Patents by Inventor David E. Babcock

David E. Babcock 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).

  • Publication number: 20030230546
    Abstract: A container closure is disclosed which includes a shell attachable to a container around a container opening thereof. The shell has a shell opening in fluid communication with the container opening when the shell is attached to the container. A tip is received on the shell movable between a closed position sealing the shell opening and an open position. A cover is releasably attached to the shell in a manner indicative of the tip being positioned in the closed position when the cover is attached to the shell. Both the shell and the cover may be provided with tamper-evident bands. The present invention is particularly well adapted to be formed as a push-pull container closure for sports bottles and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Inventors: Michael A. Yurkewicz, Robert J. Smith, Gregg S. Montgomery, Stephen Getsy, David E. Babcock, Mike G. Palma, Lee Albrecht, Paul W. Robbins
  • Publication number: 20030127421
    Abstract: A venting plastic closure for use with an associated container includes an outer plastic cap having a top wall portion and an annular depending skirt including an internal thread formation. A disc-shaped sealing liner is positioned on the inside surface of the top wall portion for creating a top/inside seal with the associated container. In order to facilitate venting of gas pressure from within the container, and to facilitate removal of the closure from the container by consumers, the closure includes one or more positive stop elements which engage the container after the sealing liner of the closure has been sealingly engaged therewith. The stop elements act to limit the degree of sealing engagement between the sealing lines of the closure and the finish of the closure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Inventors: John D. Ziegler, David E. Babcock, Coy Herald
  • Patent number: 6557714
    Abstract: A tamper-evident package includes a plastic closure having a top wall portion, a depending annular skirt portion, and a tamper band at least partially detachably connected to the skirt portion. The package further includes a container having a neck portion configured for tamper-indicating cooperation with the projections on the tamper band. The container includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced ratchet-like locking teeth, each of which presents a locking surface for interfering engagement with a respective one of the projections of the closure tamper band. The arrangement is particularly configured to promote rapid tamper-indication attendant to relatively little rotation of the closure relative to the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignees: Alcoa Closure Systems International, Inc., Graham Packaging Company
    Inventors: David E. Babcock, Lawrence Smeyak, Coy Hearld
  • Publication number: 20020134747
    Abstract: A tamper-evident package includes a plastic closure having a top wall portion, a depending annular skirt portion, and a tamper band at least partially detachably connected to the skirt portion. The package further includes a container having a neck portion configured for tamper-indicating cooperation with the projections on the tamper band. The container includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced ratchet-like locking teeth, each of which presents a locking surface for interfering engagement with a respective one of the projections of the closure tamper band. The arrangement is particularly configured to promote rapid tamper-indication attendant to relatively little rotation of the closure relative to the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: David E. Babcock, Lawrence Smeyak, Coy Hearld
  • Patent number: 6341721
    Abstract: A self-sealing, dispensing closure comprises a shell, a cover moveable axially toward and away from the shell, and a valve connected to the cover via a stem, and adapted to close the outlet when the cover is moved away from the shell and to open the outlet when the cover is moved toward the shell. The shell has a generally conical surface. The cover has a resilient skirt, which is discontinuous. The skirt engages the surface to bias the cover away from the shell and to bias the valve toward the closing position but to permit the cover to move toward the shell and to permit the valve to move away from the closing position. The shell and the cover have formations coactive to prevent the cover from being moved toward the shell and the valve from being moved away from the closing position at certain but not all positions of relative rotation of the shell and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International Inc.
    Inventors: Coy M. Herald, David E. Babcock
  • Patent number: 6321924
    Abstract: A container closure is disclosed which includes a shell attachable to a container around a container opening thereof. The shell has a shell opening in fluid communication with the container opening when the shell is attached to the container. A tip is received on the shell movable between a closed position sealing the shell opening and an open position. A cover is releasably attached to the shell in a manner indicative of the tip being positioned in the closed position when the cover is attached to the shell. Both the shell and the cover may be provided with tamper-evident bands. The present invention is particularly well adapted to be formed as a push-pull container closure for sports bottles and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignees: Erie County Plastics Corporation, Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA)
    Inventors: Michael A. Yurkewicz, Robert J. Smith, Gregg S. Montgomery, Stephen Getsy, David E. Babcock, Mike G. Palma, Lee Albrecht, Paul W. Robbins
  • Patent number: 5975369
    Abstract: A container closure includes a shell attachable to a container around a container opening thereof. The shell has a shell opening in fluid communication with the container opening when the shell is attached to the container. A tip is received on the shell movable between a closed position sealing the shell opening and an open position. A cover is releasably attached to the shell in a manner indicative of the tip being positioned in the closed position when the cover is attached to the shell. Both the shell and the cover may be provided with tamper-evident bands. The present invention is particularly well adapted to be formed as a push-pull container closure for sports bottles and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignees: Erie County Plastics Corporation, Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA)
    Inventors: Michael A. Yurkewicz, Robert J. Smith, Gregg S. Montgomery, Stephen Getsy, David E. Babcock, Mike G. Palma, Lee Albrecht, Paul W. Robbins
  • Patent number: 5819976
    Abstract: A promotional closure includes a sealed promotion-receiving member in the form of a compartment positioned generally within an outer closure cap, for disposition within an associated container. The sealed configuration of the promotion compartment desirably acts to isolate the promotional element therein from the contents of the container. Use on a container having carbonated contents is particularly facilitated by an arrangement by which a plastic film cover member which seals the compartment is sealed to an annular flange of the compartment to permit predetermined delamination and release of gas pressure from within the interior of the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International
    Inventors: Ted W. Boehm, David L. Cerny, Wendell D. Willingham, Daniel J. Denman, Sheldon L. Wilde, Stephen W. McBride, Hugh C. Urmston, Ralph H. Whitney, David E. Babcock, Joseph M. Ladina
  • Patent number: 5813563
    Abstract: A promotional closure includes an outer closure cap, and a removable inner promotion compartment for receiving an associated promotional element such as a coupon, game piece, currency, or the like. The promotion compartment has a generally cup-shaped configuration, including a circular bottom wall, and an upstanding generally cylindrical side wall. An annular flange extends generally outwardly from the side wall, and includes a detachable portion whereby the annular flange can act as a pull-ring or finger grip to facilitate opening or splitting of the side wall of the compartment. The annular flange is preferably connected to a hingedly detachable section of the side wall which can be pulled open by manipulation of the flange to facilitate access to the contents of the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ted W. Boehm, David E. Babcock, Hugh C. Urmston, Daniel J. Denman, Joseph M. Ladina
  • Patent number: 5735426
    Abstract: A fitment and closure assembly useful with a gable-topped carton having a gable-forming panel with a pouring hole, through which contents are pourable from the carton, is molded from low density polyethylene. A fitment having a tubular spout formed with an external thread and an annular flange extending outwardly from the tubular spout, below the external thread, is attachable to the gable-forming panel so that the annular flange is attached to the gable-forming panel, around the pouring hole, and so that the tubular spout extends upwardly from the pouring hole. A closure having an upper wall, a tubular skirt with an internal thread and an upper shoulder, and a plug seal forming an annular recess between the plug seal and the upper shoulder is threadable onto the fitment so that the external and internal threads are interengaged and so that the upper end of the tubular spout enters the annular recess with an interference fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Babcock, Hugh C. Urmston
  • Patent number: 4904435
    Abstract: A method of making a tamper-evident closure cap including the steps of forming a one piece closure cap from a plastic material having a top, a skirt depending from the top and a tamper-evident band depending from the skirt. The band has a radially inward directed rib and an annular portion between the skirt and the tamper-evident band. The annular portion is engaged with a cutting blade which has a cutting edge and series of spaced notches. The blade and the cap are rotated to form a plurality of circumferentially spaced bridges with a series of angularly inwardly disposed tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: The West Company
    Inventors: David E. Babcock, Daniel Luch
  • Patent number: 4744480
    Abstract: A container and tamper evident closure. The container has a threaded neck, first and second beads spaced below the threads and a groove between the beads. A threaded closure has a tamper-evident band connected to the lower terminal edge of the closure by a series of spaced, facturable bridges and retaining means cooperating with one bead to fracture the bridges when the closure is unscrewed. The band has a series of angularly disposed tabs which cooperate with the lower edge of the closure to limit lateral displacement and telescoping of the band when initially applied to the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1988
    Assignee: The West Company
    Inventors: Daniel Luch, David E. Babcock