Patents by Inventor Keith K. McLaughlin

Keith K. McLaughlin 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: 20230285778
    Abstract: There is provided a method of controlling a powered air purifying respirator blower system to deliver a substantially uniform volumetric airflow to a user, the system comprising a fan powered by a battery in communication with a variable speed electric motor, the variable speed electric motor is controlled by an electronic control unit for delivering a forced flow of air through at least one filter to a user, comprising the steps of: (a) determining an estimated system run time by summing a battery run time remaining and a system run time; and (b) altering a speed of the variable speed electric motor when the estimated system run time is equal to or less than a desired system run time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Keith K. Mclaughlin, Douglas D. Jensen, Sean R. Kilmer, Andrew Murphy
  • Patent number: 11666785
    Abstract: There is provided a method of controlling a powered air purifying respirator blower system to deliver a substantially uniform volumetric airflow to a user, the system comprising a fan powered by a battery in communication with a variable speed electric motor, the variable speed electric motor is controlled by an electronic control unit for delivering a forced flow of air through at least one filter to a user, comprising the steps of: (a) determining an estimated system run time by summing a battery run time remaining and a system run time; and (b) altering a speed of the variable speed electric motor when the estimated system run time is equal to or less than a desired system run time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Keith K. Mclaughlin, Douglas D. Jensen, Sean R. Kilmer, Andrew Murphy
  • Publication number: 20220355132
    Abstract: There is provided a method of controlling a powered air purifying respirator blower system to deliver a substantially uniform volumetric airflow to a user, the system comprising a fan powered by a variable speed electric motor, the motor is controlled by an electronic control unit for delivering a forced flow of air through at least one filter to a user, comprising the steps of: (a) monitoring system loading; and (b) decreasing a speed of the electric motor when system loading reaches a predetermined value. There is also provided an air purifying respirator blower system using such a method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Sean R. Kilmer, Douglas D. Jensen, Keith K. Mclaughlin, Andrew Murphy
  • Patent number: 11413479
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling a powered air purifying respirator blower system where volumetric airflow is stepped down into predetermined discrete ranges based on system loading and desired runtime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Sean R. Kilmer, Douglas D. Jensen, Keith K. Mclaughlin, Andrew Murphy
  • Publication number: 20220219021
    Abstract: There is provided a method of controlling a powered air purifying respirator blower system to deliver a substantially uniform volumetric airflow to a user, the system comprising a fan powered by a battery in communication with a variable speed electric motor, the variable speed electric motor is controlled by an electronic control unit for delivering a forced flow of air through at least one filter to a user, comprising the steps of: (a) determining an estimated system run time by summing a battery run time remaining and a system run time; and (b) altering a speed of the variable speed electric motor when the estimated system run time is equal to or less than a desired system run time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Keith K. Mclaughlin, Douglas D. Jensen, Sean R. Kilmer, Andrew Murphy
  • Patent number: 11278749
    Abstract: There is provided a method of controlling a powered air purifying respirator blower system to deliver a substantially uniform volumetric airflow to a user, the system comprising a fan powered by a battery in communication with a variable speed electric motor, the variable speed electric motor is controlled by an electronic control unit for delivering a forced flow of air through at least one filter to a user, comprising the steps of: (a) determining an estimated system run time by summing a battery run time remaining and a system run time; and (b) altering a speed of the variable speed electric motor when the estimated system run time is equal to or less than a desired system run time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Keith K. Mclaughlin, Douglas D. Jensen, Sean R. Kilmer, Andrew Murphy
  • Publication number: 20220001220
    Abstract: The present invention relates to powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) and methods to overcome issues associated with their use in high magnetic field environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Keith K. McLaughlin, Douglas D. Jensen
  • Publication number: 20190126076
    Abstract: There is provided a method of controlling a powered air purifying respirator blower system to deliver a substantially uniform volumetric airflow to a user, the system comprising a fan powered by a battery in communication with a variable speed electric motor, the variable speed electric motor is controlled by an electronic control unit for delivering a forced flow of air through at least one filter to a user, comprising the steps of: (a) determining an estimated system run time by summing a battery run time remaining and a system run time; and (b) altering a speed of the variable speed electric motor when the estimated system run time is equal to or less than a desired system run time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: 3 Innovative Properties Comapany
    Inventors: Keith K. MCLAUGHLIN, Douglas D. JENSEN, Sean R. KILMER, Andrew MURPHY
  • Publication number: 20190126077
    Abstract: There is provided a method of controlling a powered air purifying respirator blower system to deliver a substantially uniform volumetric airflow to a user, the system comprising a fan powered by a variable speed electric motor, the motor is controlled by an electronic control unit for delivering a forced flow of air through at least one filter to a user, comprising the steps of: (a) monitoring system loading; and (b) decreasing a speed of the electric motor when system loading reaches a predetermined value. There is also provided an air purifying respirator blower system using such a method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Sean R. Kilmer, Douglas D. Jensen, Keith K. Mclaughlin, Andrew Murphy
  • Patent number: 9481424
    Abstract: A radial fan assembly for use in a powered air purifying respirator includes at least an impeller, a printed circuit board and a scroll casing. The scroll casing has a first and a second scroll casing element. The second scroll casing element includes at least a portion of the printed circuit board. When the radial fan assembly is used in a powered air purifying respirators, the respirator may also include components such as a filter assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ronald A. Hagen, Keith K. McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20150335921
    Abstract: A radial fan assembly for use in a powered air purifying respirator includes at least an impeller, a printed circuit board and a scroll casing. The scroll casing has a first and a second scroll casing element. The second scroll casing element includes at least a portion of the printed circuit board. When the radial fan assembly is used in a powered air purifying respirators, the respirator may also include components such as a filter assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Ronald A. Hagen, Keith K. McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 9127691
    Abstract: A radial fan assembly for use in a powered air purifying respirator includes at least an impeller, a printed circuit board and a scroll casing. The scroll casing has a first and a second scroll casing element. The second scroll casing element includes at least a portion of the printed circuit board. When the radial fan assembly is used in a powered air purifying respirators, the respirator may also include components such as a filter assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ronald A. Hagen, Keith K. McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20120051904
    Abstract: A radial fan assembly for use in a powered air purifying respirator includes at least an impeller, a printed circuit board and a scroll casing. The scroll casing has a first and a second scroll casing element. The second scroll casing element includes at least a portion of the printed circuit board. When the radial fan assembly is used in a powered air purifying respirators, the respirator may also include components such as a filter assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Ronald A. Hagen, Keith K. McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 5773839
    Abstract: A cassette for use in an electronic radiographic imaging system having electronic components. The cassette includes a positioned photoreceptive medium, a light-tight frame, at least one power storage device, and an electronic interface structure for connection to electronic components within the radiographic imaging system. The cassette can also include an electrical interface structure for connection to a power source within the radiographic imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Imation Corp.
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Krepel, Joseph A. Hoffman, Anthony B. Ferguson, Daniel J. Severson, Keith K. McLaughlin, Walter S. Federation, Wayne M. Wirth, Owen L. Nelson, John E. Potts, James E. Steffen
  • Patent number: 5637882
    Abstract: A detector plate for use in a radiation imaging system includes a first conductive layer, a dielectric layer, a photoconductive layer and a second conductive layer, arranged as a stack in that order. The first conductive layer and the dielectric layer are substantially transparent to radiation energy so as to allow the energy to pass therethrough to be received by the photoconductive layer. The first conductive layer has a periphery defined by a first edge and the dielectric layer has a periphery defined by a second edge, wherein the first edge is offset inward of the second edge defining a margin between the first and second edges. In use, this margin helps inhibit electrical arcing from the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer when a high voltage is applied between these two layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ranjith Divigalpitiya, Bimsara W. Disanayaka, William B. Robbins, Earl L. Cook, Keith K. McLaughlin