Patents by Inventor Patrick Di Giovanni

Patrick Di Giovanni 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: 7350676
    Abstract: Valve for an aerosol container for dispensing a suspension of a substance in a liquid propellant contained therein. The valve comprises a valve body (1) having at least one orifice (16) to allow a quantity of the suspension to pass from the container into the valve. The valve further comprises a ring (18) disposed around the valve body (1), the ring being positioned below the at least one orifice to reduce the volume of suspension that can be accommodated within the container below the at least one orifice when the container is orientated with the valve at the bottom, the ring having at least one portion of reduced axial thickness to provide a trough (19) around the valve body below the at least one orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: SmithKline Beecham Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Di Giovanni, Cheryl Vanessa Rogerson
  • Patent number: 6966467
    Abstract: Valve for an aerosol container for dispensing a suspension of a substance in a liquid propellant contained therein. The valve comprises a valve body (1) having at least one orifice (16) to allow a quantity of the suspension to pass from the container into the valve. The valve further comprises a ring (18) disposed around the valve body (1), the ring being positioned below the at least one orifice to reduce the volume of suspension that can be accommodated within the container below the at least one orifice when the container is orientated with the valve at the bottom, the ring having at least one portion of reduced axial thickness to provide a trough (19) around the valve body below the at least one orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: SmithKlineBeecham Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Di Giovanni, Cheryl Vanessa Rogerson
  • Publication number: 20050183720
    Abstract: Valve for an aerosol container for dispensing a suspension of a substance in a liquid propellant contained therein. The valve comprises a valve body (1) having at least one orifice (16) to allow a quantity of the suspension to pass from the container into the valve. The valve further comprises a ring (18) disposed around the valve body (1), the ring being positioned below the at least one orifice to reduce the volume of suspension that can be accommodated within the container below the at least one orifice when the container is orientated with the valve at the bottom, the ring having at least one portion of reduced axial thickness to provide a trough (19) around the valve body below the at least one orifice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Inventors: Patrick Di Giovanni, Cheryl Rogerson
  • Patent number: 6622893
    Abstract: A valve gasket for a metering valve serving to dispense a fluid, in particular a powder dispersed in a propellant gas, the metering valve including a valve body defining a metering chamber, and a valve rod mounted to slide in the metering chamber between a rest position and an actuating position, the sealing between the valve rod and the metering chamber being provided by the valve gasket, the valve body being fixed in a fixing cap serving to assemble the valve onto a fluid reservoir, the valve gasket being provided with a radially inside contact zone over which the valve rod slides, the contact zone being fixed to a rigid element so that, while the valve rod is moving, the contact zone of the valve gasket remains substantially unchanging in terms of its shape and of its position, the contact zone having a profile that is rounded at least in part, so as to reduce the area of contact between the valve gasket and the valve rod, the rigid element being an integral part of the fixing cap, and in particular the in
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Valois S.A.
    Inventors: Patrice Leone, Sandrine Barranco, Patrick Di Giovanni
  • Publication number: 20030136802
    Abstract: Valve for an aerosol container for dispensing a suspension of a substance in a liquid propellant contained therein. The valve comprises a valve body (1) having at least one orifice (16) to allow a quantity of the suspension to pass from the container into the valve. The valve further comprises a ring (18) disposed around the valve body (1), the ring being positioned below the at least one orifice to reduce the volume of suspension that can be accommodated within the container below the at least one orifice when the container is orientated with the valve at the bottom, the ring having at least one portion of reduced axial thickness to provide a trough (19) around the valve body below the at least one orifice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Inventors: Patrick Di Giovanni, Cheryl Vanessa Rogerson
  • Patent number: 6510969
    Abstract: Valve for an aerosol container for dispensing a suspension of a substance in a liquid propellant contained therein. The valve comprises a valve body (1) having at least one orifice (16) to allow a quantity of the suspension to pass from the container into the valve. The valve further comprises a ring (18) disposed around the valve body (1), the ring being positioned below the at least one orifice to reduce the volume of suspension that can be accommodated within the container below the at least one orifice when the container is orientated with the valve at the bottom, the ring having at least one portion of reduced axial thickness to provide a trough (19) around the valve body below the at least one orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: SmithKline Beecham Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Di Giovanni, Cheryl Vanessa Rogerson
  • Publication number: 20020190477
    Abstract: A valve gasket for a metering valve serving to dispense a fluid, in particular a powder dispersed in a propellant gas, said metering valve comprising a valve body defining a metering chamber, and a valve rod mounted to slide in said metering chamber between a rest position and an actuating position, the sealing between said valve rod and said metering chamber being provided by said valve gasket, said valve body being fixed in a fixing cap serving to assemble the valve onto a fluid reservoir, said valve gasket being provided with a radially inside contact zone over which said valve rod slides, said contact zone being fixed to a rigid element so that, while said valve rod is moving, said contact zone of the valve gasket remains substantially unchanging in terms of its shape and of its position, said contact zone having a profile that is rounded at least in part, so as to reduce the area of contact between said valve gasket and said valve rod, said rigid element being an integral part of said fixing cap, and in
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: VALOIS S.A.
    Inventors: Patrice Leone, Sandrine Barranco, Patrick Di Giovanni
  • Publication number: 20020082581
    Abstract: Valve for an aerosol container for dispensing a suspension of a substance in a liquid propellant contained therein. The valve comprises a valve body (1) having at least one orifice (16) to allow a quantity of the suspension to pass from the container into the valve. The valve further comprises a ring (18) disposed around the valve body (1), the ring being positioned below the at least one orifice to reduce the volume of suspension that can be accommodated within the container below the at least one orifice when the container is orientated with the valve at the bottom, the ring having at least one portion of reduced axial thickness to provide a trough (19) around the valve body below the at least one orifice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventors: Patrick Di Giovanni, Cheryl Vanessa Rogerson
  • Patent number: 6343722
    Abstract: A fixing element (10) for fixing a dispenser member (20), such as a pump or a valve, to the neck (31) of a container (30) containing a substance to be dispensed, with a neck gasket (1) being interposed, the neck gasket having an inner edge (2) and an outer edge (3) for providing sealing at the neck (31) of the container (30), the fixing element (10) including a dispenser member receiving portion (11) for receiving the dispenser member (20) and a fixing portion (12) for fixing to the neck (31) of the container (30), the fixing element (10) being characterized in that it further includes a holding portion (13) for receiving and holding the neck gasket (1), the annular gasket (1) being held in the holding portion (13) of the fixing element (10) at its inner edge (2) only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Valois S.A.
    Inventor: Patrick Di Giovanni
  • Patent number: 6315173
    Abstract: Valve for an aerosol container for dispensing a suspension of a substance in a liquid propellant contained therein The valve comprises a valve body (1) having at least one orifice (16) to allow a quantity of the suspension to pass from the container into the valve. The valve further comprises a ring (18) disposed around the valve body (1), the ring being positioned below the at least one orifice to reduce the volume of suspension that can be accommodated within the container below the at least one orifice when the container is orientated with the valve at the bottom, the ring having at least one portion of reduced axial thickness to provide a trough (19) around the valve body below the at least one orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: SmithKline Beecham Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Di Giovanni, Cheryl Vanessa Rogerson
  • Patent number: 6170717
    Abstract: Valve for an aerosol container for dispensing a suspension of a substance in a liquid propellant contained therein. The valve comprises a valve body (1) having at least one orifice (16) to allow a quantity of the suspension to pass from the container into the valve. The valve further comprises a ring (18) disposed around the valve body (1), the ring being positioned below the at least one orifice to reduce the volume of suspension that can be accommodated within the container below the at least one orifice when the container is orientated with the valve at the bottom, the ring having at least one portion of reduced axial thickness to provide a trough (19) around the valve body below the at least one orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Glaxo Wellcome Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Di Giovanni, Cheryl Vanessa Rogerson
  • Patent number: 6112950
    Abstract: A valve device is provided for being mounted in the neck opening of a receptacle containing a substance to be dispensed. The device includes a valve body (1) having therein a chamber (2) defined axially at one end by an annular valve gasket (3) including a central opening, and a valve plunger (10) passing through the gasket (3) and including a dispensing channel (12) opening out in its outside surface via a radial hole (13). The valve plunger (10) is molded out of a material which includes a mixture of acetal resin, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and silicone, so that the valve plunger (10) slides with low friction over the valve gasket (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Glaxo Group Limited
    Inventors: Patrick Di Giovanni, Geralt Williams
  • Patent number: 5169038
    Abstract: A metering valve having a metering chamber (7) and a valve rod (2) lying in a valve body (1). The valve rod includes an inlet channel (211, 214) which puts the metering chamber (207) into communication with a can (11) of substance under pressure when the valve rod is in a rest position. The inlet channel forms a siphon which prevents the valve from draining when it is the rightway up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Assignee: Valois (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventor: Patrick Di Giovanni
  • Patent number: 4966535
    Abstract: Some precompression pumps currently used for spraying a liquid include a non-return valve formed by a gasket (3) held captive between the base of the pump body (1) and a sleeve (2). This non-return valve determines the extent to which the pump chamber (19) is isolated from or put into communication with a supply of liquid, as a function of whether the gasket (3) bears against the base of the pump body (1) or against the sleeve (2), closing a central hole through the pump body or being held off a central hole through the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1990
    Assignee: Valois
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Lina, Patrick Di Giovanni
  • Patent number: 4930999
    Abstract: A precompression metering pump of the prior art which is otherwise particularly advantageous, is nevertheless difficult to prime because of the high degree of compressibility of the air it initially contains in its pump chamber. The present invention improves this aspect of metering pump operations. It consists in providing additional resilient means (20) and at least one cylindrical part (10) level with the conventional outlet non-return valve of the pump and constituting a second outlet non-return valve. In a particular embodiment, the resilient means and the cylindrical part are received one above the other in the outlet channel (33) of the pump actuator rod (31). To do this, they bear respectively against a choking step (32) in the form of a lug and a shoulder (34) presented by said channel. In normal operation, the differential piston (4) of the pump moves out of the way so that operation takes place as in a prior art precompression metering pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Societe Technique de Pulverisation - STEP SA
    Inventors: Michel Brunet, Patrick Di Giovanni, Claude Jouillat, Jean-Pierre Lina, Herve Pennaneac'h