Patents by Inventor Alan Kauffmann

Alan Kauffmann has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11479134
    Abstract: Provided in this disclosure is a charging apparatus for an electrical vehicle. When an electric vehicle is parked above the charging apparatus, a primary connector is slide-ably extended upwards and out of an enclosure in such a manner that it plugs into a secondary connector installed in the bottom of the chassis of the vehicle. The secondary connector includes an inverted cone-shaped component that is mounted to freely move horizontally in all directions from the center to engage the slide-ably extending portion of the primary connection and thereby achieve a final alignment of the primary and secondary connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Inventor: Alan Kauffmann
  • Publication number: 20200180456
    Abstract: Provided in this disclosure is a charging apparatus for an electrical vehicle. When an electric vehicle is parked above the charging apparatus, a primary connector is slide-ably extended upwards and out of an enclosure in such a manner that it plugs into a secondary connector installed in the bottom of the chassis of the vehicle. The secondary connector includes an inverted cone-shaped component that is mounted to freely move horizontally in all directions from the center to engage the slide-ably extending portion of the primary connection and thereby achieve a final alignment of the primary and secondary connectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventor: Alan Kauffmann
  • Patent number: 10538172
    Abstract: Provided is an automated electrical connection apparatus for an electric vehicle. The automated electrical connection apparatus employs a primary connector connection apparatus at a charge site and a secondary connector connection apparatus on a vehicle. In its non-use state, the primary connector at the charge site is flush with the surface of the ground. When the charging system is activated, the primary connector will extend up from the surface of the ground to engage the secondary connector on the vehicle. The automated electrical connection apparatus provides a means to align the corresponding electrical connection within primary and secondary apparatus to establish a connection between the primary connector at the charge site and the secondary connector on the vehicle. Once the charging cycle is terminated, the component parts of the charging system will retract back to the flush position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Inventor: Alan Kauffmann
  • Publication number: 20190009680
    Abstract: Provided is an automated electrical connection apparatus for an electric vehicle. The automated electrical connection apparatus employs a primary connector connection apparatus at a charge site and a secondary connector connection apparatus on a vehicle. In its non-use state, the primary connector at the charge site is flush with the surface of the ground. When the charging system is activated, the primary connector will extend up from the surface of the ground to engage the secondary connector on the vehicle. The automated electrical connection apparatus provides a means to align the corresponding electrical connection within primary and secondary apparatus to establish a connection between the primary connector at the charge site and the secondary connector on the vehicle. Once the charging cycle is terminated, the component parts of the charging system will retract back to the flush position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventor: Alan Kauffmann
  • Patent number: 9862284
    Abstract: An electrical supply apparatus including a containment unit with a bottom, at least one side wall forming an enclosure with an open top; a tower extendable and retractable from the containment unit and a charging unit attached to the tower which, in preferred embodiments, is a wireless charging component provided in a cover, for charging electric vehicles, and particularly to induce optimal current transfer to a receiving component without requiring a corresponding extension of the receiving component out of an electric vehicle and featuring a flexible bellows having an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein said upper edge is continuously affixed about said cover and a lower edge is continuously attached to a flange forming the bottom of the crown ring such that said bellows provides a watertight barrier preventing contaminants from entering an area under said cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Inventor: Alan Kauffmann
  • Patent number: 9780584
    Abstract: An electric supply pop up apparatus with a safety system for use in a generally horizontal surface that has three main sections; a permanently installed, weatherproof containment unit with a bottom, at least one side wall and an open top; a moveable tower that has at least one side wall and a cover and at least one electrical receptacle module or electric vehicle charging components installed in said tower; and a safety system, hereby the tower is slideably moveable within the containment unit so that the tower can be raised or lowered within the containment unit such that when the tower is lowered and in a down position the tower is fully secured and enclosed within the containment unit or the tower can be raised to an up position so that the electrical module or electric vehicle charging components are accessible with power to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Inventor: Alan Kauffmann
  • Patent number: 9543769
    Abstract: An electric supply pop up apparatus for use in a generally horizontal surface that has three main sections, first, a permanently installed, weatherproof containment unit where the unit has a bottom, at least one side wall and an open top; second, a moveable tower that has at least one side wall and a cover; and at least one electrical receptacle module installed in said tower; the tower is slideably moveable within the containment unit so that the tower can be raised or lowered within the containment unit such that when the tower is lowered and in a down position the tower is fully secured and enclosed within the containment unit or the tower can be raised to an up position so that the electrical receptacle module is accessible to a user; and where power is available at the electrical receptacle module when the tower is in the up position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Inventor: Alan Kauffmann
  • Publication number: 20160218497
    Abstract: An electric supply pop up apparatus with a safety system for use in a generally horizontal surface that has three main sections; a permanently installed, weatherproof containment unit with a bottom, at least one side wall and an open top; a moveable tower that has at least one side wall and a cover and at least one electrical receptacle module or electric vehicle charging components installed in said tower; and a safety system, hereby the tower is slideably moveable within the containment unit so that the tower can be raised or lowered within the containment unit such that when the tower is lowered and in a down position the tower is fully secured and enclosed within the containment unit or the tower can be raised to an up position so that the electrical module or electric vehicle charging components are accessible with power to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventor: Alan Kauffmann
  • Publication number: 20160207406
    Abstract: An electrical supply apparatus including a containment unit with a bottom, at least one side wall forming an enclosure with an open top; a tower extendable and retractable from the containment unit and a charging unit attached to the tower which, in preferred embodiments, is a wireless charging component provided in a cover, for charging electric vehicles, and particularly to induce optimal current transfer to a receiving component without requiring a corresponding extension of the receiving component out of an electric vehicle and featuring a flexible bellows having an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein said upper edge is continuously affixed about said cover and a lower edge is continuously attached to a flange forming the bottom of the crown ring such that said bellows provides a watertight barrier preventing contaminants from entering an area under said cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventor: Alan Kauffmann
  • Publication number: 20130113425
    Abstract: An electric supply pop up apparatus for use in a generally horizontal surface that has three main sections, first, a permanently installed, weatherproof containment unit where the unit has a bottom, at least one side wall and an open top; second, a moveable tower that has at least one side wall and a cover; and at least one electrical receptacle module installed in said tower; the tower is slideably moveable within the containment unit so that the tower can be raised or lowered within the containment unit such that when the tower is lowered and in a down position the tower is fully secured and enclosed within the containment unit or the tower can be raised to an up position so that the electrical receptacle module is accessible to a user; and where power is available at the electrical receptacle module when the tower is in the up position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventor: Alan Kauffmann