either or both round and square corners. Each tie-down strap tensioner has an upper surface and a lower surface and the lower surface has extending members that are compressive in amount of tension applied to the strap thus accommodates the shape of the cargo container selected which remains expandable to its original shape.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: CONVEY, INC.Inventors: Ray G. Brooks, Timothy W. Brooks
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Publication number: 20190377017Abstract: A vehicle LED lighting outage detection circuit is disclosed for detecting a fault in the LED light and automatically increasing the power drawn from the light power supply in response to the fault. A complementary detection circuit is also disclosed for detecting the increased power draw and signaling a fault to an operator. The increased power draw can be selected to be in the form of a pulse that settles to a lower power draw state after a time to avoid excessive and wasteful power draw. The system can be mounted in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a semi-tractor truck.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2018Publication date: December 12, 2019Applicant: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Timothy W. Brooks, Eric Thorstensen, Christopher Busse
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Publication number: 20190366906Abstract: A tie-down strap tensioner maintains a desired strap tension on cargo when placed on a truck flatbed or sea transport. Tie-down strap tensioners are made of rubbery-type resins that remain compressive in the amount of hand applied pressure on the strap assigned to a given cargo container shape. The tie-down strap tensioner has at least three different embodiments: one is for round or radius corners such barrels, one is for square corners such as boxes, and one is for either or both round and square corners. Each tie-down strap tensioner has an upper surface and a lower surface and the lower surface has extending members that are compressive in amount of tension applied to the strap thus accommodates the shape of the cargo container selected which remains expandable to its original shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2018Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Ray G. Brooks, Timothy W. Brooks
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Patent number: 10151784Abstract: A vehicle LED lighting outage detection circuit is disclosed for detecting a fault in the LED light and automatically increasing the power drawn from the light power supply in response to the fault. A complementary detection circuit is also disclosed for detecting the increased power draw and signaling a fault to an operator. The increased power draw can be selected to be in the form of a pulse that settles to a lower power draw state after a time to avoid excessive and wasteful power draw. The system can be mounted in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a semi-tractor truck, or installed as a retrofit system into an existing semi-trailer system.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2017Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Timothy W. Brooks, Eric Thorstensen, Christopher Busse
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Patent number: 10032753Abstract: A flexible lighting array, comprising: a flexible substrate; a pair of first electrical connectors formed on the flexible substrate; a pair of second electrical connectors formed on the flexible substrate; an isolation element formed on the flexible substrate between the pair of first electrical connectors and the pair of second electrical connectors; a plurality of first light-emitting elements formed over the pair of first electrical connectors; one or more second light-emitting elements formed over the pair of second electrical connectors; and a transparent covering layer formed over the plurality of first light-emitting elements and the one or more second light-emitting elements, wherein, the plurality of first light-emitting elements are configured to emit visible light in a wavelength range of 200 nm to 800 nm, and the one or more second light-emitting elements are configured to emit infrared light in a wavelength range of 800 nm to 1200 nm.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2014Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Grote Industries, LLCInventors: Scott J. Jones, Martin J. Marx, Timothy W. Brooks, Donald L. Gramlich, Jr., William L. Corwin, Stanley D. Robbins
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Patent number: 9995780Abstract: A vehicle LED lighting outage detection circuit is disclosed for detecting a fault in the LED light and automatically increasing the power drawn from the light power supply in response to the fault. A complementary detection circuit is also disclosed for detecting the increased power draw and signaling a fault to an operator. The increased power draw can be selected to be in the form of a pulse that settles to a lower power draw state after a time to avoid excessive and wasteful power draw. The system can be mounted in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a semi-tractor truck, or installed as a retrofit system into an existing semi-trailer system.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2015Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Timothy W. Brooks, Eric Thorstensen, Christopher Busse
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Publication number: 20170322249Abstract: A vehicle LED lighting outage detection circuit is disclosed for detecting a fault in the LED light and automatically increasing the power drawn from the light power supply in response to the fault. A complementary detection circuit is also disclosed for detecting the increased power draw and signaling a fault to an operator. The increased power draw can be selected to be in the form of a pulse that settles to a lower power draw state after a time to avoid excessive and wasteful power draw. The system can be mounted in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a semi-tractor truck, or installed as a retrofit system into an existing semi-trailer system.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2017Publication date: November 9, 2017Applicant: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Timothy W. Brooks, Eric Thorstensen, Christopher Busse
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Publication number: 20170109997Abstract: A vehicle LED lighting outage detection circuit is disclosed for detecting a fault in the LED light and automatically increasing the power drawn from the light power supply in response to the fault. A complementary detection circuit is also disclosed for detecting the increased power draw and signaling a fault to an operator. The increased power draw can be selected to be in the form of a pulse that settles to a lower power draw state after a time to avoid excessive and wasteful power draw. The system can be mounted in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a semi-tractor truck, or installed as a retrofit system into an existing semi-trailer system.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2015Publication date: April 20, 2017Inventors: Timothy W. Brooks, Eric Thorstensen, Christopher Busse
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Patent number: 9615417Abstract: A lighting device is described that includes a voltage source, a substrate, a wiring, a first light emitting diode (LED) and a second LED, a first electrical conductive element (ECE) and a second ECE, and a transparent, conductive sheet material. The wiring is formed on the substrate, and is connected to the voltage source. The first LED and the second LED are formed on the wiring. The first ECE and the second ECE are formed on the wiring. The sheet material is laminated onto the first and second LEDs and the first and second ECEs. The first and second LEDs are electrically connected in parallel and have opposite polarities. A sheet resistance exists between the first ECE and the first LED and between the second ECE and the second LED.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2014Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: Grote Industries, LLCInventors: Donald L. Gramlich, Jr., Timothy W. Brooks, Martin J. Marx, James E. Roberts, William L. Corwin, David W. Vinup
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Publication number: 20150371972Abstract: A flexible lighting array, comprising: a flexible substrate; a pair of first electrical connectors formed on the flexible substrate; a pair of second electrical connectors formed on the flexible substrate; an isolation element formed on the flexible substrate between the pair of first electrical connectors and the pair of second electrical connectors; a plurality of first light-emitting elements formed over the pair of first electrical connectors; one or more second light-emitting elements formed over the pair of second electrical connectors; and a transparent covering layer formed over the plurality of first light-emitting elements and the one or more second light-emitting elements, wherein, the plurality of first light-emitting elements are configured to emit visible light in a wavelength range of 200 nm to 800 nm, and the one or more second light-emitting elements are configured to emit infrared light in a wavelength range of 800 nm to 1200 nm.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2014Publication date: December 24, 2015Inventors: Scott J. JONES, Martin J. MARX, Timothy W. BROOKS, Donald L. GRAMLICH, JR., William L. CORWIN, Stanley D. ROBBINS
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Patent number: 9187032Abstract: A lamp and lamp driver are disclosed, in which single intensity marker lamps that are desired to be flashed can be connected to a lamp driver employing an exclusive OR (XOR) logic circuit. In one application, this lamp driver is coupled to a vehicle turn function wire and marker function wire, and a plurality of marker lamps in a row can be of the same style, but one lamp can be flashed in the row of marker lamps. In some embodiments, if all of the marker lamps are on, the lamp being driven by the XOR driver circuit will flash out of sequence with the turn signal flash. If all of the marker lamps are off, the lamp being driven by the XOR driver circuit will flash in sequence with the turn signal flash. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventor: Timothy W. Brooks
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Patent number: 9174503Abstract: An environment-activated automatic shut-off switch is disclosed. The disclosed embodiments allow power to be removed from a trailer auxiliary power circuit when the environment-activated automatic shut-off switch senses that the trailer is being put into motion. The disclosed embodiments of the environment-activated automatic shut-off switch do not require external control signals, such as those received from a vehicle tractor, in order to effectively control the trailer auxiliary power circuit and to ensure that the trailer ABS circuit has dedicated power while the trailer is in motion.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2011Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Don Gramlich, Timothy W. Brooks, Luigi Tavernese, Giovanni Tavernese
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Publication number: 20150241045Abstract: A lighting device is described that includes a voltage source, a substrate, a wiring, a first light emitting diode (LED) and a second LED, a first electrical conductive element (ECE) and a second ECE, and a transparent, conductive sheet material. The wiring is formed on the substrate, and is connected to the voltage source. The first LED and the second LED are formed on the wiring. The first ECE and the second ECE are formed on the wiring. The sheet material is laminated onto the first and second LEDs and the first and second ECEs. The first and second LEDs are electrically connected in parallel and have opposite polarities. A sheet resistance exists between the first ECE and the first LED and between the second ECE and the second LED.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2014Publication date: August 27, 2015Applicant: Grote Industries, LLCInventors: Donald L. GRAMLICH, JR., Timothy W. BROOKS, Martin J. MARX, James E. ROBERTS, William L. CORWIN, David W. VINUP
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Patent number: 9045093Abstract: An electrical power supply device for a trailer lighting system behind a truck is disclosed. The trailer lighting system including at least two FMVSS 108 compliant LED stop-tail-turn lamps. The electrical power supply device has an outer casing including a terminal to be electrically attached to and become part of the trailer lighting system. There are a plurality of electrically conductive wires within the casing. At least one of the wires is selected from one or more of the group consisting of low copper usage wire. The device has an over-current protection device along at least one which breaks current flow through the one wire below at an amperage threshold less than 25 amperes.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Robert H. Dobrow, Timothy W. Brooks, Darren L. Harmon, Alfredo H. Hernandez, Shelly Ong, Eric Thorstensen
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Patent number: 8912721Abstract: A lamp and lamp driver are disclosed, in which single intensity marker lamps that are desired to be flashed can be connected to a lamp driver employing an exclusive OR (XOR) logic circuit. In one application, this lamp driver is coupled to a vehicle turn function wire and marker function wire, and a plurality of marker lamps in a row can be of the same style, but one lamp can be flashed in the row of marker lamps. In some embodiments, if all of the marker lamps are on, the lamp being driven by the XOR driver circuit will flash out of sequence with the turn signal flash. If all of the marker lamps are off, the lamp being driven by the XOR driver circuit will flash in sequence with the turn signal flash. Other embodiments are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2011Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Grote Industries, Inc.Inventors: Timothy W. Brooks, Peter H. Thompson, Darren L. Harmon