Patents by Inventor Timothy D.F. Ford

Timothy D.F. Ford 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: 11566756
    Abstract: A signaling device is disclosed comprising an electronic circuit positioned within a housing and comprising at least one LED, a light diffuser manufactured from a non-opaque material and a USB Port. Side edges of the housing each comprise a barb engaging slot therein. A cap end covering the USB port and comprising a pair of flexible fingers each comprising a barb-like feature for engaging respective ones of the barb engaging slots comprises an actuating part fabricated from a compressible rubberlike material which is secured towards a second end of each of the flexible fingers. Compressing the actuating part motivates the outer ends of the flexible fingers to move apart, thereby releasing the barb-like features from their respective barb engaging slot and allowing the cap to be removed from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: 9609385 CANADA INC.
    Inventor: Timothy D. F. Ford
  • Publication number: 20220397245
    Abstract: A signaling device is disclosed comprising an electronic circuit positioned within a housing and comprising at least one LED, a light diffuser manufactured from a non-opaque material and a USB Port. Side edges of the housing each comprise a barb engaging slot therein. A cap end covering the USB port and comprising a pair of flexible fingers each comprising a barb-like feature for engaging respective ones of the barb engaging slots comprises an actuating part fabricated from a compressible rubberlike material which is secured towards a second end of each of the flexible fingers. Compressing the actuating part motivates the outer ends of the flexible fingers to move apart, thereby releasing the barb-like features from their respective barb engaging slot and allowing the cap to be removed from the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventor: TIMOTHY D.F. FORD
  • Publication number: 20220149642
    Abstract: A battery harvesting device and methods are disclosed for powering a load with a plurality of standardised batteries of different battery chemistries, each of the standardised batteries having a battery output voltage lower than a nominal voltage. The harvester comprises a power bus for attachment to the load, at least one receptacle arranged into each of a plurality of clusters, each receptacle configured for receiving one of the standardised batteries, each cluster further comprising electronics comprising an input connected to the receptacle and an output connected to the power bus, and a DC-DC boost circuitry for raising a battery output voltage of a connected one of the standardised batteries, and a processor for controlling the electronics such that each of the outputs connected the power bus is maintained at the nominal voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventor: TIMOTHY D.F. FORD
  • Publication number: 20220149636
    Abstract: A battery harvesting device and methods are disclosed for powering a load with a plurality of standardised batteries of different battery chemistries, each of the standardised batteries having a battery output voltage lower than a nominal voltage. The harvester comprises a power bus for attachment to the load, at least one receptacle arranged into each of a plurality of clusters, each receptacle configured for receiving one of the standardised batteries, each cluster further comprising electronics comprising an input connected to the receptacle and an output connected to the power bus, and a DC-DC boost circuitry for raising a battery output voltage of a connected one of the standardised batteries, and a processor for controlling the electronics such that each of the outputs connected the power bus is maintained at the nominal voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventor: TIMOTHY D.F. FORD
  • Patent number: 11271410
    Abstract: A battery harvesting device and methods are disclosed for powering a load with a plurality of standardised batteries of different battery chemistries, each of the standardised batteries having a battery output voltage lower than a nominal voltage. The harvester comprises a power bus for attachment to the load, at least one receptacle arranged into each of a plurality of clusters, each receptacle configured for receiving one of the standardised batteries, each cluster further comprising electronics comprising an input connected to the receptacle and an output connected to the power bus, and a DC-DC boost circuitry for raising a battery output voltage of a connected one of the standardised batteries, and a processor for controlling the electronics such that each of the outputs connected the power bus is maintained at the nominal voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Inventor: Timothy D. F. Ford
  • Publication number: 20210161239
    Abstract: A light-emitting beacon for attachment to a helmet comprising a convex outer surface is disclosed. The beacon comprises a printed circuit board assembly arranged within a hollow space between a carapace and a battery such that a first surface of a circuit board assembly faces the power source and a second surface of the circuit board assembly faces the carapace. The circuit board assembly further comprises a plurality of LEDs arranged on the second surface wherein a first of the LEDs emits a first light visible from a first lateral side of the carapace and a second of the LEDs emits a second light visible from a second lateral side of the carapace. There is also discloses a light activated beacon comprising at least one LED activated or deactivated in response to light sensed by at least one of a plurality of photosensors arranged on the second outer surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventor: TIMOTHY D.F. FORD
  • Patent number: 10918152
    Abstract: A light-emitting beacon a dome e translucent or transparent carapace and a base. A printed circuit board assembly is arranged within the hollow space adjacent the carapace and above and on either side of a battery, the circuit board assembly comprising a plurality of LEDs arranged to emit light out of the carapace and such that when emitting at least one of the LEDs is visible from either side of the carapace. In a particular embodiment the light-emitting beacon is for mounting on a helmet and comprises an elongate carapace a first translucent or transparent material joined to a base having a concave undersurface and manufactured from a second plastic material, the first material of a greater hardness than the second material. The carapace is dome like and at least one LED arranged to emit light out of the carapace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Inventor: Timothy D. F. Ford
  • Patent number: 10672576
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising a lens and a selector ring is disclosed. The selector ring is mounted for rotation about the lens and comprises a plurality of tabs projecting inwards towards the lens which engaging with and are held within a tab receiving groove comprising a plurality of spaced notches. Each of the notches is dimensioned to receive one of said tabs. A wave spring positioned between an annular ledge of the lens and the selector ring which biases the plurality of tabs against the groove and such that when each of the plurality of tabs is positioned adjacent a respective one of the notches, the tabs are biased into the notches thereby preventing said selector ring from being rotated. A user disengages the tabs from the notches by pressing said selector ring against the bias of the wave spring, thereby allowing the selector ring to be rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: 9609385 CANADA INC.
    Inventor: Timothy D. F. Ford
  • Publication number: 20190237282
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising a lens and a selector ring is disclosed. The selector ring is mounted for rotation about the lens and comprises a plurality of tabs projecting inwards towards the lens which engaging with and are held within a tab receiving groove comprising a plurality of spaced notches. Each of the notches is dimensioned to receive one of said tabs. A wave spring positioned between an annular ledge of the lens and the selector ring which biases the plurality of tabs against the groove and such that when each of the plurality of tabs is positioned adjacent a respective one of the notches, the tabs are biased into the notches thereby preventing said selector ring from being rotated. A user disengages the tabs from the notches by pressing said selector ring against the bias of the wave spring, thereby allowing the selector ring to be rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventor: TIMOTHY D.F. FORD
  • Patent number: 10281119
    Abstract: A modular strip lighting assembly is disclosed comprising a plurality of elongate strip lights. The strip lights comprise a plurality of spaced and interconnected LEDs, a power rail segment for providing power to the interconnected LEDs, a rechargeable battery module, a battery charge/discharge circuit connected to the power rail segment and an external power supply. The elongate strip lights, the battery module and the adaptor are connectable end to end and such that, when assembled, the plurality of power rail segments combine to form a common power rail. When the external power supply provides power to the common rail, each of the rechargeable batteries is charged by the battery charge/discharge circuit using power on the common rail and when the external power supply does not provide power to the common rail, each of the rechargeable batteries provides power to the common rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: 9609385 CANADA INC.
    Inventor: Timothy D. F. Ford
  • Patent number: 10262821
    Abstract: An environmentally protected switch and water activated device using the switch is disclosed. The switch comprises an elongate housing having an open end and divided into a pair of chambers and into which a probe is inserted. When water infiltrates the housing an electrical circuit is completed between the two probes. There is also disclosed a lens/selector assembly comprising a selector ring encircling a lens and a wave spring which biases the selector ring into one of a number of predetermined positions around the lens. Illustratively, a magnet is placed within the selector ring a position of which can be detected by electronics within the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: 9609385 CANADA INC.
    Inventor: Timothy D. F. Ford
  • Patent number: 10190756
    Abstract: A flexible signalling device is disclosed comprising a housing manufactured from a rigid material and comprising a flat bottom and a rounded top, an electronic circuit positioned within the housing and comprising at least one LED arranged along a light emitting edge of the housing, a battery and a user actuatable switch for selectively energizing the at least one LED, a lens covering the at least one LED, and a solid elongate light diffuser manufactured from a non-opaque flexible rubberlike material. The housing and the light diffuser combine to form a unitary elongate ellipsoid when viewed from above and further wherein the at least one LED is arranged to emit light through the lens and into the diffuser along a length thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: 9609385 CANADA INC.
    Inventor: Timothy D. F. Ford
  • Publication number: 20180310656
    Abstract: A light-emitting beacon is disclosed comprising a beacon body comprising a translucent elongate carapace and a base wherein the carapace is generally dome like and the carapace and base together define a hollow space therebetween, a power source comprising a battery positioned within the hollow space adjacent the base, and a printed circuit board assembly arranged within the hollow space adjacent the carapace and above and on either side of the battery, the circuit board assembly comprising a plurality of LEDs arranged to emit light out of the carapace and such that when emitting at least one of the LEDs is visible from either side of the carapace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventor: Timothy D.F. Ford
  • Publication number: 20180309305
    Abstract: A battery harvesting device and methods are disclosed for powering a load with a plurality of standardised batteries of different battery chemistries, each of the standardised batteries having a battery output voltage lower than a nominal voltage. The harvester comprises a power bus for attachment to the load, at least one receptacle arranged into each of a plurality of clusters, each receptacle configured for receiving one of the standardised batteries, each cluster further comprising electronics comprising an input connected to the receptacle and an output connected to the power bus, and a DC-DC boost circuitry for raising a battery output voltage of a connected one of the standardised batteries, and a processor for controlling the electronics such that each of the outputs connected the power bus is maintained at the nominal voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventor: TIMOTHY D.F. FORD
  • Publication number: 20180216808
    Abstract: A flexible signalling device is disclosed comprising a housing manufactured from a rigid material and comprising a flat bottom and a rounded top, an electronic circuit positioned within the housing and comprising at least one LED arranged along a light emitting edge of the housing, a battery and a user actuatable switch for selectively energizing the at least one LED, a lens covering the at least one LED, and a solid elongate light diffuser manufactured from a non-opaque flexible rubberlike material. The housing and the light diffuser combine to form a unitary elongate ellipsoid when viewed from above and further wherein the at least one LED is arranged to emit light through the lens and into the diffuser along a length thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventor: TIMOTHY D.F. FORD
  • Patent number: 9912175
    Abstract: A universal battery harvester which harvests energy from a plurality of different batteries and stores the harvested energy in an onboard storage battery under control of a microprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: 9609385 CANADA INC.
    Inventor: Timothy D. F. Ford
  • Patent number: D831869
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: 9609385 CANADA INC.
    Inventor: Timothy D.F. Ford
  • Patent number: D840561
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: 9609385 CANADA INC.
    Inventor: Timothy D. F. Ford
  • Patent number: D900364
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: 9609385 CANADA INC.
    Inventor: Timothy D. F. Ford
  • Patent number: D959716
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Inventor: Timothy D. F. Ford