Patents Examined by Robin Hylton
  • Patent number: 7494021
    Abstract: A trash can assembly has an outer shell having an enclosing wall, a top end, and a bottom end. The assembly includes a pedal bar pivotably coupled to the bottom end, a lid pivotably coupled to the top end, and a lifting rod that extends vertically inside the outer shell, with the lifting rod coupling the lid and the rear end of the pedal bar. An air damper is provided inside the outer shell and coupled to the rear of the pedal bar for applying an opposing force against the downward motion of the rear of the pedal bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: simplehuman, LLC
    Inventors: Frank Yang, Joseph Sandor
  • Patent number: 7490730
    Abstract: A container includes a container body, a cover, a reclosable fastener, a track, and a slider. The reclosable fastener is disposed between the container body and the cover and is adapted to fasten the cover to the container. The track includes a fastener portion formed on the reclosable fastener and a ramp. The ramp extends from a first end of the reclosable fastener and is at an angle with respect to a plane defined by the first end of the reclosable fastener. The slider is movable along the track to open or close the reclosable fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Daniel Raymond Cerone, Michael W. Negus, Hollis J. Habeger
  • Patent number: 7487884
    Abstract: The present invention provides a structure for receiving a door into an upper side when the door of a tray installed at a center facia of an automobile is operated. When the door of the tray is operated, a production of interference between a gearshift lever and other parts is minimized and thus increases spatial utilization. A locking device is installed at a corresponding portion to the housing and the door to selectively open/close the door installed at the front part of the housing. Each of connecting member is formed at both sides of the door to receive a force of opening the door, with the locking device released. A rotary member, having one end hinge connected to the connecting member and the other end provided with peripheral teeth, is rotatably installed to side surface organic the housing. A resilient member rotates the rotary member to move the connecting member, thereby opening the door. A damper member facilitates to open the door with an even speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-seok Kim
  • Patent number: 7475789
    Abstract: There is described a bucket with a lid whose circumferential rim formed thereon can be latchingly connected to an outwardly projecting circumferential flange formed on the edge of the vessel body, in such a way that in the latching position the free end edge of the circumferential lid rim is covered by a region of the vessel circumferential flange, and with a tab which serves for unlatching lifting of the lid in a partial circumferential region and which is arranged in the course of the vessel circumferential flange and interrupts same and is pivotable relative thereto in such a way that its edge remote from the pivot axis moves away from the vessel body out of its locking position in which it is aligned with the vessel circumferential flange and which corresponds to the lid latching position into its lid lift-off position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Jokey Plastik Wipperfurth GmbH
    Inventor: Ronald Fischer
  • Patent number: 7475788
    Abstract: A molded plastic container and closure combination in which the closure is provided with a manually removable tear band between upper and lower locking structures. Once the tear band has been removed, it is possible to hinge the closure open while allowing it to remain attached to the container. Various features adding hoop strength and stacking strength are provided. A bail and bottom handle facilitate pouring from the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Letica Corporation
    Inventor: Stefan H. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 7472797
    Abstract: A container for collecting and storing breast milk. More particularly, one embodiment provides a container for collecting and storing breast milk obtained using a breast pump, comprising: a body, wherein the body has an open end with a lip, a closed end and a cavity between the open end and the closed end for receiving therein the breast milk; a cap; a hinge disposed adjacent the open end of the body for connecting the cap to the body; a sealing mechanism disposed on the cap, wherein the sealing mechanism provides a resealable, watertight seal between the cap and the lip of the body when the cap is placed thereon; and at least one thread disposed at the open end of the body, wherein the thread is configured to provide a screw-on connection between the body and the breast pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Capitol Vial Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Ostrowski
  • Patent number: 7469795
    Abstract: A closure (10) that is suitable for attachment to a container (20) having an end portion defining an opening of the container. The closure comprises a top (11), a skirt (12), a support ring (30) that is engageable with the end portion of the container and which is hingedly connected to the skirt (12), and a sealing rib (13). The sealing rib (13) has a first portion (14) and a second portion (15). The length of the second portion (15) is such that, during attachment of the closure (10) with the end portion of the container (20), the end portion of the container contacts the second portion (15) and pushes it upwardly and at least towards the first portion (14) so as to form a seal between the end portion of the container (20) and the closure (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Rexam Closures and Packaging Services (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Rodney Malcolm Druitt, David Edward Foster
  • Patent number: 7464831
    Abstract: Provided herein is a lid arranged for receipt within a container that has a tapered wall structure and a base. The lid includes a peripheral portion and a central portion integrally attached to each other. The peripheral portion is collapsibly deformable toward the central portion as the lid is movably oriented within the container toward the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
    Inventor: Cynthia R. Aiken
  • Patent number: 7451885
    Abstract: A container for use with a closure is provided, and includes a receptacle, a neck extending therefrom, a closure-engaging thread segment arranged on the neck of the container to engage the closure thread segment arranged on the closure, and a plurality of spaced apart protrusions protruding radially toward the closure from the neck of the container, the plurality of spaced apart protrusions forming a protrusion pattern that has a composite orientation that is helically opposite that of the closure-engaging thread segment to engage and to separate the frangible tamper-evident band portion from the closure when the closure is rotated off of the neck. With this structure, the closure and container system provides an improved anti-backoff, tamper evident closure and container system that reduces torque used to initially apply the closure to the container and improves reliably by reducing stress on the component parts, while desirably preventing backoff from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Alcan Packaging Pharmaceutical and Personal Care, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry H. Nyman, David R. Cistone, Don Yeager, Thomas Thomas
  • Patent number: 7451888
    Abstract: A lid opening and closing apparatus includes a base having an open portion; a lid having a rotational shaft and supported on the base to be rotatable around the rotating shaft for opening and closing the open portion; and a connecting device with one spring disposed between the base and the lid. The one spring is stretched for urging the lid in an opening direction when the lid is pushed to a pushed-in position beyond a closed position. The one spring is stretched for urging the lid in a closing direction when the lid is closed by a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7431171
    Abstract: A two piece storage container including a lid having a rectangular shape with sides and ends defining therebetween a recessed interior, the lid including a plurality of spaced apart lips extending from a selected end. A base corresponding generally in outline with the lid and including an equal plurality of upwardly projecting hinge supports which are located proximate to an associated end of the base arrayed in opposing and communicable fashion relative to the lips upon positioning of the lid over the base. The lips are angularly supported within said hinge supports in a first open rotated position and, upon being rotated to a closed position, capable of being linearly displaced against said hinge supports to lock said lid to said base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Inventor: Paul Lamarche
  • Patent number: 7431175
    Abstract: An improved drinking cup lid for assisting in the ingestion of medication and other materials in the form of pills, tablets or capsules, which is used in combination with a cup holding liquid to be taken with the medication or pills/tablets, contains a spout with a base grid. Both the spout and the base grid have pointed ribbed members which minimize the points and area of contact between the pill or tablet and the dispensing device. The spout is tilted approximately 30 to 35 degrees from the vertical toward the center of the cup such that when the medication or pill to be ingested, the liquid first passes through the grid in the bottom of the spout, the pill is thoroughly wetted, and is washed with the liquid through the angled spout into the mouth of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Inventor: Roger Heilos
  • Patent number: 7431168
    Abstract: The present development is for a closure which provides a liner for abutting a surface and maintaining an effective pressure against a peelable seal affixed to a container lip as the sealed container is exposed to relatively high temperature and pressure conditions. The liner which abuts a surface of the seal sandwiches the seal between the liner and the container lip. The liner defines a resting thickness at ambient temperature and pressure conditions and is made from a material capable of being compressed to a thickness less than the resting thickness and of recovering to a recovery thickness sufficient to allow the liner to maintain a positive pressure against the seal upon exposure to elevated temperatures, elevated pressure, or a combination of elevated temperature and elevated pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Rexam Medical Packaging Inc.
    Inventors: Clayton L. Robinson, Douglas M. Williams, Randall K. Julian, Gary V. Montgomery
  • Patent number: 7428974
    Abstract: A cap device having a tether mechanism which is used to link a fuel cap to a fueling lid. The tether mechanism includes an elongate tether having on one end a detent and on the opposite end a vehicle attachment component and an engaged component adjacent the attachment component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hagano, Masayuki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7416093
    Abstract: A container having a controlled-opening lid includes a container body with an open end providing access to an interior space configured and dimensioned for receiving user-supplied contents, and a lid member configured and dimensioned to cover the open end of the container body when in a first position and permit access to the interior space when in a second position. A hinge is configured to move the lid member from the first position to the second position, the hinge including at least one damping mechanism for damping a biasing force provided by the hinge when the lid member moves from the first position to the second position. The container may be a beverage container or a physician's desk container for storing medical implements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Punch Products USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Yvonne Song Lin, Douglas Bruce Winner
  • Patent number: 7413099
    Abstract: A fit-holding groove is formed by notching the outer periphery of a door element to be fitted to close a container body. A sealing element interposed between the container body and door element is composed of an endless portion to be fitted into the fit-holding groove, a protruding part projected from the peripheral corner of the endless portion, obliquely and outwardly with respect to the open front of the container body, forming a substantially acute angle between itself and the contact surface of the open front of the container body and a pair of fitting ribs projectively formed on the obverse surface of the endless portion so as to be fitted in contact with the compartmentalized inner wall of the fit-holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignees: Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Takahashi, Yoshiaki Fujimori, Yoshio Azuma, Yasuyuki Nishimura, Naohiro Horita
  • Patent number: 7410071
    Abstract: A closure having a top wall and a skirt depending from a peripheral edge of said top wall. The closure includes an inner skirt depending from the top wall having at least one thread for helically attaching to a container neck. A deflection wall extends from the top wall having an inner diameter greater than a container neck. Extending from the top wall is a cutting device, defined by an axial cutter and a radial cutter for piercing a liner and cutting the liner about a circumference less than 360 degrees such that the liner is partially attached when the cutting process is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Rexam Closures and Containers, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Seib, Christopher B. Clodfelter
  • Patent number: 7404495
    Abstract: A child-resistant dispensing closure includes a base having a deck with a dispensing opening and a peripheral skirt. A lid is integrally molded with the base and coupled by a hinge to a periphery of the base so as to be pivotable between closed and open positions. One of the base and the lid has a latch arm resiliently extending from its periphery diametrically opposite the hinge. The latch arm has a pair of oppositely extending tabs adjacent to a free end of the arm. The other of the base and the lid has an axial passage for receiving the latch arm, and a pair of laterally spaced ledges in the passage for engagement by the tabs to lock the lid in the closed position. The latch arm is directly manually engageable by a user from a radial direction external to the closure to pivot the latch arm radially inwardly within the passage and release the tabs from the ledges so that the lid can be pivoted to the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Rexam Closure Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Wing-Kwong Keung
  • Patent number: 7401706
    Abstract: A closure having child-resistant and non-child-resistant modes of operation includes a plastic inner shell having a skirt with at least one internal thread, an external bead on the skirt and a circumferential array of teeth on the bead. A plastic outer shell has a skirt externally encircling the skirt of the inner shell. The outer shell has an internal bead on its skirt, a circumferential array of first teeth on one side of the internal bead, a circumferential array of second teeth on the other side of the internal bead, and at least one third engagement element adjacent to an edge of the skirt. The inner shell is positionable within the outer shell in child-resistant and non-child-resistant positions, in which the teeth on the inner skirt engage the first or second teeth on the outer shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Rexam Prescription Products Inc.
    Inventor: John M. Shingle
  • Patent number: 7401707
    Abstract: A closure includes an outer plastic shell having a base wall, a peripheral skirt with a central axis, a circumferential array of lugs on an underside of the base wall, and a pair of axially spaced internal beads on the skirt spaced from the base wall. An inner plastic shell has a base wall, a peripheral skirt with a central axis, at least one internal thread on the skirt of the inner shell, a circumferential array of lugs on an outer surface of the base wall, and a circumferential bead on an outer surface of the skirt remote from the base wall. The inner shell is positionable within the outer shell in a non-child-resistant first position with the bead on the skirt of the inner shell captured between the beads on the skirt of the outer shell, such that the outer shell is rotatably coupled to the inner shell and the at least one internal thread on the skirt of the inner shell can be threaded onto and off of a container by simple rotation of the outer shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Rexam Prescription Products Inc.
    Inventors: Brian J. Brozell, Steven R. Wolfe