Patents by Inventor John O'Higgins

John O'Higgins 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: 7446491
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for intelligent power management of actuators such as those used in papermaking. Multiple power supply units are connected to a common power bus. The power bus is connected at predetermined locations to a communications bus. The communications bus is connected in series with all of the actuators. The actuators are arranged in predetermined groups. A computing device determines if electrical power can be supplied to some or all of the actuators that are requesting simultaneous movement and if there is insufficient power for all such actuators the computing device issues permission for actuators to move based on a preselected criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: ABB Ltd.
    Inventors: John O'Higgins, John Collins, Cathal Gallagher
  • Publication number: 20060202648
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for intelligent power management of actuators such as those used in papermaking. Multiple power supply units are connected to a common power bus. The power bus is connected at predetermined locations to a communications bus. The communications bus is connected in series with all of the actuators. The actuators are arranged in predetermined groups. A computing device determines if electrical power can be supplied to some or all of the actuators that are requesting simultaneous movement and if there is insufficient power for all such actuators the computing device issues permission for actuators to move based on a preselected criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: John O'Higgins, John Collins, Cathal Gallagher
  • Patent number: 5810627
    Abstract: A female electrical terminal has a contact end and a terminating end. The contact end includes a pair of opposing walls for receiving a male terminal therebetween. A flexible element is disposed in the contact end for pressing against the male terminal. The flexible element includes a mounting section with spaced wall portions juxtaposed inside the opposing walls of the contact end. Complementary interengaging latches are provided between the opposing walls and the spaced wall portions of the mounting section of the flexible element. An abutment is provided in the contact end to prevent inward collapsing of the spaced wall portions and, thereby, to maintain the latches in interengagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Frederick J. Gierut, Stephen A. Colleran, Russell L. Mackowiak, Paul Christopher Berg, Harry N. Etters, John O. Higgins, Jr., Theo Poll, Alexander Popa, Kevin C. Benes, Frank L. Geoghegan, David Richard Kalal, Scott P. Marceau, Robert Olson
  • Patent number: 5658174
    Abstract: A female terminal includes a bottom wall, and a pair of opposing side walls extending upwardly from opposite sides of the bottom wall. A hole is formed in each side wall near the top thereof. Top half walls extend inwardly from the tops of the side walls and define a seam therebetween. A spring contact element is located inside the seam and include lug portions engageable in the holes near the tops of the side walls to bias a male terminal into engagement with the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin C. Benes, John O. Higgins, Jr., Stephen A. Colleran
  • Patent number: 5628648
    Abstract: A connector position assurance system is provided for an electrical connector adapted to mate with another mateable connecting device. The connector includes a housing, and a primary locking arm is mounted on the housing for movement between a first position when the connector is fully mated with the mateable connecting device and second position of incomplete mating of the connector with the device. The primary locking arm includes a latch for mechanically interlocking with a cooperating latch of the mateable connecting device. A locking slider is mounted directly on the primary locking arm. The slider is slidable on the locking arm between a first position allowing movement of the locking arm and mating of the connector and the device, and a second position blocking movement of the locking arm from its second position with the connector and the device fully mated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: John O. Higgins, Jr., Scott P. Marceau
  • Patent number: 5486118
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a housing having a forward mating end and a rearward terminating end. A plurality of terminal-receiving cavities extend between the ends. A plurality of terminals are received in the cavities. A TPA device is selectively engageable with the housing at the mating end thereof. The TPA device includes a guide structure for guiding a complementary connecting device into mating engagement with the mating end of the connector housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Molex Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen A. Colleran, Jeffrey J. Pawlicki, John O. Higgins, Jr.