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).

  • Patent number: 8777033
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Lawrence Korpanty, Kevin D. Himes, John E. Denner, David B. Clements, Robert D. Stoolmaker, Thomas J. Atkinson
  • Patent number: 8205749
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Lawrence Korpanty, Kevin D. Himes, John E. Denner, David B. Clements
  • Publication number: 20120102880
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Lawrence Korpanty, Kevin D. Himes, John E. Denner, David B. Clements, Robert D. Stoolmaker, Thomas J. Atkinson
  • Patent number: 7988002
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: John E. Denner, David B. Clements, Robert D. Stoolmaker
  • Publication number: 20100200605
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Walter R. Herring, Kevin T. Hartman, Kevin D. Himes, Lawrence Korpanty, Jana M. Zeigler, David B. Clements
  • Publication number: 20100018889
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: GRAHAM PACKAGING COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Lawrence Korpanty, Kevin D. Himes, John E. Denner, David B. Clements
  • Publication number: 20080128380
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: John E. Denner, David B. Clements, Robert D. Stoolmaker
  • Publication number: 20020017501
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Applicant: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Clements, James C. Dorn, Timothy J. Eppinga, Greg N. Dean
  • Patent number: D458540
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Clements, James C. Dorn, Timothy J. Eppinga, Greg N. Dean
  • Patent number: D409904
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Clements, John P. Reynolds