Patents Examined by James N Smalley
  • Patent number: 11396408
    Abstract: A lid can include a lid body having an opening and locking projection and a flip cover may include a flip cover flange where the flip cover can be configured to cover the opening. A release mechanism can include a latching mechanism for receiving the flange of the flip cover to secure the flip cover in the closed position. A locking slider may include an arm having a distal end that can be configured to interfere with the locking projection of the lid body to prevent the release mechanism from rotating and releasing the flip cover. The locking slider can be displaced such that the distal end of the arm moves away from the locking projection of the lid body and the release mechanism is permitted to move the latching mechanism away from the flip cover flange and the flip cover can be moved into an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: YETI Coolers, LLC
    Inventors: Cody Jinkins, Liza Morris, John Loudenslager
  • Patent number: 11390428
    Abstract: The inventive disclosures described herein pertain to an improved tamper-resistant/tamper-evident (TE) seal for containers of consumer-product-containment vessels (such as, for example, prescription bottles, condiment bottles, etc.) that enables a user to better grip and/or exert force/leverage to more-easily and reliably open such containers. Specifically, it features an improved seal-removal assembly that provides a collapsible finger-receiving aperture that allows a user to insert at least one user finger (or an elongated tool, such as a writing utensil), and exert upward force to breach the container seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SealTech LLC
    Inventor: Brian Jay Conaway
  • Patent number: 11390406
    Abstract: Stopper assembly for a serving device configured to be positioned in a neck of a container, such as a bottle, wherein the stopper assembly comprises a body element arranged to fit in the serving device; a valve element mountable on the body element, wherein the body element extends substantially in a direction transverse to the valve element; and a handling element that is connectable to the valve element and extending in a direction substantially transverse to the valve element at an opposite side of the body element, such that the valve element is arranged in between the handling element and the body element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Vacu Vin Innovations Ltd.
    Inventors: Jasper Wilhelmus Petrus Van Winden, Rui Medeiros Santos
  • Patent number: 11383902
    Abstract: A pressure relief cap includes a body engageable with a container and rotatable about an axis for coupling or decoupling the body from the container. The pressure relief cap also includes a handle and a motion control mechanism operable to selectively couple the handle to the body. The motion control mechanism includes a clutch plate moveable between an engaged position in which the clutch plate permits torque transfer from the handle to the body, and a disengaged position in which the clutch plate inhibits torque transfer from the handle to the body. The pressure relief cap also includes a relief valve for releasing pressure in response to elevated pressure within the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: BEMIS MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventor: Michael Andrew Niver
  • Patent number: 11383898
    Abstract: A beverage container closure or lid that is adapted for closing an open end of a beverage container. The lid is selectively couplable to the beverage container and includes a selectively openable stopper that when closed, creates a fluid-tight seal between the beverage container and the environment. The stopper may be selectively opened by a user by the user pressing a button disposed on a side of the beverage container closure. The stopper is subsequently automatically closed when the user releases the button. Thus, a user may open and close the beverage container closure using a single hand without the need to remove the beverage container closure from the beverage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Pacific Market International, Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler Sean Gilbert, Randy Sims
  • Patent number: 11383895
    Abstract: A storage container comprising a container base having an upper opening defined by a peripheral top edge of the base; a removable lid with a circumferential seal, wherein the lid sealingly sits across the upper opening of the base; and a clip mounted to the base to rotate between an engaged position whereby the clip engages the lid against removal, and a disengaged position; wherein the clip includes a contact surface that as the clip rotates from the engaged position to the disengaged position, the contact surface is moved to lift the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: The Decor Corporation Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jim Samartgis, Graeme Wilson
  • Patent number: 11377267
    Abstract: A closure includes: a cap member for engaging a fitment; a handling member wall encircling the cap member; and septa connecting the cap and handling members and providing an interior space between them. The handling member can include an upper rim smaller than its lower rim, and multiple openings, providing structures for allowing air flow into or out of the interior space. The openings and rims are aligned to provide multiple ventilation passageways traveling in: straight, vertical directions; straight, horizontal directions; indirect horizontal directions; or indirect transverse pathways that include vertical and horizontal orientations. The closure can include a tamper-evident band for indicating the closure has disengaged from the fitment. The band can comprise indentations defining segments that the tamper-evident band can separate into when the closure disengages, and connecting elements that keep the intact tamper-evident band, and its separated segments, connected to the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: PHOENIX CLOSURES, INC.
    Inventor: Len Ekkert
  • Patent number: 11377269
    Abstract: Closure unit for a container, comprising a substantially flat cover element, for closing off the aperture in the container which cover element is provided with a tension element, for creating a pressure force that presses the cover element to a rim that surrounds the aperture of the container. The invention also prides a closure unit and a container as well as to methods for closing and opening a container with such a closure unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Curtec Nederland B.V.
    Inventors: Ilse Wilhelmina Hendrika van Driel, Sigebertus Johannes Jacobus Jozef Meggelaars, Robertus Franciscus Cornelia Maria Aarts
  • Patent number: 11377270
    Abstract: A container lid may include a container top, a closure, and a push button. The closure may be coupled to the container top and movable between a closed closure position in which a lid opening of the container top is closed and an open closure position in which the lid opening is open. The push button may be movably coupled to the closure. The push button may include a latch configured to selectively engage the container top when the closure is in the closed closure position. The push button may be movable between a first push button position in which the latch is engageable with the container top and a second push button position in which the latch is disengaged from the container top. The closure defines a push button recess and the push button is disposed substantially within the push button recess and substantially enclosed by the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Runway Blue, LLC
    Inventors: David O. Meyers, Jim Allen Colby, Paul James Faerber
  • Patent number: 11370583
    Abstract: The present invention provides a storage box (100) for storing an article, the storage box (100) having a locking assembly arranged on a portion of the body (100b) to facilitate an open position and closed position of the storage box (100). The locking assembly includes a biasing member (110), a latching member (120) and a button (130). The biasing member (110) is attachable to a side or front portion of the body (100b). The latching member (120) arranged on a portion of the biasing member (110). The latching member (120) is adapted to engage with an engaging portion of the lid (100a). The button (130) operably configured on the biasing member (110) such that upon pressing the button (130), the biasing member (110) biases and enable the latching member (120) to disengage with the engaging portion of the lid (100a) thereby opening the storage box (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventor: Michael E. Salemi
  • Patent number: 11357313
    Abstract: A plurality of caps are provided each with a visual coding of color and/or indicia for use with different sizes of bottles at least in accordance with a height of the bottles from a closed bottom end to an open top end for engaging each of the caps. Each of the caps has a tube mounted to, or through, an aperture extending through a top closed end of the cap to extend a selected length enabling one end of the tube to reach or extend along an interior surface of the bottom end of any of the bottles of the height to which the cap is coded for use therewith. The other end of tube is extendable to a bioreactor container. Each of the caps has another tube or port to another aperture of the cap to provide an air vent with an optional air filtering device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: ULTRAFAB, INC.
    Inventors: Alan P. Radcliffe, Alan J. Demello
  • Patent number: 11332290
    Abstract: A cap for a container is formed so that the cap has a top plate and a circular sidewall. Two opposite sides of the circular sidewall circularly connect to each other, one periphery of the circular sidewall connecting to one surface of the top plate forming a closed end, and another periphery of the circular sidewall at an opposite side of the closed end forms an opened end. Incisions are in the circular sidewall. The incisions form a ring member located at the opened end of the cap separated from a main body of the cap by a first incision and a second incision between the opened end of the main body and the ring member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: ThisCap, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Joseph Maguire
  • Patent number: 11330922
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plate cover system having a plurality of plate covers that can be configured to stack upon each other in a protracted configuration and/or or a collapsed configuration. In one embodiment, a first plate cover can be used to support a second plate cover by placing the second plate cover on top of the first plate cover, wherein a volume of space exists between the first plate cover and the second plate cover. The system can be transitioned between the protracted configuration and the collapsed configuration by slidably engaging channels disposed on sidewalls of the plate covers. Some embodiments include a rotation retention mechanism for securing the plate covers in place when in a protected or a collapsed configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: WHIRLEY INDUSTRIES INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin L. Ludwig, Peter Dorney, Matthew Schlotzhauer
  • Patent number: 11246434
    Abstract: The invention relates to a closing device for a beverage container, comprising a closing body and a closing lid, said closing lid being mounted such that it can rotate, relative to the closing body, between a flow state and a sealed state. A liquid channel of the closing body is released in the flow state and blocked in the sealed state. A guide device is arranged between the closing lid and the closing body. The guide device has two preferred positions, which define the sealed state and the flow state. The rotatable mount between the closing lid and the closing body is in the form of a threaded mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: ESBIT Compagnie GmbH
    Inventor: Simon Siegenthaler
  • Patent number: 11242180
    Abstract: A recloseable lid for closing an open top of a cup terminating in an annular upper edge includes a cup mount defining an annular channel configured to receive the annular upper edge of the cup and a cap having an annular side wall extending upwardly from the cup mount and terminating in a top having an annular floor spaced above the cup mount. A drink opening is disposed in the top and a plug assembly having a drink opening plug is provided. The drink opening plug can be selectively moveable between a closed position in which the drink opening plug is received within the drink opening for closing the drink opening and an open position in which the drink opening plug is not disposed within the drink opening. The lid can also include a plug retainer disposed in the cap and configured to retain the drink opening plug in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Dart Container Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron Layos, Chengtao Li, Robert Brubaker, Jacob Purcell, Dean Garza
  • Patent number: 11235695
    Abstract: A liquid tank including an internal network of cells. The cells are configured such that in use, movement of liquid between adjacent cells of the network of cells is prevented or retarded such that under conditions of liquid movement within the tank, kinetic energy transferred from the liquid to the tank wall is reduced as compared with the case where no cells are present. The tank is useful in the context of road tankers, for example, and can lessen the chance or completely prevent the vehicle from overturning on a corner due to shifting of the liquid load carried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventor: Bradely John Carpenter
  • Patent number: 11230432
    Abstract: The device relates to transportation and storage of bulk cargoes and comprises a vessel with upper charging opening and lower discharging opening, bearing framework and discharging mechanism, the device being further provided with soft sling load distribution ring, which passes through additional external loops of the main slings and alternately through additional loops along the upper perimeter of the cylinder, which, in turn, are embodied in the form of the load distribution triangle. The device provides improving convenience of handling multi-tonnage bulk cargoes as well as improving container reliability in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventor: Rabizo Ivan Georgievich
  • Patent number: 11230410
    Abstract: Provided is a container assembly including a container for storage and transport of goods including at least one side wall and a bottom wall defining together an interior space and a cover for closing the opening, having a top surface. The cover may include at least one latch member movable between at least a first position and a second position. The container may also include a retaining member on the at least one side wall and positioned parallel to the latch member such that the latch member is configured for engaging with a retaining member of another container to connect the container to the at least one other container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Keter Plastic Ltd.
    Inventor: Yaron Brunner
  • Patent number: 11225361
    Abstract: A closure for a container includes a cap connected to a retaining ring. The cap includes a cover and a skirt. A plurality of concentric threads are disposed on an inside surface of the skirt. The plurality of threads includes at least a first thread at a first level and a second thread at a second level. The first thread is comprised of at least a first thread segment separated from a second thread segment by a first space. The second thread is comprised of at least a third thread segment separated from a fourth thread segment by a second space. A plurality of latch segments includes a first latch segment separated from a second latch segment by a third space. The first space, the second space, and the third space at least partially overlap in along a radial direction of the cap to provide a flex point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: BLACKHAWK MOLDING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Hidding, Jeffrey S. Davis, Thomas M. Urie
  • Patent number: 11213147
    Abstract: A drink cup includes a body formed to include an interior region providing a fluid-holding reservoir and a brim. The brim is coupled to the body to form an opening into the interior region. The body includes a floor and a side wall that extends away from the floor. The drink cup further includes a body-strengthening system coupled to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Berry Plastics Corporation
    Inventors: David Y. O'Nan, Brad A. Ruminer, Jeffrey A. Mann