Patents Examined by Joseph Kaufman
  • Patent number: 7445131
    Abstract: The invention includes a method of using a cap containing an internal thread form matching an external thread form on a flexible throat for a collapsible tube enclosing at least one contained product. Twisting the cap engages the internal thread form and the external thread form. These collectively urge the cap and the flexible throat to seal the contained product into the collapsible tube. Deforming the flexible throat through squeezing the collapsible tube dispenses essentially all the product. The collapsible tube may preferably include an external thread form on a flexible throat coupled to a flexible shoulder. The external thread form mates to a cap with an internal thread form urging the flexible throat to seal against the cap when the cap is twisted onto the flexible throat. The flexible throat and flexible shoulder flatten to dispense essentially all of the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Inventors: Susan Pottish, Howard Mullin, Scott Anderson, Morris Pottish
  • Patent number: 7431180
    Abstract: An apparatus for discharging dry bulk material by aeration having a substantially annular flexible aeration liner supported by a substantially cone-shaped perforated hopper, which is affixed to an air disc assembly, whereby air introduced into the air disc assembly is distributed evenly through the perforated hopper that supports the aeration liner that tends to fluidize dry bulk material, thereby allowing the material to discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Shick Tube-Veyor Corp.
    Inventor: Timothy C. Bonerb
  • Patent number: 7360723
    Abstract: A showerhead system for communicating a fluid supply, the system including a fixed fluid dispensing unit supported at a location, the fixed dispensing unit including a plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with the fluid supply. A removable fluid dispensing unit is releasably secured to a receptacle established within the fixed dispensing, the removable unit further including at least one additional nozzle. The fluid supply is adapted to be in selective communication with either or both the fixed and removable fluid dispensing units, such as through the provision of a fluid diverter element located at an inlet of the fixed unit and from which extends a conduit in separate communication with the removable unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Inventor: Moty Lev
  • Patent number: 7331482
    Abstract: A heated dispense pump overcomes the limitations of conventional systems providing for reliable and efficient heating of the dispensed material in a system that is compact, lightweight, and accurate. A pump housing and cartridge body are formed of a thermally conductive material such as copper, aluminum, or an alloy combination thereof. A heater element is applied directly to the body of the pump housing, and a thermocouple is included to provide for closed-loop controllability. The material flows though the cartridge body and is heated prior to release at the dispense tip. The heated elements, including the pump housing and cartridge body, are thermally insulated from the pump motor and pump gantry to prevent the escape of heat from the system and to protect those adjacent components from heat damage. An optional syringe heater is provided for heating the material in the syringe, and for controlling the temperature of the material, in closed-loop fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: DL Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey P. Fugere
  • Patent number: 7331487
    Abstract: A fluid dispensing apparatus comprises a collapsible bag capable of being punctured by and essentially sealed about a spike that has an inlet through which fluid can flow from the bag into a conduit leading to a chamber that is situated within an enclosed chamber in a dispensing base unit. The chamber is connected to a valve positioned outside the enclosed chamber through which fluid can be dispensed from the chamber. The enclosed chamber is vented so that as fluid is dispensed from the chamber, the air pressure in the enclosed chamber is allowed to equalize with the ambient air pressure external to the chamber and the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: AMMM Patent Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Henry H. Macler, II, Jeffrey E. Macler, Steven Avery
  • Patent number: 7328819
    Abstract: A self-contained viscous liquid dispenser with a spray pump mechanism includes a housing defining an internal liquid reservoir. A spray pump mechanism is configured with the housing and includes a horizontally disposed pump chamber fitted through an opening in the housing to extend into the reservoir. A pump cylinder is slidably disposed and retained in the chamber. Upon actuation of the pump cylinder, a valve and spray forming mechanism converts a liquid stream expelled from the pump chamber into a spray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard P. Lewis
  • Patent number: 7325702
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a technique for continually delivering an orthopaedic paste into a bone, which will harden in the bone and act as a medical implant. The present invention uses a replacement mechanism in delivering the paste stored in a chamber through a tube in fluid communication with the chamber, which includes invading the paste in the chamber with a small volume of recovery member such as a rod to replace the same volume of paste into the tube, and retreating the invading rod while applying a pressure to the paste in the chamber, so that a space created by the retreating is replaced by the paste, and repeating the invasion and the retreating alternately to continually delivere the paste through the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Inventor: Pong-Jeu Lu
  • Patent number: 7322495
    Abstract: A pour spout for removable attachment to a container wall for efficiently pouring viscous liquids between containers includes a generally flexible exterior member having a pour region and a collection region. The exterior member defines a slot for removably receiving a container wall, the exterior member flexibly conforming to the diameter of the container wall. The collection region is situated adjacent the inner wall of the container wall when attached thereto and is configured to guide liquids toward an outwardly extending pour region and channel. At least one clip is attached to the exterior member in an over-molded construction and is situated in the slot. The clip includes attachment members biased toward each other for securely gripping the container wall when the slot and clip are engaged therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Inventor: Jan MacClarence
  • Patent number: 7320417
    Abstract: In a container (1) with a reservoir (2), a product dispensing opening (3), and a device (4) for discharging the product contained in the reservoir (2) out through the product dispensing opening (3), a sound generator (5) or a noise damper (13) is provided on the container (1) and the sound generator (5) or the noise damper (13) is functionally connected to the discharge device (4) in order to generate a desired sound for a product discharge when dispensing the product. The desired sound is one that a consumer experiences as a positive sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Wella AG
    Inventors: Heiko Eberhardt, Franz Steigerwald
  • Patent number: 7311223
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a plurality of powders, such as colorants for paint, caulking or grout or components of cosmetics, comprising a plurality of containers for holding the powders, a plurality of metering powder pumps, connected to a container or having a connector for releasably connecting a container to the respective powder pump, wherein the capacity of the metering powder pump is selectable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Fluid Management, Inc.
    Inventor: Jan H. N. Post
  • Patent number: 7311227
    Abstract: A venting system of a manually operated trigger sprayer vents the interior of a liquid container connected to the trigger sprayer. The trigger sprayer is provided with a vent chamber that surrounds the pump chamber, and a vent piston that surrounds the pump piston. The vent piston is received in the vent chamber for reciprocating movements between a vent closed and vent opened position in the vent chamber, and the vent chamber having two different interior diameter sections with a larger interior diameter section reducing drag on the vent piston when the vent piston is moved to the vent opened position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Continental AFA Dispensing Company
    Inventor: Donald D. Foster
  • Patent number: 7306122
    Abstract: A venting system of a manually operated trigger sprayer vents the interior of a liquid container connected to the trigger sprayer. The trigger sprayer is provided with a vent chamber that surrounds the pump chamber, and a vent piston that surrounds the pump piston. The vent piston is received in the vent chamber for reciprocating movements with the pump piston in the pump chamber. The reciprocating movement of the vent piston alternatively opens the vent chamber to the exterior environment of the trigger sprayer and thereby vents the interior of the liquid container connected to the trigger sprayer, and closes the vent chamber thereby sealing the interior of the liquid container from the exterior environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Continental AFA Dispensing Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Stark, Walter J. Clynes
  • Patent number: 7306118
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transporting fluid. The apparatus includes a hollow body having a neck defining a first aperture extending into the body. A spout insert is configured to fit inside the neck. A handle is coupled to the container. A cover is configured to close the aperture. In another embodiment the handle and cover are integrally formed as a single piece. Another embodiment provides the handle, the cover and the spout are integrally formed as a single piece. In another embodiment, the cover includes an auxiliary lid to cover a second aperture extending into the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Masterchem Industries LLC
    Inventors: Stanley G. Korte, William B. Hudson, Jr., Jeffrey A. Schutte, Norman F. Morfeld, Douglas W. Newman, Mark A. Gilbertson, Scott G. Manke, Michael J. Walsh
  • Patent number: 7306117
    Abstract: A dispenser for a bottle that is adapted to contain a consumable beverage. The dispenser includes a dispenser body defining a chamber therein. The chamber is adapted to hold a flavoring component. The dispenser body has a first dispenser end, suitable for drinking therefrom, and has a second dispenser end, adapted to be positioned within the bottle when the dispenser is engaged with the bottle. The plunger is slidably disposed at least partially within the dispenser body for movement from a first plunger position to a second plunger position, in which the plunger penetrates a portion of the dispenser body to create a passageway. When the plunger is in the second plunger position and a cap is in a first cap position, the plunger end cooperates with the cap to seal the cap opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Inventors: Donna Roth, Henry Roth, Marco Wo
  • Patent number: 7299951
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to a foot activated dispenser and more particularly to a foot activated dispenser for dispensing a liquid product such as a skin care product (i.e. hand soap, hand sanitizer, surgical scrub, lotion, etc.). More specifically, the foot activated dispenser includes a bladder connected to tubing that is connected to a piston pump. The piston pump is located within a shroud that is removably attached to a wall bracket. The wall bracket includes a bottle retainer for holding a bottle having a pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Ecolab Inc.
    Inventors: Darren M. Jahnke, Wesley M. Nelson, Joshua J. Lanz, Warren D. Pannkuk
  • Patent number: 7299945
    Abstract: A squeezable laminated discharge container of the delaminatable type in which the layers can be easily broken away from each other comprises a first check valve fitted to the neck and has an opening in a bottom plate. The base cup comprises a second check valve, and is fitted tightly around the container bottom cylinder. In this discharge container, it is sought to secure stable and strong fitting and to maintain tight contact stably, between the container and the base cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Tsubaki, Shigeo Iizuka
  • Patent number: 7299952
    Abstract: A container closure includes a base with a valve mount portion formed from a first thermoplastic material and a valve formed from a second thermoplastic material. The valve is bonded to the valve mount portion. A lid is hingeably attached to the base and includes a sealing rim extending from a surface of the lid and designed to engage the valve at the location where the valve seals to the valve mount portion. The engagement of the sealing rim with the valve forming a seal between the two components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Stull Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jameson P. Stull, Robert T. Auer
  • Patent number: 7299947
    Abstract: A metering device for flowable products, in particular, dairy products, is provided with a metering cylinder, a valve cylinder connected to the reservoir, a metering piston that is movable between an upper intake end position and a lower dispensing end position, and also has a mouthpiece closing the bottom of the metering chamber and having a coaxial cylindrical dispensing opening, and a central valve piston. The valve cylinder and the valve piston form a rotary control unit which, in a first rotary position, connects the metering chamber with a supply channel in the valve cylinder and, in a second rotary position, connects the metering chamber to an outlet channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Finnah Engineering u. Packaging GmbH
    Inventor: Berthold Lingenhoff
  • Patent number: 7296712
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser device a body (1), a fluid reservoir (3), a dispensing member, such as a pump or a metering valve having a piston or a valve member that is mounted to move axially, which dispensing member is fitted to the reservoir (3), and an actuating element (5) mounted to move between a rest position and an actuating position, for actuating the dispensing member and thus for selectively dispensing the fluid contained in the reservoir (3), fluid dispenser device being characterized in that the direction in which actuating element (5) moves is different from, and in particular perpendicular to, the axial direction in which the piston or the valve member of the dispensing member moves, the actuating element (5) having an end portion provided with the cam surface (6) which co-operates with the reservoir (3) or a fixing ring (8) adapted to fix the dispensing member to the reservoir (3) so that the actuating element (5) being moved substantially radially into its actuating position causes the reservoir (3) to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Valois S.A.S.
    Inventor: Guiseppe Stradella
  • Patent number: 7296706
    Abstract: In a liquid dispensing system having a dispensing module and a gun manifold, the gun manifold includes a shelf portion that extends outwardly from its front face and the dispensing module includes a correspondingly shaped aperture configured to engage the shelf portion so that the dispensing module rests, or hangs, on the gun manifold without being held into place. From this position, the module can be easily and readily attached to the manifold. The shelf and aperture have complementary shapes and can be keyed so as to require the mating of the manifold and module in only one orientation. Additionally, an adaptor can be provided between the module and manifold so that smooth face manifolds and modules can still be coupled to corresponding manifolds and modules having shelves or apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: John M. Raterman, Christopher R. Chastine, Alain Chouinard, Greg A. Craig, David Pullagura, Matthew R. Tinaglia