Patents by Inventor Timothy E. Graff

Timothy E. Graff 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: 11181253
    Abstract: An LED lighting fixture including a side access door and a compartment for housing electrical components required for operation of the LED fixture. The side access door secured to the compartment by a hinge structure, such that the side door is retained when in an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLC
    Inventors: Harish P. Kulkarni, Timothy E. Graff, Santosh K. Patil
  • Patent number: 11112074
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement for an LED fixture, said LED fixture having a holding plate and a driver housing, said arrangement comprising slots configured on said holding plate and on said housing for threading a cable therethrough, said cable is connected to a support during mounting said fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLC
    Inventors: Harish P. Kulkarni, Timothy E. Graff, Santosh K. Patil
  • Publication number: 20210235559
    Abstract: An intrinsically safe (IS) luminaire disposed in a hazardous environment provides visible light and serves as a primary, auxiliary, back-up, and/or charging source of IS DC power for external devices disposed in the hazardous environment, such as process control devices and equipment. The luminaire includes a power converter that converts received power into DC power, an IS barrier that converts the DC power into IS DC power native to or utilized by a recipient external device, and a power distribution port via which IS DC power is delivered to the external device. In some configurations, the luminaire monitors communicates statuses, alerts, and/or other information corresponding to delivering IS DC power to one or more external devices to a host and/or portable communication device. The luminaire may include multiple IS barriers of same and/or different IS ratings, and may dynamically control activation/deactivation of the IS barriers and/or usages thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy E. Graff, Ravindra Viraj Gurjar, Yicheng Peter Pan
  • Patent number: 11076504
    Abstract: The present disclosure envisages an arrangement (100) for dissipating heat of a power supply unit (105) in a housing (110). The arrangement (100) comprises at least one packing member (120). The packing member (120) is disposed between the power supply unit (105) and an operative inner wall of the housing (110) to increase conductive thermal contact between inner walls of the housing (110) and the power supply unit (105). The arrangement (100) facilitates maximum surface contact between a power supply unit and inner walls of a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLC
    Inventors: Santosh K. Patil, Timothy E. Graff
  • Publication number: 20210074133
    Abstract: A smart luminaire system in which a primary luminaire controls and/or communicates with a set of one or more secondary luminaires may be disposed in a hazardous environment, such as an industrial process plant, manufacturing facility, oil refinery, etc. The primary luminaire may send driving commands to the set of secondary luminaires via an analog portion of a hybrid wired communication interface, and the driving commands may cause a driver of a second luminaire to energize on-board illumination source(s) at various intensities. The primary luminaire may send and/or receive administrative messages to/from the secondary luminaires via a digital portion of its hybrid wired communication interface. The smart luminaire system may be a stand-alone system, or may communicate with a controller or back-end system via a wireless communication interface of the primary luminaire, e.g., to receive control instructions and/or to send consolidated administrative messages on behalf of the smart luminaire system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Ravindra Viraj Gurjar, Timothy E. Graff, Yicheng Peter Pan
  • Publication number: 20210076470
    Abstract: A luminaire network improves energy efficiency, reduces light pollution, improves the robustness of luminaire control, and reduces maintenance time and costs by implementing intelligent and selective lighting control. For example, the luminaire network may automatically control dimming, light activation, light deactivation, static or dynamic luminaire grouping, and luminaire group control by implementing a hybrid control scheme that accounts for (i) local or global fixed schedules (e.g., based on time of day, worker schedules, etc.), (ii) detected daylight, (iii) detected motion of workers, and (iv) feedback from luminaires in the luminaire network. Further, one or more electronic devices (e.g., mobile devices) may couple to the luminaire network and may facilitate easy monitoring, configuration, and manual control of luminaires in the luminaire network, even when remotely connected to the luminaire network (e.g., via the cloud).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy E. Graff, Ravindra Viraj Gurjar, Yicheng Peter Pan
  • Publication number: 20200352000
    Abstract: A low voltage lighting system including a fixture (200) having an array of LEDs (204) and an LED driver circuit (202). The LED driver circuit (202) includes a Switch-mode Power Supply (SMPS) unit (206), a current sensing unit (210), a control unit (208) and a dimming input level shifting and signal conditioning unit (212). The SMPS unit (206) produces an adequate DC power (+VLED, ?VLED) for driving the LEDs (204). The control unit (208) receives a sensed current signal from the current sensing unit (210) and controls the SMPS unit (206) to maintain the output current within a pre-determined range. The control unit (208) receives a dimming signal from the dimming unit (212) or an emergency signal from a supply unit (104) to alter the output power of the SMPS unit (206) from normal mode to dimming mode or emergency mode respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy E. Graff, Pankaj P. Tikle, Ajay Tripathi
  • Publication number: 20200292153
    Abstract: An LED lighting fixture (205) provided with a self-retaining side access door (220) to a wiring and driver compartment (245) of said LED fixture (205), and means for retaining said side access door (220) attached to said wiring and driver compartment (245) in an open configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Harish P. Kulkarni, Timothy E. Graff, Santosh K. Patil
  • Publication number: 20200292142
    Abstract: A mounting arrangement for an LED fixture, said LED fixture having a holding plate and a driver housing, said arrangement comprising slots configured on said holding plate and on said housing for threading a cable therethrough, said cable is connected to a support during mounting said fixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Harish P. Kulkarni, Timothy E. Graff, Santosh K. Patil
  • Publication number: 20200288603
    Abstract: The present disclosure envisages an arrangement (100) for dissipating heat of a power supply unit (105) in a housing (110). The arrangement (100) comprises at least one packing member (120). The packing member (120) is disposed between the power supply unit (105) and an operative inner wall of the housing (110) to increase conductive thermal contact between inner walls of the housing (110) and the power supply unit (105). The arrangement (100) facilitates maximum surface contact between a power supply unit and inner walls of a housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Santosh K. Patil, Timothy E. Graff
  • Patent number: 10704778
    Abstract: An LED fixture is provided including a housing having a hollow configuration, a mounting plate secured to an upper end of the housing, a globe ring, separate from the housing, secured to a lower exterior end of the housing, a base on the housing extending within the globe ring, and an LED array positioned on the base of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLC
    Inventors: Suraj N. Desai, Harsha N. Devappa, Dawn M. Grandsart, Timothy E. Graff, James G. Brand
  • Patent number: 10591147
    Abstract: A connection mechanism for connecting a first element to a second element including a plurality of bayonet tabs configured on one of said first element and said second element; and a plurality of bayonet slots engageable with the plurality of bayonet tabs, the plurality of bayonet slots configured on one of the first element and the second element that does not contain the plurality of bayonet tabs, wherein the plurality of bayonet tabs are aligned with the plurality of bayonet slots, subsequent to which, the first element is partially rotated with respect to the second element to facilitate the reception of the plurality of bayonet tabs within the plurality of slots, thereby providing a connection between the first and second elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLC.
    Inventors: Harsha N. Devappa, Vinaya N. Kubsad, Santosh K. Patil, Timothy E. Graff
  • Patent number: 10480763
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of lighting systems. The collective dissipation of heat by various components of lighting systems, inside a conventional single compartment enclosure, raises the temperature of each of the components, resulting in damage and reduction in the life of the components. The present disclosure, therefore, envisages an enclosure for lighting systems which is compartmentalized, and prevents overheating of the components of the lighting systems. The enclosure includes a first compartment and a second compartment. At least one driver is receivable in the first compartment and at least one light emitting component is receivable in the second compartment. The first compartment is insulated from the second compartment. The enclosure is primarily used for lighting fixtures which require high efficiency operation from a compact package, or lighting fixtures which operate in rugged environments at high temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLC
    Inventors: Karan C. Mandlekar, Harsha N. Devappa, Sumit Kumar, Timothy E. Graff
  • Patent number: 10473318
    Abstract: An LED fixture (200) that facilitates effective heat dissipation of an array of LEDs, having improved thermal performance; and is easy to mount or dismount. The LED fixture (200) includes a heat sink (202) having a hollow configuration, and a plurality of fins (204) extending circumferentially and outwardly from the heat sink (202). The LED fixture (200) further comprises a base (206) configured at an operative bottom portion of the heat sink (202), and a driver housing (208) connected to an operative top surface of the heat sink (202). The base (206) is configured to support an array of LEDs. The driver housing (208) is configured to accommodate a plurality of LED drivers. The driver housing (208) and the base (206) are arranged in a spaced apart configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLC
    Inventors: Harsha N. Devappa, Anoop R. Zutti, Dawn M. Grandsart, Chethan S B, Timothy E. Graff
  • Publication number: 20190301718
    Abstract: An LED fixture is provided including a housing having a hollow configuration, a mounting plate secured to an upper end of the housing, a globe ring, separate from the housing, secured to a lower exterior end of the housing, a base on the housing extending within the globe ring, and an LED array positioned on the base of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Suraj N. Desai, Harsha N. Devappa, Dawn M. Grandsart, Timothy E. Graff, James G. Brand
  • Patent number: 10422172
    Abstract: The present disclosure envisages a tool-less hinge mechanism for coupling a first element and a second element. The tool-less hinge mechanism comprises at least one lug integrally extending from one of the first element and the second element, and at least one loop integrally extending from remaining one of the first element and the second element. The at least one lug is configured to be received in the at least one loop, thereby providing hingeable coupling between the first element and the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLC.
    Inventors: Santosh K. Patil, Timothy E. Graff
  • Patent number: D866039
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLC
    Inventors: Timothy E. Graff, James G. Brand, Saurabh Verma, Anoop R. Zutti
  • Patent number: D934806
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLC
    Inventors: Shriprasad V. Khadse, Santosh K. Patil, Timothy E. Graff, Sumit Kumar, Harish P. Kulkarni
  • Patent number: D935064
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLC
    Inventors: Ritu Raj, Anoop R. Zutti, Chetan Narkhede, Harish P. Kulkarni, Harsha N. Devappa, Santosh K. Patil, Timothy E. Graff, Sumit Kumar
  • Patent number: D935065
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Appleton Grp LLP
    Inventors: Anoop R. Zutti, Vinayak A. Jadhav, Santosh K. Patil, Harish P. Kulkarni, Harsha N. Devappa, Timothy E. Graff, Sumit Kumar