Patents Examined by Niki Eloshway
  • Patent number: 9930981
    Abstract: A cup lid for use with a drinking cup containing a liquid, the 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. A first part lying in a first plane and having a top surface. Means on said first part for releasably mounting said first part to the top end of the cup to form a substantially liquid tight seal between the cup lid and the cup. A second part depends radially outwardly from said first part and lies in a second plane. A longitudinal axis and a distal end on said second part. Means on the second part for movement relative to said first part. Compartment means is formed between the inner surface of the cup and the second part for allowing liquid in the cup to flow into the compartment and out of the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Inventors: David C Wheeler, Jeffrey M Morris
  • Patent number: 9517868
    Abstract: A lid-opening/closing device includes a device body on which a pod including a container body, a lid portion defining a bottom portion openable and closable relative to the container body, and a locking mechanism performing unlocking and locking of the lid portion with respect to the container body is placed; a plurality of moving units that perform unlocking to cause the locking mechanism to perform unlocking and locking to cause the locking mechanism to perform locking by moving engaging pins configured to engage with the locking mechanism; a linkage unit that causes the moving units to perform unlocking by moving the moving units in conjunction with each other when causing the locking mechanism to perform unlocking, and causes the moving units to perform locking by moving the moving units in conjunction with each other when causing the locking mechanism to perform the locking; and an air cylinder that simultaneously drives the moving units and the linkage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kuratsu
  • Patent number: 9488313
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tank container (100; 100?) for the transport and storage of cryogenic liquefied gas, comprising a framework (120) and a cylindrical vessel (110) connected to the framework (120), wherein the vessel (110) is covered by a superinsulation arrangement (130) based on an aerogel composition, and the vessel (110) is connected to the framework (120) by a clamping device (30) which is adapted to allow for a relative movement between the framework (120) and the vessel (110) due to thermal expansion or contraction of the vessel (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignees: Aerogel CARD d.o.o., Aspen Aerogels, Inc.
    Inventors: Milan Zrim, Mihael Gruden
  • Patent number: 9469429
    Abstract: A crate, includes a bottom, two end walls, and two side walls. Each of the side walls comprises a first lateral edge adjacent to the first end wall, a second lateral edge adjacent to the second end wall, a lower edge adjacent to the bottom, and an upper edge distant from the bottom. Each side wall comprises a continuous stiffening member extending parallel to the lateral edges and at least partly to the upper edge. The continuous stiffening member comprises a stiffening portion extending at least in one area between the lateral edges from the upper edge in the direction towards the lower edge and back to the upper edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: IFCO SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Orgeldinger
  • Patent number: 9359108
    Abstract: The invention relates to a can having an easy opening panel comprising a tab connected via a rivet structure to the panel, wherein the tab comprises a tab rear part for gripping and actuation, and a tab front part for opening the can upon tab actuation, wherein the panel comprises at least beneath the tab front part a panel structure deformable upon can internal pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Impress Group B.V.
    Inventor: Fabrice Leboucher
  • Patent number: 9352845
    Abstract: A storage container, which may be a fuel bladder, includes a container wall configured to retain a fluid within the container and an opening through the container wall. The container includes a rim of the container wall surrounding the opening and a non-planar flex region of the container wall adjacent to the rim. The flex region includes at least one resilient crease in the container wall and the rim is between the flex region and the opening. A portion of the container wall surrounds the flex region. The flex region exhibits the property of allowing movement of the rim with respect to the portion of the container wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeremie J. Albert, Martin G. Andrews, Jason L. Firko
  • Patent number: 9333141
    Abstract: A thermotherapy device (1) includes a basic housing (2) with walls (14) with a support for a patient and an especially transparent covering hood (3) for the basic housing (2), which covering hood can be moved between a closed position and an open position, so that the basic housing (2) is closed by the covering hood (3) in the closed position. A guide mechanism (4) is provided for mechanically guiding the motion of the covering hood (3) between the closed position and open position. A heater such as a convection heater with a blower heats the air and/or an air humidifier humidifies the air. The covering hood (3) is moved in a simple manner and access to the support for a patient is essentially not hindered by the covering hood (3) in the open position. The patient is kept warm essentially by a radiant heater when the covering hood (3) is opened and by the convection heater when the covering hood (3) is closed. The covering hood (3) may be irradiated by the radiant heater and protected from condensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Jochim Koch, Philip Möhring, Harald Kneuer
  • Patent number: 9321561
    Abstract: A plug for closing a neck of a carboy is disclosed. The plug comprises a cap for obturating the neck and a skirt for attachment to the neck. The skirt includes a first skirt portion, provided with a bulging line for interfering by jamming with the neck, and a second skirt portion, adapted for substantially encircling snugly an outer face of the neck. In order to avoid the presence of liquid between an outside of the neck and an inside of the skirt after placement of the plug, an inner face of the second skirt portion is provided with draining means adapted for delimiting fluid flow passages between the second skirt portion and the neck, which connect with each other opposite axial ends of the second skirt portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventors: Stéphane Graux, Richard Lamoureux
  • Patent number: 9315307
    Abstract: A container closure integrally formed from a synthetic resin includes a body, which has an upper surface wall, and an outer lid connected to the body so as to be pivotable between a closed position at which the upper surface wall of the body is covered and an open position at which the upper surface wall of the body is opened, wherein a raised portion having discharge ports formed on both sides is disposed on the upper surface wall of the body, the discharge ports formed on both sides of the raised portion are opened when the outer lid is pivoted to the open position, while the discharge ports formed on both sides of the raised portion are sealed fully reliably when the outer lid is pivoted to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: NIPPON CLOSURES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Akaogi, Motokatsu Yamada, Ryuichi Tsukamoto, Atsushi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9315292
    Abstract: Various embodiments of flanged containers that can be stacked in a nested relationship are disclosed so as to provide uniform spacing between the containers to facilitate reliable denesting thereof. The flanges and/or sidewalls of the containers may be provided with features that facilitate alignment and uniform spacing of the nested containers so that a denesting apparatus can reliably denest the containers. Other containers include sidewalls divided into two sections that serve to stabilize stacked container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick H. Wnek, Ronald P. Marx, James Kluz, Brian R. O'Hagan, Scott W. Middleton
  • Patent number: 9309038
    Abstract: A cooler includes a cooler body including one or more cooler walls. The cooler further includes a cover configured to be disposed around an exterior of the cooler body, the cover being sized and dimensioned to generally cover an exterior of the one or more cooler walls of the cooler body. The cover preferably includes a moisture-absorbent material. The cover also preferably includes an image, logo, symbol, or text; or a panel preferably includes the image, logo, symbol, or text, which panel is removably attachable to the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: M & C Innovations, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Alexander Vanderberg
  • Patent number: 9296544
    Abstract: Double container (1) includes outer layer body (2) including tubular dispensing spout (2a) and trunk portion (2b). Dispensing spout (2a) is provided, in its side portion, with air inlet hole (4) extending through dispensing spout (2a) from inside to outside. Double container (1) also includes inner layer body (3) including opening (3a) contiguous with opening edge of dispensing spout (2a), and content container portion (3b) contiguous with opening (3a). Inner layer body (3) is accommodated in outer layer body (2). Trunk portion (2b) is provided with outer-layer-side projecting portions (5, 11, 17, 33, 34), and inner layer body (3) is provided with inner-layer-side projecting portions (6, 12, 19, 33?, 34?) having shapes corresponding to inner surfaces of outer-layer-side projecting portions (5, 11, 17, 33, 34). Space is provided between outer-layer-side projecting portions (5, 11, 17, 33, 34) and inner-layer-side projecting portions (6, 12, 19, 33?, 34?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: YOSHINO KOGYOSHO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Miyairi, Shintaro Kutsuzawa, Keita Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9296508
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of collapsible containers are disclosed herein. Some exemplary embodiments include a container having a plurality of sides. The plurality of sides forms a substantially geometric shape, such as a rectangular shape. A plurality of predetermined fold lines extend substantially across each of the sides and the predetermined fold lines form a plurality of geometric shapes. A plurality of predetermined fold lines for inner folds on a first side are aligned with a plurality of predetermined fold lines for outer folds on a second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: GOJO Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph S. Kanfer, Michael J. Gmerek, III, Masato Tabata, Robert J. Lang, Eugene W. Ray
  • Patent number: 9296529
    Abstract: A beverage canister top that facilitates high flow rate includes a canister base, a lateral wall, and a canister top. The canister base and the canister top are oppositely positioned from each other, and the lateral wall is positioned in between the canister top and the canister base. The positioning of the canister base, the lateral wall, and canister top complete the beverage canister. A rotatably connected opening tab of the canister top opens a main spout of the canister top so that the beverage within the beverage canister can flow out. A punch hole of the canister top which is either opened or created by a punch protrusion of the opening tab equalize the inside and outside pressure of the beverage canister in such way that the equalization of the pressure increases the beverage flow rate of the beverage canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Inventor: Lalkrushna C. Malaviya
  • Patent number: 9289089
    Abstract: A primary module has a base with a periphery. The primary module has a base side wall with a lower edge formed integrally with the periphery of the base. The primary module has a base flange in an annular configuration with an inner edge formed integrally with the upper edge of the base side wall. Supplemental modules each have a supplemental side wall with an upper edge, a lower edge, an upper flange, and a lower flange. Each upper flange has an inner edge integrally formed with the upper edge of an associated supplemental side wall. Each lower flange has an inner edge integrally formed with the lower edge of the associated supplemental side wall. A coupling assembly secures together the primary module and the supplemental modules during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Inventor: Upkar C. Premraj
  • Patent number: 9284092
    Abstract: Container (1) of plastic material, comprising a body (5) and a bottom (6), the bottom (6) having an annular outer seat (8) defining a principal seating plane (9) for the container (1), and a deformable membrane (10) that extends radially inside the annular outer seat (8) and is arranged to be able to adopt two configurations: a retracted configuration, in which the membrane (10) extends axially above the principal seating plane (9); a deployed configuration, in which the membrane (10) comprises an annular inner seat (14) in the form of an annular bead projecting towards the exterior of the container (1), which extends axially beneath the principal seating plane (9) and defines a secondary seating plane (15), the bottom (6) comprising a series of hollow reserves (20) in the annular inner seat (15) [sic], which form local discontinuities of the secondary seating plane (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: SIDEL PARTICIPATIONS
    Inventor: Michel Boukobza
  • Patent number: 9278785
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a tamper-evident closure of the roll-on type which comprises an engagement surface, suitable for engaging with a corresponding engagement surface provided on the neck of a container, wherein the engagement surfaces permit the complete removal of the closure after the first opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Guala Closures S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Giovannini, Luca Viale
  • Patent number: 9278784
    Abstract: A capping device includes an external outer cap adapted to be removably fixed to the exterior face of a container neck, and an internal insert adapted to plug the opening of the neck. The insert is adapted to be fitted to the neck independently of the outer cap and before fitting the outer cap to the neck. When it is fitted to the neck, the outer cap is adapted to be permanently fastened to the insert. When filling the container, the insert may include means for retaining it on the neck adapted to connect the insert mechanically to the neck before the outer cap is fitted to the neck, thereby sealing at least the exterior peripheral surface of the free end of the neck against a cleaning liquid applied externally to the neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventors: Christopher Wood, Michel Luzzato, Veronique Bernard, Grégory Antier
  • Patent number: 9272820
    Abstract: A container with a detent mechanism is disclosed. In one embodiment, a container comprises a housing comprising a side wall, a lid comprising a top surface and a lip depending from the top surface, and a detent mechanism disposed between the lip and the side wall. The lid is pivotably coupled with the housing and is configured to rotate between a first position covering an open end of the housing, a second position substantially exposing the open end, and an intermediate position between the first and second positions. The detent mechanism is configured to arrest the rotation of the lid at each of the positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Apex Brands, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Henry Cowie
  • Patent number: 9266428
    Abstract: A fuel filler assembly for a vehicle includes a main flap unit connected to a fuel filler pipe adjacent a filling end thereof and a main flap pivotally disposed on the main flap unit for selectively closing access to the filling end of the fuel filler pipe. The fuel filler assembly further includes a shutter unit connected to the fuel filler pipe adjacent the filling end thereof and engaging the main flap unit, and a shutter pivotally disposed on the shutter unit for selectively closing access to the filling end of the fuel filler pipe. Cooperative engagement (e.g., an interference fit) between the main flap unit and the shutter unit seals the main flap unit and the shutter unit together and prevents fuel from leaking therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Kobayashi