Patents by Inventor Harry B. Wilfong, Jr.

Harry B. Wilfong, Jr. 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: 5335788
    Abstract: The invention provides self-opening polyethylene film bag stacks which do not require a separate adhesive layer between adjacent bags. The self-opening bag stack according to the invention preferably include a plurality of stacked t-shirt type high density polyethylene film bags releasably adhered together. At least an upper portion of the outer surface of the front and rear walls of each of the bags in the bag stack has been corona treated and at least one localized compressed area extends transversely through the bag stack in the upper portion of the bags such that the stack has a decreased thickness in the localized compressed area and so that adjacent outer wall corona treated surfaces defined by the localized compressed area are releasably adhered together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: M. Wayne Beasley, Wade D. Fletcher, Harry B. Wilfong, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5207368
    Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for serially dispensing flexible plastic bags from a wound package of bags which are joined along perforated severance lines, including a panel, and at least one elongate dispensing slot extending through the panel. The slot includes relatively narrow and linearly aligned outer edge portions, and a laterally extending tongue positioned between the outer edge portions. Also, an opening is located on one side of the tongue. In use, the opening is used to facilitate thread-up of the initial bag through the slot, and the two outer edge portions serve to engage and hold the bag in the slot. During withdrawal, the tongue engages the central portion of the bag, and when the tongue engages the next perforated severance line, or the bottom of the cut out in the case of T-shirt bags, a significant resistance is imparted which causes the severance line to rupture, with the next bag positioned in the slot and ready to be engaged and withdrawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Harry B. Wilfong, Jr., Richard A. Brown
  • Patent number: 5125604
    Abstract: A system is provided for automatic consecutive opening and dispensing thermoplastic grocery or retail product bags of the T-shirt type while providing for supporting consecutive bags in an open position and for facilitating easy removal of the consecutive loaded bags. The system includes a pack of bags and a rack of the type having outwardly extending support arms and a retaining means for receiving the bag pack by mounting the bag handles on the support arms of the rack through apertures therein and mounting a detachable bag mounting tab on the rack retaining means. Each of the bags has disengageable adhesive between each bag which has a predetermined severance strength greater than the severance strength of the mounting tabs. The rack support arms define a predetermined resistive force in laterally-extending outer portions against sliding of the bags therealong which is greater than the severance strength of the adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Carll D. Vrooman, Harry B. Wilfong, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5020750
    Abstract: A system is provided for automatic consecutive opening and dispensing thermoplastic grocery or retail product bags of the T-shirt type while providing for supporting consecutive bags in an open position and for facilitating easy removel of the consecutive loaded bags. The system includes a pack of bags and a rack of the type having outwardly extending support arms and a retaining means for receiving the bag pack by mounting the bag handles on the support arms of the rack through apertures therein and mounting a detachable bag mounting tab on the rack retaining means. Each of the bags has disengageable adhesive each bag which has a predetermined severance strength greater than the severance strength of the mounting tabs. The rack support arms define a predetermined resistive force in laterally-extending outer portions against sliding of the bags therealong which is greater than the severance strength of the adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Carll D. Vrooman, Harry B. Wilfong, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4995860
    Abstract: An easy opening bag pack and supporting rack system is provided which includes a plurality of gussetted bags of the T-shirt type or of the flat top type provided with bag mounting apertures through all of the bag walls on opposed sides thereof and additional cuts in the front wall portion and the front section of the gussetted side wall portions and in communication with the bag mounting apertures therein for effectively enlarging such apertures. A rack mounts the bag pack through the mounting apertures and includes stub shaft supports laterally spaced from each other and being a length less than the outwardly extending dimensions of an open bag and greater than the thickness of the bag pack and include an enlarged portion on the free outer ends thereof of greater dimensions than the bag mounting apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: Harry B. Wilfong, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4981216
    Abstract: An easy opening bag pack and supporting rack system is provided which includes a plurality of gussetted bags of the T-shirt type or of the flat top type provided with bag mounting apertures through all of the bag walls on opposed sides thereof and additional cuts in the front wall portion and the front section of the gussetted side wall portions and in communication with the bag mounting apertures therein for effectively enlarging such apertures. A rack mounts the bag pack through the mounting apertures and includes stub shaft supports laterally spaced from each other and being of a length less than the outwardly extending dimensions of an open bag and greater than the thickness of the bag pack and include an enlarged portion on the free outer ends thereof of greater dimensions than the bag mounting apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Co.
    Inventor: Harry B. Wilfong, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4930385
    Abstract: A dispensing nozzle for serially dispensing flexible plastic bags is disclosed, and which includes a generally circular plate and a depending tubular mounting sleeve. Two elongate zigzag slots of differing size extend through the plate, and a thread-up opening is positioned at each end of each slot. Each thread-up opening is of a size to permit the free end of the leading bag of a package of bags to be manually threaded therethrough and such that the bag may then be moved into the slot. The differing sizes of the two slots permits bags of differing size to be efficiently received in respective ones of the slots. When the bag is pulled upwardly from its associated slot, its movement is resisted by the zigzag configuration of the slot, and the resistance facilitates the severance of the pulled bag from an immediately following bag joined thereto along a severance line. The bags may be withdrawn in either lateral direction with equally effective results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Harry B. Wilfong, Jr., Edwin W. Haenni
  • Patent number: 4849090
    Abstract: A roll of flexible plastic film bags formed of a continuous strip of bags with transverse severance lines between the individual bags. The bags dispense in a forward direction from the roll with each following bag adhesively tacked to the roll with a resistance to release slightly greater than the resistance to release of the severance line for a stabilization of the roll as the leading bags are severed therefrom. The tack securing of each following bag is provided by the application of an adhesive to the inner face panel of each bag adjacent the mouth end thereof as the roll is being formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Manson D. Case, Harry B. Wilfong, Jr., William C. Hoffmeyer
  • Patent number: 4676378
    Abstract: A bag pack formed of multiple stacked handle bags having aligned mounting apertures defined through the handles thereof for reception of mounting rods therethrough. The apertures are formed by partially severed flaps which are in turn bonded together to maintain aperture alignment. The flaps are integral with the bags along minor easily severed areas for a freeing of the bags upon a severance of the flaps simultaneous with or subsequent to reception of the mounting rods through the apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: William H. Baxley, Marion H. Weatherford, Harry B. Wilfong, Jr., Floyd B. Williams
  • Patent number: D308170
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: Harry B. Wilfong, Jr.
  • Patent number: RE33264
    Abstract: A bag pack formed of multiple stacked handle bags having aligned mounting apertures defined through the handles thereof for reception of mounting rods therethrough. The apertures are formed by partially severed flaps which are in turn bonded together to maintain aperture alignment. The flaps are integral with the bags along minor easily severed areas for a freeing of the bags upon a severance of the flaps simultaneous with or subsequent to reception of the mounting rods through the apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1990
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: William H. Baxley, Marion H. Weatherford, Harry B. Wilfong, Jr., Floyd B. Williams
  • Patent number: D323619
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Harry B. Wilfong, Jr., Edwin W. Haenni