Patents by Inventor Richard A. Brandt
Richard A. Brandt 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: 11287339Abstract: This patent describes devices and methods to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of protective equipment in providing protection to players of contact sports, and to determine if a given protective product (pad) is compliant with a specified performance standard. To simulate the impacts experienced by these players, a pad-protected specially modified and instrumented manikin is impacted with solid loads of various weights at various speeds. The impacts are designed to model the impact forces and impact times encountered in typical game collisions. For each impact, measurements are made of the force exerted onto the pad, and the parts of this force that are transmitted through the pad onto various locations on the manikin, as a function of time.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2018Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Inventor: Richard A. Brandt
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Patent number: 11255765Abstract: A method for testing a helmet for effectiveness of user protection includes moving a load along a predetermined path, supporting a target body at an impact location in the predetermined path, the target body including a head model and a helmet disposed on the head model, and impacting the target body with a force generated by the moving of the load. The impacting of the target body entails contacting the target body with an impactor free to move perpendicularly and tangentially relative to a surface of the target body. The supporting of the target body is at least reduced, if not eliminated, before or during the impact of the impactor with the target body at the location. Forces generated are automatically measured or sensed during the impact of the impactor with the target body at the location.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2020Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Inventor: Richard A. Brandt
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Patent number: 11215548Abstract: A face mask or a sample of air-permeable sheet material thereof is moved through a chamber containing a stationary particle-imbedded aerosol. A drive mechanism is preferably operatively connected to a mask holder or supporting shuttle for sliding the shuttle and the mask material along a linear path or a circular path. An aerosol supply and a photodetector are connected to a container that defines the chamber and communicate with the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2021Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Inventor: Richard A. Brandt
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Publication number: 20210109000Abstract: A method for testing a helmet for effectiveness of user protection includes moving a load along a predetermined path, supporting a target body at an impact location in the predetermined path, the target body including a head model and a helmet disposed on the head model, and impacting the target body with a force generated by the moving of the load. The impacting of the target body entails contacting the target body with an impactor free to move perpendicularly and tangentially relative to a surface of the target body. The supporting of the target body is at least reduced, if not eliminated, before or during the impact of the impactor with the target body at the location. Forces generated are automatically measured or sensed during the impact of the impactor with the target body at the location.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2020Publication date: April 15, 2021Inventor: RICHARD A. BRANDT
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Patent number: 10939719Abstract: A helmet has inner and outer shells separated by a plurality of interconnected relatively soft columns or posts. The columns each have a middle post or pillar section, a capital that is of larger diameter than the post, and a base also of larger transverse dimension than the post. When an impact above a design threshold occurs on the outer shell, the columns, particularly the post sections thereof, near the impact location compress and buckle, dissipating impact kinetic energy, while columns spaced from the impact zone stretch and support more of the impact force. The applied force is therefore reduced and spread out over a relatively large area, and a resultant wave created within the column manifold disperses additional heat, further reducing the force and torque applied on the outer shell and transmitted to the inner shell and onto the skull of a helmet user. A method and mold for fabricating the column manifold are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2020Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Inventors: Richard A. Brandt, Dragoslav Scepanovic
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Patent number: 10837887Abstract: A method for testing a helmet for effectiveness of user protection includes moving a load along a predetermined path, supporting a target body at an impact location in the predetermined path, the target body including a head model and a helmet disposed on the head model, and impacting the target body with a force generated by the moving of the load. The impacting of the target body entails contacting the target body with an impactor free to move perpendicularly and tangentially relative to a surface of the target body. The supporting of the target body is at least reduced, if not eliminated, before or during the impact of the impactor with the target body at the location. Forces generated are automatically measured or sensed during the impact of the impactor with the target body at the location.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Inventor: Richard A. Brandt
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Patent number: 10814186Abstract: A portable device for determining whether a tennis ball is compliant with a stated deformation standard compresses a tennis ball by application of a pre-determined pre-load followed by a pre-determined force. A scale is provided for measuring the deformation of the tennis ball after it is compressed. The device includes several plate members disposed in parallel and relatively movable a controllable amount by a shifting mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2020Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Inventor: Richard A. Brandt
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Publication number: 20200288807Abstract: A helmet has inner and outer shells separated by a plurality of interconnected relatively soft columns or posts. The columns each have a middle post or pillar section, a capital that is of larger diameter than the post, and a base also of larger transverse dimension than the post. When an impact above a design threshold occurs on the outer shell, the columns, particularly the post sections thereof, near the impact location compress and buckle, dissipating impact kinetic energy, while columns spaced from the impact zone stretch and support more of the impact force. The applied force is therefore reduced and spread out over a relatively large area, and a resultant wave created within the column manifold disperses additional heat, further reducing the force and torque applied on the outer shell and transmitted to the inner shell and onto the skull of a helmet user. A method and mold for fabricating the column manifold are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2020Publication date: September 17, 2020Inventors: RICHARD A. BRANDT, Dragoslav Scepanovic
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Publication number: 20200254313Abstract: A portable device for determining whether a tennis ball is compliant with a stated deformation standard compresses a tennis ball by application of a pre-determined pre-load followed by a pre-determined force. A scale is provided for measuring the deformation of the tennis ball after it is compressed. The device includes several plate members disposed in parallel and relatively movable a controllable amount by a shifting mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Inventor: Richard A. Brandt
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Patent number: 10660389Abstract: A helmet has inner and outer shells separated by a plurality of interconnected relatively soft columns or posts. The columns each have a middle post or pillar section, a capital that is of larger diameter than the post, and a base also of larger transverse dimension than the post. When an impact above a design threshold occurs on the outer shell, the columns, particularly the post sections thereof, near the impact location compress and buckle, dissipating impact kinetic energy, while columns spaced from the impact zone stretch and support more of the impact force. The applied force is therefore reduced and spread out over a relatively large area, and a resultant wave created within the column manifold disperses additional heat, further reducing the force and torque applied on the outer shell and transmitted to the inner shell and onto the skull of a helmet user. A method and mold for fabricating the column manifold are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2018Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Inventors: Richard A. Brandt, Dragoslav Scepanovic
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Publication number: 20190388766Abstract: This patent describes devices and methods to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of protective equipment in providing protection to players of contact sports, and to determine if a given protective product (pad) is compliant with a specified performance standard. To simulate the impacts experienced by these players, a pad-protected specially modified and instrumented manikin is impacted with solid loads of various weights at various speeds. The impacts are designed to model the impact forces and impact times encountered in typical game collisions. For each impact, measurements are made of the force exerted onto the pad, and the parts of this force that are transmitted through the pad onto various locations on the manikin, as a function of time.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2018Publication date: December 26, 2019Inventor: RICHARD A. BRANDT
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Publication number: 20190086309Abstract: A method for testing a helmet for effectiveness of user protection includes moving a load along a predetermined path, supporting a target body at an impact location in the predetermined path, the target body including a head model and a helmet disposed on the head model, and impacting the target body with a force generated by the moving of the load. The impacting of the target body entails contacting the target body with an impactor free to move perpendicularly and tangentially relative to a surface of the target body. The supporting of the target body is at least reduced, if not eliminated, before or during the impact of the impactor with the target body at the location. Forces generated are automatically measured or sensed during the impact of the impactor with the target body at the location.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2018Publication date: March 21, 2019Inventors: RICHARD A. BRANDT, Dragoslav Scepanovic
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Patent number: 10197484Abstract: This patent describes devices and methods to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of protective equipment in providing protection to players of contact sports, and to determine if a given protective product (pad) is compliant with a specified performance standard. To simulate the impacts experienced by these players, a pad-protected specially modified and instrumented manikin is impacted with solid loads of various weights at various speeds. The impacts are designed to model the impact forces and impact times encountered in typical game collisions. For each impact, measurements are made of the force exerted onto the pad, and the parts of this force that are transmitted through the pad onto various locations on the manikin, as a function of time.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2016Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Inventor: Richard A. Brandt
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Patent number: 10166445Abstract: A head assembly for a golf putter includes a head piece, a hosel or connector for attaching a putter shaft to the head piece, and a releasable clamping element. A body portion of the hosel is formed with a concavity defined by a cylindrical concave surface. A finger extension of the hosel has a bore for receiving an end of a putter shaft. The head piece includes an elongate body having a putting face on one side and a cylindrical convex surface on an opposite side. The cylindrical convex surface is insertable into the concavity in the hosel body and is engageable with the cylindrical concave surface thereof. The clamping element adjustably fixes the hosel and the head piece to one another.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2017Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Inventor: Richard A. Brandt
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Publication number: 20180249778Abstract: A helmet has inner and outer shells separated by a plurality of interconnected relatively soft columns or posts. The columns each have a middle post or pillar section, a capital that is of larger diameter than the post, and a base also of larger transverse dimension than the post. When an impact above a design threshold occurs on the outer shell, the columns, particularly the post sections thereof, near the impact location compress and buckle, dissipating impact kinetic energy, while columns spaced from the impact zone stretch and support more of the impact force. The applied force is therefore reduced and spread out over a relatively large area, and a resultant wave created within the column manifold disperses additional heat, further reducing the force and torque applied on the outer shell and transmitted to the inner shell and onto the skull of a helmet user. A method and mold for fabricating the column manifold are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2018Publication date: September 6, 2018Inventors: Richard A. Brandt, Dragoslav Scepanovic
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Patent number: 9868039Abstract: A method for use in testing sports equipment such as a baseball bat for conformity to a performance standard or specification utilizes a compression contact member having a geometrical form identical in whole or in part to a baseball. In the method one supports one side of the bat in a cradle and presses the contact member into the batting member at a point of maximum performance on the bat. One continues alternating between compressions of successively increasing depth and elasticity test compressions, pausing to measure performance when the elasticity increases by a given percentage. The bat passes if it exhibits damage prior to exceeding a maximum permissible performance level or if its performance level is still less than that maximum once a maximum compression depth is attained.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2016Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Inventor: Richard A. Brandt
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Publication number: 20170361179Abstract: In a golf club head assembly a body member has a top-forward angled front face, the face comprising a plurality of generally forward-facing teeth. The golf club head assembly further comprises a loft angle adjustment mechanism attached to the body member for adjusting a loft angle of the face. The mechanism includes a hosel element releasably attached to a bar rotatably mounted to an upper side of the body member parallel to the face. The bar is rotatably journaled or mounted in a pair of bar supports attached to the body member. Set screws reside in threaded holes in the bar supports, the set screws operable to releasably lock the bar in a selected orientation relative to the body member, where the selected orientation of the bar corresponds to and determines the loft angle of the front face. The forward angle of the front face, the angles of the teeth, and loft angle of the face are jointly chosen to impart a pure rolling motion onto a struck golf ball.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2016Publication date: December 21, 2017Inventors: RICHARD A. BRANDT, Dragoslav SCEPANOVIC
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Publication number: 20170239535Abstract: A head assembly for a golf putter includes a head piece, a hosel or connector for attaching a putter shaft to the head piece, and a releasable clamping element. A body portion of the hosel is formed with a concavity defined by a cylindrical concave surface. A finger extension of the hosel has a bore for receiving an end of a putter shaft. The head piece includes an elongate body having a putting face on one side and a cylindrical convex surface on an opposite side. The cylindrical convex surface is insertable into the concavity in the hosel body and is engageable with the cylindrical concave surface thereof. The clamping element adjustably fixes the hosel and the head piece to one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2017Publication date: August 24, 2017Inventor: RICHARD A. BRANDT
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Patent number: 9551638Abstract: Performance of an article of sporting equipment, such as a ball bat, is measured by applying a force through a spring of known elastic properties to compress the article of sporting equipment. Compliance of the article of sporting equipment to a known standard is based on the compression of the article of sporting equipment.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2014Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Inventor: Richard A. Brandt
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Publication number: 20160296813Abstract: A method for use in testing sports equipment such as a baseball bat for conformity to a performance standard or specification utilizes a compression contact member having a geometrical form identical in whole or in part to a baseball. In the method one supports one side of the bat in a cradle and presses the contact member into the batting member at a point of maximum performance on the bat. One continues alternating between compressions of successively increasing depth and elasticity test compressions, pausing to measure performance when the elasticity increases by a given percentage. The bat passes if it exhibits damage prior to exceeding a maximum permissible performance level or if its performance level is still less than that maximum once a maximum compression depth is attained.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2016Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventor: RICHARD A. BRANDT