Patents by Inventor Craig E. Colton

Craig E. Colton 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).

  • Publication number: 20220054869
    Abstract: A system includes a negative pressure reusable respirator configured to be worn by a worker and to cover at least a mouth and a nose of the worker, a sensor configured to generate sensor data indicative of a characteristic of air within a work environment, and at least one computing device. The negative pressure reusable respirator includes at least one contaminant capture device configured to remove contaminants from air as the air is drawn through the contaminant capture device when the worker inhales. The at least one contaminant capture device is configured to be removable from the negative pressure reusable respirator. The at least one computing device configured to determine whether the at least one contaminant capture device is due for replacement, and perform one or more actions in response to determining the at least one contaminant capture device is due for replacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: David R. Stein, Caroline M. Ylitalo, Craig E. Colton, Steven T. Awiszus, Shane A. Hainey, Richard C. Webb, Scott A. Larson, Andrew W. Long, Daniel B. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6206001
    Abstract: A respirator selection program contains a database and a non-standards based engine. The database includes at least a chemicals database, a health effects database, a standards database, and a respirator database. The chemicals database contains data on chemicals which may require the use of respirators. The chemicals database also contains pointers to the health effects database. The health effects database contains health effects resulting from exposure to the chemicals in the chemical database. The non-standards based engine, when executed, performs the steps of (a) accepting first and second chemicals which are entered by a user, (b) accepting corresponding first and second exposure amounts which are entered by the user, and (c) selecting a respirator based upon the chemicals database, the health effects database, the standards database, the respirator database, the first and second chemicals which are entered by the user, and the first and second exposure amounts which are entered by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Sharon R. Garber, Craig E. Colton, Larry L. Janssen
  • Patent number: 5893070
    Abstract: A respiratory program is disclosed which fully integrates the development and maintenance of a workplace respiratory protection program. The respiratory program (i) provides the forms which are useful in developing and maintaining a workplace respiratory protection program, (ii) facilitates the training of employees which is necessary to ensure that the workplace respiratory protection program is effective, (iii) includes the database which is necessary to provide all of the knowledge required during the development and maintenance of a workplace respiratory protection program, (iv) permits customization of the workplace respiratory protection program, (v) allows the employer and employees to read the knowledge provided by a fully informative workplace respiratory protection program, and (vi) assists the employer in preparing for an audit of the workplace respiratory protection program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Sharon R. Garber, Craig E. Colton, David S. Lucas