Patents by Inventor Ravi Thomas

Ravi Thomas 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: 20240186634
    Abstract: A battery-powered system includes a device and a battery. The device includes a recess for receiving the battery and an electrical contact disposed at the bottom of the recess. The device includes front and back guide elements and a spacer with a raised portion and a ramp. The battery has front and back guide elements constructed to mate with corresponding front and back guide elements of the device such that when the guide elements are mated, the battery is in a locked position. A battery electrical contact is disposed along the device-facing major surface, constructed to operatively couple with the device electrical contact. The spacer is constructed to reduce wear and damage to the electrical contacts by reducing contact with the electrical contacts while the battery is moved long the spacer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Yi-Chi Huang, Jacob H. Ely, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: 11304851
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Robert C. Coffin, Matthew V. Stonebraker, Jr., Jacob H. Ely, Jeff L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Publication number: 20200197224
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Robert C. Coffin, Matthew V. Stonebraker, Jr., Jacob H. Ely, Jeff L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: 10660797
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: 10398602
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: 9549855
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Publication number: 20150335490
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Publication number: 20150335489
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: D717937
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: D721678
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: D755760
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jacob H. Ely, Ravi Thomas, Mark A. Yoder
  • Patent number: D757925
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: D759802
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: D798434
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: D798435
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Hamer, Kenneth F. Teeters, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: D806688
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jacob H. Ely, Ravi Thomas, Gregory G. Tamer
  • Patent number: D816067
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jacob H. Ely, Ravi Thomas, Gregory G. Tamer
  • Patent number: D889754
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Robert C. Coffin, Matthew V. Stonebraker, Jr., Jacob H. Ely, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: D895901
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Robert C. Coffin, Matthew V. Stonebraker, Jr., Jacob H. Ely, Ravi Thomas
  • Patent number: D993165
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: William P. Atwood, Yi-Chi Huang, Ravi Thomas, Jeffrey L. Hamer, Paul D. Henry