Patents by Inventor Michael Patrick Cummings

Michael Patrick Cummings 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: 5967809
    Abstract: An electrical connector comprising: a housing assembly (328, 318) having at least one slot (562) extending substantially therethrough; a releasable positive stop (636, 638) on the housing assembly; at least one lock (632) on the housing assembly; a slide assembly (312 and 314) slidably received within the at least one slot; and at least one locking wall (650) on the slide assembly, wherein, in initial engagement of the slide assembly to the housing assembly where the slide assembly is slid into the at least one slot in an engagement direction, the positive stop prevents movement of the slide assembly beyond a prestage state, wherein, in the prestage state, the lock engages the locking wall preventing disengagement of the slide assembly from the prestage state. Thus, an advantageous prestage state of the electrical connector is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Randy Lynn Fink, Brian Matthew Donato, Michael Patrick Cummings
  • Patent number: 5954546
    Abstract: An electrical connector comprising: an outer housing including a plurality of receptacles; a cavity within the outer housing; a first inner housing within the cavity, wherein the first inner housing includes a first plurality of flexible extensions on a first end of the first inner housing; a first plurality of cylindrical openings within the first inner housing; a first plurality of conductive terminals, wherein a portion of each conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals extends through one of the cylindrical openings of the first plurality of cylindrical openings and out of the first inner housing and is received in one of the receptacles of the plurality of receptacles, wherein each conductive terminal of the first plurality of conductive terminals is maintained locked in place by a corresponding one flexible extension of the first plurality of flexible extensions; and a plurality of access holes on the outer housing, wherein each receptacle has located proximate thereto one of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Randy Lynn Fink, Brian Matthew Donato, Michael Patrick Cummings
  • Patent number: 5690513
    Abstract: A header connector snap lock apparatus for securing a header connector to a printed circuit board through insertion of semicircular header connector pegs into corresponding circular printed circuit board openings allowing for circuit board thermal expansion, for example during a wave solder process, and dispersing peg strain concentration through insertion force deflection of the peg and the beam along at least three deflection planes through use of a channeled, slotted cantilever beam extending out from the header connector and from which the peg extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Randy Lynn Fink, Michael Patrick Cummings