Patents Examined by Stephanie E. Tyler
  • Patent number: 7594593
    Abstract: An apparatus has a vertical tower that holds a plurality of containers in spaced vertical alignment. A control knob is connected to a cam mechanism which, upon rotation thereof, serves to move a linkage to operate actuator levers between an OFF position and an ON position relative to discharge nozzles of the containers. In the ON position, the actuator levers depress the discharge nozzles to cause simultaneous sprayed release of a sunless tanning product from the plurality of containers The tower is surrounded by a housing having vertically arranged nozzle openings aligned with the nozzles of the spray containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Inventors: Jim Mancel, John Marmora
  • Patent number: 7594596
    Abstract: A fluid-dispenser valve (10) comprising a valve body (11), and a valve member (12) slidable in said valve body (11) between a rest position and a dispensing position, said valve (10) including temperature regulator means (12, 20) for limiting cooling of the valve member (12) while the fluid is being dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Valois S.A.S.
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Pardonge
  • Patent number: 7578418
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser device comprising: a transparent receptacle defining a fluid reservoir, said receptacle including a neck defining an opening; a pump mounted in the opening of the neck, the pump being capable of delivering a quantity of fluid contained in said reservoir, the pump including a substantially cylindrical body that is terminated by an inlet sleeve; a dip tube connected to the inlet sleeve and extending into the reservoir so as to deliver the fluid contained in the reservoir to the pump, once the pump has been actuated; and a covering tube sheathing at least part of said dip tube; wherein said covering tube is fastened to the inlet sleeve of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Valois S.A.S.
    Inventor: Alex Milian
  • Patent number: 7556178
    Abstract: Liquid dispensers are provided including a vacuum relief mechanism with a vacuum relief device and a one-way valve in series with the vacuum relief device to prevent flow into and out of the reservoir when a vacuum exists in the reservoir. The vacuum relief device comprises an enclosed chamber having an air inlet open to the atmosphere and a liquid inlet in communication with liquid in the reservoir and in which the liquid inlet opens to the chamber at a height below a height at which the air inlet opens to the chamber. The one-way valve is capable of failure, in which case the vacuum relief device alone provides for pressure relief. The vacuum relief valve permits relief of vacuum from the reservoir without moving parts or valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Hygiene-Technik Inc.
    Inventor: Heiner Ophardt
  • Patent number: 7533786
    Abstract: A personal water and additive apparatus includes a first container; a manifold having a water passageway and an additive passageway, the water passageway and additive passageway intersecting to form a single mixing passageway; a first tube connecting the first container to the water passageway of the manifold, the combination of the first tube and the water passageway defining a water channel; a second container; a second tube connecting the second container to the additive passageway of the manifold, the combination of the second tube and the additive passageway defining an additive channel; an outlet tube having one end connected to the mixing passageway of the manifold; a check valve disposed in the water channel; and a flow regulator that controls flow in at least one of the water passageway and the additive passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Steven Woolfson, Matthew Kressy, Reed Hoyt, Scott Montain
  • Patent number: 7533788
    Abstract: A valve assembly including a main body (13,24) with a cavity (25) having an aperture (35a) formed through the main body and channels (26) formed radially in the cavity wall. A seal member (18) is shaped to fit within the cavity such that when the seal member moves away from the aperture flow is permitted in the channel toward and through the aperture. The valve is for incorporation with a tap device, particularly for use with a “mini-keg” of beverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Diageo Ireland
    Inventors: Neal Harvey, Peter Viner, Roseanne Gilhooly, Daniel Donnelly
  • Patent number: 7530476
    Abstract: A locking aerosol dispenser with a dome, a top thermoplastic elastomeric button member molded over a dome opening, and a base lock member. The rotatable base lock rotates from locked to unlocked position with respect to the essentially non-rotatable dome. A product channel member in the dome is held by the elastomeric button, and not otherwise attached to the dome. The base lock has an upstanding bridge with unlocking slots within which extend fingers on the product channel member when the dispenser is unlocked and actuated. The base lock is not attached to the aerosol valve mounting cup. The dome is attached to the base lock member and the aerosol valve mounting cup, the dome capturing the base lock member between the dome and aerosol container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Precision Valve Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Paul Downey, Timothy O'Toole
  • Patent number: 7527176
    Abstract: A portable grease gun with the capability of being attached to either a grease containing barrel or a hose carrying grease from a grease supply container. An adapter may be mounted to the barrel mounting in place of a barrel to couple the grease gun to a hose connected to a grease supply container remote from the grease gun. Alternating plug may be mounted in the barrel mounting and a pumped grease supply coupled to the resupply port on the grease gun. The grease gun includes an output valve which restrains passage of grease at pressure below 30 psi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Weems Industries Inc.
    Inventors: R. Mark Weems, Don R. Linkletter
  • Patent number: 7527173
    Abstract: A dispensing device which can be mounted on a container fitted with a dispensing element through which a product held in the container can emerge when this element is actuated. The device includes an element for mounting the device on the container, and a dispensing head. The dispensing head includes a dispensing orifice and a conduit to channel the product emerging from the dispensing element to the dispensing orifice. An actuating surface is movable relative to the mounting element, and actuates the dispensing element. In a preferred example, the actuating surface and the conduit are formed by molding as a single piece. A closure member is configured to cover the dispensing orifice in a stowed position. Movement of the closure element to the stowed position involves a force exerted by the closure element on the head, axially to the conduit, in the direction toward the dispensing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventors: Pierre-Andre Lasserre, Marcel Sanchez
  • Patent number: 7497356
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser device includes a chamber provided with an inlet valve and with an outlet valve, and defining a sealed slide cylinder; a piston disposed inside the chamber and including a lip capable of sliding in sealed manner in the slide cylinder. A bearing flange for coming to bear against a reservoir neck; and a ferrule against which the piston is resiliently urged in the rest position. The device being characterized in that the sealed slide cylinder is situated above the bearing flange so that it cannot be inserted into the reservoir neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Valois S.A.S
    Inventors: Stéphane Beranger, Firmin Garcia
  • Patent number: 7494029
    Abstract: A container cartridge for a beverage dispenser includes a bottom wall, a side wall and a top wall having a spout. The bottom wall, the side wall and the top wall, including the spout, are integrally formed of a polyethylene. The side wall is sufficiently thin so as to be foldable. Thus, after use, i.e. when the container cartridge has become empty, the container cartridge can be collapsed by folding the side wall. The thus collapsed container cartridge can be efficiently transported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Cosmo Life
    Inventor: Yoshinori Orita
  • Patent number: 7490743
    Abstract: A dispenser assembly is provided. The dispenser assembly includes a container having a bottom, an open top and a side wall extending between the bottom and the open top, and a mating arrangement, the side wall having an inner surface; at least one container passageway mounted on the inner surface of the side wall and extending from the open top of the container to a position proximate to the bottom of the container; and a pump cap having a cap body, a pump mechanism arranged within the cap body, a pump cap passageway coupled to the pump mechanism, and a coupling arrangement arranged on the pump cap body and configured to detachably couple to the mating arrangement of the container such that the container passageway aligns with and sealingly engages the pump cap passageway in a fluid connection when the pump cap is mounted to the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Inventor: Kenneth J Herzog
  • Patent number: 7490735
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for dispensing controlled precise amounts of a hot-melt adhesive. A positive displacement dispenser which is mounted on a programmable motion system is connected to a hot-melt cartridge feed assembly by an inlet block. The dispenser, feed assembly, and inlet block contain electric heaters and thermocouples for maintaining the adhesive at a desired elevated temperature. A computer control system regulates the temperature in the dispenser, feed assembly, and inlet block and controls a dispensing motor in the dispenser. A preheater heats an adhesive cartridge prior to placement in the feed assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Raines, Hank W. Gonzalez, George E. Blumb
  • Patent number: 7490739
    Abstract: A beverage dispenser for gravitationally dispensing a liquid from a bottle such as standard sized bottles commonly used in the drinking water industry. The dispenser preferably includes a removable top closeable over a space large enough to hold and fully enclose the inverted bottle, a base having a substantially flat bottom surface for maintaining the bottle in an inverted position and mating surfaces for receiving the removable top, a collar having an aperture sized to receive a neck portion of the bottle and disposed within the base for supporting the bottle in the inverted position, a reservoir attached to the collar for receiving the liquid from the bottle, whereby the neck portion of the inverted standard sized bottle extends downward through the aperture of the collar, and a spigot extending from the reservoir for dispensing the liquid from the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Inventor: Robert W. Prabucki
  • Patent number: 7487951
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fitment for attachment to a container for holding and dispensing a fluid. The fitment comprises a generally cylindrical spout having an external surface capable of mating with a collar of a dispensing connector, an external slider movable axially within said spout and an internal slider movable axially within the external slider. The internal slider is movable between a closed position that prevents the flow of fluid through the fitment and an open position that allows for the flow of fluid through the fitment. The internal slider is adapted to be moved between the closed and open positions by insertion of a dispensing connector into the external slider adjacent said internal slider. The internal slider is biased towards said closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Liqui-Box Canada Inc.
    Inventor: James Johnson
  • Patent number: 7472810
    Abstract: A dosing dispenser for dispensing predetermined quantities of a flowable material, particularly baby formula, includes a dosing device having a dosing compartment located to align its upper end with a receptacle for the flowable material, when the dosing device is in a rear limit position, for filling with the flowable material, and to align its lower end with a dispensing outlet when the dispensing device is in a forward limit position for dispensing the flowable material in the dosing compartment from the housing. The dispenser further includes a restraining device for restraining movement of the dosing device, when starting a movement in one direction, against movement in the opposite direction until the dosing device has completed its movement in the one direction, to thereby prevent dispensing of less than the predetermined quantity of the flowable material by only a partial filling of the dosing compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Inventor: Tal Amir
  • Patent number: 7469803
    Abstract: A portable grease gun with the capability of being attached to either a grease containing barrel or a hose carrying grease from a grease supply container. An adapter may be mounted to the barrel mounting in place of a barrel to couple the grease gun to a hose connected to a grease supply container remote from the grease gun. The grease gun includes an output valve which restrains passage of grease at pressure below 30 psi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Weems Industries
    Inventors: R. Mark Weems, Don R. Linkletter
  • Patent number: 7451894
    Abstract: A fingerprint reader for a thumb disposed above an outlet for fluid and adapted to be engaged by an inside surface of a user's thumb extending upwardly relative to the palm of a user's hand while the user's hand extends generally horizontally forwardly from the thumb directed upwardly to receive fluid dispensed downwardly thereon to from a fluid dispensing outlet while the thumb engages the fingerprint reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Hygiene-Technik Inc.
    Inventor: Heiner Ophardt
  • Patent number: 7445135
    Abstract: A container, which houses a liquid such as a sealant in a flexible pouch 11 in a sealed state, is provided with a spout 2 that is constituted by an extrusion nozzle 22 and a spout base member 21 and formed on one end thereof so that the extrusion nozzle 22 is fixed by sandwiching the vicinity of a hole 32a formed on one end face of an extruder 3 by a flange portion 21c of the spout base member 21 and a flange portion 22c of the extrusion nozzle 22, and an extruder 3a is arranged so that an adjusting member 322b, which controls the tilt of the nozzle 22, is allowed to protrude outward from a hole 322a of the extruder 3a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Chemical Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taneo Miyata, Yasushi Hasui, Mikio Murakami, Hirofumi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7445169
    Abstract: A cap dispenses material from a container having a mouth. The cap has a main body mountable on the mouth. The main body includes a protruding portion having an opening for receiving material moving through the mouth. A combination seal and dispensing spout is pivotally mounted to the main body and has a top wall with an extended portion. The spout may be pivoted on the main body between a sealing position and a dispensing position. In the sealing position, the spout blocks flow of material through the opening. In the dispensing position, the spout is aligned with the opening in the protruding portion to allow material to flow through the protruding portion and onto the spout so that the material may be dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignees: C & N Packaging, Inc., Lebanon Seaboard Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Young, Brooks R. Markert, Dio C. Cavero, Stuart Leslie, Justin Waldinger