Patents by Inventor Todd Ernst

Todd Ernst 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).

  • Patent number: 11903437
    Abstract: Various embodiments herein provide a hard hat with a removable light assembly. The hard hat includes an outer shell with one or more windows. The removable light assembly is removably coupled to an interior surface of the outer shell. The removable light assembly includes a support structure and one or more lights (e.g., light emitting diodes (LEDs)) coupled to the support structure and positioned behind respective windows of the one or more windows. In embodiments, the light assembly may include an arm that extends from the support structure to an underside of a brim of the outer shell. A power control element may be disposed on the end of the arm to control the one or more lights. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy, Song YangZhi
  • Publication number: 20240055883
    Abstract: A converter for a rechargeable battery (e.g., lithium battery) is disclosed. In some embodiments, the converter includes a direct current (DC) to DC converter and a microcontroller unit (MCU). The DC to DC converter includes a switching circuit configured to generate a pulse width modulated (PWM) voltage from the rechargeable battery voltage, wherein the switching circuit is configured to set a variable duty cycle of the PWM voltage. The DC to DC converter also includes a filtering circuit configured to convert the PWM voltage into a DC output voltage having an output voltage level that is set in accordance with the variable duty cycle of the PWM voltage. The MCU is configured to adjust the variable duty cycle of the switching circuit such that the output voltage level of the DC output voltage emulates a discharge voltage curve of a dry battery while the rechargeable battery is being discharged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Aking Peng, Daniel Sechler, Kunli Wang, Rory Pynenburg
  • Patent number: 11746999
    Abstract: Various embodiments herein provide a headlamp with a light unit, a battery unit, and a booster unit. The booster unit includes an engagement mechanism (e.g., a bar, such as a U-shaped bar) that mechanically couples the booster unit to the battery unit to provide additional power. The engagement mechanism may further form a clip to couple the booster unit to another item when the booster unit is not coupled to the battery unit. The booster unit may include one or more lights, one or more controls for the one or more lights, and/or an outgoing power port to provide power to another device (other than the battery unit and light unit). Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy, David Goldman, David D. Lewin
  • Patent number: 11746998
    Abstract: Various embodiments herein provide a light device that is selectively attachable to another device. For example, in some embodiments, the light device may be selectively attachable to a glove wrap that may be worn on a hand of a user. The light device may include a housing and a light unit coupled to the housing. The light unit may be selectively extendable from the housing, e.g., via a flexible neck. The light device may include an engagement mechanism to selectively attach the light device to the other device in any of multiple configurations. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy, David Goldman, Paul Wood
  • Patent number: 11698563
    Abstract: A liquid crystal writing device is erased by a stylus. The liquid crystal writing device includes a liquid crystal layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material. A user applies pressure to a flexible substrate that changes reflectivity of the cholesteric liquid crystal material to form images on the liquid crystal writing device. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between electrically conductive layers. Writing device terminals are electrically conductive and connected to the electrically conductive layers. The stylus includes stylus electronics adapted to apply an erase voltage or erase voltage waveform to the writing device terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Kent Displays, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Nathan Hirt, Bryan Owen, Clinton Braganza, Hunter Morris
  • Patent number: 11609470
    Abstract: A writing device includes a liquid crystal layer including reflective cholesteric liquid crystal material. There are electrically conductive layers between which the liquid crystal layer is disposed. At least one of the electrically conductive layers includes at least two conductive sections. There is a front substrate that is flexible and a back substrate between which the electrically conductive layers and the liquid crystal layer are disposed. Neither the front substrate nor the back substrate includes separated sections. Application of pressure to the front substrate changes a reflectivity of a portion of the cholesteric liquid crystal material to form an image. In one aspect, there is electronic erase circuitry including at least one actuator that independently applies an erase voltage waveform to each of at least two of the conductive sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Kent Displays, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Don Davis, Duane Marhefka, Nathan Hirt, Anthony Daniels, Clinton Braganza
  • Publication number: 20230027561
    Abstract: A liquid crystal writing device is erased by a stylus. The liquid crystal writing device includes a liquid crystal layer including cholesteric liquid crystal material. A user applies pressure to a flexible substrate that changes reflectivity of the cholesteric liquid crystal material to form images on the liquid crystal writing device. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between electrically conductive layers. Writing device terminals are electrically conductive and connected to the electrically conductive layers. The stylus includes stylus electronics adapted to apply an erase voltage or erase voltage waveform to the writing device terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Todd ERNST, Nathan HIRT, Bryan OWEN, Clinton BRAGANZA, Hunter MORRIS
  • Publication number: 20220378138
    Abstract: Various embodiments herein provide a hard hat with a removable light assembly. The hard hat includes an outer shell with one or more windows. The removable light assembly is removably coupled to an interior surface of the outer shell. The removable light assembly includes a support structure and one or more lights (e.g., light emitting diodes (LEDs)) coupled to the support structure and positioned behind respective windows of the one or more windows. In embodiments, the light assembly may include an arm that extends from the support structure to an underside of a brim of the outer shell. A power control element may be disposed on the end of the arm to control the one or more lights. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy, Song YangZhi
  • Patent number: 11363843
    Abstract: A safety vest includes a vest body including front, back and sides, a light source having a battery pack and at least one LED, the light source being removably mounted to the vest body, at least one light tube extending from one side of the light source, for receiving light projected from the LED and conveying the light along the length of the light tube, the light tube extending along the front, back or sides of the vest, and vest fabric mounted over the light tube to hold it in position against the vest body, the vest fabric being at least translucent and therefore permitting light from the light tube to shine therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy
  • Patent number: 11297886
    Abstract: A safety vest includes a vest body having front, back and sides, a light source, including a battery pack with at least one LED and a light flange, the light flange comprising a flat member mounted in proximity to the at least one LED such that light shining from the LED onto the flat member will light up the flat member, wherein the light source is removably mounted to the vest body such that the flat member provides a safety light mounted to the vest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy
  • Patent number: 11262635
    Abstract: A magnet erased writing device or eWriter includes cholesteric liquid crystal material, in which a written image is erased using magnetically activated electronic circuitry. By eliminating the mechanical erase button of Prior Art eWriters, the eWriter can be designed with a display footprint that can cover nearly the entire face of the eWriter. An erasing magnet can be used with the device, which can be handheld as, for example, by being part of a stylus. With the erasing magnet separated from the device and the mechanical erase button being omitted, the eWriter avoids unintentional erasures, a drawback of Prior Art eWriters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Kent Displays, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Daniels, Todd Ernst, Nathan Hirt
  • Patent number: D977723
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy
  • Patent number: D999455
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy, David D. Lewin
  • Patent number: D999997
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy
  • Patent number: D1000715
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy, David D. Lewin
  • Patent number: D1002951
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy
  • Patent number: D1008504
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy, David D. Lewin, Song YangZhi
  • Patent number: D1010941
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy, David D. Lewin
  • Patent number: D1025419
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Douglas R. Hutchens, David D. Lewin, Wangda Rong, Zhongqiu Xu
  • Patent number: D1025436
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Coast Cutlery Co.
    Inventors: Todd Ernst, Brian Sheehy