Patents Assigned to General Housewares Corp.
  • Patent number: 6250833
    Abstract: A fluid-dispensing kitchen brush has a body including a fluid reservoir and a handle, the reservoir being closed by an end plate which is ultrasonically welded to the body and is, in turn, latched to a bristle block by means of resilient fingers on the block engaging in notches on the plate. A second embodiment also has a resilient tab on the plate engaging in a recess in the block. Aligned holes through the plate and the block which provide communication between the reservoir and the bristles is openable and closeable by a plug biased closed by a leaf spring and openable by means of a lever having a post receivable in a fluid-filling aperture in the body adjacent to the handle. The aperture is closed by a hollow cap hingedly movable between open and closed positions and having a flexible and resilient dome which, in the closed position, covers the post and is depressible for actuating the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: Marco C. Perry, Kevin R. Lozeau
  • Patent number: 6210064
    Abstract: A fluid-containing brush has a housing with a generally cylindrical wall open at one end and closed at the other end by a base carrying the brush bristles. The housing defines a fluid reservoir and the base has a central opening therein closed by a valve member for dispensing liquid to the brush bristles. The valve is normally spring-biased closed and has a valve stem extending upwardly through the reservoir and having its upper end connected to an actuator button which is received in an opening in a cap removably attached to the housing. An elastomeric seal covers the cap and actuator button and seals the opening therebetween while permitting manual actuation of the button from above the cap to open the valve, the seal having a gasket lip portion engageable with the housing to provide a fluid-tight seal therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: Carly R. White, Dean Chapman
  • Patent number: 6179138
    Abstract: A combination utensil has a one-piece plastic body with a bottle-cap-removing ring and an elongated bottle stopper projecting substantially radially outwardly from the ring. The ring has inclined end faces tapering toward the stopper and an opening positioned eccentrically thereof and extending therethrough between the end faces and defined by a frusticonical wall, the opening being chamfered at the small-diameter end. A metal plate is insert-molded in the stopper and has a lip which projects radially into the ring opening at the small-diameter end thereof. The inner and outer surfaces of the ring, except for the chamfer, are covered with a frictional cushioning material which defines circumferentially spaced ribs projecting radially inwardly of the frustoconical wall. The stopper is tapered toward a small-diameter distal end and its mid portion is surrounded with a frictional cushioning sheath having radially outwardly projecting circumferential ribs spaced axially of the stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventor: Cyan Puleston
  • Patent number: 6154913
    Abstract: A toilet brush is provided which includes an elongated handle having a first axis, a brush head having a second axis, and a flexible joint flexibly connecting the handle to the brush head. The joint is threadedly connected to at least one of the brush head and the handle, whereby the joint allows the second axis of the brush head to be deflected with respect to the first axis of the handle. The brush head may also include first and second sets of segregated bristles. The second set of bristles being longer, stiffer and disposed closer to the handle than the first set of bristles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventor: Maximillian P. Burton
  • Patent number: 6018883
    Abstract: A device for drying food is provided. The device includes a bowl having a bottom wall and a sidewall terminating in a top edge, a cover removably connected to the top edge of the bowl, a basket assembly including a basket and a removable lid disposed in the bowl and rotatable relative to the bowl about an axis, and a brake assembly carried by the cover and engageable with the lid for stopping rotation of the basket assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventor: Paul Mulhauser
  • Patent number: 6012749
    Abstract: The corn holder comprises one element which is a portion of a generally elongated animal such as a dog. That portion includes at least the dogs head. The body also comprises another element which is the rest of the animal. Each element has a generally planar surface transverse to the direction of elongation. Two tines extend from each surface to insert into the end of an ear of corn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: John David Farber, Hugh William Biber
  • Patent number: 6006959
    Abstract: A kettle is provided which includes a body defining a storage unit and including a spout coupled to the body and defining an opening. The kettle also includes a handle having first and second ends and coupled to the body for rotation about a second axis disposed between the first and second ends and engageably coupled to the spout lid, wherein the rotation of the handle in a first direction causes movement of the lid to its open position and rotation of the handle in a second direction causes movement of the lid to its closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: Mark Naden, Donald Strum
  • Patent number: 5996821
    Abstract: A magnetic holder is provided which includes a magnet and a flexible and resilient body coupled to the magnet. The body includes a slit therein defining first and second opposed lips normally resiliently biased to a closed condition. The body is responsive to compressive forces applied to predetermined locations thereon for moving the lips to an open condition spaced apart a greater distance than in the closed condition to form an opening in the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: John David Farber, Hugh William Biber
  • Patent number: 5992309
    Abstract: A device for drying food includes a bowl having a bottom wall and a sidewall terminating in a top edge, a cover removably connected to the top edge of the bowl and a perforated basket disposed in the bowl and rotatable relative thereto coaxially therewith, and a drive assembly coupled to the basket for effecting rotation thereof. The drive assembly includes a linearly reciprocating handle structure with a screw shaft engageable with a nut coupled to the basket for converting the reciprocating movement of the handle structure to rotary motion of the basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: Paul J. Mulhauser, Erika Elmuts, Elizabeth Erin O'Halloran, Mario M. Protano, Jonathan C. Roche, Clinton N. Tate
  • Patent number: 5927701
    Abstract: A holder for containing items to be sliced is provided. The holder includes a base, a first sidewall having a proximal end fixedly secured to the base and a distal end, and a second sidewall having a proximal end fixedly secured to the base and a distal end. The sidewalls have a normal rest position wherein the distal ends are spaced apart a predetermined distance. At least one of the sidewalls is formed of a flexible and resilient material and is deflectable from the rest position in a direction which increases the distance between the distal ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventor: Dean Chapman
  • Patent number: 5791048
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a body member which has a pair of guide surfaces. A blade projects from a first of the guide surfaces and the cutting edge of the blade forms an acute angle with the first guide surface. The plane of the blade forms an acute angle with the second guide surface thereby facilitating a clean cutting action. The angle of the plane of the blade maintains contact between the guide surfaces and the carton being opened and minimizes any tendency for the carton opener to leave the cut. The body member includes a curved portion forward of the blade and a projecting wall portion which serves to position the hand of the user in the correct ergonomic position for safe and efficient operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: Attila Bodnar, Kyle Ayer, Frank Thomas Zamecnik, Lloyd Moseley Ayer
  • Patent number: RE37190
    Abstract: A universal handle for household and other hand-held implements, the handle being adapted to ergonomically render the implement to which it is applied useable by individuals who have difficulty in firmly grasping a conventional handle. The universal handle, which is fabricated of elastomeric material having good thermal insulation and cushioning properties, includes an internal cavity to socket the core shank of the implement. The handle has an elliptical cross section, the opposing sides of the handle adjacent its upper end each having a concave depression, in each of which an array of spaced, flexible fins is anchored to define a depressible grip site. When the fingers of a user's hand are clenched about the handle, the internal region of the resultant fist conforms to the form of the handle to provide a good grip thereon, the thumb and forefinger pressing into the grip sites to enhance the user's grip on the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: Davin Stowell, Michael Callahan
  • Patent number: D408688
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventor: Susan A. Fabry
  • Patent number: D409455
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventor: Susan A. Fabry
  • Patent number: D411085
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventor: Hugh W. Biber
  • Patent number: D413470
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventor: Maximillian P. Burton
  • Patent number: D417049
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: William Scott Hughes, Edwin Chan
  • Patent number: D427044
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: Carly R. White, Davin Stowell, Kevin Lozeau
  • Patent number: D427857
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventors: Paul J. Mulhauser, B. Matthew Marzynski
  • Patent number: D433601
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: General Housewares Corp.
    Inventor: Laura A. Ranieri