Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Bullwinkel Partners, Ltd.
  • Patent number: 6247596
    Abstract: A corner post for protecting and cushioning large products such as appliances that compresses to a stronger shape than its original shape when the corner post and product are wrapped in clear plastic film. The corner post comprises beads formed along the vertical lengths of the inner and outer walls. When wrapped in plastic film, the beads lock together to form a stable structure that resists further compression while exerting an outward force on the plastic film to insure that the plastic film stays tight during shipping and storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Muyskens
  • Patent number: 6248940
    Abstract: A synthetic hybrid corn plant having the designation P67, produced by crossing two proprietary Optimum Quality Grain, L.L.C. maize synthetics, P53.1A-Reid and P41.1B-Lancaster. P67 has the unique property of imparting high oil levels in the grain of certain normal and male sterile hybrids when used as a pollinator. P67 is characterized by excellent cold tolerant seedling vigor for rapid emergence in cold soils and excellent early-season adaptability facilitating nicking with early maize hybrids to condition fast dry-down and superior grain quality in the grain arising from the recipient female grain parent. This invention thus relates to the seeds, plants and plant parts of P67, to plants regenerated from tissue culture of the plants or plant parts of P67, to a method of producing P67, and to a method for producing grain using P67 as a pollinator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Optimum Quality Grains, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Richard R. Bergquist
  • Patent number: 6242674
    Abstract: A synthetic hybrid corn plant having the designation P129-wx, produced by crossing two proprietary Optimum Quality Grain, L.L.C. maize synthetics, P129A-wx-Reid and P129B-wx-Lancaster. P129-wx has the unique property of imparting high oil levels in the grain of certain normal and male sterile hybrids when used as a pollinator. P129-wx is characterized by excellent cold tolerant seedling vigor for rapid emergence in cold soils and excellent early-season adaptability facilitating nicking with early maize hybrids to condition fast dry-down and superior grain quality in the grain arising from the recipient female grain parent. This invention thus relates to the seeds, plants and plant parts of P129-wx, to plants regenerated from tissue culture of the plants or plant parts of P129-wx, to a method of producing P129-wx, and to methods for producing grain or silage using P129-wx as a pollinator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Optimum Quality Grains, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Richard R. Bergquist
  • Patent number: 6239335
    Abstract: A synthetic hybrid corn plant having the designation P89, produced by crossing two proprietary Optimum Quality Grain, L.L.C. maize synthetics, P90A-Reid and P91B-Lancaster. P89 has the unique property of imparting high oil levels in the grain of certain normal and male sterile hybrids when used as a pollinator. P89 is characterized by excellent cold tolerant seedling vigor for rapid emergence in cold soils and excellent late-season adaptability facilitating nicking with medium-late maize hybrids to condition fast dry-down and superior grain quality in the grain arising from the recipient female grain parent. This invention thus relates to the seeds, plants and plant parts of P89, to plants regenerated from tissue culture of the plants or plant parts of P89, to a method of producing P89, and to a method for producing grain using P89 as a pollinator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Optimum Quality Grains, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Richard R. Bergquist
  • Patent number: 6234314
    Abstract: A product support such as a corner post used for cushioning and supporting large appliances is provided. The support post comprises spaced substantially parallel opposing walls connected at the ends. The opposing walls have at least one area of contact spaced from the ends wherein the opposing walls are joined along at least part of the area of contact. The opposing walls may be joined by adhesive, stitching, or other suitable means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Yanping Qiu, Donald E. Widman
  • Patent number: 6192797
    Abstract: An improved cartridge for dispensing highly viscous fluids in which the nozzle is recessed for ease of packaging, shipping and storing. The cartridge comprises a hollow cylindrical body, a plunger and a dispensing fitment. The cylindrical body holds a supply of extrudable fluid contents such as lithographic ink. The plunger serves as a pneumatically activated piston within the cylindrical body to extrude the contents of the cartridge. The nozzle has an open and a closed position. In the closed position the nozzle does not protrude beyond the top of the dispensing fitment. The dispenser may also include a detachable nozzle extension which, when attached to the nozzle, extends beyond the top of the fitment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith R. Rea, James W. Lowry, James F. Kick
  • Patent number: 6186329
    Abstract: An improved post made of multiple sheets of paper for supporting and cushioning a product. The sheets are joined end to end and wound into a tubular shape having a strong-weak-strong profile in the transverse direction. The ends of the sheets are joined together in such a way that the post has a uniform wall thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Yanping Qiu
  • Patent number: 6179440
    Abstract: A rope light includes a flexible lighting strip, multiple trapezoidal shaped flanges attached to the flexible lighting strip, and gaps evenly spaced between the flanges. The rope light may be attached to a wall or other surface by placing hooks or staples through the flanges or by placing hooks through slots in the flanges. The rope light may also be attached to a wall, or other surface, by using an attachment strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Aura Lamp & Lighting, Inc.
    Inventor: Terrance L. Palmer
  • Patent number: 6173662
    Abstract: A mobile apparatus, and method of operation, for controlling and suppressing the explosive destruction of munitions by detonation in an explosion chamber. The apparatus comprises a double-walled steel explosion chamber which is moved by wheeled carriage means to a desired location. Granular shock-damping silica sand is introduced into fillable cavities within the chamber walls, ceiling and floor prior to use. After use, the sand is removed to lighten the chamber prior to transport. The floor of the chamber is covered with granular shock-damping pea gravel which may be added before use and removed before further transport. A munition to be destroyed is placed within an open-topped steel fragmentation containment unit. Vaporizable plastic bags of energy-absorbing water are disposed about the munition in a spaced array. An array of vent pipes vents the chamber into manifolds leading to an expansion tank or scrubber for further cooling and environmental treatment of the explosion products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Inventor: John L. Donovan
  • Patent number: 6155527
    Abstract: A base pad for supporting an appliance during assembly and shipping is provided. The pad has a pair of endpieces, each having portions for supporting the weight of an appliance, a pair of crosspieces connected to the endpieces to form a substantially rectangular base, and wrapping substantially covering the weight supporting portions of the endpieces. In addition to providing strength, the wrapping may also help hold the crosspieces and endpieces together. The endpieces are formed of a low density material, such as expanded polystyrene and the wrapping is formed of a medium to high density material such as kraft paper. The combination of the crosspieces formed of a low density material and the medium to high density wrapping material provides an optimum combination of strength and cushioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Muyskens
  • Patent number: 6153293
    Abstract: An extruded composite structural artificial lumber product is manufactured from wood fiber and polyethylene, including recycled polyethylene, by reducing the wood fiber and polyethylene each to a finely divided particles, mechanically mixing the wood fiber and polyethylene particles together with a measured amount of a powdered endothermic foaming agent, mechanically mixing the mixture, without pre-pelletization, in a twin-screw extruder where it is compressed and heated until it becomes plastic and homogenous, and then extruding the plastic mixture, using vacuum to remove vaporized moisture and other excess volatiles, through a molding die which forms structural profile of the desired product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Inventors: Michael E. Dahl, Robert G. Rottinghaus, Andrew H. Stephens
  • Patent number: 6092245
    Abstract: A universal-fit, multiple-application molded thermoplastic operating lever for a flush toilet, the toilet having a buoyant flush valve flapper, tank ball or activating disk utilizing flexible connection chain for momentarily lifting the flush valve by manual operation of the lever, in which the lever incorporates a repeating sequence of different attachment points each suitable for a different toilet installation, each sequence including an intentionally weakened cut-off point which the installer can sever using ordinary hand tools, with the lever having a cruciform cross section and being made of molded alpha butyl styrene (ABS) so that the installer may bend the lever by hand up to about 45.degree. from its as-molded shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Inventor: Butch Jones
  • Patent number: 6070759
    Abstract: A container having a single unit dispensing feature built into the container cap is provided. The dispensing feature is an opening of sufficient dimensions to allow the controlled release of product. An optional incline located in the cap guides product toward the opening. The product is dispensed by inverting and tilting the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Bridge, Calvin G. Hill
  • Patent number: 6052848
    Abstract: A body support pillow stuffed with a resilient deformable filler having a U-shaped central section and depending legs, the pillow having a center opening equal to the body width of a user. In a first embodiment the pillow's total length is substantially equal to the height of a user, and the legs are selectively foldable over one another to create a double thickness for additional support under the user's knees, with a detachable body-encircling strap securing the pillow about the user. In a second embodiment for use in a chair the legs support the arms of a user, and may be raised by rotating them 90 degrees. In a third embodiment, the interior of the pillow is divided by sewn-in baffles into three separately stuffable compartments all accessible through a single continuous zipper opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Inventor: Jean Kelly
  • Patent number: 6052187
    Abstract: A device to provide hyperspectral reflection spectrum, hyperspectral depolarization, and hyperspectral fluorescence spectrum data in a portable, remote sensing instrument. The device can provide a large range of remotely-sensed optical property data, presently only obtainable in laboratories, in a low-cost field instrument. Among its many uses, the present invention can be used by farmers as a tool for determining the nitrogen content of crops to optimize fertilizer laydown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Containerless Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Shankar Krishnan, Daniel Scott Hampton, Paul C. Nordine
  • Patent number: 6041460
    Abstract: A tool for opening typical commercially available five gallon plastic buckets having a placement handle and placement end, cutting handle, cutting end, and a razor blade where the placement end is aligned with the bucket lid and the razor blade cuts through the plastic of the lid when pressure is applied to the handles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Inventor: Robert Cholewinski
  • Patent number: 6015061
    Abstract: A dual function overcap for a cylindrical container, having a bead about the top edge and generally used for snack foods, includes a substantially planar covering portion and a downwardly extending lip. The dual function overcap fits over the container with a bead by engaging the downwardly extending lip or can fit a shortened form of the same container without a bead, or the same, or similar, container without a bead. In one form of the invention, the overcap must be flipped over to attach the overcap to the edge of the shortened container. In the preferred form of the invention, a raised channel within the covering portion, receives and retains the edge of the shortened container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventor: James W. Lowry
  • Patent number: D439333
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Inventor: Dana Marie DeSantis DeCore
  • Patent number: D428080
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Inventor: Julius W. McElroy
  • Patent number: RE36912
    Abstract: .[.A method and apparatus for enclosing, controlling and suppressing the detonation of explosives in an explosion chamber is disclosed. The device comprises an elongate double-walled steel explosion chamber anchored to a concrete foundation, and having a double-walled access door for charging new workpieces, and a double-walled vent door for discharging the products of the explosion. The double walls of the chamber, access door and vent door are filled with granular shock damping material such as silica sand, and the floor of the chamber is covered with granular shock-damping bed such as pea gravel. Along the outside of the chamber are steel manifolds from which a linear array of vent pipes penetrates the double walls of the chamber, with each pipe terminating in a hardened steel orifice through which the explosion combustion products pass. Within the chamber, plastic polymer film bags containing water are suspended from steel wires over the explosive material, and at each end of the chamber..]. .Iadd.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: ABC-Naco Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Donovan