Patents Assigned to Interlock Corporation
  • Patent number: 5634829
    Abstract: A low insertion force electrical contact terminal assembly in which the female terminal has multiple cantilevered arms which engage and retain the male terminal therein. The multiple cantilevered arms resist withdrawal of the male terminal along the mating axis but will readily permit withdrawal during an off-axis disengagement of the terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph A. Kerul
  • Patent number: 5391097
    Abstract: A terminal assembly having a male member and a female member. The male and female members are formed with cooperating surfaces such that a greater force is required to disengage the members from one another than to engage them together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph A. Kerul
  • Patent number: 5257944
    Abstract: An assembly assuring proper engagement or mated electrical connectors. The assembly includes a pair of connectors which are configured for creating electrical contact between terminals housed therein. A connector position assurance member is retainingly engaged with one of the connectors in a preassembled position. If the connectors are properly engaged, the CPA member is capable of being moved from its preassembled position to a second or home position. If the connectors are improperly engaged, movement of the CPA member from its preassembled position to its home position is prohibited thereby positively indicating that an improper engagement between the connectors exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventor: Robert D. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 5236373
    Abstract: A connector assembly for assuring proper engagement of mated electrical connectors. The assembly includes a pair of connectors which are configured for creating electrical contact between terminals housed therein. A position assurance member is retainingly engaged with one of the connectors in a preassembled position. If the connectors are properly engaged, the connection position assurance member is capable of being moved from its preassembled position to a second or home position. Upon improper engagement of the connectors, movement of the position assurance member from its preassembled position to its home position is prohibited thereby indicating that improper engagement between the connectors exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventor: Robert D. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 5217382
    Abstract: A two-piece electrical receptacle terminal for receiving a male terminal. The receptacle terminal includes a spring, having a predetermined shape, which is confined within an integrally formed housing. During insertion of the male terminal into the housing, the spring is deflected from the predetermined shape. The spring is constructed of a metal which exhibits a memory, evoked by heating, predisposing the deflected spring into its predetermined shape. Heating can be accomplished by ohmic self-heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventor: Glen E. Sparks
  • Patent number: 5009615
    Abstract: An electrical terminal assembly having fixed and flexible tab receptacle terminal retainers. Each inserted receptacle terminal is retained by means of a movable finger formed in one side wall of the receptacle connector cavity and a fixed retaining shoulder in the opposite internal side wall of the connector cavity, both shoulders engaging the inserted female receptacle terminal. The receptacle terminal is removed by resiliently deflecting the movable finger to disengage the retaining shoulder thereon from the receptacle terminal thereby allowing withdrawal of the receptacle terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventors: Dewey F. Mobley, Robert G. Peterson, Sr., James E. LaCava
  • Patent number: 4971579
    Abstract: An improved electrical connector assembly having deflectable retaining fingers for mating with a corresponding connector assembly. Each assembly has at least one electrical terminal housed inside a hollow body adapted to enclose and support the terminal. The body has a separate passage intersecting the cavity in which the terminal resides. In addition, the hollow body has at least one wall section having a deflectable finger engaging and retaining the terminal within the cavity. A removable terminal retainer member is inserted into the passage to a position in which the member is in an interference relation with a portion of the terminal to retain the terminal within the cavity. The terminal retainer also has a wedge leg that, when inserted against the wall section, retains the deflectable finger in engagement with the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventors: Dewey F. Mobley, August Barbrick
  • Patent number: 4919628
    Abstract: A tab receptacle terminal consisting of a rectangular box having an end opening through which a male tab terminal can be inserted to make contact with fixed beams, parallel to the male terminal insertion axis, formed in the top of the box and protruding downwardly to engage one side of the male terminal. A cantilever beam member is formed between the top and bottom of the box and contacts the other side of the male terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventors: Dewey F. Mobley, Robert G. Peterson, Sr., James E. Mergless
  • Patent number: 4850302
    Abstract: A method for the application of chilled particles such as polytetrafluoroethylene generally marketed under the trade mark "TEFLON.revreaction., graphite, molybdenum sulfide and boron nitride to a metal surface having crevices or pores therein. With the metal heated to expand the crevices or pores and the particles chilled to contract them, the particles will be locked into the pores when both the metal and the particles come to equilibrium temperature with the particles thereby expanding and the pores contracting. The method is directed to such an application of chilled particles to expanded pores in large metal objects such as for example, large rolls. The large object is rotated on its linear axis while maintained at the desired temperature and the particles are given an electrostatic charge and chilled prior to their application to the metal surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventor: Reinhold Hoffman
  • Patent number: 4842534
    Abstract: A fuse/bus bar assembly for use in automotive applications has a one-piece bus bar member of highly conductive material, a fixed terminal mounted on the bus bar, and a discrete terminal spaced from the fixed terminal, and a fuse plug connecting the discrete terminal with the fixed terminal mounted on the bus bar, the fuse plug having two legs, one of the legs inserted in the fixed terminal and the other of the legs inserted into the discrete terminal to fusibly connect the discrete terminal electrically to the bus bar. The fuse/bus bar assembly is made of two materials having differing thicknesses. The bus member is made from an elongated metal plate and the fixed terminal is made from a highly conductive metal strip. The fixed terminals are fastened to the bus bar by conventional means such as staking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventors: Dewey F. Mobley, Robert G. Peterson, Robert S. Collar
  • Patent number: 4813889
    Abstract: An electrical receptacle terminal connector having visually inspectable components and an easily removable tab receptacle terminal inserted therein. The inserted receptacle terminal is retained by means of a moveable finger formed in the sidewall of the receptacle connector cavity which engages the female receptacle terminal and can easily be resiliently deflected outward to disengage from the receptacle terminal thereby enabling easy withdrawal of the receptacle terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventors: Dewey F. Mobley, Janice M. Warren, Robert G. Peterson, Sr.
  • Patent number: 4759500
    Abstract: The process described herein comprises the mixing of a chilled gas into a stream of gas-suspended particles. Preferably the chilled gas is the same as the gas in which the particles are suspended and the particles are electrostatically charged. A novel device is described which provides a chamber extending lengthwise of the device into which channels feed the chilled gas into the particle suspension. The chilled gas is introduced from an external cooling system with the gas being advantageously cooled during passage through a coil whose outer walls are cooled by liquid nitrogen or dry ice. This process and device are of particular utility in a system for the spraying of electrostatically charged particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1988
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventors: Reinhold Hoffman, Walter Klimke
  • Patent number: 4715833
    Abstract: A pin and socket electrical terminal consisting of a pin member having a generally cylindrical section of predetermined diameter and a socket member having a tubular section of a size to receive the pin member therein so as to establish electrical conductivity therebetween. The socket member has three radially inwardly projecting and circumferentially spaced ribs terminating at their radially inner edges at positions located substantially on an imaginary circular path having a diameter slightly less than the pin diameter so that when the pin is inserted into the socket member tubular section, the ribs firmly engage the pin member so as to establish good electrical contact between the members. The tubular section has a longitudinal seam running its full length so that it can yield in a circumferential direction to accommodate the inserted pin member. A form of the invention is also disclosed in which the ribs are on the pin member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1987
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventors: Dewey F. Mobley, Janice M. Warren
  • Patent number: 4713026
    Abstract: A tab receptacle terminal fabricated by bending a single sheet of electrically conductive material comprising a receptacle box having an end opening through which a male terminal is inserted so as to make contact with the receptacle box. The receptacle box includes a bottom, top, and sides, the top including a leaf spring which extends toward the bottom and may be formed with a terminal projection extending toward the bottom for engagement with a male terminal inserted into the receptacle box. Fixed beams formed on the bottom and extending toward the leaf spring for engagement with a male terminal with normal force applied by the leaf spring toward the bottom to complete the electrical connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1987
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventors: Dewey F. Mobley, Janice M. Warren, August Barbrick, Gregg A. Eisenmann
  • Patent number: 4691865
    Abstract: The process described herein comprises the mixing of a chilled gas into a stream of gas-suspended particles. Preferably the chilled gas is the same as the gas in which the particles are suspended and the particles are electrostatically charged. A novel device is described which provides a chamber extending lengthwise of the device into which channels feed the chilled gas into the particle suspension. The chilled gas is introduced from an external cooling system with the gas being advantageously cooled during passage through a coil whose outer walls are cooled by liquid nitrogen or dry ice. This process and device are of particular utility in a system for the spraying of electrostatically charged particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1987
    Assignee: Interlock Corporation
    Inventors: Reinhold Hoffman, Walter Klimke