Patents by Inventor Aaron L. Bates

Aaron L. Bates has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8833601
    Abstract: A product dispensing system including a container having a plurality of walls that define an internal volume and an opening into the internal volume, wherein the container defines a first arrangement of perforations extending in a first row from the opening and a second arrangement of perforations extending in a second row from the opening, wherein the first perforations are staggered by a distance relative to the second perforations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew E. Zacherle, Caleb S. Loftin, Aaron L. Bates
  • Patent number: 8733623
    Abstract: A carton (12) includes a first wall (22) and a second wall (20). The first wall (22) includes a first edge (21) and a second edge (23) that are opposed to one another. The first wall (22) and the second wall (20) are adjoined along the first edge (21). The carton (12) includes a handle (30). The handle (30) includes a handle opening (80) that is elongated along a longitudinal axis that extends transversely to the first edge (21). The handle opening (80) is configured to be engaged no closer to the second edge (23) than to the first edge (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan T. Beales, Aaron L. Bates
  • Publication number: 20140102942
    Abstract: A product dispensing container including a plurality of walls that define an internal volume, at least one of the walls including an access door panel, a priming area and a severance line, and a plurality of products received in the internal volume, wherein the priming area is displaceable relative to the wall to form a free edge, and wherein the access door panel is at least partially defined by the free edge and the severance line when the priming area is displaced relative to the wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Laurel Thomas, Aaron L. Bates, John Gelardi
  • Publication number: 20140103056
    Abstract: A product dispensing container including a plurality of walls that define an internal volume, at least one of the walls including an access door panel, a priming area and a severance line, and a plurality of products received in the internal volume, wherein the priming area is displaceable relative to the wall to form a free edge, and wherein the access door panel is at least partially defined by the free edge and the severance line when the priming area is displaced relative to the wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Laurel Thomas, Aaron L. Bates, John Gelardi
  • Patent number: 8628003
    Abstract: A product dispensing container including a plurality of walls that define an internal volume, at least one of the walls including an access door panel, a priming area and a severance line, and a plurality of products received in the internal volume, wherein the priming area is displaceable relative to the wall to form a free edge, and wherein the access door panel is at least partially defined by the free edge and the severance line when the priming area is displaced relative to the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Laurel Thomas, Aaron L. Bates, John Gelardi
  • Publication number: 20130277321
    Abstract: A product dispensing system including a dispenser having a front end longitudinally opposed from a rear end, the dispenser including a first support deck extending at least partially between the front end and the rear end, a catch element connected proximate the first support deck, the catch element including a front edge, wherein the front edge is tapered to a forward-most end, and a second support deck positioned below the first support deck, the second support defining a product display area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Matthew E. Zacherle, Aaron L. Bates, Caleb S. Loftin
  • Publication number: 20130264351
    Abstract: A product dispensing system including a dispenser having a housing that defines an internal volume and a product display area, and a support deck received in the internal volume, the support deck including a front end and a rear end, wherein the front end extends toward the product display area, and wherein the rear end is elevated relative to the front end, a container received in the internal volume and supported on the support deck, the container defining an access opening, wherein the support deck directs the container toward the front end such that the access opening is aligned with the product display area, and a plurality of products initially housed in the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventors: William J. Bogdziewicz, III, Caleb S. Loftin, Aaron L. Bates, John Gelardi
  • Patent number: 8550261
    Abstract: A product dispensing system including a dispenser having an upper support deck that defines a deck opening and a lower support deck that defines a product display area, a container positioned on the upper support deck, the container including first and second walls that define an internal volume, wherein the first wall defines an opening having a longitudinal length that is aligned with the deck opening, and wherein the second wall includes a lower portion proximate the container opening, and a plurality of products initially housed in the internal volume, wherein the dispenser is spaced from the lower portion of the second wall such that the lower portion bows outward and increases the longitudinal length when a product engages the lower portion as it exits the container through the container opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Caleb S. Loftin, William J. Bogdziewicz, Aaron L. Bates, John Gelardi
  • Publication number: 20130221017
    Abstract: A product dispensing system including a container having a plurality of walls that define an internal volume and an opening into the internal volume, wherein the container defines a first arrangement of perforations extending in a first row from the opening and a second arrangement of perforations extending in a second row from the opening, wherein the first perforations are staggered by a distance relative to the second perforations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Matthew E. Zacherle, Caleb S. Loftin, Aaron L. Bates
  • Patent number: 8485423
    Abstract: A product container and dispenser including a housing having a plurality of walls that define an internal volume, a first wall of the housing defining an opening into the internal volume, and a partition structure positioned in the internal volume, the partition structure including a sealing wall aligned with the first wall and a partition wall connected to the sealing wall, wherein the opening is at least partially obstructed by the sealing wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Laurel Thomas, William Bogdziewicz, Aaron L. Bates
  • Patent number: 8448815
    Abstract: A product dispenser including a frame configured to support a plurality of products and flag element connected to the frame, the flag element being moveable relative to the frame from a first, un-deployed configuration when the flag element is engaged with at least one of the products, to a second, deployed configuration when the flag element is not engaged with the products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew B. Sholl, John Gelardi, Aaron L. Bates, Laurel Thomas, Caleb S. Loftin
  • Publication number: 20130105509
    Abstract: A system (100) for dispensing a plurality of products provided initially in a package (50) is disclosed that includes a dispensing device having laterally opposed side walls (18A, 18B), a lower deck (16) connecting the opposing side walls and including at least one guide surface, and an upper deck (14) upon which a package is placed. The products are dispensed from within the package onto the lower deck where the guide surface assists the products to roll linearly from a rear end to a front end of the dispensing device. The dispensing system may include an opening tool (40) associated with the dispensing device and arranged to open the package when the package is moved longitudinally on the upper deck. The dispensing system may include a restocking indicator (290). The dispensing device may further include a structure on its rear end section to facilitate the dispensing of products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: MEADWESTVACO CORPORATION
    Inventors: John A. Gelardi, Aaron L. Bates, Laurel Thomas
  • Patent number: 8397979
    Abstract: A carton has a wall including overlapping portions of an outside panel and an inside panel. The outside panel includes an outside handle flap defined by an outside severance line while the inside panel includes an inside handle flap defined by an inside severance line. At least a portion of the outside severance line is in substantial registry with at least a portion of the inside severance line where the outside panel overlaps the inside panel. The inside handle flap includes a relief severance line extending from the inside severance line such that the relief severance line divides the inside handle flap into a delamination section and the other section. The relief severance line is configured to initiate delamination of at least the delamination section of the inside handle flap. The structure is at least partially detachable from the carton along the outside and inside severance lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Aaron L. Bates
  • Publication number: 20130062361
    Abstract: A product dispensing system including a dispenser having an upper support deck that defines a deck opening and a lower support deck that defines a product display area, a container positioned on the upper support deck, the container including first and second walls that define an internal volume, wherein the first wall defines an opening having a longitudinal length that is aligned with the deck opening, and wherein the second wall includes a lower portion proximate the container opening, and a plurality of products initially housed in the internal volume, wherein the dispenser is spaced from the lower portion of the second wall such that the lower portion bows outward and increases the longitudinal length when a product engages the lower portion as it exits the container through the container opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Caleb S. Loftin, William J. Bogdziewicz, III, Aaron L. Bates, John Gelardi
  • Publication number: 20130062360
    Abstract: A product dispensing system including a frame structure having a front end and a rear end, the frame structure including an upper support deck extending between the front and rear ends, a lower support deck positioned below the upper support deck, the lower support deck extending between the front and rear ends and defining a first product display area, and an intermediate support deck positioned between the upper support deck and the lower support deck, the intermediate support deck extending between the front and rear ends and defining a second product display area, wherein the upper support deck and the intermediate support deck define a vertical drop zone proximate the rear end, the vertical drop zone extending from the upper support deck to the lower support deck, and a guide positioned between the upper support deck and the intermediate support deck, the guide extending into the vertical drop zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: William J. Bogdziewicz, III, Caleb S. Loftin, Aaron L. Bates, Steven Burton
  • Publication number: 20130020341
    Abstract: A product dispensing frame having a front end and a rear end, and including an upper support deck extending between the front end and the rear end, a lower support deck positioned below the upper support deck, the lower support deck extending between the front end and the rear end and defining a first product display area, and an intermediate support deck positioned between the upper support deck and the lower support deck, the intermediate support deck extending between the front end and the rear end and defining a second product display area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: William J. Bogdziewicz, III, Caleb S. Loftin, Aaron L. Bates, Steven Burton
  • Publication number: 20130015090
    Abstract: Each of the first and second side panels of a tubular carton includes a notional longitudinal line disposed at an elevation above the bottom panel that is below the elevation of the shoulders of the bottles. At least one of the opposed ends of the tubular carton is closed by a composite end wall. The composite end wall includes pair of first and second side end closure flaps hingedly connected to the side panels of the carton along first fold lines respectively. Each of the first fold lines is interrupted by a pair of at least substantially triangular panels, each of the pairs of at least substantially triangular panels is formed such that a lowermost triangular panel of the pair is disposed below the respective notional longitudinal line and such that an uppermost triangular panel of the pair is disposed above the respective notional longitudinal line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: MEADWESTVACO PACKAGING SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron L. Bates, Bradford J. Walling, Kyle Schumaker
  • Publication number: 20120325839
    Abstract: A device for dispensing and displaying products is disclosed. The device comprises: a package assembly having an outer sleeve with at least one aperture formed therein and a product retaining insert slidably engaged within the outer sleeve; a frame having an upper support deck and a product display area; and an engagement feature extending from the frame. When the package assembly is slid longitudinally onto the upper support deck of the frame, the engagement feature extends through the aperture formed in the outer sleeve and engages with the product retaining insert such that the products inside the package assembly are at least partially dispensed from the package into the product display area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: MEADWESTVACO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aaron L. Bates, Caleb S. Loftin, Ryan A. Bailey, Laurel Thomas
  • Publication number: 20120318817
    Abstract: A product dispensing system including a dispenser having a front end longitudinally opposed from a rear end, the dispenser including a first support deck extending at least partially between the front end and the rear end, an opening tool connected proximate the first support deck, the opening tool including a front edge, wherein the front edge is tapered to a forward-most end, and a second support deck positioned below the first support deck, the second support defining a product display area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Matthew E. Zacherle, Aaron L. Bates, Caleb S. Loftin
  • Publication number: 20120312866
    Abstract: A carton includes a handle (160) for carrying the carton. The handle includes a handle flap (162a) with a main portion (174a), first (178a) and second (180a) gussets, and an end portion (176a). The main portion is hingedly connected to the first gusset along a first fold line (182a), the first gusset is hingedly connected to the second gusset along a second fold line (184a), and the second gusset is hingedly connected to the first end portion along a third fold line (120).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: MEADWESTVACO PACKAGING SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Bradford J. Walling, Aaron L. Bates