Patents Examined by Robert K Nichols, II
  • Patent number: 11975348
    Abstract: A liquid dispensing system for dispensing two or more liquids of different composition, viscosity, solubility and/or miscibility at high filling speeds into a container through a unitary dispensing nozzle to improve homogeneous mixing of such liquids, while said nozzle is an integral piece free of any movable parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Justin Thomas Cacciatore, Chong Gu, Scott William Capeci, Ilse Maria Cyrilla D'Haeseleer, Vincenzo Guida, Boon Ho Ng, Qi Zhang
  • Patent number: 11969745
    Abstract: A container including a storage chamber within which is located at least one concentrated product housed; a mixing chamber coupled to the storage chamber and capable of storing a pump dispenser assembly, wherein the storage chamber is isolated from the mixing chamber. Also included is a reversible middle section capable of connecting the pump dispenser at the center opening with the container mouth opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Inventors: Peter Lee, Adam Touzani
  • Patent number: 11971132
    Abstract: A floor supported free standing dispenser assembly including a fluid dispenser coupled to an upper end of the dispenser assembly and a fall arrest bumper member which will engage with a floor to reduce damage from any impact with the floor should the stand or dispenser assembly be tipped over.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: OP-Hygiene IP GmbH
    Inventors: Hendrik Ophardt, Heiner Ophardt
  • Patent number: 11964862
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for monitoring beverage dispenser. A system for controlling beverage quality comprises a beverage dispenser monitoring unit comprising: a plurality of weight sensors each positioned below one of a plurality of syrup containers connected to a beverage dispenser, and a first network adapter configured to communicate with a control unit. The control unit configured to detect a low weight reading from a weight sensor of the plurality of weight sensors of the beverage dispenser monitoring unit via the second network adapter, determine a syrup container of the plurality of syrup containers associated with the weight sensor, and provide a notification of low syrup level indicating the syrup container to at least one of the plurality of user interface devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Christine L. Andrews, Rohit C. Dharmadhikari, Jose A. Estrada, Mayra R. Harmon
  • Patent number: 11964863
    Abstract: Disclosed is a water dispenser. The water dispenser includes a water outlet component; a water cooling module for accessing a water source, an output port of the water cooling module being communicated with the water outlet component through a first water pump; and/or a water heating module, an input port of the water heating module accessing the water source through a second water pump, an output port of the water heating module being communicated with the water outlet component, the water outlet component accessing the water source through the second water pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignees: FOSHAN MIDEA CHUNGHO WATER PURIFICATION EQUIPMENT CO., LTD., MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mianchun Huang, Hexin Gu, Xingzhi He, Wenxue Du
  • Patent number: 11958027
    Abstract: A re-mixing dispenser for containing and dispensing a liquid. The dispenser may have one or more tubes, each containing a different liquid. At least one of the liquids may be re-mixed in situ, using a special two-piece plunger and plunger rod. A mixing piece of the two-piece plunger is moveable independently of a top piece and has blades that allow it to move through the liquid. A plunger rod is removably attached to the mixing piece and is operable to move the mixing piece up and down within the tube during mixing. The two plunger pieces are joined and moved as a single plunger during dispensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Cole Buss, Eric Kroeger, Taylor W. Batholomew
  • Patent number: 11957178
    Abstract: An aerosol actuator having an operating cap and a base cap, where the operating cap interfaces with the aerosol valve of an aerosol dispenser and is rotatable between a locked position which prohibits dispensing of the aerosol product and an unlocked position that allows dispensing of an aerosol product via tilting action of the operating cap, is presented. The operating cap is equipped with a plurality of fins positionable over a plurality of blocking surfaces and slots in the base cap, where rotation in one direction locks the operating cap and prevents actuation and consequent dispensing of an aerosol product and rotation in an opposite direction allows for operation of the cap and consequently the dispensing of an aerosol product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: APACKAGING GROUP LLC
    Inventor: Armin Arminak
  • Patent number: 11944180
    Abstract: A hand-held cosmetic dispenser having a housing with a first end and a second end, the housing having a nozzle coupled to a first end of the housing, a power source disposed within the housing, a spray button coupled to the housing, a cosmetic fluid compartment disposed within the housing and configured to receive and retain a fluid cosmetic, a gas compartment configured to receive and retain a gas canister, and a gas controlling system disposed within the housing. The gas controlling system has and air-tight coupler configured for coupling to the gas canister, a control mechanism that controls how much gas can leave the gas canister, and a tube that connects the gas compartment to the cosmetic fluid compartment. The power source is electrically coupled to the spray button and the gas controlling system. A method of using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Inventor: Richard Masud
  • Patent number: 11944991
    Abstract: A dispensing assembly for dispensing fluid generally includes a container having a handle located toward an upper portion of the container, and a sprayer having arms extending away from the sprayer. The arms of the sprayer define a channel configured to receive at least part of the handle of the container within the channel to thereby couple the sprayer to the container. Such a dispensing assembly can be made by forming the container with a handle located toward an upper portion of the container, and forming the sprayer with the arms such that the arms can be used to couple the sprayer to the handle of the container, where the arms extend away from the sprayer and define the channel for receiving at least part of the handle of the container into the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventor: Scott C. Voelker
  • Patent number: 11939201
    Abstract: A replaceable component for a dispense head includes a first pipe disposed to pass through an inside of a dispense head, a pressing portion capable of pressing a valve body of a beverage supply valve in a beverage container, and a sealing member. The sealing member includes a first sealing portion capable of coming in contact with a beverage outlet of the beverage container, and a membrane connected to the first sealing portion and inhibiting a beverage from adhering to the dispense head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: ASAHI GROUP HOLDINGS, LTD., ASAHI BREWERIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Miyatani, Tsutomu Maeda, Masanori Yamagishi, Motohiro Inagaki
  • Patent number: 11937569
    Abstract: Apparatus configured for dispensing bedding inside of breeding cages for use in pharmaceutical preclinical research centres, including: a loading hopper located in the upper part of the apparatus, and adapted to contain the bedding to be supplied to the cages; at least one supporting plane adapted to support one or more cages, and positioned under the hopper; an actuator under the hopper, adapted to raise or lower the hopper and the at least one supporting plane; one or more dosing mouths located in the lower part of the loading hopper, and adapted to feed into the cages given quantities of bedding from the hopper; a dispensation system adapted to dispense bedding into the cages through the one or more dosing mouths; a control system adapted to determine the quantity of bedding and to control the actuator; and a base for supporting the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: IWT S.R.L.
    Inventors: Matteo Borghi, Michele Vitali
  • Patent number: 11932469
    Abstract: A dispensing system cap is provided that includes a main cap body and a rotatable dial coupled to the main cap body that includes time-of-day indicators and day-of-week indicators to allow a user to indicate the last time that a dose was taken or the next time that a dose is due to be taken. The rotatable dial may include one or more stops, each corresponding to a combination a day indicator and a time-of-day indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventor: Gabriel E. Concari
  • Patent number: 11918158
    Abstract: A product dispenser holder comprises a dispenser holder body configured to receive a product dispenser that stores a supply of a product to be dispensed, an actuation sensor that senses actuations of the product dispenser, and an actuation button, such that when an actuation force is applied to a pump of the product dispenser, a substantially downward force is applied to the actuation button causing the actuation button to rotate substantially downwardly and actuate the actuation sensor to generate a dispenser actuation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Steinmetz, Jeffrey Rospierski, Sarah E. Johnson, Viktor Slobodyan
  • Patent number: 11912560
    Abstract: A beverage dispensing system is provided, including a main body having a base portion, and a cradle portion configured to support a beverage container including a beverage to be dispensed. The cradle portion may include an elongated cavity, and a shoulder configured to receive an inverted beverage container. The beverage dispensing system may further include an adaptor, and a self-venting tap, and the adaptor is configured to couple a beverage container to the self-venting tap, such that a beverage may be dispensed through the tap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: PepsiCo, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurmeet Singh Bhutani, Vipin Arora, Rahul Sadashiv Kamble, Rohit Phanda, Somchat Tipnoysanga
  • Patent number: 11897749
    Abstract: A soda carbonation and dispensation system and method are provided. The system includes a carbonated water pump and motor assembly operable to draw fresh water into carbonator tanks and circulate the water through a chiller system. A carbon dioxide source is connected to the carbonator tanks to produce carbonated water. The system also includes a water level sensor connected to a controller, a plurality of syrup containers, a syrup pump, syrup regulator valves, a brix capacitor, a dispensing tower and faucets connected to the dispensing tower housing. The controller operates the water pump and motor assembly to maintain a water level within a predetermined range and to maintain continuous flow and refrigeration of the carbonated water, which optimizes carbonation. The brix capacitor receives chilled carbonated water and chilled syrup in separate lines. Carbonated water is circulated to the faucets through a manifold in the brix capacitor and then circulated back into the carbonator tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Inventor: Hunter Abraham
  • Patent number: 11897752
    Abstract: A dispenser having a pedal actuator. The dispenser includes a valve operatively connected to a nozzle and which moves from a closed position to an open position to dispense an item, a first actuator operatively connected to the nozzle, and a second actuator located below the first actuator and operatively connected to the nozzle. The dispenser can be electro-mechanical and can include components capable of retrofitting onto existing dispensers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: PepsiCo, Inc.
    Inventors: Rahul Sadashiv Kamble, Amandeep Singh Gulati, Vipin Arora
  • Patent number: 11897751
    Abstract: A cartridge valve (22, 94) and system (10) are provided in which the cartridge valve (22, 94) includes a regulator (44, 96) a flow ring (67), and a solenoid (42, 100) which may have an adjustable stroke to facilitate stable flow control. Also, the cartridge valve (22, 94) includes a quick and easy installation and removal fitting (30 and 32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Lancer Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Louis Robinson, Brandon Ojeda
  • Patent number: 11890626
    Abstract: A liquid sprayer powered by an inflatable standup paddle board (iSUP), comprising: a container; a sprayer hose; and an air hose. The container is configured to hold a liquid, the sprayer hose comprises a spray nozzle and is configured to pass the liquid from the container through the spray nozzle. The air hose may be configured to connect to the container and to an iSUP. The air hose may comprise a flow regulator and one-way check valve. The flow regulator is configured to start, stop, increase, and decrease a flow of air from the iSUP into the container. The one-way check valve substantially prevents the liquid from entering the iSUP. The container may accept the flow of air from the iSUP when connected to the iSUP, such that the container is pressurized. When the container is pressurized, the spray nozzle passes the liquid out of the liquid sprayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Inventors: Colleen Hammond, Robert Hammond
  • Patent number: 11883580
    Abstract: A nebulizer for nebulizing a fluid from a cartridge and a cartridge for such a nebulizer is proposed. The cartridge comprises a container containing the fluid to be nebulized and is fluidically connected to the nebulizer by inserting a connecting element of the nebulizer for conveying the fluid out of the container. The cartridge is preferably adapted to sealingly receive the connecting element and can optionally comprise a membrane or sealing wall which seals the cartridge initially and is piercable or breakable by the connecting element upon insertion. The cartridge can further comprise an at least partially flexible and/or bendable tube for conveying the fluid out of the container. The tube is preferably wettable with the fluid and/or comprises an at least partially hydrophilic and/or polar surface. Further, the tube can at least partially be shaped as a helix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventors: Stephen Terence Dunne, Joachim Carl Herbert Eicher, Herbert Graessl, Andree Jung, Gilbert Wuttke
  • Patent number: 11879762
    Abstract: A portable grout device is provided. The device includes a grout hopper, a cylindrical tube portion connected to and operable to receive grout from the grout hopper, and a drive shaft and auger assembly within the cylindrical tube portion. The drive shaft and auger assembly includes a central shaft and a helical auger screw operable to push the grout out of an end of the cylindrical tube portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: JP Joseph LLC
    Inventor: James P. Joseph