Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Atkinson

Thomas J. Atkinson 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
  • 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: 4501301
    Abstract: A cup shaped or cylindrical thread protector, having circumferentially spaced, internally projecting lugs, is formed by injection molding of a thermoplastic resin into a female mold cavity having a smooth cylindrical interior and having a male mold member fitting therein and cooperable therewith to define a cup shaped or cylindrical cavity. The male mold member has a plurality of recesses of a size and shape operable to produce said lugs in the molded thread protector produced therein. When the thread protector is molded, the male mold member is rotated about its axis sufficiently to compress said lugs into the cup wall thereof at a time after the thermoplastic has solidified but before it has cooled and is then pulled from within the cup shaped member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1985
    Inventors: Roger L. Snow, Sr., Thomas J. Atkinson
  • Patent number: 4399092
    Abstract: A cup shaped or cylindrical thread protector, having circumferentially spaced, internally projecting lugs, is formed by injection molding of a thermoplastic resin into a female mold cavity having a smooth cylindrical interior and having a male mold member fitting therein and cooperable therewith to define a cup shaped or cylindrical cavity. The male mold member has a plurality of recesses of a size and shape operable to produce said lugs in the molded thread protector produced therein. When the thread protector is molded, the male mold member is rotated about its axis sufficiently to compress said lugs into the cup wall thereof at a time after the thermoplastic has solidified but before it has cooled and is then pulled from within the cup shaped member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Inventors: Roger L. Snow, Sr., Thomas J. Atkinson