Patents by Inventor Christopher J. Ludwig

Christopher J. Ludwig 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: 11434058
    Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet having two or more rows and multiple ranks of container apertures formed therein. The plurality of containers are each placed into a respective container receiving aperture and are thus unitized in a package. The flexible carrier further includes a plurality of handles corresponding with the multiple ranks, each handle formed at a periphery of the flexible sheet and a line of weakness formed between the transverse ranks. As a result of the described configuration, the flexible carrier is divisible into multiple sub-carriers, each unitizing a set of containers and each including a handle along a respective transverse edge of the resulting sub-carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Robert C. Olsen, Christopher J. Ludwig
  • Patent number: 10913560
    Abstract: A device for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers includes a base with a plurality of pockets and an indexing means and a carrier having a series of indexing features that correspond with the indexing means for placement of the carrier relative to the base, wherein a container may be inserted into one of the plurality of pockets of the base for desired alignment within the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Christopher J. Ludwig
  • Patent number: 10611539
    Abstract: A package of containers within an array of corresponding container receiving apertures wherein a handle slides between a static position at least partially between the containers and a lifting position at least partially above the containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Christopher J. Ludwig
  • Publication number: 20170158403
    Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet having two or more rows and multiple ranks of container apertures formed therein. The plurality of containers are each placed into a respective container receiving aperture and are thus unitized in a package. The flexible carrier further includes a plurality of handles corresponding with the multiple ranks, each handle formed at a periphery of the flexible sheet and a line of weakness formed between the transverse ranks. As a result of the described configuration, the flexible carrier is divisible into multiple sub-carriers, each unitizing a set of containers and each including a handle along a respective transverse edge of the resulting sub-carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Robert C. OLSEN, Christopher J. LUDWIG
  • Publication number: 20170113370
    Abstract: An applicating machine for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers provided from an infeed includes a jaw drum for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers provided and a cutoff device for cutting the carrier into a desired size. The cutoff device includes an adjustable beam positionable into multiple angular positions relative to a flow of the plurality of containers depending on the desired size of the multipack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Rachell SLOVIK, Christopher J. LUDWIG, Christopher J. SAMARAS, Jonathan GREGERSEN
  • Patent number: 9630729
    Abstract: A system for packaging containers within a flexible container carrier includes a generally continuous string of container carriers arranged with divisible weakened connections between adjacent individual container carriers that is fed through an applicating machine for applying the container carriers to individual containers. A cut-off device is arranged downstream of the applicating machine to selectively accelerate or decelerate the containers to separate the generally continuous string into individual container carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Samaras, Christopher J. Ludwig
  • Patent number: 9533782
    Abstract: An applicating machine for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers provided from an infeed includes a jaw drum for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers provided and a cutoff device for cutting the carrier into a desired size. The cutoff device includes an adjustable beam positionable into multiple angular positions relative to a flow of the plurality of containers depending on the desired size of the multipack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Rachell Slovik, Christopher J. Ludwig, Christopher J. Samaras, Jonathan Gregersen
  • Publication number: 20160257469
    Abstract: A package of containers within an array of corresponding container receiving apertures wherein a handle slides between a static position at least partially between the containers and a lifting position at least partially above the containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher J. Ludwig
  • Publication number: 20160016351
    Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers within a plurality of corresponding container receiving apertures is formed using a rotary die within a rotary die press resulting in carriers having complex configurations including close tolerance cuts and complex perforation patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Paul S. Siewert, Rachell L. SLOVIK, Christopher J. LUDWIG
  • Publication number: 20150197357
    Abstract: A device for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers includes a base with a plurality of pockets and an indexing means and a carrier having a series of indexing features that correspond with the indexing means for placement of the carrier relative to the base, wherein a container may be inserted into one of the plurality of pockets of the base for desired alignment within the carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventor: Christopher J. LUDWIG
  • Publication number: 20130292272
    Abstract: This invention relates to a package of a plurality of containers unitized with a flexible carrier. The carrier is constructed from a plastic planar sheet having a plurality of container receiving apertures and a panel or handle positioned with respect to the planar sheet. The panel or handle are die cut to form at least one of a product name, a product property, a promotional shape, a trademark, a tradename, alpha-numeric characters, symbols and a fanciful design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: George E. Waldo, II, Christopher J. Ludwig, Leslie S. Marco
  • Publication number: 20130186041
    Abstract: A system for packaging containers within a flexible container carrier includes a generally continuous string of container carriers arranged with divisible weakened connections between adjacent individual container carriers that is fed through an applicating machine for applying the container carriers to individual containers. A cut-off device is arranged downstream of the applicating machine to selectively accelerate or decelerate the containers to separate the generally continuous string into individual container carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventors: Christopher J. Samaras, Christopher J. Ludwig
  • Publication number: 20130036881
    Abstract: An applicating machine for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers provided from an infeed includes a jaw drum for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers provided and a cutoff device for cutting the carrier into a desired size. The cutoff device includes an adjustable beam positionable into multiple angular positions relative to a flow of the plurality of containers depending on the desired size of the multipack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Rachell SLOVIK, Christopher J. LUDWIG, Christopher J. SAMARAS, Jonathan GREGERSEN
  • Patent number: 7637077
    Abstract: An applicating machine for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers provided from an infeed includes a jaw drum moveable between an operating position and a storage position away from the operating position. In the operating position the jaw drum is positioned with respect to the infeed to accept the plurality of containers and apply the flexible carrier to the plurality of containers. A second jaw drum may be moveable into the operating position to enable packaging of containers having different dimensions and/or packages having different configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Rachell L. Slovik, Christopher J. Ludwig
  • Patent number: 7510075
    Abstract: A flexible carrier for carrying a plurality of containers includes a flexible sheet having a row of container receiving apertures formed therein. The flexible carrier further includes a handle integrated with respect to the flexible sheet and may further include a panel integrated with respect to at least one row of the container receiving apertures on an opposite side of the row of container receiving apertures from the handle. A package is formed by fanning out the two rows of container receiving apertures and inserting a plurality of containers, each within a respective container receiving aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Olsen, Christopher J. Ludwig
  • Publication number: 20070261373
    Abstract: An applicating machine for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers provided from an infeed includes a jaw drum moveable between an operating position and a storage position away from the operating position. In the operating position the jaw drum is positioned with respect to the infeed to accept the plurality of containers and apply the flexible carrier to the plurality of containers. A second jaw drum may be moveable into the operating position to enable packaging of containers having different dimensions and/or packages having different configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventors: Rachell L. Slovik, Christopher J. Ludwig
  • Patent number: 6622523
    Abstract: The present invention provides a two stage process of thermal separation of CFCs and HCFCs followed by vitrification of the waste into a commercially viable glass. In the first stage, the hydrogenated compounds are reacted at elevated temperature with water and a metal oxide such as calcium oxide to form a halide salt and carbon dioxide. In the second stage of the process, the brine slag is reacted at elevated temperature with the carbon dioxide from stage one and glass-forming raw materials such as silicon dioxide to produce a glass. The final glass product incorporates the halide into the glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Inventors: Christopher J. Ludwig, Frederic M. Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20010045106
    Abstract: The present invention provides a two stage process of thermal separation of CFCs and HCFCs followed by vitrification of the waste into a commercially viable glass. In the first stage, the hydrogenated compounds are reacted at elevated temperature with water and a metal oxide such as calcium oxide to form a halide salt and carbon dioxide. In the second stage of the process, the brine slag is reacted at elevated temperature with the carbon dioxide from stage one and glass-forming raw materials such as silicon dioxide to produce a glass. The final glass product incorporates the halide into the glass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventors: Christopher J. Ludwig, Frederic M. Schwartz