Patents Examined by Stephen Cronin
  • Patent number: 9599062
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for adjusting a pilot injection during initial engine operation from vehicle manufacture. In one example, a method comprises delivering a first proportion of fuel as the pilot injection, and only decreasing the first proportion of fuel responsive to learning an injector flow characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Brien Lloyd Fulton, Aaron John Oakley
  • Patent number: 7216626
    Abstract: An engine ECU executes a program including the steps of calculating an in-cylinder injector's injection ratio; if the ratio is 1, calculating an amount of cold state spark advance by employing a function f(1) having the engine's temperature as a parameter; if the ratio is 0, calculating an amount of cold state spark advance by employing a function f(2) having the engine's temperature as a parameter; and if the ratio is larger than 0 and smaller than 1, calculating an amount of cold state spark advance by employing a function f(3) having the engine's temperature and the ratio as parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Araki, Kenichi Kinose
  • Patent number: 6435390
    Abstract: A backpack apparatus including a rigid box with a hinged lid for access downwardly into and having a canopy surmounted on such lid to define an accessible storage compartment the lid. A pair of shoulder straps are mounted to the front side of such canopy and box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Inventor: Dean Abramowicz
  • Patent number: 6116440
    Abstract: The present thermoformed containers are recloseable and resealable. This is accomplished primarily by providing a thermoformed container with a threaded neck and the use of a conventional type of closure on the threaded neck of the thermoformed container. The threads are on the neck and preferably also on an outwardly extending peripheral edge on the neck. This outwardly extending peripheral edge is created in thermoform molding. The neck preferably also is in the form of a two or more ply structure and in a further preferred embodiment the neck is reinforced by the closure. The closure in the embodiment of external threads on the neck has a reinforcing plug. In this embodiment the reinforcing plug fits into the neck adjacent the inner wall of the neck while the threads of the closure contact the exterior wall of the neck. In the embodiment of internal threads on the neck the closure can have a skirt which is in close contact with the exterior wall of the neck. This will likewise reinforce the neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Colgate - Palmolive Company
    Inventors: Issac Zaksenberg, George Neveras
  • Patent number: 6082567
    Abstract: A container, preferably of small capacity, such as a school milk plastic bottle, has a neck having an in-turned lip flange, a vertical surface spaced below the lip flange and an external shoulder below the vertical surface. A second external shoulder below the first-mentioned shoulder is preferably slanted upwardly-outwardly. A cap for the neck has a top and a skirt depending from the top formed with internal bead segments which snap under the first mentioned shoulder. The lower edge of the skirt fits tightly against the second shoulder to prevent the fingernails from being used to overcome the tamper-evident feature of the cap. A tear tab (preferably chevron-shaped in cross-section) depends from the skirt. An external, vertical scoreline adjoins the tab and at its upper end is adjacent a second scoreline which is formed on the interior of the top. Pulling the tab tears the skirt from the top for about 342.degree. of its circumference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven H. Bietzer, Kurt A. Krischke, Richard E. Repp
  • Patent number: 6082569
    Abstract: A plastic closure for sealing a container, the closure having a top portion and a skirt portion depending from the top portion. The closure has an annular sealing rib which extends within the cavity defined by the top portion and the skirt portion. The rib includes a first portion having a substantially cylindrical inner surface extending away from the underside of the top portion and disposed radially inward of the skirt and a second, frusto-conical, portion contiguous with the end of the first portion distal to the underside of the top portion and extending radially inwardly and terminating in a circular free edge, such that during engagement of the cap with the neck of the container, the second, frusto-conical, portion will be engaged by the free end of the neck and folded back against the first portion of the rib to form a gas-tight seal between the neck of the container and the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Closures and Packaging Services Limited
    Inventor: Rodney M. Druitt
  • Patent number: 6003710
    Abstract: A cover including a cover body adapted for covering on a top end of a canned food or cupped food, a kitchen utensil integrally formed in said cover body and connected thereto by separated connecting points, and a sealing film sealed on an outer side of the cover body to protect the kitchen utensil from contamination when the cover body is covered on a canned food or cupped food, the kitchen utensil including a utensil body having a coupling neck with transverse coupling notches, and a utensil handle having a coupling neck with upright coupling rods adapted for coupling to the coupling neck of the utensil body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Inventor: Shou Li Huang
  • Patent number: 5984125
    Abstract: The tamper evident closure of the present invention includes a twist cap made of plastic that comprises a top portion and an interior sealing means which coacts with the rim of the container neck to provide a gas-tight seal. The top portion also has an annular depending skirt which includes an interior retaining means to coact with an exterior retaining means on the neck finish of the container. The exterior retaining means of the container has a positive stopping means to coact with interior retaining means of the cap so that when the cap is screwed onto the container neck the positive stopping means is engaged at a predetermined level of sealing force and capping torque. The depending skirt also includes locking means which lock the cap into place after the container is sealed. The locking means coacts with the positive stopping means on the container to prevent the cap from being unscrewed or twisted off the container after it has been screwed onto the container neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: ZapatA Innovative Closures, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Price, Edward Generose
  • Patent number: 5984137
    Abstract: A sheet metal packing for disposable materials, comprises a container with a wall, a bottom and an opening, as well as a lid to close the opening. A partition (40) is fixed rigidly inside the container (1) and delineates, with the bottom (4) and the wall (3) of the container, a receptacle (60) for the materials, whereby at least one orifice (43) has been arranged in the partition for the passage of the materials in the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Ferembal
    Inventor: Maurice Grosjean
  • Patent number: 5927526
    Abstract: A child-resistant closure container system allowing easy opening by debilitated adults. The closure has moveable panels on the side wall which, when depressed, allow the unscrewing of the closure from the neck of the jar or vial. The moveable panels include tabs engaging stationary locking lugs on the neck finish annulus, which prevent removal of the closure without depressing the tabs. The annulus and stationary locking lugs can be an integral part of the jar or vial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Kerr Group, Inc.
    Inventor: James Ellis Herr
  • Patent number: 5924590
    Abstract: A fuel cap and filler neck fitment for receiving the fuel cap. The fuel cap includes an outer member and an inner closure assembly with seal. The cap and fitment both include lugs which interengage when the cap is moved into a closing position to pressurize the seal determined by an improved overriding ratchet arrangement. During removal of the cap, the outer member moves against a spring action for a predetermined arc before the inner closure assembly is moved to disengage the seal. When the seal is disengaged, the spring action takes up the relative motion. Once removed, the cap is retained by an improved tether assembly. The outer member is connected to the inner annular assembly by an improved structural arrangement which allows the outer member to separate under crash impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Tesma International Inc.
    Inventors: Radisav Jocic, Konrad Scharrer
  • Patent number: 5918752
    Abstract: A tamper-evident squeeze-and-turn child-resistant closure includes separate inner and outer caps each of integral monolithic plastic composition. The inner cap comprises a skirt with internal threads having application and removal lugs extending radially outwardly therefrom. The outer cap comprises an outer skirt having application lugs extending radially inwardly therefrom for engagement with the application lugs on the inner skirt to thread the closure onto a container. A pair of diametrically opposed tabs on the outer skirt have inwardly extending removal lugs for engagement with the removal lugs on the inner skirt to unthread the closure from the container. The tabs are resiliently joined at one end to the skirt, and are joined to the skirt at an opposing end by frangible links that rupture upon first inward movement of the tabs to indicate possible tampering with the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.
    Inventor: Todd W. Meyer
  • Patent number: 5915576
    Abstract: A double wall squeeze-and-turn child-resistant safety closure wherein skirt flexure stiffening web ribs are integrally molded into the closure so as to extend radially between the mutually facing wall surfaces of the skirts. The ribs are arranged in two sets of diametrically opposed web pairs generally angularly registered with an associated one of the pair of diametrically opposed outer wall squeeze zones. Each rib is also integrally joined to the closure base wall and protrudes therefrom axially of the closure a predetermined distance greater than the axial thickness of the peripheral region of the closure base wall that is joined to the ribs to thereby shift the outer skirt wall flexure swing point. Each pair of ribs is angularly spaced from one another on the closure base wall one on either side of and closely adjacent to a plane oriented at about 90 degrees to a plane intersecting the closure CR lugs to further localize the squeeze zone area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.
    Inventor: Philip J. Robinson
  • Patent number: 5887738
    Abstract: A tamper-evident, snap-on, screw-off closure which is used with a specially shaped container neck is provided with a foil liner. Once the closure is applied to the neck, the foil liner is sealed to the neck of the container. The foil liner includes a tab for removal of the seal disc from the neck. The closure is characterized by the absence of a second liner between the top of the cap and the foil liner. The closure, neck and the foil liner are formed to inhibit adherence of the tab to the cap interior and the neck exterior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Portola Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven H. Bietzer, Rawson L. Chenault, Daniel Luch, Richard E. Repp
  • Patent number: 5871110
    Abstract: A resealable transfer assembly for a container such as a bottle or vial featuring a membrane for selectively opening or sealing a fluid path between the bottle and a medical delivery device introduced into the assembly. The assembly includes a body disposed on the bottle, and a luer connector hub which may be separately provided with the body or formed integrally therewith. A free plug rests in a cavity defined within the luer connector hub. The free plug includes an orifice dimensioned to accept a luer tip associated with the medical delivery device. A membrane, preferably formed from an elastomeric material, is secured across both the opposed end of the luer connector hub and the open top of the bottle, and may be retained between the top surface of the bottle and the body. The membrane preferably includes a central area sealing the opposed end of the luer connector hub from the open top of the bottle, with one or more fluid openings defined on a portion of the membrane outside of the central area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Grimard, Herbert Jansen
  • Patent number: 5868247
    Abstract: The invention is a hard-shell convertible golf bag generally made of plastic and comprises a built-in extend and retract feature. The general structure is made of three major parts, a hard-shell front, a hard-shell back and a hard-shell headcover. The wheels may be retracted for shipping on an airliner, or carrying the bag on a golf cart, or extended to pull when walking on a golf course. A second handle is provided for pulling the folded golf bag on a smooth surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Inventor: Gunter Schrader
  • Patent number: 5865331
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a dosing cap (20) which is a measuring cup adapted to serve as a liquid tight closure. Said dosing cap is lightweighted by providing a wall with two different thicknesses. The thinner walled part (26) is inserted into the neck of the container to achieve the necessary closure. The thicker walled rest of said dosing cap (28) remains outside and serves as a gripping means to open the corresponding container (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Andre Marie Gustav Jacobs
  • Patent number: 5860544
    Abstract: A tamper-evident heat induction liner for sealing a container includes at least four stacked layers and exhibits improved resistance to moisture migration. A heat seal polymer layer is provided for induction bonding against a container opening. A moisture-impermeable foil layer is secured against the polymer layer opposite the container opening. Tear-resistant backing layer is provided, and is secured to a low cohesive strength layer which is disposed between the backing layer and the foil layer. The low cohesive layer splits when the backing layer is lifted, leaving the foil layer and polymer layer with a portion of the split low cohesive strength layer covering the container opening in a tamper-evident, rupturable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Selig Sealing Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven A. Brucker
  • Patent number: 5845800
    Abstract: A filler cap assembly includes a sleeve welded to a tank wall, and a non-indexing filler cap. The cap is formed with top and bottom members, each member having an outwardly bevelled surface opposing a corresponding surface on the other member. An elastic O-ring is positioned between the two surfaces. The top member and base member are held together by an axially extending shaft, with a spring biasing apart the two members. The shaft is connected in a hinged manner to a cam lever. Activation of the cam lever brings the two opposing surfaces together, forcing the O-ring outward to form a seal with the sleeve. The filler cap and the sleeve's inner wall are provided with additional features which maintain the filler cap in the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Shaw Aero Development, Inc.
    Inventors: James Shaw, Thomas George Morgan, Charles Gordon Grandy
  • Patent number: RE36072
    Abstract: A spatter shielding and vapor venting device for a frying pan comprising a transparent lid to enable visual observation of cooking, a peripheral venting gap to release generated fumes and vapors, a vertical hollow cylindrical wall to rapidly return condensed oil to frying pan, a handle to hold the device steady, a horizontal flange to facilitate placement on rims of frying pans of varying sizes, a vertical cylindrical flange to restrict lateral motion and to shield the contact area between the horizontal flange and frying pan rim, a vertical window opening for the introduction, removal, stirring and turning over of food, a hands-free opening and automatic closing window cover means to effectively shield the window opening even while performing said cooking operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Inventor: William Cheng Uy