Patents Examined by Stephen Cronin
  • Patent number: 5842593
    Abstract: A plastic container lid is adapted for openable attachment to a container. The lid comprises a main lid member having a peripheral, annular outer first wall. The lid also comprises an outer ring member carried on the annular outer wall of the main lid member in sealed but separable relation. The outer ring defines second and third spaced walls to form an annular space which receives the annular lip of a container in locking relation therewith. The main lid member is removable from and reattachable to the outer ring member by the user while carried on the annular container lip. Thus, the outer ring member effectively becomes part of the container, being attached by a permanent snap-fit connection, to improve the hoop strength of the container along with other advantages as described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: John W. Von Holdt
    Inventor: John W. von Holdt
  • Patent number: 5836468
    Abstract: The plastic snap closure possesses a snapping means (3) on the inside surface of the cap wall (2), said snapping means being able to be snapped over a bead on the container mouth. In order to display initial opening of the closure, approximately vertical weakened zones (4) are provided on the lower edge of the closure cap. The cap wall (2) will tear on initial opening of the snap closure in the area of at least one of these weakened zones (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Crown Cork AG
    Inventors: Udo Bosl, Kelvin Pitman
  • Patent number: 5833089
    Abstract: A connector for connecting two containers includes a first portion releasably secured to the neck of the first container and a second portion having an access opening. A closure member for sealing the access opening of the connector includes a cover for sealably closing the access opening, the cover being fixed to the connector so as to include a breakable point of attachment and a zone of weakness disposed on the periphery of the cover. The cover includes a tab disposed generally perpendicular to the cover and a strut angularly disposed between the tab and the cover such that the exertion of pressure substantially normal to the tab causes the cover to release from the connector at the zone of weakness and the rotation of the cover causes release of the cover from the connector at the breakable point of attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Inventors: Charles Manni, Jean Pierre Augier
  • Patent number: 5829608
    Abstract: A seal for a lid or the like and a lid provided therewith are disclosed. Said seal (5) for a lid (2) such as a screw top for the open end (1) of a container (R) consists of a disk or ring loosely fitted in the bottom of the lid (2) and comprises one surface (7) having a ring-shaped lip (8) with a substantially tapered bearing surface (9) compressively engaging a corresponding bearing surface (13) on the open end (1) of the container (R), and a second surface (10) having a circular raised portion (11) with a flat bearing surface (12) slidably engaging the bottom (3) of the lid (2). Said seal may be used in caps on containers for cosmetics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Parfums Givenchy
    Inventor: Bernard Clerget
  • Patent number: 5826738
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a child-restraint combination of a container and a one-piece closure. The interior surface of the closure has one type-A lug, and a plurality of type-B lugs. The exterior surface of the container has one type-A groove, and a plurality of type-B grooves. If the user aligns the two side lines, one on the container and one on the closure, before lifting the closure away from the container, then the type-A lug is lifted into the type-A groove, and the closure can be removed very easily from the container. If the user lifts the closure without aligning the two side lines first, then the type-A lug is lifted into one of the type-B grooves, causing the container and the closure interlock, making it impossible to rotate or to lift the closure away from the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Inventor: Do Le Minh
  • Patent number: 5823373
    Abstract: A plastic cap is provided which is capable of assuring a high sealing property and is advantageous for protection of the environment because of being readily subjectable to disposal of waste or burning treatment after using a container. The plastic cap comprises a drum part covering a mouth part of the container and sealing material and a top plate positioned on a top wall of the drum part, in which the drum part has, on the inner wall thereof, a protrusion part or wedge-shaped part to be engaged with an annular protrusion on the outer periphery of the container mouth part. A window part opens at the center part of the top wall of the cap drum part, and the outer edge of the window part and the lower part of the top plate are connected through several bridged parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Daikyo Seiko, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morihiro Sudo, Hiroshi Togashi
  • Patent number: 5819973
    Abstract: A new beverage container lid having a lift tab for opening an aperture and vent hole for easily opening the container and providing an air vent which opens by a force applied to open the sealed opening. The inventive device includes a lid member having a severable sealed opening and a severable sealed vent hole disposed thereon, a lift tab pivotally mounted upon the lid member, the lift tab having a handle end and an abutment end for contacting and exerting a downward force upon the severable sealed opening to form an opening upon the exertion of an upward force upon the handle end, and a vent hole rivet hingedly attached to the lift tab and attached to the severable sealed vent hole to form a vent hole upon the exertion of the upward force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Inventors: John J. Traub, Sr., Michael Cziraky
  • Patent number: 5819964
    Abstract: A lyophilization closure assembly for a container or vial is disclosed. The lyophilization closure assembly is self-supporting with the container and may be employed with the container during a lyophilization process, eliminating the need for a separate crimping operation outside of the sterile environment in which lyophilization is conducted. The lyophilization closure assembly includes a body with a skirt disposed around the rim of the container. The skirt features one or more deflectable abutments and one or more deflectable latches positionable about the rim of the container, and defines one or more vapor passages. An elastomeric closure is retained within the body for sealing the open top of the medicament container. The elastomeric closure features a plug for sealing the open top of the container and a top surface facing away from the open top of the container. The body defines an opening over the elastomeric closure that delimits an access area on the top surface of the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Becton Dickinson and Company
    Inventor: Jean Pierre Grimard
  • Patent number: 5819965
    Abstract: A container closure assembly including a container neck having a first screw thread, a radially projecting bead located below the first screw thread, and one or more ratchet projections located below the radially projecting bead. The container closure further includes a closure having a skirt portion with a second screw thread complementary to the first screw thread for securing the closure on the container neck. A tamper evident ring is joined to the skirt portion by severable connections and includes a generally annular collar for the neck, an opening or recess formed in the collar, wherein a portion of an edge of the opening or recess is attached to a tab. The tab is inclined radially inwardly and obliquely relative to a central axis of the ring and flexes relative to the collar in a radially outward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Beeson and Sons Limited
    Inventors: Witney Milner King, Roger Milner King
  • Patent number: 5816427
    Abstract: An insect-proof and tamper-evident cover is disclosed for a disposable, one-time use beverage container. A lid, non-rotatably secured to the upper end of the beverage container, includes an initially sealed lid opening, an arcuate groove housing a projection used to break the sealed lid opening, and a plurality of bearing surfaces. A rotatable cover is secured to said lid in a fluid-tight arrangement. The cover includes a fluid opening having parallel bars there-across, a plurality of finger engaging members, and a tamper evident indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Inventor: Nicholas G. Beckertgis
  • Patent number: 5816438
    Abstract: A canister including an elongated hollow plastic body having a wall with inner and outer surfaces, an edge portion on the wall defining an open end, an end on the edge portion extending transversely to the inner and outer surfaces, a porous plastic member having an outer edge portion extending across the open end and fused to the end, an inner portion on the porous plastic member located radially inwardly of the outer edge portion and extending into the body and fused to the inner surface of the wall adjacent the end thereof, and a gas-treating material in the body. A method of fabricating the above canister including the steps of applying pressure and vibratory welding energy to the porous member to thereby cause the member which was originally planar in shape to have its outer edge compressed against the end of the body and fused thereto and the central portion inwardly of the outer edge forced into the body and its outer edge fused to the inner surface of the body adjacent the end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Multisorb Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Lora L. Berger
  • Patent number: 5813561
    Abstract: This invention comprises a sanitary beverage can lid wherein the center platform of the lid including the pull tab is raised from below the rim of the can as in conventional cans to a position close to or slightly above the rim of the can. The center platform diameter is reduced in diameter to provide additional space from the exterior of the can body to the edge of the platform. The pull tab is positioned in the middle of the center platform so that the end of the pull tab is at the edge of the center platform to facilitate opening of the can. The raised center platform and the lid design prevent an individual's lip from coming in contact with the groove along the edge of the lid where dirt may accumulate. Another feature is the provision of a raised rim on the platform with an interior drain-back slope so that any excess beverage flows back into the can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Inventors: Charles Chang, Lucy Chang
  • Patent number: 5813553
    Abstract: A threaded closure is provided with a snap-fit ring. A snap-fit tamper-evident band with three concentric portions is provided such that the first portion engages the closure's snap-fit ring and is removed from the rest of the band when the closure is rotated off of the container neck. A second portion includes tabs for engaging, e.g., an annular ring on a container neck. A third portion remains on the container neck when the first portion and the cap are rotated off. A number of frangible posts are also provided for connecting the first portion to the second and third portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Kerr Group, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Herr, Henry H. Nyman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5813559
    Abstract: A beverage can, provided with sanitary covering means for normally covering the lip portion of the rim nearest the opening cover of the can during storage, is disclosed. The sanitary covering means may be formed separately from the attached lever opener. In this case, the sanitary covering means is rotatably attached on the top of the can by the opener's rivet at a portion between the lever opener and the top of the can. Alternatively, the sanitary covering means may be cast with the lever opener as a single structure. In this case, the lever opener is rotatably rivetted on the top of the can and radially extends outward while being widened in order to form a sanitary cover part used as the sanitary covering means and passes over the rim in order to form a rim cover part covering a part of the rim. The rim cover part may be curved in order to movably surround a part of the rim's top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Inventor: Sung Ho Cho
  • Patent number: 5810188
    Abstract: A hinged closure has a ring member, a lid member, a first hinge which connects the ring and lid members, and a locking tab member, hinge and protrusion member assembly. The first hinge connects the lid and ring so that the lid reciprocates for closure and opening and upon closure, edges of a lid skirt and ring skirt mate. The lid has a wall surface which has a recess portion which extends from the lid skirt at a position which opposes the first hinge, and an indent is positioned in the recess portion. The locking tab member is hinged to the ring and extends from the ring and the protrusion member extends from the tab so that upon lid and ring closure, the tab extends to the lid recess and so that the protrusion removably connects to the indent portion to hold the lid and ring member together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Douglas Novakoski, Gerard Pre
  • Patent number: 5810185
    Abstract: Prior art bottle closures having a stationary closure member applicable to the top of a bottle and a closure member that is movable relative to the stationary closure member are improved by incorporation, between said closure members, of mutually cooperative, fluid sealing members extending transversely of the pouring axis of the bottle closures and separable therefrom for preventing escape of gaseous ingredients, such as carbonation, of drinkable liquids contained by bottles to which the bottle closures are applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Inventor: Robert Clay Groesbeck
  • Patent number: 5810189
    Abstract: A drinks can with a non-resealable ring pull seal includes an auxiliary sealing member supported inside the can by a leaf spring which urges it automatically to seal the opening formed on removal of the ring pull seal, the auxiliary member having an upstanding projection engageable by the user to depress the sealing member into the can for access to the contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Inventor: Anthony Leonard Baker
  • Patent number: 5806699
    Abstract: A venting closure for use with an associated container includes a closure cap having a circular top wall portion and a depending annular skirt portion. The closure is used with a pressurized container having a threaded neck portion defining a land surface at the top thereof. The closure includes a liner therein adjacent and in spaced relation to the top wall, which liner is positioned between the top wall portion and the land surface and defines a pressure release region with the top wall portion. The top wall portion includes an outwardly extending annular bead-like protecting element having a depending inner wall and a contiguous outer wall. The inner wall is oriented generally transverse to a top wall plane. A flexible portion having a piercing element extending inwardly therefrom toward the liner is positioned centrally of the annular protecting bead and is movable so that piercing element contacts and fractures the liner to release pressure from the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Inventors: Len Ekkert, Jeffrey Ullrich, David N. Moore
  • Patent number: 5806638
    Abstract: A base for mounting a luggage pull rod is composed of at least one guide hole for holding the luggage pull rod, a mounting hole for fastening the base with the luggage shell, and a fastening member for fastening the base with the luggage shell in conjunction with the mounting hole. The fastening member comprises a head and two parallel arms extending in the same direction from the head such that free ends of the two arms form together a hooked portion engageable with the retaining slot of the mounting hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Inventor: Chen Show Mao
  • Patent number: 5803282
    Abstract: A bottle includes a cap secured on top and having a pipe extended upward and communicating with the interior of the bottle. A pump device is disposed on the cap for vacuuming the bottle. A bellows member is engaged on the pipe and includes a lower end secured to the cap and an enclosed upper end. A cover is engaged on the cap and includes an aperture for allowing the enclosed upper end of the bellows member to move upward beyond the cover. The enclosed upper end of the bellows member may be moved downward for indicating a vacuum status of the bottle when the bottle is vacuumed by the pump device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Inventors: Pao Ting Chen, Hsin Yu Chen, Cai Lian Liu