Patents Examined by Thanh-Tâm Lê
  • Patent number: 10229806
    Abstract: A plug comprises power contacts and a trip jumper having jumper contacts configured to make a trip connection, during a plugging action with the plug and a receptacle, with mating trip contacts in the receptacle. When the receptacle is connected to electrical power during the plugging action, a current over the trip connection can cause disconnection of a receptacle power contact from the power. A receptacle comprises receptacle power contacts and a trip circuit having receptacle trip contacts configured to make a trip connection, during a plugging action with the receptacle and plug, with mating trip contacts in the plug. When the receptacle is connected to electrical power during the plugging action, a current over the trip connection can cause disconnection of power to a receptacle power contact. A system can have an electrical device with a line cord connected to the plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William L. Brodsky, Byron S. Green, Robert K. Mullady, Jeffrey A. Newcomer, Arkadiy O. Tsfasman, John S. Werner
  • Patent number: 10224650
    Abstract: A coaxial frequency-separating connector of the present invention applies a first conducting element to receive a multi-frequency signal from a multi-frequency transmission element, and applies a multi-frequency dividing circuit to divide the multi-frequency signal to a plurality of different frequency signals such that the different frequency signals are respectively transmitted to the first coaxial cable and the second coaxial cable of a second conducting element. Furthermore, a first frequency contacting end to which a first RF element is connected and a second frequency contacting end to which a second RF element is connected are respectively connected on one end of the first coaxial cable and one end of the second coaxial cable. Accordingly, two RF elements with two different frequency bands can use only one coaxial frequency-separating connector to connect to a transmission element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: GRAND-TEK TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kung-Yu Shen, Ta-Lun Lee
  • Patent number: 10219541
    Abstract: A cartridge is selectively usable with a personal vaporizer. The cartridge may include a chamber for holding a vaporizing medium such as a liquid solution. The cartridge may also include an atomizer that can be manufactured as a unit with the chamber. The cartridge can be attached to a vaporizer structure such as a battery assembly. A cartridge cover fits over and encloses the cartridge therewithin. The cartridge cover can employ decorative aspects that match or complement decorative aspects of the battery assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Lubby Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: J. Christian Rado
  • Patent number: 10218125
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes: a contact module comprising an insulative housing having a base portion and a tongue portion, and a number of conductive terminals affixed to the insulative housing and each comprising a contacting portion exposed to a surface of the tongue portion, a soldering portion and a connecting portion connecting the contacting portion and the soldering portion; and a metal shell comprising a pair of locking grooves depressed forwardly from a rear surface thereof; wherein the insulative housing comprises a pair of mounting portions located at two lateral sides of a rear end thereof, the mounting portions are stuck in the locking grooves when the contact module is assembled to the metal shell along a rear-to-front direction, and a lower portion of each mounting portion is resisted against the rear surface of the metal shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: FOXCONN INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Jin-Guo Qiu, Jun Zhao, Wei Wen
  • Patent number: 10218094
    Abstract: A cable connector includes an outer conductor engager, a body, a coupler, a compression sleeve, and a grounding member. The outer conductor engager is configured to receive an end of a coaxial cable. The body includes an annular ring portion coaxially aligned with the outer conductor engager along an axis, and the annular ring is configured to circumscribe the coaxial cable. The coupler is rotatably mounted relative to the outer conductor engager and the body, and the compression sleeve is disposed at an opposite axial side of the body relative to the coupler. The grounding member is configured to establish an electrical grounding path between the outer conductor engager and the coupler. The body includes a plurality of flexible fingers spaced about a periphery of the body. The flexible fingers include outer surfaces that extend radially outward from an outer surface of the connector body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: PPC BROADBAND, INC.
    Inventors: Kim Lundgren Eriksen, Harold J. Watkins
  • Patent number: 10218109
    Abstract: A pop-up outlet includes a lower housing configured to receive one or more conductors. A middle housing is connected to the lower housing. An upper housing is moveably connected to the middle housing. An outlet is positioned in the upper housing having an outlet body and at least one receptacle opening. A raise/lower mechanism is configured to move the upper housing with respect to the middle housing from a first position where the outlet body is positioned in the middle housing to a second position where the outlet body is exposed to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Sorin I. Mortun
  • Patent number: 10211581
    Abstract: A plug-in device for use with a busway system comprising a busway housing defining a longitudinal axis includes a stab base housing having first and second opposite sides, one or more stab conductors extending out of and away from the stab base housing at each of the first and second sides of the stab base housing, and a ground conductor at an upper portion of the stab base housing. The stab base housing is configured to be received through an opening at a bottom portion of the busway housing and positioned in a first position and then rotated from the first position to a second position. The ground conductor is configured to contact a top wall of the busway housing in each of the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Wynnik, Gordon Stanley Pettersen, John Michael Kokenda
  • Patent number: 10211558
    Abstract: A receptacle terminal for receipt of a mating terminal therein. The receptacle terminal has a contact portion including a bottom wall and resilient contact arms which extend from the bottom wall. The resilient contact arms have resilient contact sections and mating terminal engagement members. The mating terminal engagement members have a projection receiving opening. A spring arm extends from the bottom wall toward the mating terminal engagement members. The spring arm has a projection which extends from the spring arm to create a raised area on an inner surface of the spring arm to engage the mating terminal. Prior to the receipt of the mating terminal, the projection of the spring arm is positioned in the projection receiving opening of the mating terminal engagement members, allowing the portions of the spring arm to be positioned proximate the mating terminal engagement members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Edward Didonato, Richard B. Emenheiser
  • Patent number: 10205291
    Abstract: Various connector and sensor assemblies are described. In some embodiments, the connector and sensor assembly comprises a connector and a sensor assembly. The connector can have an opening that has a first surface and second surface that are opposite each other. The connector can have a plurality of retractable electrical connectors that extend from the first surface and a lock structure that is located on the second surface. The sensor assembly is comprised of a body portion and a proximal end. The proximal end has a top side and a bottom side. The top side includes a plurality of electrical contacts that is configured to interact with the plurality of retractable electrical connectors. The bottom side includes a key structure that is configured to interact with the lock structure in the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Scruggs, Ammar Al-Ali, John Schmidt, Yassir Kamel Abdul-Hafiz, Benjamin C. Triman, William Jack MacNeish, III
  • Patent number: 10199763
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a terminal module and a shielding shell surrounding the terminal module. The terminal module has an insulative housing and a plurality of conductive terminals retained in the insulative housing. The shielding shell has a metallic shell and a waterproof shell insert molded on an outer side of the metallic shell. The metallic shell surrounds the insulative housing to form a mating cavity opening forwardly. The shielding shell has a sealing member disposed between the metallic shell and the waterproof shell and a retaining member disposed at a rear side of the waterproof shell. The retaining member is separate from the sealing member. The metallic shell defines an opening slot going therethrough. The sealing member covers the opening slot. The retaining member defines a mounting leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: FOXCONN INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Zhi-Hui Zhu, Da-Wei Zhang, Shu-Jian Wang, Yen-Chih Chang, Ming-Guang Bai
  • Patent number: 10193294
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a base member, a laser element, a retaining member, a fluorescent member, and first and second fixing members. The retaining member has a first surface on a laser element side and a second surface not on the laser element side. The fluorescent member is fixed to a through hole of the retaining member. The first and second fixing members clamp the retaining member. The first and second fixing members have first and second contact surfaces in contact with the first and second surfaces of the retaining member, respectively. A distance between the first and second contact surfaces becomes smaller as the first and second contact surfaces become farther from the through hole. The retaining member, the first and second fixing members are arranged such that a space surrounded by the retaining member, and the first and second fixing members exists around the retaining member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoto Morizumi, Akinori Yoneda
  • Patent number: 10181680
    Abstract: A power adapter with a cord-fastening, and one or more fastening tabs for semi-permanently securing the power adapter to a wall socket. Female receptacles within the device can be designed to accept standard corded connections widely accepted in use with electronic devices (e.g. mobile phones, tablets, and other personal electronic devices) such as male ends of various USB (Universal Serial Bus) standards or other well-known connector types. Male prongs can be designed to fit into a standard wall outlet, and optionally can be designed to fold into the adapter body when not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Inventor: Robert Crowder
  • Patent number: 10163590
    Abstract: A power-circuit breaking device includes a receptacle and a plug. The receptacle includes a power terminal and a signal terminal. The plug includes a main terminal and a sub-terminal. The plug includes a plug housing, a lever which is attached to the plug housing, a lock slider which is attached to the plug housing, and a sub-connector which is supported by the lock slider. The plug housing holds the main terminal. The sub-connector holds the sub-terminal. When the lock slider slides, the sub-connector moves. When the lever is located at a closed position, the main terminal is connected to the power terminal. When the lock slider is located at a connected position, the sub-terminal is connected to the signal terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuya Tabata, Yuichiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10164366
    Abstract: A connector terminal includes a contact portion to be contacted with a counter connector terminal, a hold portion held in a connector housing, and a coupling portion coupling the contact portion and the hold portion, the coupling portion being configured as a rectangular tube with four bending portions and having a single continuous band portion from the contact portion to the hold portion by having notches staggered from the contact portion toward the hold portion, each of the notches including an oblique part that extends to cross over adjacent two of the four bending portions, the oblique part of an odd numbered notch being slanted in a direction from the contact portion toward the hold portion as approaching a tip from an entrance thereof, an even numbered notch being slanted in a direction from the hold portion toward the contact portion as approaching a tip from an entrance thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Tomoki Kataoka
  • Patent number: 10158198
    Abstract: A signal module and a signal relay device that can suppress the effect of noise are provided, and the signal module is a signal module of a tool changer including a first coupling member to be detachably attached to a body side of an industrial robot and a second coupling member to be detachably attached to a tool side, the signal module including a signal relay connector attached to the first coupling member or the second coupling member, and upon the first coupling member and the second coupling member being coupled, forming a signal path between the first coupling member side and the second coupling member side, wherein in the signal relay connector, a plurality of terminal pairs to be used for communication using differential signals are provided, and two terminals of each of the terminal pairs are arranged at mutually-adjacent positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: NITTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Tsurimoto, Nobuhiro Omote, Yosuke Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10150579
    Abstract: Exemplary drone power pack housing/assembly embodiments and drone power pack embodiments disclosed herein are standardized, common form factor, devices. Exemplary power packs and power pack housings may be modular in nature such that components thereof may be shared. Exemplary power packs and power pack housings may be used on a multitude of drones to facilitate repowering and servicing. Exemplary power packs and power pack housings may be designed to also facilitate installation to and removal from a drone by automated means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Droneovation, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd A. James, Michael W. Westerfield, Bryan C. James
  • Patent number: 10141666
    Abstract: A support of an electronic unit, configured to be integrated into a housing to support a first electronic unit and to allow electrical connection between the first electronic unit and a second electronic unit situated opposite, via at least one electrical connection element. The support includes: an open cavity for receiving the first electronic unit; a hollow column into which the at least one electrical connection element is inserted, the hollow column extending from the open cavity and being configured to communicate with the open cavity at a first end of the hollow column; and a channel including an end communicating with the bottom of the open cavity and another end communicating with a lateral wall of the hollow column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventors: Guillaume Tramet, Arnaud Mas, Ernesto Sacco
  • Patent number: 10141671
    Abstract: A reversible plug connector includes a plug housing having a housing contact disposed on an inner surface of the plug housing, a moveable plug insulator disposed within the plug housing, the moveable plug insulator having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface with a metallic conductor exposed on both the upper surface and the lower surface. The moveable plug insulator is configured to be vertically displaced in response to the reversible plug connector being inserted into a receptacle connector such that a portion of the metallic conductor is brought into contact with a receptacle contact on the receptacle connector and another portion of the metallic conductor is brought into contact with the housing contact, and thereby the housing contact is electrically connected to the receptacle contact. A corresponding system is also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yuta Adachi, Yutaka Kawai, Yohichi Miwa
  • Patent number: 10141661
    Abstract: A contact insert of a spring force connection clamp having at least one retaining frame and at least one clamp spring that is mounted in the retaining frame, wherein a spring insert that functions so as to increase the clamping force of the clamp spring is arranged at least within a region that is encompassed by a spring bow of the clamp spring, wherein the spring insert is configured as one piece with the retaining frame. A spring force connection clamp having at least one contact insert of this type is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: WAGO Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH
    Inventor: Joerg Ahldag
  • Patent number: 10128616
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing and contact assemblies. The housing includes shroud walls and a base having a front side and a rear side. The front side of the base and the shroud walls define a cavity configured to receive a mating connector. The base is electrically conductive and has chambers extending therethrough that are defined by chamber walls. The contact assemblies are received in the chambers. Each contact assembly has a signal pod surrounded on at least two sides by a ground shield. The signal pod includes a dielectric body holding a pair of signal contacts. The dielectric body engages interior sides of the ground shield to electrically insulate the signal contacts from the ground shield. Exterior sides of the ground shield engage the chamber walls of the base to electrically connect the ground shield to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chad William Morgan, Timothy Robert Minnick, Arturo Pachon Munoz, David Wayne Helster, Brian Patrick Costello, Douglas Edward Lawrence