Cam Actuated Patents (Class 220/238)
  • Patent number: 11267620
    Abstract: A press type sealable container includes a housing including an open-top wall structure defining a receptacle for receiving material to be stored; a cover designed to fit over the opening of the container and have a movable push-push type button. According to the disclosure, a toggle mechanism is used instead of a self-locking push switch in the press type sealable container, thereby enhancing the resistance to pressure of the press type sealable container and improving the durability of the overall structure. Accordingly, the technical problems of unsatisfactory holding strength, easy damage under excessive pressure exerted by the push-push type button and short service life are solved. Moreover, the toggle mechanism is simple to implement, good in reliability, and long in service life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Ningbo Halson Import & Export Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jiehua Lu
  • Patent number: 10836547
    Abstract: An air-tight storage container system has a container having an open top and a container closure unit configured to be placed over the top. The closure unit has a series of stacked, interlocking components, including a handle member, a flexible deformable gasket member, a snap inner piece, and a bottom member. When these closure unit components are interconnected and the closure unit itself is positioned atop the container, the closure unit is pushed and rotated, held within the container to establish an air-tight seal within the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Inventors: Dean Chapman, Andrew Reeves, Matthew Chin, Gaz Brown, Irisa Xiong
  • Patent number: 8939290
    Abstract: A retail ready container is assembled from a single container blank having a container body portion and a protective cover portion. The container body portion includes a front container body panel, a left side container body panel and a right side container body panel. The protective cover portion includes a front cover panel, a left side cover panel and a right side cover panel. The left side cover panel is frangibly attached to the left side container body panel and the right side cover panel is frangibly attached to the right side container body panel. The container blank includes a finished side and an unfinished side. The container in the assembled state is configured so that the finished sides of the left and right side cover panels are respectively positioned adjacent to and opposed from the respective finished sides of the left and right side container body panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: York Container Company
    Inventors: Thomas E. DeCello, Troy M. Little
  • Patent number: 8844840
    Abstract: A paint sprayer is configured for use with a paint container. The sprayer includes a housing having an air inlet and a nozzle located on the housing. Movable grip members are supported on the housing. The grip members are located in a circular array with an inner diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the paint container. A ring extends circumferentially about the circular array of grip members, and is supported on the housing for rotation relative to the housing. When the ring rotates relative to the housing, it moves the grip members to a condition in which the inner diameter of the circular array is not greater than the outer diameter of the paint container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Campbell Hausfeld/Scott Fetzer Company
    Inventor: Bobby Lynn Lawrence
  • Patent number: 8807370
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a preservation container having a container body and a lid assembly. The lid assembly includes an upper cover, a knob provided on a top of the upper cover and rotated by a user, a vertical moving unit coupled to the upper cover and moved up and down by a rotation of the knob, an intermediate cover detachably coupled to a bottom of the upper cover and having in a central portion thereof a hole through which the vertical moving unit is exposed to an outside, a lower cover coupled to the vertical moving unit, and a packing fitted into a groove which is formed in a top of the lower cover and sliding along a bottom of the intermediate cover to be in close contact with an inner surface of the container body, when the vertical moving unit moves up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Dongyang Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 8800803
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combination of cover (2) and pot (5) can be used as a pressure cooker with a slight overpressure. A first annular sealing element (26) is provided at the bottom side of the cover (2) and comprises at least one locking means (10a, 10b) to match the size of the pot (5). The locking means (10a, 10b) comprises a contour portion (12), an actuating means (24) and an adjustment device with a second sealing element (16), wherein the second sealing element (16) is slidably movable in and against the center of the cover (2). A form-locking and force-locking connection is formed between the cover (2) and an upper portion of the outer surface of the pot (5) by the second sealing element (16) of the at least one locking means (10a, 10b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Inventor: Jurgen Stellwag
  • Patent number: 8727164
    Abstract: A resealable tab mechanism for a beverage container having a tab handle with divergent arms with a bar extending therebetween having a gas release pin valve fixedly attached to the tab handle bar. The tab handle is pivoted from a closed position in arc-like fashion that will bend the tab plate downward then the tab handle is rotated in circular fashion providing full access to the beverage container's contents. To close the process is reversed by rotating the tab handle over the beverage container's aperture then pivoted back to its seated position compressing a pair of gaskets that hermetically seals the beverage container's contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Inventors: Marjan Majcen, Beverly Burke-Majcen, Robert Vreznik
  • Patent number: 8308012
    Abstract: A fastening clip includes a main body defining a through hole, a flange radially extending from the main body, a first clipping member hinged on the main body, a latching mechanism extending from the clipping member and including a first latching portion, and a second clipping member hinged on the main body and including a second latching portion. The clip has a first position, in which the first and second clipping members can extend out of the main body, and a second position, in which the first and second clipping members are received in the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuang-Ming Xin
  • Patent number: 8186527
    Abstract: A vacuum sealing cap for a container includes an outer cap body, an inner cap body movable toward or away from the outer cap body, a sealing gasket compressible by the outer cap body to abut sealingly against the mouth of the container when the inner cap body moves toward the outer cap body, a slide member connected to the inner cap body, and an operating member connected pivotally to the slide member and pivotable between first and second positions, where the operating member pulls upwardly and pushes downwardly the slide member to move the inner cap body upwardly toward and downwardly away from the outer cap body. The sealing gasket is pressed and is not pressed sealingly against the mouth of the container in the first and second positions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Free-Free Industrial Corp.
    Inventor: Sheng-Yu Liu
  • Patent number: 8176942
    Abstract: A closing device for a vacuum user system or vacuum toilet system of an aircraft that makes it possible to quickly open and close a pipe connection piece in a vacuum user system or in a vacuum toilet system of an aircraft. The closing device comprises a cover; a closing element that can be inserted into the pipe connection piece and is connected to the cover by a spacer and is designed such that it substantially fully covers a cross section of the pipe connection piece; a sealing bellows located between the cover and the closing element and that at least partly encloses the spacer, wherein the sealing bellows comprises a sealing face; and an element that is movable in relation to the cover, which element is movable from a first position to a second position, wherein the movable element engages the sealing bellows such that the sealing face of the sealing bellows in the second position has a greater extension in a plane across the spacer than it does in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Lutzer, Marc Scheel
  • Patent number: 8037904
    Abstract: An anchor mount formed of a stopper having a thrust flange joined to a first end of a stem portion with an axial bore extending there through and a centering portion inclined between an overhanging portion of the flange and the stem portion; a part-spherical coupler presented on the stopper thrust flange opposite from the stem portion; a substantially resiliently deformable plug having an axial bore extended there through; an elongated shaft extendable through the respective axial bores of the stopper and the plug and having a threaded portion thereof extendable from a second end of the plug; an end cap having with an axial bore there through and being structured with an anti-rotation mechanism operable for resisting rotation of the end cap relative to the plug; and a mechanism for reversibly moving the end cap along the elongated shaft relative to the stem portion of the stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Inventor: Jeffrey D. Carnevali
  • Patent number: 7946440
    Abstract: An elongated two-piece expandable sealing plug (20) that is adapted to sealingly close a marginal end portion of a hole or opening (22) provided in a body (21) broadly comprises: a cup-shaped member (23) having an annular open upper end, having an outer surface that is adapted to face toward a wall on the body surrounding the opening, and having an inner surface (38) that diverges radially outwardly in a direction toward the member upper end; and a head having an outer rim portion (25) mounted on the upper end marginal end portion of the member for rotation therewith, and having a central portion (26) arranged within, and secured to, the rim portion; wherein the member is adapted to be inserted (i.e., slidably and/or rotatively) into a marginal end portion of the body opening (FIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: KVT Koenig, LLC
    Inventor: Bhaumik H. Shah
  • Patent number: 7850030
    Abstract: An expansible bottle stopper includes a body, a resilient member, and a movable member that is longitudinally movable relative to the body. The resilient member is caused to expand radially by a first-stage longitudinal displacement of the movable member relative to the body or to shrink radially by a second-stage longitudinal displacement of the movable member relative to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Sunlot Bottle Stopper Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sen-I Lin
  • Patent number: 7731043
    Abstract: A bottle stopper includes a cover body, a shaft rod and a rotatable member. The shaft rod is fixed inside the cover body and the rotatable member is secured on the cover body by means of an insert pin, which leans on two opposite oblique faces of the projecting base of the cover body. When the rotatable member is turned clockwise, the insert pin will be actuated to slide upward along the oblique faces of the projecting base and drive the shaft rod to move upward and squeeze a soft clogging member to expand outward and clog the bottle mouth of a bottle. The bottle stopper of this invention can be closely clogged in the bottle mouth, and its shaft rod and soft clogging member are hidden in the cover body, meeting sanitation, convenient in use and able to be placed horizontally for facilitating storing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Inventor: Ching Yueh Wang Wu
  • Patent number: 7640949
    Abstract: The invention provides a plug for sealing an end of a duct. The plug includes a sealing member for sealing against an interior surface of the duct, and gripping means having one or more teeth for gripping the interior surface of the duct. The plug may include a pair of opposed camming surfaces arranged for relative axial movement therebetween whereby the relative axial movement results in the teeth of the gripping means being urged radially outwardly into gripping engagement with the interior surface of the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Inventor: David Frederick Hawkins
  • Patent number: 7513381
    Abstract: A closure for the open mouth of an airtight container. The closure has a resiliently flexible diaphragm which has a peripheral edge (37) which can sealing engage against an inside wall surface of the open mouth. The diaphragm (13) is engaged with the second cover section (12) of a cover. A pair of toggles (24) are pivotally mounted on axles (22) of second cover section (12). The levers (30) of the toggles (24) extend through an opening (44) in the first or outer cover section (11) when the first and second cover sections (11,12) are snap-locked together. By moving the levers (30) toward one another the respective feet (27) of the toggle (24) engage with area (35) of the diaphragm (13) to deform the diaphragm and thereby break a sealing effect between the peripheral edge of the diaphragm and the inside wall surface of the open mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Click Clack Limited
    Inventors: John Montgomery Heng, Evan George Griffiths, Norman Sands
  • Publication number: 20080179274
    Abstract: A seal and saver container is composed of a bottle and a cover. The bottle has an opening bored at its top and a blocking ring positioned around its inner wall. The cover placed on the top of the bottle is provided with a first upper cover, a second upper cover, a compression spring, a sleeve, an anti-leaking ring and a grip. In using, place the cover on the bottle and move the grip to keep it tilted aside, so that the sleeve is dragged to move up and simultaneously the anti-leaking ring is also moved up to keep its bottom squeezed to project outward so as to lock with the blocking ring of the bottle. So, the opening of the bottle is totally sealed up to prevent the liquid in the bottle from leaking out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventor: Ching-Tsai Cheng
  • Patent number: 7204383
    Abstract: A seal container includes a container, a lid, a knob fitted on the lid, a soft seal fitted over a lower side of the lid, and a depressing member arranged under the knob and connected with a middle of the seal at a lower end; the depressing member has several slopes on an annular edge; the knob has projections, which are spaced on an annular edge, and touch the slopes respectively; the depressing member will move down, and the seal will be depressed at the middle to reduce in circumference immediately after the knob is turned to such a position that the projections touch higher ends of the slopes; the seal will stretch to a normal shape to seal the container immediately after the knob is turned to such a position that the projections touch lower ends of the slopes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Jumper Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Feng Hsu
  • Publication number: 20040245251
    Abstract: A closure for the open mouth of an airtight container. The closure has a resiliently flexible diaphragm which has a peripheral edge (37) which can sealing engage against an inside wall surface of the open mouth. The diaphragm (13) is engaged with the second cover section (12) of a cover. A pair of toggles (24) are pivotally mounted on axles (22) of second cover section (12). The levers (30) of the toggles (24) extend through an opening (44) in the first or outer cover section (11) when the first and second cover sections (11, 12) are snap-locked together. By moving the levers (30) toward one another the respective feet (27) of the toggle (24) engage with area (35) of the diaphragm (13) to deform the diaphragm and thereby break a sealing effect between the peripheral edge of the diaphragm and the inside wall surface of the open mouth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: John Montgomery Heng, Evan George Griffiths, Norman Sands
  • Patent number: 6769560
    Abstract: A bottle stopper is constructed to include a stepped tubular stopper body, a split inner cap capped on a split bottom shank of the stopper body, a flexible outer cap capped on the inner cap, a press member mounted in the stopper body and movable between a first position where the press member gives no pressure to the inner cap and the outer cap and a second position where the press member forces the split bottom shank of the stopper body to stretch the inner cap and the outer cap radially outwards against the periphery of the bottle neck of the bottle in which the bottle stopper is inserted, and a return member adapted to return the press member from the second position to the first position after the stopper body been biased relative to the inner cap and the outer cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Inventor: Ju-Chen Lin
  • Patent number: 6513549
    Abstract: A plug structure of a liquid drainage installation includes a sealing ring clamped between two combined half bodies. The outer periphery of the sealing ring protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the two half bodies. Thus, the protruding dimension of the sealing ring may be adjusted by the clamping extent of the two bodies, thereby compensating the wearing amount due to usage. The two half bodies may be separated easily, thereby facilitating replacing the sealing ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventor: Philip Chen
  • Publication number: 20030000590
    Abstract: A plug structure of a liquid drainage installation includes a sealing ring clamped between two combined half bodies. The outer periphery of the sealing ring protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the two half bodies. Thus, the protruding dimension of the sealing ring may be adjusted by the clamping extent of the two bodies, thereby compensating the wearing amount due to usage. The two half bodies may be separated easily, thereby facilitating replacing the sealing ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventor: Philip Chen
  • Patent number: 6336740
    Abstract: A cover for a paint can for use with automatic paint stirring equipment is disclosed in which the paint can has a tubular cylindrical sidewall with an open top and a radially inwardly protruding chime around the open top of the can. The cover assembly includes a lid dimensioned to overlie the open top of the paint can and having a spout along its outer periphery. A paint stirrer is rotatably mounted to the lid and at least one locking foot removably secures the lid to the paint can. The locking device includes a stem pivotably mounted to the lid, a radially outwardly extending foot secured to one end of the stem and a handle secured to the opposite end of the stem. The stem is pivotal between a locked position in which the foot extends underneath the can chime, and an unlocked position in which the foot is spaced radially inwardly from the can chime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Dedoes Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Keough
  • Patent number: 6193093
    Abstract: A fuel tank cap at the filler neck of a motor vehicle fuel tank, with a locking gas cap, which can be swiveled about a pivoting axis and a locking part, which is disposed internally at the locking gas cap and lies against the edge of the filler neck, sealing it, in the closed position, in which it can be locked and in which the locking gas cap is spring-loaded in the opening direction, it being possible to unlock the locking gas cap and swivel it into the open position by pressing down on it briefly especially by means of a robot-guided fuel pump nozzle, the opening of the tank connection pipe, which is to be closed off, being disposed offset towards the inside at the inner end of an essentially cylindrical expansion of the tank connection pipe and that, internally, at the locking gas cap, a casing being fastened, in which a piston, which is provided with a seal that is seated on the opening that is to be closed off, is mounted axially displaceable and which, when acted upon axially by pressure, forces a bloc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Inventor: Heinz Brunner
  • Patent number: 6170690
    Abstract: Provided by the invention is an air-tightly sealable bell jar container comprising a base plate and a bell jar covering mountable on the base plate. An air-tight sealing mechanism is obtained by forming a laterally and downwardly opening annular groove in the base plate to support an O-ring gasket of rubber and providing, below the base plate, a presser plate which presses up the O-ring gasket against the base plate by a means of cams or screw means in such a fashion that the O-ring gasket is elastically deformed and laterally bulged out to be brought into air-tight contacting with the inner wall of the bell jar covering surrounding the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignees: Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd., Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masato Hosoi
  • Patent number: 6149872
    Abstract: 52350626 The invention concerns a modular reagent cartridge (10) which includes a plurality of reagent containers (12 to 18) directly interconnected by integrally formed coupling devices (22). The connection is brought about by form-locking rail guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Byk-Sangtec Diagnostica GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Mack, Peter Nebel, Peter Stoerk
  • Patent number: 6135286
    Abstract: A thermally insulating luminous container with an O-ring construction having a primary container having inner and outer walls and a removable cover. A plurality of secondary containers may be affixed to the outer wall of the primary container, which secondary containers have inner and outer walls and removable attached covers. The container may be constructed by blow-molding hypoallergenic thermoplastic material, and may contain a compass and a signaling mirror. These containers are suitable for holding water, oxygen supplements and enhancers, food, medicines and first aid supplies. The containers may be supplied to survivors of natural disasters or used for general utility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Inventor: Mathew A Strumor
  • Patent number: 6098805
    Abstract: A dual bucket assembly (10) comprises a dual bucket (20) including first and second containers (30, 50) adapted for holding liquid. Each container includes a peripheral wall (31, 51) having a proximal portion (34, 54) adjacent the other container and a non-proximal portion (37, 57). Connecting member (70) rigidly connects in a spaced apart relationship peripheral wall (31, 51) upper ends (32, 52). Peripheral walls (31, 51) are downwardly inwardly sloping such that a plurality of dual buckets (20) are nestable. Peripheral wall (31) proximal portion (34) is convex and peripheral wall (51) proximal portion (54) is concave and substantially parallel to proximal portion (34). Circumferential reinforcing member (94) connected to upper ends (32, 52) of non-proximal portions (37, 57) of peripheral walls (31, 51) resists bending and adds stiffness to the structure of dual bucket (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Kenmont, LLC
    Inventor: David Kent
  • Patent number: 6093430
    Abstract: This Precise Recipe Spice Dispenser is an aid to cooks, providing accurate and speedy dispensing of proper amounts of spices in correct sequence for a given recipe. A transparent plastic form contains a series of separate trough-shaped spice compartments with open faces. The sequence and sizes of the compartments depend on the order and amounts of the individual spices required. The plastic form, when filled with the spices, is sealed to the front layer of a double-layer chipboard backing, such that the open periphery of the spice compartments exactly matches a cutout in the front layer. The back layer has a peelable strip with a peripheral perforation exactly back-to-back with the cutout periphery in the front layer. The names of the spices and the recipe as a whole may be printed on the front layer next to the sealed spice compartments. When the first spice is needed, the peelable strip is peeled back to expose just the first compartment, leaving the other compartments sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Inventor: Suresh Gupta
  • Patent number: 6079582
    Abstract: A tank closure for a fill opening of a fuel tank has a closing device extending axially through the fill opening of the fuel tank. The closing device includes a grip for actuating the closing device. The closing device also includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member movable axially toward one another. The first clamping member has a first clamping surface and the second clamping member has a second clamping surface. The first and second clamping surfaces face one another and define therebetween an annular chamber. The first and second clamping surfaces are positioned at an angle .alpha. to one another. The closing device also includes a radially elastically expandable sealing ring positioned in the annular chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co.
    Inventors: Hans Nickel, Harald Schliemann
  • Patent number: 6010021
    Abstract: Assembly consisting of a series of mini-containers and a standard ISO container. The sizing of the mini-containers is such that these can be accommodated inside the housing of the ISO container. In this assembly two mini-containers which may be stacked on top of one another are accommodated in the ISO container, where the length of the mini-container is equal to the internal width of the ISO container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Inventors: Laurens Aart Pieter Zuidam, Rudy Hendrik Gerard Koster
  • Patent number: 6006936
    Abstract: The mud pan of this invention includes the usual trough, with a bottom wall, parallel end walls and side walls diverging upwardly from the bottom wall, and a waste receptacle comprising an outer wall that extends in diverging relation from one side wall of the trough. The worker is thus enabled to easily and efficiently dispose of dirty mud by scraping a putty knife with dirty mud against the outer wall of the waste receptacle instead of creating a mess by slinging the dirty mud on the floor. The contents of a filled waste receptacle will be periodically dumped at a suitable location, such as a nearby barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Inventor: Wojciech Przybylowicz
  • Patent number: 5975337
    Abstract: A thermal baby bottle warmer for maintaining a baby bottle at an elevated temperature comprising a thermal baby bottle which has a closed lower end and an open upper end with an exterior side wall therebetween. The baby bottle warmer also has an interior wall that is formed integrally with the thermos bottle and extends downwardly adjacent the upper end of the thermos bottle with insulation material between the side wall and lower end of the thermos bottle. A liner is provided and is adapted to receive a baby bottle and having a closed lower end and an open upper end positioned within the interior wall to define a space for receiving hot water between the lower and side walls of the liner and interior wall with a spring-urged clip adapted to retain the liner within the thermos. Also provided is a threaded lip which extends upwardly from the upper edge of the liner and thermos bottle with interior threads and exterior threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Inventor: Mary Lynne Hadley
  • Patent number: 5960982
    Abstract: A combined plate and cup holder incorporates an integral cup holder, the bottom surface of which serves as a convenient means of holding the plate. Access to the bottom surface of the cup holder is enhanced with a raised hand passthrough element connecting the rim of the plate to the cup holder, which also serves to lower the center of gravity of the plate with respect to the diner's hand, thereby facilitating the balance of the plate on the diner's hand and increasing security and comfort. The lower surfaces of the plate and cup holder are substantially coplanar, allowing the plate to rest stably on a flat surface. The cupholder extends above the rim of the plate, providing increased stability for a cup or beverage can. Both full-size and small embodiments of the buffet plate are presented, with the full-size plate having the cupholder positioned near the center of the plate for improved comfort and balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Inventors: Robert Perlis, Thomas Prusinski
  • Patent number: 5947011
    Abstract: A food plate for containing food and supporting a beverage container wherein the plate and beverage container are held together as a unit by one hand of a person. The food plate has a flat top surface and at least one depression formed therein for containing a food item. A first aperture formed in the plate is sized and shaped to allow passage of a beverage container partially therethrough and engage a mid portion of the beverage container such that the center of gravity of the container is even with or below the top surface of the plate and the lower portion of the container exterior is exposed on the underside of the plate. A second aperture formed in the plate adjacent to the first aperture is sized and shaped to receive the thumb of the person's hand from the underside of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Inventor: Yuhuan Xu
  • Patent number: 5924591
    Abstract: A pizza pan has a short vertical wall extending upwardly from near the center of its bottom so as to form a flat annular cooking surface. The bottom has no hole at the center of the annular cooking surface. A disclosed method of cooking pizza includes forcing the dough blank over and around the wall, and crimping the dough adjacent the wall as well as the dough at the outer periphery of the blank, so as to hold the cheese and sauce between crimps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Inventor: Nicholas P. Contos
  • Patent number: 5884580
    Abstract: A multi-compartmented, transportable pet food and water carrier that includes food and water supply containers with opposed access openings, and a common wall; and food and water dishes removably attached over the access openings. The dishes have side walls with attachment means extending therefrom, so that the dishes can be attached in a side-by-side configuration for stability during use, the attachment means extending downwardly from the carrier when the dishes are attached to form support feet for the carrier. A carrying handle is attached to the upper side of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Inventor: J. Wade Faircloth, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5845800
    Abstract: A filler cap assembly includes a sleeve welded to a tank wall, and a non-indexing filler cap. The cap is formed with top and bottom members, each member having an outwardly bevelled surface opposing a corresponding surface on the other member. An elastic O-ring is positioned between the two surfaces. The top member and base member are held together by an axially extending shaft, with a spring biasing apart the two members. The shaft is connected in a hinged manner to a cam lever. Activation of the cam lever brings the two opposing surfaces together, forcing the O-ring outward to form a seal with the sleeve. The filler cap and the sleeve's inner wall are provided with additional features which maintain the filler cap in the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Shaw Aero Development, Inc.
    Inventors: James Shaw, Thomas George Morgan, Charles Gordon Grandy
  • Patent number: 5810196
    Abstract: A receptacle for holding a viscous mass and for providing intermittent storage of an implement for spreading the viscous mass upon a surface, the receptacle comprising a continuous sidewall having a closed lower end and extending upwardly therefrom and terminating with a primary rim defining an opening communicating with a chamber bound by the continuous sidewall, the continuous sidewall including a primary sidewall having the primary rim and a secondary sidewall having a secondary rim located at a point subjacent the primary rim, and an auxiliary container including a bottom panel extending outwardly from the secondary panel at a point subjacent the secondary rim and an auxiliary sidewall extending outwardly from the secondary sidewall and extending upwardly from the bottom panel and terminating with an auxiliary rim located at a point proximate the primary rim, wherein the bottom panel and portions of the auxiliary sidewall and the secondary sidewall subjacent the secondary rim define a well communicating w
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Inventor: Michael J. Lundy
  • Patent number: 5803305
    Abstract: A combined plate and cup holder incorporates an integral cup holder, the bottom surface of which serves as a convenient means of holding the plate. Access to the bottom surface of the cup holder is enhanced with a raised hand passthrough element connecting the rim of the plate to the cup holder, which also serves to lower the center of gravity of the plate with respect to the diner's hand, thereby facilitating the balance of the plate on the diner's hand and increasing security and comfort. The lower surfaces of the plate and cup holder are substantially coplanar, allowing the plate to rest stably on a flat surface. The cupholder extends above the rim of the plate, providing increased stability for a cup or beverage can.Both full-size and small embodiments of the buffet plate are presented, with the full-size plate having the cupholder positioned near the center of the plate for improved comfort and balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Inventors: Robert Perlis, Thomas Prusinski
  • Patent number: 5752464
    Abstract: The improved pet feeding apparatus is comprised of a pair of container portions adapted to receive food or water which are connected by a living hinge for folding the pet feeding apparatus into a compact package for travel. The container portions are threaded on their inner upper edge to accept a lid which seals the container portion when installed. The container portions includes a bowl shaped section with a skirt extending downwardly and outwardly to a lower rim which is below the lowest extent of the container portion. These lower rims provide a stable base for the container portions. The lower rims are connected by the living hinge which facilitates folding the container portions for transport and allows the lower rims of the container portions to lie flat on the floor when the pet is using the pet feeding apparatus. The lower rims also include a handle positioned opposite the living hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Inventors: Thomas N. King, Jason B. Ford
  • Patent number: 5743397
    Abstract: The walls of a receptacle for storing a plurality of tangentally adjacent toilet paper rolls have a smaller cross sectional width between the rolls than the average diameter of the rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Inventor: Vickie Traver
  • Patent number: 5722553
    Abstract: Presented is an integral assembly (2) of hollow tubes and seal caps (16) therefor arranged in an elongated aligned and integral assembly in which multiple tubes (1) each symmetrical about a longitudinal axis (3) and having a closed end (12) and an open end (6) are formed in side-by-side spaced relationship in a linear series in which adjacent tubes are integrally interconnected by a tether (13) to form an elongated strip (2). A multiplicity of seal caps (16) corresponding in number to the aligned series of tubes are independently, angularly and integrally flexibly connected to associated tubes. The seal caps, when in tube-open condition, are each symmetrical about an axis (17) parallel to the axes of the tubes and correspond in spacing and in number to the tubes. A hinge strap (14) is provided integrally interposed between each tube and the associated seal cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Inventor: Kenneth P. Hovatter
  • Patent number: 5697512
    Abstract: An improved tray which can be held and stabilized using one hand and forearm is disclosed. The surface of the tray is positioned away from the forearm so that hot foods can be provided on the tray surface without injury or discomfort to one using the tray. A stabilizing member which has a shape generally conforming to the curvature of the forearm is positioned on one side of the tray and on the opposite side extends a cup holder. The stabilizer element and cup holder extend downwardly from the tray an equal distance which enables the device to be rested on a table or flat surface. A further feature of the invention allows for the nesting of the trays on top of one another for storage or shipping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Inventor: David A. Brickley
  • Patent number: 5676274
    Abstract: A rollable storage device having a plurality of compartments for storing objects therein. Each compartment includes a bottom wall and outwardly extending side walls and end walls, and an open upper side. Each of the compartments includes a different cross-sectional shape. The bottom walls of the compartments are hingedly interconnected to form a unitary continuous row of compartments with at least a majority of the bottom walls formed from a unitarily molded sheet of plastic which extends beneath a majority of the compartments, wherein the hinges are formed from same single sheet of plastic as the bottom walls. The row of compartments is rollable between a first extended open position in which the compartments rest on their bottom walls with the upper sides of the compartments turned upwardly, and a second, rolled-up closed position in which the row of compartments has been spirally wound from the open position to form a substantially closed block of hexagonal shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Euromart Media International Inc.
    Inventors: Dwight C. Green, Ingo F. M. Van Styn
  • Patent number: 5653343
    Abstract: An electric toothbrush housed in a container has a cylindrical case body, a brush attached to the case body, and a battery mounted in the case body for operating the motor to vibrate the brush, and a switch provided on the case body for operating a motor to vibrate the brush. The container has a base container body and a lid engaged with the base container body. The base container body has a large diameter cylindrical portion for housing the case body, and a small diameter cylindrical portion for housing the brush and the battery. The lid is provided to form a cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignees: Kitano Co., Ltd., Japan CBM Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Imai
  • Patent number: 5598944
    Abstract: The present invention is a food tray wherein a portion of the food tray is molded into a food bowl for holding the food. The food bowl includes a food bowl base, a food bowl wall extending away from the food bowl base, and a food bowl rim positioned on an opposite side of the food bowl wall from the food bowl base. A grip is provided on the tray, and connected and positioned with respect to the food bowl wall for providing a grip to the hand of the user. The grip provides a grip with the thumb gripping on one side of the tray and all other fingers of the hand being able to spread or fan out to grip on an under side of the tray opposite the one side. The grip includes a thumb grip edge which is preferably placed at the inside base of the thumb. The present invention also has a palm extension which is connected to the grip and fits into the palm of the hand that is holding the tray. The palm extension has a palm extension edge which extends into the palm of the user for support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Inventor: James Aragona
  • Patent number: 5570802
    Abstract: A battery solution vessel structure is provided which consists of several linked bottles. Each bottle has a mouth portion on its top. Below the mouth, a bottleneck provides a connection to bottle body. The bottleneck has an internal surface with an inverted conical contour that is sealed by a cylindrical elastic gland cover, made of a foam material. The diameter of the gland cover is slightly larger than the bottleneck smallest internal diameter for providing a tight seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Inventors: Juei-Liu Wang, Jui-Chih Wang
  • Patent number: 5551593
    Abstract: A food and beverage plate is provided having a thumb slot disposed on an upper surface along a periphery of the food and beverage plate parallel to an axis passing through a center of the food and beverage plate. A beverage recess is disposed in the food and beverage plate proximate the thumb slot on a first side of the axis and a food recess is disposed in the food and beverage plate proximate the thumb slot substantially on a second side of the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Inventor: Duane D. Wiens
  • Patent number: 5533639
    Abstract: A combined comestible and liquid container carrier having a unitary base with a central, inverse frustoconically shaped sleeve for receiving a liquid container, and two symmetrically disposed depressions, each for receiving a comestible. Each depression has a lid connected to it by a living hinge structure. When closed, the inboard side edge wall of each lid is an extension of the sleeve, such that a container inserted into the sleeve will be complementarily received by both the sleeve and lid edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Inventor: William H. Myers