Patents by Inventor Darren Nickerson

Darren Nickerson 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: 10494164
    Abstract: A dispensing system provides for the delivery of a contained substance sealed in a Dispensable Containment Vessel (DCV) into a target container, which can contain another substance. The dispensing system includes a dispensing adaptor (Dispensing System) that couples the DCV to the target container so substances can be transferred between the containers without escaping or contacting the user. When the DCV is activated from a secure conformation into a dispensing conformation, the dispensing adaptor sealably engages the target container and portions of the dispensing adaptor place stress on a barrier, which frangibly tears along defined tearing paths to form vents or flaps that are forced apart against the dispensing adaptor, allowing the contents of the DCV to enter the target container. The dispensing conformation also facilitates the efficient mixture of substances and allows them to travel between the containers to flush residual DCV contents into the target container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Fifth Third Bank, an Ohio Banking
    Inventors: Darren Nickerson, Thomas Stoneberg, Len Ekkert
  • Patent number: 10457475
    Abstract: The invention provides an assembly for dispensing portioned amounts of materials from a container, while keeping the undispensed portions stored within the container, and displaying the dispensed portions for consumption. The cap assembly includes a body member which can reversibly engage the container, and a cap member that transfers predetermined volumes of articles from the interior of a container to a serving vessel that is accessible by an individual consumer, while leaving the remainder of the articles within the container and unavailable to a consumer. The relative position of the body and cap members block or unblock a passageway for dispensing articles through a mouth of the container. The cap member can be used multiple times to dispense additional volumes of articles from the container as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Phoenix Closures, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren Nickerson, Thomas Stoneberg
  • Publication number: 20190031424
    Abstract: The invention provides an assembly for dispensing portioned amounts of materials from a container, while keeping the undispensed portions stored within the container, and displaying the dispensed portions for consumption. The cap assembly includes a body member which can reversibly engage the container, and a cap member that transfers predetermined volumes of articles from the interior of a container to a serving vessel that is accessible by an individual consumer, while leaving the remainder of the articles within the container and unavailable to a consumer. The relative position of the body and cap members block or unblock a passageway for dispensing articles through a mouth of the container. The cap member can be used multiple times to dispense additional volumes of articles from the container as desired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Darren Nickerson, Thomas Stoneberg
  • Publication number: 20170259982
    Abstract: A dispensing system provides for the delivery of a contained substance sealed in a Dispensable Containment Vessel (DCV) into a target container, which can contain another substance. The dispensing system includes a dispensing adaptor (Dispensing System) that couples the DCV to the target container so substances can be transferred between the containers without escaping or contacting the user. When the DCV is activated from a secure conformation into a dispensing conformation, the dispensing adaptor sealably engages the target container and portions of the dispensing adaptor place stress on a barrier, which frangibly tears along defined tearing paths to form vents or flaps that are forced apart against the dispensing adaptor, allowing the contents of the DCV to enter the target container. The dispensing conformation also facilitates the efficient mixture of substances and allows them to travel between the containers to flush residual DCV contents into the target container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Darren Nickerson, Thomas Stoneberg, Len Ekkert