Patents Represented by Attorney Tracey D. Beiriger
  • Patent number: 6860768
    Abstract: A one piece blank including a configurable and combination sleeve and spring cage, defining a first female connector, and which is interengageable with a male connector having an extending male terminal pin insertable within an opposing open end of the female connector, such that both a greater area of electrical contact and increased normal holding forces are established therebetween. The female terminal further includes a plurality of interiorly extending and elongated beams, accessible through said open end, and which are configured in a combined angled and torsional manner in order to achieve a three dimensional and substantially hourglass shaped configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Limited
    Inventor: Weiping Zhao
  • Patent number: 6855778
    Abstract: A thermoformable, RF-sealable material for use in packaging. The material is produced from a blend including between approximately 5% and 50% by weight of PETG, and between approximately 50% and 95% by weight of PET. A small amount of color concentrate may be added to the blend. The blend may be extruded into sheets and thermoformed to produce packaging material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Kama of Illinois Corporation
    Inventors: Keith Yanuzzi, Donald R. Hacker, Michael Bower
  • Patent number: 6855234
    Abstract: A sintered electrode assembly is made of an inert electrode (15) containing a sealed metal conductor (20) having a surface feature (30) such as a coating or wrapping which aids in bond formation with the inert electrode (15) at their interface (45), where the metal conductor (20) is directly contacted by and is substantially surrounded by the inert electrode (15) without the use of metal foam or metal powders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventor: Leroy E. D'Astolfo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6849101
    Abstract: In a method for recovering Al from an off-gas (3,4) produced during carbothermic reduction of aluminum utilizing at least one smelter (1,2), the off-gas (3,4) is directed to an enclosed reactor (5) which is fed a supply of wood charcoal (7) having a porosity of from about 50 vol. % to 85 vol. % and an average pore diameter of from about 0.05 ?m to about 2.00 ?m, where the wood charcoal (7) contacts the off-gas (3,4) to produce at least Al4C3 (6), which is passed back to the smelter (1,2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignees: Alcoa Inc., Elkem ASA, Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: Richard J. Fruehan, Yun Li, Gerald Carkin
  • Patent number: 6846544
    Abstract: A slider device and methods of making. The slider device is for use with a resealable package having a zipper closure, and includes a top wall with first and second ends, a spreader depending from the top wall, a first sidewall with a first hook construction extending therefrom, and a second side wall with a second hook construction extending therefrom. An extended length of profiled material is extruded and can be converted to form individual slider devices. The spreader can be tapered, either in its width or the distance in which is depends from the top wall. These slider devices can be incorporated into resealable packages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Buchman
  • Patent number: 6845598
    Abstract: A method of forming and sealing a flexible, reclosable package having a zipper closure and slider mounted thereon. The reclosable package is initially formed having a pair of opposing side panels and a zipper closure extending between the pair of side panels. The zipper closure is initially attached to the side panels only along a pair of spaced side seals. The reclosable package is filled with product through a fill opening created between the zipper closure and either one of the side panels. Once the package is filled, with product, the attachment flanges of the zipper closure are sealed to both of the side panels. Thus, the zipper closure is sealed to the side panels only after product has been inserted into the product package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg W. Melchoir
  • Patent number: 6845206
    Abstract: Interbay housing assemblies for use with fiber optic management system racks, include a first enclosure having sidewalls, a rear opening and a plurality of front openings. Mounting brackets are attached to the sidewalls for attachment to adjacent equipment racks. Additional enclosures are positioned adjacent to the front openings. Each of the additional enclosures defines a slot for receiving cables. Each of the additional enclosures can include built-in radius control guides adjacent to the slot for receiving cables. A fiber optic cable management system including an interbay housing assembly positioned between two equipment racks is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Limited
    Inventors: Thomas Dwyer, Gerald K. Creswell, Jr., Conley L. McGee, Gaines N. Massey, Kevin T. Monroe
  • Patent number: 6843600
    Abstract: A flexible, reclosable package includes first and second panel sections defining an interior, and a zipper sealed to each of the first and second panel sections along a top edge thereof. The zipper includes first and second mating profiles, each having an upper flange. A slider device is constructed and arranged for mounting on the zipper and for interlocking the first mating profile with the second mating profile when the slider device is moved in one direction, and disengaging the first mating profile from the second mating profile when the slider device is moved in another opposite direction. A tamper evident seal attaches the upper flanges of the first and second profiles together and extends through a passageway formed through the slider device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Tilman, James E. Buchman
  • Patent number: 6818106
    Abstract: A solid material (12′) circumscribing an anode system (10) in an electrolysis apparatus is made from a mixture of cryolite and/or alumina (Al2O3), where the solid material (12′) contacts and surrounds the anodes (14, 14′).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: LeRoy E. D'Astolfo, Calvin Bates
  • Patent number: 6817763
    Abstract: A reclosable zipper closure and slider device for use with packages to open and close a pair of mating closure profiles. The closure profiles of the zipper closure include a male closure profile having a first interlocking member that is received by at least one second interlocking member formed on a female closure profile. The male closure profile further includes a sealing protrusion that is received within a mating sealing recess to provide a liquid tight seal between the two closure profiles. The slider device includes a plow member that extends past the first interlocking member when the slider device is installed on the zipper closure. Each of the closure profiles includes a spring member that contacts the top, inner surface of the slider device to provide a resilient, flexible structure to aid in installation of the slider device on the zipper closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Mladomir Tomic
  • Patent number: 6813129
    Abstract: A self diagnostic solid state relay for converting a low current input into a high current output and providing the combined functions of silent switching and visual indication of circuit status. A three dimensional polygonal shaped housing encloses a printed circuit board. A MOSFET field effect transistor, a pair of female circuit board terminals, and a pair of LED elements are electrically communicable with a first side of the printed circuit board, the LED elements further being viewable from an exterior location of the housing. A fuse including first and second spaced apart and extending blade portions engage, respectively, with the first and second female terminals through openings defined in the housing. A plurality of male circuit board terminals are in electrical communication with a second side of said printed circuit board and extend from further selected exterior locations of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Limited
    Inventor: Robert C. Burdick
  • Patent number: 6813422
    Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes an outer jacket, a first core tube positioned within the outer jacket, and a first plurality of optical fibers positioned within the first core tube, wherein the cross-sectional area of the first plurality of optical fibers is less than 60 percent of the cross-section inside area of the first core tube and wherein the length of each optical fiber in the first plurality of optical fibers is between 1.0 and 1.001 times the length of the first core tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Limited
    Inventors: Karthik C. Krishnamurthy, Joseph A. Cignarale, Michael H. Turenne
  • Patent number: 6804870
    Abstract: The modular turret cage is used with a capping machine adapted to apply closures to containers, such as beverage, food, or water containers. The capping machine includes a stationary cap. The modular turret cage has a top end and a bottom end. The top end of the turret cage is rotatably received in the stationary cap. The turret cage includes a top mounting plate at the top end of the turret cage and a base mounting plate at the bottom end of the turret cage. A plurality of panel sections extends between and connects the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate. The panel sections are fixedly connected to the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate and are separately removable from the top mounting plate and the base mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald A. Riggs, Jr., Angela M. Comstock, Randy Uebler, Darwin Ellis
  • Patent number: 6805777
    Abstract: An inert anode (10) for use in an electrolysis process to make metals such as aluminum, contains a hollow interior with an open top portion (16), an interior closed bottom (18) and interior walls (19) where the top interior side walls (16) have at least one interior groove (20) which helps relieve stress on the anode material and helps provide locking and support of the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventor: Leroy E. D'Astolfo, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6805596
    Abstract: A connector assembly for use in transmission line installations. An elongated steel tube is provided and an aluminum sleeve is axially inserted into the tube and exhibits a rate of extrusion greater than the tube. A current carrying cable has a plurality of outer strands and a central extending plurality of inner strands which insert within the sleeve. The tube is subjected to a mechanically compressing and area reducing procedure such that the sleeve extrudes at a rate greater than the tube and the aluminum material associated with the sleeve fills irregularities existing between the inner strands. The sleeve also establishes stress relief between the wire strands and the tube. An aluminum outer tubular body is slidably engaged over the assembled tube and sleeve and is mechanically compressed at specified locations in order to secure about the outer strands of the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Alcoa Fujikura Limited
    Inventors: Wayne L. Quesnel, Richard A. Bragg
  • Patent number: 6805723
    Abstract: A hollow partition wall is employed to feed carbon material to an underflow of a carbothermic reduction furnace used to make aluminum. The partition wall divides a low temperature reaction zone where aluminum oxide is reacted with carbon to form aluminum carbide and a high temperature reaction zone where the aluminum carbide and remaining aluminum oxide are reacted to form aluminum and carbon monoxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignees: Alcoa Inc., Elkem ASA
    Inventors: Jan Arthur Aune, Kai Johansen
  • Patent number: 6805659
    Abstract: Methods of making one-piece lidded containers are described along with containers made by such methods. In one embodiment, the method entails providing a first length of thermoplastic material and a second length of thermoplastic material where a portion of the two lengths of thermoplastic material are brought into an overlapping or abutting orientation to provide a juncture of thermoplastic material. The juncture of thermoplastic material is subsequently secured. The one-piece lidded container is completed by forming a first container and a corresponding lid on the first and second lengths of thermoplastic material. Other embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Ivex Packaging Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy Bohrer
  • Patent number: 6792740
    Abstract: A method of making packages having a reclosable zipper construction openable and closeable by a slider device by a horizontal form, fill and seal process. The method includes applying the slider device to the zipper construction prior to incorporating the zipper construction with the package film to form the package. The zipper construction is first applied and adhered to one half of the package film and then to the other half. A tamper-evident seal may be provided encasing the slider device to provide indication whether access has been gained to the slider device and the interior of the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Buchman
  • Patent number: 6782601
    Abstract: A method of making an interactive information package, including an interactive information closure including a radio frequency identification device, contemplates that a microelectronics assembly be provided, and positioned on an associated substrate for positioning adjacent an inside surface of the top wall portion of the closure of the package. In one embodiment, the mounting substrate is provided in the form of a disc-shaped sealing liner for the closure. In an alternate embodiment, the mounting substrate is laminated to an associated sealing liner, with the substrate, and microelectronics assembly positioned thereon, inserted together with the sealing liner into the associated molded closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International
    Inventors: Larry Smeyak, Timothy Carr, Mark Powell, John Ziegler
  • Patent number: 6770018
    Abstract: A method of making packages having a reclosable zipper construction openable and closeable by a slider device. In one embodiment, the method includes utilizing photo eyes to monitor the registration of the film web in respect to the slider device and the placement of side seams. In another embodiment, the method includes utilizing multiple sealing steps to provide seal regions and side seams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Mladomir Tomic