Patents by Inventor Steven Lee Flickinger

Steven Lee Flickinger 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: 9735481
    Abstract: Daughter card assembly including a circuit board and leading and trailing connectors mounted to the circuit board. The leading and trailing connectors have mating ends that face in different directions along a board plane. The daughter card assembly also includes a support wall that is coupled to the circuit board and extends orthogonal to the circuit board. The support wall has a wall opening therethrough. The trailing connector is positioned on the circuit board such that the mating end substantially aligns with the wall opening. The daughter card assembly also includes a retention shroud that projects from an exterior surface of the support wall. The retention shroud defines a shroud passage that aligns with the wall opening. The shroud and wall openings form a receiving passage for receiving at least one of the trailing connector or a corresponding cable connector that mates with the trailing connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian Patrick Costello, Christopher David Ritter, Steven Lee Flickinger, Evan Charles Wickes
  • Patent number: 9070990
    Abstract: Power connector including a pair of discrete contact springs configured to electrically engage a conductive component. Each of the contact springs includes a contact body having opposite inner and outer side surfaces and a contact edge that extends between the inner and outer side surfaces. The contact body is shaped to form a spring base and a mating portion. The spring bases of the contact springs are joined by a locking feature. The locking feature includes a localized portion of at least one of the spring bases. The localized portion frictionally engages the other spring base to interlock the spring bases. Each of the mating portions extends from the corresponding spring base. The mating portions are separated by a receiving space and are configured to engage the conductive component when the conductive component is inserted into the receiving space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven Lee Flickinger, Evan Charles Wickes, James Charles Shiffler, John L. Broschard, Steve Douglas Sattazahn
  • Publication number: 20150162680
    Abstract: Daughter card assembly including a circuit board and leading and trailing connectors mounted to the circuit board. The leading and trailing connectors have mating ends that face in different directions along a board plane. The daughter card assembly also includes a support wall that is coupled to the circuit board and extends orthogonal to the circuit board. The support wall has a wall opening therethrough. The trailing connector is positioned on the circuit board such that the mating end substantially aligns with the wall opening. The daughter card assembly also includes a retention shroud that projects from an exterior surface of the support wall. The retention shroud defines a shroud passage that aligns with the wall opening. The shroud and wall openings form a receiving passage for receiving at least one of the trailing connector or a corresponding cable connector that mates with the trailing connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Patrick Costello, Christopher David Ritter, Steven Lee Flickinger, Evan Charles Wickes
  • Publication number: 20140349529
    Abstract: Power connector including a pair of discrete contact springs configured to electrically engage a conductive component. Each of the contact springs includes a contact body having opposite inner and outer side surfaces and a contact edge that extends between the inner and outer side surfaces. The contact body is shaped to form a spring base and a mating portion. The spring bases of the contact springs are joined by a locking feature. The locking feature includes a localized portion of at least one of the spring bases. The localized portion frictionally engages the other spring base to interlock the spring bases. Each of the mating portions extends from the corresponding spring base. The mating portions are separated by a receiving space and are configured to engage the conductive component when the conductive component is inserted into the receiving space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Lee Flickinger, Evan Charles Wickes, James Charles Shiffler, John Lawrence Broschard, III, Steve Douglas Sattazahn
  • Patent number: 8597056
    Abstract: A card edge connector is provided for mounting to a printed circuit board (PCB). The card edge connector includes a housing having a mating side, a mounting side, and a card slot that extends into the mating side. The card edge connector also includes first and second contacts held by the housing. The first and second contacts include mounting segments that extend outwardly from the mounting side of the housing. The mounting segments include mounting interfaces. The mounting segments of the first and second contacts are configured to be electrically connected to corresponding contact pads on the PCB at the mounting interfaces. The mounting interface of the first contact is offset from the mounting interface of the second contact in a direction generally away from mounting side of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Allen Blanchfield, Steven Lee Flickinger, Benjamin Howard Mosser, Evan Charles Wickes
  • Publication number: 20130005190
    Abstract: A card edge connector is provided for mounting to a printed circuit board (PCB). The card edge connector includes a housing having a mating side, a mounting side, and a card slot that extends into the mating side. The card edge connector also includes first and second contacts held by the housing. The first and second contacts include mounting segments that extend outwardly from the mounting side of the housing. The mounting segments include mounting interfaces. The mounting segments of the first and second contacts are configured to be electrically connected to corresponding contact pads on the PCB at the mounting interfaces. The mounting interface of the first contact is offset from the mounting interface of the second contact in a direction generally away from mounting side of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Allen Blanchfield, Steven Lee Flickinger, Benjamin Howard Mosser, III, Evan Charles Wickes
  • Patent number: 8308500
    Abstract: A power connector system for an appliance includes a cable assembly comprising a plug having plug contacts terminated to discrete wires of the cable assembly. The power connector system also includes a receptacle assembly having a receptacle housing having a cavity that receives the plug. The receptacle housing is configured to be received in a cutout of a bezel of the appliance such that the cavity is accessible from an exterior of the appliance. The receptacle housing holds receptacle contacts that are mated to the plug contacts when the plug is received in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Charles Davison, John Eugene Westman, Steven Lee Flickinger
  • Patent number: 8241068
    Abstract: A pluggable connector that includes a connector housing having mating and loading ends and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. The connector housing includes an insert cavity that opens to the mating end. The pluggable connector also includes a plug insert that is disposed within the insert cavity. The plug insert has an air core that extends in a direction along the longitudinal axis. The pluggable connector also including first and second differential pairs that extend along the longitudinal axis through the plug insert. Each of the first and second differential pairs includes two mating contacts that extend parallel to each other. The air core is located directly between the first and second differential pairs to control the electromagnetic coupling between the first and second differential pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Millard, Megha Shanbhag, Steven Lee Flickinger, Brian Williams, Kasthuri Sankar Damodhara
  • Publication number: 20120043838
    Abstract: An electrical contact is provided. The contact includes a positioning body configured to position the contact in a connector housing, wherein the connector housing is mounted to a housing of the motor. A wire end extends from the positioning body and is configured to be positioned within the housing of the motor. The wire end is configured to connect to a wire of the motor. A termination end extends from the positioning body opposite the wire end. The termination end is configured to be positioned outside the housing of the motor. The termination end is electrically joined to the wire end. A pair of termination prongs is formed at the termination end of the contact. The pair of termination prongs is configured to terminate the wire of the motor. The pair of termination prongs is configured to connect to a power cable of an electrically powered device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: STEVEN LEE FLICKINGER, WILLIAM G. LENKER, KASTHURI SANKAR DAMODHARAN
  • Patent number: 8057263
    Abstract: An electrical connector including a connector housing having opposite mating and loading faces that are configured to engage board edges of first and second circuit boards, respectively. The connector housing includes a contact channel that extends through the connector housing between the mating and loading faces. The electrical connector also includes a signal contact that is stamped from sheet material along a stamped edge. The signal contact includes a contact body having opposite sheet surfaces. The stamped edge defines a shape of the contact body that includes first and second contact fingers. The signal contact is disposed within the contact channel so that the stamped edge along the first contact finger electrically engages the first circuit board and so that the stamped edge along the second contact finger electrically engages the second circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Edward John Howard, Steven Lee Flickinger, George Irwin Peters, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8052458
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a housing having a base and contact towers extending forward from the base. The base has an outer perimeter defined between a front and a rear of the base, and the base has a latch extending forward from the base generally parallel to and spaced apart from the towers such that a gap is defined between a bottom of the latch and a top of the towers. Flanges extend upward from the top of the towers and at least partially block the gap. Contacts are held by the housing, where the contacts extend into the contact towers for mating with mating contacts of a mating connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Jared Evan Rossman, Steven Lee Flickinger, John Eugene Westman, Karen Paul Seubert
  • Publication number: 20110256748
    Abstract: A power connector system for an appliance includes a cable assembly comprising a plug having plug contacts terminated to discrete wires of the cable assembly. The power connector system also includes a receptacle assembly having a receptacle housing having a cavity that receives the plug. The receptacle housing is configured to be received in a cutout of a bezel of the appliance such that the cavity is accessible from an exterior of the appliance. The receptacle housing holds receptacle contacts that are mated to the plug contacts when the plug is received in the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: ANDREW CHARLES DAVISON, JOHN EUGENE WESTMAN, STEVEN LEE FLICKINGER
  • Publication number: 20110187574
    Abstract: A power consuming device that includes a control circuitry controlling a plurality of components installed in the power consuming device comprises a communication module receiving communication signals from a remote source, and a control module including an electrical relay coupled between an external power source and the control circuitry, the control module coupled between the external power source and the communication module to provide power from the external power source to the communication module, and wherein the electrical relay is configured to transmit power from the power source to the control circuitry when the communication signals energize the electrical relay. A communication assembly utilized in a power consuming device is also described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew Charles Davison, John Eugene Westman, Steven Lee Flickinger, Boris Golubovic, Mudhafar Hassan-Ali
  • Patent number: 7942699
    Abstract: An electrical connector provides electrical power to an antenna from an electrical power cable. The electrical connector includes a housing, and an electrical contact held by the housing. The electrical contact includes a mating segment and a mounting segment. The mating segment is configured to mate with a mating connector that terminates the electrical power cable. The mounting segment is configured to be electrically connected to the antenna. The electrical connector also includes a mounting flange having an opening therein. The housing is held within the opening of the mounting flange such that at least portion of the mounting flange extends outwardly from a periphery of the housing. The mounting flange includes at least one mounting component that is configured to secure the mounting flange to the antenna. The mounting flange is electrically conductive and is configured to be electrically connected to a ground shield of the electrical power cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Jared Evan Rossman, John Eugene Westman, Steven Lee Flickinger
  • Publication number: 20110076889
    Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes a housing having a base and contact towers extending forward from the base. The base has an outer perimeter defined between a front and a rear of the base, and the base has a latch extending forward from the base generally parallel to and spaced apart from the towers such that a gap is defined between a bottom of the latch and a top of the towers. Flanges extend upward from the top of the towers and at least partially block the gap. Contacts are held by the housing, where the contacts extend into the contact towers for mating with mating contacts of a mating connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: JARED EVAN ROSSMAN, STEVEN LEE FLICKINGER, JOHN EUGENE WESTMAN, KAREN PAUL SEUBERT
  • Publication number: 20110035074
    Abstract: A power consuming device having communication with a utility company is disclosed. A power consuming device enclosure is described which has an interface and a communication module. The module includes a standardizing chip in communication with a communication interface, a protocol chip in communication with the standardizing chip. The communication could be by way of a protocol antenna, for receiving (and transmitting: i.e. the appliance can talk to the power company as well as receive communication from the power company) wireless protocol signals and transmitting the signals to the protocol chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Charles Davison, John Eugene Westman, Steven Lee Flickinger
  • Publication number: 20110028021
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a housing having a mating interface and an interior chamber, an electrical contact having a terminating segment and a mating segment, and a dielectric insert held within the interior chamber of the housing. The dielectric insert includes a contact channel and a resilient finger extending into the contact channel. The terminating segment of the electrical contact extends within the contact channel of the dielectric insert. The resilient finger is engaged with the terminating segment of the electrical contact to retain the electrical contact within the interior chamber of the housing such that the mating segment of the electrical contact extends along the mating interface of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Jared Evan Rossman, Steven Lee Flickinger, Phillip Clay Brandberg
  • Patent number: 7867022
    Abstract: A bracket configured to be mounted to a support wall. The bracket includes a panel that has opposing first and second sides that extend along a plane. The first side faces an exterior space and the second side facing an interior space. The bracket also includes a hub that is configured to receive an electronic device. The hub includes a first hub portion that extends from the first side and a second hub portion that extends from the second side toward the interior space. The first and second hub portions define a port through the panel to connect the interior and exterior spaces. The port extends along a central axis and is sized and shaped to receive and receive the device along the central axis. The central axis forms a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the plane of the first and second sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew C. Davison, Steven Lee Flickinger
  • Publication number: 20100261378
    Abstract: A bracket configured to be mounted to a support wall. The bracket includes a panel that has opposing first and second sides that extend along a plane. The first side faces an exterior space and the second side facing an interior space. The bracket also includes a hub that is configured to receive an electronic device. The hub includes a first hub portion that extends from the first side and a second hub portion that extends from the second side toward the interior space. The first and second hub portions define a port through the panel to connect the interior and exterior spaces. The port extends along a central axis and is sized and shaped to receive and receive the device along the central axis. The central axis forms a non-orthogonal angle with respect to the plane of the first and second sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew C. Davison, Steven Lee Flickinger
  • Patent number: 6056599
    Abstract: An electrical connector which comprises a circular shell (20) in which a dielectric housing (44) having rows of electrical contacts (50) mounted therein is to be positioned, the electrical contacts including receptacle sections (52), matable electrical contacts (63, 81) having contact sections for matable engagement with the receptacle sections (52) and terminating sections for electrical connection to electrical conductors (54) of a cable (12), and dielectric contact-mounting members (67, 85, 87, 89) on which the matable electrical contacts (63, 81) are mounted whereby the matable electrical contacts are arranged in rows so that the contact sections of the matable electrical contacts (63, 81) of each row are electrically connected with the respective receptacle sections (52) of the electrical contacts (50) in the corresponding row of electrical contacts in the dielectric housing (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Lee Flickinger, Lawrence Se-Jun Oh, Lori Ann Mayer, James Francis McIntire, Hans Arie Blom