Patents by Inventor John D. Culter

John D. Culter 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: 11884473
    Abstract: Microwave cooking packages suitable for use as microwave popcorn packages include at least one panel (e.g., first and second panels) formed of a vertically rigid material. A flexible portion is attached to the panels. The flexible portion may be formed of a polyester film material such as a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, which may be at least partially transparent. The flexible portion (and panels) defines a bag construction configured to contain a popcorn charge and to be expandable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration when the popcorn charge is subjected to a popping operation. The microwave cooking package may include a vent assembly configured to at least partially open when the bag configuration is in an expanded configuration to vent the bag construction. The vent assembly includes a first portion a second portion of the bag construction that is configured to be folded against the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Conagra Foods RDM, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles T. Gorman, David W. France, Clifton Lachmansingh, Paul J. Warosh, Donald L Greenwood, Joseph C. Walsh, Nicholas P. Lupfer, John D. Culter
  • Publication number: 20210387788
    Abstract: Microwave cooking packages suitable for use as microwave popcorn packages include at least one panel (e.g., first and second panels) formed of a vertically rigid material. A flexible portion is attached to the panels. The flexible portion may be formed of a polyester film material such as a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, which may be at least partially transparent. The flexible portion (and panels) defines a bag construction configured to contain a popcorn charge and to be expandable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration when the popcorn charge is subjected to a popping operation. The microwave cooking package may include a vent assembly configured to at least partially open when the bag configuration is in an expanded configuration to vent the bag construction. The vent assembly includes a first portion a second portion of the bag construction that is configured to be folded against the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Charles T. Gorman, David W. France, Clifton Lachmansingh, Paul J. Warosh, Donald L. Greenwood, Joseph C. Walsh, Nicholas P. Lupfer, John D. Culter
  • Patent number: 10906722
    Abstract: Microwave cooking packages suitable for use as microwave popcorn packages include at least one panel (e.g., first and second panels) formed of a vertically rigid material. A flexible portion is attached to the panels. The flexible portion may be formed of a polyester film material such as a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, which may be at least partially transparent. The flexible portion (and panels) defines a bag construction configured to contain a popcorn charge and to be expandable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration when the popcorn charge is subjected to a popping operation. The microwave cooking package may include a vent assembly configured to at least partially open when the bag configuration is in an expanded configuration to vent the bag construction. The vent assembly includes a first portion a second portion of the bag construction that is configured to be folded against the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Conagra Foods RDM, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles T. Gorman, David W. France, Clifton Lachmansingh, Paul J. Warosh, Donald L. Greenwood, Joseph C. Walsh, Nicholas P. Lupfer, John D. Culter
  • Publication number: 20180127191
    Abstract: Microwave cooking packages suitable for use as microwave popcorn packages include at least one panel (e.g., first and second panels) formed of a vertically rigid material. A flexible portion is attached to the panels. The flexible portion may be formed of a polyester film material such as a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, which may be at least partially transparent. The flexible portion (and panels) defines a bag construction configured to contain a popcorn charge and to be expandable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration when the popcorn charge is subjected to a popping operation. The microwave cooking package may include a vent assembly configured to at least partially open when the bag configuration is in an expanded configuration to vent the bag construction. The vent assembly includes a first portion a second portion of the bag construction that is configured to be folded against the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Charles T. Gorman, David W. France, Clifton Lachmansingh, Paul J. Warosh, Donald L. Greenwood, Joseph C. Walsh, Nicholas P. Lupfer, John D. Culter
  • Patent number: 9868581
    Abstract: Microwave cooking packages suitable for use as microwave popcorn packages include at least one panel (e.g., first and second panels) formed of a vertically rigid material. A flexible portion is attached to the panels. The flexible portion may be formed of a polyester film material such as a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, which may be at least partially transparent. The flexible portion (and panels) defines a bag construction configured to contain a popcorn charge and to be expandable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration when the popcorn charge is subjected to a popping operation. The microwave cooking package may include a vent assembly configured to at least partially open when the bag configuration is in an expanded configuration to vent the bag construction. The vent assembly includes a first portion a second portion of the bag construction that is configured to be folded against the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Conagra Foods RDM, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Thomas Gorman, David W. France, Clifton Lachmansingh, Paul J. Warosh, Donald L. Greenwood, Joseph C. Walsh, Nicholas P. Lupfer, John D. Culter
  • Publication number: 20150166242
    Abstract: Microwave cooking packages suitable for use as microwave popcorn packages include at least one panel (e.g., first and second panels) formed of a vertically rigid material. A flexible portion is attached to the panels. The flexible portion may be formed of a polyester film material such as a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, which may be at least partially transparent. The flexible portion (and panels) defines a bag construction configured to contain a popcorn charge and to be expandable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration when the popcorn charge is subjected to a popping operation. The microwave cooking package may include a vent assembly configured to at least partially open when the bag configuration is in an expanded configuration to vent the bag construction. The vent assembly includes a first portion a second portion of the bag construction that is configured to be folded against the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Charles Thomas Gorman, David W. France, Clifton Lachmansingh, Paul J. Warosh, Donald L. Greenwood, Joseph C. Walsh, Nicholas P. Lupfer, John D. Culter
  • Patent number: 5944206
    Abstract: A closure (10) is shown including a U-shaped handle (27) integrally connected to a cap (22) in turn integrally connected to the end wall (18) of a bottle (12) to seal the opening (20) formed therein. The handle (27) includes a lever element (28) in the preferred form of a hollow body (30) integrally connected to the cap (22) by a web (32) and for providing leverage in twisting the cap (22) off the end wall (18). First and second wings (36) are integrally connected to the lever element (28) for increasing the size of closure (10) to be larger than a small part. In the preferred form, each of the wings (36) includes a solid trailing portion (44) and a hollow tube (38) in fluid communication with the hollow body (30). The trailing portions (44) are compression molded by the mold halves (54) utilized to blow mold the bottle (12). The hollow tubes (38) are compression molded and thermoformed in the mold halves (56) forming the end wall (18), the cap (22), and the lever element (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Culter, David V. Harmann, H. Eugene Hite, Jr., John P. Rebhorn, Wade J. Groetsch, Bernd Hansen
  • Patent number: 5431292
    Abstract: A closure (10) is shown including a U-shaped handle (27) integrally connected to a cap (22) in turn integrally connected to the end wall (18) of a bottle (12) to seal the opening (20) formed therein. The handle (27) includes a lever element (28) in the preferred form of a hollow body (30) integrally connected to the cap (22) by a web (32) and for providing leverage in twisting the cap (22) off the end wall (18). First and second wings (36) are integrally connected to the lever element (28) for increasing the size of closure (10) to be larger than a small part. In the preferred form, each of the wings (36) includes a solid trailing portion (44) and a hollow tube (38) in fluid communication with the hollow body (30). The trailing portions (44) are compression molded by the mold halves (54) utilized to blow mold the bottle (12). The hollow tubes (38) are compression molded and thermoformed in the mold halves (56) forming the end wall (18), the cap (22), and the lever element (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Culter, David V. Harmann, H. Eugene Hite, Jr., John P. Rebhorn, Wade J. Groetsch
  • Patent number: D352002
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1994
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Culter, David V. Harmann, H. Eugene Hite, Jr., John P. Rebhorn, Wade J. Groetsch