Patents by Inventor David E. Stier

David E. Stier 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: 7293695
    Abstract: An interactive food serving package (10) formed from a blank (B) of paperboard has a tray (11) with openings (19) for receiving items, and a combined lid and game piece (12) detachably connected to the tray. The tray has front and back walls (13, 14), opposite end walls (16, 17), a bottom wall (15) and a top wall (18). The front and back walls are pivotally connected to the top and bottom walls, and the end walls comprise releasably interlocking end closure flaps (24, 25 and 46, 47), whereby the tray may be moved between a flattened condition with the top and bottom walls lying flat against one another, and an open expanded condition with the top and bottom walls in spaced parallel relationship. Cuts made in the top wall define a plurality of partition panels (29, 30 and 36, 37) extending perpendicularly between the top and bottom walls in the expanded condition, and including at least one transverse partition panel (36, 37) holding the tray in the expanded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: KFC Corporation
    Inventor: David E. Stier
  • Publication number: 20040178253
    Abstract: An interactive food serving package (10) formed from a single unitary blank (B) of paperboard has a compartmented tray portion (11) with a plurality of openings (19) for receiving and holding items, and a combined lid and game piece (12) detachably connected to the tray portion. The tray portion has front and back walls (13, 14), opposite end walls (16, 17), a bottom wall (15) and a top wall (18). The front and back walls are pivotably connected at their top and bottom edges to the top and bottom walls, and the end walls comprise releasably interlocking end closure flaps (24, 25 and 46, 47), whereby the tray portion,may be moved between a flattened condition with the top and bottom walls lying flat against one another, and an open expanded condition with the top and bottom walls in spaced parallel relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventor: David E. Stier
  • Patent number: 6286754
    Abstract: A paperboard cup holder for use with a hot coffee cup, the cup being tapered as in the form of a cross section of a right circular cone of relatively small taper angle. Such cups are generally of paperboard or plastic and are often used in vending machines and fast food retail outlets for serving hot coffee. The holder is formed from a flat, generally arcuate unitary paperboard blank having a convex outer edge and a concave inner edge. The arcuate length of the blank is substantially the same as the mid circumference of the cup, and the ends of the blank are glued together to form an annular holder. The upper edge of the blank integrally carries a plurality of apertured flaps which bend 180 degrees to as to lie parallel with the main portion of the blank. When the holder is slid onto a cup, the apertured flaps are sandwiched between the outer (hot) surface of the cup and the main portion of the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventors: David E. Stier, Kurt D. Jensen, Stephen M. Blackman
  • Patent number: 6056144
    Abstract: A beverage container lid is disclosed and taught whereby the brim of the lid is provided a multiplicity of small inwardly directed, radial protuberances projecting inward from the lid's outer peripheral brim which snap-in place under the cup's beaded rim thereby securing the lid to the cup's rim. In addition the circumferential array of small protuberances is interrupted by one or more, preferably three, inwardly projecting, circumferentially elongated oblong protuberances which engage the under surface of the cup's circumferential beaded rim. A second embodiment the beaded rim of the beverage cup is also taught wherein circumferentially spaced depressions, or recesses, corresponding to the oblong protuberances of the lid are provided. When the lid is applied to the cup, the oblong protuberances are indexed so as to pass over the rim depressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: International Paper Co.
    Inventors: Randall H. Strange, David E. Stier, Ernest Lindlar
  • Patent number: 5716473
    Abstract: A paperboard container of generally semi-rigid construction and formed from a unitary blank of paperboard folded in the general shape of a U. The interior surface of the container is coated with a thermoplastic polymer barrier layer, the container having a manually openable, normally closed pour spout at one upper edge portion, and also having a recessed or raised bottom. The container is particularly adapted for packaging granular, dry material such as corn flakes, pretzels, and the like. Due to its construction and the thermoplastic barrier layer, the usual inner pouch which contains dry cereal is omitted, thereby effecting savings in both material and in assembly of the final package. In one embodiment, an opening is provided for carrying the package, the opening located at the top of the container. In another embodiment one side wall of the panel is provided with an extension to serve as a reclosure flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: International Paper
    Inventors: Robert L. Gordon, Katherine A. Swenson, David E. Stier, Theresa A. Bronk
  • Patent number: 5588587
    Abstract: A package for either conventional oven or microwave heating of refrigerated or frozen foodstuffs includes an outer paperboard container and an inner food carrying tray or dish. The bottom of the plastic tray rests on the container bottom. The dish is flanged, the flange provided with one or more ears extending downwardly and sandwiched between container side walls. The dish flange is polygonal, having one or more edges abutting respective one or more interior walls of the container. A portion of the top cover of the container is removed by ripping along tear lines. The tear or ripping lines yield four triangular corner sections on the remaining, unripped container top cover, these sections overlying portions of the tray flange. This arrangement prevents the tray from being removed from the container through the top cover access opening defined upon ripping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: International Paper
    Inventors: David E. Stier, Katherine S. Liquori
  • Patent number: 5437406
    Abstract: A paperboard container of generally semi-rigid construction and formed from a unitary blank of paperboard folded in the general shape of a U. The interior surface of the container is coated with a thermoplastic polymer barrier layer, the container having a manually openable, normally closed pour spout at one upper edge portion, and also having a recessed or raised bottom. The container is particularly adapted for packaging granular, dry material such as corn flakes, pretzels, and the like. Due to its construction and the thermoplastic barrier layer, the usual inner pouch which contains dry cereal is omitted, thereby effecting savings in both material and in assembly of the final package. In one embodiment, an opening is provided for carrying the package, the opening located at the top of the container. In another embodiment one side wall of the panel is provided with an extension to serve as a reclosure flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1995
    Assignee: International Paper
    Inventors: Robert L. Gordon, Katherine A. Swenson, David E. Stier, Teresa A. Bronk
  • Patent number: 5383835
    Abstract: A gas barrier folding carton formed from a unitary paperboard blank (10) having a gas impermeable polymer layer (52) such as EVOH, nylon, or foil extruded on or laminated to one surface of the blank, except for certain adhesive (56, 58) coated areas. Two opposite side edges of the blank are seamed to form a flattened tube (13) having top and bottom closure flaps (30, 34, 36, 38, 40). One of the major closure flaps (36) at each top and bottom container end is provided with spaced abhesive areas (58), with areas of the two minor closure flaps (34, 38) also provided with abhesive (56). Upon folding the closure flaps at each end, the folding sequence pulls the barrier film (52) away from the abhesive (56, 58) areas and subsequent heat sealing produces hermetic sealing of the carton. This process and carton construction may be employed with conventional gas purging of the container interior by an inert gas before final sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Inventors: Robert L. Gordon, David E. Stier
  • Patent number: 5377903
    Abstract: A paperboard tray which resists warping is formed of a unitary blank, the blank having a polymer coating on its tray interior forming surface. The polymer coating is typically a heat resistant, non-stick, FDA approved polymer applied by extrusion coating. The upstanding sidewalls of the tray are joined to respective peripheral portions of the tray base through curved score lines on the tray interior surface. Curved cut lines on the exterior tray surface are each aligned with respective curved score lines on the tray interior surface, the cut lines extending 75 to 90 percent through the blank. The curved score lines and their complementary cut lines may be curved either convex outwardly or concavely inwardly with respect to the tray base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventors: Robert L. Gordon, George H. Naugle, David E. Stier
  • Patent number: 5330099
    Abstract: An eat-in paperboard container for frozen or refrigerated foodstuffs is provided with lateral flanges and triangular sections at its forward two corners. The package is opened by a tear strip which frees an edge of the top cover for lifting and access to the foodstuff. In use, the triangular sections rigidify the tray when the top cover is ripped up to open the container and when the consumer grasps one of the lateral flanges during eating out of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventors: Jonathan T. Beales, David E. Stier
  • Patent number: 5289939
    Abstract: A gas barrier folding carton formed from a unitary paperboard blank (10) having a gas impermeable polymer layer (52) such as EVOH, nylon, or foil extruded on or laminated to one surface of the blank, except for certain abhesive (56, 58) coated areas. Two opposite side edges of the blank are seamed to form a flattened tube (13) having top and bottom closure flaps (30, 34, 36, 38, 40). One of the major closure flaps (36) at each top and bottom container end is provided with spaced abhesive areas (58), with areas of the two minor closureflaps (34, 38) also provided with abhesive (56). Upon folding the closure flaps at each end, the folding sequence pulls the barrier film (52) away from the abhesive (56, 58) areas and subsequent heat sealing produces hermetic sealing of the carton. This process and carton construction may be employed with conventional gas purging of the container interior by an inert gas before final sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventors: Robert L. Gordon, David E. Stier
  • Patent number: D430795
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Inventor: David E. Stier