Patents Assigned to The York Group, Inc.
  • Patent number: 6467637
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for fabricating, and installing, a death care merchandising system and a method for displaying death care merchandise and a death care merchandising display system having low cost of fabrication in addition to ease of installation at the site of use. The death care merchandising system includes a slat wall, attached to a structural wall and vertically aligned or plumbed. From the slat wall, all further components may be hung. A provision of dividers can be used to delineate merchandise or categories of merchandise displayed within such merchandise display system and accessories, such as cornices, lighting, placards, shelving, retractable and extensible drawers, doors, and other sub units, such as cabinets, may be used in conjunction with the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis J. Riga
  • Patent number: 6343701
    Abstract: A death care merchandise display unit comprises two vertical, parallel, spaced wing wall panels, a vertical back wall means having lateral edges secured to the rear edges of the wing wall panels and optionally at least one decedent confinement chamber positioned between the two vertical spaced wing wall panels with a drawer slide means for rolling the chamber outward or a cornice display structure projecting from the vertical back wall of the merchandise display area or securement means for affixing death care merchandise selected from coffins, caskets, vaults, urns, sectionals or miniatures thereof and materials for decorating the same onto the merchandise display area. The securement means may consist of drawers adjacent to the decedent confinement chamber for exhibiting casket adornment materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis J. Riga, Douglas E. Kellogg
  • Patent number: 6324737
    Abstract: A casket or coffin is provided with a drawer to receive an urn or other vessel containing ashes of a decedent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Chamness, Barry Alvey
  • Patent number: 6276034
    Abstract: A slat wall death care merchandise display unit comprising a back wall with a plurality of slats attached such that a plurality of parallel, uniform slots are created. A category delineator can be inserted to divide and organize the display of death care related merchandise. Additionally, a cornice can be inserted into at least one slot to provide a display location for category headers. Moreover, an illumination source can be hidden under the cornice to provide additional lighting in the viewing of the death care related merchandise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Bachman, Alton F. Doody
  • Patent number: 6269526
    Abstract: An inexpensive burial vault is composed of two substantially identical modular enclosure segments which, when joined together, from an enclosed space in which a decedent confinement chamber may be placed. Each modular enclosure segment is composed of a bottom panel, anterior and posterior head panels, and a left and night side panel. The head panels and side panels are connected to the bottom panel with a slight flare outward, or inscribed angle between the bottom panel and the connected panels a little more than perpendicular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Bischoff, Bill W. Wilcock
  • Patent number: 6257423
    Abstract: The present invention provides a display system for caskets, both for display prior to casket selection, e.g., in a showroom prior to purchase, and for display in actual use, e.g., in a viewing room and/or during a funeral or memorial service. The casket display system is easy to assemble in a short period of time, is lightweight enough for a single human to be able to lift and move any of its component parts, yet is strong and sturdy, giving the appearance of stability and mass, and is easily transportable. The casket display system of the present invention comprises a back wall panel, a bier formed by a plurality of casket-supporting cylinders, and at least one supporting member, wherein each supporting member is supported by at least one of the cylinders and provides support for the back wall panel. The back wall is completely supported by the supporting members, requiring no additional means of support. Each supporting means is attached to one or more of the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis J. Riga, Douglas E. Kellogg
  • Patent number: 6145672
    Abstract: A memorial merchandise display unit and method of displaying the unit that maximizes the types and styles of memorial merchandise comprising two vertical, parallel, spaced wing walls and a vertical back wall attached to a rear end of each wing wall. Attached to the back wall and/or the wing walls is at least one angled display board to engage the line of sight of a prospective purchaser and provide a location for the multi-planar display of a variety of memorial merchandise, death care merchandise, decedent confinement chambers, vases, and visual materials. Additionally, the unit may further contain a cornice and/or at least one illumination source to improve the visibility and notoriety of the memorial merchandise.Alternatively, at least two display units are combined to create a modular memorial merchandise display unit capable of depicting a plurality of death care merchandise, decedent confinement chambers, and visual materials design lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Bachman, Lynn A. Taggart, Alton F. Doody
  • Patent number: 6145671
    Abstract: A death care merchandise display unit maximizes the display of miniature death care merchandise products. The display unit has two vertical, parallel, spaced wing wall panels and a vertical back wall having lateral edges secured to the rear edges of the wing wall panels. Fixtures for holding miniature replicas of various death care merchandise articles are adfixed to the wall panels and the vertical back walls. One or more display surfaces are preferably further contained within the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis J. Riga, Marta Monserrate
  • Patent number: 6138335
    Abstract: A casket 10 includes a four sided casket box 15 and a lid 16. A pair of appliques 40 may be fitted within a respective recess at the end of each side between a top framing strip 26 and a bottom framing strip 28. The pair of appliques together form a corner covering for each of the four corners of the casket. A pair of side snap members 56, 58, 110 may each be secured to the side adjacent the corner and between the top framing strip and the bottom framing strip. A pair of mating applique snap members 58, 90 may be secured to each applique. Mating engagement of the snap members may be achieved by applying a force perpendicular to a plane of the side 12, 34, thereby reliably mating the snap members and securing the applique to the casket side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Drawbaugh, Aaron S. Will
  • Patent number: 6105793
    Abstract: A death care merchandise display unit comprises two vertical, parallel, spaced wing wall panels, a vertical back wall means having lateral edges secured to the rear edges of the wing wall panels and at least one sectional decedent confinement chamber positioned between the two vertical spaced wing wall panels with at least one fabric board and a drawer and/or optional placard for displaying photographs, illustrations, or information. In addition, the cornice display structure may contain an illumination means affixed onto its inner perimeter. The securement means may further comprise a means for vertically stacking at least one additional sectional decedent confinement chamber from a vertical wing wall panel or the back wall or securing another modular display beside the first horizontal display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis J. Riga
  • Patent number: 6070741
    Abstract: A memorial death care merchandise display unit and method of displaying the unit that maximizes the types and styles of death care merchandise comprising two vertical, parallel, spaced wing walls and a vertical back wall attached to a rear end of each wing wall. Attached to the back wall and/or the wing walls is at least one angled display board to engage the line of sight of a prospective purchaser and provide a location for the multi-planar display of a variety of death care merchandise, decedent confinement chambers, and visual materials. Additionally, the unit may further contain a cornice and/or at least one illumination source to improve the visibility and notoriety of the death care merchandise. Alternatively, at least two display units are combined to create a modular memorial death care merchandise display unit capable of depicting a plurality of death care merchandise, decedent confinement chambers, and visual materials design lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Bachman, Lynn A. Taggart, Alton F. Doody
  • Patent number: 6065193
    Abstract: A burial casket having an image receiving surface includes a container, a cover and a coating applied to the exterior surface of the casket for receiving images. The image receiving surface includes at least one layer of stain applied directly to the exterior surface of the casket, a shading toner applied on top of the stain, a lacquer sealer applied on top of the shading toner, and at least one layer of gloss lacquer applied on top of the lacquer sealer. The container has a rectangular central portion which forms the bottom of the casket, opposed end walls which form the ends of the casket, and opposed side walls which form the sides of the casket. The cover overlies the ends walls and the sides walls and is hingedly connected to one of the side walls for moving between an open position and a closed position. The casket also includes media for introducing the images on the image receiving surface. The media include ink, dye, plastic, chalk, paint, charcoal, decals and transfers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventor: George Leo Foley, Jr.
  • Patent number: D438030
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis J. Riga
  • Patent number: D439445
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis J. Riga, Marta Monserrate
  • Patent number: D440796
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis J. Riga
  • Patent number: D464498
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis J. Riga, Marta Monserrate
  • Patent number: D468560
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis J. Riga
  • Patent number: D420838
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis J. Riga
  • Patent number: D426404
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis J. Riga, Marta Monserrate
  • Patent number: D428289
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: The York Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Bachman, Alton F. Doody