Patents Examined by Jim Foster
  • Patent number: 6523683
    Abstract: A storage container (10) comprising an outer shell (12) and an insertable drawer member (14) configured and dimensioned for receiving and storing information-bearing discs (16) and accompanying printed matter (17). The insertable drawer member (14) includes features (78) to store the discs (16) by contacting non-information bearing surfaces thereof as well as structure (32, 36) for selectively retrieving the printed matter together with the disc (16) from the outer shell (12). The container (10) of the invention additionally comprises a tamper seal (86) formed integral therewith which fractures the first time the drawer member (14) is withdrawn from the shell (12) for determining whether the storage container (10) has ever been opened to access its contents after it was sealed at the factory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: DuBois Limited
    Inventors: Anthony Henry Joseph Fraser, Stefan Alexander Pijanowski
  • Patent number: 6523692
    Abstract: A fold-in-half shipping/display box has tear-away segments in its front side, and severable perforations in the top and rear walls, whereby once the tear-away segments have been removed and the perforations have been severed, the box can be folded in half to display items contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventor: James W. Gregory
  • Patent number: 6523682
    Abstract: During the production of cigarette packs having an inner wrapper of thin packaging material, the blank (10) of the inner wrapper is provided with impressed lines, namely transverse impressed lines (19, 20) which delimit a base wall (11) which is first contacted by a cigarette group (23) when the latter is wrapped in a U-shaped manner. By virtue of the impressed lines (19, 20), the mechanical load forces exerted on the cigarette group during the U-shaped folding process is reduced. Furthermore, a cigarette conveyor (25) for transferring the cigarette groups (23) is driven in a non-uniform manner, i.e. at reduced speed, when receiving a blank (10), and at a correspondingly greater speed during other conveying operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Hermann Blome, Burkard Roesler
  • Patent number: 6523693
    Abstract: A convertible packaging system for shipping, storing and displaying a first merchandise item and for carrying a second merchandise item. The convertible packaging system includes an open-top box with an upper perimeter and a top attached to the open-top box by a hinge. The hinge includes two or more parallel folds so that the top has at least two degrees of freedom with respect to the open-top box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: International Multifoods Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Eggenberger, Richard Rylicki
  • Patent number: 6520323
    Abstract: A sealed barrier bag that contains a first compartment, a second compartment, a non-oxidizing gas located in the first compartment, a perishable item located in the second compartment, and a device for venting the non-oxidizing gas from said second compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Tres Fresh, LLC
    Inventor: Edward A. Colombo
  • Patent number: 6520329
    Abstract: The invention relates to a packaging for planiform objects/products such as susceptors, wafers, chewing gum, TTS, TDDS, TDS, stamps, microchips or like. Said packaging consists of a support card (1) with one or more cavities (2) for receiving the object(s). The upper side of said support card is covered by a cover film (3) which occludes the cavities and which is sealed with th support card at sealing lines (4) at least in the marginal area around the cavities in such a manner that sad film can be torn open. Said sealing lines are surrounded by a weakened line (c) the cover film which merges into the contour of a tab (3a) for grasping and manually tearing open the cover film above the respective cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignees: LTS Lohmann Thapie-Systeme AG, Carl Edelmann GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Fuchs, G{overscore (u)}nter Simon, Notger Weber
  • Patent number: 6520339
    Abstract: A container for storing a plurality of individually packaged sticks of rock crystal candy for selection and sale to the public and having a transparent plastic case attached to the container and extending across a front surface thereof, which case houses a series of unpackaged sticks of rock crystal candy for viewing by the purchasing public of samples of the packaged sticks stored in the container is disclosed. The case is removably attached to the container so that the samples can be removed and replaced as necessary but cannot be easily entered by members of the public. The display permits grouping of numerous different colors of the stick candy in a single upstanding row and presents the samples in their sparkling and glossy unpackaged form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Inventor: William F. Conway, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6520336
    Abstract: An elongated extruded plastic corner post for protecting a packaged product. The corner post comprises an outer wall and an inner wall joined at the ends to define a substantially L-shaped cylindrical space therebetween, and one or more integrally formed ribs connecting opposing faces of the inner and outer walls. The corner post protects packaged appliances by directing lateral forces directly to the structural framework of the appliance. In another embodiment, the extruded plastic corner post comprises two elongated legs joined along an inner corner and forming a spring-like profile. The spring-like profile compresses to absorb lateral shocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventor: James Baechle
  • Patent number: 6520332
    Abstract: A packaging cushion is disclosed for supporting and protecting objects during shipment. The cushion has upper and lower surfaces and one or more compartments for supporting the objects in positions so that the objects are higher than the lower surfaces of the cushions. The cushions may include upper and lower nodes which increase the separation distance between the objects when the cushions are stacked one on top of another. The cushions may be held in a stack by an outer box, or by wrapping the stack of cushions in a protective film, eliminating the need for an outer box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Cryovac, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Rice Barmore, Kenneth Paul Chrisman, Stephen Floyd Compton, Steve B. Garland, Alan S. Weinberg, George Dean Wofford
  • Patent number: 6513672
    Abstract: A case includes a base having a bottom wall, a peripheral side wall connected to the bottom wall, and a first inwardly extending retaining ledge connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall; a top cover having a top wall, a peripheral side wall connected to the top wall such that a cavity is defined in the case when the jewelry case is in a closed condition, and a second inwardly extending retaining ledge connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall of the top cover; a hinge which pivotally connects together the base and the top cover; and a fabric covering which covers inner surfaces of the top cover and the base, the fabric covering having edges retained under the first and second inwardly extending retaining ledges to retain the fabric covering in position without adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Inventor: Joseph Ovadia
  • Patent number: 6513657
    Abstract: A packaged good article including an article, a packaging material and a tearable tape system. The packaging material is formed about the article. The tearable tape system is secured to the packaging material and includes at least a first section and a second section. The tearable tape system can assume a number of forms. Regardless, the first section is tearable relative to the second section. With this configuration, the tearable tape system is configured to be tearable from an initial, unopened state and an opened state. In the initial, unopened state, an area of the packaging material otherwise contacting the tearable tape system is intact. Conversely, in the opened state, the tearable tape system tears an opening through the packaging material, with the second section remaining secured to the packaging material. The second section, in combination with the packaging material, provides a handle for carrying the packaged good article in the opened state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Co.
    Inventor: Richard L. Sheehan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6513662
    Abstract: A laminated paper corner post for protecting a packaged article, the corner post having a variable cross-sectional profile in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory S. Stebelton
  • Patent number: 6513656
    Abstract: The present invention provides a shrink-wrapped package comprising at least one article shrink-wrapped with a polyester film containing an ethylene terephthalate unit, the shrink-wrapped package having a portion of sealing and cutting whose starting point has a movement distance of 10 &mgr;m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Gunze Limited
    Inventors: Yuji Hanaoka, Fusazo Wada, Mina Okamoto
  • Patent number: 6513655
    Abstract: A blister pack comprises a support card with a transparent plastics blister at the rear of the card. The card closes an open side of the blister to enclose product within the blister. The front face of the card is laminated with a transparent plastics sheet and includes a window through which the contents of the blister can be viewed from the front of the pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Cetram Pty Limited
    Inventors: Alan George Logan, Phillip John Gould
  • Patent number: 6508356
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for holding and carrying two or more receptacles. The apparatus may be comprised of first and second openings and first and second ridges, wherein a top portion of a first receptacle can be inserted into the first opening, slid along the first and second ridges, and slid into the second opening. In at least one embodiment, third and fourth ridges, and a third opening, may be provided wherein a top portion of a second receptacle can be inserted into the first opening, slid along the third and fourth ridges, and slid into the third opening. The apparatus may further comprise a first central portion and a second central portion, wherein the first and third ridges are connected to the first central portion, and the second and fourth ridges are connected to the second central portion. The first and second central portions may each include curved portions for allowing an individual's fingers to grip the first and second central portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Inventor: Rick Martins
  • Patent number: 6508355
    Abstract: A jewelry box includes a box body having a first side panel and a second side panel defined an inner cavity therebetween wherein a holding slot is provided in the inner cavity for holding a display in position, a ring-shaped supporting frame for rigidly supporting the display thereon detachably disposed in the holding slot, and a security locker including an elongated locking groove extended from the first side panel to the second side panel of the box body, an elongated locking member adapted for slidably inserting into the locking groove, which is penetrating through the supporting frame, and a stopper mounted on the locking groove for locking the locking member in the locking groove in a forward slidably movable manner, in such a manner that the display is securely locked up in the holding slot of the box body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Nationalpak Limited
    Inventors: Kinsen Ka Fai Au, Kin Keung Chiu
  • Patent number: 6505735
    Abstract: A label (7) for resealing an enclosure of a cigarette pack is provided with a pull tab (10) defined by a cut (16) through one layer (14) of a two-layer structure (14, 15), the tab surface (19) being non-adhesive but at least part of the corresponding surface of the major portion of the label being permanently tacky (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
    Inventor: Michael Patrick Parker
  • Patent number: 6502701
    Abstract: A package has a holder for holding an ink cartridge, a container for accommodating the holder, and a mount for sealing an opening of the container. The holder is made from recycled materials and the internal shape of the holder conforms to the external shape of the cartridge. The container has a transparent portion and substantially conforms to the holder. The mount is made from recycled materials. The mount is attached to the container in a depressurized environment. The cartridge is visible through the transparent portion of the container. Since the holder and the mount are made from recycled materials, the package is environmentally sound. The holder may hold a used cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Shinada
  • Patent number: 6502692
    Abstract: A stacking coin holder is comprised of a base and a removable lid. The base contains a plurality of slots defined by separating portions. The slots include planar side slants which contact a coin at two contact points, one on each side slant. A ridge in the lid preferably contacts the coin of a third contact point in order to provide three point contact with an inserted coin. The coin holder is preferably constructed of a translucent material to provide visual information as to the contents of the coin holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Inventor: Terry W. Gentle
  • Patent number: 6499591
    Abstract: A golf cart wheel covering device for protecting the cart wheels of a golf cart from a ground surface during use. The golf cart wheel covering device includes a panel comprising a generally flexible material. The panel has a generally circular shape. The panel has a peripheral edge. An elastic band is securely coupled to and extends along a length of the peripheral edge of the panel. The elastic band biases the peripheral edge inward such that a housing is defined, wherein the elastic band encircles an opening into the housing. The elastic band has a stretched position and a relaxed position. The elastic band is stretched to position a golf cart wheel through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Inventors: Vito Frank Rizzo, Dorothea Rizzo