Patents Examined by Madison L Wright
  • Patent number: 8146761
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for transporting compressed gases or similar materials. The apparatus includes an exterior housing dimensioned for intermodal transportation that contains a rack that holds pressure vessels. The apparatus may be loaded with pressure vessels and the vessels filled within the apparatus. The apparatus may be transferred between modes of transportation along a delivery route without unloading the vessels from the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: NCF Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Norman C. Fawley
  • Patent number: 8146768
    Abstract: A container has a selectively openable panel defined at least in part by a frangible score groove in a surface of the container. The frangible score groove is selectively fracturable by a lifting action administered by a user to a secured to the container. The tab has a nose portion separated from a lift end by a central webbing. The central webbing has a hinge region and a rivet island. The rivet island is at least partially surrounded by a first void region. The central webbing also has a grab portion at the lift end of the tab. The grab portion has an enclosed region defining a billboard surface. The billboard surface has a top side and a bottom side opposite the top side. A bead created by displacing the material of the central webbing is located on the billboard surface. A pigment-carrying layer covers at least a portion of the billboard surface. A tactile indicium is located on the billboard surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Rexam Beverage Can Company
    Inventors: Randall G. Forrest, Timothy L. Turner
  • Patent number: 8141729
    Abstract: Convertible closure for a container includes an outer closure member having a first child-resistant portion on an inner surface, a first inner closure member having an inner surface arranged to engage with a neck of the container and a second child-resistant portion arranged to selectively engage with the first child-resistant portion on the outer closure member, and a second inner closure member arranged to engage with both the outer closure member and the first inner closure member. The selective engagement of the first and second child-resistant portion is designed so that when engaged, the closure has a non-child resistant configuration (only grasping and rotation of the outer closure member is sufficient to twist the closure out of engagement with the container) and when not engaged therewith, the closure has a child-resistant configuration (grasping, rotation and downward pressure is required to remove the closure from engagement with the container).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: The Thomas J. & Kathleen Scarlata Living Trust
    Inventor: Thomas J. Scarlata
  • Patent number: 8136693
    Abstract: A closure for a beverage container that has a cap for overlapping a mouth of the beverage container. An arcuate member attached to the cap having a pair of extremity portions separated from one another and a springing member is connected to the arcuate member proximate to one of the extremity portions that is angularly pivotally moveable in response to a manually applied force, between a first position at which the springing member closes and completes a continuous periphery of the arcuate member and a second position at which the arcuate member periphery is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Penguin Brands, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryce Thatcher
  • Patent number: 8136687
    Abstract: A cover of a container is provided. The cover displays the number of times a user has ever opened the container which contains medication to thereby inform the user of the user's history of medication use with a view to protecting the user from unnecessary repeat medication and suggesting the user to take medication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Inventor: Hung Kuan Wu
  • Patent number: 8136688
    Abstract: A trash can assembly is provided having an outer shell and a lid pivotally coupled to the shell for movement between an open position and a closed position. A foot pedal is operatively coupled to the lid such that pressing down on the pedal caused the lid to open. A fluid damper is mounted to dampen the downward movement of a lid. The damper engages a support surface operatively coupled to the lid such that the support surface moves in conjunction with movement of the lid as the lid moves between the open position and the closed position, and yet the fluid damper is unsecured to the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Test Rite Products Corp.
    Inventors: Judy Lee, Tony Ho
  • Patent number: 8113370
    Abstract: A container structure for a hot fill liquid may employ an upper portion defining a mouth, a shoulder portion integrally formed with and extending downward from the upper portion, a bottom portion defining a base, and a body and sidewall extending between and joining the shoulder and bottom portions. The sidewall may employ a pair of opposing columns oriented diagonally relative to the base and concave inward relative to a container central vertical axis before the container is filled. The columns become concave inward to a lesser extent when the bottle is under an interior vacuum. The sidewall may also employ a pair of opposing, compound angle vacuum panels oriented diagonally relative to the base. A vacuum initiator groove is formed in each of the vacuum panels to initiate panel movement during liquid content cooling. The vacuum initiator groove is generally coincident with a vacuum panel longitudinal centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Amcor Limited
    Inventors: Liye Zhang, Anna Wilcox, Rohit V. Joshi, Juan Sancho, Richard J. Steih
  • Patent number: 8104594
    Abstract: A case, a system and/or a method for storing and/or for transporting articles are provided. The case, the system and/or the method operate to store and/or to transport articles, such as, for example, office-related articles and personal articles. A first compartment forms a first volume that may be protected by walls of the case. Further, a second compartment forms a second volume. The second compartment extends into the first volume of the first compartment. The second compartment receives and/or stores the articles towards the interior of the first compartment. The second compartment has a divider for maintaining a position of the articles in the second compartment and restricts movement of the articles outward with respect to the interior of the first compartment. The second compartment is opened to form a tray for accessing one or more of the articles without opening the first compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Kingport Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Claudia Chisholm
  • Patent number: 8104639
    Abstract: An electrical device cover comprises a base with an opening in a back wall of the base sized to receive an electrical device and a lid coupled to the base at a first base end through a hinge, the lid pivotable between and open position and at least one closed position. The base comprises a track and a notch in a side of the track extending away from the first base end. A first end of the lid in a closed position is adjustable generally parallel to the back wall of the base toward and away from a second base end. A lid pin extends from the lid towards the track when the lid is in a closed position. In each closed position the lid pin seats in the at least one notch of the track when the first lid end is selectively adjusted toward the second base end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: TayMac Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Cleghorn, Jeffrey P. Baldwin
  • Patent number: 8096435
    Abstract: A two-part (1, 2, 102, 118) transporting and vending package (52, 152) for containing and displaying articles (A). The articles are grouped and disposed upon the first part (1), which is augment by the second part (2) to give the package sufficient structural integrity to resist compressive forces being transmitted to the articles when the package is stacked with other such packages. The second part also restricts access to the articles. The package also comprises a releasable retaining means (24, 124) provided to maintain the first and second parts as a unit until access to the articles is required. The retaining means can be manipulated to deprive the package of its initial structural integrity and to provide improved access to the articles to facilitate vending.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Auclair, Alain Saulas
  • Patent number: 8096438
    Abstract: A fuel tank cap for a fuel tank of an engine. The fuel tank cap includes a fuel cap cover, a housing having a side wall, a bottom wall, and a receptacle, a fuel vapor adsorption material positioned within the receptacle, an inlet disposed near the bottom wall and configured to provide fluid communication with a fuel tank vapor space, an outlet disposed near the bottom wall and configured to provide fluid communication with the atmosphere, an internal wall adjacent the bottom wall and disposed between the inlet and the outlet, and at least one aperture configured to permit fuel vapor to flow in a vapor flow path from one side of the internal wall to the other side of the internal wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Jacob Schmalz, John Gulke, Peter D. Shears
  • Patent number: 8096436
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pressure cooking appliance (1) having: a bowl (2) with a side wall (2B), a lid (3), a sealing gasket (4) interposed between the side wall (2B) and the lid (3), said appliance (1) being designed so that, when the pressure inside the chamber reaches a predetermined safety value, the gasket (4) moves up to reach a safety position, said appliance (1) being characterized in that the side wall (2B) comprises a geometrical irregularity (10) intended to interact with the gasket (4) when the latter is located at the predetermined safety position thereof so as to interrupt the contact between the gasket (4) and the side wall (2B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Eric Jacques Rhetat, Nathalie Bouye
  • Patent number: 8096440
    Abstract: Pressure cooker equipped with a gripping part attached to the pan. The invention relates to a domestic pressure cooker comprising: a pan (2) which itself comprises a wall. a lid designed to be attached to the pan (2) to form with the latter a cooking chamber that is substantially impervious. at least one gripping part (20), attached to the pan (2) by means of attachment means (20A), characterized in that the attachment means (20A) at least comprise: an attachment orifice (200A) passing through the wall of the pan (2), wherein said attachment orifice (200A) is positioned on the wall of the pan (2) so that it does not communicate with the inside of the cooking chamber, and an attachment part (201A), connected to the gripping part (20) and extending through the attachment orifice (200A). Cooking devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Eric Jacques Rhetat, Michel Pierre Cartigny
  • Patent number: 8091729
    Abstract: The invention concerns a peel-off package for sterilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Amcor Flexibles SPS
    Inventor: Sylvere Souard
  • Patent number: 8091728
    Abstract: A wet well apparatus, and installation method therefore, that includes a cylindrical body extending between a first end and a second end along a body axis defining an interior material holding volume and a base form closing the first end of the cylindrical body to define a base interior volume adjacent the interior material holding volume of the cylindrical body. The base form is configured to receive a flowable fill material in the base interior volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Xerxes Corporation
    Inventor: John Burwell
  • Patent number: 8087532
    Abstract: A waste container includes a top chamber, a base chamber, upper and lower lids, and a drive mechanism mechanically coupling the lower lid with the upper lid. The upper lid is disposed on the top chamber and moves between a closed position covering a first opening and an open position exposing the first opening. The lower lid is disposed on the base chamber and moves between a closed position covering a second opening and an open position exposing the second opening. The drive mechanism is actuated so as to move the lower lid to the open position when the upper lid moves to the closed position from the open position. The lower lid returns to the closed position when the upper lid is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Brown Newman, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jolie Brown, Eric F. Cabahug, Benjamin F. Feldman, Rachel Katherine Newman
  • Patent number: 8083092
    Abstract: The invention relates to a container for receiving a liquid cosmetic product, in particular a colored cosmetic product for the lips, eyelids, fingernails or the like. A transparent or translucent material is provided as container material. The container is of a two-piece design comprising a first container element and a second container element, wherein the first and the second container element are securely joined together in a liquid-tight manner. The first container element has an inner wall with a profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Geka Brush GmbH
    Inventor: Karl Hartstock
  • Patent number: 8074819
    Abstract: A multi-chamber reservoir includes an upper and a lower body welded into unitary reservoir. A pressure relief device is interposed between a pressure chamber and the overflow chamber of the reservoir. A snap-in siphon tube is mounted into the reservoir and includes an orientation feature enforcing a desired alignment. A snap lock feature retentively mounts the siphon tube in alignment during reservoir welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Mann + Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: David J. Dexter, David Hewkin
  • Patent number: 8074826
    Abstract: A linerless tank structure has a body that defines an enclosed interior volume. The body has a cylindrical section having an axis of symmetry and a dome section coupled with the cylindrical section. The construction of the pressure vessel includes multiple fiber plies. At least one of the fiber plies is a helical ply having fibers traversing the dome helically about the axis of symmetry. At least a second of the fiber plies is a braided or woven ply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Composite Technology Development, Inc.
    Inventors: John Cronin, Kaushik Mallick, Mark Lake, Mark Warner, Naseem Munshi
  • Patent number: 8070004
    Abstract: In various embodiments, shipping container systems are described included an extended tunnel flooring system with a steel floor piece running lengthwise down the center of the extended tunnel floor, and an Omega flooring system including alternating lengthwise strips of 6 wood floor pieces and 5 floor steel pieces on a structure of support beams reinforced with steel gusset plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Institute of International Container Lessors
    Inventors: John Michael Williams, Michael S Hohndorf