Patents Examined by Stephen Cronin
  • Patent number: 5735426
    Abstract: A fitment and closure assembly useful with a gable-topped carton having a gable-forming panel with a pouring hole, through which contents are pourable from the carton, is molded from low density polyethylene. A fitment having a tubular spout formed with an external thread and an annular flange extending outwardly from the tubular spout, below the external thread, is attachable to the gable-forming panel so that the annular flange is attached to the gable-forming panel, around the pouring hole, and so that the tubular spout extends upwardly from the pouring hole. A closure having an upper wall, a tubular skirt with an internal thread and an upper shoulder, and a plug seal forming an annular recess between the plug seal and the upper shoulder is threadable onto the fitment so that the external and internal threads are interengaged and so that the upper end of the tubular spout enters the annular recess with an interference fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Babcock, Hugh C. Urmston
  • Patent number: 5732841
    Abstract: A fuel cap and filler neck fitment for receiving the fuel cap. The fuel cap includes an outer member and an inner closure assembly with seal. The cap and fitment both include lugs which interengage when the cap is moved into a closing position to pressurize the seal determined by an improved overriding ratchet arrangement. During removal of the cap, the outer member moves against a spring action for a predetermined arc before the inner closure assembly is moved to disengage the seal. When the seal is disengaged, the spring action takes up the relative motion. Once removed, the cap is retained by an improved tether assembly. The outer member is connected to the inner annular assembly by an improved structural arrangement which allows the outer member to separate under crash impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Tesma International Inc.
    Inventors: Radisav Jocic, Konrad Scharrer
  • Patent number: 5730352
    Abstract: The container includes a sheet rolled or folded into a tube of a required cross-section and a bottom cap and top cap for the tube ends, each end cap defining an endless groove corresponding to the tube cross-section. At least one wall defining the groove of at least one of the end caps has projections at spaced locations, each shaped to provide a lead-in face and a rear retaining face. The sheet is provided with appropriately shaped apertures at spaced locations corresponding to the projections adjacent one end edge thereof, the arrangement being such that, in fitting the end cap to its adjacent tube end, the apertures of the tube end are guided by the lead-in and opposed faces of the end cap, to locate over and be positively retained by the retaining faces of their corresponding projections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Associated Marketing Direction
    Inventor: Michael Deekes
  • Patent number: 5727703
    Abstract: A child resistant package including a plastic container having a body portion and a finish with internal threads. The plastic container has a radial flange extending outwardly from the finish and an upwardly extending axial wall extending axially upwardly from the periphery of the radial flange. The axial wall has at least one lug extending radially inwardly from the axial wall. A plastic closure has a base wall and a peripheral skirt having external threads engaging said internal threads on the container. The closure has a radial flange engaging the radial flange on the finish when the closure is threaded on the finish and a finger engaging tab thereon having a flexible portion which engages the lug on the container when the closure is fully threaded on the finish to prevent the closure from being removed. Radial inward deflection of the tab permits the closure to be rotated past the lug in order to remove the closure from the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy J. Fuchs
  • Patent number: 5725122
    Abstract: A lid assembly is provided for a pail which is characterized by a receptacle portion that is closed of by a secondary lid. The receptacle portion is provided for storing and displaying items related to the contents of the pail, e.g., small tools or instructions. The lid assembly may also have a pouring spout, either within or outside of the receptacle portion, so that the contents of the pail may be emptied without removing the entire lid assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Plastican, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph B. Murphy, Henry J. Blanchette, Richard P. Smagala
  • Patent number: 5725115
    Abstract: A closure cap that is connected captively with the neck of a container. To this end, a retaining ring is used to engage beneath a bead on the container mouth when the cap is in position on the container mouth. The cap wall is firmly connected with this retaining ring by the tether. The retaining ring at the same time serves as an anti-tamper security for the closure. In its original condition, the tether runs between the cap wall and the retaining ring along the circumference of the closure cap and is connected by nominal rupture bridge pieces not only with the retaining ring but also with the lower edge of the cap wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Crown Cork AG
    Inventors: Udo Bosl, Michael Kirchgessner
  • Patent number: 5725123
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a system for closing cylindrical containers, such as Petri dishes, for example, with a cover cap whose cover apron presses against the outer surface of the lateral wall of the container. In particular, the present invention provides a cylindrical container and cover system having a simple and convenient, yet secure, closing and opening mechanism which consists of as few individual parts as possible. The cover cap of the present invention has individual elevations on the inner surface of the cover apron. The elevations press against the outer surface of the container walls to hold it in a non-positive manner. The elevations are made as knobs or elongated struts, and are arranged on opposite circular sections of the cover apron in such a way that at least two opposite sections of at least 130.degree. of the periphery of the cover apron have no elevations. In accord with the invention, a simple mechanism for removing the cover cap from the container is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Heraeus Instruments GmbH
    Inventor: Hans Otto-Nagels
  • Patent number: 5725114
    Abstract: A child resistant container apparatus includes a container for containing a substance and having an opening; a first inner cap member for removably covering the opening; first threads for rotationally engaging the first cap with the opening in a first direction of rotation; a second outer cap member for removably covering the first cap; and second threads for rotationally engaging the second cap with the first cap in a second direction of rotation, wherein the first direction of rotation is opposite to the second direction of rotation. The first and second direction are selected to provide opening of the container through rotation in an unexpected direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Inventor: E. Steven Pickman
  • Patent number: 5722558
    Abstract: A container lid, adapted for use with a cold or hot drink, is provided with a condiment reservoir built into the lid. An orifice for drinking a liquid in the container is provided on one side of a planar surface forming the lid and an open top recess, forming the condiment reservoir, is provided on the other side. Closed side walls and a bottom extending down toward the container serve to form the reservoir. The condiment can be carried directly in the reservoir or in a condiment holder, such as a packet or cup, placed in the reservoir. The side walls extend at an acute angle from the planar surface to allow multiple lids to nest together prior to use. A mating groove and annular projection in the recess and on a cup, respectively, serves as a snap fit interlock system to hold the cup in place. The side walls of the recess include a semicircular wall and a diagonal wall connecting the ends to form the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Sadler Inventions, Inc.
    Inventor: Troy N. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5722546
    Abstract: A child-resistant closure and container package having push tabs formed in the closure to prevent rotation relative to the container until the push tabs are deflected radially inwardly to disengage from lock members on the container to permit unthreading rotation of the closure relative to the container. Simultaneous squeezing of the push tabs and rotation of the closure permit removal of the closure from the container. Also, a tamper indicating feature is associated with the push tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Rexam Closures Inc.
    Inventor: Marc Briere
  • Patent number: 5722548
    Abstract: There is provided a new and useful combination of a bottle stopper and stopper-remover comprising cylindrical stopper means (10) of resilient material, the stopper means (10) having top, bottom and side surfaces and a deep well (14) extending into the stopper (10) from the top surface (16); a hollow sleeve (30) in and substantially conforming in cross-section to the well (14), the sleeve (30) having top and bottom ends and inner and outer surfaces; a series of protruding interference members (36) on the outer surface, at least one detent member (46) on the inner surface (43,44) spaced a predetermined distance from the top and bottom; a pair of openings (47) through opposite sides of the sleeve (30) adjacent the detent (46) on a side of the detent (46) remote from the top end; a pair of longitudinal slits (45) extending from respective ones of said openings (47) to a position spaced from said top end; and puller means (50) for insertion into the sleeve (30), the puller means (30) comprising a top gripper membe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Kwik Kork International Inc.
    Inventor: David E. Hojnoski
  • Patent number: 5722562
    Abstract: A closure cap (1) of the present invention is provided for closing a tube (3). The cap has a skirt (15) which, when installed on the tube, extends from the end of the tube along the outside of the outside surface of the tube wall, an end closure (13) which extends across the end of the tube and closes off the end of the tube, and an inner flange (17) integral with the skirt and with the end closure. The inner flange is concentric with the skirt such that the end of the tube is received between the skirt and the inner flange. The cap further has a wall (19) integral with the inner end of the flange and integral with the end closure for connecting the inner end of the inner flange and the end closure. A flexible connection (23) is provided between the skirt and the inner flange which permits flexing of the inner flange relative to the skirt upon installation of the cap on the tube thereby to enable installation of the cap on the tube substantially without deformation of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: C.A.P.S. Inc.
    Inventor: James Kick
  • Patent number: 5722545
    Abstract: A twist-off closure is disclosed for all kinds of containers having a head and a closure cap. The container head has at its top end a sealing lip shaped as a circumferential bead. A steep, multiple-start thread is located below the sealing lip. A fin is arranged between each winding of the steep thread and the container shoulder. The closure cap has a corresponding inner thread that co-operates in the closed state with the fins of the container head causing the closure cap to be clamped, so as to prevent the container from being unintentionally opened by itself. In the closed state, the first part of the windings of the thread of the closure cap engage the fins of the container head, and this is clearly perceived as a pressure point when twisting the cap by hand. All that is required to open and close the closure cap is to twist it through a half turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Dental-Kosmetik GmbH
    Inventor: Rolf Rinne
  • Patent number: 5720401
    Abstract: An inner seal for sealing containers by heat induction, especially when the inner seal may be in contact with the contents of the container during sealing. The inner seal includes a metallic foil layer which heats up almost instantaneously, and a foam layer which thermally insulates the foil layer from the contents of the container which may be in contact with the inner seal. The foam layer is compressed, and is consequently a poorer thermal insulator, where it contacts the land area of the neck of the container to which it is being sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Phoenix Closures, Inc.
    Inventor: David N. Moore
  • Patent number: 5720409
    Abstract: A string-attached cap is formed by connecting one end of a belt-shaped coupling member to a cap. In the string-attached cap, the coupling member is made of flexible resin, and has a ring as its part at one end, and the ring has an engaging part which is the inner periphery of the ring, the engaging part being slidably engaged with an annular groove formed in the outer periphery of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignees: Calsonic Corporation, Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Eiichi Asakura, Misako Gomi, Osamu Hokari
  • Patent number: 5718371
    Abstract: The present invention discloses various one piece, flip style, injection molded, pour spout type closures. Each closure includes a frame having an aperture therethrough with a door hinged along a bottom edge of the aperture for opening and closing the aperture. Side panels are attached to the door and extend between the door and the side edges of the panel to form the pour spout when the door is in the opened position. Two embodiments of the present invention provide hinged side panels which fold up to help seal the closure and provide a substantially flat panel with the door in the closed position. Another embodiment of the present invention provides fixed side panels adapted to extend through the aperture and including stop members to limit the outward movement of the door to the fully opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: Erie County Plastics Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Smith, Matthew E. Stebick, Marty L. Shampoe
  • Patent number: 5718347
    Abstract: A container and closure for medicine, pills or the like includes a latch connected to the closure by a living hinge. The closure is connected to the container opposite from the latch by a second living hinge. The latch is seated within a recess on the sidewall of the container to provide a child resistant package. A cavity is formed between the sidewall and the latch in the recess. The latch must be depressed by the user to free a portion of the latch from the recess. The remainder of the latch is dislodged from the recess by pressing on a region of the sidewall of the container. The closure can then be opened by grasping the latch and pulling upwardly thereby freeing the closure from the upper rim of the container. The unitary container and closure provide an effective child resistant package which is likewise easily opened by an adult or senior citizen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Inventors: Charles B. Walker, Bradford Dunn Walker
  • Patent number: 5718348
    Abstract: An overcap assembly for a gear finish vial having a cap constructed and arranged to contain either a stopper-type closure or a sealing disc closure. A plurality of radially inwardly extending ribs are provided in the cap to maintain the closure in the cap and to cooperate with teeth on the gear finish to prevent turning of the cap assembly when in the sealing position on the vial. A plurality of inwardly extending tabs are provided on the lower end of the cap for selectively engaging shoulders on the vial neck for holding the overcap assembly upwardly from the neck of the vial in an unsealed position during the lyophilization procedure and downwardly on the neck of the vial when in the sealed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: Comar, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Manera
  • Patent number: 5715963
    Abstract: A closing device for the filler neck of a motor vehicle tank, in which device an orifice of the filler neck, opening into the tank interior can be closed by means of a cap which can be placed sealingly onto the orifice edge under a closing force. The closing force is exerted by a spring. The nozzle of a filling pump to be introduced into the filler neck can operate opening movement of the cap. The cap can be displaced between the closing and the opening position via an actuating mechanism by means of a variable transmission ratio having a value decreasing from the closing position of the cap to its open position and by means of a variable closing force having a value increasing from the open position of the cap to the closing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Wolf Boll, Reinhard Steinkamper, Marianne Schwiedessen
  • Patent number: 5715961
    Abstract: A universal cover for cosmetic dispensers is disclosed. The cover comprises a cover body having an open end and a closed end and a retainer secured to the cover, adjacent to the open end, for securing the cover to a dispenser. The retainer comprises a ring of foam or other resilient material adhered or otherwise secured to the cover body adjacent to an open end of the cover body. At least a portion of the cover body is transparent or at least color transparent, so that one can view and identify a cosmetic in a cosmetic dispenser with the cover secured thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Robertson Distributors
    Inventor: Robin Robertson