Patents by Inventor Albert D. John
Albert D. John 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).
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Patent number: 7048176Abstract: A deep dish disposable container is preferably prepared from a radially scored paperboard blank and has a substantially planar bottom portion, an upwardly projecting sidewall portion and an outwardly extending flange portion. The flange and sidewall are provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending densified regions formed from a plurality of paperboard layers reformed into substantially integrated fibrous structures generally inseparable into their constituent layers having a thickness generally equal to adjacent areas of the sidewall and flange portions to provide uniformity and strength. The deep dish container generally has a height to diameter ratio of from about 0.1 to about 0.16; whereas the radially scored paperboard blank has from about 50 to about 100 radial scores. The product is dimensioned and configured such that there is from about 0.015 to about 0.05 inches of excess paperboard per score about the flange portion in order to provide rigidity to the product.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2001Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Mark B. Littlejohn, Georganne Shirk, Albert D. John
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Patent number: 6932753Abstract: A pressing apparatus for producing a food service paperboard container from a paperboard blank so that the paperboard container possesses an overturned rim provided with folds includes a first die and a second die that are movable relative to one another. The first die includes a first base and a first platform that is movable with respect to the first base, with the first base having a curved surface for engaging the outer periphery of the paperboard blank. The second die is positioned in opposing relation to the first die and includes a second base and a second platform that is movable with respect to the second base. The second die is movable with respect to the first die and the second base has a curved surface for engaging the outer periphery of the paperboard blank so that the outer periphery of the paperboard blank is pressed between the curved surface of the first base and the curved surface of the second base.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 1999Date of Patent: August 23, 2005Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Bruce R. Smith, Albert D. Johns, Mircea Sofronie, Mark B. Littlejohn, Thomas W. Zelinski
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Patent number: 6908296Abstract: A tooling system in a press for forming a product from a blank of material disposed between a punch assembly and a die assembly and a method of using the same. The tooling system comprises a knockout and a bushing. The knockout further comprises a shaft having opposed ends, a plate fixed to one opposed end, and a tapered portion. The bushing is supported by one of the punch and die assemblies and defines a lumen configured to slidably receive the shaft for axial movement between an extended position and a retracted position. The lumen has a tapered receiving section at one end thereof configured to mate with the tapered portion of the knockout when the shaft is in the extended position.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2002Date of Patent: June 21, 2005Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Albert D. Johns, Mircea T. Sofronie
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Patent number: 6827890Abstract: In a temperature controlled segmented die for forming pressed containers such as plates, trays, bowls or the like including a die segment with a forming surface and an outer movable annular die member there is provided a side mounted temperature probe which extends laterally around the movable annular die member and toward the forming surface of the die segment. The apparatus is particularly useful for forming pressed paperboard containers such as paper plates.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2003Date of Patent: December 7, 2004Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Albert D. Johns, Mircea T. Sofronie, Mark B. Littlejohn
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Patent number: 6783720Abstract: In a pressware die set, a segmented punch for fabricating a pressed disposable food service article having a substantially planar bottom portion, a sidewall and a rim portion. In one embodiment, the punch is mounted to reciprocate cyclically between an open position and a forming position about an axis of reciprocation and includes outer punch surfaces for forming the sidewall and rim portions of the pressed disposable food service articles, as well as a substantially planar punch surface suitably mounted and dimensioned to engage the substantially planar bottom portion of the disposable food service article. The improved punch includes a knock-out stripper ring juxtaposed with the substantially planar punch surface, defining a knock-out surface and which is reciprocally mounted with respect to the central substantially planar punch surface such that the knock-out surface is contiguous with the substantially planar punch surface when the punch is in a forming position.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2003Date of Patent: August 31, 2004Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Albert D. Johns, Mark B. Littlejohn, Thomas W. Zelinski
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Publication number: 20040069788Abstract: Disposable containers include peripheral tabs which are useful for positioning and processing the containers and operate as separators. In a preferred embodiment, the tabs correspond to tabs on a paperboard blank where the tabs are useful for controlling the orientation of the blanks so that printed and shape features may be kept in registration during manufacturing of a disposable servingware container.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2003Publication date: April 15, 2004Inventors: Albert D. Johns, Mark B. Littlejohn, Jay S. Lester, Mircea Sofronie, Thomas W. Zelinski, William R. Pucci, Richard J. Rogers, Erik J. Sjogren
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Publication number: 20040046284Abstract: An improved pressware die set includes mechanical ejectors for removing formed product from the punch. A preferred embodiment includes rocker-style ejectors free from edges or other asperities which may tend to snag and mar the product during the production process. Most preferably, the outward surfaces of the rocker members extend beyond the perimeter of a paperboard blank positioned for forming so the paperboard blank does not encounter an obstruent outward edge during forming.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2002Publication date: March 11, 2004Inventors: Albert D. Johns, Mark B. Littlejohn, Thomas W. Zelinski
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Patent number: 6666673Abstract: In a temperature controlled segmented die for forming pressed containers such as plates, trays, bowls or the like including a die segment with a forming surface and an outer movable annular die member there is provided a side mounted temperature probe which extends laterally around the movable annular die member and toward the forming surface of the die segment. The apparatus is particularly useful for forming pressed paperboard containers such as paper plates.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2003Date of Patent: December 23, 2003Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Albert D. Johns, Mircea T. Sofronie, Mark B. Littlejohn
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Publication number: 20030214076Abstract: In an apparatus for manufacturing pressware containers from container blanks there is provided a plurality of inertial blank stop pins disposed so as to position a container blank prior to press forming. The stop pins are rotatable in order to absorb the kinetic energy of the container blanks as they are fed to the apparatus and eliminate blank bounce. In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming plates utilizing the improved apparatus including the inertial blank stop pins.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2003Publication date: November 20, 2003Inventors: Albert D. Johns, Mark B. Littlejohn, Mircea T. Sofronie
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Publication number: 20030205848Abstract: In a pressware die set, a segmented punch for fabricating a pressed disposable food service article having a substantially planar bottom portion, a sidewall and a rim portion. In one embodiment, the punch is mounted to reciprocate cyclically between an open position and a forming position about an axis of reciprocation and includes outer punch surfaces for forming the sidewall and rim portions of the pressed disposable food service articles, as well as a substantially planar punch surface suitably mounted and dimensioned to engage the substantially planar bottom portion of the disposable food service article. The improved punch includes a knock-out stripper ring juxtaposed with the substantially planar punch surface, defining a knock-out surface and which is reciprocally mounted with respect to the central substantially planar punch surface such that the knock-out surface is contiguous with the substantially planar punch surface when the punch is in a forming position.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2003Publication date: November 6, 2003Inventors: Albert D. Johns, Mark B. Littlejohn, Thomas W. Zelinski
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Publication number: 20030198703Abstract: In a temperature controlled segmented die for forming pressed containers such as plates, trays, bowls or the like including a die segment with a forming surface and an outer movable annular die member there is provided a side mounted temperature probe which extends laterally around the movable annular die member and toward the forming surface of the die segment. The apparatus is particularly useful for forming pressed paperboard containers such as paper plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2003Publication date: October 23, 2003Inventors: Albert D. Johns, Mircea T. Sofronie, Mark B. Littlejohn
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Publication number: 20030183968Abstract: In a temperature controlled segmented die for forming pressed containers such as plates, trays, bowls or the like including a die segment with a forming surface and an outer movable annular die member there is provided a side mounted temperature probe which extends laterally around the movable annular die member and toward the forming surface of the die segment. The apparatus is particularly useful for forming pressed paperboard containers such as paper plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2003Publication date: October 2, 2003Inventors: Albert D. Johns, Mircea T. Sofronie, Mark B. Littlejohn
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Publication number: 20030168780Abstract: A tooling system in a press for forming a product from a blank of material disposed between a punch assembly and a die assembly and a method of using the same. The tooling system comprises a knockout and a bushing. The knockout further comprises a shaft having opposed ends, a plate fixed to one opposed end, and a tapered portion. The bushing is supported by one of the punch and die assemblies and defines a lumen configured to slidably receive the shaft for axial movement between an extended position and a retracted position. The lumen has a tapered receiving section at one end thereof configured to mate with the tapered portion of the knockout when the shaft is in the extended position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2002Publication date: September 11, 2003Inventors: Albert D. Johns, Mircea T. Sofronie
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Patent number: 6592357Abstract: In an apparatus for manufacturing pressware containers from container blanks there is provided a plurality of inertial blank stop pins disposed so as to position a container blank prior to press forming. The stop pins are rotatable in order to absorb the kinetic energy of the container blanks as they are fed to the apparatus and eliminate blank bounce. In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming plates utilizing the improved apparatus including the inertial blank stop pins.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2000Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Albert D. Johns, Mark B. Littlejohn, Mircea T. Sofronie
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Patent number: 6589043Abstract: In a pressware die set, a segmented punch for fabricating a pressed disposable food service article having a substantially planar bottom portion, a sidewall and a rim portion. In one embodiment, the punch is mounted to reciprocate cyclically between an open position and a forming position about an axis of reciprocation and includes outer punch surfaces for forming the sidewall and rim portions of the pressed disposable food service articles, as well as a substantially planar punch surface suitably mounted and dimensioned to engage the substantially planar bottom portion of the disposable food service article. The improved punch includes a knock-out stripper ring juxtaposed with the substantially planar punch surface, defining a knock-out surface and which is reciprocally mounted with respect to the central substantially planar punch surface such that the knock-out surface is contiguous with the substantially planar punch surface when the punch is in a forming position.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2000Date of Patent: July 8, 2003Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Albert D. Johns, Mark B. Littlejohn, Thomas W. Zelinski
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Patent number: 6585506Abstract: In a temperature controlled segmented die for forming pressed containers such as plates, trays, bowls or the like including a die segment with a forming surface and an outer movable annular die member there is provided a side mounted temperature probe which extends laterally around the movable annular die member and toward the forming surface of the die segment. The apparatus is particularly useful for forming pressed paperboard containers such as paper plates.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2000Date of Patent: July 1, 2003Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Albert D. Johns, Mircea T. Sofronie, Mark B. Littlejohn
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Publication number: 20030061924Abstract: A cutting apparatus usable in conjunction with a thermoforming machine that produces a thermoformed plastic sheet is designed to cut the thermoformed plastic sheet to separate a portion of the plastic sheet from the remainder of the plastic sheet. The cutting apparatus includes a cutting mechanism that moves across the width of the sheet. The cutting mechanism is in the form of a cylinder actuated sheet cutting knife whose operation is controlled in conjunction with the operation of the thermoforming machine to effect cutting of the plastic sheet at desired intervals. The apparatus also includes a hold down mechanism that is operated in synchronism with the operation of the thermoforming machine and the cylinder actuated cutting knife. The hold down mechanism is designed to hold down the thermoformed plastic sheet to thereby facilitate the cutting of the plastic sheet.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2002Publication date: April 3, 2003Applicant: Fort James CorporationInventors: Mircea T. Sofronie, Albert D. Johns
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Publication number: 20020113118Abstract: A deep dish disposable container is preferably prepared from a radially scored paperboard blank and has a substantially planar bottom portion, an upwardly projecting sidewall portion and an outwardly extending flange portion. The flange and sidewall are provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending densified regions formed from a plurality of paperboard layers reformed into substantially integrated fibrous structures generally inseparable into their constituent layers having a thickness generally equal to adjacent areas of the sidewall and flange portions to provide uniformity and strength. The deep dish container generally has a height to diameter ratio of from about 0.1 to about 0.16; whereas the radially scored paperboard blank has from about 50 to about 100 radial scores. The product is dimensioned and configured such that there is from about 0.015 to about 0.05 inches of excess paperboard per score about the flange portion in order to provide rigidity to the product.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2001Publication date: August 22, 2002Inventors: Mark B. Littlejohn, Georganne Shirk, Albert D. Johns
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Patent number: 4832676Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a container from a sheet of blank material, whereby a segmented male die member first forms the bottom and then the sidewall and rim of the container prior to the formation of the lip portion of the container while the blank is being restrained in a radial direction by the engagement of the blank by two opposing draw pad members.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 1987Date of Patent: May 23, 1989Assignee: James River-Norwalk, Inc.Inventors: Albert D. Johns, Patrick H. Wnek, Ronald P. Marx
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Patent number: 4781566Abstract: A device for aligning an elliptical blank relative to a female die half comprising a drawpad having an elliptical opening supporting a blank in position on a female die half. Alignment pins are movable rearwardly of the minor diameter of the blank within slots formed in the drawpad for engaging the perimeter of the blank for rotating the blank to the aligned position, in preparation for press forming the blank into the desired shape.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 1987Date of Patent: November 1, 1988Assignee: James River CorporationInventors: Alfred F. Rossi, Albert D. Johns, Ronald P. Marx