Patents Examined by Christopher Bahr
  • Patent number: 8511515
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser device including a body, a reservoir, a dispenser head, and a dispenser member. The dispenser member includes a dispenser-member body and a movable member that moves axially in the dispenser-member body during actuation. The device includes a lateral actuator system secured to the body and having an actuator element that co-operates with the reservoir, with the dispenser member, or with an element secured to the reservoir and/or the dispenser member. The actuator element is movable between a rest position and an actuated position. The body includes a guide surface for guiding the actuator element, the guide surface is stationary relative to the dispenser head, and substantially parallel to the movement axis of the movable member in the dispenser-member body during actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Aptar France SAS
    Inventor: Francois Lemaner
  • Patent number: 8496138
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser includes a control module and a hose module. The hose module includes a housing and at least a portion of a fluid hose within an interior volume of the housing, a fluid nozzle supported by a boot when enclosed within the housing; a first door allowing removal of the fluid nozzle from the boot through a first opening created when the first door is adjusted from a closed position to an open position; a second door adjacent the exterior of the housing and adjustable from a shut position to a retracted position, where the second door allows access to the fluid hose when the second door is in the retracted position; and a linear motor adapted to adjust the second door from the shut position to the retracted position based on a received signal indicating the first door in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Dresser, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Chad Gehman
  • Patent number: 8479955
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a module (28) for a modular pressure distribution system (8) comprising a plurality of modules. The module (28) comprises a frame (60, 60?, 61, 61?) defining an outer periphery and a space defined within the outer periphery and a pressure chamber (22) for receiving a beverage container (68), the pressure chamber being arranged within the space. The module further comprises a first type connector (46) and a second type connector (48) positioned at the outer periphery. A fluid path (47) establishes fluid communication from the first type connector to the second type connector. The first type connector (46) is connectable to a connector of the second type connector (48) of a neighbouring module, and the first type connector is adapted to receive a pressure-fluid from a pressure-fluid source. The second type connector is adapted to transfer the pressure-fluid to a first type connector of a neighbouring module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Carlsberg Breweries A/S
    Inventors: Steen Vesborg, Jan N. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 8469242
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dispensing device for dispensing liquid from a container having a top, a side wall and a bottom, comprising a sleeve which can be inserted into the top in a sealing manner and into which a rising pipe opens via an inflow opening, a piston which is movable in the sleeve and can be moved between a closed position, in which the inflow opening is closed off by the piston, and an opened position, in which the inflow opening is connected to an outlet opening via a cavity of the piston. The outlet opening opens into an outlet channel of an extension arm which protrudes laterally from the sleeve and the output of which is coupled to a dispensing valve which can be activated by means of an actuating member in order to allow, in the opened position, liquid to be dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: HUBER Packaging Group GmbH
    Inventors: Philipp Kolon, Bernd Haeussler, Rainer Opferkuch
  • Patent number: 8464917
    Abstract: A tap with a dosing chamber for dosing liquids, in particular for dosing high and medium density liquids, including a body equipped with a connecting part to a container of liquid to be delivered through a liquid delivering passage and a valve that opens and closes the liquid delivering passage with an elastic button that actuates the valve and an air circulating tank in order to vent the liquid container when liquid is dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Vitop Moulding S.R.L.
    Inventor: Diego Nini
  • Patent number: 8464904
    Abstract: A method of reducing spillage and residual liquid when pouring liquid includes temporarily deforming a liquid-carrying resilient container to press a buoyant member into a position sealing a fluid flow passage of the container, which is then inverted and the force is released to permit the member to float away from the passage such that liquid freely passes therethrough. When the fluid level is no longer sufficient to float the member away from the passage, an additional step prevents the ball from becoming or remaining seated in the sealing position so that residual liquid left in the container can be drained through the passage. Novel containers feature a ball-shaped member of larger size relative to the passage to ease unseating of the member therefrom for draining of residual liquid, and novel two-piece container constructions accommodate insertion of such larger balls prior to final assembly of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Inventor: James M. Woodruff
  • Patent number: 8453882
    Abstract: An apparatus for rapidly cooling beer flowing from a keg to a tap to be dispensed includes an insulated ice chest containing an open topped swirl pot in which is nested a cooling coil having an inlet connected to a keg and an outlet connected to a tap on a hollow upright structure fixed to the outside of an ice chest lid. A pump is connected to a stand pipe within the coil directing a flow of ice water under pressure to generally tangentially directed nozzles within the coil creating a swirl flow of ice water over the coil turns and overflowing back into the ice chest interior space holding ice to create a circulation therein maximizing the rate of cooling of the dispensed beer to minimize foaming when dispensed from the tap. A CO2 tank is also held in the ice chest interior space, connected to the keg via fluid lines and simplified hook ups to the keg are located on the lid mounted hollow structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Inventor: Gregory A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8430275
    Abstract: A device for dispensing and receiving a liquid or semi-liquid product via a dosage chamber of a pump body. The device includes a piston which is fixably mounted in the pump body and is provided with an end sealingly engaged into the chamber. The piston end is provided with a membrane forming an intake valve allowing the introduction of the product in the dosage chamber and including at least one sealing peripheral lip in sliding contact with an inner wall of the dosage chamber. The device includes a connection element wholly within the pump body for connecting the piston to the pump body. The connection element is an independent part from the membrane and the pump body and is connected to a bottom part of the pump body over a conduit extending up from the bottom part of the pump body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Rexam Dispensing Systems S.A.S.
    Inventors: David Leuliet, Francois Nicolle
  • Patent number: 8371476
    Abstract: A bulk bag includes a shell and a gate valve assembly and is configured to retain a material. The gate valve assembly includes a gate which is slidable to selectively prevent and facilitate variation of rate of dispensation of material from the bulk bag and, more particularly, through an aperture defined by the shell of the bulk bag. The gate valve assembly has a configuration which, during movement of the gate to restrict dispensation of material through the aperture in the shell, renders the gate unlikely to snag with other portions of the bulk bag such as, for example, portions of the shell which define the aperture. Methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Weissbrod
  • Patent number: 8371475
    Abstract: Superabsorbents are metered by a process using a screw conveyor, wherein the superabsorbent is selected, or treated with a cohesion control agent, to have an unconfined yield strength of from 0.75 to 1.5 kPa at consolidation stress of 6 kPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Norbert Herfert, Herman Josef Feise, Hanno RĂ¼diger Wolf