Patents by Inventor Stephen D. Gherardini

Stephen D. Gherardini 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).

  • Publication number: 20100311262
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a rigid body, cable mating bodies disposed within the body, and contacts joined to the cable mating bodies. The body has an upper side and an opposite mounting side that is configured to be mounted to a first solar module. The body frames a window that extends through the body from the upper side to the mounting side. The cable mating bodies are configured to electrically couple the first solar module with cables to communicate electric current generated in the first solar module with one or more of an electrical load and an additional solar module. The contacts extend into the window of the body and are arranged in the window to mate with the module contacts to electrically couple the first solar module with the cable mating bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: DAVID COURS, SCOTT SCHLEGEL, STEPHEN D. GHERARDINI
  • Patent number: 7708593
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing, a cable, a contact and an encapsulant. The housing extends from a cable exit to an opposite end along a longitudinal axis and from a mounting face to a top face along a vertical axis. The housing includes a cable opening that extends into the cable exit in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis and a window extending into the housing from the top face toward the mounting face in a direction parallel to the vertical axis. The cable extends through the window and into the housing through the cable opening. The contact is held by the housing and is configured to electrically couple the cable with a mating device when the housing face of the housing is mounted to the mating device. The encapsulant is disposed within the window to seal an interface between the cable and the housing. The encapsulant prevents ingress of moisture into the housing through the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gherardini, Paul D. Roman, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20090084570
    Abstract: A low profile photovoltaic connection system for placement in space restricted areas. The connection system includes a connection box, diodes, and heat sinks inside of the connection box. The heat sink element is maintained in contact with the diode element such that the heat sink dissipates heat externally of the junction box and the contacts are arranged with a flat surface parallel to the solar panel to reduce vertical elevation of the junction box when mounted to the solar panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gherardini, Scott S. Duesterhoeft
  • Patent number: 7422491
    Abstract: A low-profile electrical connector having a connector body with a bussing interconnection. The bussing interconnection includes a first receptacle and a second receptacle. The first receptacle is in electrical communication with the second receptacle. The connector body also includes an alignment mechanism configured to align and retain a corresponding plug. At least one of the first receptacle or the second receptacle includes a receptacle body having a plurality of arms configured to apply a contact force in the direction of an opposing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen D. Gherardini
  • Publication number: 20080173479
    Abstract: A bridge and cable harness assembly to protect bus bar apparatuses from foreign object exposure and further, electrical shorts. The assembly provides an apparatus that is configured based on the specific arrangement of the bus bar. The user determined how many bridge assemblies are necessary to protect the bus bars. The bus bars and bridges are secured to each other either by apertures in bus bars that accepts protrusions of bridges which are heat staked, or where the bus bars are overmolded into the insulative bridge material. Screws are used to make a final assembly into the board-mounted connectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gherardini, Christopher G. Daily
  • Publication number: 20080096439
    Abstract: A low-profile electrical connector having a connector body with a bussing interconnection. The bussing interconnection includes a first receptacle and a second receptacle. The first receptacle is in electrical communication with the second receptacle. The connector body also includes an alignment mechanism configured to align and retain a corresponding plug. At least one of the first receptacle or the second receptacle includes a receptacle body having a plurality of arms configured to apply a contact force in the direction of an opposing plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Stephen D. GHERARDINI
  • Patent number: 7195513
    Abstract: A solar grounding connector for capturing a wire. The connector includes a base and a stuffer. The base is made from a conductive metal and includes a base plate. The base plate includes means for assembling the base to a solar panel. A pair of opposed sidewalls extend at an angle from the base plate, each sidewall including a slot of preselected size. The stuffer is pivotably mounted to the base. The stuffer includes a top surface, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending from the stuffer top surface toward the base plate. Each stuffer sidewall has a slot corresponding to the slot in the base sidewall, each opposed stuffer sidewall being adjacent to a base sidewall when engaged. The slot in the stuffer sidewalls urge a wire against the corresponding slots in the base sidewalls, exerting a force on the wire sufficient to establish electrical contact between the wire and the base. The grounding connector also includes means for fastening the stuffer with respect to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen D. Gherardini, Christopher G. Daily
  • Patent number: 7156668
    Abstract: A circuit board (14) is installed and locked in place in a connector housing (12) which has a board-receiving slot (24) defined by side guides (44, 46) that closely engage upper and lower surfaces of the board during its forward insertion into the slot. The front portion of the board has a through aperture (50), and the housing has a ramp (52) that can fit into the aperture. As the forwardly-sliding board approaches a fully installed position, the ramp bends the front portion of the board as it rides up the ramp, until the aperture walls snap around the ramp and the board front portion unbends. The board can be slid backward out of the slot, only by bending up the board front portion and sliding it rearward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen D. Gherardini