Patents Examined by Vanessa Girardi
  • Patent number: 11705667
    Abstract: Terminal (1), in particular screw or connecting terminal, having a spring force terminal connection (2) with at least one conductor terminal point (K) for electrical connection of at least one conductor, an insulating material housing (6) which at least partially accommodates the spring force terminal connection (2), for each conductor terminal point (K) a conductor introduction channel (60) which extends in a conductor introduction direction (E) from the outside toward the conductor terminal point (K), and for each conductor terminal point (K) a release lever (5) which is mounted in the insulating material housing (6) pivotably about a pivot axis (A) extending transverse to the conductor introduction direction (E), in order to interact with an actuating portion (52) by pivoting of the release lever (5) with the spring force terminal connection (2) for optional opening of the conductor terminal point (K).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Electro Terminal GmbH & Co KG
    Inventor: Peter Moser
  • Patent number: 11705706
    Abstract: A junction box assembly includes an upper housing, a lower housing, a connector assembly and a bolt. The upper housing includes a bolt support. The bolt support is a cylindrical member having a top surface and a through hole. The lower housing includes a bottom through hole. The connector assembly further including a threaded bore. A bolt having a threaded end is disposed in the through hole of the upper housing, the bottom through hole of the lower housing and threadedly engaged with the threaded bore of the connector assembly so as to secure the upper housing, lower housing and connector assembly together. The top surface of the cylindrical member includes a plurality of holes, each of the plurality of holes being closed at a bottom end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nathan Like
  • Patent number: 11705298
    Abstract: A method of forming a microelectromechanical device is disclosed wherein a beam of the microelectromechanical device may deviate from a resting to an engaged or disengaged position through electrical biasing. The microelectromechanical device comprises a beam disposed above a first RF conductor and a second RF conductor. The microelectromechanical device further comprises at least a center stack, a first RF stack, a second RF stack, a first stack formed on a first base layer, and a second stack formed on a second base layer, each stack disposed between the beam and the first and second RF conductors. The beam is configured to deflect downward to first contact the first stack formed on the first base layer and the second stack formed on the second base layer simultaneously or the center stack, before contacting the first RF stack and the second RF stack simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Robertus Petrus Van Kampen, Lance Barron, Richard L. Knipe
  • Patent number: 11682873
    Abstract: A charger guard apparatus is described. The guard is equipped with a sabot, wall plate, and retaining cradle which, when assembled around a mobile device charger or any AC-powered male plug, is configured to prevent unwanted movement, damage, or loss to the charger or similar AC-powered device. The sabot is preferably composed of a top half and a bottom half which are configured to lock together around a male AC plug, including any AC/DC adapter or similar plug protrusion. The sabot is also configured to encapsulate any and all cable extending from an AC/DC adapter disposed within the sabot. The retaining cradle is configured to lock to the wall plate via retaining clips which are designed to mate with clip sockets of the wall plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignees: Chronister Investments, LLC, SIMPLE Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: Justin T. Chronister, Joshua R. Maddox, Steve R. Maddox
  • Patent number: 11677193
    Abstract: A power strip assembly for facilitating electrical devices plugged into a power strip to be individually turned on and off includes a power strip that is longitudinally elongated and a plurality of banks of female electrical outlets integrated into the power strip. A plurality of power switches is each movably coupled to the power strip. Each of the power switches is in electrical communication with a respective one of the banks of female electrical outlets for turning the respective banks of female electrical outlets on and off. In this way the plurality of power switches can turn off respective electrical devices plugged into the power strip while leaving respective electrical devices plugged into the power strip turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Carl Eugene Jack
  • Patent number: 11676779
    Abstract: What is presented is a key module for a keyboard. The key module comprises a key tappet. The key module also comprises a module housing. The module housing is formed to movably accommodate the key tappet, in order to enable a translational actuation movement of the key tappet between a rest position and in an actuated position relative to the module housing. The key module further comprises a trigger element for triggering an actuation signal of the key module in response to the actuation movement. The trigger element is attached to the key tappet. The trigger element is a contactor for electrically shorting contact pads of a circuit substrate of the keyboard. The trigger element comprises more than two elastically deformable contact fingers for contacting the contact pads after different pre-travel paths in the course of the actuation movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: CHERRY GMBH
    Inventor: Eduard Ruff
  • Patent number: 11673517
    Abstract: A wiring harness connector cover assembly for a vehicle includes a mounting bracket and a cover. The mounting bracket is configured to be connected to a structural member of a frame of the vehicle. The cover is removably connected to the mounting bracket. The cover includes a front wall, a rear wall, a lower wall and a side wall. The front wall has a first cutout configured to receive a first wiring harness. The rear wall has a second cutout configured to receive a second wiring harness. The lower wall extends between lower edges of the front and rear walls. The side wall extends between side edges of the front, rear and lower walls. The side wall extends upwardly from the lower wall higher than the first and second cutouts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Fernando Lopez, Claudia Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 11670468
    Abstract: A control device for controlling power delivered to an electrical load includes a faceplate subassembly and a main control module. The faceplate subassembly includes a faceplate, a button, a circuit board, and a back cover. The faceplate includes a front surface and an opposed rear surface, and an opening extending therebetween with the button disposed in the opening in the faceplate. The back cover is positioned adjacent to the circuit board and defines a plurality of holes. A shaft of a post extending from the faceplate is disposed in one of the holes in the back cover and an end of the post is enlarged such that the back cover is captured between the end of the post and the rear surface of the faceplate. The main control module is configured to cause power delivered to the electrical load to be adjusted in response to depression of the button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: LUTRON TECHNOLOGY COMPANY LLC
    Inventors: Edward J. Blair, Samuel F. Chambers, George M. Drizos, Matthew P. McDonald
  • Patent number: 11664613
    Abstract: A conductor connection terminal, having an insulating material housing, a busbar, a clamping spring and an operating lever which is pivotably received in the insulating material housing over a pivoting range and can be pivoted between an open position and a closed position, wherein the clamping spring has an operating arm which is deflected via a spring driver of the operating lever at least in the open position, characterized in that the operating lever is supported in the open position at a first and a second support point spaced from the first, and that the operating lever is pulled against the first and the second support point by a tensile force of the clamping spring acting on the spring driver from the operating arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: WAGO Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH
    Inventor: Frank Hartmann
  • Patent number: 11657986
    Abstract: An electrical switching device, such as a high-speed switching device, has a damper and latching assembly. The assembly is configured to dampen the movement of a moving contact of the switching device as the moving contact translates from its closed position to its open position. The assembly also is configured to restrain the moving contact in its open position. The assembly stores at least some of the energy associated with the damping process, and uses the stored energy to assist in the release of the moving contact during the subsequent re-closing of the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew L. Gottschalk, Robert Michael Slepian, Jayaraman Muniyappan, Santhosh Kumar Chamarajanagar Govinda Nayaka
  • Patent number: 11646170
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a MEMS element includes a first member, and an element part. The element part includes a first fixed electrode fixed to the first member, a first movable electrode facing the first fixed electrode, a first conductive member electrically connected to the first movable electrode, and a second conductive member electrically connected to the first movable electrode. The first movable electrode is supported by the first and second conductive members to be separated from the first fixed electrode. The first conductive member has a meandering structure. The second conductive member includes a first conductive region and a second conductive region. The second conductive region is between the first movable electrode and the first conductive region. A second width of the second conductive region along a second direction is less than a first width of the first conductive region along the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yamazaki, Kei Masunishi
  • Patent number: 11646511
    Abstract: A terminal block includes an insulative case, a supply-side conductive plate and a wire connecting module. The insulative case has two wire holes. The supply-side conductive plate is disposed in the insulative case. The wire connecting module is mounted on the supply-side conductive plate and includes a feed-side conductive plate, two insulative supports and two flexible clamping sheets. The feed-side conductive plate is electrically connected to the supply-side conductive plate and includes a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to each other. Each insulative support is arranged on the feed-side conductive plate. Each insulative support and the second side wall jointly form a clamping space. Each flexible clamping sheet is separately disposed on each insulative support. One end of each flexible clamping sheet is flexibly connected with the first side wall, and another end of each flexible clamping sheet is located in the clamping space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignees: DINKLE ENTERPRISE CO., LTD., DINKLE ELECTRIC MACHINERY (CHINA) CO., LTD., LI YANG ELECTRIC MACHINERY (DONGGUAN) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shang-Tsai Wu
  • Patent number: 11641069
    Abstract: A connector includes multiple first terminals, multiple second terminals, and a housing that holds the terminals. The first terminals are arranged side-by-side in a width direction of the housing, and the second terminals are also arranged side-by-side in the width direction. In the housing, the first terminals are arranged side-by-side with the second terminals in a front-rear direction that is perpendicular to the width direction. In a state where first electrical wires are connected to the first terminals and second electrical wires are connected to the second terminals, the first electrical wires are drawn out to one side in the front-rear direction of the housing, and the second electrical wires are drawn out to the other side in the front-rear direction of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: J.S.T. MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryo Naemura
  • Patent number: 11640884
    Abstract: A system may comprise a printed circuit board (PCB) including a top surface, and a bracket including a top surface configured to receive and couple to a key switch and a bottom surface including at least two protrusions that extend normal to the bottom surface of the bracket. The bracket can be configured to mount to the PCB such that the bottom surface of the bracket is coupled to the top surface of the PCB, and the at least two protrusions may each include conductive leads that couple to the top surface of the PCB. The bracket is configured to only cover a portion of a bottom surface of the key switch when coupled to the key switch. An LED can be mounted to the top surface of the PCB, laterally adjacent to the bracket, and under the key switch at a location not covered by the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Logitech Europe S.A.
    Inventors: Feng-Hao Lin, Yu-Chun Sun, Lien Hsing Chen, Fu-Kai Hsu
  • Patent number: 11637397
    Abstract: A plug-side first electrical plug connector has at least two flat electrical contact elements arranged in parallel extending in a housing of the connector in the insertion direction of the connector for accommodating socket-side second plug connector in the direction of an opening of the housing. A plastic tip is formed on one end of a contact region of the contact elements, and at least one dome-like shock hazard protection element is provided in the housing, extending in the insertion direction adjacent to the contact elements and protrudes beyond the contact region of the contact elements. The plug connector is suitable for a motor vehicle inverter to supply power to an auxiliary unit of the motor vehicle, and provides shock hazard protection of the contact elements for a human finger and/or reliable operating security is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Inventors: Marc Lindkamp, Guenter Pape
  • Patent number: 11632844
    Abstract: A cover for an electrical receptacle including a faceplate. The cover also includes a first transmission tab configured to be electrically connected to a first power line of the electrical receptacle and a second transmission tab configured to be electrically connected to a second power line of the electrical receptacle. Additionally, the cover includes a device (such as a light source, circuit, port, or sensor) in communication with the first transmission tab and the second transmission tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: LIGHTING DEFENSE GROUP, LLC
    Inventor: Cordell Eldred Ebeling
  • Patent number: 11631948
    Abstract: At least one of a housing and a pressing member has an inner peripheral surface to be held in close contact with an outer peripheral surface of a sealing member. The sealing member includes a sealing hole a cable being passed through the sealing hole, and recesses located closer to the outer peripheral surface than the sealing hole and open in at least one of the front and rear surfaces. At least one of the housing and the pressing member includes projections. If, out of an inner wall of the recess, a part located on the side of the outer peripheral surface is an outer lateral part and a part located on the side of the sealing hole s an inner lateral part, a clearance is formed between the projection and the inner lateral part and the projection is arranged in contact with the outer lateral part in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventor: Shinji Hirano
  • Patent number: 11626696
    Abstract: A separable and reconnectable connector for semiconductor devices is provided that is scalable for devices having very small contact pitch. Connectors of the present disclosure include signal pins shielded by pins electrically-coupled to ground. One or more signal pins in a contact array are electrically-shielded by at least one ground pin coupled to a ground plane. Embodiments thereby provide signal pins, either single-ended or a differential pair, usable to transmit signals with reduced noise or cross-talk and thus improved signal integrity. Embodiments further provide inner ground planes coupled to connector ground pins to shield pairs of differential signal pins without increasing the size of the connector. Inner grounding layers can be formed within isolation substrates incorporated into connector embodiments between adjacent pairs of signal pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: GITech, Inc.
    Inventor: John Williams
  • Patent number: 11616311
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is installed on a plate having a polygonal through hole and composed of an external rotating member, a locking rod, an outer tension ring, an inner tension ring and a locking part. The relatively larger sized external rotating member, the push handle shaped outer wall and the ridge pattern for durable handheld operation provide an easy convenient operation for both reverse or forward rotations. The outer tension ring has a multi-protrusion block plugged into a polygonal through hole of the plate and a polygonal groove of the inner tension ring to achieve the effect of engaging with the polygonal plug and the locking rod is screwed with the nut and the locking part to achieve the pressing effect, such that the outer tension ring, the plate and the inner tension ring can be pressed and attached securely with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Drow Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng Tsung Wei, Ying Chieh Wei
  • Patent number: 11616319
    Abstract: A safety electrical assembly includes an electrical apparatus having a connecting zone with a plurality of terminals each connected to a cable, each of the terminals having a connecting opening formed within an insulating housing of the electrical apparatus, a protective cover cooperating with the electrical apparatus in a mounted position, and a main opening for the cables connected to the terminals extending from an exterior area to an interior area of the safety electrical assembly. The interior area is defined between the electrical apparatus and the protective cover. The connecting openings are disposed in the interior area. The main opening is arranged so that a direct trajectory from any point of the main opening oriented toward any point of any connecting opening intersects an obstacle of the safety electrical assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics France SAS
    Inventors: Yannick Villardier, Romain Villard