Patents by Inventor Kenneth F. Teeters
Kenneth F. Teeters 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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Patent number: 11304851Abstract: An earplug comprises a core and a sound-attenuating body attached to the core, the sound-attenuating body comprising a tip cavity extending proximally from the tip of the sound-attenuating body and comprising a distal opening. The tip cavity side wall includes a plurality of protrusions extending inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the core. The plurality of protrusions may include from 2 to 12 protrusions. A method of making an earplug includes covering at least a portion of a core with a material including unactivated foaming agent; inserting an end of the core and at least a portion of the material into a mold cavity; and activating the foaming agent to create a sound-attenuating body. The sound-attenuating body has a base, tip, and tip cavity with a plurality of protrusions. The mold cavity may include a boss with a cup and plurality of cut-outs on the cup for forming the protrusions.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2018Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Robert C. Coffin, Matthew V. Stonebraker, Jr., Jacob H. Ely, Jeff L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
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Patent number: 11123902Abstract: A method of making personal protective equipment, such as a push-in earplug, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of covering a substrate with an outer layer that includes an unactivated foaming agent, positioning at least a portion of the outer layer in a mold, and activating the foaming agent such that a portion of the outer layer expands.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2018Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: James P. Endle, Jeffrey L. Hamer, Alan R. Seville, Kenneth F. Teeters
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Patent number: 10966867Abstract: A push-in earplug including an elongate core and outer layer is disclosed. The outer layer includes a sound attenuating portion having a first average density and a stem portion having a second average density, and the second average density is greater than the first average density.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2017Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: James P. Endle, Jeffrey L. Hamer, Alan R. Seville, Kenneth F. Teeters
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Publication number: 20200197224Abstract: An earplug comprises a core and a sound-attenuating body attached to the core, the sound-attenuating body comprising a tip cavity extending proximally from the tip of the sound-attenuating body and comprising a distal opening. The tip cavity side wall includes a plurality of protrusions extending inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the core. The plurality of protrusions may include from 2 to 12 protrusions. A method of making an earplug includes covering at least a portion of a core with a material including unactivated foaming agent; inserting an end of the core and at least a portion of the material into a mold cavity; and activating the foaming agent to create a sound-attenuating body. The sound-attenuating body has a base, tip, and tip cavity with a plurality of protrusions. The mold cavity may include a boss with a cup and plurality of cut-outs on the cup for forming the protrusions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2018Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Robert C. Coffin, Matthew V. Stonebraker, Jr., Jacob H. Ely, Jeff L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
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Patent number: 10660797Abstract: The present description provides an earplug. One exemplary earplug described herein includes a stem and a sound attenuating body attached to the stem. The sound attenuating body includes a leading end, a base end, a tip region positioned rearward of the leading end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the leading end and the base end. An array of cavities is positioned within the tip region and spaced around the longitudinal axis and provides a collapsible volume.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2014Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
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Patent number: 10441471Abstract: A push-in earplug including an elongate core and outer layer is disclosed. The outer layer includes a sound attenuating portion having a first average density and a stem portion having a second average density, and the second average density is greater than the first average density.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2017Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: James P. Endle, Jeffrey L. Hamer, Alan R. Seville, Kenneth F. Teeters
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Patent number: 10398602Abstract: Hearing protection devices, e.g., push-to-fit earplugs, having a tip cavity in the sound attenuating body and methods of manufacturing the hearing protection devices are described herein.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2017Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
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Publication number: 20180361633Abstract: A method of making personal protective equipment, such as a push-in earplug, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of covering a substrate with an outer layer that includes an unactivated foaming agent, positioning at least a portion of the outer layer in a mold, and activating the foaming agent such that a portion of the outer layer expands.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2018Publication date: December 20, 2018Inventors: James P. Endle, Jeffrey L. Hamer, Alan R. Seville, Kenneth F. Teeters
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Patent number: 10065344Abstract: A method of making personal protective equipment, such as a push-in earplug, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of covering a substrate with an outer layer that includes an unactivated foaming agent, positioning at least a portion of the outer layer in a mold, and activating the foaming agent such that a portion of the outer layer expands.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2015Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: James P. Endle, Jeffrey L. Hamer, Alan R. Seville, Kenneth F. Teeters
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Patent number: 9737439Abstract: A push-in earplug including an elongate core and outer layer is disclosed. The outer layer includes a sound attenuating portion having a first average density and a stem portion having a second average density, and the second average density is greater than the first average density.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2012Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: James P. Endle, Jeffrey L. Hamer, Alan R. Seville, Kenneth F. Teeters
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Patent number: 9549855Abstract: Hearing protection devices, e.g., push-to-fit earplugs, having a tip cavity in the sound attenuating body and methods of manufacturing the hearing protection devices are described herein.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2013Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
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Publication number: 20160324692Abstract: A push-to-fit type earplug (100) including a sound attenuating portion (113) and a semi-rigid stem portion (114) having a relatively greater stiffness than the sound attenuating portion is disclosed. The sound attenuating portion and stem portion are made of a closed-cell, slow-recovery foam.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2015Publication date: November 10, 2016Inventors: Kenneth F. Teeters, Jeffrey L. Hamer
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Publication number: 20150335490Abstract: The present description provides an earplug. One exemplary earplug described herein includes a stem and a sound attenuating body attached to the stem. The sound attenuating body includes a leading end, a base end, a tip region positioned rearward of the leading end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the leading end and the base end. An array of cavities is positioned within the tip region and spaced around the longitudinal axis and provides a collapsible volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2014Publication date: November 26, 2015Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
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Publication number: 20150335489Abstract: The present description provides an earplug. One exemplary earplug described herein includes a stem and a sound attenuating body attached to the stem. The sound attenuating body includes a leading end, a base end, a longitudinal axis extending between the leading end and the base end, and a flange extending at least partially over the stem and having an exterior flange surface and an interior flange surface having a plurality of one or both of protrusions or recesses. The earplug further includes a flange cavity including a continuous volume around a perimeter of the stem between the interior flange surface and the stem. A distance between the interior and exterior flange surfaces varies around a perimeter of the flange at a plane intersecting the flange transverse to the longitudinal axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2014Publication date: November 26, 2015Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
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Publication number: 20150137406Abstract: A method of making personal protective equipment, such as a push-in earplug, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of covering a substrate with an outer layer that includes an unactivated foaming agent, positioning at least a portion of the outer layer in a mold, and activating the foaming agent such that a portion of the outer layer expands.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2015Publication date: May 21, 2015Inventors: James P. Endle, Jeffrey L. Hamer, Alan R. Seville, Kenneth F. Teeters
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Patent number: 8968613Abstract: A method of making personal protective equipment, such as a push-in earplug, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of covering a substrate with an outer layer that includes an unactivated foaming agent, positioning at least a portion of the outer layer in a mold, and activating the foaming agent such that a portion of the outer layer expands.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2012Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: James P. Endle, Jeffrey L. Hamer, Alan R. Seville, Kenneth F. Teeters
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Patent number: D757925Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2014Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
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Patent number: D759802Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2014Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
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Patent number: D798434Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2014Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
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Patent number: D798435Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2014Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas