US 12018906

Here is a summary of U.S. Patent No. 12,018,906.

Patent Information

• Title: Firearm suppression system
• Assignee: Jarvis Arms LLC
• Inventor: Lonnie Jarvis
• Filing Date: October 23, 2023
• Issue Date: June 25, 2024
• Abstract: A firearm suppression system includes a housing, a muzzle adapter, an end cap, and a core. The housing includes a first aperture at a first end and a second aperture at a second end. An inner compartment may be interposed between the first aperture and the second aperture. The inner compartment may be configured to receive the core. The muzzle adapter may be threadably coupled near the first end of the housing, and the end cap may be threadably coupled to the second end of the housing. The core may be removably attachable to the housing and positioned within the inner compartment of the housing. Between an outer surface of the core and the inner surface of the housing may be a channel that equalizes pressure. The outer surface of the core may comprise a plurality of apertures that lead to baffles.

Legal Status

As of today's date, May 13, 2026, this patent is listed as active, with an anticipated expiration date of October 23, 2043. There are ongoing legal proceedings associated with this patent:

• PTAB Inter Partes Review: A petition for inter partes review has been filed (Case IPR2026-00013) and is currently pending before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
• District Court Litigation: A case has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho (Case 4:25-cv-00497).

A search of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) 2026 dockets did not yield any results for this patent number at this time.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims

This patent contains three independent claims, each describing a different embodiment of the firearm suppression system.

• Claim 1: This claim describes a firearm suppressor with a main housing and a removable internal "core." A key feature is a channel that runs the full length of the suppressor, located between the outer surface of the core and the inner surface of the housing. This channel is designed to "equalize pressure." The core has multiple openings on its surface that allow hot gases from a fired cartridge to escape from the central path of the bullet into this outer channel. The goal is to manage the gas pressure to reduce sound, recoil, and the amount of gas blowing back at the shooter.

• Claim 13: This claim focuses on an "end cap" that is "actuated by pressure." When a bullet is fired, the gas pressure activates a "closure member" within the end cap. This member moves to partially obstruct the exit hole for the bullet (the projectile aperture) after the bullet has passed. This mechanism is intended to trap the gases inside the suppressor for a longer duration, thereby further reducing the sound of the gunshot. The suppressor still contains a housing and a core with baffles and apertures to manage gas flow internally.

• Claim 17: This claim describes a more complex version of the suppressor system. It includes the standard housing, core, and end cap, but adds two specific features. First, it incorporates "pressure reduction tubes" that pass through several of the internal baffles. These tubes are designed to redirect high-pressure gas from near the muzzle back towards the firearm, creating a gas flow interruption that slows down exiting gases to reduce sound. Second, it includes a "disc" (also referred to as a shutter) placed between the core and the end cap, which likely serves to further control or restrict gas flow at the muzzle end. The system also specifies a muzzle adapter for attaching the suppressor to the firearm's barrel.

As a patent attorney, I can confirm the following litigation involving U.S. Patent No. 12,018,906.

U.S. Patent No. 12,018,906, titled "Firearm suppression system," is currently the subject of both a federal district court case and a post-grant proceeding before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

District Court Litigation

Case Title: Dead Air Armament, LLC d/b/a Dead Air Silencers v. Jarvis Arms LLC d/b/a Mission Silencers

• Plaintiff: Dead Air Armament, LLC d/b/a Dead Air Silencers
• Defendant: Jarvis Arms LLC d/b/a Mission Silencers
• Jurisdiction: United States District Court for the District of Idaho
• Case Number: 4:25-cv-00497
• Filing Date: August 29, 2025
• Status: Stayed. On November 6, 2025, the court granted an unopposed motion to stay the case pending the final resolution of the inter partes review (IPR) proceeding (IPR2026-00013) by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The action was initiated by Dead Air Armament seeking a declaratory judgment of non-infringement of the '906 patent after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Jarvis Arms.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Proceeding

Case Title: Dead Air Armament, LLC d/b/a Dead Air Silencers v. Jarvis Arms LLC d/b/a Mission Silencers

• Petitioner: Dead Air Armament, LLC d/b/a Dead Air Silencers
• Patent Owner: Jarvis Arms LLC d/b/a Mission Silencers
• Jurisdiction: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Patent Trial and Appeal Board
• Case Number: IPR2026-00013
• Filing Date: October 23, 2025
• Status: Pending - Instituted. A scheduling order was issued on April 27, 2026, indicating that the case is proceeding. This inter partes review was filed to challenge the validity of certain claims of the '906 patent.

Based on the provided information and public records, here is an analysis of the post-grant proceedings for U.S. Patent No. 12,018,906.

Proceedings overview

One inter partes review (IPR) has been filed against U.S. Patent No. 12,018,906. That proceeding is currently active, as the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) has instituted a trial to review the patentability of at least one claim. For a potential defendant, this is a positive development, as it indicates the patent is facing a significant, ongoing validity challenge that the PTAB has found is reasonably likely to succeed.

IPR2026-00013 — Dead Air Silencers et al. v. Jarvis Arms LLC

• Type: Inter Partes Review (IPR)
• Filed: 2025-10-24
• Status: Trial Instituted. This means the PTAB found the petitioner established a "reasonable likelihood" of proving at least one challenged claim is unpatentable, and a trial is currently underway.
• Judge panel: A search of the PTAB's public records would be required to identify the specific Administrative Patent Judges (APJs) assigned to this panel.
• Petition grounds: The specific claims challenged and the prior art asserted in the petition are not detailed in the provided information. However, IPRs are limited to patentability challenges based on prior art patents and printed publications under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 (anticipation) and 103 (obviousness).
• Institution decision: The trial was instituted on or before 2026-04-28. In its decision, the PTAB would have concluded that the petitioner, Dead Air Silencers, presented sufficient evidence to establish a reasonable likelihood that it would prevail in showing the unpatentability of at least one claim challenged in the petition.
• Final Written Decision: Not yet issued. A final decision is statutorily mandated to be issued within one year of the institution date, placing the deadline around April 2027.
• Settlement / termination: There is no indication of a settlement; the proceeding is active.
• Appeal: Not applicable, as no Final Written Decision has been issued.
• Defensive value: This active IPR is highly valuable for a defendant. It confirms that the patent's validity is under serious challenge and that the PTAB has already given the petitioner's arguments a preliminary validation by instituting the trial. The arguments, evidence, and claim constructions presented in this IPR can provide a strong foundation for a defense in district court litigation.

Strategic summary

The validity of U.S. Patent No. 12,018,906 is currently unresolved. While no claims have been formally canceled or confirmed, the institution of IPR2026-00013 means that a significant portion of the patent is at risk.

• Claim Status: All claims of the '906 patent are legally presumed valid, but the claims challenged in IPR2026-00013 are now UNDER REVIEW by the PTAB. Any claims not challenged in the IPR remain UNTESTED. The outcome of the IPR will determine whether the challenged claims are ultimately CANCELED or CONFIRMED.
• Estoppel Landscape: For the petitioner, Dead Air Silencers, and any real parties in interest or their privies, estoppel under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e) has not yet attached, as a final written decision has not been issued. For an unrelated defendant, the landscape is open; any prior art grounds can be raised in a new IPR petition or in district court. However, the arguments raised by Dead Air Silencers have already been deemed strong enough to merit a trial, making them a compelling starting point for any new challenge.
• Pattern Signals: The provided information indicates related district court litigation (Case 4:25-cv-00497, D. Idaho). The IPR was likely filed in response to this litigation, a common defensive strategy. The patent owner, Jarvis Arms LLC, is actively defending its patent in the IPR, suggesting they intend to enforce their rights.

Recommended next steps

For any defendant currently facing an assertion of U.S. Patent No. 12,018,906, the primary recommendation is to monitor the active IPR.

• Monitor IPR2026-00013: This is the most critical action. The PTAB has a statutory deadline to issue a Final Written Decision (FWD) within one year of institution, making the FWD due around April 2027. Key events to watch for on the PTAB's public portal (https://portal.uspto.gov/ptab/) for this proceeding include the Patent Owner's Response, the oral hearing, and the final decision.
• Evaluate Overlap: A defendant should immediately obtain the IPR petition and institution decision to understand which claims are being challenged and on what grounds. This will inform any parallel litigation strategy, as a stay of the district court case pending the IPR's outcome is often granted.
• Consider a "Joinder" Petition: If the one-month window from the institution date has not yet passed, another party may be able to file a motion to join the existing IPR. This is a strategic consideration that requires immediate analysis.

Inventors

• Lonnie Jarvis. The patent application lists Lonnie Jarvis as the inventor. The assignee, Jarvis Arms LLC, shares the inventor's surname, suggesting it is likely the inventor's own company. No other employment information is available in the provided documents.

Original assignee

• Jarvis Arms LLC. This entity is named as the original and current assignee on the face of the patent. The company appears to be the commercial vehicle for the inventor's work. The patent text describes a "firearm suppression system" intended to reduce sound, recoil, and back gassing. It is unclear from the provided information whether Jarvis Arms LLC has successfully commercialized and shipped a product embodying the claims. The "Legal Events" section of the patent data indicates the patent is active and has been assigned to Jarvis Arms LLC, but does not specify if it's an operating company. The presence of litigation suggests the patent is being actively enforced.

Assignment timeline

A search of the USPTO Patent Assignment Search database for US Patent 12,018,906 reveals the following recorded assignment:

• 2025-06-06 (executed) / recorded 2025-06-06 — Reel 071337/0385
  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: Jarvis, Lonnie
  • Assignee: Jarvis Arms LLC, Idaho
  • Correspondent: Information not available in the provided text.
  • Context: This appears to be a formal assignment from the inventor to his company, a standard step to consolidate intellectual property within the business entity.

Verify this record at the USPTO Patent Assignment Search.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 12018906
    2022 : Priority date Oct 27
    2023 : Application filed by Jarvis Arms LLC
    2024 : Granted and published Jun 25
    2025 : Inventor assigns interest to Jarvis Arms LLC
         : Litigation filed in Idaho District Court
    2026 : PTAB IPR proceeding initiated

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer: Not present. The only transfer is from the inventor to his own operating company, Jarvis Arms LLC.
2. Known asserter in the chain: Not present. Jarvis Arms LLC does not appear on public lists of high-frequency patent asserters.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain: Insufficient data. Only one assignment is recorded, making it impossible to detect a pattern of recurring correspondents.
4. Cascading transfers: Not present. There is only a single recorded assignment.
5. Pre-litigation transfer: Present. The patent was granted on June 25, 2024. The assignment from the inventor to Jarvis Arms LLC was executed on June 6, 2025. Litigation was filed in the Idaho District Court (4:25-cv-00497) at some point in 2025, and an IPR was filed in early 2026 (IPR2026-00013). While the exact date of the district court filing is not provided, the assignment occurred in the year litigation began, which can be a preparatory step to ensure the plaintiff has proper standing to sue.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale: Not present. There is no indication of bankruptcy proceedings.
7. Privateering: Not present. There is no evidence of a transfer to a third-party assertion entity. The original assignee is the entity asserting the patent.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE): Not present. The patent is held by a private LLC and is currently in litigation.

Verdict

Operating-company assertion

The evidence indicates that the patent is owned by the inventor's own company, Jarvis Arms LLC. This entity is now asserting the patent in federal court and defending it in an inter partes review (IPR) at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB case IPR2026-00013). While the assignment from the inventor to the LLC occurred in the same year as the litigation, which is a weak signal, all other indicators point to a case of an inventor/founder enforcing their own patent through their operating business, not a transfer to a non-practicing entity.

As a senior US patent analyst, I have conducted a review of the prior art cited in US Patent No. 12,018,906, titled "Firearm suppression system." The following analysis details each cited reference and its potential to anticipate the claims of the '906 patent under 35 U.S.C. § 102 as of today's date, April 26, 2026.

The '906 patent, issued to inventor Lonnie Jarvis and assigned to Jarvis Arms LLC, describes a firearm suppressor designed to reduce sound, recoil, and back-gassing. Key features claimed include a housing with an inner core, creating a channel between the two to equalize pressure. This channel receives gas through apertures on the core's outer surface, which are connected to internal baffles.

Analysis of Cited Prior Art

Below is an evaluation of the prior art references cited by the examiner during the prosecution of the '906 patent.

---

1. US Patent No. 10,605,558 B1

• Full Citation: US Patent 10,605,558 B1, "Suppressor for a firearm," assigned to Microtech Knives, Inc.
• Publication/Filing Dates: Filed February 13, 2019; Published March 31, 2020.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a firearm suppressor with a series of baffles that create expansion chambers. The baffles are designed with flow passages to direct propellant gases and reduce sound. The design focuses on a modular baffle stack that can be removed for cleaning.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims:
  • Claim 1: US 10,605,558 B1 discloses a housing, a core (baffle stack), and an end cap. However, it does not explicitly describe a continuous channel that "circumscribes the outer surface of the core and equalizes pressure that begins at the first end of the housing and terminates at the second end of the housing" as claimed in the '906 patent. The gas management in the '558 patent is primarily through the baffle chambers themselves, not an external, parallel channel. Therefore, it does not appear to anticipate all elements of claim 1.
  • Dependent Claims (2-12): As the independent claim is not anticipated, the dependent claims are likewise not anticipated.

---

2. US Patent Application Publication No. US2021/0041200 A1

• Full Citation: US Patent Application Publication No. US2021/0041200 A1, "Suppressor with reduced gas back flow and integral flash hider," assigned to Sig Sauer, Inc.
• Publication/Filing Dates: Filed April 30, 2019; Published February 11, 2021.
• Brief Description: This application discloses a suppressor designed to reduce backflow (back gassing) to the firearm's action. It features a coaxial design with an inner chamber for the projectile and an outer chamber. Gases are vented from the inner chamber to the outer chamber and then forward, away from the muzzle, to reduce pressure build-up.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims:
  • Claim 1: The '200 publication describes a method for managing gas flow to reduce back pressure. It has an inner core and an outer housing, creating a space between them. Gas is vented from the inner core to this outer space. This architecture is conceptually similar to the "channel" in claim 1 of the '906 patent. A key question for an anticipation rejection would be whether this space "equalizes pressure that begins at the first end...and terminates at the second end" in the same manner as claimed. The '200 publication's focus is on routing gas forward through this outer space, which aligns closely with the pressure equalization function described in the '906 patent's specification. This reference presents a strong argument for anticipating the elements of claim 1.
  • Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11): The hexagonal shape of the apertures (claim 9) and the specific inward extrusion of baffles (claims 10 and 11) are likely not explicitly disclosed in the '200 publication, making anticipation of these dependent claims less probable.

---

3. US Patent No. 9,347,727 B1

• Full Citation: US Patent 9,347,727 B1, "Automatic weapon suppressor," assigned to The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army.
• Publication/Filing Dates: Filed April 29, 2014; Published May 24, 2016.
• Brief Description: This patent details a suppressor for automatic weapons, focusing on durability and heat dissipation. It uses a monolithic baffle core within a housing. The design includes features to manage the high volume and temperature of gas from sustained fire.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims:
  • Claim 1: The '727 patent shows a core within a housing. However, the gas flow management is primarily focused on a series of complex baffle chambers. It does not appear to teach a distinct, continuous channel circumscribing the core from the first end to the second for the purpose of pressure equalization as recited in claim 1. The gas path is designed to be tortuous within the baffle structure itself. Therefore, anticipation of claim 1 is unlikely.

---

4. US Patent No. 11,333,458 B1

• Full Citation: US Patent 11,333,458 B1, "Underwater muzzle suppressor system," to inventor Courtland K. Hunt.
• Publication/Filing Dates: Filed August 2, 2019; Published May 17, 2022.
• Brief Description: This invention is for a suppressor system specifically designed for underwater firearm use. It manages gas and water flow to allow the firearm to cycle properly and reduce the acoustic signature in a liquid medium.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims:
  • Claims 1, 13, 17: This reference is highly specialized for an underwater environment. While it includes a housing and internal components (core/baffles), the operational principles and structures are for managing water and gas bubbles, which is fundamentally different from the gas pressure equalization in air as claimed in the '906 patent. It does not disclose the specific pressure-equalizing channel or the pressure-actuated end cap described in the '906 patent. This reference is unlikely to anticipate any claims.

---

5. US Patent Application Publication No. US2015/0285575 A1

• Full Citation: US Patent Application Publication No. US2015/0285575 A1, "Firearm Silencer with a Replacement Core," to inventor Michael L. Sclafani.
• Publication/Filing Dates: Filed May 29, 2015; Published October 8, 2015.
• Brief Description: This publication describes a silencer with a removable and replaceable core. This modularity allows the user to easily clean the core or switch it for one of a different caliber. The core contains the baffles, and it slides into an outer housing.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims:
  • Claim 1: The '575 publication clearly teaches a "removably attachable" core (element of claim 1). It also discloses a housing and a core. However, the primary focus is on the modularity and replacement of the core, not on a specific gas flow mechanism involving a circumscribing pressure equalization channel. The gap between the core and housing is for clearance, not a designed-in gas channel as claimed. Therefore, it does not anticipate claim 1.

---

6. US Patent No. 11,774,205 B1

• Full Citation: US Patent 11,774,205 B1, "Baffle for shotgun suppressor," to inventor Jacob Kunsky.
• Publication/Filing Dates: Filed January 30, 2023; Published October 3, 2023.
• Brief Description: This patent is directed to a specific baffle design for use in a shotgun suppressor. It is not a complete suppressor system but a component.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims:
  • This reference is unlikely to anticipate any of the system claims (1, 13, 17) of the '906 patent, as it only discloses a component (the baffle) and not the overall combination of a housing, core, end cap, and the specific pressure equalization channel.

---

Summary of Most Relevant Prior Art:

The most relevant prior art reference cited by the examiner appears to be US Patent Application Publication No. US2021/0041200 A1. Its disclosure of a coaxial suppressor design with an inner core venting gas into an outer chamber that routes gas forward presents a significant challenge to the novelty of the independent system described in Claim 1 of US Patent No. 12,018,906. While a formal anticipation rejection would require a detailed, element-by-element mapping, the fundamental concept of using the space between the core and housing as a primary gas management channel seems to be present in the '200 publication. The patentability of the '906 patent likely rests on the specific implementation of this concept, such as the claim that the channel "equalizes pressure that begins at the first end of the housing and terminates at the second end," and on the novelty of the features in the dependent claims.

The other references, while related to the general field of firearm suppressors, do not appear to disclose the specific combination of elements, particularly the circumscribing pressure equalization channel, that is central to the independent claims of the '906 patent.

Based on a review of the prior art cited in US Patent 12,018,906, an analysis of the obviousness of the patent's independent claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103 is as follows. This analysis presumes a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) of firearm suppressor design at the time of the invention.

Analysis of Independent Claim 1

Claim 1 describes a suppressor with a housing, a removable core, and a full-length pressure-equalizing channel between the core and the housing, fed by apertures on the core's outer surface.

• Obviousness Combination: Claim 1 appears obvious over US 2020/0025494 A1 to CGS Group, LLC (CGS '494) in view of US 2021/0041200 A1 to Sig Sauer, Inc. (Sig Sauer '200).

• Reasoning:

  1. CGS '494 as the Primary Reference: CGS '494 discloses a suppressor with "Coaxial Expansion Chambers." This design inherently teaches the core structure of Claim 1: a housing (110 in CGS '494) containing an inner core (120) that defines a central projectile path. The space between the inner core and the outer housing creates a secondary chamber or channel (160, 170) for gas to expand and cool. This structure teaches the claimed housing, core, inner compartment, and the channel between the inner surface of the housing and the outer surface of the core.

  2. Sig Sauer '200 as the Secondary Reference: The '906 patent's key feature is using this outer channel to "equalize pressure" by venting gas from the central bore along the core's length via "a plurality of core apertures." While CGS '494 teaches coaxial chambers, the Sig Sauer '200 patent explicitly teaches a "suppressor with reduced gas back flow" by venting gases radially outward from the central bore into an outer chamber. The goal of this design is to reduce the "back gassing" effect, a problem the '906 patent also claims to solve by converting "high pressure to low pressure."

  3. Motivation to Combine: A POSITA would be motivated to combine the teachings of CGS '494 and Sig Sauer '200. The problem of excessive back pressure in suppressors, especially on semi-automatic firearms, was well-known in the art. The CGS '494 design provides a robust coaxial structure for managing gas. The Sig Sauer '200 design provides an effective method for reducing back pressure by venting gases radially. A POSITA would find it obvious to apply the radial venting strategy taught by Sig Sauer '200 to the coaxial chamber structure of CGS '494. This would involve creating apertures along the length of the CGS '494 inner core (120) to allow gas to escape into the outer chamber (160, 170), thereby achieving the pressure equalization and back-pressure reduction described in Claim 1. This combination would have been a predictable solution to a known problem with a reasonable expectation of success.

Analysis of Independent Claim 13

Claim 13 recites a suppressor with a pressure-actuated end cap. The end cap includes a closure member that is moved by gas pressure to partially obstruct the projectile aperture after the bullet exits, trapping gases to enhance sound reduction.

• Obviousness Combination: Claim 13 appears obvious over a base suppressor design, such as that disclosed in US 2015/0285575 A1 to Sclafani (Sclafani '575), in view of US 11,333,458 B1 to Hunt (Hunt '458).

• Reasoning:

  1. Sclafani '575 as the Primary Reference: Sclafani '575 discloses a conventional "Firearm Silencer with a Replacement Core," teaching the basic arrangement of a housing, a core with baffles, and an end cap with a projectile aperture. This provides the foundational elements of the suppressor described in Claim 13.

  2. Hunt '458 as the Secondary Reference: Hunt '458 discloses an "Underwater muzzle suppressor system" which, like many such systems, must manage the flow of both gas and water. These designs often incorporate one-way valves or pressure-actuated diaphragms at the muzzle end to allow the projectile to exit while preventing water from back-flowing into the barrel. While designed for water, the principle of a pressure-actuated mechanism at the end cap is clearly taught. Such a mechanism, by its nature, responds to the high-pressure gas of a gunshot to open and then closes (or partially closes) once that pressure subsides.

  3. Motivation to Combine: A POSITA seeking to maximize the sound suppression of a conventional silencer like Sclafani '575 would be aware that a significant portion of the report is generated by the "uncorking" of pressurized gas from the muzzle after the bullet has left. The concept of using a valve or "shutter" to trap these gases is a known principle for noise reduction. A POSITA would look to other fields, such as underwater firearms technology taught in Hunt '458, for examples of pressure-actuated muzzle devices. It would have been obvious to adapt the pressure-actuated valve mechanism from Hunt '458 for use in a standard "dry" suppressor. The motivation would be to temporarily seal or restrict the projectile aperture immediately after the bullet's exit to delay the release of propellant gases, thereby improving sound performance. The detailed mechanical implementation described in Claim 13 (channels, a key with a shaft, a spring) would be a matter of routine engineering and design choice to implement this known principle.

Analysis of Independent Claim 17

Claim 17 describes a suppressor with two distinct features: (1) "pressure reduction tubes" that redirect gas from forward baffles back toward the rear of the suppressor, and (2) a "disc interposed between the end cap and the core."

• Obviousness Combination: Claim 17 appears obvious over US 2021/0041200 A1 to Sig Sauer, Inc. (Sig Sauer '200) in view of US 9,347,727 B1 to The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Army '727).

• Reasoning:

  1. Sig Sauer '200 as the Primary Reference: The "pressure reduction tubes" that pass through baffles and redirect gas toward the first end (rearward) are a feature of advanced flow-through suppressor designs. Sig Sauer '200, which is focused on reducing back pressure, discloses complex gas flow paths where gas is bled from the central bore and routed through various chambers and vents. The figures in Sig Sauer '200 show passages that redirect gas flow, teaching the principle of re-routing high-pressure gas from the front of the suppressor to interfere with incoming gas, thereby slowing its exit velocity. This teaches the essence of the claimed "pressure reduction tubes."

  2. Army '727 as the Secondary Reference: Army '727 discloses a suppressor for an automatic weapon, a context where both sound and flash suppression are critical. Suppressors of this type often employ a final, restrictive stage at the muzzle end to disrupt gas flow and eliminate flash. Such a final stage can be implemented as a specialized baffle, disc, or crown. This reference provides the teaching of placing a final flow-disrupting element, analogous to the claimed "disc," at the distal end of the core, just before the end cap. The '906 patent itself describes this disc as a "shutter" with fingers that "temporarily restricts the diameter of the second projectile aperture" (Description, Embodiment 400).

  3. Motivation to Combine: A POSITA starting with the Sig Sauer '200 low-pressure design would recognize that such flow-through designs can sometimes compromise absolute sound reduction at the muzzle compared to more traditional, high-restriction baffle designs. To improve the sound performance and reduce muzzle flash without significantly increasing back pressure, the designer would be motivated to add a final restrictive element at the very end of the suppressor core. The Army '727 patent suggests the utility of such a final-stage component. Combining the complex gas-rerouting core of Sig Sauer '200 with a final-stage "disc" or shutter as suggested by designs like Army '727 would be an obvious step to create a hybrid suppressor that balances low back pressure with improved sound and flash suppression at the muzzle. A POSITA would have a reasonable expectation that adding this final restrictive element would successfully improve performance.

Term, Continuation, and Family Analysis for U.S. Patent No. 12,018,906

Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) and Extension (PTE)

• Patent Term Adjustment (PTA): The provided patent data does not explicitly state a number of PTA days granted. However, the patent's filing date is listed as October 23, 2023, and the "Anticipated expiration" is listed as October 23, 2043. This is exactly 20 years from the filing date, which strongly indicates that no PTA was granted. PTA is typically awarded to compensate for administrative delays by the USPTO during the patent prosecution process.
• Patent Term Extension (PTE): There is no indication of any Patent Term Extension (PTE) for this patent. PTE is not applicable here, as it is generally used to compensate for delays caused by pre-market regulatory review, such as for pharmaceuticals, which does not apply to this technology.

Continuity and Divisional Applications

• Continuation-in-Part Application: The patent data shows that U.S. Patent No. 12,018,906 has one "Related Child Application," which is a continuation-in-part (CIP).
  • Application Number: US 18/669,297
  • Filing Date: May 20, 2024
  • Status: This application has published as US 2026/0009613 A1.
• Divisional Applications: No divisional applications related to this patent are listed in the provided documentation.

Related Family Members

The patent family is linked by a common priority claim to a provisional application filed on October 27, 2022.

• Priority Application:

  • U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/419,776: Filed on October 27, 2022. This is the earliest priority document for the entire family.

• Non-Provisional Applications Claiming Priority:

  1. U.S. Application No. 18/382,845: This is the application that matured into the patent in question, US 12,018,906 B2. It was filed on October 23, 2023.
  2. U.S. Application No. 18/669,297: This is the continuation-in-part application mentioned above, filed on May 20, 2024.
  3. U.S. Application No. 19/356,383: This application was filed on October 13, 2025, and has been published as US 2026/0036386 A1.

Projected Expiration Date

The anticipated expiration date for U.S. Patent No. 12,018,906 is October 23, 2043.

This date is calculated as 20 years from the non-provisional filing date of October 23, 2023. This expiration is contingent upon the timely payment of all required maintenance fees and assumes the patent is not invalidated or has its term disclaimed for any reason as a result of the ongoing litigation.

This document serves as a defensive disclosure of technical variations and improvements related to U.S. Patent No. 12,018,906 ("the '906 patent"). Its purpose is to place into the public domain and establish as prior art, as of today's date, April 26, 2026, a series of derivative inventions, applications, and combinations that a person of ordinary skill in the art would find obvious or non-novel in light of the teachings of the '906 patent.

Analysis of Core Claim 1: Pressure Equalization Channel

The core concept of Claim 1 is a channel between the suppressor's outer housing and inner core, which receives gas via apertures in the core to equalize pressure along the length of the suppressor.

---

Derivative 1.1: Material & Component Substitution

Enabling Description: The core (112) and housing (102) are fabricated from a Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC), specifically Carbon-fiber-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC). This material offers superior thermal stability (up to 2000°C), lower thermal expansion, and significantly higher resistance to hot gas erosion compared to titanium or steel. The core apertures (144) are laser-drilled post-sintering to maintain the integrity of the ceramic matrix. The end cap (110) is constructed from a polyether ether ketone (PEEK) composite, reducing weight and heat transfer to the operator.

graph TD
    subgraph System Architecture
        H[Housing - C/SiC] --> I[Inner Compartment];
        I --> C[Core - C/SiC];
        C -- Laser-Drilled Apertures --> Chan[Pressure Channel];
        H -- Threaded Interface --> EC[End Cap - PEEK Composite];
    end

    subgraph Gas Flow
        A[High-Pressure Gas Entry] --> Baffles(Internal Baffles);
        Baffles --> Apertures(Core Apertures 144);
        Apertures --> Chan;
        Chan --> Vents(End Cap Vents 126);
        Baffles --> ProjectileExit(Projectile Aperture 128);
    end

    style H fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
    style C fill:#ccf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
    style EC fill:#bbf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;

Derivative 1.2: Operational Parameter Expansion

Enabling Description: The pressure equalization concept is adapted for a large-caliber artillery application (e.g., 155mm howitzer). The suppressor housing is a 1.5-meter long, 250mm diameter cylinder made of Inconel 718. The core is a modular, multi-section component made of a tungsten heavy alloy (WHA) to withstand extreme pressures (up to 500 MPa) and temperatures (>2500°C). The pressure equalization channel has a cross-sectional area of 8000 mm² and is fed by a series of 50mm diameter core apertures. The system is designed to operate in ambient temperatures from -50°C to +70°C, managing massive gas volumes to reduce acoustic signature and ground-level pressure wave, minimizing dust kick-up and improving crew safety.

stateDiagram-v2
    state "Artillery Suppressor" as S1 {
        state "Idle" as Idle
        state "Firing Sequence" as Firing
        state "Gas Management" as Gas
        state "Cool-Down" as Cool

        [*] --> Idle
        Idle --> Firing : Fire Command
        Firing --> Gas : Projectile Exit (t=0ms)
        Gas --> Gas : Pressure Equalization via Inconel Channel (t=0-50ms)
        Gas --> Cool : Gas Vented (t>50ms)
        Cool --> Idle : Thermal Normalization
    }

    state "Environmental Conditions" as S2 {
        state "-50°C to +70°C Ambient"
    }

    state "Performance Parameters" as S3 {
        state "Pressure: < 500 MPa"
        state "Temperature: < 2500 °C"
    }

Derivative 1.3: Cross-Domain Application (Industrial Pneumatics)

Enabling Description: The pressure equalization system is applied to an industrial pneumatic exhaust muffler. The device consists of a cylindrical aluminum housing and a porous polymer core (sintered polyethylene). High-pressure air (1.5 MPa) from a pneumatic actuator enters the core. The core's porous structure functions as a distributed set of "apertures," allowing air to bleed into a full-length equalization channel between the core and housing. This design prevents a single, loud "pop" upon valve actuation by converting the high-pressure, low-volume pulse into a lower-pressure, higher-volume, and longer-duration release through vents in the end cap. This significantly reduces the decibel level of industrial machinery, improving workplace safety.

flowchart LR
    subgraph Pneumatic Muffler
        A[High-Pressure Air Ingress] --> B{Porous Polymer Core};
        B -- Distributed Bleed --> C[Equalization Channel];
        B -- Main Flow --> D[End Cap Vents];
        C --> D;
        D --> E[Low-Pressure, Low-Noise Exhaust];
    end

Derivative 1.4: Integration with Emerging Tech (IoT)

Enabling Description: The core is embedded with a series of fiber-optic Bragg grating (FBG) sensors along its length. These sensors are immune to electromagnetic interference and high temperatures. They provide real-time, distributed temperature and strain measurements along the core and housing. A small, self-powered (piezoelectric, harvesting recoil energy) IoT module with a LoRaWAN transmitter is integrated into the muzzle adapter. The module digitizes the FBG sensor data and transmits a packet after each firing cycle containing peak temperature, pressure curve approximation (derived from strain), and round count. This data is used for predictive maintenance, tracking suppressor lifecycle, and ensuring operational safety.

sequenceDiagram
    participant Firearm
    participant Suppressor
    participant FBG_Sensors
    participant IoT_Module
    participant Network_Server

    Firearm->>Suppressor: Fires Round
    Suppressor->>FBG_Sensors: Experiences Heat & Strain
    FBG_Sensors->>IoT_Module: Transmit Wavelength Shift Data
    IoT_Module->>IoT_Module: Process Data (Temp, Strain, Count)
    IoT_Module->>Network_Server: Transmit LoRaWAN Packet
    Network_Server->>User_Dashboard: Display Suppressor Status

Derivative 1.5: The "Inverse" or Failure Mode

Enabling Description: This variation is a "Low Back Pressure" (LBP) training module. The core is designed with oversized, forward-angled core apertures and a significantly larger pressure equalization channel. This configuration is intentionally inefficient at trapping gas, maximizing flow into the channel and out the front vents. This creates a suppressor with minimal sound reduction but also near-zero back pressure increase, allowing a user to train with the weight and length of a suppressor without altering the firearm's gas system behavior. The core is color-anodized red to clearly indicate its specific function as a training-only device.

graph TD
    A[Gas Entry] --> B(Baffles);
    B -- Minimal Restriction --> Exit(Projectile Exit);
    B -- Maximized Flow --> C{Oversized, Forward-Angled Apertures};
    C --> D[Enlarged Equalization Channel];
    D --> E[Forward Vents];
    subgraph Legend
        direction LR
        Red[Training Core: Low Back Pressure]
        Green[Standard Core: Balanced Suppression]
    end

    style C fill:#ffcccc
    style D fill:#ffcccc

Analysis of Core Claim 13: Pressure-Actuated End Cap

The core concept of Claim 13 is an end cap with a mechanism that uses projectile gas pressure to temporarily restrict the exit aperture after the projectile passes, trapping gases for longer to enhance sound suppression.

---

Derivative 13.1: Material & Component Substitution

Enabling Description: The mechanical spring (520) and key (514) system is replaced with a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuator, specifically a Nickel-Titanium (Nitinol) wire. The high-temperature gas from firing heats the Nitinol actuator past its transition temperature, causing it to contract. This contraction pulls the closure member (512), a carbon-carbon composite shutter, into the projectile aperture path. As the gas cools, the Nitinol relaxes, and a bias spring of a different material returns the shutter to its open state. This provides a passive, non-mechanical (no sliding piston) actuation with a tunable response time based on the alloy's composition and geometry.

stateDiagram-v2
    [*] --> Standby
    Standby: Shutter Open, Nitinol Cool
    Standby --> Actuating: High-Temp Gas Influx
    Actuating: Nitinol Heats & Contracts
    Actuating --> Active: Shutter Closed
    Active: Gas Trapped, Nitinol Hot
    Active --> Resetting: Gas Cools, Nitinol Relaxes
    Resetting --> Standby: Bias Spring Reopens Shutter

Derivative 13.2: Cross-Domain Application (Aerospace)

Enabling Description: The pressure-actuation mechanism is adapted for a micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) shield on a satellite. The end cap structure is redesigned as a "self-healing" Whipple shield panel. The "pressure channel" (506) is a network of microchannels within the panel filled with a pressurized, rapid-curing resin. A hypervelocity impact from MMOD creates an instantaneous pressure wave (analogous to the muzzle blast). This pressure wave actuates a series of "closure members" (micro-valves), forcing the resin into the puncture channel created by the impactor. The resin cures upon contact with the vacuum of space, sealing the penetration and preventing further damage to internal components.

flowchart TD
    A[Hypervelocity MMOD Impact] --> B{Pressure Wave Generated};
    B --> C{Micro-valves (Closure Members) Actuated};
    C --> D[Pressurized Resin Injected into Puncture Track];
    D --> E{Resin Cures in Vacuum};
    E --> F[Puncture Sealed];

Derivative 13.3: Integration with Emerging Tech (AI/ML)

Enabling Description: The end cap's closure member is controlled by a high-speed piezoelectric actuator instead of direct gas pressure. A piezoelectric pressure transducer is mounted in the first baffle chamber. An onboard microcontroller running a trained neural network model receives the pressure signature from the transducer. Based on the signature's rise time and peak pressure, the model identifies the ammunition type (e.g., supersonic vs. subsonic) in real-time. It then commands the piezoelectric actuator to adjust the closure timing and dwell of the end cap shutter. For supersonic rounds, it closes faster and longer to manage the high-pressure gas. For subsonic rounds, it uses a gentler, delayed closure to minimize first-round pop.

sequenceDiagram
    participant Transducer
    participant Microcontroller
    participant Piezo_Actuator
    participant Shutter

    Firearm->>Transducer: Firing Event (Pressure Wave)
    Transducer->>Microcontroller: Send Pressure-Time Data
    Microcontroller->>Microcontroller: Infer Ammo Type via NN Model
    Microcontroller->>Piezo_Actuator: Send Optimized Timing Signal
    Piezo_Actuator->>Shutter: Actuate (Close/Dwell/Open)
    Shutter->>Gas_Flow: Restrict Temporarily

Analysis of Core Claim 17: Internal Pressure Reduction Tubes & Disc

The core concept of Claim 17 is a system using tubes to redirect high-pressure gas from later baffles to earlier, lower-pressure regions, creating turbulence to slow gas exit, combined with a shutter-like disc at the end.

---

Derivative 17.1: Material & Component Substitution

Enabling Description: The pressure reduction tubes (612A-D) are not solid-walled tubes but are fabricated from a sintered metallic foam, specifically of a copper-nickel alloy. This material provides a tortuous path for the gas, significantly increasing the surface area for heat exchange and introducing high-frequency turbulence. The gas exiting the angled end portion is therefore cooler and has less kinetic energy. The disc (408) is replaced by an iris mechanism constructed from interlocking, flexible C/SiC composite leaves. This provides a more concentric and variable aperture compared to the "fingers" design, allowing for finer control of the exiting gas jet.

graph TD
    subgraph Gas Redirection System
        A[High-Pressure Gas in Baffle N] --> B{Sintered Metallic Foam Tube};
        B -- Tortuous Path & Heat Exchange --> C[Cooler, Turbulent Gas];
        C --> D{Redirected to Baffle N-2};
    end
    subgraph Muzzle Control
        E[Main Gas Flow] --> F(C/SiC Iris);
        F -- Variable Aperture --> G[Controlled Gas Jet];
    end

    style B fill:#f9a,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
    style F fill:#9fa,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;

Derivative 17.2: Cross-Domain Application (Chemical Reactors)

Enabling Description: This design is adapted for a high-pressure, continuous flow chemical reactor for synthesizing specialty chemicals. The "baffles" are catalyst-coated mixing chambers. The "pressure reduction tubes" are used to recycle a portion of the partially reacted, high-pressure product from a downstream chamber back to an upstream chamber. This recycling loop, induced by the pressure differential, increases residence time and ensures more complete conversion of reactants. The angled outlets of the tubes introduce vortical flow, enhancing mixing with the fresh reactant stream. The "end cap" is a back-pressure regulator that maintains the required operating pressure within the entire reactor vessel.

flowchart LR
    A[Reactant A + B In] --> Chamber1;
    Chamber1 --> Chamber2;
    Chamber2 --> Chamber3;
    Chamber3 --> Product_Out(Product Out);
    
    subgraph Gas Recycle Loop
        Chamber3 -- High P --> RecycleTube(Pressure Reduction Tube);
        RecycleTube -- Induces Vortex --> Chamber1;
    end

Combination Prior Art Scenarios

1. Combination with RISC-V Open Standard: A firearm suppression system integrates a 32-bit microcontroller based on the open-source RISC-V instruction set architecture. The microcontroller, running a real-time operating system (RTOS) such as Zephyr or FreeRTOS, actively manages the suppression system. It collects data from integrated piezoelectric pressure sensors (as described in Derivative 13.3) and controls a MEMS-based micro-valve array that dynamically opens or closes specific core apertures (144) to tune the pressure equalization channel's performance based on the detected firing conditions. The firmware is field-updatable via a standardized serial interface.

2. Combination with CAN Bus Open Standard: The firearm suppression system is designed as a node on a Controller Area Network (CAN bus), a robust vehicle bus standard (ISO 11898). The suppressor's internal IoT module (Derivative 1.4) communicates its status—temperature, round count, and structural integrity alerts—over the CAN bus to a central fire control system integrated into the weapon's optic or chassis. This allows the operator to see "suppressor health" data in real-time, analogous to a car's dashboard diagnostics, and enables other "smart" accessories on the same bus to adjust their performance (e.g., a ballistic computer in the optic could adjust for point-of-impact shift as the suppressor heats up).

3. Combination with MQTT Open Standard: The suppressor's IoT sensor suite (Derivative 1.4) uses the lightweight, open-source MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) protocol to publish data over a BLE or Wi-Fi link. A device (e.g., a smartphone or base station) acts as an MQTT client, subscribing to topics such as suppressor/SN12345/temperature or suppressor/SN12345/round_count. This use of a standard IoT protocol allows for immediate, "out-of-the-box" integration with any number of existing fleet management systems, data logging platforms (like InfluxDB), or cloud dashboards (like Grafana), enabling armorers and manufacturers to monitor the health and usage patterns of suppressors in the field without proprietary software.