Patents Examined by Tara L. Laster
  • Patent number: 5669502
    Abstract: A vial holder is provided which is easily loaded with a vial, retains the vial in a rigid manner and permits the vial to be discharged in a simple manner. The vial holder can also exhibit two vial retention sections for simultaneously rigidly holding two vials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Berlex Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Holly Ong, Paul Schmid, Cliff Wood, David G. Bragin
  • Patent number: 5662218
    Abstract: A reusable compact disc package with a narrow three-sided spine compartment for holding a spine card identifying the compact disc title and a second compartment, essentially square, for firmly storing a sleeve containing a compact disc. The essentially square shape of the second compartment allows for the compact disc sleeve to be square and thereby contain a scaled down exact reproduction of the original album graphics of a previously released recording. The package contains a vertical opening opposite the spine such that the sleeve may be easily inserted into and removed from the package. The package also includes a retaining clip for firmly holding the sleeve in place inside the package. The package is comprised of two components with correlated lock tabs and receptacles such that the components may be cinched securely together to form a stable compact disc package which can be easily disassembled with the use of a two-pronged key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: AGI Incorporated
    Inventor: James A. Ladwig
  • Patent number: 5613607
    Abstract: A unique, multi-purpose, reusable and disposable product holding and displaying container system is achieved by providing a base member which incorporates locking means and a product display member which comprises a product holding zone and locking means constructed for rapid engagement and disengagement with the locking means of the base member. In the preferred embodiment, the product holding and displaying container system is formed from thermoformed or vacuum-formed plastic material, and is constructed to hold any desired product, particularly, baked goods and rack or hook display items. In one embodiment, the container system is constructed for being completely separated from any support panel, thereby providing a container which is easily reused for product storage until the product is fully consumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Inline Plastics Corporation
    Inventors: Dan Kalmanides, Richard M. Ellison
  • Patent number: 5609252
    Abstract: A display and storage tray for a stack of photographs, card-like objects or the like, includes a housing, a retaining member, a plurality of slots, at least one guiding member and a lifting member. The housing has an interior that forms a recess that is adapted to hold the stack of photographs. The retaining member is coupled to the housing to retain the stack of photographs within the recess of the housing. A first opening slot is formed between the guiding member and the retaining member, and is adapted to permit the removal of one of the photographs from the stack at a time. A guiding member is coupled to or formed as a part of the housing to guide a photograph back to the bottom of the stack of photographs when one photograph is to be placed back in the stack of photographs in the recess of the housing. A second opening slot is formed between the back of the housing and the a guiding member, and is adapted to permit insertion of one or more photographs to the bottom of the stack of photographs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: View 'N Store, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard C. Koch
  • Patent number: 5597071
    Abstract: A wrap-around carrier including upper and lower corner restraint panels for preventing outward movement of packaged articles. The partial end panels are locked in place by side panel locking flaps which extend between an adjacent end article and a connected side panel. Transversely extending fold lines in the corner restraint panels relieve carrier forming stresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Riverwood International Corporation
    Inventor: Robert L. Sutherland
  • Patent number: 5590776
    Abstract: A carrier is provided for carrying a plurality of bottles such as, but not limited to, long-necked glass bottles or PET bottles. The carrier includes a top panel and at least one side panel. The top panel has a first ply defining an array of surrounding apertures and a second ply below the first ply defining an array of container receiving apertures which are concentric with the surrounding apertures of the first ply. A plurality of slits extending radially from each container receiving aperture of the second ply to define tabs which engage a bottle's chime and hold the bottle in the carrier. The fold point for the tabs is defined by the surrounding apertures. The carrier can be formed as a box-top or sleeve carrier having a bottom panel defining openings which are concentric with the apertures in the top panel. The box-top carrier holds the bottles in tight formation and in contact with each other to prevent the bottles from impacting each other to prevent damage to the bottles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Inventors: Richard T. Galbierz, Michael A. Galbierz
  • Patent number: 5588526
    Abstract: Optical arrangements are provided by which observers of flat containers or display boxes, such as compact disc (CD) jewel boxes, can be presented with different information about the contents of the box when looking at one of its surfaces from different angular perspectives. Advantageously, parallax effects are compensated where the size of the observable images and the viewing distance create undesirable visual artifacts. Horizontally and vertically oriented lenticulated panels are used in combination with interlaced images to convey the differently coded views without the need for physically manipulating such boxes as in the past to see equivalent information. Compliant inserts preferably provide the information content of the various views and are adapted for use with industry automated insert machinery while being self aligning with the lenticulated panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Insight, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Fantone, Anthony L. Gelardi, John A. Gelardi
  • Patent number: 5588529
    Abstract: A baseball equipment bag having an elongated bag portion of flexible material and a substantially planar interior shelf within the elongated bag portion. The interior shelf is permanently secured to the elongated bag portion. A removable panel is capable of being removed to substantially fully expose the interior shelf. The removable panel can be removed from the bag to facilitate the application of commercial printing thereon. The equipment bag includes a bat compartment which allows a bat to be accessed from either of two openings. The equipment bag is capable of collapsing to a substantially flat configuration when not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Inventor: Michael W. Speck
  • Patent number: 5582289
    Abstract: A composite carrier (10) has a handle structure (20) with a hand-gripping portion (22, 23) in upright relation to an attached article-engaging panel structure (24, 25). In one embodiment of the handle structure (20) the panel structure is a pair of panels (22, 23) formed from flexible sheet material. Each sheet (22, 24) has at least one deformable aperture (31) for engaging the neck of an article (31). In an alternate embodiment of the handle structure (40) the panel structure is a panel (44) attached in generally perpendicular relation to the hand-gripping portion. The generally horizontal panel has at least one neck-receiving aperture (46). Each neck-receiving aperture (46) has at least one foldably attached tab (48) extending inwardly into the aperture for engaging the flanged neck of an article such as the crown of a bottle. The second part of the composite carrier (10) is a tubular, wrap-around type carton (30) having top, side and bottom walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: The Mead Corporation
    Inventor: James W. Wright
  • Patent number: 5579906
    Abstract: A security display container for alternately displaying and transporting a watch or the like that includes a housing having a tongue which forms a first part of a snap-lock, the tongue itself having a first latch portion. The display container also includes a retainer member for securing and displaying the watch which is removably receivable in the housing and which forms a second part of a snap-lock that is received under the tongue in order to snap lock the retainer member to the housing. The retainer member further having a second latch portion that is aligned with the first latch portion and a fastener which is receivable through the first and second latch portions to connect the retainer member to the housing. The security display container is adapted to receive a cover which is mateable with the housing in a nesting orientation for displaying the watch and in an enclosing orientation for transporting the watch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Advance Watch Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Terence Fabbri, Jack H. Schechter
  • Patent number: 5573117
    Abstract: A system for displaying packaged goods has an insert sized to be placed on a bottom surface of a packaging carton. The insert has a plurality of alternating peaks and valleys. Each peak has a front wall, a rear wall having a height greater than the front wall and a sloped top extending from the front wall to the rear wall. Each valley is sized to receive a bottom portion of a blister package. A blister package comprised of a card portion, and blister portion attached to the card portion is sized and configured so that a plurality of blister packages can be placed in front to back relationship and a bottom edge of each blister package will fit into a valley in the insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Patent number: 5566823
    Abstract: A sanitary holder for storing toothbrushes in a tray with a plurality of separate receptacles for holding a liquid antiseptic into which a bristle end of a toothbrush is immersed. The tray is stored in a container with a cap and is slid in and out of the container with a handle attached to the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Inventor: Shirley F. Summers
  • Patent number: 5564561
    Abstract: Thermal insulator is formed by adding a sufficient quantity of water to a superabsorbent polymer in a flexible container to form a gel. The polymer is lightly crosslinked potassium polyacrylate. The gel-holding flexible container may then be wrapped around or otherwise positioned to envelop a vial containing a temperature-sensitive specimen. The gel-holding flexible container is an effective thermal insulator which protects the specimen from potentially harmful extremes of temperatures, and also cushions the specimen-containing vial against mechanical shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Scicor, Inc.
    Inventors: April M. Black, Benton J. Pittman, Karen L. Rhoades
  • Patent number: 5564566
    Abstract: An outdoor faucet organizing basket including a container having a rectangular bottom wall with a border piece coupled thereto and extended upwards therefrom to create a hollow interior, the bottom wall having a front edge, a rear edge, a pair of opposed side edges and an arrangement of spaced circular through holes formed thereon near the front edge, and the border piece including an upstanding short front wall coupled the bottom wall at a location adjacent to the through holes, an upstanding tall rear wall coupled to the bottom wall at a location adjacent to its rear edge, a pair of opposed parallel spaced upstanding side walls coupled to the bottom wall near its side edges, and a sequence of slots formed on each wall for allowing the interior to be ventilated; coupling means for coupling the container to a nozzle of an outdoor faucet; a hose clamp for holding a hose coupled one of the side walls of the container; and a plurality of hooks coupling to the container for holding miscellaneous outdoor gardening
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Inventor: Steven E. Lamb
  • Patent number: 5562209
    Abstract: A lightweight small personal appliance items for covering, storing and protecting curling irons. The item includes (6) A Foam rubber outer shell, (9) a layer of insulation, (8) a heat resistant inside lining and (7) an elastic security strap. The curling iron cooler is a single part with the elastic security, strap being an attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Inventors: Patricia N. Jackson, Daniel L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5560487
    Abstract: A heart valve holder and packaging for supporting a bioprosthetic heart valve. The holder is attached to the heart valve, preferably with a single suture, and has a grip for either direct manual manipulation of the heart valve or for the attachment of a removable handle. A clip is provided which attaches to the heart valve holder and suspends the valve holder and the heart valve within a casing or jar. Ethanol or another suitable fluid within the jar protects the heart valve from biologic contamination, while the structure of the heart valve holder and clip protect the heart valve from physical damage. The valve holder, with attached heart valve, and the clip, can be removed from the jar as a single unit, and the clip can be detached from the heart valve holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: CarboMedics, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Starr
  • Patent number: 5558229
    Abstract: An assembly comprising a plurality of dispensers, each dispenser having a plurality of compartments, and a tray selectively receiving the plurality of dispensers in a row, the tray having a length and opposite ends along the length, the dispensers being arranged along the length of the tray, the dispensers and the tray having interengaging opposed surfaces which both in combination permit sliding of the dispensers within the tray and along the length of the tray, and which restrain transverse removal of the dispensers from the tray except for at least one dispenser located at one of the ends of the tray, so that a user can discern based on the restraint whether the user is attempting to remove the one endmost dispenser or another dispenser from the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Inventor: Frank Halbich
  • Patent number: 5553704
    Abstract: A stackable can carrier is formed from a unitary paperboard blank. The carrier compensates for stacking problems caused by smaller diameter tops and bottoms on present cans, the latter termed 202 cans which have a tendency to rock with respect to each other when stacked. An otherwise conventional can carrier is provided with foldable, lateral flaps having pairs of cuts lines which define ears. The latter are glued to the carrier top surface. The flaps overlie respective can top receiving openings in the carrier less than one half of the diameter of the can openings. Upon stacking of the carriers and cans therein for storage or for display, the carrier provides improved stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: International Paper
    Inventors: Robert L. Gordon, Linda A. Bernstein
  • Patent number: 5551565
    Abstract: A beverage can carrier and storage device formed of a wire form structure having an upper and lower channel, each with a vertically disposed entrance wherein the upper portion of each channel is bent at an approximately 45-degree angle to the vertically disposed lower portion of each channel for cans to pass through such entrance and down the angular portions of each channel to the vertical portion of the channels and in a first embodiment to be caught by cross members within the bottom portion of the structure for storage and carrying of the cans, and in a second embodiment without cross members at the bottom of the channels to allow the cans passing therethrough to fall into and be contained within a storage container disposed therebelow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Inventor: Kathleen S. Kendrick
  • Patent number: 5551564
    Abstract: A roll package for items such as postage stamps or other labels that is convertible to a dispenser for such items includes a pair of elongate housing parts formed from a single piece of plastic sheet stock and joined along mutually confronting end edges by an integral hinge. When used as a package, a roll of stamps or the like is held within one of the housing parts by a cover sheet. Plural roll packages are formed from a single piece of flat plastic sheet stock and one or more cover sheets, with the individual packages separated from one another by perforated or scored connecting lines. Individual packages can be removed from the sheet of packages by tearing along the connecting lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Inventors: James L. Prater, Joseph F. Moore