Patents by Inventor Christopher B. Clodfelter

Christopher B. Clodfelter 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: 8584875
    Abstract: A closure includes a body adapted to mount on a container having a discharge outlet and a cap configured to move relative to the body from a closed position covering the discharge outlet to an opened position uncovering the discharge outlet. The closure also includes frangible links coupled to the body and cap that break in response to first-time movement of the cap from the closed position to the opened position to alert an observer that the cap has been opened once before.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Berry Plastics Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher B. Clodfelter, Carl Clement
  • Patent number: 7988003
    Abstract: A child resistant closure having a ratchet push and turn mechanism. The ratchet push and turn mechanism includes an over cap disposed over an under cap, each with ratchet teeth in operable engagement. The ratchet teeth of the closure may have a groove. Another groove may extend between adjacent ratchet teeth allowing air to escape from between the under cap and the over cap during the assembly process of the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Rexam Healthcare Packaging Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher B. Clodfelter
  • Patent number: 7648051
    Abstract: The dispensing closure is provided having a stopping mechanism that limits the rotation of the closure and generally prevents removal of the closure from the container. The dispensing closure includes a cap body, fitment, and container finish. The cap body has a double shell design, which includes at least one drop lug reverse tapered from the inner shell. When the cap body is rotated about the container finish, the reverse tapered drop lug engages at least one lug stop located on the container finish so as to limit the rotation, thereby preventing removal of the cap body from the container finish. The reverse taper of the drop lug maximizes the abutment surface and stability of the drop lug when engaging the corresponding lug stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Rexam Closures and Containers Inc.
    Inventors: Gary V. Montgomery, Christopher B. Clodfelter, William D. Sprick
  • Patent number: 7635071
    Abstract: The dispensing closure is provided having a stopping mechanism that limits the rotation of the closure and generally prevents removal of the closure from the container. The dispensing closure includes a cap body, fitment, and container finish. The cap body has a double shell design, which includes at least one drop lug reverse tapered from the inner shell. When the cap body is rotated about the container finish, the reverse tapered drop lug engages at least one lug stop located on the container finish so as to limit the rotation, thereby preventing removal of the cap body from the container finish. The reverse taper of the drop lug maximizes the abutment surface and stability of the drop lug when engaging the corresponding lug stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Rexam Closures and Containers Inc.
    Inventors: Gary V. Montgomery, Christopher B. Clodfelter, William D. Sprick
  • Patent number: 7410071
    Abstract: A closure having a top wall and a skirt depending from a peripheral edge of said top wall. The closure includes an inner skirt depending from the top wall having at least one thread for helically attaching to a container neck. A deflection wall extends from the top wall having an inner diameter greater than a container neck. Extending from the top wall is a cutting device, defined by an axial cutter and a radial cutter for piercing a liner and cutting the liner about a circumference less than 360 degrees such that the liner is partially attached when the cutting process is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Rexam Closures and Containers, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Seib, Christopher B. Clodfelter
  • Patent number: 6758376
    Abstract: A twist open/twist close edge seal closure is described wherein the closure has a sealing disc supported on the interior portion thereof which vertically rises and lowers depending on the rotation of the closure. The sealing disc has a folding finger which compresses against the sealing rib of the container to provide an adequate seal thereof and allows dispensing of the container contents around the exterior portion of the sealing disc upward through a dispensing channel and through the dispensing spout of the edge seal closure. The closure further comprises an anti-crush rib for seating on a container top wall and preventing crushing of the container neck. The container neck preferably includes a quad-lead thread having a pitch wherein a quarter rotation of the closure will open the container and allowing dispensing of the contents therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Rexam Medical Packaging Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher B. Clodfelter, Todd E. Mathes
  • Patent number: 6698605
    Abstract: A bottle having a modified neck and intended for use with a child-resistant closure which allows the user to open the bottle without removing the closure completely from the bottle is described. The neck includes at least one locking lug and at least one anti-removal ring. The anti-removal ring is positioned between the lug and the open end of the neck. The neck may further include at least one deformation recess, with the deformation recess being adjacent to and radially offset from the locking lug. The ring and recess are intended to deter the user from bypassing the child-resistant safety features of the bottle and removing the closure completely from the bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Rexam Medical Packaging Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher B. Clodfelter, Todd E. Mathes, William Douglas Sprick
  • Patent number: 6543650
    Abstract: A dispenser closure is provided having a stopping mechanism that limits the rotation of the closure and generally prevents removal of the closure cap from the container. The dispenser closure includes a cap body, fitment and container finish. The cap body has a double shell design, which includes at least one drop lug projecting from the inner shell. When the cap body is rotated about the container finish, the drop lug engages at least one lug stop located on the container finish so as to limit the rotation, thereby preventing removal of the cap body from the container finish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Rexam Medical Packaging Inc.
    Inventors: William D. Sprick, Christopher B. Clodfelter
  • Publication number: 20020170873
    Abstract: A bottle having a modified neck and intended for use with a child-resistant closure which allows the user to open the bottle without removing the closure completely from the bottle is described. The neck includes at least one locking lug and at least one anti-removal ring. The anti-removal ring is positioned between the lug and the open end of the neck. The neck may further include at least one deformation recess, with the deformation recess being adjacent to and radially offset from the locking lug. The ring and recess are intended to deter the user from bypassing the child-resistant safety features of the bottle and removing the closure completely from the bottle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventors: Christopher B. Clodfelter, Todd E. Mathes, William Douglas Sprick
  • Patent number: 6427881
    Abstract: A twist open/twist close edge seal closure is described wherein the closure has a sealing disc supported on the interior portion thereof which vertically rises and lowers depending on the rotation of the closure. The sealing disc compresses against the top wall of the container to provide an adequate seal thereof and allows dispensing of the container contents around the exterior portion of the sealing disc upward through a dispensing channel and through the dispensing spout of the edge seal closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Rexam Medical Packaging Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher B. Clodfelter, Gary V. Montgomery
  • Patent number: 5950851
    Abstract: A safety closure including a top wall having a first diameter, an outer cylindrical shell depending downwardly from the top wall first diameter, an inner cylindrical shell depending downwardly from a second diameter of the top wall, and a retaining flange projecting inwardly and downwardly from a lower edge of said inner shell opposite said top wall. The inner shell second diameter is less than the top wall outer diameter, and the inner shell is coaxial with the outer shell. The retaining flange is engageable with an underside surface of a locking bead provided on an external surface of the container neck, thereby maintaining a constant downwardly-directed axial force being imposed on the safety closure, which results in a constant upwardly-directed radial force being imposed on the sealing gasket by an upper terminal lip of the container neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Rexam Plastics Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher B. Clodfelter, William D. Sprick
  • Patent number: 5836466
    Abstract: A safety closure and container assembly provided with a safety closure having a top wall and a downwardly-depending annular skirt. A pair of opposed, inwardly-projecting locking lugs are disposed on an inner surface of the annular skirt towards the lower end thereof. The locking lugs are radially offset from the squeeze pads by about 90.degree. and are furthermore sized to engage a pair of cooperating locking tabs provided on the container neck. The locking lugs are back-angled and form an interior angle of at least 30.degree. with an imaginary line extending inwardly and normally from the inner surface of the annular skirt at respective base ends of the locking lugs. The safety closure further includes annular slots disposed at an approximate axial midpoint of the annular skirt. The annular slots are located unsymmetrically between the locking lugs and the squeeze pads and are disposed through an arcuate distance of about 75.degree. beginning about 13.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Rexam Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc A. Briere, Christopher B. Clodfelter, William D. Sprick
  • Patent number: RE39727
    Abstract: A dispenser closure is provided having a stopping mechanism that limits the rotation of the closure and generally prevents removal of the closure cap from the container. The dispenser closure includes a cap body, fitment and container finish. The cap body has a double shell design, which includes at least one drop lug projecting from the inner shell. When the cap body is rotated about the container finish, the drop lug engages at least one lug stop located on the container finish so as to limit the rotation, thereby preventing removal of the cap body from the container finish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Rexam Medical Packaging Inc.
    Inventors: William D. Sprick, Christopher B. Clodfelter
  • Patent number: D418419
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Rexam Plastics Inc.
    Inventors: Marc A. Briere, Christopher B. Clodfelter, William D. Sprick
  • Patent number: D419451
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Rexam Plastics Inc.
    Inventors: Marc A. Briere, Christopher B. Clodfelter, William D. Sprick
  • Patent number: D421223
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Rexam Plastics Inc.
    Inventors: Marc A. Briere, Christopher B. Clodfelter, William D. Sprick
  • Patent number: D421389
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Rexam Plastics Inc.
    Inventors: Marc A. Briere, Christopher B. Clodfelter, William D. Sprick
  • Patent number: D426159
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Rexam Plastics Inc.
    Inventors: Marc A. Briere, Christopher B. Clodfelter, William D. Sprick