Patents Examined by Gary Elkins
  • Patent number: 9446717
    Abstract: A multipurpose rack comprising a first racking assembly including a first securing portion configured to secure a first portion of a first transportation device, and a second securing portion operably connected to the first securing portion configured to releasably secure a second portion of the first transportation device, a second racking assembly including a first end portion having a clamping assembly, wherein the first end portion includes a lower support frame, a second end portion operably connected to the first end portion and spaced apart from the first end portion, the second end portion removably enclosing another portion of the second transportation is provided. An associated method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Inventor: Larry Alan Gray
  • Patent number: 9440762
    Abstract: A wrap around case including: a case body that includes a top face panel and a bottom face panel, a front face panel and a back face panel, and a pair of side face panels, and that is formed with a perforated tear section running along a ridgeline formed by the top face panel and each of the pair of side face panels; and an overlap section that extends from the top face panel toward the bottom face panel side and overlaps the front face panel, and that is formed with a gap to an edge portion at the bottom face panel side of a cutout portion formed at a position offset to one end side or another end side of the center, along the facing direction of the side face panels, of an edge portion at the top face panel side of the front face panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Kagawa, Nobuyuki Kimoto
  • Patent number: 9434123
    Abstract: A blank for being repeatably assembled into a box configuration without the use of adhesives. The blank has a bottom panel, a side panel foldably attached to the bottom panel, an end panel foldably attached to the bottom panel, and a locking structure configured to secure the side panel and the end panel in respective orthogonal positions with respect to the bottom panel. The locking structure includes an overlay panel foldably attached to the end panel and foldable toward an overlying position in which it overlies a portion of the side panel. The locking structure also includes a slot in the bottom panel, a flap foldably attached to the bottom panel and extending into the slot, and a tab foldably attached to the overlay panel for being lockingly received in the slot to secure the overlay panel in the overlying position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Interplast Group Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory A. Carman
  • Patent number: 9434520
    Abstract: A carton has composite wall which includes a handle that has a handle opening. The handle opening is defined at least in part by a load bearing edge. The load bearing edge includes a first segment to which a first handle flap is hingedly connected along a first fold line, and second and third segments to which second and third handle flaps are hingedly connected along second and third fold lines respectively. The first handle flap is formed from the outer layer. The second and third handle flaps are formed from the inner layer. The second and third fold lines are spaced apart from each other with a free edge of the inner layer extending between the second and third fold lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Packaging Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Aaron L. Bates
  • Patent number: 9428300
    Abstract: A foldable box template includes first, second, third, fourth, and fifth segments. Each of the segments has a length, a width, and one or more flaps. The first segment is positioned at a first end of the template and the fifth segment is positioned at a second, opposing end of the template. The first and third segments are each divided into two subsections by an intermediate crease. The intermediate creases facilitate folding of the foldable box template during the creation of a manufacturer's joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Packsize LLC
    Inventor: Tyler Sharp
  • Patent number: 9415997
    Abstract: An improved paperboard structure to hold a fluid filled carton is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Southern Champion Tray
    Inventors: George Coogan, Jason Ray, Stokes Smith, Bill Jones, Ron Couvillon
  • Patent number: 9409671
    Abstract: There is provided a basket assembly for making a basket, as well as a blank for making the basket assembly. A support sheet is mounted along a bottom wall of a container portion of the basket, either inside or outside of the container, providing a multi-layered assembly. The innermost layer of the support sheet and the container portion define a cut-out portion corresponding to a handle for the basket, which is nested in the innermost layer of the multi-layered assembly. The handle portion has opposing ends which are mounted to the container and side edges which are separable from the innermost layer, allowing to lift the nested handle away from the bottom of the container and to draw it out to provide the basket with a handle. The gap appearing in the innermost layer is covered by the outer layer of the multi-layered assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: CASCADES CANADA ULC
    Inventor: Luc Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 9409672
    Abstract: A closure on a rectangular container with a square or rectangular cross section with the closure easily opened into a pour spout. The container closure can be resealed. The new container provides a consumer friendly container design, reduced materials consumption, high efficiency from production capacity and distribution view points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Inventor: Wilhelm Kullberg
  • Patent number: 9409669
    Abstract: A blank for forming a tray includes a bottom panel, end panels, and side panels. A first divider panel assembly is defined within the bottom panel and an end panel. The first divider panel assembly includes an upper panel defined within the end panel and an inner panel defined within the bottom panel. The upper panel is configured to be at an angle to the bottom panel, and the inner panel is configured to be at an angle to the end panel in an erected configuration. A second divider panel assembly is defined within the bottom panel and a side panel. The second divider panel assembly includes an upper panel defined within the side panel and an inner panel is defined within the bottom panel. The panels of the second divider panel assembly are configured similarly to the panels of the first divider panel assembly in the erected configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: Dave Wayne Bahr
  • Patent number: 9403616
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laminar blank for assembling polyhedra which comprises at least three arrises (2a, 2b). Each of the arrises (2a, 2b) comprises: a first tab (4) projecting from the arris (2a, 2b) and forming a fold line, at least two closure grooves (12) provided in said arris (2a, 2b), a second fold-in tab (6) projecting from the first tab (4) and forming at least one fold-in line (30), a closure flange (10) projecting from the second tab (6) and aligned with a closure groove (12), and a third tab (8) projecting from one of the side edges (22) of the first tab (4) and being foldable with respect to the first tab (4) for cooperating with the adjacent arris (2b). The invention also relates to a polyhedron formed from laminar blanks according to the invention, as well as to a method of assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Inventor: Ricardo Vergés Escuín
  • Patent number: 9402491
    Abstract: Herein disclosed is a novel and uniquely shaped pizza box and cup holder in combination. In a first embodiment the pizza box is of a shape and size to contain a single slice of pizza and support at least one beverage therein. The pizza box with the beverage is easily carried with one hand and the box when opened is functional as a plate and cup holder. The box may be produced in various sizes of engineering choice. The box is easily made and integrally formed from one piece of material. A further embodiment includes the pizza box being of a shape and size to carry more than one slice of pizza and more than one beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Inventor: Dominick Joseph Debernardi
  • Patent number: 9399536
    Abstract: A gable topped food carton is provided having a closure device. The carton has a pour spout with a pair of folded ridge portions. The carton includes a male stud attached to a first of the folded ridge portions and a female socket attached to a second of the folded ridge portions. The male stud is constructed to couple with the female socket to close the pour spout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Inventor: Anthony J. Bertone
  • Patent number: 9394066
    Abstract: A box with a sliding opening has an integral liner to keep pourable contents fresh and dry. The box has a slide that is moveable by a user's thumb across the opening to open and close the box and the liner during the same operation to avoid risking tearing the box or liner. The user can open the box and the liner to pour out the contents in one motion and easily close and seal the box and the liner so the contents do not spill out. Advantageously, the box is formed from a single blank piece of cardboard or similar stock, and a single planar sheet of moisture impervious material adhered onto the blank which folds with the blank to form a sealed liner or bag, such that the slide ends up inside the box for easy assembly with a resulting sealed bag inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Inventor: David Todjar Hengami
  • Patent number: 9392891
    Abstract: Disposable platters are provided. In at least one embodiment, a disposable platter can include a bottom panel made of paper, a sidewall that can extend upwardly from the bottom panel, an outer flange that can extend outwardly from the sidewall, a first transition that can extend upwardly and outwardly from the bottom panel to a first end of the sidewall, and a second transition that can extend outwardly from a second end of the sidewall to a first end of the outer flange, defining a radius of curvature, R2, therebetween. In some examples, the platter can have at least two sides of different lengths, a characteristic diameter, D, that is an average length of the sides, and a ratio of R2/D that is 0.0125 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: DIXIE CONSUMER PRODUCTS LLC
    Inventors: Mark B. Littlejohn, Eric J. Berg
  • Patent number: 9386871
    Abstract: A soda straw box is installed in a dispenser by pushing the box full of straws into the dispenser receptacle. An opening member in the dispenser has a slot into which a corner of the box is pushed so that the corner panels fold together. One corner panel of the straw box is an anchor flap that folds as it is pushed into the opening slot. One or two other flaps are hinged either directly or indirectly to an edge of the anchor flap to assist in forming an opening in the box to allow the straws to fall down into the dispenser. The flaps of the box are all hinged for movement into the box during the opening process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Inventor: Antonio Domit
  • Patent number: 9387952
    Abstract: A foldable packaging which may include a liquid-resistant paperboard form that is foldable to provide an attractive stackable container that resists water leakage, can be assembled without fastening hardware and has concealed gussets. The packaging can be folded into overlapping flaps and wings which are folded and interlocked to define a generally trapezoidal packaging which can receive a variety of different pot sizes and types. The die cut pattern forming the packaging can be of a universal shape but formed in a variety of different sizes to accommodate different sized potted plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: MULTI PACKAGING SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Dennis M. Kaltman, Richard C. Thibault, John R. Widener, Carol J. Moore
  • Patent number: 9376231
    Abstract: A carton for containing at least one product. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises a front panel, a back panel, and a bottom panel. The carton has a container removably attached to at least one panel of the plurality of panels. The container is for containing the food product after removal of the food product from the interior of the carton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventor: Felicia A. Pinkstone
  • Patent number: 9371042
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for connecting a bicycle to a motor vehicle includes a crank axle support which supports the crank axle of the bicycle, a crank arm connector which connects to the crank arm of the bicycle, and a down tube connector which connects to the down tube of the bicycle. The crank arm connector and the down tube connector are adjustable to accommodate different style and size bicycles. The apparatus can be placed in in-use, lowered, and storage positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Inventor: George Jerzy Dratewski
  • Patent number: 9371150
    Abstract: A container for holding an article. The container comprises a lamination layer at least partially secured to a base layer, a bottom wall, and a side wall. The bottom wall and the side wall cooperate to at least partially define a cavity of the container with the lamination layer at least partially comprising an interior surface of the container adjacent the cavity. A plurality of score lines extend in the container for at least partially reducing buckling of the lamination layer into the cavity of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick H. Wnek
  • Patent number: 9371149
    Abstract: An improved structure of paper cup, which comprising: a cup body and bottom; the cup body is designed with an annular side wall, and an outward folded arced cup edge is set on the ring edge at one end; the annular side wall is provided with an annular side wall mated with the annular side wall of the cup body far away from the cup edge to form holding space; the cup body and bottom form a holding space; particularly, an inflexed edge is formed at the annular side walls where the cup body is abutted with the cup bottom, thus reducing the height of the annular side wall for the mating of the cup body and bottom; when a large number of paper cups are stacked, the gap between cups could be reduced, thus increasing the storage amount and saving the storage and transportation cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Inventor: Tzer-Huang Guo