Patents Assigned to Methode Electronics, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7096082
    Abstract: A control document template streamlines the creation of control documents and facilitates consistent entry of data. A multi-page spreadsheet file incorporates the design and process failure mode effects analysis pages, the control plan, tools for forming the process flow diagram, the work instructions, and the packaging specifications. A macro sorts the failure mode effects analysis pages by risk priority number without overwriting the original data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: David G. Connelly
  • Patent number: 7044777
    Abstract: A multi-port receptacle assembly is provided having a housing forming multiple ports and having electrical connectors mounted within the ports so that upon assembly with a base via mounting features between the base and the housing a uniform multi-port assembly is provided that may be easily transported and installed to a motherboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Daly, Robert V. Skepnek, Alex Pirillis
  • Patent number: 7037139
    Abstract: A canister assembly is provided including electrical connector having a plate which may be moved between a first and second position in order to lock a wire to the electrical connector. The electrical connector provides for a wire trap contact in order to quickly insert a conductor within the electrical connector through an end face of the electrical connector. The electrical connector includes flanges which allow it to be easily mounted to a canister and enclose an opening of the canister. The plate provides for a strain relief for the wires terminated by the electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Valentin M. Stefaniu, John T. Scheitz, Charles Kozel
  • Patent number: 7029284
    Abstract: The present invention is directed towards an electrical contact assembly in a steering wheel that allows the contacts of a primary circuit board to move relative to the corresponding contacts of a secondary circuit board without disengaging the electrical connection. Thus, any minor deviation in the positioning of the primary or secondary circuit board may be compensated for without the loss of electrical contact. The primary circuit board is located in the center of the steering wheel around the steering column. The primary circuit board includes left and right arms which engage and cooperate with left and right button assemblies on the steering wheel to actuate various vehicle controls, such as radio volume and tuning control, in the vehicle. The arms include leaf-spring contacts which resiliently and non-fixedly engage the secondary circuit board which is connected to control buttons on the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph E. Khoury, Norbert G. Swidersky, Vladimir Karasik
  • Patent number: 7005592
    Abstract: The contact switch assembly comprises a rotating housing with a stalk having a hollow shaft portion, a tip portion extending forwardly from the shaft portion and a contact arm extending downwardly from the shaft portion. The tip portion extends out from the housing to engage an adjacent inclined surface. As the housing is rotated, the stalk moves along the inclined surface so that the contact arm is moved vertically and brought into engagement with a printed circuit board (PCB) while simultaneously moving laterally across the PCB's surface. The vertical motion is caused by the rotation of the housing, while the lateral motion is caused by the stalk being forced laterally by the inclined surface. The combination of both the vertical and lateral motion provides a self-cleaning mechanism by the movement of the contacts in the lateral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Charnock, John Anthony Butterworth
  • Patent number: 6966787
    Abstract: A clockspring for electrically connecting an airbag of a vehicle to crash sensors. The clockspring including a housing that has an inner chamber, and a flat electrical cable with an upper insulator layer, a lower insulator layer connected to the upper layer along substantially continuous parallel spaced-apart seam, and an intermediate layer comprised of individual strands of conductors which lie adjacent and substantially parallel to the seams and the conductors do not have an adhesive residue thereon. The flat electrical cable is mounted in the chamber of the clockspring. Seams positioned between adjacent conductors have a textured surface pattern, and seams positioned along edges of the flat electrical cable have a substantially smooth surface pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Schilson, Steve Kamps
  • Patent number: 6956198
    Abstract: A position sensor for determining the angular position of a steering wheel. The shaft of the steering wheel is connected to a code disk and turn ring of the sensor so that when steering wheel is rotated, the coded disk and turn ring are also rotated. The code disk is a flat circular disk having a series of cut-outs or bits around its perimeter. A light emitting diode shines a light through the cut-outs and is read by a photo detector which determines the angular position of the code disk. The turn ring is fitted on the outside of the code disk and rotates in a hypocycloidic circle so that for every full revolution of the code disk, the turn ring rotates through a smaller angle. The turn ring is placed over a series of Hall sensors to determine the number of revolutions of the code disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Alsobrooks, Richard Graham, Jr., Thomas Wand, Roland Ruegenberg, Vladimir Karasik, Michael Shahan
  • Patent number: 6948706
    Abstract: A clockspring with a housing that includes a stationary member having a first wall and a hub member rotatably coupled to the stationary member having a second wall. A flat cable is wound between the first and second walls. The flat cable has opposite first and second ends with the first end being coupled to the stationary member at a first connection area and the second end being coupled to the hub member at a second connection area. A flexible strain relief member is integrally formed as one-piece with one of the first and second walls proximate one of the respective first and second connection areas with one of the first and second ends of the flat cable being disposed between the flexible strain relief member and the one of the first and second walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher K. Wyatt, Patrick A. Bolen
  • Patent number: 6914201
    Abstract: A multifunctional switch for any automobile application having a need for a multiple detent switch. The switch includes a button that is moveably connected to a base. The switch includes a first lever connected to the button at a point of the first lever that is closer to a first end of the first lever than a second end of the first lever. The switch also includes a first tactile bridge fixed to the base. The first tactile bridge is adapted to be contacted by the first end of the first lever and thereby close a first switch. The switch further includes a second tactile bridge fixed to the base. The second tactile bridge is adapted to be contacted by the second end of the first lever and thereby close a second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory P. Van Vooren, William F. Swisher
  • Patent number: 6900399
    Abstract: An electrical switch assembly for actuating an electrical circuit by closing at least one pair of conducting contacts in a sliding manner is disclosed. The assembly includes a contact carrier within a switch housing, a spring attached to the carrier that biases the carrier in an electrical circuit open position, a slot connected to the carrier that receives a force transfer member, and a force transfer member that is insertable into the slot and transfers a force applied by a switch operator to an angled wall portion of the slot. The angle of the wall portion is preferably 45-degrees relative to the axis of travel of the force transfer member. In operation, when the force transfer member is inserted into the slot and pushes against the angled wall, the carrier is displaced approximately orthogonal to the insertion direction of the force transfer member to move the contacts in the carrier from an electrical circuit open position to an electrical circuit closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher K. Wyatt, Pat A. Bolen
  • Patent number: 6900403
    Abstract: An operating device having a rotatable crank drive which can be actuated by repeatedly pressing and releasing a knob or push-button. The push-button is thus alternately fixed in an operating position, i.e. the out position, and a locking position, i.e. the pressed-in position. A rotatable locking ring which can be axially displaced in an elastic manner and the body of the operating device include crank or link elements which are alternately distributed around the circumference, and in which the knob or push-button can be securely locked in a precise position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Roland Ruegenberg
  • Patent number: 6881904
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a material for shielding electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI) between a, electrical conductor or bundle of conductors and the environment. The material comprises a heat-shrinkable woven fabric coated with a conductive material. Specifically, the material can be used as a jacket heat-shrinkable to fit with any sized wire, cable, data or signal line, antenna, or other electrical conductor. A method of making the material is also discussed. In the method, a heat-shrinkable woven fabric is coated with a conductive slurry. When the slurry is dried, a conductive material is deposited on the surface of the heat-shrinkable woven fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Emil Millas, Albert Chiapetta, Frank St. John
  • Patent number: 6876838
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to an electrical transceiver module having a peripheral device connector to receive copper plugs having a profile equal to or larger than the outer profile of the standard module housing profile. An embodiment of the invention provides an RJ-45 receptacle as the peripheral device connector of an SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) transceiver. An embodiment of the invention provides a receptacle outer profile being larger than the main transceiver body outer profile in at least one dimension. An embodiment of the invention provides for a transceiver having a latch member and a latching point point disposed on a main body between a first end and a second end of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Daly, Robert V. Skepnek, Alex Pirillis
  • Patent number: 6860745
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a modular clockspring to be used in automobile steering columns that allow modular parts of the clockspring to be modified without the need to alter the design of the entire clockspring. The clockspring is composed of at least six modules, a cover module, a housing module, an inner diameter (ID) connector module, an outer diameter (OD) connector module, a locking module, and a flat electrical cable module. The modular nature of the clockspring allows a single generic clockspring to be used in various steering columns. Minor differences in mounting styles, connector styles or the number of circuits within the differing steering columns can be accommodated with minor changes to the relevant modules without having to redesign the entire clockspring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Pat A. Bolen, Christopher K. Wyatt
  • Patent number: 6851840
    Abstract: A lighting system for a vehicle having luminescent or “glow-in-the-dark” markings placed on an interior surface of the vehicle and a light source located remotely from the markings to illuminate the markings, particularly at night. The markings can be placed on any surface inside a vehicle, such as a gear shift know, door handle or steering column control stalk. Additionally, the light source can be placed in the roof of the vehicle, behind a steering wheel, or any other location having an unobstructed view of the markings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajkumar Ramamurthy, Joseph Khoury, Roland Ruegenberg
  • Patent number: 6844541
    Abstract: A position sensor for determining the angular position of a steering wheel. The shaft of the steering wheel is connected to a code disk and turn ring of the sensor so that when steering wheel is rotated, the coded disk and turn ring are also rotated. The code disk is a flat circular disk having a series of cut-outs or bits around its perimeter. A light emitting diode shines a light through the cut-outs and is read by a photo detector which determines the angular position of the code disk. The turn ring is fitted on the outside of the code disk and rotates in a hypocycloidic circle so that for every full revolution of the code disk, the turn ring rotates through a smaller angle. The turn ring is placed over a series of Hall sensors to determine the number of revolutions of the code disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Alsobrooks, Richard Graham, Jr., Thomas Wand, Roland Ruegenberg, Vladimir Karasik, Michael Shahan
  • Patent number: 6841735
    Abstract: A flat electrical cable and a modular rotary anvil for assembling a flat electrical cable is provided wherein the flat cable includes an upper and lower layer. The upper layer has ribs protruding along its length that are substantially parallel to one another, and continuous substantially parallel and adjacent seams formed therebetween. Conductors are placed between the upper and lower layers adjacent the seams. The present invention may have upper and lower polyester layers having copper conductors therebetween and the seams ultrasonically welded in order to provide a flat electrical cable for various applications such as incorporation in an automobile clockspring. The modular rotary anvil includes multiple removable and interchangeable segments or inserts which provide the ability to impart a smooth or knurled interchangeable segments or inserts which provide the ability to impart a smooth or knurled textured surface pattern to the work-piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Schilson, Steve Kamps
  • Patent number: 6793537
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a wire plug connector assembly where the individual wires are connectorized by forming a housing around the wires and capturing the terminal metallic potion of the wire by a ferrule which is received within an aperture of a receptacle for providing an electrical connection to a contact mounted therein. The plug may be formed of housing halves which are ultrasonically bonded to each other in order to capture the wires therein. The receptacle includes apertures with contacts which are enclosed at the rear face by hinged flaps in order to seal the rear face of the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael V. Stefaniu, John T. Scheitz
  • Publication number: 20040157483
    Abstract: A connection module having multiple spring coils that connect the electrical contacts of a steeling stalk to the electrical contacts of a circuit board in a steering column. The spring coils are made from a conductive wire that is formed into a helix-shaped coil having several rings therein, the rings defining slots therebetween. The spring coils are placed end to end in the connection module so that access is provided to the slots in the sides of the spring coils. The contacts of the steering stalk and the circuit board are then inserted into the slots of the spring coil to electrically connect the two.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Applicant: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Karasik, Joseph E. Khoury, Michael Shahan
  • Patent number: 6762693
    Abstract: A connection system for communicating multiple signals between a steering wheel and a steering column of a vehicle over a single wire is provided that uses time division to multiplex multiple signals. A plurality of signals are multiplexed together ranging from two to as many signals as desired. Input switches are grouped together to form a ladder multiplexer, such as a resistive multiplexer, that includes voltage and current muxing. A plurality of ladder multiplexers are joined together in a time division multiplexing scheme that operates continuously. An analog line may be added as a single channel. A marker pulse is used to signal the start of each time window to be divided for all the channels. Time division multiplexing is provided by a number of switching means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Wand