Patents Assigned to Central Garden and Pet Company
  • Patent number: 12172938
    Abstract: In an agricultural product, a seed is contained within a composite coating. The composite coating has successive layers, and one or more of the layers can include fertilizer, a binder, and/or lime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Central Garden & Pet Company
    Inventors: Joseph Karl Wipff, III, Kenneth W. Hignight, Debra L. Hignight
  • Patent number: 12144326
    Abstract: An aquarium includes a container defining a perimeter and an aquarium space that contains a fluid. A filter holder is coupled to the container and defines a filter space and a pump housing is coupled to the filter holder. A bypass outlet and a filter outlet each defined by one of the filter holder and the pump housing. A pump is disposed within the pump housing and is operable to draw a portion of the fluid from the aquarium space to produce a fluid flow. A spout is coupled to the filter holder and includes a spout outlet. The spout is movable between a first position in which the filter outlet is open and the fluid flow passes from the pump to the spout outlet and the bypass outlet is blocked such that the fluid flow does not pass through the bypass outlet, and a second position in which the filter outlet is blocked and the bypass outlet is open such that the fluid flow passes through the bypass outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Central Garden & Pet Company
    Inventors: Brad Mihlbauer, Ernie Katris
  • Patent number: 12114646
    Abstract: In general, an enclosure is disclosed that includes a basin for storing water and an insert configured to be removably disposed within the basin and provide dry and wet sections that define a habitat for one or more amphibians and/or reptiles. Preferably, the insert includes an integrated filter arrangement that can be removed together, e.g., as a single unit, from the basin when cleaning is desired. More preferably, the insert includes a plurality of openings to allow water to drain via gravity into the basin as a user “pulls” the insert from the same. Accordingly, a user may then remove the insert from the basin without necessarily removing creatures from within the insert, and more importantly, from the habitat provided by the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
    Inventors: Brad L. Mihlbauer, Phillip C. Bartoszek, Ernie Katris, Lawrence E. Sternal
  • Patent number: 11771293
    Abstract: A scraper apparatus, comprising a scraper blade; a scraper blade holder; wherein the scraper blade and the scraper blade holder are rotatable relative to one another about a pivot connection formable by the scraper blade and the scraper blade holder; wherein the scraper blade has at least one scraper blade fastener; wherein the scraper blade holder has at least one scraper blade holder fastener; and wherein the at least one scraper blade fastener is fastenable with the at least one scraper blade holder fastener via the scraper blade and/or the scraper blade holder being rotated about the pivot connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew Hudson, Gary Dunn
  • Patent number: 11641848
    Abstract: An aquarium includes a container that contains a liquid. A spout includes a first leg that extends along a first axis from an inlet positioned in a bottom portion of the aquarium space to a bend, and a second leg that extends along a second axis from a flow aperture formed adjacent the bend to an outlet. The spout is arranged to direct a portion of the liquid from the inlet to the outlet. A cap is coupled to the spout and is rotatable between a first position and a second position. The cap includes a seal element positioned to form a seal between the cap and the spout, and a flow control member fixedly attached to the cap and sized to completely block the flow aperture when the cap is in the first position and to completely uncover the flow aperture when the cap is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Central Garden & Pet Company
    Inventors: Brad L. Mihlbauer, Ernie Katris, Phillip Bartoszek
  • Patent number: 11447431
    Abstract: In an agricultural product, a seed is contained within a composite coating. The composite coating has successive layers, and one or more of the layers can include fertilizer, a binder, and/or lime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Central Garden & Pet Company
    Inventors: Joseph Karl Wipff, III, Kenneth W. Hignight, Debra L. Hignight
  • Patent number: 11412717
    Abstract: An aquarium includes a container defining a perimeter and an aquarium space, a filter space arranged to receive a fluid, and a filter holder coupled to the container. The filter holder defines the filter space and is operable to direct the fluid from the filter space into the container. A pump operates to draw the fluid from the container and a spout is coupled to the pump to selectively receive the fluid. The spout includes a first leg that extends along a first axis and a second leg that extends along a second axis and defines an outlet, The spout is movable along the first axis between an on position in which fluid from the pump flows through the spout and is discharged through the outlet and an off position in which no fluid flows through the spout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Central Garden & Pet Company
    Inventors: Brad L. Mihlbauer, Ernie Katris, Phillip Bartoszek
  • Patent number: 11324160
    Abstract: In an agricultural product, a seed is contained within a composite coating. The composite coating has successive layers, and one or more of the layers can include fertilizer, a binder, and/or lime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Central Garden & Pet Company
    Inventors: Joseph Karl Wipff, III, Kenneth W. Hignight, Debra L. Hignight
  • Patent number: 11191254
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a flexible, adjustable, collar. The collar includes a flexible member having a first end and a second end. A plurality of surface features, each having a raised portion on the upper surface the flexible member and a corresponding recessed portion on the lower surface of the flexible member, extend from the first end along the longitudinal axis of the flexible member. An attachment channel to accommodate the passage of the first end of the flexible member is disposed proximate the second end of the flexible member. An attachment feature having a physical geometry corresponding to the recessed portion of the surface feature is disposed on the bottom portion of the attachment channel. As the first end of the flexible member is passed through the attachment channel, the attachment feature engages the recessed portion of each of the surface features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
    Inventor: Stephen Richard Davis
  • Patent number: 10813345
    Abstract: A water change system includes an elongate tube and a spout configured to be coupled to the elongate tube. The spout includes a first opening and a second opening spaced from the first opening. The spout is rotatable between a first position to permit water to enter the second opening and pass out of the first opening, and a second position to inhibit water from entering the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Central Garden & Pet Company
    Inventors: Thomas Lutz, Phillip Bartoszek, Matthew Allen, Ernie Katris
  • Patent number: D945711
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Central Garden & Pet Company
    Inventors: Brad L. Mihlbauer, Ernie Katris
  • Patent number: D949512
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
    Inventors: Erin E. Lenz, Jason Casto, Lawrence Sternal
  • Patent number: D949513
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
    Inventors: Erin E. Lenz, Jason Casto, Lawrence Sternal
  • Patent number: D953482
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Central Garden & Pet Company
    Inventors: Brad L. Mihlbauer, Ernie Katris
  • Patent number: D954355
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
    Inventors: Brad L. Mihlbauer, Ryan T. McVeigh, Alexander S. Chirban
  • Patent number: D952263
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
    Inventors: Brad L. Mihlbauer, Ryan T. McVeigh, Alexander S. Chirban
  • Patent number: D952955
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
    Inventors: Brad L. Mihlbauer, Ryan T. McVeigh, Alexander S. Chirban
  • Patent number: D957745
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
    Inventors: Brad L. Mihlbauer, Ryan T. McVeigh, Alexander S. Chirban
  • Patent number: D967553
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: CENTRAL GARDEN & PET COMPANY
    Inventors: Lawrence Sternal, Jason Casto
  • Patent number: D1015647
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Central Garden & Pet Company
    Inventors: Brad L. Mihlbauer, Ernie Katris