Patents by Inventor David James Rhein

David James Rhein 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: 10122007
    Abstract: A cover assembly for a battery module is configured to be coupled to battery cells that are arranged side-by-side in a stacked configuration. The cover assembly includes a housing, a plurality of bus bars, and an electrical cable. The bus bars are held by the housing and are configured to electrically connect to corresponding positive and negative cell terminals of the battery cells to electrically connect adjacent battery cells. The cable extends across the bus bars and is electrically connected to each of the bus bars to monitor voltages across the battery cells. The cable includes plural electrical conductors and a dielectric insulator that surrounds and electrically isolates the conductors. The conductors include exposed segments exposed through the dielectric insulator that are electrically connected to corresponding bus bars via a bonding layer applied between the exposed segment and the corresponding bus bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David James Rhein, Andre Guanco, Eric Shields, Jeremy Patterson, Scott Cross
  • Patent number: 10044147
    Abstract: A shield for an electrical connector is provided and includes a first member, a second member, a slot, and a bridge. The slot is positioned between the first member and the second member. The bridge extends transverse across the slot and connects the first member with the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignees: TE Connectivity Corporation, TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Listing, David James Rhein
  • Publication number: 20180205192
    Abstract: A connector assembly for voltage monitoring of bus bars electrically connecting adjacent battery cells of a battery module includes a connector having a plurality of terminals configured to be mated with a control module connector associated with the battery module. A multi-wire planar cable extends from the connector. The multi-wire planar cable has a plurality of wires terminated to corresponding terminals and a common jacket for the plurality of wires. The jacket has grooves between adjacent wires for controlled separation of the wires and surrounding jacket portions at a sensor end of the multi-wire planar cable to define separated planar cable segments. The separated planar cable segments are routed to different areas for termination to different voltage sensors associated with corresponding bus bars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventor: David James Rhein
  • Publication number: 20180034214
    Abstract: An electrical component includes a housing having a mounting end configured to be mounted to a structure and an electrical shield held by the housing and providing electrical shielding. The electrical shield is configured to be electrically grounded to the structure. The electrical shield has a mounting tab having a mounting area including an opening therethrough and a grounding feature in the mounting area near the opening. The grounding feature is configured to cut through a coated surface of the structure to directly engage a conductive layer of the structure to electrically connect the electrical shield to the structure through the coated surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Zachary Wood Lyon, David James Rhein, Jeremy Christian Patterson
  • Publication number: 20180034200
    Abstract: A ferrule assembly for terminating an electrical connector to a cable includes an inner ferrule, an outer ferrule and an inner ferrule sleeve. The inner ferrule has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner ferrule is conductive and provides electrical shielding. The outer ferrule is positioned radially outside of the inner ferrule such that a cable shield of the cable is received between the inner ferrule and the outer ferrule. The outer ferrule secures the cable shield between the inner ferrule and the outer ferrule. The inner ferrule sleeve is positioned radially inside of the inner ferrule. The inner ferrule sleeve substantially fills the space between the inner ferrule and an inner jacket of the cable. The inner ferrule sleeve is dielectric and electrically isolating the inner ferrule from an inner conductor of the cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: David James Rhein, Aric J. Boyer, Thomas Robert DeWitte
  • Publication number: 20180034178
    Abstract: A plug connector includes a housing having a mating end and a cable end. The mating end is configured to be mated with a header connector in a mating direction. A tab terminal is held in the housing at the mating end. The tab terminal has a leading edge configured to be mated with the header terminal of the header connector when the plug connector is mated to the header connector. The leading edge is tapered such that the tab terminal sequentially mates with the header terminal during mating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Adam Price Tyler, David James Rhein
  • Publication number: 20180034219
    Abstract: A power connector system includes a header connector having a header housing mounted to a chassis. The header housing holds a header terminal comprising a plurality of contact members arranged side-by-side in a stacked arrangement. Each contact member has a pair of spring beams defining sockets at a mating end of the contact member. The sockets of the contact members are aligned to define a tab socket of the header terminal. The power connector system includes a plug connector having a plug housing holding a tab terminal. The tab terminal has a mating end and a cable end. The mating end is received in a mating direction into the tab socket of the header terminal during mating to electrically connect the tab terminal with the header terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Adam Price Tyler, Aric J. Boyer, David James Rhein
  • Patent number: 9620869
    Abstract: An electrical contact for an electric connector is disclosed having a looped spring portion. The looped spring portion has a connecting end, a contacting end curved back towards the connecting end, and at least one contacting region positioned on the contacting end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignees: Tyco Electronics Corporation, TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Listing, David James Rhein
  • Publication number: 20160380252
    Abstract: A cover assembly for a battery module is configured to be coupled to battery cells that are arranged side-by-side in a stacked configuration. The cover assembly includes a housing, a plurality of bus bars, and an electrical cable. The bus bars are held by the housing and are configured to electrically connect to corresponding positive and negative cell terminals of the battery cells to electrically connect adjacent battery cells. The cable extends across the bus bars and is electrically connected to each of the bus bars to monitor voltages across the battery cells. The cable includes plural electrical conductors and a dielectric insulator that surrounds and electrically isolates the conductors. The conductors include exposed segments exposed through the dielectric insulator that are electrically connected to corresponding bus bars via a bonding layer applied between the exposed segment and the corresponding bus bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: David James Rhein, Andre Guanco, Eric Shields, Jeremy Patterson, Scott Cross
  • Publication number: 20160380319
    Abstract: A battery module includes a plurality of battery cells and a cover assembly coupled to the battery cells. The battery cells are arranged in a stacked configuration. The cover assembly includes a housing, bus bars, and a temperature monitoring assembly. The bus bars engage corresponding positive and negative cell terminals of the battery cells to electrically connect adjacent battery cells. The temperature monitoring assembly is mounted to and extends along a mounting surface of the cover assembly that faces the battery cells. The temperature monitoring assembly includes an electrical cable, a temperature sensing device mounted to and electrically connected to the electrical cable, and a thermally conductive interface member covering the temperature sensing device. The thermally conductive interface member engages at least one of the battery cells, and the temperature monitoring assembly monitors a temperature of that at least one battery cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: David James Rhein, Andre Dressel
  • Publication number: 20150333449
    Abstract: A shield for an electrical connector is provided and includes a first member, a second member, a slot, and a bridge. The slot is positioned between the first member and the second member. The bridge extends transverse across the slot and connects the first member with the second member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicants: Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH, Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Listing, David James Rhein
  • Publication number: 20150236434
    Abstract: An electrical contact for an electric connector is disclosed having a looped spring portion. The looped spring portion has a connecting end, a contacting end curved back towards the connecting end, and at least one contacting region positioned on the contacting end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicants: Tyco Electronics Corporation, Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Listing, David James Rhein
  • Patent number: 8147272
    Abstract: A header connector assembly includes an outer housing, an inner housing, a shield subassembly, and a seal body. The outer housing is disposed in an opening of a panel and includes a cavity. The inner housing includes a channel and is disposed in the opening of the panel. The inner housing is received in the cavity of the outer housing and includes a channel configured to have a contact disposed therein. The shield subassembly is disposed between the outer housing and the inner housing. The shield subassembly engages the panel to electrically couple the shield subassembly with the panel. The seal body is disposed between the panel and at least one of the outer housing and the inner housing. The seal body restricts passage of contaminants between the panel and at least one of the outer housing and the inner housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: David James Rhein
  • Publication number: 20110189888
    Abstract: A header connector assembly includes an outer housing, an inner housing, a shield subassembly, and a seal body. The outer housing is disposed in an opening of a panel and includes a cavity. The inner housing includes a channel and is disposed in the opening of the panel. The inner housing is received in the cavity of the outer housing and includes a channel configured to have a contact disposed therein. The shield subassembly is disposed between the outer housing and the inner housing. The shield subassembly engages the panel to electrically couple the shield subassembly with the panel. The seal body is disposed between the panel and at least one of the outer housing and the inner housing. The seal body restricts passage of contaminants between the panel and at least one of the outer housing and the inner housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: DAVID JAMES RHEIN
  • Patent number: 7789690
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing, a power supply contact, an interlock circuit contact, a lever subassembly and a lever latch. The lever subassembly is pivotally coupled to the housing and includes a handle and a gripping end that engages the mating connector to move the housing relative to the mating connector when the handle is rotated. The handle is rotated to sequentially decouple the interlock circuit contact from the mating interlock contact prior to unmating the power supply contact from the mating power contact. The lever latch is coupled with the housing and prevents unmating of the power supply contact from the mating power contact before separation of the interlock circuit contact and the mating interlock contact before the power supply contact is decoupled from the mating power contact and after the interlock circuit contact is decoupled from the mating interlock contact by blocking rotation of the lever subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: David James Rhein
  • Patent number: 7704103
    Abstract: A terminal for mating with a blade contact includes a planar bottom extending between a front end and a rear end. A slot is formed in the planar bottom for receiving the blade contact, and the slot includes a front edge and a rear edge. Deflectable beams extend from the bottom across the slot for engaging the blade contact. At least one beam extends at least partially across the slot from the front edge and at least one beam extends at least partially across the slot from the rear edge. The beams are configured to engage opposite sides of the blade contact when the blade contact is mated with the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignees: Tyco Electronics Corporation, Tyco Electronics Lambda
    Inventors: David James Rhein, Jason Steven Ferraro
  • Patent number: 6609931
    Abstract: A squib connector assembly comprising a housing having a longitudinal axis and a tip; a female contact disposed within the tip of said housing for mating engagement with a male contact in a mating squib socket; and a ground contact having at least one resilient spring beam disposed on an external surface of the tip of said housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Jeffrey David Parrish, David James Rhein, Sheikh Habibur Rahman
  • Publication number: 20030082949
    Abstract: A squib connector assembly comprising a housing having a longitudinal axis and a tip; a female contact disposed within the tip of said housing for mating engagement with a male contact in a mating squib socket; and a ground contact having at least one resilient spring beam disposed on an external surface of the tip of said housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: Jeffrey David Parrish, David James Rhein, Sheikh Habibur Rahman