Patents by Inventor Dale Miedema

Dale Miedema 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: 9624047
    Abstract: A container denester apparatus which overcomes, among other problems, the problems identified above. The denester apparatus positively controls the flanges of the container so as to individually denest a lowermost container from a stack of containers. The apparatus protects the container by spreading the force required to denest the container along much of the flange structure. In addition, the stack of containers above the lowermost container are retained, again along much of the flange structure of the immediately adjacent container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: A & B Packing Equipment, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Dale Miedema
  • Patent number: 9457968
    Abstract: A container denester apparatus for sequentially supplying nested containers, the apparatus comprising an indexer chassis, an indexing assembly and a rotating indexing arm. The rotating indexing arm is configured to extend into the clamshell cavity, which provides for the passage of clamshell containers therethrough. The indexing arm is rotationally coupled to at least one of the at least one rack gear, and has a lower cam profile and an upper cam profile, with the cam profiles extending into the clamshell cavity when properly rotated. In a starting position, a clamshell container is precluded from passage through the clamshell cavity, and, a portion of an underside surface rests upon the upper cam profile. Through rotation of the rotating indexing arm the lower cam profile forces the downward movement of the clamshell container while retaining the other clamshell containers nestedly coupled thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: A & B Packing Equipment, INC.
    Inventor: Andrew Dale Miedema
  • Patent number: 8714406
    Abstract: A container denester apparatus which overcomes, among other problems, the problems identified above. The denester apparatus positively controls the flanges of the container so as to individually denest a lowermost container from a stack of containers. The apparatus protects the container by spreading the force required to denest the container along much of the flange structure. In addition, the stack of containers above the lowermost container are retained, again along much of the flange structure of the immediately adjacent container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Lakewood Process Machinery
    Inventors: Dale Miedema, Randy Miedema
  • Publication number: 20130248546
    Abstract: A container denester apparatus which overcomes, among other problems, the problems identified above. The denester apparatus positively controls the flanges of the container so as to individually denest a lowermost container from a stack of containers. The apparatus protects the container by spreading the force required to denest the container along much of the flange structure. In addition, the stack of containers above the lowermost container are retained, again along much of the flange structure of the immediately adjacent container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Inventors: Dale Miedema, Randy Miedema
  • Publication number: 20130248548
    Abstract: A container denester apparatus which overcomes, among other problems, the problems identified above. The denester apparatus positively controls the flanges of the container so as to individually denest a lowermost container from a stack of containers. The apparatus protects the container by spreading the force required to denest the container along much of the flange structure. In addition, the stack of containers above the lowermost container are retained, again along much of the flange structure of the immediately adjacent container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: LAKEWOOD PROCESS MACHINERY
    Inventor: Andrew Dale Miedema
  • Patent number: 5203259
    Abstract: A fruit destemmer leaving an endless conveyor belt made up of a plurality of counter-rotating metal rollers rotatably supported at each end by endless chains. The fruit destemmer has an inclined bed with a driven shaft at each end. Each driven shaft has a wheel at one end and a sprocket at the other with the positioning of the wheel and sprocket being reversed on the other drive shaft. The continuous chains are driven by spaced sprockets mounted on a shaft positioned below the inclined bed. A rotatably mounted shaft, having a wheel mounted on each end, presses each continuous chain into close contact with the driving sprockets. Any foreign matter which enters between an endless chain and a sprocket causes the endless chain to slip on the associated wheel thereby maintaining chain alignment. The rollers used to form the endless fruit conveying belt are made of hard anodized aluminum which has a surface pattern to reduce fruit skinning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Lakewood Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: A. Dale Miedema