Patents by Inventor Daniel F. Cronch

Daniel F. Cronch 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).

  • Publication number: 20230016658
    Abstract: An optical ferrule configured to move along a mating direction to mate with a mating optical ferrule. The optical ferrule includes an attachment portion for receiving and securing one or more optical waveguides. First and second engagement portions are formed integrally with the optical ferrule and spaced apart from each other along the mating direction. First and second engagement portions are formed integrally with the mating optical ferrule and spaced apart from each other along the mating direction. When the optical ferrule mates with the mating optical ferrule, the first and second engagement portions of the optical ferrule engage the respective second and first engagement portions of the mating optical ferrule. The engagement of the engagement portions of the optical ferrules prevents each of the optical ferules from moving relative to the other optical ferrule along at least mutually orthogonal first and second directions orthogonal to the mating direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Changbao Ma, Alexander W. Barr, Daniel F. Cronch
  • Publication number: 20230003947
    Abstract: An optical connector assembly includes first and second optical ferrules. Each of the first and second optical ferrules includes a front portion extending forwardly from a rear portion. The rear portion includes a top side and a bottom side. The bottom side of the rear portion defines a recessed portion. The first and second optical ferrules mate with each other such that the front portion of each of the first and second ferrules is disposed in the recessed portion of the other one of the first and second ferrules. Discrete retainers are assembled to opposite ends of the mated first and second ferrules. Each of the retainers defines a resilient portion resiliently forcing the front portion of one of the first and second mated ferrules against the other one of the first and second optical ferrules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Changbao Ma, Alexander W. Barr, Daniel F. Cronch
  • Publication number: 20220113476
    Abstract: An optical connector includes a housing having a resilient member and an optical ferrule. The optical ferrule includes a plurality of attachment areas for receiving and securing a plurality of optical waveguides and a light redirecting side for changing a direction of light received from an optical waveguide. The optical connector is configured such that when an optical waveguide is received and secured in any of the attachment areas and light from the optical waveguide propagates along an optical path, the resilient member is not in the optical path. When the optical ferrule mates with a mating optical ferule, the resilient member is resiliently deformed to resiliently force the optical ferrule against the mating optical ferrule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Changbao Ma, Alexander W. Barr, Daniel F. Cronch
  • Patent number: 11237340
    Abstract: An optical connector includes a housing having a resilient member and an optical ferrule. The optical ferrule includes a plurality of attachment areas for receiving and securing a plurality of optical waveguides and a light redirecting side for changing a direction of light received from an optical waveguide. The optical connector is configured such that when an optical waveguide is received and secured in any of the attachment areas and light from the optical waveguide propagates along an optical path, the resilient member is not in the optical path. When the optical ferrule mates with a mating optical ferule, the resilient member is resiliently deformed to resiliently force the optical ferrule against the mating optical ferrule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Changbao Ma, Alexander W. Barr, Daniel F. Cronch
  • Publication number: 20210389527
    Abstract: Each optical cable includes an array of at least one optical waveguide and at least one optical ferrule attached to the array of optical waveguides. The housing includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion engaged with the first housing portion. The second housing portion comprises at least one carrier and one frame. The carrier and frame of the second housing portion are configured to support the one or more optical cables. The first housing portion and the second housing portion are configured such that mechanical engagement of the first housing portion with the second housing portion moves the carrier relative to the frame. Movement of the carrier relative to the frame causes a bend in each optical waveguide and rotation of each ferrule. The bend provides a predetermined spring force of the optical waveguides at a predetermined angle of the ferrule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel F. Cronch, Sergio D. Carranza, Boon K. Lee, Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith
  • Patent number: 11131813
    Abstract: An optical connector (100) comprises one or more optical cables (110) disposed within a housing (120). Each optical In cable (110) includes an array of at least one optical waveguide (111) and at least one optical ferrule (112) attached to the array of optical waveguides (111). The housing (120) includes a first housing portion (121) and a second housing portion (122) engaged with the first housing portion (121). The second housing portion (122) comprises at least one carrier (130) and one frame (140). The carrier (130) and frame (140) of the second housing portion (122) are configured to support the one or more optical cables (110). The first housing portion (121) and the second housing portion (122) are configured such that mechanical engagement of the first housing portion (121) with the second housing portion (122) moves the carrier (130) relative to the frame (140). Movement of the carrier (130) relative to the frame (140) causes a bend in each optical waveguide (111) and rotation of each ferrule (112).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel F. Cronch, Sergio D. Carranza, Boon K. Lee, Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20200355873
    Abstract: An optical connector includes multiple optical subconnectors, wherein each optical subconnector comprises a subconnector housing and one or more optical cable assemblies. The optical connector has two or more housing components, including at least a first housing component and a second housing component. Control of x, y, and z translation of the multiple optical subconnectors is distributed between the first and second housing components such that each housing component controls movement of the optical subconnectors along at least one but not all of the x, y, and z axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel F. Cronch, Nicholas A. Lee, Boon K. Lee, Michael A. Haase, Changbao Ma
  • Publication number: 20200310040
    Abstract: An optical connector includes a housing having a resilient member and an optical ferrule. The optical ferrule includes a plurality of attachment areas for receiving and securing a plurality of optical waveguides and a light redirecting side for changing a direction of light received from an optical waveguide. The optical connector is configured such that when an optical waveguide is received and secured in any of the attachment areas and light from the optical waveguide propagates along an optical path, the resilient member is not in the optical path. When the optical ferrule mates with a mating optical ferule, the resilient member is resiliently deformed to resiliently force the optical ferrule against the mating optical ferrule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Changbao Ma, Alexander W. Barr, Daniel F. Cronch
  • Patent number: 10658779
    Abstract: A connector for establishing electrical connections with a PCB comprises first and second sets of contact pads arranged in first and second rows on a same surface of the PCB. The connector includes a first set of elongated contacts, a second set of elongated contacts, and a contact block. The first set of contacts have contact surfaces that form a first row of contact surfaces configured to make and break electrical connectivity with the first set of contact pads of the PCB. The second set of contacts have contact surfaces that form a second row of contact surfaces configured to make and break electrical connectivity with the second set of contact pads of the PCB. The contact block supports the first and second sets of contacts and causes the contact surfaces to wipe against the first and second sets of contact pads when making and breaking electrical connectivity therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Scherer, Joseph N. Castiglione, Daniel F. Cronch, Jesse A. Mann, Leon D. Schmidt, Steven A. Neu, Richard D. Twigg, Gregg R. Couture, James A. Wessman
  • Publication number: 20200088953
    Abstract: An optical connector (100) comprises one or more optical cables (110) disposed within a housing (120). Each optical In cable (110) includes an array of at least one optical waveguide (111) and at least one optical ferrule (112) attached to the array of optical waveguides (111). The housing (120) includes a first housing portion (121) and a second housing portion (122) engaged with the first housing portion (121). The second housing portion (122) comprises at least one carrier (130) and one frame (140). The carrier (130) and frame (140) of the second housing portion (122) are configured to support the one or more optical cables (110). The first housing portion (121) and the second housing portion (122) are configured such that mechanical engagement of the first housing portion (121) with the second housing portion (122) moves the carrier (130) relative to the frame (140). Movement of the carrier (130) relative to the frame (140) causes a bend in each optical waveguide (111) and rotation of each ferrule (112).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel F. Cronch, Sergio D. Carranza, Boon K. Lee, Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20190157787
    Abstract: A connector for establishing electrical connections with a PCB comprises first and second sets of contact pads arranged in first and second rows on a same surface of the PCB. The connector includes a first set of elongated contacts, a second set of elongated contacts, and a contact block. The first set of contacts have contact surfaces that form a first row of contact surfaces configured to make and break electrical connectivity with the first set of contact pads of the PCB. The second set of contacts have contact surfaces that form a second row of contact surfaces configured to make and break electrical connectivity with the second set of contact pads of the PCB. The contact block supports the first and second sets of contacts and causes the contact surfaces to wipe against the first and second sets of contact pads when making and breaking electrical connectivity therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Richard J. Scherer, Joseph N. Castiglione, Daniel F. Cronch, Jesse A. Mann, Leon D. Schmidt, Steven A. Neu, Richard D. Twigg, Gregg R. Couture, James A. Wessman
  • Patent number: 10236613
    Abstract: A connector for establishing electrical connections with a PCB comprises first and second sets of contact pads arranged in first and second rows on a same surface of the PCB. The connector includes a first set of elongated contacts, a second set of elongated contacts, and a contact block. The first set of contacts have contact surfaces that form a first row of contact surfaces configured to make and break electrical connectivity with the first set of contact pads of the PCB. The second set of contacts have contact surfaces that form a second row of contact surfaces configured to make and break electrical connectivity with the second set of contact pads of the PCB. The contact block supports the first and second sets of contacts and causes the contact surfaces to wipe against the first and second sets of contact pads when making and breaking electrical connectivity therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard J. Scherer, Joseph N. Castiglione, Daniel F. Cronch, Jesse A. Mann, Leon D. Schmidt, Steven A. Neu, Richard D. Twigg, Gregg R. Couture, James A. Wessman
  • Publication number: 20170207561
    Abstract: A connector for establishing electrical connections with a PCB comprises first and second sets of contact pads arranged in first and second rows on a same surface of the PCB. The connector includes a first set of elongated contacts, a second set of elongated contacts, and a contact block. The first set of contacts have contact surfaces that form a first row of contact surfaces configured to make and break electrical connectivity with the first set of contact pads of the PCB. The second set of contacts have contact surfaces that form a second row of contact surfaces configured to make and break electrical connectivity with the second set of contact pads of the PCB. The contact block supports the first and second sets of contacts and causes the contact surfaces to wipe against the first and second sets of contact pads when making and breaking electrical connectivity therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: Richard J. Scherer, Joseph N. Castiglione, Daniel F. Cronch, Jesse A. Mann, Leon D. Schmidt, Steven A. Neu, Richard D. Twigg, Gregg R. Couture, James A. Wessman
  • Patent number: 8007308
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a carrier and a plurality of terminated cable assemblies retained by the carrier. The carrier includes a plurality of first alignment elements and each terminated cable assembly includes one or more second alignment elements. The first and second alignment elements are configured to cooperatively align the plurality of terminated cable assemblies in the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Steven Feldman, Alexander W. Barr, Joseph N. Castiglione, Daniel F. Cronch, Rudy L. Densmore
  • Publication number: 20090104809
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a carrier and a plurality of terminated cable assemblies retained by the carrier. The carrier includes a plurality of first alignment elements and each terminated cable assembly includes one or more second alignment elements. The first and second alignment elements are configured to cooperatively align the plurality of terminated cable assemblies in the carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventors: Steven FELDMAN, Alexander W. Barr, Joseph N. Castiglione, Daniel F. Cronch, Rudy L. Densmore
  • Patent number: 7374429
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a frame mounted on a printed circuit substrate having a plurality of contact pads, and a spring member configured for insertion into the frame. The spring member has a flexible circuit supported thereon. The spring member and frame are shaped to exert biasing forces in two non-parallel directions when the spring member is inserted into the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Daniel F. Cronch, Alexander W. Barr, Wing C. Chow, Steven Feldman, Richard J. Scherer
  • Patent number: 5067910
    Abstract: An electrical connector formed of a polyolefin is more compliant than the connectors formed of polycarbonate and therefor the cap and base are formed with interlocking wedging elements to resist separation of the cap from the base prior to closing the connector onto a plurality of wires for making a connection therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: George J. Knox, Daniel F. Cronch, Martin G. Afflerbaugh