Patents Examined by Christopher B. McKinley
  • Patent number: 7562787
    Abstract: A beverage hold and transport system is described typically for transporting a plurality of cups of coffee or other beverages. In one system, one or more trays can be suspended from an upper tray that is adapted to be carried by a person using a single hand thereby increasing the number of beverages the person can transport. In another system, a mechanism for removably attaching a container to the bottom of the tray is provided such that any spills from the beverages contained in the tray are directed into the container and not on to a surface therebelow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Inventor: Raymond F Serrano
  • Patent number: 7559433
    Abstract: A trash can assembly has a shell, a lid fitted over the top end of the shell, a foot pedal positioned adjacent the bottom end of the shell, a link assembly coupling the foot pedal and the lid, and a locking member associated with the shell. The locking member engages the rod of the link assembly to maintain the lid in an open position without pressing the foot pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
    Inventors: Frank Yang, Joseph Sandor
  • Patent number: 7556162
    Abstract: A hinged guarantee closure is produced by being injection moulded in the closed state, i.e., with a guarantee seal. The closure is injection moulded with an associated ring member for connection to the container on which the closure is to be used. The ring member is separated from the rest of the closure by an axial gap which is spanned by a hinge portion and a guarantee connection. The closure comprises a cap with an integral closing member for cooperation with an opening in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Inventor: Svein Myhre
  • Patent number: 7556171
    Abstract: In a high-pressure tank, an adjacent part of a liner and a protruded part of a cap are provided adjacently to each other, and in respective annular grooves in the protruded part, an O-ring for sealing adjacent portions of the adjacent part and the protruded part is loaded. A backup ring provided in the inside of the adjacent part of the liner has a hardness higher than that of the liner. Therefore, deformation of the adjacent part that would be caused by the respective O-rings is suppressed, and the respective O-rings can be sufficiently compressed, whereby reliable sealing between the liner and the cap can be provided. In addition, when the pressure inside of the high-pressure tank is increased to a high pressure, even if the cap is pushed out toward the outside resulting in the protruded part of the cap being shrinkage-deformed toward the inside in the radial direction due to the stresses, the respective O-rings can maintain the state of sealing between the protruded part and the adjacent part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 7556172
    Abstract: A spill resistant lid assembly (10) is provided for closing the open top (12) of a drink container (14). The lid assembly (10) includes a spout housing (16), a valve plate (18), a resilient valve seal (20), and an attachment cover (22). The valve seal (20) includes an inlet diaphragm (96) and an outlet diaphragm (104) that cooperate with a pair of valve posts (46,72) to resist leakage of a beverage from the drink container (12) while allowing a flow of beverage from the drink container (14) when a user applies suction to an outlet port (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Thermos, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Marvin Lane
  • Patent number: 7546921
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a container for shipping, storing and handling a plurality of items. More particularly, the present invention relates to a container for shipping, storing and handling a plurality of items, wherein the items are held securely in place so as to prevent damage thereto during transportation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventors: John A. Evans, Marty Patrickus, Darcy Meyer
  • Patent number: 7543716
    Abstract: A garbage-containing device includes a bin, a first ring and a second ring. The first ring is installed on the bin. The second ring is pivotally installed on the first ring. An upper edge of a bag can be clamped between the first and second rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Inventor: Tsong-Yow Lin
  • Patent number: 7540391
    Abstract: A door shutter is disposed in a device having an opening, and side portions for defining the opening. The other side of the opening extends higher than the one side. Guide grooves are formed along the side portions. The shutter includes main bodies bendable in a sliding direction for opening and closing the opening on the device, and projecting portions projecting from lateral sides of the main bodies in a width direction thereof and slidably engaging the guide grooves. The main body has first and second sides corresponding to the one and the other sides of the device. The wall thickness at the second side is thicker than that at the first side corresponding to the other side to form a substantially uniform surface from the one to the other sides through the main bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventor: Masakatsu Kato
  • Patent number: 7540389
    Abstract: A bottle for fluid products, particularly pharmaceutical, medicinal and cosmetic products, comprising a body for containing a fluid product, particularly a pharmaceutical, medicinal or cosmetic product, a mouth for dispensing the product, which is formed at one end of the containment body, a closure element associated detachably with the dispensing mouth, a cap associated with the end of the containment body, an element for removing the closure element that is formed inside the cap, at least one grip tab that protrudes from the outer lateral surface of the containment body, and at least one sealing tab, which is interposed between the cap and the grip tab and is associated, so that it can be removed by tearing, with at least one among the containment body, the grip tab and the cap, at respective first weakened regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Lameplast S.p.A.
    Inventor: Antonio Fontana
  • Patent number: 7527163
    Abstract: A top cover fixing structure for fixing opposing sidewalls of a top cover to respective opposing sidewalls of a bottom chassis with a single screw for each sidewall, thus reducing the number of parts and thereby reducing the man-hours for assembling, while maintaining the strength of the top cover and improving the design appearance. Screw insertion holes 2e are bored in recessed portions 2c provided in the front part of the right and left sidewalls 2a and 2b of the top cover 2, with screws 3 inserted into the screw insertion holes to fix the top cover to the bottom chassis 1, while recessed portions 2d provided in the rear of the right and left sidewalls 2a and 2b of the top cover 2 are in contact with rear portions of the right and left sidewalls 1a and 1b of the bottom chassis 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 7520403
    Abstract: A closure assembly for a container including an internally-threaded annular flange, an externally-threaded closure plug that is received by the annular flange, and an annular gasket positioned between the annular flange and the closure plug for establishing a sealed interface. The container includes a container end panel that is formed over and around a portion of the annular flange and provides an inner axial wall that is positioned between the annular flange and the annular gasket. The clearance between the closing plug and the inner axial wall relative to the size of the annular gasket determines the degree of radial compression of the annular gasket as the plug is threaded into the flange. A radial lip of the plug is designed to contact an upper surface of the container end panel that is formed over the flange as a visual indication when the required tightening torque of the plug within the flange has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Rieke Corporation
    Inventor: Gary M. Baughman
  • Patent number: 7516869
    Abstract: A straw is held within a beverage container in a manner providing for the upper end of the straw to be deployed upward, through an opening provided within the top of the container when an opening tab in the top of the container is pivoted downward. An upper end of the straw is held in a straw holding portion of a straw supporting structure within the beverage container, with the straw supporting structure including a cantilever portion that is deflected downward by contact with an edge of the opening tab as the opening tab is pivoted downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Zoya, Inc,
    Inventor: Mohammed Ali Hajianpour
  • Patent number: 7513380
    Abstract: A self closing container having inner and outer sleeves. Outer sleeve surrounds inner sleeve and can freely slide on inner sleeve by lifting outer sleeve or handle. When container is closed, lid covers magnets, mouth magnets, mouth magnet platform, and mouth platform. When closed, bar magnet component is positioned over mouth magnets which permits mouth cover to cover mouth. When outer sleeve is raised, it raises ring in lid. In raised position, lid cover magnets on ring are repelled by corresponding magnets on lid cover. When ring is raised, mouth magnet platforms are raised. Mouth magnet platforms have two mouth magnets, one positioned toward mouth and one positioned toward back of the lid. When raised, mouth cover is moved backward to an open position with the use of the bar magnet component. When handle or outer sleeve is released all components return to their original positions effectively closing the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Inventor: Robert Canedo
  • Patent number: 7513387
    Abstract: A closure assembly for a container including an internally-threaded annular flange, an externally-threaded closure plug that is received by the annular flange, and an annular gasket positioned between the annular flange and the closure plug for establishing a sealed interface. The container includes a container end panel that is formed over and around a portion of the annular flange and provides an inner axial wall that is positioned between the annular flange and the annular gasket. The clearance between the closing plug and the inner axial wall relative to the size of the annular gasket determines the degree of radial compression of the annular gasket as the plug is threaded into the flange. A radial lip of the plug is designed to contact an upper surface of the container end panel that is formed over the flange as a visual indication when the required tightening torque of the plug within the flange has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Rieke Corporation
    Inventor: Gary M. Baughman
  • Patent number: 7513384
    Abstract: A container assembly having a lid which connects to an open container. A locking mechanism is employed which preferably includes a slide which cooperates with at least one stop connected to the lid wherein movement of the slide relative to the lid is preferably utilized to disengage the locking mechanism to allow the lid to be unscrewed relative to the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: M & M Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Glenn H. Morris, Sr.
  • Patent number: 7510096
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-layered container, including a cover (10), with a plurality of first locking projections (15), and a plurality of container bodies (20) having a plurality of locking flaps (23). Each of the plurality of locking flaps (23) rotatably extends from each of predetermined portions of the circumferential outer surface of the container body (20), with a locking hole (24) provided on the locking flap (23). The multi-layered container further includes an intermediate lid (30) provided between the cover (10) and an uppermost container body (20) or between the container bodies (20). The intermediate lid (30) has a plate-shaped part (31), a coupling part (32) bent into a channel-shape while extending from an edge of the plate-shaped part (31), and a plurality of coupling flanges (35) extending downward from predetermined portions of the coupling part (32), with a second locking projection (25) provided on an end of each of the plurality of coupling flanges (35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Korea Alphaline Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Soo Chang Wang
  • Patent number: 7506779
    Abstract: A metallic container end closure is provided which includes a channel or groove in a predetermined location in at least one of an inner panel wall, outer panel wall, or chuckwall, and which is formed by a shaping tool. An apparatus and method for spin-forming the end closure with the improved geometry is also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Ball Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Reed Jentzsch, Howard Chasteen, Mark A. Jacober
  • Patent number: 7490732
    Abstract: A handle is disclosed. The handle is for use with a utensil or tool such as a pan or other cookware. The handle comprises a core and may comprise a grip. The core comprises a base mounting portion coupled to the base and a grip portion including a first member and a second member spaced apart from the first member. Each of the first and second members include a vertical dimension greater than its horizontal dimensions. Bridge portions may extend between the first and second spaced apart members. The grip at least partially surrounds the grip mounting portion and may be overmolded to the core or slid on as a sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: David M. Wasserman, John A. Wojcik, Mark V. LeGreve, Alan J. Schommer, Paul J. Mulhauser, Karl D. Kirk, III
  • Patent number: 7481899
    Abstract: A process of constructing a large diameter tank is provided. The process includes the step of providing a tank wall mandrel that has at least one drive wheel and at least one curved panel. Glass fibers are applied from a vertical winder to the curved panel in order to form a segment of a tank wall shell. Additional glass fibers are also applied to the curved panel at a location above the segment of the tank wall shell in order to form a unitary tank shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Inventor: John W. Boyd
  • Patent number: 7475791
    Abstract: An improved underground water storage tank having a joined-doughnut (multiple-torus) configuration, preferably a double torus although single, triple, quadruple and other toroidal configurations are possible. The concept entails a lateral merger of two or more toroidal tank sections in a multi-compartment double, triple, or greater-toroidal configuration with one or more cylindrical access ports traversing the tank orthogonally at the area of merger or along the perimeter. The tanks may be unitary as formed by rotational-molding or blow-molding. The laterally-joined torus sections increase the structural strength of the tank so that the need for reinforcing ribs or internal supports is substantially eliminated. The strength of the torus-configuration allows the tank to be buried below the frost line, and the elimination of molded ribs avoids trapped fluid or so that nearly all tank capacity can be utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Inventor: Lee Jaslow