Patents Examined by Patrick Buechner
  • Patent number: 7168597
    Abstract: A metering valve that includes a valve body defining a metering chamber having an inlet valve adapted to be reversibly actuable from an open position to a closed position located at the inlet, and an outlet valve adapted to be reversibly actuable from a dispensing to a non-dispensing position located at the outlet, where the outlet valve includes an outlet valve seat adapted to be in biasable contact with an outlet valve poppet is described. Aerosol containers and inhalation devices that include such metering valves are also described, as are methods of using such inhalation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Smithkline Beecham Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony Patrick Jones, Gregor John McLennan Anderson, Paul Kenneth Rand
  • Patent number: 7066359
    Abstract: A dispenser for flowable media is provided, which operates in user-independent manner with respect to the pressure buildup and dosage quantity. On pressing on an operating head (35) a piston rod (29) is forced into a pump cylinder. As the pump chamber (52) is sealed by means of a delivery valve (51), which operates in path-dependent manner as a slide valve, under the action of a spring (42) pressing on the piston collar (43), a pressure builds up in the pump chamber (52), which is released following a predetermined length of travel on opening the delivery valve. A relatively constant pressure can be obtained over the entire discharge phase through the pretension of spring (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Ing. Erich Pfeiffer GmbH
    Inventor: Juergen Greiner-Perth
  • Patent number: 6978915
    Abstract: Valve for an aerosol container for a chemical formulation. The valve including a valve body having an inlet port through which the chemical formulation may enter the valve body, an outlet port through which the chemical formulation may exit the valve body, and an open/close mechanism. The open/close mechanism controls flow through the outlet port. The internal surfaces of the valve that come into contact with the chemical formulation include a material with an electrical conductivity greater than 3.8×107??1m?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: SmithKline Beecham Corporation
    Inventor: David Joseph Russell
  • Patent number: 6969046
    Abstract: A liquid sprayer is provided. This liquid sprayer comprises a bottle having an opening and a sprayer housing attached to the bottle. This sprayer housing includes an electric motor, a voltage source for powering the electric motor, a pump driven by the motor, a switch for completing an electrical circuit, a nozzle mechanism attached to the sprayer housing for spraying a liquid. The liquid sprayer also comprises a venting mechanism. This venting mechanism comprises a vent housing having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a translating piston disposed in the vent housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Alen David Streutker, Travis Edward Langevin, Robert James Good, Ka-Nam Ho, Steve Lynn Sweeton, Phillip Joseph DiMaggio
  • Patent number: 6968976
    Abstract: A valve mechanism adapted for a mouth portion of a tube-type fluid container includes: a valve seat portion having an opening through which a fluid passes; a disc-shaped valve portion; and an annular fixing portion for affixing the valve portion to the valve seat portion. The valve portion includes: an annular supporting portion, a closing portion for closing the opening, and multiple connecting portions connecting the closing portion to the annular supporting portion to urge the closing portion toward the opening. The annular supporting portion, the closing portion, and the multiple connecting portions are integrally formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Inventor: Masatoshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 6962319
    Abstract: A safety switch for a water dispenser includes a sealing ring movably received in the channel to alternatively block communication between the inlet and the outlet, a guiding rod securely received in the sealing ring and having a first spring compressibly mounted around an outer periphery of the guiding rod, a handle adapted to be pivotal relative to the water dispensing tube and having a first distal end securely connected to a second distal end of the guiding rod, a support engaged with an outer periphery defining the channel and a sliding block movably sandwiched between the support and the handle so that movement of the sliding block relative to the support allows the pivotal movement of the handle, which initiates an upward movement of the guiding rod as well as the sealing ring such that the communication between the inlet and the outlet is resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: GD Midea Holding Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fang-Zhen Zheng
  • Patent number: 6959840
    Abstract: A cap to be fitted on a double container including a flexible outer container and an inner bag, being composed of a main cap which has a flow opening for discharging the contents and is fixedly fitted on the neck of the double container and a nozzle cap which has an outlet for discharging the contents and is slidably fitted on the main cap. The cap makes a switch between a state with a flow passage shut and a ventilation passage open and a state with the flow passage open and the ventilation passage shut by vertical sliding movement of the nozzle cap on the main cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsugu Iwatsubo
  • Patent number: 6955339
    Abstract: A valve body has one or more integral seal retention grooves and one or more interior hollows which may be manufactured using frictional or other types of welding to join two previously formed portions through at least one cylindrical web. Forging or casting valve body portions to near-net-shape prior to joining minimizes machining necessary to achieve a final desired shape. One or more interior hollows and an integral seal retention groove are formed in the welded valve body from features present on the portions joined by welding to form the body. Increased valve durability and reduced metal wear arise from the reduced valve body weight and correspondingly reduced impact loading. An elastomeric seal may be cast and cured in place in a seal retention groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Inventor: George H. Blume
  • Patent number: 6948637
    Abstract: An apparatus for discharging pressurized liquids at elevated positions includes a holding adapter, an actuating assembly, and an extension pole. The holding adapter includes first body member for holding a canister of pressurized liquid. The canister has an actuating stem extending from its top end thereof. An actuator nozzle is formed of an annular flange and a cap-like head portion. The head portion is disposed over the actuating stem. A handle portion is formed integrally with the first body member and extending downwardly from the holding adapter. The actuating assembly is telescoped over the canister and the holding adapter and includes a second body member for applying a downward force on the annular flange of the actuating nozzle to activate the actuating for discharging the pressurized liquid therefrom. The extension pole is operatively connected to a distal end of the handle portion and is adjustable to desired elevated positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Inventor: Todd Jacobs
  • Patent number: 6948639
    Abstract: A device for packaging and dispensing of a cosmetic product which includes a container to hold the product, with the container being delineated by a body. A movable element moves relative to the container body and is capable, in response to an action exerted manually on a surface of an actuating element, of moving from a first position to a second position. The movable element incorporates a first lip intended to engage with an inner wall of the body, during at least part of its movement, thereby isolating a dose of product inside the container in a manner to cause its expulsion through at least one dispensing aperture. The movable element also includes an upper lip capable of being applied in a leaktight manner against the inner wall during at least part of its movement from the first position to the second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventors: Nicolas Albisetti, Mathilde Winckels, Daniel Crosnier
  • Patent number: 6945428
    Abstract: A container includes an inner layer portion for liquid, an outer layer having an inner shape substantially equivalent to an outer shape of the inner layer, with the outer layer having an air vent communicating from between the two layers and the ambient, and a dispensing portion. When liquid is dispensed, the inner layer peels off the outer layer. The inner layer and the outer layer are bonded, in a first region, to each other with a force such that the inner layer is peelable from the outer layer by change of pressure, and the inner layer and the outer layer are bonded, in a second region, to each other with a force which is larger than that in the first region, by which the inner layer peels off the outer layer in the second region after the inner layer peels off the outer layer in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiichiro Shimizu, Masanori Takenouchi, Hajime Yamamoto, Hiroshi Koshikawa, Fumitaka Goto
  • Patent number: 6935531
    Abstract: A toy water gun provides a plurality of nozzles for discharging water in a variety of directions, volumes or spray patterns. A multi-position trigger or similar device controls selection of nozzles individually or in combinations whereby an operator can quickly choose among various modes of discharge by moving the trigger through corresponding positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Inventor: Richard A. Clayton
  • Patent number: 6932241
    Abstract: A nozzle is attached to a tip of a fluid container which is formed of two flexible sheets overlapped with each other. The sheets have their internal surfaces fitted to each other in a normal state after contents are filled into the container such that even a very small portion of contents remaining in the container can be removed by a required amount without coming into contact with air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Inventor: Tadashi Hagihara
  • Patent number: 6932246
    Abstract: An assembly for packaging and dispensing a product, especially a cosmetic product. The assembly includes a container containing the product and delimited by a body, one end of which is closed by a bottom. A movable component is movable relative to the body of the container and is capable, in response to an action exerted manually on a surface of an actuation component, of passing from a first position in which the volume delimited between the movable component and the bottom of the container is a maximum, to a second position in which the volume is a minimum, so as to pressurize the product contained in the volume and deliver the product through at least one dispensing orifice. When the movable component returns from the second position towards the first, air passes into the volume through at least one passage formed between the movable component and an internal surface of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventors: Daniel Crosnier, Florent Duqueroie, Nicolas Albisetti
  • Patent number: 6929155
    Abstract: An adaptor assembly is selectively received in a dispenser so that the dispenser may selectively receive first and second types of cartridge and pump assemblies. The dispenser is configured to receive a cartridge and pump of a first type, and the adapter assembly, when selectively received in the dispenser, adapts the interior of the dispenser to receive a cartridge and pump of a second type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventor: Richard C. Sayers
  • Patent number: 6929241
    Abstract: This invention relates to a hydraulic valve (10) and an interconnected hydraulic valve system, (10, 12). Two coaxially disposed pipes (14, 20) are positioned vertically to form an annular space (11) there between. A flange (22) provided with a external seal (23) cooperates with an end of the outer pipe (20). Openings (18) formed in the inner pipe (14) regulates water flow. The inner pipe is also sealingly interconnected with a main supply pipe (12) for entry of water through opening (16). An electrical motorized hoist (26) provides for activation and operation of the hydraulic valve system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventor: Rufus M. Holloway, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6926179
    Abstract: An improved aerated dispensing cap provides an airway tube that does not become plugged when the bottle is turned abruptly for quick dispensing of liquid. This dispensing cap provides for smooth, controlled flow at all flow rates. It includes a dispensing tube and an airway tube having a small diameter lower portion and a large diameter upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Inventors: George J. Wagner, III, Troy Cleaver
  • Patent number: 6923348
    Abstract: A pump having a compressed-air-operated reciprocating motor for reciprocating a pump plunger through forward and return strokes. The motor comprises a motor cylinder and a motor piston operable in the cylinder and itself acting as a valve for effecting its return through each return stroke. A fluid dispenser is driven by the plunger between a charge position for charging a dispensing chamber with fluid and a discharge position for discharging fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Lincoln Industrial Corporation
    Inventors: Ayzik Grach, Viktor V. Alekseyev
  • Patent number: 6923344
    Abstract: An easy and quantitative liquid dispenser is disclosed. The dispenser includes a regulator cock, an upper cover and a container. The container has a cylinder mounted on a bottom thereof, the cylinder is connected with the container, and a closure is mounted between the container and the cylinder. The upper cover has an outlet properly mounted thereon, a safety cover is connected to the upper cover through a rim of the upper cover and is covered on the outlet, and furthermore, a guiding pillar is downwardly extended from a bottom of the upper cover. The regulator cock is a plate which has a pillar extended from a bottom thereof, a circular prominence is mounted on a bottom end of the pillar, and a guiding hole is centrally penetrated through the pillar and the plate. After assembling the components above, the quantitative liquid dispenser according to the present invention can be formed so as to accurately measure and pour out the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Tops Equipment & Tools Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yen-Liang Chien
  • Patent number: 6923349
    Abstract: A lotion bottle structure has an outer sleeve tube, an upper control assembly and a lower control assembly adapted at the lower section of the outer sleeve tube therein. The upper control assembly is made up of a sleeve valve and a filter cap. The sleeve valve is adapted to the top opening of the outer sleeve tube and mounted on top of the outer sleeve tube. The lower control assembly is made up of a push part that translates vertically via rotation of the base seat due to the interaction of a threaded column of the push part with a rotary screw sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Jia Hsing Enterprise Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Kun-Lan Lou