Patents Examined by Stephanie E Williams
  • Patent number: 8413856
    Abstract: A refillable material transfer system is disclosed having a portable constant-pressure compressed gas system for storing, transferring and dispensing viscous material, such as fluids and liquids, includes a material containment vessel with an upper region incorporating a motive force and a bottom region with a material ingress and egress opening. The portable constant-pressure compressed gas subsystem can be used with a fluid vessel, hand-held systems, a backpack system or other configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: CH&I Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric A. Williams, Robert D. Thibodeau, Michael P. Nicholls
  • Patent number: 8408428
    Abstract: The device includes a membrane slidably mounted in a metering chamber, the membrane including a first sealing element forming a check valve, and a second sealing element enabling the membrane to slide in a leaktight manner relative to the metering chamber. The first and second sealing elements are made of a material that is relatively flexible, the membrane also including a rigid portion made of a material that is more rigid than the material of the first and second sealing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Rexam Healthcare La Verpilliere
    Inventors: Xavier Donnette, Jose Camba, Gaetan Painchaud, Sylvain Lanzi
  • Patent number: 8408423
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dispensing sanitizer fluid from a door handle. The apparatus includes a handle having a nozzle, an actuator fluidly coupled to the nozzle, and a cartridge of sanitizer fluid fluidly coupled to the actuator. Manipulation of the handle causes the actuator to dispense sanitizer fluid from the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Altitude Medical Inc
    Inventors: Jacob McKnight, Virginia Gardiner, Alexander R. Oshmyansky
  • Patent number: 8403186
    Abstract: A composite spout obtained by injection forming a spout body in a state where a sleeve having a functional resin layer disposed as an intermediate layer is fitted as a core onto the core member of an injection-forming metal mold such that the inner peripheral surface only of the sleeve is substantially exposed on the inner peripheral surface of the spout body. A tilted surface is formed on the inner peripheral surface at one end of the spout body in at least a portion thereof in the circumferential direction, the tilted surface being tilted outward in the radial direction from a position in agreement with the inner peripheral edge at the one end of the sleeve or from the inside thereof in the radial direction facing the one end of the spout body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignees: Japan Crown Cork Co., Ltd., Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Kurosawa, Kimio Takeuchi, Katsumi Hashimoto, Yuhei Yonekawa, Osamu Ishii, Hiroomi Matsutani
  • Patent number: 8403178
    Abstract: A container assembly has a first container that operably houses a second container. The first container is configured to hold a first flowable substance, and the second container is configured to hold a second flowable substance. The second container is rupturable, preferably by manipulation through the first container, wherein the second flowable substance can mix with the first flowable substance to form a mixture. The first container is also rupturable to dispense the mixture therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: James Alexander Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. May, David G. Robinson, Francesca Fazzolari, Alexander T. Davidson
  • Patent number: 8403179
    Abstract: A conventional frozen carbonated beverage freezer is modified to eliminate the draw handle to facilitate better performance at the hands of an untrained customer in a serve yourself setting. A conventional FCB freezer, with or without a draw handle, is modified to enable dispensing different flavors of frozen carbonated beverages by a customer for a self-serve setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Flavor Burst Co., L.L.P.
    Inventor: Ernest C. Gerber
  • Patent number: 8371478
    Abstract: A preservation and dispensing apparatus includes a pressurized gas supply assembly for pressurizing and dispensing fluid from a bottle in a manner that effectively creates a barrier protecting the fluid from harmful effects of oxygen. The pressurized gas supply assembly includes an inert gas output linked to the bottle via a dispensing nozzle secured within an opening of the bottle. The dispensing nozzle includes a connecting seal having a series of outwardly directed, flexible fins composed of a first material and an outwardly tapered seal member composed of a second material. The inert gas output includes a regulator assembly having a piercing pin that passes through an end cap of a gas capsule allowing gas from the gas capsule to pass through the regulator assembly. The regulator assembly reduces the gas pressure from approximately 2700 psi to approximately 5 psi in a single step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Inventors: Matthew A. Sommerfield, Steven DiDonato
  • Patent number: 8365959
    Abstract: A drink dispensing tap water dispenser, kit and method of converting a tap water dispenser to a drink dispenser is disclosed. The dispenser includes an adaptor having a central body portion connectable inline to a domestic tap water dispenser. A dispensing nozzle is supported by the central body portion of the adaptor and includes at least one liquid connection to a liquid source for dispensing liquid separate from the tap water dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Stefano Tavolazzi
  • Patent number: 8360279
    Abstract: An automatic home appliance that performs the preparation, mixing, and heating of infant formula bottles provides a reservoir on top that holds an amount of powdered formula. Connection to a household water supply provides a flow of water to an internal water heating reservoir. A central front opening is provided in which the infant bottle is placed. A digital display and a plurality of programming buttons are arranged upon a front panel to allow the user to select operating parameters. Once programmed, internal electronic controls perform dispensing and mixing of the necessary ingredients in the proper ratio and dispensing of mixed formula into the proper sized bottle. The mixture is also kept warm at the proper temperature by a hot plate. An indicator light then illuminates to communicate to a user that the bottle is ready to be removed and the mixture consumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Inventor: Matthew L. Giles
  • Patent number: 8356734
    Abstract: A trigger type head cap for an aerosol sprayer allows residual gas inside of an aerosol container of the sprayer to be easily and reliably discharged and eliminated. The cap includes a cap cover to be placed on the aerosol container, which has a stem provided on a top thereof; a tubular member that has a stem mating part to mate with the stem and ends with a jet orifice to form a flow path continuous from the stem mating part to the jet orifice in the tubular member; and a trigger lever member capable of thrusting down the stem mating part. In addition, the cap has a rotatable rotary stopper (21) to hold the stem mating part in the state that it is thrust down, and a stopper operating lever for effecting rotation of the stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Fumakilla Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Oshimo, Hideo Kawamori, Kazunori Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8342363
    Abstract: An automatic discharge device includes a housing having a top portion and a base portion, wherein surfaces defining a recess are provided therebetween for securely holding a container. At least one gear is disposed substantially between the recess and a rear panel of the housing. A drive motor is in association with the at least one gear. An actuator arm is also provided. Activation of the drive motor and the at least one gear provides for movement of the actuator arm between at least one of a pre-actuation position and a discharge position along a path that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
    Inventors: M. Scott Carpenter, Paul E. Furner, Thomas P. Gasper, Chris A. Kubicek, Leon M. Lemon, Brent D. Madsen, Kenneth W. Michaels, Cory J. Nelson, Michael E. Short, Gene Sipinski, Nathan R. Westphal
  • Patent number: 8342370
    Abstract: A one dose at a time, non-pressurized fluid dispensing canister from which the or each dose is dispensed as a result of two surfaces (21, 22) of the canister moving towards one another under the control of the user, wherein the canister incorporates a mechanism which, once a first dose has been dispensed, automatically prevents any further dispensing movement of the surfaces (21, 22) (in the case where the canister is a one-dosage only canister) or (where the canister is a multiple-dosage-dispensing canister) allows such movement only after the two surfaces (21, 22) have first been moved in a direction or directions other than that which alone caused the first dose to be dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Norwich Pharma Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Calvin John Ross, Steven John Sansom
  • Patent number: 8336737
    Abstract: A foam dispenser having a pump assembly includes a liquid pump, an air pump and a common actuation part to simultaneously actuate the liquid pump and the air pump. The pump assembly includes a dispensing channel having a dispensing opening. The pump assembly further includes a porous matrix which contains a dispensate material. A contact surface of the porous matrix is arranged in communication with the dispensing channel, so that foam being formed in the pump assembly and dispensed through the dispensing channel comes into contact with the contact surface to introduce dispensate material released from the porous matrix in the foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Rexam Airspray N.V.
    Inventor: Edgar Ivo Maria van der Heijden
  • Patent number: 8336745
    Abstract: A dispensing closure has a key-hole shaped flow conduit that provides a sufficient flow restriction to prevent unwanted spurting of the product. The dispensing closure includes a closure body with an upper and lower deck, inner and outer skirt, and a flow conduit extending through the upper deck. The flow conduit includes including two or more vertically oriented walls and a bottom wall. The vertically oriented walls define a fluid trapping area and a partition wall depending downwardly from said upper deck. The bottom wall configured and arranged to be positioned along a horizontal axis. The flow conduit includes one entrance orifice having one entrance axis and an exit orifice having an exit axis. The entrance axis is stepped or offset from the exit axis whereby the flow conduit provides a non-linear flow path of product from an interior of the closure to an exterior of the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: MWV Slatersville, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick J. Brannon, Clifford W. Skillin, Sergey Romanov
  • Patent number: 8328048
    Abstract: A package for containing and dispensing of pourable product has a sheet material bag. A dispenser tube is inserted through a seam of the bag, where a pouring spout of the tube extends into the bag from the bag seam and a sealing sleeve extends outwardly from the bag seam. An openable/closeable seal extends across the end of the sealing sleeve, the openable/closeable seal having first and second strips with releasably interengaging configuration. The openable/closeable seal may be opened and the pouring spout everted through the sealing sleeve. The pouring spout is longer than the sealing sleeve and extends past the open seal. The openable/closeable seal is a zipper seal or a slide seal. The package may have a box in which the bag and dispenser tube are contained prior to and after use in dispensing a pourable product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: IPI, Inc.
    Inventors: Michell C. Tschantz, Kerry M. McKinley
  • Patent number: 8322575
    Abstract: A device for dispensing a heated liquid, such as a hot melt adhesive, which includes a dispenser body adapted to dispense the heated liquid, a solenoid valve, and a pneumatic section including a housing coupled between the solenoid valve and dispenser body. The pneumatic housing is formed from a thermally insulating material which may include a thermoplastic polymer such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) or a fluoroplastic polymer to reduce heat transfer from the dispenser body through the pneumatic housing thereby thermally insulating the solenoid valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventor: John M. Riney
  • Patent number: 8302824
    Abstract: A dispensing closure has a flow conduit that provides a sufficient flow restriction to prevent unwanted spurting of the product when the container is initially opened. The dispensing closure includes a closure body with an upper deck and a flow conduit extending through the upper deck. The flow conduit includes an entry orifice having an entrance axis and an exit orifice having an exit axis. The entrance axis is parallel to, but not co-linear with, the exit axis to provide a non-linear flow path from an interior of the closure to the exterior of the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Polytop LLC
    Inventors: Patrick J Brannon, Clifford W. Skillin, Sergey Romanov
  • Patent number: 8286833
    Abstract: Systems for dispensing heated liquids, such as hot melt adhesives. The dispensing system may include a hot air manifold and a liquid manifold with a surface confronting surfaces of the air manifold to define an air plenum. A dispensing module is coupled in fluid communication with the liquid manifold and in fluid communication with an air outlet of the hot air manifold. The dispensing module is capable of dispensing the heated liquid and is capable of receiving and dispensing the process air to impinge upon the heated liquid. A heating element is operative for heating the process air flowing through said air plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Laurence B. Saidman, Daryl Reece
  • Patent number: 8276788
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating a product dispensed from a handheld container having a nozzle for discharging the product from the container utilizes a discharge assembly having a discharge housing that defines a reservoir and is in fluid communication with the nozzle when the discharge assembly is coupled to the container. The reservoir receives the discharged product from the nozzle and collects the discharged product within the reservoir and allows the introduction of a warm liquid into the reservoir. A strainer allows the warm liquid introduced into the reservoir of the discharge housing to be separated from the discharged product by pouring the warm liquid from the discharge housing through the strainer. The strainer is configured to retain majority of the discharged product within the reservoir after pouring out the liquid. A product access port allows the discharged product to be removed from the reservoir of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Inventor: Lance Lyda
  • Patent number: 8267286
    Abstract: An actuator cap for a pressurized aerosol spray can for the dispensing of marking compositions consists of an outer housing, an inner housing, and a rotatably mounted spray tip. The outer housing employs an annular chime for use with devices for remotely actuating pressurized aerosol spray cans. The inner housing connectively couples to various pressurized aerosol spray cans. The spray tip allows for efficient dispensing of marking composition through the pressurized aerosol spray can valve while also preventing accidental sideways discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas M. Smrt, John F. Smrt