Patents Examined by Jerrold Johnson
  • Patent number: 7021458
    Abstract: The soap bar is contained in a package comprised of a first package and a second package. The first package fully surrounds and envelops the soap bar and in a preferred embodiment has a peripheral edge. The second package will contain one or more first packages with an aperture in at least one panel of the second package and a part of the first package protrudes through the second package and is stabilized in the second package. When the first package has a peripheral edge, it will be adjacent to the interior surface of the second package and additionally support the second package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmollive Company
    Inventor: Bruce Cummings
  • Patent number: 7021463
    Abstract: The present invention is a mechanical contrivance integrated into the closure of a sharps collector. It is intended to allow for the safe removal and disposal of a used pen needle from a pen syringe device. The pen syringe, with the used pen needle attached, is inserted into the specially designed port of the present invention. The pen syringe is then rotated counterclockwise about its longitudinal axis. The pen needle itself is constrained by at least one tooth, which only allows the pen needle one degree of freedom (linear displacement along its longitudinal axis). These conditions cause the pen needle to be unthreaded from the pen syringe, such that when the pen syringe is withdrawn from the port, a tang then blocks the pen needle from being withdrawn with the pen syringe, and the used pen needle falls into the sharps collector without the use of a secondary operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Becton, Dickinson and Company
    Inventor: Vu Phan
  • Patent number: 7017744
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a package for hygienic storage of two or more similar, non-folded, thin absorbent articles, preferably micro panty shields, which are placed on top of each other in a stack. The package is shape stable and shockproof and has a container part and a lid part. The container part and the lid part together delimit a storage space intended to accommodate the stack, where the storage space has a form that principally conforms to the form of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Probucts AB
    Inventor: Håkan Persson
  • Patent number: 7014039
    Abstract: Smoking articles, such as filter cigarettes, are packaged in a metal box which is curved to a shape that conforms to the curvature of the human body so that the box can be comfortably carried in a shirt or pant pocket. The metal box comprises a lid and a four sided tray. The lid and the tray have rolled lips which interengage to mechanically and slidably retain the lid to the tray. The lid covers the open front of the tray and is slidable along an arcuate path corresponding to the radius of curvature of the lid to selectively open or close the front of the tray. The lid of the box includes an abutment that prevents the lid of the box from being completely removed unless additional force is applied to push the abutment past the rear wall of the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Jane Cottrell Henson, Veronica Nicole Walton
  • Patent number: 7014042
    Abstract: A display apparatus for displaying a clip-on sunglass, sunglass or other product and a method of assembling the display apparatus. In one embodiment, a closable case is removably attached to a product card, wherein the product card includes product information and an aperture for handing the display apparatus on a display case. The closable case may be closable and removably attached to the product card with a fastener, wherein one portion of the fastener is mounted to the body of the closable case, while the other portion is mounted to the body of the closable case and to a perforated portion of the product card, thus allowing the closable case to be removed from the product card and used as a case for clip-ons, sunglasses or any other product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Dioptics Medical Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Henry Welling Lane
  • Patent number: 7007802
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling produce contained in ventilated trays arranged in a five-down configuration on a pallet. The ventilated trays according to the present invention have openings that correspond to fluid passageways in contained clamshells in order to efficiently and effectively channel cooling air into the clamshells and over the contained produce. The present invention creates direct airflow channels to the produce that cause an optimal amount of the forced air to enter and flow over the produce within the produce carrying containers and not around the produce carrying containers as can occur with conventional six-down configurations. As a result, more air enters the produce carrying containers, more passes over the produce and more produce is effectively cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen E. Moorman, Philip W. Weideman
  • Patent number: 7003909
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device made of an elastic plastic material for the optical and/or haptic marking of hen's eggs to characterize their properties, which device is at least partly adapted to the outer shape of the egg in a positive locking (form-locking) and/or non-positive locking (force-locking) way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Gabriele Gramlich
    Inventor: Gabriele Gramlich
  • Patent number: 7000791
    Abstract: A closure for medicine vials, comprising a cap and a rotatable detented indicator arranged to indicate the last pill or medicine dose taken. The indicator may be transparent with numbers that are rendered visible by contrast with the cap color. The indicator may use 12 detented positions, a number evenly divisible by the common prescription quantities of 2, 3, 4, and 6 per day.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Inventor: Mark H. Miller
  • Patent number: 7000770
    Abstract: A package for a drug-coated stent includes a tray adapted to receive a coiled stent delivery system and a pouch adapted to receive the tray and coiled stent delivery system. The tray contains at least one recess adapted to retain an oxygen or moisture scavenger pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Clarke, Thomas Farrell
  • Patent number: 7000765
    Abstract: A container having corner regions with hollow bodies is provided. Locking devices are provided that are received in the corner regions. Electrically driven, rotatable and displaceable locking mechanisms are respectively disposed in corners of the container. For a lower region of each locking mechanism, a locking member is provided that is adapted to engage in corresponding hollow bodies, disposed on upper corner regions of a comparable container disposed there below and adapted to receive locking devices, for interlocking the containers, sensors and signal emitters are disposed in the container for indicating a respective position of one of the locking mechanisms in a corner of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Lepus Vermögensverwaltung GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Hase, Götz Cönen
  • Patent number: 6997310
    Abstract: A school document storage system for providing efficient and organized storage of a child's school documents based upon grade level. The school document storage system includes an outer housing having a cover member, and a plurality of inner compartments removably positioned within an interior of the outer housing. A transparent pocket is preferably positioned within the front portion of the outer housing for receiving a picture or other display item. A plurality of closure apertures are within the cover member that removably receive closure members attached to the upper sides of the outer housing. The cover member preferably has an upper member, a front member extending from the upper member and a pair of side members extending from the upper member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Inventor: Stacey E. Fenley
  • Patent number: 6997322
    Abstract: A bathroom organizational assembly is presented for organizing the bathroom vanity area. The bathroom assembly creates an organized method of organizing bathroom toiletries such as tooth-brushes, combs, lotions, antibacterial soaps, facial tissue, barrettes, contact lens cases, and practically any other toiletry item. The bathroom organizational assembly consolidates and simplifies daily necessities with an enjoyable theme for the appropriate age group to encourage their usage. Storage and dispensing of items stored in the present invention simulates actions in the theme, to create functional decoration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Inventor: Diana C. Peterson
  • Patent number: 6994246
    Abstract: A packaging case which can store a plurality of stored items, enables the stored items to be individually removed, and prevents the occurrence of formation failures. First broken cut lines (perforations) extend from a first flat plate (a side plate) over one flat plate (side plate) neighboring the first flat plate (side plate), and form openings through which the stored items (cartridge containers) can be taken out individually. A second broken cut line (perforation) is formed at a joining portion between the first flat plate (side plate) and the one flat plate (side plate) neighboring the first flat plate (side plate).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruo Ichikawa, Akira Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 6993809
    Abstract: A wafer box with a handle device is provided. A wafer box includes a wafer box main body for carrying at least one wafer, a handle device having a holding portion being evenly and securely held by an operator with digits so as to transport the wafer box conveniently, and a connecting component for connecting the wafer box main body to the handle device. The connecting component further includes an engaging portion for being engaged with the wafer box main body, a positioning portion for positioning the connecting component on the wafer box main body, and an urging portion for urging against the wafer box main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Power Geode Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang Chin-Kang
  • Patent number: 6991110
    Abstract: A package for retaining at least one crystal for use with vacuum deposition processing apparatus includes a tray portion having at least one vertically disposed supporting slot sized for retaining a crystal and a cover portion overlaying the tray portion. The cover portion is rotated until a slotted opening of the cover portion is aligned with a vertical supporting slot, permitting removal of the crystal that is supported within the vertical slot only along its peripheral edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Inficon, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert F. Flynn, Christopher W. Cipro, Jon Hughes, Paul Harold Lindsay
  • Patent number: 6991109
    Abstract: In some embodiments of the present invention, a strip of material is employed to assist in evacuating a storage bag. Although this venting strip can be used in vacuum sealing any type of plastic bag, in some preferred embodiments the venting strip is used in vacuum sealing storage bags having one or more heat sealable inner layers and one or more outer layers resistant to gas permeation. The venting strip can be apertured and/or can have a textured or rough surface that creates channels between the inside surface of the storage bag and the venting strip, thereby allowing air to exit from the interior of the storage bag. The venting strip can be made at least partially of heat-sealable material, and can melt with heat sealable inner layers of the storage bag when a vacuum sealer applies heat to seal the storage bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: FoodFresh Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Daniel P. Shannon, Cindy Patricia Shannon
  • Patent number: 6983842
    Abstract: The use of soft material or thinly designed tongues is made possible for fastening devices for at least one disc shaped data carrier with a central opening in a cassette, wherein the cassette comprises a middle part on which a crown of tongues is provided, elastically insertable into the central opening of the at least one data carrier, while still preventing unwanted falling out of the data carrier, for example CDs or DVDs. This is made possible in that at least one connecting element is provided, moveably connecting at least two of the tongues, wherein the connecting element is produced in the production of the fastening device in a first position and wherein after the production for increasing the restoring force of the tongues against the data carrier the connecting element is moved into a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: AWM Mold Tech AG
    Inventor: Josef Krummenacher
  • Patent number: 6978562
    Abstract: A greeting card made of a single sheet of material and adapted for holding a substantially flat object, comprises at least two sections separated by a single folding line, a first of the two sections having a smaller dimension than the second section in the direction perpendicular to the folding line. One of the two sections is formed with at least one slit spaced from the folding line and the other section is formed with at least one slit-engaging portion insertable into the at least one slit when the greeting card is folded along the folding line. Thereby, the first section lies flat over the second section and a pocket is formed for holding a flat object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Inventor: Aliza Frenkel
  • Patent number: 6976587
    Abstract: A packaging assembly comprising a standard molded cushion solution that can accommodate variations in dimensions of predetermined products, including weight, while providing protection to an equipment component (or other fragile or breakable item) enclosed therein, ease in use during pre-packing and packing of an equipment component for transport, shock protection during transport, and is economically suited for its end use, is provided for. The present invention is a molded, cushion having interlocking columns which adjust the contacting areas of the cushion in relation to the product height and/or weight differences. The present invention is advantageously designed using specific geometries and interlocking columns which, contrary to traditional designs, benefit from the stressing and flexing characteristics of paper fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ivan Neil Liverman, Mark Edmund Maresh, Jeffrey Jay Miller, Eric Allen Stegner, Robert William Stegner, Christopher Michael Turner
  • Patent number: 6971513
    Abstract: A packaging system for a door knob assembly is disclosed which includes a clear or translucent extruded tubular member for encasing a door knob, lever, deadbolt or other door hardware or accessory. A pair of end caps are disposed at opposite ends of the tubular member for defining a packaging volume therein. The particular door hardware contained within the packaging system may be supported on an insert which further provides a storage volume within the packaging system for additional components of the lockset. Retaining flanges extend from the end caps for releasably securing the packaged door hardware within the packaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Newfrey LLC
    Inventors: Michael Weinstein, Eric E. Thompson