Patents by Inventor Stephen J. Gwinnup

Stephen J. Gwinnup 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).

  • Low profile switching and lighting integration within an interior vehicle component
    Patent number: 8733990
    Abstract: An interior vehicle component comprises a base and a panel coupled to the base. The panel is moveable between a first position and a second position. The panel has a first side and an opposite second side. The first side is configured to be visible to a vehicle occupant when the panel is in the first position. The second side cooperates with the base to define a cavity. The panel has an aperture extending through the first side and the second side. The panel also comprises at least one of a solid state switch and a light source supported at the first side of the panel, and a flexible circuit coupled to a backside of the at least one of the solid state switch and the light source through the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Nels R. Smith, Michael Catlin, Stephen J. Gwinnup, Rodney J. Tindall
  • LOW PROFILE SWITCHING AND LIGHTING INTEGRATION WITHIN AN INTERIOR VEHICLE COMPONENT
    Publication number: 20120230047
    Abstract: An interior vehicle component comprises a base and a panel coupled to the base. The panel is moveable between a first position and a second position. The panel has a first side and an opposite second side. The first side is configured to be visible to a vehicle occupant when the panel is in the first position. The second side cooperates with the base to define a cavity. The panel has an aperture extending through the first side and the second side. The panel also comprises at least one of a solid state switch and a light source supported at the first side of the panel, and a flexible circuit coupled to a backside of the at least one of the solid state switch and the light source through the aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Nels R. Smith, Michael Catlin, Stephen J. Gwinnup, Rodney J. Tindall