Patents Examined by Elizabeth Volz
  • Patent number: 10414571
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to containers and other shaped articles (e.g., trays and dishes) for containing articles such as food products (e.g., cuts of meat and poultry or liquid-sensitive electronic parts) in shaped articles such as. In one aspect, the container has a reservoir portion into which liquid can be sequestered. In another aspect, the container includes a thermoformable substrate, a liner, and a lidding material, the lidding and the liner defining a compartment for containing articles. The compartment can be detached from the substrate by detaching the liner from the substrate without necessarily rupturing the compartment. A substantial portion of the containers described herein can be recycled by separating the liner and/or lidding from the substrate. The disclosure also relates to methods of making thermoformed articles having multiple layers that does not rely on use of a coextruded or other composite thermoplastic-containing substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Converter Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventor: Millard F. Wallace
  • Patent number: 10370149
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a bottle neck structure comprising an inner ring and an outer ring, a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses; wherein the inner ring further comprising a plurality of display panels, an annular rim, a top facing surface; and wherein the outer ring further comprising a annular groove, a bottom facing surface and one through hole, and wherein each of the display panels can be viewed through the through hole when they are aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Inventor: Pandian Peng
  • Patent number: 10194771
    Abstract: Provided is a non-stick cooking container, comprising a container body, in which the container body comprises a ribbed inner surface, the ribbed inner surface comprising a plurality of ribs and grooves arranged at regular intervals, a non-stick coating covering the surfaces of the ribs and the grooves, the ribs comprising a top surface, the grooves comprising a bottom surface. It is difficult to scratch or chip off the non-stick coating of the non-stick cooking container, which allows the cooking container to retain the non-stick properties over a long period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Ji Qiang Fu, Yi Sheng Qu, Jun Chen
  • Patent number: 10189597
    Abstract: A one-piece plastic container including a base portion. A gate area is at an axial center of the base portion. A plurality of feet are radially spaced apart about the axial center. Each strap of a plurality of straps is arranged between neighboring feet. Each one of a plurality of fillet areas is arranged between one of the plurality of feet and straps on opposite sides thereof. A cumulative strap surface area is defined by a total surface area of the plurality of straps, the gate area, and half a total surface area of the plurality of fillet areas. A cumulative foot surface area defined by a total surface area of the plurality of feet and half the total surface area of the plurality of fillet areas. The base portion has a ratio of cumulative foot surface area to cumulative strap surface area in the range of 2.4-2.8:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Amcor Rigid Plastics USA, LLC
    Inventors: Walter J. Strasser, Mark Woloszyk, Guizhang Zheng, Theodore F. Eberle, Pankaj Kumar, Nitin Gulati
  • Patent number: 10138032
    Abstract: A fastener assembly disposed at a lateral edge of a container includes: a first fixing member, two second fixing members, and a retaining member. The second fixing members each includes a fixing seat which includes a pivot recess and a restricting recess, and a pivot ear which includes a pivot end and an engaging recess, and the pivot ends are pivoted in the pivot recesses. The retaining member includes two restricting ribs and two push ribs, the restricting ribs are restricted in the restricting recesses of the fixing seats, and the push ribs are pushed against the two pivot ears, so as to prevent the pivot ears from pivoting outward. In addition to being used as a lock on a single container to lock the upper and lower covers, the fastener assembly can also be used to assemble a plurality of containers together in desired patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Inventor: Chi-Hsiung Chang
  • Patent number: 10138048
    Abstract: A soft-sided insulated container assembly has a generally box-shaped form like a school lunch box, having a main body and a lid. The lid is formed of one of the largest panels of the box-structure, and is joined to the main body of the box by a hinge that lets the lid lie flat next to the main body when the box is open. The inside face of the lid then defines a work surface on which to place objects such as foodstuffs and beverages. The work surface may be formed in a substantially rigid molded stiffener member, and may be divided into sub-regions with raised retainers to discourage sliding of objects where not precisely level. The container assembly may include a rigid internal liner with which the lid may mate zipperlessly. The mating portion of the lid may be formed in the same rigid member as the work surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventors: Elizabeth Mitchell, Mike Baatz, William Kearns, Christopher Edwards, Melvin Mogil, Richard Stephens, Alexander Barattin, Jingchao Wu
  • Patent number: 10131494
    Abstract: A method includes wrapping one or more pieces of fabric around at least one piece of shape memory material. The method also includes attaching outer edges of the one or more pieces of fabric to other portions of the one or more pieces of fabric. The method further includes depositing liquid-impervious material onto the one or more pieces of fabric to form free-standing flexible walls and a floor of a containment structure. The floor is formed seamlessly with the walls. The wrapping could include attaching a bottom of the at least one piece of shape memory material to the one or more pieces of fabric at locations spaced apart from the outer edges of the one or more pieces of fabric. The wrapping could also include attaching sides of the at least one piece of shape memory material to the one or more pieces of fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: TitanLiner, Inc.
    Inventor: Joshua D. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 10123642
    Abstract: A hydration holder and method for manufacturing the same from a single sheet of stretchable fabric is disclosed. The hydration holder comprises a bottle holder and has an elongated strip extending therefrom and fastening to the bottle holder in multiple locations to form an upper loop, an inner handle member, and an outer handle member, wherein the outer handle member reversibly fastens to the inner handle member. Cutouts in the center and lower sections increase the capacity of the hydration holder to accommodate large bottles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Inventor: Adnan Gazibara
  • Patent number: 10124664
    Abstract: A self-sealing liquid bladder having a plurality of layers including a liquid impermeable material layer that is compatible with a liquid held in the bladder and at least one sealing layer that is conformally arranged to span a surface area of the liquid impermeable material layer and that is separated from a liquid held in the bladder by the liquid impermeable layer, the sealing layer including a sealing means that, in response to a penetration of both the liquid impermeable material layer and the sealing layer, substantially seals the penetration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mark S. Wilenski, Michael P. Kozar, Amy E. Bahe
  • Patent number: 10118331
    Abstract: A container forming assembly and method includes receiving a parison within a cavity of a mold, enclosing the parison within the mold having a wall with a recess, inflating the parison in the mold to form a blow molded container where the blow molded container has a sidewall, a movable region formed at the recess, and a hinge circumscribing an interface between the sidewall and the movable region, and moving the movable region toward an interior of the blow molded container about the hinge before filling. Furthermore, a method for forming a container includes receiving a parison, enclosing the parison with a mold that includes a cavity, and inflating the parison in said mold to form a blow molded container with a moveable region at the cavity. The method further includes repositioning the moveable region before filling the blow molded container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: GRAHAM PACKAGING COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Gregory Trude, Paul Kelley
  • Patent number: 10118735
    Abstract: A protective bottle enclosure for enclosing and sealing a bottle with an open mouth carried within the enclosure. The enclosure includes a container having an upper portion and a base removably coupled to the upper portion, and an external cap applicable to the container in a seated position of the cap. In the seated position of the cap, the cap seals the open mouth of the bottle carried in the enclosure and forms an impermeable inner seal between the cap and the bottle. A stopper carried by the cap forms the impermeable inner seal between the cap and the bottle, and in the seated position of the cap, the cap is fully seated against the upper portion of the container and forms an impermeable outer seal between the cap and the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: CAMCAL ENTERPRISES, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew T. Campbell
  • Patent number: 10112743
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a container (1) having a base (2) and a lid (3), wherein the lid (3) comprises a first plurality of abutment projections (4) positioned circumferentially spaced apart on an inside of the lid (3) and configured to contact an upwardly facing abutment surface (5) of a side wall (6) of the base (2) when the base (2) and lid (3) are arranged parallel to each other and pressed together to form a closed container. The lid (3) further comprises a second plurality of abutment projections (7) positioned circumferentially spaced apart on an inside of the lid (3) and configured to contact an upwardly facing abutment surface (5) of a side wall (6) of the base (2) when the base (2) and the lid (3) are arranged inclined to each other and pressed together. The disclosure concerns a container (1) having a base (2) and a lid (3), wherein the lid (3) comprises an upper wall (12) and at least two depressions (22) positioned spaced apart along the circumference of the upper wall (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Swedish Match North Europe AB
    Inventor: Philip Beardsall
  • Patent number: 10107451
    Abstract: A fluid reservoir assembly, for containing a fluid such as a lubricant is disclosed with a first end plate, a body and a second end plate. The body is preferably formed from plastic or glass. The end plates are composed of a molded plastic resin and are sealingly fastened to the body with an adhesive. The reservoir assembly has an inlet and outlet. Depending upon the configuration of the end plates and body, reservoirs of various sizes, capacities and cross-sectional shapes (e.g. circular, rectangular, etc.) can be fabricated without the need for dedicated molds and specialized tooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Oil-Rite Corporation
    Inventor: Michael J Wech
  • Patent number: 10096983
    Abstract: Electrical accessories and associated methods of use and manufacture are provided. In one embodiment, an electrical accessory can be provided. The electrical accessory can include an electrical junction box having a first side wall. The electrical accessory can also include an adjustable bracket coupled to the electrical junction box. The adjustable bracket can include a sliding plate and a mounting plate. The sliding plate can be positioned adjacent the first side wall and can be removably coupled to the electrical junction box. The adjustable bracket can also include a mounting hole axially aligned with the mounting hole of the first side wall of the junction box. The axially aligned mounting holes can be configured to receive a screw such that rotation of the screw moves the sliding plate and electrical junction box in relation to the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY
    Inventor: Randy Deon Kummer
  • Patent number: 10092127
    Abstract: A cookware device includes balsa wood having a sufficiently high specific heat to allow a user to grasp the cookware device with one or more bare hands immediately after exposure to heat. The balsa wood may form part of the cookware device or may be located on a handle attached to the cookware device for a user to grasp. The balsa wood material includes a specific heat of greater than about 3.5 J/g*K, a density of less than about seven pounds per cubic foot, and/or a grain angle between about 30 degrees and about 60 degrees in some embodiments. The cookware device or cookware device handle may also cool quickly when removed from a heat source in some embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Inventor: Galen Bruno
  • Patent number: 10088101
    Abstract: A high-pressure pressure vessel for storing natural gas comprises a plurality of first vessel regions of first diameters, a plurality of couplers, and a fiber layer. A three dimensional volume is filled using at least in part the plurality of first vessel regions. Each coupler of the plurality of couplers couples each pair of first vessel regions of the plurality of first vessel regions. Each coupler of the plurality of couplers comprises a second vessel region of a second diameter and two third vessel regions that transition diameters between the first diameter and the second diameter. The three dimensional volume is filled using at least in part the plurality of couplers. The first vessel regions and the couplers comprise a material with low permeability to natural gas. The fiber layer surrounds the plurality of first vessel regions and the plurality of couplers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: OTHER LAB, LLC
    Inventors: Saul Griffith, Tucker Gilman, Peter S. Lynn, Kevin Simon
  • Patent number: 10081451
    Abstract: Portable display containers with spine and cross supports, methods of making portable display containers with spine and cross supports, and methods of using containers with spine and cross supports. The portable display containers have a plurality of tiers, each tier having a base tray, at least one spine, and two or more cross supports that add strength and rigidity to the display, allowing the portable display containers to be fully loaded with product or items prior to transportation and/or shipment to the display location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Inventor: Criss K. Cruz
  • Patent number: 10071178
    Abstract: A sealable decontamination holding vessel configured to isolate contaminated items being held therein until safe opening of the vessel occurs during a high pressure and temperature sterilization cycle in an autoclave. The vessel basically includes an outer container, a perforated inner receptacle, containment bag and cover lid. The inner receptacle fits into the outer container. The containment bag fits within the inner receptacle with an open end of the bag draped over an open top lip of the inner receptacle. The cover lid is secured and sealed over the open top of the outer container. Patches of self-adhering sealing materials are placed over vent holes in the outer container and cover lid so as to seal the same until they unseal in response to contact with sterilizing steam in the autoclave allowing flow of the steam through the outer container into the inner receptacle and containment bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: SAFE-DECON, INC.
    Inventor: Bobbie E. Dudley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10059508
    Abstract: The collapsible shipping container (10) may comprise a base (12), a roof (14), a pair of side walls (16), a pair of end walls (18), four telescoping corner columns (20), and means such as air jacks (21) and or scissors devices (52) for elevating and lowering the roof, side walls and corner columns. Each of the end walls (18) may be movable between up and down positions, each of the side walls (16) may be formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending, overlapping panels, and the means for elevating and lowering the roof, side walls and corner columns may be operative with the end walls (18) in their down positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Inventors: John L. Flint, Yolande C. Hauser, Donald W. Streck
  • Patent number: 10051983
    Abstract: A cereal bowl according to the present invention includes a basin that may be attached to a base. A partition extends from a sloped floor of the basin to divide the basin into a front interior space and back interior space which can be used to separate a liquid from solid material. The cereal bowl is particularly useful for separating dry breakfast cereal from milk so that the dry breakfast cereal does not absorb milk and become soggy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Inventor: Bradley Peterson