Patents by Inventor David B. Clements
David B. Clements has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8777033Abstract: A plastic container and closure, and system and method of making the same. Container can include a solid bottom end, an outer sidewall extending from solid bottom end, a shoulder portion extending from outer sidewall, and neck portion extending from shoulder portion, forming an open end of container. Solid bottom end includes a circumferential heel portion having a plurality of radially asymmetrical projections and recesses disposed on an outer periphery of the heel portion, the plurality being configured to increase heel portion rigidity while maintaining substantially uniform material thickness. Shoulder portion forms an angle with a plane perpendicular to the container central axis. At an angle of 50° a desirable failure mode may be achieved where the yield strength of the shoulder portion is balanced against that of the heel portion and the outer sidewall to maximize the top load strength of the container.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2010Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.Inventors: Lawrence Korpanty, Kevin D. Himes, John E. Denner, David B. Clements, Robert D. Stoolmaker, Thomas J. Atkinson
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Patent number: 8205749Abstract: A stackable container assembly that is particularly suited for packaging heavy bulk products such as paint includes a container having a main body and a removable lid having an upstanding rim portion that has an upper surface. The container has a flexible bottom portion that has a lower surface that includes at least one support surface for supporting the container assembly on an underlying horizontal surface. The lower surface further includes at least one projection that is disposed radially inwardly from the support surface. The flexible bottom portion is advantageously configured so that the projection will flex radially downwardly and outwardly into a position that is adjacent to an upstanding rim portion of an underlying container assembly when the container assembly is stacked on top of another container assembly. This ensures accurate registration and positioning of the container assemblies during stacking.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2008Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.Inventors: Lawrence Korpanty, Kevin D. Himes, John E. Denner, David B. Clements
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Publication number: 20120102880Abstract: A plastic container and closure, and system and method of making the same. Container can include a solid bottom end, an outer sidewall extending from solid bottom end, a shoulder portion extending from outer sidewall, and neck portion extending from shoulder portion, forming an open end of container. Solid bottom end includes a circumferential heel portion having a plurality of radially asymmetrical projections and recesses disposed on an outer periphery of the heel portion, the plurality being configured to increase heel portion rigidity while maintaining substantially uniform material thickness. Shoulder portion forms an angle with a plane perpendicular to the container central axis. At an angle of 50° a desirable failure mode may be achieved where the yield strength of the shoulder portion is balanced against that of the heel portion and the outer sidewall to maximize the top load strength of the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2010Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicant: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.Inventors: Lawrence Korpanty, Kevin D. Himes, John E. Denner, David B. Clements, Robert D. Stoolmaker, Thomas J. Atkinson
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Patent number: 7988002Abstract: A plastic container and closure and method of making the same. The container can include a solid bottom end, an outer sidewall extending from the solid bottom end, and a neck portion extending from the outer sidewall to create an open end of the container. The neck portion may have a spout portion having an aperture formed therein. The spout portion can be inverted to form a flange receptacle. The closure can include a sealing portion which includes a first receptacle, a spring portion that includes a second receptacle, and a planar center area configured in the center of the closure and extending inward from the spring portion. The container may be filled with a product and the closure secured to the container, over the open end, to create a primary seal and a secondary seal. When the closure is secured to the container, the spring portion can exert a sealing pressure against the neck portion of the container to create the primary seal.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2007Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.Inventors: John E. Denner, David B. Clements, Robert D. Stoolmaker
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Publication number: 20100200605Abstract: A plastic container that is preferably formed using a blow molding and trimming process includes a container main body portion and a lid mounting portion. The lid mounting portion includes a sealing flange and a flexible transition portion connecting the sealing flange to the container main body portion. The flexible transition portion preferably has at least one notch defined therein so as to form a hinge permitting downward movement of the sealing flange when a lid is secured on to the container. In another embodiment, more than one notch is provided defining multiple hinges that provide a compound hinge effect in order to reduce stresses on the molded plastic material during use of the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2009Publication date: August 12, 2010Applicant: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.Inventors: Walter R. Herring, Kevin T. Hartman, Kevin D. Himes, Lawrence Korpanty, Jana M. Zeigler, David B. Clements
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Publication number: 20100018889Abstract: A stackable container assembly that is particularly suited for packaging heavy bulk products such as paint includes a container having a main body and a removable lid having an upstanding rim portion that has an upper surface. The container has a flexible bottom portion that has a lower surface that includes at least one support surface for supporting the container assembly on an underlying horizontal surface. The lower surface further includes at least one projection that is disposed radially inwardly from the support surface. The flexible bottom portion is advantageously configured so that the projection will flex radially downwardly and outwardly into a position that is adjacent to an upstanding rim portion of an underlying container assembly when the container assembly is stacked on top of another container assembly. This ensures accurate registration and positioning of the container assemblies during stacking.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2008Publication date: January 28, 2010Applicant: GRAHAM PACKAGING COMPANY, L.P.Inventors: Lawrence Korpanty, Kevin D. Himes, John E. Denner, David B. Clements
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Publication number: 20080128380Abstract: A plastic container and closure and method of making the same. The container can include a solid bottom end, an outer sidewall extending from the solid bottom end, and a neck portion extending from the outer sidewall to create an open end of the container. The neck portion may have a spout portion having an aperture formed therein. The spout portion can be inverted to form a flange receptacle. The closure can include a sealing portion which includes a first receptacle, a spring portion that includes a second receptacle, and a planar center area configured in the center of the closure and extending inward from the spring portion. The container may be filled with a product and the closure secured to the container, over the open end, to create a primary seal and a secondary seal. When the closure is secured to the container, the spring portion can exert a sealing pressure against the neck portion of the container to create the primary seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2007Publication date: June 5, 2008Inventors: John E. Denner, David B. Clements, Robert D. Stoolmaker
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Publication number: 20020017501Abstract: A plastic container is provided that includes a hollow body portion that extends vertically and has upper and lower extremities; a lower freestanding base that closes the lower extremity of the body portion; an upper dispensing end located above the upper extremity of the body portion and including a shoulder portion, a dispensing opening, and a radially outwardly projecting formation positioned above the shoulder portion and below the dispensing opening; wherein at least a portion of the outwardly projecting formation extends radially above and outwardly over the shoulder portion adjacent to the formation to form a recessed portion therebetween and the outer periphery of the formation includes one or more projected segments to facilitate rotational handling of the container. If desired, the container may be microwavable. A method for producing a container in accordance with the principles of the invention is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2001Publication date: February 14, 2002Applicant: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.Inventors: David B. Clements, James C. Dorn, Timothy J. Eppinga, Greg N. Dean
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Patent number: D458540Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2001Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Assignee: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.Inventors: David B. Clements, James C. Dorn, Timothy J. Eppinga, Greg N. Dean
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Patent number: D409904Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 1998Date of Patent: May 18, 1999Assignee: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.Inventors: David B. Clements, John P. Reynolds