Patents Assigned to Etco, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10309443
    Abstract: A multiple-hole rope thimble with a body, a plurality of holes, and a perimeter groove. The holes can be arranged linearly or non-linearly arranged and can be the same or different sizes. The hole wall is curved toward the center of the hole to eliminate any sharp edges that can damage a rope. The groove extends completely around the perimeter of the body. A rope fits into the groove and is secured around the thimble by a splice or a knot. Optionally, the rope is secured by a thread extending through an aperture in the partition between holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: ETCO, Inc.
    Inventor: J. David Driver
  • Patent number: 10224698
    Abstract: An ignition wire spark plug connector comprising a jack and a wire attachment. The wire attachment is adapted to electrically attach to a wire. The jack is comprised of a barrel with a closed end. The barrel is generally cylindrical with a central space that receives the spark plug terminal through an open end. Dimples in the barrel extend into the central space. The dimples are located to force at least four points of contact between the jack and the spark plug terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: ETCO, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward H Jacques
  • Patent number: 9876292
    Abstract: A female quick disconnect electrical terminal that can be installed in either direction onto a male tab terminal. The terminal has an electrically-conductive body with a longitudinal plane with an attachment side and a contact side. An electrical attachment and a contact are on opposite ends of the body. The electrical attachment is typically a crimp attachment but any electrical attachment may be used. The contact has a floor in the plane and a spur extending away from the contact side of plane. The spur can be a dimple or bent nib. Optionally, the spur extends from a raised land. A pair of longitudinal, parallel retention rails are formed by bending wings 90° away from the contact side and curling the wings toward each other 180°. The retention rails and floor form a slot for a male tab terminal blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: ETCO, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward H Jacques
  • Patent number: 9601890
    Abstract: An electrical terminal applicator with a molded frame composed of a polymer base material mixed with 10% to 25% total weight of a reinforcing material such as glass fiber or carbon fiber. Prior to injecting the mixture into a mold, steel inserts for attaching various components are installed in the mold. A feed mechanism feeds a terminal strip into a crimp region. A plunger with a crimp punch reciprocates vertically within a plunger channel in the frame. An anvil is mounted to the base plate and extends into the crimping region. The punch and anvil are shaped to crimp the terminal to the wire conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: ETCO, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward H Jacques, Cris S Gravel
  • Patent number: 8057261
    Abstract: An insulator adapted to receive a flag terminal. The insulator has a housing and a rear cover. The housing has an L shape with a base and a riser. The housing has a rectangular terminal opening at the base and a cavity that receives the flag terminal through the terminal opening. The flat is shaped to fit within the terminal opening and is secured by a securing mechanism that includes tabs on the cover that fit into apertures in the housing. The cover is installed by pushing it into the terminal opening. The housing flexes so that the tabs to snap into the corresponding apertures, thereby securing the cover in the terminal opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: ETCO, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph P. DeSio, Cris S. Gravel
  • Patent number: 7699670
    Abstract: An ignition wire spark plug terminal comprising a connector and a wire attachment. The wire attachment is adapted to attach to a wire. The connector is comprised of a ferrule and a spring clip. The ferrule is generally at least semi-cylindrical and the spring clip is a partially cylindrical band that is permanently attached coaxially to the ferrule. Dimples in the spring clip extend through holes in the ferrule into the space within the ferrule that receives a spark plug or distributor cap terminal. The permanent attachment is by weld, solder, or adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: ETCO, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward H. Jacques, Robert Leduc
  • Patent number: 7210958
    Abstract: An electrical contact crimp ear serration comprised of a plurality of teeth where each tooth has a cross-sectional profile comprising a leading face extending upwardly to an apex from the crimp ear surface, a central face extending downwardly from the apex to a valley below the crimp ear surface, and a trailing face extending upwardly from the valley to the crimp ear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: ETCO, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph E. Jacques, Dennis Herdegen, John J. MacNeil, Edward Jacques, Brian J. Stumm
  • Patent number: 7198526
    Abstract: A low-profile, flag quick-connect terminal connector assembly where the connector, when assembled, is completely insulated. The electrically-conductive, metallic connector has a transition with an industry-standard crimp at one end and a contact at the other. The contact floor and pair of opposed retention rails form a tab slot that is perpendicular to, centered on, and offset from the transition. The rigid plastic insulator covers the connector so that no part of the connector is outside of the insulator. The insulator provides a pre-lock mechanism where the contact is inside and the crimp is outside, and a locking mechanism where the connector is entirely within the insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: ETCO, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. MacNeil, Dennis Herdegen, Ralph E. Jacques, Christopher S. O'Reilly, Brian J. Stumm
  • Patent number: 7140928
    Abstract: A connector incorporating the present invention includes the contact of the present invention and an electrical attachment, such as a wire crimp. The contact has a longitudinal body and a pair of fingers parallel to and offset from the longitudinal axis. Each finger has a protrusion and the body has a pair of depressions, each aligned with a finger protrusion. To engage the connectors, the two connectors are oriented so that they are opposed and so that each finger of one connector is aligned with the opposite finger of the other connector. Then the connectors are pulled apart longitudinally until the finger protrusions snap into the depressions, securing the two connectors together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: ETCO, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Jacques, Dennis Herdegen, Edward Jacques, John J. MacNeil
  • Patent number: 6964095
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrical contact with a crimp ear from a flat ribbon of conductive material including applying a force to the ribbon to form an adjacent pair of approximately semicylindrical depressions on opposite sides of the centerline of the ear, shearing the ribbon at the depression bisectors to form a pair of legs on opposites of the centerline, and forming the legs into a predetermined shape about the centerline. Forming the legs includes straightening the legs and bending the legs to the appropriate predetermine relative angle. Optionally, the ear is coined. Optionally, serrations are inscribed across the ear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Etco, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph Jacques