Patents by Inventor Philip Clay Brandberg

Philip Clay Brandberg 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: 8882533
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a receptacle that is configured to receive an electrical wire therein along an insertion axis. An electrical contact is held by the housing. The electrical contact includes a contact beam that includes a wire interface that is configured to engage the electrical wire. The contact beam is movable between a closed position and an open position. The wire interface is configured to engage the electrical wire when the contact beam is in the closed position. The wire interface is configured to be disengaged from the electrical wire when the contact beam is in the open position. The contact beam is configured to be slidably engaged by an actuator along an actuation direction that is non-perpendicular to the insertion axis to move the contact beam from the closed position to the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Clay Brandberg, Edward J. Howard, Ivan P. Morgan, Timothy Lee Kocher
  • Publication number: 20130316563
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a receptacle that is configured to receive an electrical wire therein along an insertion axis. An electrical contact is held by the housing. The electrical contact includes a contact beam that includes a wire interface that is configured to engage the electrical wire. The contact beam is movable between a closed position and an open position. The wire interface is configured to engage the electrical wire when the contact beam is in the closed position. The wire interface is configured to be disengaged from the electrical wire when the contact beam is in the open position. The contact beam is configured to be slidably engaged by an actuator along an actuation direction that is non-perpendicular to the insertion axis to move the contact beam from the closed position to the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Philip Clay Brandberg, Edward J. Howard, Ivan P. Morgan, Timothy Lee Kocher
  • Patent number: 8535070
    Abstract: A connector assembly for installation on a ceiling grid having conductors therein. Contacts are mounted in a housing of the connector, with the contacts having contact portions. Mounting members are mounted in the housing, with the mounting members having grid mounting sections. A cam member is provided in the housing, with the cam member being movable between a first position and a second position. As the cam member is moved from the first position to the second position, the cam member biases the contact portions of the contacts into electrical engagement with the conductors of the ceiling grid and biases the grid mounting sections of the mounting members into mechanical engagement with the ceiling grid to provide a mechanical connection between the ceiling grid and the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Edmund Luther Jacobs, Marek T. Luksic, Philip Clay Brandberg
  • Patent number: 8506310
    Abstract: A connector for installation on a grid having conductors therein and a method of installation therefore. The connector has a housing with at least one contact mounted in the housing which makes an electrical connection with the conductors of the grid when the connector is mated with the grid. At least one mounting member is movable between a first position in which a grid mounting section of the at least one mounting member is positioned in the housing and a second position in which the grid mounting section extends beyond a top surface of the housing to provide a mechanical connection between the grid and the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Philip Clay Brandberg
  • Patent number: 8469728
    Abstract: A connector, an electrified grid element and the combination. First and second contacts with first and second contact portions are secured in the housing of the connector. The second contact portion is offset from a first surface of the connector a greater distance that the first contact portion. An electrified grid has a first conductor and a second conductor, with the first conductor having an opposite polarity to the second conductor. A first insulator member is positioned proximate the first conductor and a second insulator member is positioned proximate the second conductor. The first and second insulator members prevent the mating of the connector to the electrified grid unless the connector is properly oriented in the electrified grid, thereby insuring proper polarity between the connector and the electrified grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Marek T. Luksic, Philip Clay Brandberg
  • Publication number: 20130143434
    Abstract: A connector assembly for installation on a ceiling grid having conductors therein. Contacts are mounted in a housing of the connector, with the contacts having contact portions. Mounting members are mounted in the housing, with the mounting members having grid mounting sections. A cam member is provided in the housing, with the cam member being movable between a first position and a second position. As the cam member is moved from the first position to the second position, the cam member biases the contact portions of the contacts into electrical engagement with the conductors of the ceiling grid and biases the grid mounting sections of the mounting members into mechanical engagement with the ceiling grid to provide a mechanical connection between the ceiling grid and the connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edmund Luther JACOBS, Marek LUKSIC, Philip Clay BRANDBERG
  • Publication number: 20130143436
    Abstract: A connector for installation on a grid having conductors therein and a method of installation therefore. The connector has a housing with at least one contact mounted in the housing which makes an electrical connection with the conductors of the grid when the connector is mated with the grid. At least one mounting member is movable between a first position in which a grid mounting section of the at least one mounting member is positioned in the housing and a second position in which the grid mounting section extends beyond a top surface of the housing to provide a mechanical connection between the grid and the connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Philip Clay BRANDBERG
  • Publication number: 20130143423
    Abstract: A connector, an electrified grid element and the combination. First and second contacts with first and second contact portions are secured in the housing of the connector. The second contact portion is offset from a first surface of the connector a greater distance that the first contact portion. An electrified grid has a first conductor and a second conductor, with the first conductor having an opposite polarity to the second conductor. A first insulator member is positioned proximate the first conductor and a second insulator member is positioned proximate the second conductor. The first and second insulator members prevent the mating of the connector to the electrified grid unless the connector is properly oriented in the electrified grid, thereby insuring proper polarity between the connector and the electrified grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marek LUKSIC, Philip Clay BRANDBERG
  • Publication number: 20080139036
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing having a housing base configured to be mounted on a substrate and an upper housing configured to be joined to the housing base. The housing base and the upper housing cooperate to define a contact cavity. The housing base includes plated conductive surfaces that provide a conductive path from the contact cavity to an electrical path on the substrate. A contact is held in the contact cavity. The contact is configured to mate with a contact in a mating connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Philip Clay Brandberg, Peter P. Wilson, Donald Everett Wood
  • Patent number: 6991498
    Abstract: A spring contact design used to connect varied electrical components to circuit boards such that the components may be installed onto the board and thereafter removed without soldering and desoldering of the component leads is disclosed. The inventive contacts use integral flexible elements and appropriate contact element shaping to ensure solid multiple electrical connection points between the contact and the electrical component lead. With the use of the inventive spring contacts, components may be easily installed onto a circuit board and tested to ensure functional performance and, if necessary, may be removed or replaced without the need for time consuming soldering and desoldering of the component leads to the board contacts. The inventive contacts are designed to ensure sound electrical connection with component leads of different cross sections, shapes and sizes. Use of the inventive contacts in housings sized and shaped for different electrical components are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Darrell Lynn Wertz, Philip Clay Brandberg, Brent David Yohn
  • Patent number: 6802748
    Abstract: A spring contact design used to connect varied electrical components to circuit boards such that the components may be installed onto the board and thereafter removed without soldering and desoldering of the component leads is disclosed. The inventive contacts use integral flexible elements and appropriate contact element shaping to ensure solid multiple electrical connection points between the contact and the electrical component lead. With the use of the inventive spring contacts, components may be easily installed onto a circuit board and tested to ensure functional performance and, if necessary, may be removed or replaced without the need for time consuming soldering and desoldering of the component leads to the board contacts. The inventive contacts are designed to ensure sound electrical connection with component leads of different cross sections, shapes and sizes. Use of the inventive contacts in housings sized and shaped for different electrical components are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Darrell Lynn Wertz, Philip Clay Brandberg, Brent David Yohn
  • Publication number: 20020081916
    Abstract: A spring contact design used to connect varied electrical components to circuit boards such that the components may be installed onto the board and thereafter removed without soldering and desoldering of the component leads is disclosed. The inventive contacts use integral flexible elements and appropriate contact element shaping to ensure solid multiple electrical connection points between the contact and the electrical component lead. With the use of the inventive spring contacts, components may be easily installed onto a circuit board and tested to ensure functional performance and, if necessary, may be removed or replaced without the need for time consuming soldering and desoldering of the component leads to the board contacts. The inventive contacts are designed to ensure sound electrical connection with component leads of different cross sections, shapes and sizes. Use of the inventive contacts in housings sized and shaped for different electrical components are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventors: Darrell Lynn Wertz, Philip Clay Brandberg, Brent David Yohn
  • Patent number: 5895293
    Abstract: A filtered terminal block assembly comprises a dielectric insert (20) having a cavity (48) including a pocket (50) and a bore (52), a ground plate (16) to which the dielectric insert (20) is disposed and having an opening (46) in alignment with the bore (52), a filter element (24, 26) having an inner end disposed in the cavity (48), an electrical contact (14) extending through the filter element (24, 26), the pocket (50) and the bore (52) with an outer end of the filter element (24, 26) electrically connected to the electrical contact (14), a ground member (22) electrically connected between the filter element (24, 26) and the ground plate (16), and an electrically-conductive thixotropic material (54) in the pocket (50) and along an inner surface of the cavity (48) electrically connecting an inner end of the filter element (24, 26) to the electrical contact (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Clay Brandberg, Gary Sui Wong