Patents Examined by Gary Elkins
  • Liquid dispensing containers and blanks for making the same
    Patent number: 9114921
    Abstract: A container for dispensing beverages is provided. The container includes at least six side walls coupled together along a plurality of parallel fold lines. The at least six side walls include two end panels and at least two side panels, and the at least six side walls define a substantially cylindrical shape of the container. A bottom wall is coupled to at least one of the two end panels, wherein a shape of the bottom wall corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the at least six side walls. The container further includes a spout cutout removably defined in a first end panel of the two end panels proximate to a fold line connecting the first end panel to the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Rock-Tenn Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: Kenneth Charles Smith
  • Expandable carton
    Patent number: 9113648
    Abstract: A package for holding a food product. The package comprises a carton comprising a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises at least two side panels. A tear feature extends at least partially across the plurality of panels for at least partially separating the carton into an upper portion and a lower portion. The package also comprises a liner disposed in the interior of the carton. The liner comprises an expandable region proximate to the tear feature of the carton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley J. Burke
  • Paper cup seal
    Patent number: 9114900
    Abstract: A paper cup having a cup side wall bonded to a portion of a paper cup bottom wherein a seal promoter is present between at least a portion of the cup side wall and a portion of the cup bottom. At least a portion of the cup side wall and a portion of the cup bottom being coated with polyethylene such that the seal promoter is applied to a portion of at least one of the polyethylene coated surfaces. The present invention is also directed to a method of producing a cup having a seal promoter applied to an at least partially polyethylene treated cup side wall and/or cup bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Dixie Consumer Products LLC
    Inventors: Dale P. Hougland, Anthony R. Hafley, David C. Brown, Gregory M. Fike
  • Package, container, assembly, and method for containing a food product
    Patent number: 9108755
    Abstract: A package includes a support member and a second support member coupled to a base member. The support members may be configurable between a heating position and a storage position. When in the heating position a recess is positioned below the support members. The package may be part of an assembly further including a flexible container. The flexible container may include a first portion with a food product and a second portion configured to receive liquid byproducts given off by the food product. The second portion of the flexible container may be received in the recess when the assembly is in the heating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Cryovac, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph E. Owensby, Billy W. Austin, Howard D. Conner, Charles Kannankeril, Greg E. Harwood
  • Retail sealed folding box with handle
    Patent number: 9108760
    Abstract: A hanging display box with a carrying handle is made from a folding cardboard sheet. The cardboard sheet includes a display panel with a window, a substantially transparent plastic material covering the window and having flaps extending substantially beyond the display panel. A top wall attached to the display panel is connected to a hanger panel with an opening, and a bottom wall attached to the display panel is connected to a rear panel also having an opening, so that when the rear panel is folded adjacent the hanger panel, the openings align to form the carrying handle. Side walls attached to the display panel releasably fix the plastic material against the window such that, when the box is opened, the plastic material and cardboard are easily separated and recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventor: Moshe Begim
  • Product dispensing container, system and method with priming area
    Patent number: 9102456
    Abstract: A product dispensing container including a plurality of walls that define an internal volume, at least one of the walls including an access door panel, a priming area and a severance line, and a plurality of products received in the internal volume, wherein the priming area is displaceable relative to the wall to form a free edge, and wherein the access door panel is at least partially defined by the free edge and the severance line when the priming area is displaced relative to the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Laurel Thomas, Aaron L. Bates, John Gelardi
  • Folding locking end wall assembly for merchandise package
    Patent number: 9102436
    Abstract: A folding locking end wall assembly for a pillow pack is disclosed wherein the end wall is locked against opening forces created by the merchandise inside the packaging. In one exemplary configuration, the pillow pack is configured for automobile wiper blades and the disclosure is relevant to various other items of elongated merchandise that are relatively heavy for their size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Wynalda Litho, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert G. Rajter, Jr.
  • Box design with corner stack tabs
    Patent number: 9096340
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to improved box designs and methods of making stackable boxes having improved designs. Some embodiments include boxes having corner stack tabs that are bent along an axis extending from the top to the bottom of a box. Some embodiments include boxes having corner stack tabs of tapered or generally trapezoidal shape. Some embodiments include a box having a notch in its bottom end portion for receiving a stack tab of another box. Some embodiments include boxes formed from three separate sheets of cardboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Boise Packaging & Newsprint, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Warren Berg
  • Saddle rear rack for bicycle
    Patent number: 9096286
    Abstract: A saddle rear rack for a bicycle contains a body, a connector, and two coupling sets. The body is in a frame shape and includes an accommodating cavity, two tabs, and two polygonal recesses. The connector is fixed between the two tabs and includes two hanging bars for hanging the connector on two stems of a bottom end of a saddle, and the connector also includes two toothed notches. Each coupling set includes a fixing element, a limiting element, and a screw bolt. The fixing element a polygonal surrounding section for corresponding to each polygonal recess and a toothed surrounding section for inserting into and engaging with each toothed notch. The limiting element has a circular disc and a circular peg corresponding to the toothed surrounding section of the fixing element, and the screw bolt is screwed with and unscrewed from the fixing element and the limiting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Inventor: Po-Chien Lin
  • Product dispensing container, system and method with priming area
    Patent number: 9096361
    Abstract: A product dispensing container including a plurality of walls that define an internal volume, at least one of the walls including an access door panel, a priming area and a severance line, and a plurality of products received in the internal volume, wherein the priming area is displaceable relative to the wall to form a free edge, and wherein the access door panel is at least partially defined by the free edge and the severance line when the priming area is displaced relative to the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Laurel Thomas, Aaron L. Bates, John Gelardi
  • Product dispensing system with reinforced weakening features
    Patent number: 9096345
    Abstract: A product dispensing system may include a container including a plurality of walls that define an internal volume and an opening into the internal volume, wherein the container defines a plurality of first perforations and at least one first reinforcing feature arranged in a first row extending from the opening and a plurality of second perforations and at least one second reinforcing feature arranged in a second row extending from the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Bogdziewicz, Christopher A. Moser, Stephen G. Simmons, Wojciech A. Blaziak
  • Cartons
    Patent number: 9090371
    Abstract: There is provided a carton comprising a side wall (4) comprising a first panel (6) connected to a second panel (8), a first lower flap (16) hingedly connected to the first panel, the first and second panels having free ends, a second lower flap (18) hingedly connected to the second panel, a hinged locking base panel (30) hingedly connected to the first lower panel and an inner base panel (36) hingedly connected to the second lower panel, a plurality of strengthening tabs (54,56,58,60) attached to the hinged base locking panel or the inner base panel, the first lower flap being folded over and affixed to the first panel, the second lower flap being folded over and affixed to the second panel, the hinged base locking panel being folded along a hinge line (34) thereof and affixed to the inner base panel, in which substantially diagonal weakening lines (80,82,84,86) are positioned on the lower flaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Concept Packaging Service Limited
    Inventors: Chris Hallam, Mayur Mistry
  • Merchandise storage container with retaining tabs
    Patent number: 9090376
    Abstract: A merchandise storage container includes belly band retaining tabs. The retaining tabs are moved to their extended positions when the merchandise storage container is formed. The retaining tabs are disposed at the corners of the container so that a belly band used with the container can slide up and down along the length of the container while encountering at least some resistance at the corners before the band separates from the container. The retaining tabs are flexible so that a person can intentionally remove a belly band by pivoting the tabs out of the way or by forcing the belly band over the tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Wynalda Litho, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Paul Longberg, Robert G. Rajter, Jr.
  • Methods and apparatus relating to lock-top box
    Patent number: 9085385
    Abstract: A box includes a front connected to two front attachment panels, a back connected to two back attachment panels, first and second sides, a bottom, a first top panel connected to the front having flanges on opposite sides, each of the flanges being respectively connected to one of the front attachment panels, and a second top panel having flanges on opposite sides, each of the flanges being respectively connected to one of the back attachment panels. One of the top panels includes a tab and the other does not; the flanges of the top panel that includes the tab extend to the outer edge of such top panel; the flanges of the other do not extend to the outer edge of such top panel; and the flanges and tab are configured to lock the top panels in a closed configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: THATBOX DESIGN, LLC
    Inventor: Donn J. Costanzo, Jr.
  • Structure of roof rack
    Patent number: 9085266
    Abstract: The present invention provides a structure of a roof rack, which includes: a base, which has one side forming a first clamping section; a fixing member, which has one side forming a second clamping section, the second clamping section and the first clamping section being arranged to correspond to and movable with respect to each other for clamping purposes; a rod, which has one end coupled to the base, the rod extending through the fixing member to project out, the rod having an opposite end coupled to an extension coupler; and a roof transverse bar, which is coupled to the base and the fixing member, the roof transverse bar having at least one coupling slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Inventor: Pu-Lun Chang
  • Bag in box carton
    Patent number: 9079697
    Abstract: A bag in box carton configured for receipt of a flexible package. Advantageously, the front wall assembly comprises a plurality of chamfered surfaces so that the panel through which the spout extends is captured and contained substantially or entirely within the footprint of the carton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Scholle Corporation
    Inventor: John Brooks
  • Bakery boxes having removable parts comprising plates and other tableware
    Patent number: 9079682
    Abstract: The invention provides improved bakery boxes comprising removable plates and other tableware. Said removable tableware may comprise scored or perforated subpanels imparted in panels of a box, and alternatively, may comprise separately manufactured tableware reversibly attached to panels of a box. The invention further provides compound panels having expanded surface areas for accommodating greater quantities of removable subparts in diverse materials, shapes, and sizes. The invention emphasizes the placement of said removable tableware within superfluous panels that are not essential to the structural and functional integrity of the box, so therefore the food storage utility of the box is not necessarily destroyed when the tableware is removed, said superfluous panels comprising, for example, overlapping panels on the sides of a box or cellophane-reinforced panels in windowed boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Inventor: Phyllis Adams
  • Carton with reinforced handle
    Patent number: 9073658
    Abstract: A carton for carrying a plurality of articles. The carton comprises a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprise at least a first top panel, a second top panel, at least one side panel, and a bottom panel. The first top panel and the second top panel are at least partially overlapped. At least one of the first top panel and the second top panel comprise a main portion foldably connected to the at least one side panel and a distal portion foldably connected to the main portion. The main portion has a first handle portion and the distal portion has a second handle portion. The distal portion has an exterior surface at least partially in face-to-face contact with the interior surface of the main portion. The carton further comprises a handle comprising at least the first handle portion and the second handle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond R. Spivey, Sr., Jean-Manuel Gomes, Colin P. Ford
  • Carton with article protection features
    Patent number: 9073680
    Abstract: A carton for containing a plurality of articles. The carton comprises a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises at least one side panel. The carton further comprises a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels. The plurality of end flaps are configured to close an end of the carton. The plurality of end flaps comprise at least one side end flap foldably connected to the at least one side panel. The carton further comprises an article protection feature foldably connected to the at least one side end flap and moveable between a first position that is substantially parallel to the side end flap and a second position wherein the article protection feature is folded relative to the at least one side end flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond S. Kastanek
  • Polygonal container and blank for making the same
    Patent number: 9073661
    Abstract: A blank of sheet material for forming a container is provided. The blank includes a series of four generally rectangular panels connected along a plurality of substantially parallel fold lines. The panels include a first spaced-apart pair of panels and a second spaced-apart pair of panels. Each of the second spaced-apart pair of panels is connected to at least one panel of the first spaced-apart pair of panels. The blank also includes a corner panel extending from each side edge of each panel of the first pair of panels, and a lateral flap extending from each side edge of each panel of the second pair of panels, wherein each lateral flap has free side edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Rock-Tenn Shared Services, LLC
    Inventor: Kenneth Charles Smith