Patents by Inventor Kevin Sykes

Kevin Sykes 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: 11601737
    Abstract: A subwoofer that is enclosed in a housing adapted for tool-less installation and removal on a watercraft using cam-latch mounts on existing vendor mounting locations or on included custom mounting plates. The watercraft subwoofer system includes a waterproof signal and power connector with no tools necessary to connect or disconnect. The down-firing subwoofer acoustically couples the subwoofer to the hollow vehicle hull and increases bass. The enclosure has a passive acoustic radiator to provide increased bass response and pressure equalization when hitting the water or momentarily submerged. The enclosure has marine lights on the rear-facing side. The enclosure also has a one-way pressure valve to release pressure if hitting water at high speeds and becoming submerged. An anti-slip mat is provided on the top of the enclosure to reduce the likelihood of a rider slipping off the rear of the watercraft. Various enclosure shapes may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Kevin Sykes, Jason Planck
  • Publication number: 20210353206
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are olfactory diagnostic kits and methods for screening for an olfactory dysfunction. Also disclosed are olfactory training kits and methods for treating an olfactory dysfunction in a subject. Also disclosed is a method for diagnosing a subject for an olfactory dysfunction. Also disclosed is a method for training a subject with an olfactory dysfunction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Jennifer Villwock, Kevin Sykes
  • Patent number: 10798485
    Abstract: A system of wall-mounted audio system zone controllers, each having a digital display of a QR code that is unique to that particular wall-mounted controller. By scanning the QR code with a smart phone, or the like, where that smartphone is connected to the same network as the audio processing assembly that is communicatively connected to the particular wall-mounted zone controller, a user gains access to a website that provides expanded and remote audio control functionality over and above that provided by the wall-mounted zone controller itself. A wireless network router is in communication with the audio processing assembly and with the smart phones used to scan QR codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Tom Lureman, Kevin Sykes, Sam Weaver, Lynn Eggli, Jon Stembel, Eduardo Arriaga
  • Patent number: 10636162
    Abstract: A smart phone with an application for electronically photographing a section of a patterned ceiling along with a color and grayscale calibration template surrounding the small speaker system installation site, storing the image, uploading the image to a computer that has color correction software, correcting the color of the image, and printing the image on a steel ring and a steel disc for magnetic attachment to a diffuser of a small ceiling speaker system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Kevin Sykes, Tyler Jo Keller, Cristian Botos
  • Patent number: 10446131
    Abstract: A sound diffuser for a ceiling speaker system having a downward-facing (when installed) flat disc cover plate and a flat barrel flange that assists in clamping a ceiling tile. The downward facing surfaces of the disc cover plate and a flat ring releasably attached to, and covering, the barrel flange are printable surfaces. The ring and the disc are magnetically attractable and are held in place with magnets. The ring and the disc cover plate can be rotated to align patterns printed on the ring and the disc cover plate to align to a pattern on the ceiling and to each other. Three-dimensional printing of the ring and/or the disc cover plate is included. The diffuser is preferably used in conjunction with the SMALL CEILING SPEAKER SYSTEM of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/710,654, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Kevin Sykes
  • Publication number: 20190088238
    Abstract: A sound diffuser for a ceiling speaker system having a downward-facing (when installed) flat disc cover plate and a flat barrel flange that assists in clamping a ceiling tile. The downward facing surfaces of the disc cover plate and a flat ring releasably attached to, and covering, the barrel flange are printable surfaces. The ring and the disc are magnetically attractable and are held in place with magnets. The ring and the disc cover plate can be rotated to align patterns printed on the ring and the disc cover plate to align to a pattern on the ceiling and to each other. Three-dimensional printing of the ring and/or the disc cover plate is included. The diffuser is preferably used in conjunction with the SMALL CEILING SPEAKER SYSTEM of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/710,654, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Kevin Sykes
  • Publication number: 20190087974
    Abstract: A smart phone with an application for electronically photographing a section of a patterned ceiling along with a color and grayscale calibration template surrounding the small speaker system installation site, storing the image, uploading the image to a computer that has color correction software, correcting the color of the image, and printing the image on a steel ring and a steel disc for magnetic attachment to a diffuser of a small ceiling speaker system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Kevin Sykes, Tyler Jo Keller, Cristian Botos
  • Patent number: 10139099
    Abstract: An LED light ring for ceiling mounted speakers having flanged enclosures with flip dogs is presented. The LED light ring is a flat annular transparent or translucent piece that is clamped between the enclosure flange and the ceiling tile and emits RGB LED light radially outward through the LED light ring. The LED light emits from LEDs mounted on a circular electronic circuit board (flexible or not) on the inner circumference of the LED light ring. The circular electronic circuit is coupled to a controller that controls the color, blink rate, and intensity and has firmware for interpreting simple controller commands into complex LED light patterns and sequences. A plurality of light ring equipped loudspeakers may be in communication with a common controller that can create patterns and sequences among the plurality of light ring equipped loudspeakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Mitek Corp., Inc.
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Kevin Sykes
  • Patent number: 10142715
    Abstract: A small speaker for panel mounting in a hole as small as seventy five millimeters diameter in which access to the rear of the panel is not required. The small speaker uses spring-loaded flip dogs that are actuated by rotating a sound disperser that is connected to a hollow cylindrical mechanism having gear teeth on its external surface which engage flip dog gears on the top surfaces of the flip dogs. Internally, the hollow cylindrical mechanism has an indentation that supports a speaker baffle which, in turn supports a speaker bushing. A loudspeaker is attached to the speaker bushing near the speaker baffle. Two housing sections attach, spaced apart, to an annular frame on opposing sides and receive the hollow cylindrical mechanism rotationally therein. The flip dogs operate in the spaces between the housing sections. Methods of mounting and dismounting are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Mitek Corp, Inc.
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Kevin Sykes, Kenneth Wade Chappell
  • Publication number: 20180051872
    Abstract: An LED light ring for ceiling mounted speakers having flanged enclosures with flip dogs is presented. The LED light ring is a flat annular transparent or translucent piece that is clamped between the enclosure flange and the ceiling tile and emits RGB LED light radially outward through the LED light ring. The LED light emits from LEDs mounted on a circular electronic circuit board (flexible or not) on the inner circumference of the LED light ring. The circular electronic circuit is coupled to a controller that controls the color, blink rate, and intensity and has firmware for interpreting simple controller commands into complex LED light patterns and sequences. A plurality of light ring equipped loudspeakers may be in communication with a common controller that can create patterns and sequences among the plurality of light ring equipped loudspeakers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Kevin Sykes
  • Publication number: 20180054665
    Abstract: A small speaker for panel mounting in a hole as small as seventy five millimeters diameter in which access to the rear of the panel is not required. The small speaker uses spring-loaded flip dogs that are actuated by rotating a sound disperser that is connected to a hollow cylindrical mechanism having gear teeth on its external surface which engage flip dog gears on the top surfaces of the flip dogs. Internally, the hollow cylindrical mechanism has an indentation that supports a speaker baffle which, in turn supports a speaker bushing. A loudspeaker is attached to the speaker bushing near the speaker baffle. Two housing sections attach, spaced apart, to an annular frame on opposing sides and receive the hollow cylindrical mechanism rotationally therein. The flip dogs operate in the spaces between the housing sections. Methods of mounting and dismounting are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Kevin Sykes, Kenneth Wade Chappell
  • Patent number: 9807485
    Abstract: A sleek ceiling speaker having an annular magnetic assembly and annular dust cap through which extends an elongated actuator, which may also be a light pipe. The elongated actuator supports a variable transformer tap which is manually operated by rotating a bottom end of the elongated actuator which is expanded into a sound disperser plug. Changing the transformer tap changes the volume produced by the speaker. The elongated actuator may also support an LED board that provides light to the light pipe and to the transparent or translucent sound disperser plug. Rotating the elongated actuator may also be used to change the lighting. The housing is secured to a ceiling tile by attaching a releasably attachable outwardly extending circumferential flange to a sound funnel that supports the sound disperser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Mitek Corp., Inc.
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Kevin Sykes
  • Patent number: 9729952
    Abstract: An improved manually operated flip dog mountable ceiling speaker enclosure, for ceiling or other panel installation, has a biased sliding ratchet block that can be latched in place by an extension from a T-handle of an integral actuator rod. The ratchet block is controlled in its sliding motion by alignment rods extending from a vertical portion of a base and slidingly received in alignment bores of the ratchet block. A face of the ratchet block has downward pointing ratchet teeth that engage upward pointing ratchet teeth on a barrel of a flip dog to hold the flip dog in a clamped position. Over time, the biasing springs may lose their strength, but the latching of the ratchet block obviates this problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: MITEK CORP., INC.
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Michael Schomisch, Kevin Sykes, Michael Douglass Howell
  • Patent number: 9693478
    Abstract: A half-rack electronics cabinet coupled to a wall mount by two doubly-nested four bar mechanisms that are operable to articulate the cabinet by ninety degrees to bring the back planes of any installed electronic modules to the top for easy access. The function of admitting outside signal and power cables is apportioned to the wall mount. The unit is compact, as the wall mount is no wider than the cabinet. For a half-rack cabinet of sufficient height, crossbars are provided that enable vertical mounting of full-rack electronic modules in the half-rack cabinet along with, preferably, at least one half-rack module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Atlas Sound LP
    Inventors: Johnathan Loyd Ivey, Kenneth Wade Chappell, Kevin Sykes
  • Publication number: 20160366501
    Abstract: An improved manually operated flip dog mountable ceiling speaker enclosure, for ceiling or other panel installation, has a biased sliding ratchet block that can be latched in place by an extension from a T-handle of an integral actuator rod. The ratchet block is controlled in its sliding motion by alignment rods extending from a vertical portion of a base and slidingly received in alignment bores of the ratchet block. A face of the ratchet block has downward pointing ratchet teeth that engage upward pointing ratchet teeth on a barrel of a flip dog to hold the flip dog in a clamped position. Over time, the biasing springs may lose their strength, but the latching of the ratchet block obviates this problem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Michael Schomisch, Kevin Sykes, Michael Douglass Howell
  • Patent number: 9402330
    Abstract: Crossbars span the width between two opposed vertical attachment bars in a half-width electronics rack or cabinet of accommodating height to enable vertical mounting of full-width electronics module in the half-width electronics rack or cabinet. The crossbars are used in opposed spaced-apart pairs with the full-width electronics module mounted vertically between the crossbars. Each crossbar includes a flat elongated main bar having five sets of three holes in a linear array, with the holes sized and spaced apart in accordance with industry standards for electronics racks. An attachment flange with a fastener opening extends from each end of the main bar and is delineated from the main bar by a notch. Between the notches, the same edge extends in a right-angle bend which further extends into a flange. Crossbars are provided in pairs, with or without packaging, racks, cabinets, and electronics modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Atlas Sound LP
    Inventors: Kenneth Wade Chappell, Kevin Sykes
  • Patent number: 9084046
    Abstract: A manually operated flip dog mountable ceiling speaker enclosure, for ceiling or other panel installation, provides a plurality of flip dogs mounted tangentially on an annular flange around an opening of a speaker can and operated by either pulling on an actuator to create a cam-driven rotation to a radial alignment and a downward dog movement to a ratcheted clamping position, or by first rotating the manual actuator to rotate the dog and then pulling the actuator to pull the dog down into a ratcheted clamping position. Ratchet points on the dog are urged into ratchet points on a wall by a releasable biasing member. Three embodiments are illustrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Michael Schomisch, Kevin Sykes, Michael Douglass Howell
  • Patent number: 9071899
    Abstract: Narrow ceiling speaker panels designed to be compatible with Armstrong® TECHZONE™ suspended ceiling systems that include an end-flanged grill box nested in a baffle that supports a loudspeaker and associated electronics and which is nested in a flanged grill that is sized for compatibility. Attachments are though the grill box end flanges and baffle panel and through grill edge flanges and baffle edge flanges. The loudspeaker and associated electronics are fastened to the top side of the baffle through pre-drilled or punched holes. The grill may have a decorative appearance by virtue of edge style, pattern of holes, color, or finish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Mitek Corp., Inc.
    Inventors: Johnathan Loyd Ivey, Kevin Sykes
  • Publication number: 20150008067
    Abstract: Narrow ceiling speaker panels designed to be compatible with Armstrong® TECHZONE™ suspended ceiling systems that include an end-flanged grill box nested in a baffle that supports a loudspeaker and associated electronics and which is nested in a flanged grill that is sized for compatibility. Attachments are though the grill box end flanges and baffle panel and through grill edge flanges and baffle edge flanges. The loudspeaker and associated electronics are fastened to the top side of the baffle through pre-drilled or punched holes. The grill may have a decorative appearance by virtue of edge style, pattern of holes, color, or finish.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Johnathan Loyd Ivey, Kevin Sykes
  • Patent number: D836088
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Mitek Corp., Inc.
    Inventors: Johnathan Ivey, Kevin Sykes