Patents by Inventor Luis R. Couto

Luis R. Couto 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: 5763833
    Abstract: A connector for terminating a metal clad electrical cable is suitable for use in hazardous locations. The connector includes an elongate generally cylindrical body having a cable receiving end, a conductor egressing end, and a central axial bore therethrough. An elongate generally cylindrical hub accommodates the body. The hub has a body receiving end, a conductor egressing end, and a central axial bore therethrough. A capable seal is provided by a sealing bushing and a gland nut which is rotatably coupled to the cable receiving end of the body, sealingly coupling the cable to the body. The body and the hub include cooperative engagement elements for preventing the relative rotation of the hub and the body upon rotatably coupling the gland nut to the body about the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventors: Jaspal S. Bawa, Luis R. Couto, Giacomo J. Mancini
  • Patent number: 5321205
    Abstract: A connector for terminating a metal clad electrical cable is suitable for use in hazardous locations. The connector includes an elongate generally cylindrical body having a cable receiving end, a conductor egressing end, and a central axial bore therethrough. An elongate generally cylindrical hub accommodates the body. The hub has a body receiving end, a conductor egressing end, and a central axial bore therethrough. A cable seal is provided by a sealing bushing and a gland nut which is rotatably coupled to the cable receiving end of the body, sealingly coupling the cable to the body. The body and the hub include cooperative engagement elements for preventing the relative rotation of the hub and the body upon rotatably coupling the gland nut to the body about the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1994
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventors: Jaspal S. Bawa, Luis R. Couto, Giacomo J. Mancini
  • Patent number: 5295851
    Abstract: An electrical connector is secured to a wall of an electrical enclosure. The connector permits passage of electrical cable and conduits into the enclosure. The connector includes a hub having a cable receiving end, a cable egressing end and a central passage therethrough. A hub nut is attachable to the cable egressing end to secure the hub to the enclosure wall. The hub further includes an annular shoulder having a groove therein which accommodates a sealing ring for providing sealed engagement of the hub to the enclosure wall. The sealing ring has a body of noncircular cross-sectional shape having a dimension which is greater than the longitudinal dimension of the groove to provide a seal against the wall of the enclosure upon attachment of the hub. The sealing ring further includes a radially extending skirt for retaining the sealing ring within the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventors: Jaspal S. Bawa, Giacomo Mancini, Luis R. Couto
  • Patent number: 5208427
    Abstract: A kit of parts is adapted for terminating electrical cable assemblies of the type having plural insulated conductors extending within an insulative jacket. The kit of parts is capable of terminating the cable alone or when enclosed in an outer cable conduit. The kit includes a body or gland, a hollow insert extending within the gland, a gland nut for screw cooperation with the gland and sealing means disposed between the gland nut and the body for providing a cable assembly seal within the insert. The sealing means further comprises cable sealing components and separate conduit sealing components which are used alternatively for sealing either the cable alone or the cable contained within the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventors: Luis R. Couto, Jaspal S. Bawa, Giacomo F. Mancini, Marc Brodeur
  • Patent number: 5072072
    Abstract: An electrical connector for connecting liquidtight flexible electrical conduit to an electrical component such as a junction box or outlet, comprises a two-piece, all plastic construction. The connector comprises a plastic body and a plastic gland nut threadably attached thereto. The body includes a plurality of flexible fingers, each of which has thereon a pair of friction-reducing ridges that engage an inner contact surface of the gland nut in tangential, point-contact. As such, upon tightening of the gland nut on the connector body, the gland nut engages the resilient fingers with minimal friction loss, thereby enhancing hand tightening or minimizing the torque required with a tightening tool. In addition, the connector body includes an inner tubular ferrule which defines a conduit supporting surface which includes thereon friction-reducing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1991
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventors: Jaspal S. Bawa, Luis R. Couto, Giacomo F. Mancini
  • Patent number: 5051541
    Abstract: A plastic electrical connector for connecting liquidtight flexible electrical conduit to an electrical component such as a junction box or outlet, comprises a plastic body and a plastic gland nut threadably attached thereto. The body includes a plurality of flexible fingers, each of which includes a collapsible section defined by plural, discrete hinges, the deformable section being bendable at each hinge. Gripping teeth are provided on the interior surface of the ends of the flexible fingers. The gland nut includes an inclined surface engageable with the flexible fingers for causing radial compression against the conduit. The gland nut further includes a pushing surface for engaging the distal end of the flexible fingers, which are preferably arranged in cantilevered form. Upon tightening the gland nut on the body, the gripping fingers engage the conduit, and as the collaspsible sections bend, the fingers axially move the conduit deeper into the connector for a liquidtight seal therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventors: Jaspal S. Bawa, Luis R. Couto, Giacomo F. Mancini
  • Patent number: 4549037
    Abstract: A cable connector for metal clad cable including a body portion having a cable receiving opening therethrough. A hollow grounding member extends through the body and attaches to the metal jacket of the cable. The hollow member includes an opening for receiving a conductor surrounding material therein which seals the cable from adverse environmental conditions. Channel means on the hollow member insures passage of the conductor surrounding material therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1985
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventors: Jaspal S. Bawa, Luis R. Couto, Edward S. Rapacki, Alfred Wood, Walter A. Pobuta, deceased
  • Patent number: 4028756
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a hand tool of the pliers configuration having a set of crimping nests located in jaw members and having the expansion zones of the crimping nests overlap so as to permit placement of each of the nests closer to the optimum distance from the handle pivot. A visual indicator permits the operator to crimp terminals of different discrete sizes in a single one of the crimping nests and a hook member used to lock the handles in a closed position further provides discrete limits of crimping nest closure. A compression spring located in overlapping slots of the handle member provides a recessed means to rapidly open the handles when the hook member is released. Discretely sized insulation cutting edges located between the pivot and the handle free ends permits the edges to overlap one another and thus provide an almost complete cut about the wire periphery and provide a wedge to break through the uncut land of insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1977
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventor: Luis R. Couto
  • Patent number: 4009514
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a hand tool of the pliers configuration having a set of crimping nests located in jaw members and having the expansion zones of the crimping nests overlap so as to permit placement of each of the nests closer to the optimum distance from the handle pivot. A visual indicator permits the operator to crimp terminals of different discrete sizes in a single one of the crimping nests and a hook member used to lock the handles in a closed position further provides discrete limits of crimping nest closure. A compression spring located in overlapping slots of the handle member provides a recessed means to rapidly open the handles when the hook member is released. Discretely sized insulation cutting edges located between the pivot and the handle free ends permits the edges to overlap one another and thus provide a complete cut about the wire periphery and provide a wedge to break through the uncut land of insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1977
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventor: Luis R. Couto
  • Patent number: D328279
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventors: Luis R. Couto, Nicholas Pulitano