Patents Examined by Michael J Melaragno
  • Patent number: 11672319
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an environment-friendly press bottle integrated with a bellows spring and equipped with an outer shell, comprising: an inner bottle of which the lower end is integrated with the upper end of a bellows spring; the lower end of the bellows spring is a closed structure; the upper end of the inner bottle is necked to form a connector; the aperture in the middle of the connector is fitted with a nozzle; a step that fits onto the connector and limits its position is disposed on the central outer side of the nozzle; an annular flange that snaps into the corresponding position on the inner surface of the connector is disposed on the outer side of the lower end of the nozzle, and external threads are provided on the outer surface of the connector; a cover lid is provided with internal threads and is connected to the external threads of the connector; the inner bottle is tightly nested in the outer bottle that serves as an outer shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: RIFE PLUS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Chia-Hung Chien, Chiu-Huo Chen
  • Patent number: 11673787
    Abstract: A system and method detection of an empty keg is provided. Carbonated beverages from a keg communicates a carbonated alcoholic beverage to a Foam on Beer (FOB) detector. The FOB forms a reservoir and containing a float. Level detection sensors in operative communication with the float identifies the position and movement of the float. An keg's status can thereby be anticipated by float level and speed changes. A the FOB status can thereby operate a touchless tap including a control valve via a tap control board (TCB) that actuates the control valve. A controller in operative communication with the TCB communicates with the control valve, the actuation button and in communication with the level sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SESTRA SYSTEMS INC
    Inventors: Lev Volftsun, Alex Belfor, Paras Goda
  • Patent number: 11673719
    Abstract: A two-piece dispensing closure for dispensing essential oils includes an insert received into a container opening and a closure body including a dispensing spout and a hinged cap. The cap is connected to the closure body by a living hinge to allow the user to selectively open and close the container. A tamper-evident tear strip is integrally formed with the closure body. The insert and the closure body including mating helical ramps which cooperate to insure that the insert remains installed within the container neck when the closure body is removed after purchase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Silgan Dispensing Systems Slatersville, LLC
    Inventors: Clifford W. Skillin, James Scotton, Patrick J. Brannon, Chris Ettis, David Royer
  • Patent number: 11667512
    Abstract: A dispensing system including a container and a dispenser. In some embodiments, the container includes a container body, a dispensing opening, and a seal over the dispensing opening. In some embodiments, the dispenser includes a base, a drawer, a piercing tube, and a dispensing tap. In some embodiments, the base is configured to receive the container. In some embodiments, the drawer is moveable relative to the base between a first position and a second position. In some embodiments, the piercing tube is coupled to and moveable with the drawer. In some embodiments, the dispensing tap is in fluid communication with the piercing tube. In some embodiments, the piercing tube is configured to pierce the seal of container when the container is received in the base and the drawer is moved from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Andrew Bell Krystinik, Alexander Borgestedt, George Wells
  • Patent number: 11662238
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for metering a granular or grainy material in a distributor machine, comprising a housing; an inlet opening which is formed on the housing and through which a granular or grainy material can be introduced in the housing for metering; an outlet opening which is formed on the housing and through which the granular or grainy material can be discharged out of the housing after metering; a metering space which is formed in the housing in such a way that granular or grainy material in the housing can be moved from the inlet opening via the metering space to the outlet opening; a metering wheel which is arranged in the metering space on a drive shaft, and which is configured to meter the granular or grainy material supplied via the inlet opening; a mounting opening which is formed on the housing and via which the metering wheel can be exchangeably mounted in the metering space; and a mounting component which is detachably arranged in the mounting opening in a mounted position, and t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: KVERNELAND GROUP SOEST GMBH
    Inventor: Ferdinand Schumacher
  • Patent number: 11661328
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to a dispensing device including a syrup unit which transmits via one or more orifices one or more syrups and water to a dispensing block, a syrup source coupled to the syrup unit which provides the one or more syrups to the syrup unit, a water source which provides water to the syrup unit, and a cf valve coupled to a first orifice upstream of a solenoid valve where the cf valve provides a first range of pressures to the solenoid valve and where the first orifice is coupled to the dispensing block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: GATES CFV Solutions, INC.
    Inventors: John Newton, Peter Brooke, Dustin Hartsfield, Michael Cheney, Gillian Callaghan
  • Patent number: 11661267
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dispenser container for pressurized fluids, comprising: a metal shell forming at least part of an outer wall of the container, which metal shell at least partly encloses an internal container volume, a partition wall separating internal container volume into a high-pressure chamber and a low-pressure chamber, and a valve mounted into the partition wall in a substantially fluid-tight manner, which valve is configured for a controlled release of fluid from the high-pressure chamber to the low-pressure chamber, wherein the partition wall is at a sealing zone sealed to the metal shell in a substantially fluid-tight manner, and wherein the metal shell delimits at least a part of the high pressure chamber. The invention further relates to a dispenser comprising such a dispenser container and a method for manufacturing such a dispenser container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ALUAIR GMBH
    Inventor: Johannes Hubertus Jozef Maria Kelders
  • Patent number: 11661240
    Abstract: A liquid supply system includes a suction lance (6) configured to be inserted into a liquid container (14) and at least one level sensor (10, 12) fixed on the lance (6) and configured to detect a liquid level (22) inside a liquid container (14). A control device (4) is connected to the level sensor (10, 12) and configured to determine a rate of change of the liquid level (22) detected by the at least one level sensor (10, 12) and to detect a lance removal if the rate of change reaches or exceeds a predefined threshold. A method for detecting the removal of a suction lance (6) from a liquid container (14) is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: GRUNDFOS HOLDING A/S
    Inventors: Rainer Schmitz, Valeri Kechler, Klaus Müller
  • Patent number: 11656113
    Abstract: A system and method for dispensing and simultaneously metering bulk material from storage bins, silos, rail cars, and other bulk material storage structures is provided. The bulk material metering system is configured to stop the flow of the bulk material on demand. The system is robust and capable of reliably and accurately dispensing and metering bulk materials with minimal maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: AGRA Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Pat Hinner, Robert Klessig, Benjamin Bostrom
  • Patent number: 11649094
    Abstract: A portable beverage container lid can include a main outer housing, a slider top assembly coupled thereto, a carrier disposed therewithin, and beverage and vent seals coupled to the carrier. The main outer housing can include a beverage opening and a vent opening. The slider top assembly can slide laterally between open and closed positions. The carrier can move when the slider top assembly slides laterally. The beverage seal can close the beverage opening when the slider top assembly is in the closed position and allow the beverage to pass through the beverage opening when the slider top assembly is in the closed position. The vent seal can close the vent opening when the slider top assembly is in the closed position and allow air to pass through the vent opening when the slider top assembly is in the closed position. The beverage and vent seals can be actuated simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Fellow Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Pajnucci Vue, Nicholas Terzulli
  • Patent number: 11643257
    Abstract: A dispensing fitment assembly includes a fitment assembly and a dispensing probe. The fitment assembly includes a fitment housing and a plug. The fitment housing is configured to operatively couple to a container opening of a fluid container. The plug is positioned within an interior portion of the fitment housing. The plug is slidingly movable between an open and closed position. Engagement between the dispensing probe and the interior surface of the plug is configured to move the plug from the closed position to the open position. Disengagement between the dispensing probe and the interior surface of the plug is configured to move the plug from the open to closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Alan Heinbuch, Matthew D. Lausted, Jeffrey Michael Schultz, Kevin Michael Welle, Bradley Jacob Johnson
  • Patent number: 11638929
    Abstract: Provided is a powder supply device including a storage tank in which an internal space that stores powder and a discharge port that discharges the powder from the internal space to outside are formed, a roller that has an outer peripheral surface formed of a rough surface and is rotatably provided, in the discharge port, to face both the internal space and the outside, and a doctor blade that is provided at the discharge port and faces the outer peripheral surface of the roller. The internal space includes a first chamber into which the powder is charged and a second chamber in which the doctor blade is disposed. The first chamber communicates with the second chamber via an opening. A partition member that restricts the width of the opening is provided between the first chamber and the second chamber. The powder charged into the first chamber moves to the second chamber through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Taiki Kono, Shogo Nakada
  • Patent number: 11634314
    Abstract: Flow control assemblies are provided. The flow control assemblies include a cap having a flow control system with an inlet port having an inlet valve and an outlet port having an outlet valve, wherein the flow control system achieves a Dosing Accuracy (DA) of about 100 or less according to the following formula: DA = [ ( Po - Pc ) ( Vd - Ls ) ] where, Po is a pressure to open the outlet valve (mmH2O), Pc is a pressure to close the outlet valve (mmH2O), Vd is a diameter of the outlet valve (mm), and Ls is a length of the valve opening (mm).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Joshua David Anthony, Ethan T. Brown, Nathan Bollen, Brandon J. Suleski, Kyle Janko
  • Patent number: 11628984
    Abstract: The present application relates to a closure assembly for connection to a spout in fluid communication with a container. The closure assembly includes a housing configured to be secured to the spout and including a fluid passageway and a piercable membrane in the fluid passageway. The closure assembly includes a retention member configured to be secured to the housing and a flexible valve that is positioned in the fluid passageway of the housing and that is secured to the housing by the retention member. The closure assembly is configured to receive a piercing element that extends into the housing such that the piercing member can pierce the valve and the membrane, and the retention member has locking elements that engage the piercing element to lock the piercing element in place with respect to the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Liqui-Box Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald E. Kieras, Matthew Ruschmeier
  • Patent number: 11628986
    Abstract: A device for discharging a flowable substance, in particular for applying a medical substance, a pharmaceutical substance, a food supplement or a cosmetics, includes_an activation mechanism and a body which has a discharge opening at a first end and forms a containing space in which a frangible capsule is disposed. The capsule has two ends each having a first and a second tip and at least one of the two tips can be snapped off by actuating the activation mechanism so that the flowable substance is discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventors: Andreas Hiemer, Alberto C. Sögaro, Sebastian Seitz
  • Lid
    Patent number: 11628985
    Abstract: A lid is disclosed having a spring mechanism that pushes up an activator lever while also lifting up a flow stopper that keeps fluid from the mug and out through the lid. A button in the side of the lid activates the lever. This button can be locked in either the open or closed position. The open architecture allows for easy disassembly and deep cleaning of all of the parts of the lid. Due to the design of the lid, a mug can be filled without having to remove the lid. Similarly, the user does not have to touch any part of the lid from which water flows. This makes the use of this lid more sanitary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventors: Gary Ross, Griffin Ross
  • Patent number: 11628982
    Abstract: A plastic cap, which is a highly producible one-piece type cap when molded, but becomes a two-piece type cap excellent in sealability and openability when used, and enables a small-diameter pouring opening to be formed, is provided. The plastic cap comprises: a cap body which is composed of a top plate section and a skirt section, has a pouring nozzle formed on an outer surface of the top plate section so as to surround an opening-scheduled portion, and is fitted and fixed to a container mouth; and a top lid composed of a top face, and a circumferential wall suspending from an outer peripheral edge of the top face. The top lid has, formed therein, a protrusion protruding downward from an inner surface of the top face and having an engaging portion on an outer surface thereof. The cap body has an inner plug formed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON CLOSURES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youichi Tsujiguchi, Takashi Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 11624641
    Abstract: What is disclosed in the present invention is to provide a quantitative transfer pipette structure, wherein an anti-backflow compartment is configured in the first bulb. The dimensions and locations of the first bulb, the second bulb and the third bulb are specifically configured to aspirate and transfer a specific volume of the liquid to a container, mix the liquid with the substance in the container by pressing and releasing the specific bulbs, so as to achieve the effects of precise quantification and sufficient mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Credo Diagnostics Biomedical Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Ying-Ta Lai, Yu-Cheng Ou, Jim-Yi Liao, Fan-Yun Huang, Yi-Hsi Chen
  • Patent number: 11618665
    Abstract: A beverage-dispensing appliance may include a cabinet, a liquid line, a liquid level sensor, and a signal shield. The cabinet may define a mutually-orthogonal vertical direction, lateral direction, and transverse direction. The cabinet may define a dispenser recess. The liquid line may be mounted to the cabinet and define a liquid outlet above the dispenser recess. The liquid level sensor may be mounted to the cabinet and directed at the dispenser recess. The signal shield may be movably mounted to the cabinet. The signal shield may be movable between a blocking position and a permissive position. The blocking position may laterally bound at least a portion of the dispenser recess. The permissive position may be transversely spaced apart from the dispenser recess to permit lateral access thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Danister Abeygunawardana, Jianwu Li, Gregory Scott Carr, Brent Alden Junge, Timothy Ray Jackson, Jordan Andrew Waymeyer, Michael C. Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11613420
    Abstract: The tumbler bottle includes a cup having a side wall interior surface and bottom wall a convex interior surface. The cup side wall and bottom wall interior surfaces are joined by a smooth, arcuate interior transition surface to define a first mixing chamber. The tumbler bottle further includes a lid, removably connected with the cup. The lid includes a side wall interior surface and a top wall concave interior surface. The lid side wall and top wall interior surfaces are joined by a smooth, arcuate interior transition surface to define a second mixing chamber. The lid further includes a dispensing outlet and a closure. When coupled together the first mixing chamber and the second mixing chamber are in fluid communication and are configured to uniformly mix a liquid with one or more additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Inventor: Richard Beardsell