Patents by Inventor Edward F. Bulgajewski
Edward F. Bulgajewski 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).
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Patent number: 11851008Abstract: A bracket assembly for mounting a camera to a vehicle includes a bracket body and a glare shield that extends along the bracket body. A longitudinal axis is centrally disposed between a first sidewall and a second sidewall of the glare shield. At least one slit extends through the glare shield and spans between the first sidewall and the second sidewall.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2022Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Karly R. Miller, Prasun K. Majumdar, Christopher T. Schaafsma, Edward F. Bulgajewski
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Publication number: 20220289120Abstract: A bracket assembly for mounting a camera to a vehicle includes a bracket body and a glare shield that extends along the bracket body. A longitudinal axis is centrally disposed between a first sidewall and a second sidewall of the glare shield. At least one slit extends through the glare shield and spans between the first sidewall and the second sidewall.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2022Publication date: September 15, 2022Inventors: Karly R. Miller, Prasun K. Majumdar, Christopher T. Schaafsma, Edward F. Bulgajewski
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Publication number: 20220289126Abstract: A bracket assembly for a vehicle includes a bracket body having a glare shield and a circuit. The bracket assembly further includes an electrical device that is electrically connected to the circuit of the bracket body. The circuit comprises a plurality of leads extending along the bracket body.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2022Publication date: September 15, 2022Inventors: Karly R. Miller, Christopher T. Schaafsma, Craig W. Gurtatowski, Danny C.F. Leitao, Dennis M. Mark, Edward F. Bulgajewski, Scott Bair
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Patent number: 11198400Abstract: A lane departure warning system is configured to be securely coupled to a portion of a vehicle. The lane departure warning system includes a bracket that is configured to securely retain a camera assembly, and a securing adhesive pad attachable to the bracket. The securing adhesive pad includes a substrate, a first adhesive layer on a first side of the substrate that is configured to secure the securing adhesive pad to the bracket, and a second adhesive layer on a second side of the substrate that is configured to secure the lane departure warning system to the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2018Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: John Healey, Edward F. Bulgajewski, Piotr Sliwa
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Patent number: 11034332Abstract: A heater for vehicular sensors is configured to pass sensing energy and thereby permit placement of the heater directly over the sensing area in the path of the sensed energy. In this way, direct heating of the sensing area is provided minimizing the energy necessary to prevent icing and improving deicing speed.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2015Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Manfred Mueller, Piotr Sliwa, Edward F. Bulgajewski
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Patent number: 10953814Abstract: A window heater for a vehicular camera or the like provides for a first heating element surrounding the field-of-view of the camera and a second heater element winding through the field-of-view of the camera to optimize heat delivery to the windshield without obstructing the camera's field-of-view.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2017Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Edward F. Bulgajewski, Piotr Sliwa, John F. Healey
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Publication number: 20200369219Abstract: A lane departure warning system is configured to be securely coupled to a portion of a vehicle. The lane departure warning system includes a bracket that is configured to securely retain a camera assembly, and a securing adhesive pad attachable to the bracket. The securing adhesive pad includes a substrate, a first adhesive layer on a first side of the substrate that is configured to secure the securing adhesive pad to the bracket, and a second adhesive layer on a second side of the substrate that is configured to secure the lane departure warning system to the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2018Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventors: John Healey, Edward F. Bulgajewski, Piotr Sliwa
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Patent number: 10601148Abstract: An adhesive connector for making an electrical connection to a conductor formed on a support surface is provided. The adhesive connector includes a substrate and a metal strip attached to a first surface of the substrate, wherein the metal strip is configured to engage a releasable electrical connector. The adhesive connector also includes a conductive strip attached to a second surface of the substrate and a conductive staple configured to secure the conductive strip, the substrate, and the metal strip together. The adhesive connector further includes an electrically-conducting adhesive that coats a first portion of the conductive strip, and is configured to provide electrical contact to a conductor formed on a support surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2018Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Edward F. Bulgajewski, Piotr Sliwa, John F. Healey
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Patent number: 10479287Abstract: A heater system for clearing moisture (frozen and liquid) from a windshield (14) around a through-windshield vehicle sensor (18) provides a chamber between the sensor and the windshield containing air that may be heated by a chamber supported heating element (30, 51). The warm air within the chamber applies heat over the windshield in the critical viewing area (26) without obstructing the sensor (18).Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2015Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Piotr Sliwa, John F. Healey, Edward F. Bulgajewski, Uwe Stapf
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Publication number: 20190123457Abstract: An adhesive connector for making an electrical connection to a conductor formed on a support surface is provided. The adhesive connector includes a substrate and a metal strip attached to a first surface of the substrate, wherein the metal strip is configured to engage a releasable electrical connector. The adhesive connector also includes a conductive strip attached to a second surface of the substrate and a conductive staple configured to secure the conductive strip, the substrate, and the metal strip together. The adhesive connector further includes an electrically-conducting adhesive that coats a first portion of the conductive strip, and is configured to provide electrical contact to a conductor formed on a support surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2018Publication date: April 25, 2019Inventors: Edward F. Bulgajewski, Piotr Sliwa, John F. Healey
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Patent number: 10236544Abstract: A battery pack assembly interleaves pouch cells with thin flexible heater elements to provide for distributed low-power heating with reduced thermal resistance between the heater elements and the cells. The heater elements may include terminals for direct attachment to pouch cell electrodes and to each other to facilitate power distribution among the heater elements.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2015Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Edward F. Bulgajewski, Uwe Stapf
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Publication number: 20190031116Abstract: A window heater for a vehicular camera or the like provides for a first heating element surrounding the field-of-view of the camera and a second heater element winding through the field-of-view of the camera to optimize heat delivery to the windshield without obstructing the camera's field-of-view.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2017Publication date: January 31, 2019Inventors: Edward F. Bulgajewski, SILWA PIOTR, JOHN F. HEALEY
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Publication number: 20190013555Abstract: A flexible heater for electrochemical batteries, for example, in automotive applications, may be attached directly to pouch cells of the batteries for rapid direct heating. High-voltage operation compatible with electric vehicles is provided by separating the positive temperature coefficient heating material with longitudinally extending moats that corral current to flow primarily in the longitudinal direction reducing a tendency of hotspot development in such material.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2016Publication date: January 10, 2019Inventor: Edward F. Bulgajewski
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Publication number: 20180014362Abstract: A windshield wiper park position heater employs an area-type heater construction having a flexible substrate supporting a high resistance heater material between electrodes of a lower resistance electrode material. The high length-to-width of the heater element is accommodated through a bus structure that orients current flow along the shortest dimension of the heater and by supplying power at a midpoint of the bus structure to decrease voltage drop over the longest dimension of the heater. A clip structure allows internal conductive layers of laminated connection point between heater components to be simply joined in the crimping operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2016Publication date: January 11, 2018Applicant: ILLIONOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: Edward F. Bulgajewski, Piotr Sliwa
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Publication number: 20170334397Abstract: A heater for vehicular sensors is configured to pass sensing energy and thereby permit placement of the heater directly over the sensing area in the path of the sensed energy. In this way, direct heating of the sensing area is provided minimizing the energy necessary to prevent icing and improving deicing speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2015Publication date: November 23, 2017Inventors: Manfred MUELLER, Piotr SLIWA, Edward F. BULGAJEWSKI
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Publication number: 20170025722Abstract: A battery pack assembly interleaves pouch cells with thin flexible heater elements to provide for distributed low-power heating with reduced thermal resistance between the heater elements and the cells. The heater elements may include terminals for direct attachment to pouch cell electrodes and to each other to facilitate power distribution among the heater elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2015Publication date: January 26, 2017Inventors: Edward F. BULGAJEWSKI, Uwe STAPF
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Patent number: 9338825Abstract: A combination automobile seat heater and occupant sensor antenna is provided having a flexible substrate with the seat heater applied on one side of the substrate and the occupant sensor antenna applied on the other side of the substrate. Structure is provided to minimize interference in the performance of the antenna by operation of the seat heater, which can include advantageous positioning of the layers and/or the use of a layer defining air gaps between the seat heater and occupant sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Edward F. Bulgajewski, Michael M. Cuban, Piotr Sliwa
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Publication number: 20110290775Abstract: A combination automobile seat heater and occupant sensor antenna is provided having a flexible substrate with the seat heater applied on one side of the substrate and the occupant sensor antenna applied on the other side of the substrate. Structure is provided to minimize interference in the performance of the antenna by operation of the seat heater.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2009Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: Michael M. Cubon, Edward F. Bulgajewski
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Patent number: 7500536Abstract: The present invention relates to a combination heater and occupant sensor device that may be used in an automobile seat. The device will heat a seat and sense the mass of an occupant in the seat. The device provides the ability to combine occupant sensors with a seat heater without damaging the sensors or obtaining incorrect sensor readings. The sensor results may be processed and used to control air bag deployment, for example, or to indicate if the seat belt of an occupied seat is not being employed. To provide flexibility of the device during use, the device may be formed on a polymer substrate and configured to include apertures throughout. In addition, in the heating portion of the device, conductive material may be blended in a polymer and the device may be configured to limit conductor cracking after repeated flexing of the device thus extending the life of the device.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2006Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Edward F. Bulgajewski, Michael M. Cubon
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Publication number: 20080073130Abstract: The present invention relates to a combination heater and occupant sensor device that may be used in an automobile seat. The device will heat a seat and sense the mass of an occupant in the seat. The device provides the ability to combine occupant sensors with a seat heater without damaging the sensors or obtaining incorrect sensor readings. The sensor results may be processed and used to control air bag deployment, for example, or to indicate if the seat belt of an occupied seat is not being employed. To provide flexibility of the device during use, the device may be formed on a polymer substrate and configured to include apertures throughout. In addition, in the heating portion of the device, conductive material may be blended in a polymer and the device may be configured to limit conductor cracking after repeated flexing of the device thus extending the life of the device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2006Publication date: March 27, 2008Inventors: Edward F. Bulgajewski, Michael M. Cubon