Patents by Inventor David Menzies

David Menzies 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: 11710927
    Abstract: A connector pair includes a header with a protrusion and an electrical connector assembly movable relative to the header between a mated position and an unmated position. The electrical connector assembly includes a connector housing and a connector position assurance retained on the connector housing for relative linear movement between a lock position and an open position. The connector position assurance includes a first lock surface that engages a second lock surface on the protrusion to retain the electrical connector assembly in the mated position. The connector position assurance includes a first assist surface that engages a second assist surface on the protrusion to move the electrical connector assembly from the mated position toward the unmated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Vikas Azad, David Menzies
  • Patent number: 11594835
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing with a terminal cavity and a terminal lock adapted to retain an electrical terminal in the terminal cavity. A terminal position assurance is attached to the housing and engages the terminal lock. The connector assembly also includes a protector plate with a protector body having a front plate face and an opposed back plate face. Terminal openings pass through the protector body. A plurality of staged locks are attached to the protector body for relative rotational movement. The staged locks extending beyond the front plate face and also extending beyond the back plate face. The protector plate is movable relative to the housing in a mate direction from a pre-stage position to a pre-lock position. The protector plate is retained in the pre-lock position relative to the housing against further movement in the mate direction by a staged lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Deborah Probert, David Menzies, Lewis Galligan
  • Publication number: 20220384992
    Abstract: A connector pair includes a header with a protrusion and an electrical connector assembly movable relative to the header between a mated position and an unmated position. The electrical connector assembly includes a connector housing and a connector position assurance retained on the connector housing for relative linear movement between a lock position and an open position. The connector position assurance includes a first lock surface that engages a second lock surface on the protrusion to retain the electrical connector assembly in the mated position. The connector position assurance includes a first assist surface that engages a second assist surface on the protrusion to move the electrical connector assembly from the mated position toward the unmated position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Vikas Azad, David Menzies
  • Patent number: 11489295
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly having a housing and a cover assembly. The housing defines a cable receiving cavity and includes a conductive connector shield extending within a portion of the cavity. The cover assembly has a back cover that includes an end wall that mates with the housing adjacent to the cable receiving cavity; a cable support wall extending from the end wall and defining a cable passage extending through the end wall, with the cable support wall configured to receive a shielded cable therein; and a conductive spring clip fixed to the cable support wall and having a first leg configured to be biased into contact with a conductive ferrule of the shielded cable and a second leg, on an opposed side of the cable support wall, spring biased into contact with the connector shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Vikas Azad, David Menzies
  • Publication number: 20220255268
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly having a housing and a cover assembly. The housing defines a cable receiving cavity and includes a conductive connector shield extending within a portion of the cavity. The cover assembly has a back cover that includes an end wall that mates with the housing adjacent to the cable receiving cavity; a cable support wall extending from the end wall and defining a cable passage extending through the end wall, with the cable support wall configured to receive a shielded cable therein; and a conductive spring clip fixed to the cable support wall and having a first leg configured to be biased into contact with a conductive ferrule of the shielded cable and a second leg, on an opposed side of the cable support wall, spring biased into contact with the connector shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Vikas Azad, David Menzies
  • Patent number: 11394158
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a terminal housing. A first terminal is retained in the terminal housing for movement relative to the terminal housing. A second terminal is also retained in the terminal housing for movement relative to the terminal housing. A flexible bus bar is connected to the first terminal and to the second terminal. The first terminal is able to be moved independently of the second terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Bhupinder Rangi, David Menzies
  • Patent number: 11381026
    Abstract: A protector plate for use with an electrical connector has a protector body. The protector body has a front plate face and an opposed back plate face. The protector plate includes one or more terminal openings that pass through the protector body. A plurality of staged locks are attached to the protector body for relative rotational movement. The staged locks extend beyond the front plate face. The staged locks also extend beyond the back plate face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Deborah Probert, David Menzies, Lewis Galligan
  • Publication number: 20220203906
    Abstract: A terminal holder includes a holder body. Two terminal mounts extend through the holder body. Each terminal mount includes a terminal shroud that defines a terminal space around a terminal axis. A lock flange extends from the terminal shroud toward the terminal axis. A lock finger also extends from the terminal shroud toward the terminal axis. The lock flange and the lock finger are spaced apart to define a terminal lock space therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Bhupinder Rangi, David Menzies
  • Publication number: 20220209473
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a terminal housing. A first terminal is retained in the terminal housing for movement relative to the terminal housing. A second terminal is also retained in the terminal housing for movement relative to the terminal housing. A flexible bus bar is connected to the first terminal and to the second terminal. The first terminal is able to be moved independently of the second terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Bhupinder Rangi, David Menzies
  • Publication number: 20220209452
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a housing with a terminal cavity and a terminal lock adapted to retain an electrical terminal in the terminal cavity. A terminal position assurance is attached to the housing and engages the terminal lock. The connector assembly also includes a protector plate with a protector body having a front plate face and an opposed back plate face. Terminal openings pass through the protector body. A plurality of staged locks are attached to the protector body for relative rotational movement. The staged locks extending beyond the front plate face and also extending beyond the back plate face. The protector plate is movable relative to the housing in a mate direction from a pre-stage position to a pre-lock position. The protector plate is retained in the pre-lock position relative to the housing against further movement in the mate direction by a staged lock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Deborah Probert, David Menzies, Lewis Galligan
  • Publication number: 20220209453
    Abstract: A protector plate for use with an electrical connector has a protector body. The protector body has a front plate face and an opposed back plate face. The protector plate includes one or more terminal openings that pass through the protector body. A plurality of staged locks are attached to the protector body for relative rotational movement. The staged locks extend beyond the front plate face. The staged locks also extend beyond the back plate face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Deborah Probert, David Menzies, Lewis Galligan
  • Patent number: 11370369
    Abstract: A terminal holder includes a holder body. Two terminal mounts extend through the holder body. Each terminal mount includes a terminal shroud that defines a terminal space around a terminal axis. A lock flange extends from the terminal shroud toward the terminal axis. A lock finger also extends from the terminal shroud toward the terminal axis. The lock flange and the lock finger are spaced apart to define a terminal lock space therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Bhupinder Rangi, David Menzies
  • Patent number: 11296449
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes first and second electrical connectors that are identical in structure. The first electrical connector includes a first housing component having a terminal recess provided therein, a second housing component having a terminal recess provided therein, and a wire terminal assembly including an electrical terminal that is supported by the terminal recesses provided in the first and second housing components of the first electrical connector. The second electrical connector also includes a first housing component having a terminal recess provided therein, a second housing component having a terminal recess provided therein, and a wire terminal assembly including an electrical terminal that is supported by the terminal recesses provided in the first and second housing components of the second electrical connector. The electrical terminal of the first electrical connector and the electrical terminal of the second electrical connector engage one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: David Menzies, Anthony Butcher, Bhupinder Rangi
  • Patent number: 11205874
    Abstract: A connector pair, which is selectively separable, includes a first connector configured to secure first terminals of a first connector wire therein and a second connector, identical to the first connector, configured to secure second terminals of a second connector wire therein. Each of the first and second connectors includes a lower housing including a wire retention channel that receives the respective first or second connector wire therein, terminal retention channels that receive the respective first or second terminals therein, and a latch connector. An upper housing includes securement members that lock to the respective lower housing to retain the respective first or second connector wires and the respective first or second terminals therein. A latch is configured to mate with the latch connector of the opposed connector to retain the first and second connectors together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: David Menzies, Anthony Butcher, Bhupinder Rangi
  • Publication number: 20210344133
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes first and second electrical connectors that are identical in structure. The first electrical connector includes a first housing component having a terminal recess provided therein, a second housing component having a terminal recess provided therein, and a wire terminal assembly including an electrical terminal that is supported by the terminal recesses provided in the first and second housing components of the first electrical connector. The second electrical connector also includes a first housing component having a terminal recess provided therein, a second housing component having a terminal recess provided therein, and a wire terminal assembly including an electrical terminal that is supported by the terminal recesses provided in the first and second housing components of the second electrical connector. The electrical terminal of the first electrical connector and the electrical terminal of the second electrical connector engage one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: David Menzies, Anthony Butcher, Bhupinder Rangi
  • Patent number: 11069999
    Abstract: An electrical terminal assembly includes a contact member that has a contact base. Contact arms extend from the contact base in an arm direction on opposite sides of a terminal plane. A connection portion extends from the contact base and includes a connection surface. A mount hole that extends through the connection portion and the connection surface. The electrical terminal assembly also includes a spring member supported on the contact member and including a spring base. Spring arms extend from the spring base on opposite sides of the terminal plane. The spring arms extend into engagement with the contact arms at respective spring contacts. A shroud is connected to the spring base and extends around the contact arms and beyond the contact arms in the arm direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Fisher, Michael James Porter, David Menzies, Deborah Probert
  • Patent number: 11050181
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a connector housing that defines a terminal cavity. A terminal lock is adapted to retain an electric terminal in the terminal cavity in an installed position. The terminal lock includes a lock arm that extends from the connector housing and a lock tab that extends from the lock arm into the terminal cavity. The terminal lock includes a raised ridge on an outer end of the lock tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Deborah Probert, Michael Glick, David Menzies
  • Patent number: 11050192
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a connector housing. A latch on the connector housing is movable between an opened position and a closed position. The electrical connector also includes a connector position assurance. The connector position assurance is supported on the connector housing for relative rotational movement about a connector axis between a locked position and an unlocked position. When the connector position assurance in the locked position, the latch is prevented from moving from the closed position to the opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Shi Qing Qiu, David Menzies
  • Publication number: 20210194171
    Abstract: An electrical terminal assembly includes a contact member that has a contact base. Contact arms extend from the contact base in an arm direction on opposite sides of a terminal plane. A connection portion extends from the contact base and includes a connection surface. A mount hole that extends through the connection portion and the connection surface. The electrical terminal assembly also includes a spring member supported on the contact member and including a spring base. Spring arms extend from the spring base on opposite sides of the terminal plane. The spring arms extend into engagement with the contact arms at respective spring contacts. A shroud is connected to the spring base and extends around the contact arms and beyond the contact arms in the arm direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Fisher, Michael James Porter, David Menzies, Deborah Probert
  • Publication number: 20210184399
    Abstract: A connector pair, which is selectively separable, including a first connector configured to secure first terminals of a first connector wire therein; a second connector, identical to the first connector, and configured to secure second terminals of a second connector wire therein. Each of the first and second connectors include a lower housing including a wire retention channel that receives the respective first or second connector wire therein, terminal retention channels that receive the respective first or second terminals therein, and a latch connector; and an upper housing including securement members that lock to the respective lower housing to retain the respective first or second connector wires and the respective first or second terminals therein, and a latch configured to mate with the latch connector of the opposed connector to retain the first and second connectors together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Menzies, Anthony Butcher, Bhupinder Rangi