Methode Electronics, Incorporated

Other

Gary R Best

Patrick A Bolen

Brent E Henderson

William C Watts

A clockspring connector having a clockspring housing, a hub, a chamber defined by the housing, and a carrier member. The clockspring housing includes an inner wall and an outer wall. A flat conductor cable coiled within the clockspring housing. The hub is rotatably mounted within the clockspring housing. The chamber is defined by the clockspring housing. The carrier member is mounted within the chamber. The carrier member has roller members. One of the roller members is a hard roller member and another of the roller members is a compliant roller member. Typically, the hard roller member is positioned at a turn-back portion of the flat conductor cable.

Clockspring having non-compliant and compliant roller members

A clockspring connector is provided comprising a housing defining a chamber, including a carrier member having a first roller associated with a first turned-back loop of a first flat conductor cable and a second roller associated with a second turned-back loop of a second flat conductor cable wherein said first and second flat conductor cables are alternatingly coiled at an inner diameter of the chamber adjacent the hub or along said outer diameter of the chamber adjacent the housing wall. The clockspring connector includes a complaint roller member providing compression forces against the flat ribbon cable during rotation of the clockspring connector. A clockspring connector and method for producing the same is provided having a hub rotatably mounted within a housing, the housing defining a chamber, with an integrated carrier assembly mounted within the housing, the integrated carrier assembly having a frame with a first and second roller assembly, wherein the integrated carrier assembly includes a first and second flat ribbon cable each having a slack length that encircles and variably distributes within the housing, wherein a first and second conductive backbone is accessible to the first and second flat ribbon cable and the first backbone interconnects with the steering system to circle with the base upon rotation of the steering wheel, the first and second backbones being interconnected by the flat ribbon cables.

Clockspring connector with carrier member

A clockspring connector is provided comprising a housing defining a chamber, including a carrier member having a first roller associated with a first turned-back loop of a first flat conductor cable and a second roller associated with a second turned-back loop of a second flat conductor cable wherein said first and second flat conductor cables are alternatingly coiled at an inner diameter of the chamber adjacent the hub or along said outer diameter of the chamber adjacent the housing wall. The clockspring connector includes a complaint roller member providing compression forces against the flat ribbon cable during rotation of the clockspring connector.

Clockspring connector with compliant roller

A clockspring connector is provided comprising a housing defining a chamber, including a carrier member having a first roller associated with a first turned-back loop of a first flat conductor cable and a second roller associated with a second turned-back loop of a second flat conductor cable wherein said first and second flat conductor cables are alternatingly coiled at an inner diameter of the chamber adjacent the hub or along said outer diameter of the chamber adjacent the housing wall.

A seal is provided for indicating whether a clockspring has been tampered with. The clockspring consists of a housing, a hub rotatably mounted to the housing, and a ribbon cable connected to the housing and the hub. The seal is attached to the clockspring housing and hub. The seal may consist of a tamper indicating non-marking label stock having a facestock, flexographically printed indicia located on the facestock, and an adhesive coated over the flexographically printed indicia. Furthermore, the flexographically printed indicia may provide a message such as the word 'VOID.' Finally, the seal may include printed instructions for inspecting the seal.

Clockspring tamper prevention and detection seal and method

A switching assembly having an on switch with a separate off release actuator. The switching assembly has a switch which has both an on position and an off position. Connected on the switch is an on button which has both a released position and a depressed position. The moving of the on button into the depressed position causes the switch to toggle into the on position. Also connected to the switch is an actuator rod which provides for the locking and releasing of the switch from the on position. The actuator rod is connected to an off button which has both a depressed position and a released position. Moving the off button into the depressed position causes the switch to toggle into the off position. Furthermore, a spring is connected to the actuator rod for maintaining the on switch in the on position until the actuator is forced to release the on switch from the on position.

On switch with separate off release actuator

An electrical switch assembly comprises a first, domed, flexible contact member plus at least one second, flexible, finger-type contact member positioned under the first contact member in normally spaced relation thereto. Actuator means are provided for pressing the first, domed contact member into contact with the second contact member to actuate the switch assembly. In accordance with this invention the second, flexible, finger-type contact member defines an end portion which is bent to permit increased-area contact with the first contact member when the first contact member is pressed into contact with the second contact member. This also provides improved wiping action between the first and second contacts as the increased-area contact is made and broken for removal of carbon build-up and the like.

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Hamilton, IL, United States of America

Gary R Best