Patents by Inventor Kenneth R. Wilkes
Kenneth R. Wilkes 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: 11479398Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for sealing a fitment to a flexible container. In an embodiment, the method includes placing a fitment into the neck of a four panel flexible container formed from flexible film. The process includes complementarily aligning a multiseal around a base of the fitment. The process includes providing a plurality of primary seals (and flaps), secondary seals, and tertiary seals onto the base with respective primary sealing jaws, secondary sealing jaws, and tertiary sealing jaws to form the multiseal, wherein the secondary seals overlap the primary seals, and the tertiary seals overlap the primary seals and the secondary seals.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2019Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLCInventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, John R. Kiffmeyer, Ryan N. French, Miguel Avalos
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Publication number: 20210188472Abstract: A flexible container formed of flexible web material is provided. The container includes four panels forming: a body portion; a neck portion; a flare portion extending from the neck portion; and a tapered transition portion between the body and neck portions; wherein the neck portion has a reduced width and the flare portion has an expanded end. Also disclosed is a method of forming the aforementioned container comprising steps of: biasing the expanded end to define a circumference; moving, via a mandrel comprising a groove, the fitment within the circumference and through the expanded end to a first position in the neck; transversely cutting away the expanded end by advancing preferably v-shaped blades through the neck and into the groove preferably without rotation of the mandrel, container, or blades; moving the fitment to a second position in the neck; and sealing the neck to the fitment.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2020Publication date: June 24, 2021Inventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, Miguel Avalos, Ryan French, John Kiffmeyer
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Publication number: 20210053738Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for sealing a fitment to a flexible container. In an embodiment, the method includes placing a fitment into the neck of a four panel flexible container formed from flexible film. The process includes complementarily aligning a multiseal around a base of the fitment. The process includes providing a plurality of primary seals (and flaps), secondary seals, and tertiary seals onto the base with respective primary sealing jaws, secondary sealing jaws, and tertiary sealing jaws to form the multiseal, wherein the secondary seals overlap the primary seals, and the tertiary seals overlap the primary seals and the secondary seals.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2019Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, John R. Kiffmeyer, Ryan N. French, Miguel Avalos
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Patent number: 10858136Abstract: A flexible container formed of flexible web material is provided. The container includes four panels forming: a body portion; a neck portion; a flare portion extending from the neck portion; and a tapered transition portion between the body and neck portions; wherein the neck portion has a reduced width and the flare portion has an expanded end. Also disclosed is a method of forming the aforementioned container comprising steps of: biasing the expanded end to define a circumference; moving, via a mandrel comprising a groove, the fitment within the circumference and through the expanded end to a first position in the neck; transversely cutting away the expanded end by advancing preferably v-shaped blades through the neck and into the groove preferably without rotation of the mandrel, container, or blades; moving the fitment to a second position in the neck; and sealing the neck to the fitment.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2019Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: Smart Bottle, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, Miguel Avalos, Ryan French, John Kiffmeyer
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Publication number: 20200339297Abstract: A flexible container formed of flexible web material is provided. The container includes four panels forming: a body portion; a neck portion; a flare portion extending from the neck portion; and a tapered transition portion between the body and neck portions; wherein the neck portion has a reduced width and the flare portion has an expanded end. Also disclosed is a method of forming the aforementioned container comprising steps of: biasing the expanded end to define a circumference; moving, via a mandrel comprising a groove, the fitment within the circumference and through the expanded end to a first position in the neck; transversely cutting away the expanded end by advancing preferably v-shaped blades through the neck and into the groove preferably without rotation of the mandrel, container, or blades; moving the fitment to a second position in the neck; and sealing the neck to the fitment.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2019Publication date: October 29, 2020Inventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, Miguel Avalos, Ryan French, John Kiffmeyer
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Publication number: 20200165015Abstract: A flexible container is provided. The flexible container includes four panels. The four panels form (i) a body portion; (ii) a neck portion, and a flare portion that extends from the neck portion; (iii) a tapered transition portion between the body portion and the neck portion; and (iv) the neck portion has a reduced width. The flare portion has an expanded end. The width of the flare portion gradually increases from the neck portion to the expanded end.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2020Publication date: May 28, 2020Inventors: Bruno Rufato Pereira, Marcos Pini Franca, Kenneth R. Wilkes
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Patent number: 10589882Abstract: A flexible container is provided. The flexible container includes four panels. The four panels form (i) a body portion; (ii) a neck portion, and a flare portion that extends from the neck portion; (iii) a tapered transition portion between the body portion and the neck portion; and (iv) the neck portion has a reduced width. The flare portion has an expanded end. The width of the flare portion gradually increases from the neck portion to the expanded end.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2015Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLCInventors: Bruno R. Pereira, Marcos P. Franca, Kenneth R. Wilkes
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Patent number: 10099817Abstract: A process for producing a flexible container is provided. The process includes: A. providing a rear panel web, a front panel web, a first folded gusset panel web, and a second folded gusset panel web, each panel web having peripheral edges and a bottom face, each bottom face having two opposing tapered edges meeting at a bottom end; B. placing the folded gusset panel webs between the rear panel web and the front panel web, the gusset panel webs opposing each other, the panel webs configured to form a common periphery and the bottom seal area including the bottom end of each panel; C. first sealing the peripheral edges, the tapered edges, and the bottom seal area under a set of heat seal conditions; D. second sealing a portion of the bottom seal area under a second heat seal condition; and E. forming a flexible container.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2015Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLCInventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, Marlos G. Oliveira, Marcos P. Franca
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Publication number: 20180244418Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a process. In an embodiment, the process includes (A) providing a flexible container having (i) a body, and (ii) a neck. The process includes (B) positioning a fitment into the neck. The fitment is composed of a polymeric material and includes a top portion and a tapered base. The tapered base extends from the top portion to a base end. The top portion has a top inner diameter (TiD) and the base end has a base end inner diameter (BEiD). The BEiD is less than the top inner diameter, (TiD). The process includes (C) heating the tapered base to a malleable state and (D) inserting a mandrel into the fitment. The mandrel includes an expandable collar. The process includes (E) expanding the expandable collar radially outward to contact an inner surface of the tapered base. The process includes (F) increasing, with the expanding, the inner diameter of the base end to a stretched base end inner diameter (sBEiD). The sBEiD is greater than the BEiD.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2017Publication date: August 30, 2018Inventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, Lamy J. Chopin, III, Rashi Tiwari
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Publication number: 20180079573Abstract: The present disclosure provides a flexible container. In an embodiment, the flexible container includes (A) four panels, each panel comprising a flexible multilayer film. The flexible multilayer film includes a polymeric material composed of a polymeric material. The four panels form (i) a body, and (ii) a neck. The flexible container includes (B) a fitment having a top portion and a base. The fitment is composed of a polymeric material. The base is sealed in the neck. The base has (C) a cross-sectional shape with a diameter (d), and the base has a wall thickness (WT). The base has a d/WT ratio wherein the d/WT ratio (in mm) is from 35 to 800.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2016Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, Ryan S. Gaston, Jeffrey E. Bonekamp, Rashi Tiwari, Mark W. Vansumeren
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Publication number: 20180071991Abstract: The present disclosure provides a process for producing a flexible container. In an embodiment, the process includes (A) providing a flexible container. The flexible container has (i) a body, and (ii) a neck. The process includes (B) positioning a fitment into the neck. The fitment has a top portion and a base. The fitment is composed of a polymeric material. The process includes (C) inserting a mandrel into the fitment. The mandrel includes an expandable collar composed of an elastomeric material. The process includes (D) expanding the collar radially outward to contact an inner surface of the base. The process includes (E) sealing, with a pair of opposing seal bars, the base to the neck.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2016Publication date: March 15, 2018Inventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, Ryan S. Gaston
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Patent number: 9908668Abstract: The present disclosure provides a flexible container having four panels—a front panel, a rear panel, and opposing gusseted side panels. The front panel bottom face includes a first line defined by the inner edge of a first peripheral tapered seal and a second line defined by the inner edge of a second peripheral tapered seal. The first line intersects the second line at an apex point in a bottom seal area. The front panel bottom face has a bottom distalmost inner seal point on the inner edge and the apex point is separated from the bottom distalmost inner seal point by a distance from 0 mm to less than 8.0 mm.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2015Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLCInventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, Marlos G. Oliveira, Marcos P. Franca
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Publication number: 20160176567Abstract: A fitment has an axis and a registration feature. The fitment is sealed within a bottle neck in a position in which the registration feature has a predetermined orientation to the bottle neck rotationally about the axis. Preferably, the fitment has a screw thread defining a limit of rotation for a bottle cap to be screwed onto the fitment. The registration feature has a predetermined orientation to the screw thread rotationally about the axis, whereby the limit of rotation also has a predetermined orientation to the bottle neck rotationally about the axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2016Publication date: June 23, 2016Inventor: Kenneth R. Wilkes
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Patent number: 9284106Abstract: A fitment has an axis and a registration feature. The fitment is sealed within a bottle neck in a position in which the registration feature has a predetermined orientation to the bottle neck rotationally about the axis. Preferably, the fitment has a screw thread defining a limit of rotation for a bottle cap to be screwed onto the fitment. The registration feature has a predetermined orientation to the screw thread rotationally about the axis, whereby the limit of rotation also has a predetermined orientation to the bottle neck rotationally about the axis.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2012Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Smart Bottle, Inc.Inventor: Kenneth R. Wilkes
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Publication number: 20160016679Abstract: A flexible container is provided. The flexible container includes four panels. The four panels form (i) a body portion; (ii) a neck portion, and a flare portion that extends from the neck portion; (iii) a tapered transition portion between the body portion and the neck portion; and (iv) the neck portion has a reduced width. The flare portion has an expanded end. The width of the flare portion gradually increases from the neck portion to the expanded end.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2015Publication date: January 21, 2016Inventors: Bruno R. Pereira, Marcos P. Franca, Kenneth R. Wilkes
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Publication number: 20150314919Abstract: A process for producing a flexible container is provided and includes: A. providing a rear panel web, a front panel web, a first folded gusset panel web, and a second folded gusset panel web, each panel web having peripheral edges and a bottom face, each bottom face having two opposing tapered edges meeting at a bottom end; B. placing the folded gusset panel webs between the rear panel web and the front panel web, the gusset panel webs opposing each other, the panel webs configured to form a common periphery and the bottom seal area including the bottom end of each panel; C. first sealing the peripheral edges, the tapered edges, and the bottom seal area under a set of heat seal conditions; D. second sealing a portion of the bottom seal area under a second heat seal condition; and E. forming a flexible container.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2015Publication date: November 5, 2015Inventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, Marlos G. Oliveira, Marcos P. Franca
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Publication number: 20150314928Abstract: The present disclosure provides a flexible container having four panels—a front panel, a rear panel, and opposing gusseted side panels. The front panel bottom face includes a first line defined by the inner edge of a first peripheral tapered seal and a second line defined by the inner edge of a second peripheral tapered seal. The first line intersects the second line at an apex point in a bottom seal area. The front panel bottom face has a bottom distalmost inner seal point on the inner edge and the apex point is separated from the bottom distalmost inner seal point by a distance from 0 mm to less than 8.0 mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2015Publication date: November 5, 2015Inventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, Marlos G. Oliveira, Marcos P. Franca
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Patent number: 8945459Abstract: A plastic film preform is expanded to form a container. The preform has a longitudinal axis that extends from an open top to a closed bottom. The preform is pressurized with a first pressure sufficient to cause side walls of the preform to expand outwardly and the bottom of the preform to be drawn inwardly thereby reducing a length of the preform along the longitudinal axis. Side molds are closed around the side walls of the preform, the closed side molds being larger than the expanded side walls. A bottom mold is closed to be adjacent to the bottom of the preform after pressurizing the preform with the first pressure. The preform is pressurized with a second pressure sufficient to expand the preform to fill the closed molds. The preform is thereby significantly stretched in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and minimally stretched along the longitudinal axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2008Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: Smart Bottle Inc.Inventor: Kenneth R. Wilkes
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Patent number: 8840305Abstract: A flexible container includes a panel structure of flexible web material, including panels that are adjoined to define a pouch. The pouch has a top opening with a fitment, and is expandable from a collapsed, unfilled condition to an expanded, filled condition. When the pouch is in the filled condition and resting on a flat surface, the panel structure supports the pouch in an upright orientation in which the fitment opening faces upward. The panel structure also provides the pouch with a flat footprint upon which the pouch overlies the flat surface. The flat footprint is defined in part by the pouch and in part by the lower handgrip in a condition folded beneath the pouch.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2012Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Smart Bottle Inc.Inventors: Kenneth R. Wilkes, Frederick W. Schuldt
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Publication number: 20130098863Abstract: A fitment has an axis and a registration feature. The fitment is sealed within a bottle neck in a position in which the registration feature has a predetermined orientation to the bottle neck rotationally about the axis. Preferably, the fitment has a screw thread defining a limit of rotation for a bottle cap to be screwed onto the fitment. The registration feature has a predetermined orientation to the screw thread rotationally about the axis, whereby the limit of rotation also has a predetermined orientation to the bottle neck rotationally about the axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2012Publication date: April 25, 2013Inventor: Kenneth R. Wilkes