Patents by Inventor Philip V. Little

Philip V. Little 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: 6663411
    Abstract: A connector for an automobile airbag gas generator assembly requires only a single operator action to establish both mechanical and electrical engagement with a mating socket connector and three independent operator actions to disengage the connector from the socket connector. A further embodiment of the connector of the present invention provides a clamshell housing and cover to the connector thereby allowing an installer to terminate electrical conductors directly to the contacts within the connector. The connectors of the present invention may support either a inductor coil or a ferrite bead for suppressing induced currents. The connector of the present invention may terminate both standard round cables and flat cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Logistics AG
    Inventor: Philip V. Little
  • Publication number: 20020137397
    Abstract: A connector for an automobile airbag gas generator assembly requires only a single operator action to establish both mechanical and electrical engagement with a mating socket connector and three independent operator actions to disengage the connector from the socket connector. A further embodiment of the connector of the present invention provides a clamshell housing and cover to the connector thereby allowing an installer to terminate electrical conductors directly to the contacts within the connector. The connectors of the present invention may support either a inductor coil or a ferrite bead for suppressing induced currents. The connector of the present invention may terminate both standard round cables and flat cables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: Thomas & Betts International, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip V. Little
  • Patent number: 6435894
    Abstract: A connector for an automobile airbag gas generator assembly requires only a single operator action to establish both mechanical and electrical engagement with a mating socket connector and two independent operator actions to disengage the connector from the socket connector. An alternate embodiment of the connector present invention requires two independent operator actions to establish both mechanical and electrical engagement with a mating socket connector carrying a deflectable shorting clip and three independent operator actions to disengage from the socket connector. A further embodiment of the connector of the present invention requires two independent operator actions for both establishing and breaking mechanical and electrical engagement with a mating socket. An improved shorting clip design is also provided as well as keying modes for assuring proper mechanical connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Logistics AG
    Inventors: Philip V. Little, Stuart L. Kingswell, Martin Leissner
  • Publication number: 20020009924
    Abstract: A connector for an automobile airbag gas generator assembly requires only a single operator action to establish both mechanical and electrical engagement with a mating socket connector and two independent operator actions to disengage the connector from the socket connector. An alternate embodiment of the connector present invention requires two independent operator actions to establish both mechanical and electrical engagement with a mating socket connector carrying a deflectable shorting clip and three independent operator actions to disengage from the socket connector. A further embodiment of the connector of the present invention requires two independent operator actions for both establishing and breaking mechanical and electrical engagement with a mating socket. An improved shorting clip design is also provided as well as keying modes for assuring proper mechanical connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventors: PHILIP V. LITTLE, STUART L. KINGSWELL, MARTIN LEISSNER
  • Patent number: 5895282
    Abstract: A connector assembly having a male plug connector and a female socket connector. The male plug connector includes an elongate housing and a dependent housing shaft. An elongate first electrical contact is supported in the housing and has a first cable terminating end and an opposed interconnection end extending into said shaft. A latch is rotatably supported by the housing about the shaft. The socket connector includes a female connector housing having a central cavity therein for insertable connection with the housing shaft. A second electrical contact is supported in the cavity of the female connector housing for electrical engagement with the interconnection end of the first contact upon insertable engagement between the housing shaft of and the female connector housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventor: Philip V. Little
  • Patent number: 5141445
    Abstract: A shielded electrical connector for surface connection to a printed circuit board comprises an electrically insulative body supporting a plurality of electrical contacts. Each contact includes a first portion for making contact with a complementary contact of a mateable connector when in use, and a second portion adapted to be connected to a surface of a printed circuit board. The connector further includes electrically conductive shielding contact means mounted on the body for shielding or grounding the electrical contacts. The shielding contact means comprises a plurality of electrically connected shielding finger contacts that are adapted to be connected to the printed circuit board surface. As such, when the connector is mounted to the circuit board, the electrical contacts and the finger contacts may be simultaneously connected to conductive pads on the printed circuit board by conventional reflow soldering techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation
    Inventor: Philip V. Little
  • Patent number: 4553006
    Abstract: A key operated security switch has a housing containing a fixed contact. The housing has a slider provided with contact means movable therewith for slidable, non-rotary movement in the housing. A plurality of locking pins are slidably mounted in recesses formed in the housing and are spring-urged partly into the housing and partly into said slider so as to lock the slider relative to the housing. A plurality of plungers engage at one end with the adjacent ends of said locking pins and at the other end are engageable by the stepped edge of a key inserted into the slot of a barrel rotatably mounted in the housing. The stepped edge of the key projects through the slot of the barrel but does not engage the plungers during insertion or withdrawal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1985
    Assignee: Lucas Industries
    Inventor: Philip V. Little
  • Patent number: 4227060
    Abstract: To locate an electric switch relative to a fixed part a bush having a plurality of mating members and a projection in an opening through the bush is positioned in the fixed part. The switch is positioned at one end of a switch carrier having an elongate portion which is also provided with mating members and a projection. The elongate portion is introduced axially into the opening and then rotated to cause the mating members to engage and axially locate the elongate portion in the opening. The projections take up relative positions in which they only permit rotation in the opposite direction to disengage the mating members when sufficient force is applied to deform one or both of the projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1980
    Assignee: Bonnella Switches Limited
    Inventors: Frederick C. Ayres, Philip V. Little