Patents by Inventor Eric T. Sommers
Eric T. Sommers 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).
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Publication number: 20240065365Abstract: In one aspect, a protective headwear is provided and includes a headgear, an outer shell, a duct and a manifold. The headgear is configured to engage a wearer's head and at least partially support the protective headwear on a wearer's head. The headgear includes a front, a rear opposite the front, a right side, and a left side opposite the right side. The outer shell is coupled to the headgear at a coupling location and includes a shield positioned to the front of the headgear. The duct is at least partially coupled to and at least partially positioned in an interior of the outer shell. The duct is located below the coupling location.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: William P. Gardner, Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, John C. Mehnert
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Patent number: 11812816Abstract: In one aspect, a protective headwear is provided and includes a headgear, an outer shell, a duct and a manifold. The headgear is configured to engage a wearer's head and at least partially support the protective headwear on a wearer's head. The headgear includes a front, a rear opposite the front, a right side, and a left side opposite the right side. The outer shell is coupled to the headgear at a coupling location and includes a shield positioned to the front of the headgear. The duct is at least partially coupled to and at least partially positioned in an interior of the outer shell. The duct is located below the coupling location.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2017Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: William P. Gardner, Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, John C. Mehnert
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Publication number: 20210369501Abstract: A welding helmet for detecting arc data is provided. One embodiment of the welding helmet includes an arc detection system configured to detect one or more welding arcs that occur during one or more welding operations. The welding helmet also includes control circuitry configured to count a number of the one or more welding arcs detected by the arc detection system. The welding helmet includes a storage device configured to store the number of the one or more welding arcs.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Inventors: William Joshua Becker, Kyle A. Pfeifer, Eric T. Sommers
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Patent number: 11166852Abstract: In one aspect, a protective headwear is provided and includes an outer shell, a first shell duct coupled to the outer shell and including a first exhaust port, and a second shell duct coupled to the outer shell and spaced apart from the first shell duct. The second shell duct includes a second exhaust port. The protective headwear also includes a manifold positioned externally of the outer shell and configured to divert airflow into at least a first portion of airflow and a second portion of airflow. The manifold includes a first diversion member coupled to and in fluid communication with the first shell duct to provide the first portion of airflow to the first shell duct, and a second diversion member coupled to and in fluid communication with the second shell duct to provide the second portion of airflow to the second shell duct.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2018Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: William P. Gardner, Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, John Mehnert
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Patent number: 11110009Abstract: A welding helmet for detecting arc data is provided. One embodiment of the welding helmet includes an arc detection system configured to detect one or more welding arcs that occur during one or more welding operations. The welding helmet also includes control circuitry configured to count a number of the one or more welding arcs detected by the arc detection system. The welding helmet includes a storage device configured to store the number of the one or more welding arcs.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2017Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: William J. Becker, Kyle A. Pfeifer, Eric T. Sommers
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Patent number: 11058586Abstract: A system for attaching a welding face member to a hard hat includes a hard hat and an adapter. The adapter is attached to the hard hat. The adapter includes an adapter mating member which attaches to a welding face member. The adapter mating member is located below the hard hat.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2018Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventor: Eric T. Sommers
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Patent number: 11033433Abstract: In one aspect, a protective headwear is provided and includes a headgear, an outer shell rotatably coupled to the headgear, and a first shield coupled to the outer shell and rotatable between a first position and a second position. The first shield is selectively removable from the outer shell without the use of tools. The protective headwear also includes a second shield coupled to the outer shell. The first shield covers the second shield to a greater extent in the first position than in the second position. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing a protective headwear is provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2015Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INCInventors: Eric T. Sommers, Nishank R. Patel, Samuel B. Petre, John C. Mehnert
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Patent number: 10702003Abstract: In one aspect, a protective headwear is provided and includes a support member configured to engage a user's head, an outer shell coupled to the support member and rotatable relative to the support member between a first position and a second position, and a member coupled between the support member and the outer shell to reduce angular velocity of the outer shell as it moves from the first position to the second position. In one aspect, the protective headwear is a welding helmet.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2015Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, Kyle Pfeifer
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Patent number: 10681953Abstract: In one aspect, a headgear for engaging and supporting protective headwear on a wearer's head includes a first side member positioned on a first side of the headgear, a second side member positioned on a second side of the headgear opposite the first side, a forehead strap coupled to the first and second side members and positioned on a front half of the headgear, and an occipital strap having an end coupled to one of the first side member and the second side member on the front half of the headgear and the occipital strap extending to a rear half of the headgear.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2018Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, Samuel B. Petre, John C. Mehnert
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Publication number: 20190191809Abstract: In one aspect, a headgear for engaging and supporting protective headwear on a wearer's head is provided. The headgear may include a first side member on a first side of the headgear, a second side member on a second side of the headgear, and a forehead strap pivotally coupled to and extending between the first and second side members. The forehead strap may be configured to engage a wearer's forehead with the headgear worn by a wearer. The headgear may also include a second strap coupled to and extending between the first and second side members.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2019Publication date: June 27, 2019Inventors: Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, Mark D. Begin, Samuel B. Petre
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Patent number: 10299530Abstract: In one aspect, a headgear for engaging and supporting protective headwear on a wearer's head is provided. The headgear may include a first side member on a first side of the headgear, a second side member on a second side of the headgear, and a forehead strap pivotally coupled to and extending between the first and second side members. The forehead strap may be configured to engage a wearer's forehead with the headgear worn by a wearer. The headgear may also include a second strap coupled to and extending between the first and second side members.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2015Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, Mark D. Begin, Samuel B. Petre
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Publication number: 20180325205Abstract: In one aspect, a protective headwear is provided and includes a headgear, an outer shell, a duct and a manifold. The headgear is configured to engage a wearer's head and at least partially support the protective headwear on a wearer's head. The headgear includes a front, a rear opposite the front, a right side, and a left side opposite the right side. The outer shell is coupled to the headgear at a coupling location and includes a shield positioned to the front of the headgear. The duct is at least partially coupled to and at least partially positioned in an interior of the outer shell. The duct is located below the coupling location.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2017Publication date: November 15, 2018Inventors: William P. Gardner, Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, John C. Mehnert
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Patent number: 10098403Abstract: In one aspect, a split forehead strap of headgear is provided. In one aspect, a headgear for engaging and supporting protective headwear on a wearer's head is provided. The headgear includes a first side member on a first side of the headgear, a second side member on a second side of the headgear, and a forehead strap coupled to and extending between the first and second side members. The forehead strap is configured to engage a wearer's forehead with the headgear worn by a wearer. The forehead strap includes an upper member and a lower member spaced-apart from the upper member along at least a portion of the lower member to provide a cavity between the upper and lower member. In one aspect, a protective headwear is provided and includes a forehead strap defining a longitudinally extending cavity that alters in thickness.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2015Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: Eric T. Sommers, Nishank R. Patel, Samuel B. Petre
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Publication number: 20180271200Abstract: In one aspect, a headgear for engaging and supporting protective headwear on a wearer's head is provided. The headgear includes a first side member positioned on a first side of the headgear, a second side member positioned on a second side of the headgear opposite the first side, a forehead strap coupled to the first and second side members and positioned on a front half of the headgear, and an occipital strap having an end coupled to one of the first side member and the second side member on the front half of the headgear and the occipital strap extending to a rear half of the headgear.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2018Publication date: September 27, 2018Inventors: Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, Samuel B. Petre, John C. Mehnert
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Publication number: 20180263820Abstract: In one aspect, a protective headwear is provided and includes an outer shell, a first shell duct coupled to the outer shell and including a first exhaust port, and a second shell duct coupled to the outer shell and spaced apart from the first shell duct. The second shell duct includes a second exhaust port. The protective headwear also includes a manifold positioned externally of the outer shell and configured to divert airflow into at least a first portion of airflow and a second portion of airflow. The manifold includes a first diversion member coupled to and in fluid communication with the first shell duct to provide the first portion of airflow to the first shell duct, and a second diversion member coupled to and in fluid communication with the second shell duct to provide the second portion of airflow to the second shell duct.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2018Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: William P. Gardner, Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, John Mehnert
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Publication number: 20180242678Abstract: A system for attaching a welding face member to a hard hat includes a hard hat and an adapter. The adapter is attached to the hard hat. The adapter includes an adapter mating member which attaches to a welding face member. The adapter mating member is located below the hard hat.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2018Publication date: August 30, 2018Inventor: Eric T. Sommers
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Patent number: 10034510Abstract: In one aspect, a headgear for engaging and supporting protective headwear on a wearer's head is provided. The headgear includes a first side member positioned on a first side of the headgear, a second side member positioned on a second side of the headgear opposite the first side, a forehead strap coupled to the first and second side members and positioned on a front half of the headgear, and an occipital strap having an end coupled to one of the first side member and the second side member on the front half of the headgear and the occipital strap extending to a rear half of the headgear.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2015Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, Samuel B. Petre, John C. Mehnert
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Patent number: 10016008Abstract: In one aspect, a headgear for engaging and supporting protective headwear is provided. The headgear includes a first side member positioned on a first side of the headgear, a second side member positioned on a second side of the headgear, a forehead strap extending between the first and second side members and positioned on a front half of the headgear, and an occipital strap having a first end, a second end and a body between the first and second ends. The first end is pivotally coupled to one of the first side member and the second side member on the front half of the headgear and the body extends rearward and downward from the first end toward the second end to a position on a rear half of the headgear. A tightening member is coupled to the occipital strap near the second end on the rear half of the headgear.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2015Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: Eric T. Sommers, Nishank R. Patel, Samuel B. Petre, John C. Mehnert
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Patent number: 9999546Abstract: In one aspect, a protective headwear is provided and includes an outer shell, a first shell duct coupled to the outer shell and including a first exhaust port, and a second shell duct coupled to the outer shell and spaced apart from the first shell duct. The second shell duct includes a second exhaust port. The protective headwear also includes a manifold positioned externally of the outer shell and configured to divert airflow into at least a first potion of airflow and a second portion of airflow. The manifold includes a first diversion member coupled to and in fluid communication with the first shell duct to provide the first portion of airflow to the first shell duct, and a second diversion member coupled to and in fluid communication with the second shell duct to provide the second portion of airflow to the second shell duct.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2015Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: William P. Gardner, Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers, John C. Mehnert
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Patent number: D804107Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2017Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: Nishank R. Patel, Eric T. Sommers