Patents Examined by James Smalley
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Patent number: 7398890Abstract: A closure assembly for a mouth and neck portion of a container for liquid has a sleeve adapted to lie substantially concentrically with respect to the mouth and provided with a mechanism for fixing the sleeve on the container. A first outer sleeve is coaxially mounted over the sleeve and a second outer sleeve separate from the first outer sleeve and substantially tight fit with a container closure member. The first and second outer sleeves are axially aligned and have respective initially adjacent portions. A mechanism is provided for spacing apart the initially adjacent portions of the first and second outer sleeves upon reclosure of the assembly after an initial opening of the container.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2004Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignee: Guala Closures Patents B.V.Inventor: David William Thomson
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Patent number: 7374061Abstract: A sealing device (2, 2?, 2?) to be arranged between an opening in a drinking container (1?, 1?) and a drinking straw (20), and a method of making the sealing device (2, 2?, 2?). The sealing device (2, 2?, 2?) comprises a region of the drinking container (1?, 1?), or a part connected to the drinking container (1?, 1?), made from a material (14) subjected to a plastic deformation in a portion spanning said opening in the drinking container (1?, 1?). The deformation has the form of a bulge (2a) of thinned material (4). The bulge (2a) is folded upon itself to form a ring-shaped fold (12) on the inside of the drinking container (1?, 1?). The fold (12) encircles the plastically deformed and thinned wall material (4) of bulge (2a), said bulge material (4) forming an inner seal ring (19) around the drinking straw (20) when the bulge material (4) is perforated.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2004Date of Patent: May 20, 2008Assignee: Smart Seal ASInventor: Kolbjørn Næsje
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Patent number: 7370770Abstract: There is provided a container having a container with open end, and a bottom cap has a sealant material bonded thereto to provide a hermetic seal between the bottom cap and the open bottom of the container and a grip surface through or slightly beyond the exterior surface of the bottom cap to contact a substrate, such as a table.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2004Date of Patent: May 13, 2008Assignee: Playtex Products, Inc.Inventor: Richard S. Chomik
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Patent number: 7357272Abstract: A ventable container comprising a container bottom having an inner cavity, the container bottom further having a side wall that terminates in a container rim; and a selectively detachable lid, the lid including a central panel and peripheral sealing lip that surrounds the panel, the peripheral sealing lip having a generally inverted U-shaped cross-section that defines a lid channel, the lid channel being adapted to receive the container rim, the lid channel being further adapted to position the lid at a first position wherein sealed engagement of the container is effectuated and at a first position relative to the container rim wherein an air passage from the inner cavity to the container surroundings is provided.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2004Date of Patent: April 15, 2008Assignee: The Glad Products CompanyInventor: Jason R. Maxwell
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Patent number: 7353965Abstract: A pressure cap for openings in tanks, in particular in automobile radiators, has an outer cap component which is provided with a locking element that can be connected to the tank's neck, and provided with a handling element rotatably mounted in relation to said locking element, and furthermore provided with a coupling insert which is anti-rotationally mounted in the handling element and which can be axially engaged in and disengaged from the locking element to allow a releasably non-rotational connection between the locking element and the handling element. The pressure cap is furthermore provided with a valve assembly containing a valve body that can be axially moved back and forth, for releasing and blocking flow connections between the inside and the, outside of the tank depending on the pressure prevailing inside the tank.Type: GrantFiled: July 4, 2001Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Inventor: Heinrich Reutter
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Patent number: 7341161Abstract: A closure assembly 10 contains positive and/or vacuum pressure within a pressure vessel 16 having a neck 12. A circumferential locking member 22 supported on a door 20 locks the door to the neck, and is radially moveable between an open position and a closed position. A seal 26 between the neck and the door maintains fluid-tight integrity. A lever or other hand powered operator may be used for moving the locking member between the open position and the closed position. The locking member may include locking segments interconnected to form the circumferential locking member.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2005Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: Robbins & Myers Energy Systems L.P.Inventor: Douglas J. McGuire
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Patent number: 7341165Abstract: A lid for a container includes a side element extending from a front of the lid to a rear of the lid. A fulcrum point is formed at one end of the side element and is disposed adjacent to a rear of the lid. A rear surface of the lid includes a portion that projects upwardly and rearwardly to a furthermost rear point that is displaced rearwardly a predetermined distance relative to the fulcrum point. A counter-balance weight is positioned on the furthermost rear point of the lid. Wherein when the lid is raised, the weight of the lid and the counter-balance weight provide a force for raising the lid and to selectively maintain the lid in an open position. When the lid is lowered, the weight of the lid and the counter-balance weight provide a force for closing the lid.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2004Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: Universal Lid CorporationInventor: Vincent P. Tippmann
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Patent number: 7337916Abstract: The present invention includes an improved food enclosure designed to harness the steam produced during cooking so as to rapidly thaw and cook the food; however, the enclosure also advantageously vents the steam in order to provide a crispier, more desirable food product. A “venting” container according to one embodiment of the present invention, includes a tubular body having at least one open end and a cap for engaging the open end. The cap comprises upper and lower ends, which define an intermediate region therebetween. The tubular body and cap are at least partially sealed together by frictional forces resulting from the interference between opposing radially extending protrusions disposed on both the tubular body and the cap. These frictional forces are opposed and eventually overcome by a steam pressure generated from within the container, whereby the cap is driven from a closed to a vented position.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2003Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.Inventor: Kenan J. Clougherty
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Patent number: 7314146Abstract: There is described a neck structure in combination with a closure. The neck structure defines a neck opening with a cylindrical sealing surface surrounding the neck opening and an external neck surface. The closure comprises a cap formed of resilient material having a top and a downwardly extending skirt portion depending from the top. An annular plug depends from an underside of the top and one or more ribs are formed on an internal surface of the downwardly extending skirt portion. The annular plug and the one or more ribs are arranged concentrically and are dimensioned such that, upon application of the cap to the neck structure, the annular plug projects into the neck opening and engages the cylindrical sealing surface. At the same time the one or more ribs engage the external neck surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2003Date of Patent: January 1, 2008Assignee: Portola Packaging LimitedInventor: Gerry Mavin
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Patent number: 7308988Abstract: A cap 10 which has a female screw 14 in the inner peripheral surface and which is to be screwed on a port neck part 13 of a container main body 11 holding a predetermined liquid, wherein a plurality of ribs 18 radially extending astride from an inner surface of a top surface part 16 of the cap 10 to an inner surface of a peripheral wall part and integrally projecting inwards are formed on a peripheral edge part 17 of the inner surface of the top surface part 16. A female screw 14 is a screw in the form of two threads composed of spiral mated ridges 14a, 14b of two threads, for example. The liquid held in the container main body 11 is, for example, a chlorine-based bleach which contains a surface active agent and a sodium hypochlorite. The mated ridges 14a, 14b each are 80 to 120 degrees in thread angle ? and 1 to 15% of a valley radius of the female screw 14 in thread height H.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2002Date of Patent: December 18, 2007Assignee: Kao CorporationInventors: Noboru Yashima, Takeshi Omi, Mitsuo Yamanoi
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Patent number: 7275652Abstract: A cup lid for use with a drinking cup containing a liquid, the drinking cup having a base and a sidewall extending upwardly from the base, the sidewall including an inner surface, a top end, and a rim extending along the circumference of the top end.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2003Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Inventors: Jeffrey M. Morris, David C. Wheeler
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Patent number: 7267243Abstract: In a container for solid, paste-like and flowable products, particularly for containing food products, comprising a container bottom part for containing the products, a container lid provided at its top with a foil which is removable to facilitate removal of the container lid, is supported on a flange of the container bottom part, which flange has an upwardly projecting portion extending around the container opening to which the container lid is removably connected.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2003Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: ARTA Plast ABInventor: Henning Steg
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Patent number: 7267246Abstract: A lid for closing a sterile receptacle is provided. The receptacle is formed by a container bottom and container walls and defines a holding space. The lid comprises an angular cover plate which has a plurality of lid corners and closes the holding space in a closure position, such that it can be quickly and securely mounted on the receptacle and transferred to the closure position. A mounting aid is provided for mounting the lid on the receptacle. The mounting aid includes a plurality of mounting aid elements that each overlap at least one container wall at least partly in the closure position.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2006Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: Aesculap AG & Co. KGInventors: Karl-Heinz Eiskant, Mariana Jakab, Friedrich-Wilhelm Oertmann, Torsten Renner, Stefan Schuster, Wolfgang Schwanke
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Patent number: 7261216Abstract: A thin wall metal beverage can is described having a converging shoulder portion merging into a neck portion, the top edge of which is folded to form a flange providing an annular abutment and with a threaded sleeve sliding into the neck portion, the sleeve having an annular rib or catch which snaps over the flange abutment holding the sleeve and can neck portion against relative axial movement.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2004Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: Novelis, Inc.Inventors: Gordon P. Becker, John Sorensen
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Patent number: 7255241Abstract: A straw adapter 2 is removably disposed in the opening of a beverage container 1, and a straw 22 is attached to the straw adapter 2. A straw cap 12 is mounted on the straw adapter 2, for covering the straw attached to the straw adapter 2. Operations of the straw cap 12 opens and closes an air hole opening/closing valve 6.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2005Date of Patent: August 14, 2007Assignee: Combi CorporationInventors: Sumiyo Yoneoka, Kazunao Ogura, Momoe Kigushi
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Patent number: 7252206Abstract: A door mechanism for a transportation container having a material receiving opening extending through a surface of the transportation container is disclosed. The door mechanism includes at least one substantially rigid door element to removably cover at least a portion of the material receiving opening of the transportation container. Further, the door mechanism includes at least one latching mechanism in operable communication with the door element for securing the door element over the material receiving opening and against at least a portion of an adjacent surface surrounding the material receiving opening. A transportation container is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2003Date of Patent: August 7, 2007Inventor: David Ireland
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Patent number: 7243807Abstract: A fluid-tight vial comprising a locking, flip-top cap and an open-ended cylindrical container is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2003Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: PML Microbiologicals, Inc.Inventor: Steve Lin
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Patent number: 7243816Abstract: A container including a container body with a pivotally mounted top lid utilizing a single generally planar elastomeric member forming a seal section releasably mounted to the undersurface of the lid and engageable with the rim of the container body peripherally thereabout, and a spring section integral with the seal section and extending from the lid into a receiving chamber on the container body adjacent the pivotal mounting of the lid, the spring section being resiliently compressed during the positioning thereof to provide a constant opening biasing force on the lid relative to the container body. An alternately positionable handle is removably mounted, at the option of the user, to either the front wall or the rear wall of the container body.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2003Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: Dart Industries Inc.Inventor: Yasumitsu Aochi
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Patent number: RE39867Abstract: A tamper-evident closure for a container includes an outer tamper-evident cap engagable over an inner container sealing cap which may form part of the tamper-evident closure or part of the container, cap retaining prongs on the outer cap which permit placement of the outer cap on the container neck over the sealing cap but prevent upward removal of the outer cap from the container, a tear strip for severing the outer cap between its upper and lower ends to permit upward removal of the upper portion of the outer cap from the container, and a circumferential rupture line along which the outer cap separates to evidence tampering if an attempt is made to forcibly remove the outer cap from the container without tearing the tear strip from the outer cap.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2005Date of Patent: October 9, 2007Inventors: Paul H. Bennett, Thom M. Perlmutter
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Patent number: RE40003Abstract: A tamper-evident closure for a container includes an outer tamper-evident cap engagable over an inner container sealing cap which may form part of the tamper-evident closure or part of the container, cap retaining prongs on the outer cap which permit placement of the outer cap on the container neck over the sealing cap but prevent upward removal of the outer cap from the container, a tear strip for severing the outer cap between its upper and lower ends to permit upward removal of the upper portion of the outer cap from the container, and a circumferential rupture line along which the outer cap separates to evidence tampering if an attempt is made to forcibly remove the outer cap from the container without tearing the tear strip from the outer cap.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2005Date of Patent: January 15, 2008Inventors: Paul H. Bennett, Thom M. Perlmutter