Patents by Inventor Hugh W. Ireland

Hugh W. Ireland 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: 8857883
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body that supports an electrical line that is electrically connected to a power source and that terminates at a first terminal. The vehicle also includes a window member with an electrical device supported thereon. A second terminal of the electrical device is supported on the window assembly, and the window member is moveable relative to the vehicle body. The vehicle further includes a passive electrical connector with a plunger that moves between a retracted position and an extended position. The passive electrical connector also includes a biasing member that biases the plunger toward the extended position. The passive electrical connector electrically connects the first and second terminals when the window member is in a first position. The plunger is biased toward the extended position when the window member is in the second position to electrically disconnect the first and second terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: John S Kargilis, Hugh W Ireland, David A Bustamante
  • Publication number: 20140099840
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body that supports an electrical line that is electrically connected to a power source and that terminates at a first terminal. The vehicle also includes a window member with an electrical device supported thereon. A second terminal of the electrical device is supported on the window assembly, and the window member is moveable relative to the vehicle body. The vehicle further includes a passive electrical connector with a plunger that moves between a retracted position and an extended position. The passive electrical connector also includes a biasing member that biases the plunger toward the extended position. The passive electrical connector electrically connects the first and second terminals when the window member is in a first position. The plunger is biased toward the extended position when the window member is in the second position to electrically disconnect the first and second terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Inventors: John S. Kargilis, Hugh W. Ireland, David A. Bustamante
  • Publication number: 20090244361
    Abstract: A camera module (10) for a vision system of a vehicle includes a circuit element (12), a lens mounting element (14b, 14c), a lens assembly (14) and an outer shell or cover portion (16). The circuit element includes an imaging sensor and associated circuitry (12a). The lens assembly includes at least one optical element (14a) and the lens mounting element (14b, 14c) is attached to the circuit element (12) so as to provide an optical path through the optical element to the imaging sensor at the circuit element. The outer shell (16) is molded over and around the circuit element during a molding process to substantially encapsulate the circuit element within the outer shell. The module and method of making the module thus may substantially seal the circuit element within the overmolded outer shell to protect the circuit element from exposure to the elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Duane W. Gebauer, Joel S. Gibson, Shih-Che Huang, Hugh W. Ireland
  • Patent number: 7591178
    Abstract: A grounded wiper assembly for a fuel sensor includes a wiper housing for rotation relative to a variable resistor and a wiper with at least one contact operatively supported by the wiper housing for contacting the variable resistor as the wiper housing rotates. The grounded wiper assembly includes a float arm connected to the wiper housing and a float connected to the float arm such that the float moves the float arm and the wiper housing relative to the variable resistor as a level of fuel increases and decreases in the fuel tank. The grounded wiper assembly further includes a conductor interconnecting the float arm and the wiper to bleed off electrical charges attached to fuel to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hugh W. Ireland, Wayne F. Harris, Ulf Sawert, Sharon E. Beyer
  • Publication number: 20080053219
    Abstract: A multifunction fuel gauge has a rotating wiper assembly turned by a float in a fuel tank, the wiper assembly having two wiper contacts having different radial lengths which make contact with a plurality of contacts which form two concentric arcuate rows on a board. The first row has several contacts connected to a resistive element to provide a voltage signal to a fuel gauge. The second row has at least one conductive strip which has a width such that one of the wiper contacts makes electrical contact with the conductive strip for a portion of the arc transversed by the wiper assembly. This contact can be used, for example, as a low fuel sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Hugh W. Ireland, Ulf Sawert
  • Patent number: 6886403
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are sensors, and method for making an using the same. In one embodiment, the sensor comprises: a first electrode disposed on a ceramic substrate, wherein the first electrode comprises an amorphous metal material comprising a first metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 9 metal, a Group 10 metal, a Group 11 metal, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing first metals, and zirconium or at least one of phosphorus and boron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. LaBarge, Conrad H. Anderson, Hugh W. Ireland
  • Publication number: 20040255669
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are sensors, and method for making an using the same. In one embodiment, the sensor comprises: a first electrode disposed on a ceramic substrate, wherein the first electrode comprises an amorphous metal material comprising a first metal selected from the group consisting of a Group 9 metal, a Group 10 metal, a Group 11 metal, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing first metals, and zirconium or at least one of phosphorus and boron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: William J. LaBarge, Conrad H. Anderson, Hugh W. Ireland
  • Publication number: 20040007062
    Abstract: A grounded wiper assembly for a fuel sensor includes a wiper housing for rotation relative to a variable resistor and a wiper with at least one contact operatively supported by the wiper housing for contacting the variable resistor as the wiper housing rotates. The grounded wiper assembly includes a float arm connected to the wiper housing and a float connected to the float arm such that the float moves the float arm and the wiper housing relative to the variable resistor as a level of fuel increases and decreases in the fuel tank. The grounded wiper assembly further includes a conductor interconnecting the float arm and the wiper to bleed off electrical charges attached to fuel to ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventors: Hugh W. Ireland, Wayne F. Harris, Ulf Sawert, Sharon E. Beyer