United Technologies Automotive Inc.

Alcoa Fujikura Limited

Robert C Burdick

James D Dowd

Weiping Zhao

Robert S Migrin

Stephen P McGarry

Richard Michael Siepierski

A self diagnostic solid state relay for converting a low current input into a high current output and providing the combined functions of silent switching and visual indication of circuit status. A three dimensional polygonal shaped housing encloses a printed circuit board. A MOSFET field effect transistor, a pair of female circuit board terminals, and a pair of LED elements are electrically communicable with a first side of the printed circuit board, the LED elements further being viewable from an exterior location of the housing. A fuse including first and second spaced apart and extending blade portions engage, respectively, with the first and second female terminals through openings defined in the housing. A plurality of male circuit board terminals are in electrical communication with a second side of said printed circuit board and extend from further selected exterior locations of the housing. The first LED element illuminates to indicate an open circuit due to an open OCPD operating condition of the relay, whereas the second LED element illuminates to indicate a partial or total open load circuit operating condition.

Self-diagnostic solid state relay for detection of open load circuit

An electrical contact system including an elastomeric conductive material of specified shape and size, said conductive material exhibiting a first plurality of electrical contact locations. An electrical power supply connected to the conductive material and communicable with the first electrical contact locations. A like plurality of second electrical contacts are arranged in abutting and substantially two dimensional contact with respect to the first electrical contact locations, an electrically communicable conduit extends from the second contacts. The two dimensional electrical communication established between the abutting first and second contacts allows for a range of misalignment existing therebetween during low current (typically in a range of 1 mA-1A) transfer across the electrical contact system.

Low current minimal alignment compression contact system

A combined four way and seven way connector assembly for communicating a towing vehicle's electrical system with either a four way or seven way input harness associated with a towed vehicle. The towing vehicle includes a wire harness supplying an output of the electrical system. The connector assembly provides a three dimensional housing including a top and a plurality of interconnected sides and which is secured to a suitable rear end location of the towing vehicle. A circuit board, or other suitable component, contains a plurality of electrical circuits and is secured within the housing. A first plurality of terminals defines a four way connector and a second plurality of terminals defines a seven way connector. Each of the first and second pluralities of terminals communicates with a selected number of said plurality of circuits and further define first and second input plugs accessible through the housing by the towed vehicle input harness. An electrical supply of the towing vehicle is engaged, via a wire harness or input connector, through the housing and with the circuits and in order to electrically communicating the towing vehicle's electrical supply.

Combined four way and seven way connector assembly for use with a vehicle and for accommodating a trailer tow package

An assembly for supplying vehicle subsystems associated with an instrument panel. A panel structural architecture includes a forward facing side within which are defined a series of partially recessed and interconnected channels. A junction box is secured or integrally affixed in some fashion to the structural architecture and an electrically communicable network extending from the junction box is likewise secured to surfaces of the panel structural architecture. First selected branches of the network terminate in a plurality of high current connectors extending from first locations. Second selected branches of the network terminate in a plurality of low current connectors extending from further locations. An instrument panel skin is applied over the structural architecture and incorporates electrical subsystems with input connectors matingly engageable with both the high and low current connectors associated with the structural architecture.

Electrical distribution system having integral junction box for instrument panel application

A power distribution assembly for distributing a high current electrical input to a plurality of individual and varied current outputs. A lower housing has a plurality of integrally formed socket receptacle defined therein, a corresponding and assembleable upper housing including a plurality of receptacles and establishing an enclosed interior. First and second busbars each include a planar base portion and a plurality of extending terminal pin portions communicable with the receptacle portions of said upper housing. The planar base portions being arranged on opposite faces of a planar shaped and flexible circuit sheet and fastenably engaging, in sandwiching and electrically communicating fashion, to the opposite faces of the circuit sheet. Individual pluralities of first, second and third terminal output pins electrically communicate with the circuit sheet and access selected locations through the upper and lower housings so that, upon the high input current being routed through the busbars and the circuit sheet, the terminal output pins communicate an associated and stepped down output current to specified receptacles.

Integrated and flexible power distribution assembly

A lighted vanity mirror module for an automobile sun visor comprises a housing (35) including a base (40), a bezel (45) covering the base and supporting a mirror (20), and electric lamps (25) supplied with electric current through circuitry (55) embedded within the base. A hinged cover (30) is unlatched and the lamps energized by actuation of a single, combined latch and on-off switch (60). Interfitting lamp compartments (135) and (150) minimize light leakage into the interior of the housing, align the bezel with the base and provide fastening of the bezel to the base. A light dimming control (65) is also provided.

Automobile sun visor vanity mirror module

Accessory panel for an overhead console

Automobile sun visor mirror unit

A latching switch operated by push motions for making electrical connections. A displaceable contact carrier (50) is slidably mounted within an enclosure and has multiple positions for making electrical contacts. A rotatable cam (62) is positioned adjacent the contact carrier and via selected camming surfaces controls the position of the contact carrier. A cam actuator (30) is displaced by push motions and includes a contact surface for engaging the rotatable cam to displace the cam to cause the contact carrier to be placed in the desired position.

Latching switch operated by sequential push motions

A modular push type latching and cross cancelling switch operated by manual push motions. A pair of displaceable contact carriers (150, 250) are slidably mounted within an enclosure and have multiple positions for making electrical contacts. Rotatable cams (170, 270) are positioned adjacent each contact carrier and via selected camming surfaces control the position of the contact carriers. A pair of cam actuators (130, 230) are displaced by push motions and include contact surfaces for engaging each of the rotatable cams to displace the cam to cause one contact carrier to be placed in the desired 'on' or 'off' position and to place the other contact carrier in the 'off' position if it was in the 'on' position.

Modular push type latching and cross cancelling switches

A push-push type alternate action latching switch having low displacement and providing tactile feedback. The switch includes a push button actuator (80), a contact carrier (40) which is caused to rotate creating motion in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the push button, and a cycler (60) for effecting the desired motion are disclosed. The tactile feel is provided by displacing a terminal (34) over an extending detent rib (26) as it changes between switch positions. Low displacement is created by the translation of the in-out motion to the left-right motion to obtain the desired switching effect. A pair of interlocked push-push type alternate action latching switches is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Romulus, MI, United States of America

Robert C Burdick