Patents by Inventor Douglas E. Foos

Douglas E. Foos 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: 6719139
    Abstract: A package for holding an article has a front portion with a sheet generally defining a plane and has an outer rim. The package also has a back portion with an area and an outer periphery. The back portion is configured to be secured to said front portion. An inner opening is defined by the back portion so that the inner opening has an area substantially smaller than the area of the back portion. A separately formed first blister is shaped for defining a first pocket configured for receiving at least a portion of the article. The first blister also has a peripheral edge configured for attachment to the back portion in a region of the inner opening of the back portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Foos, Richard L. Partlow, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5788105
    Abstract: A reclosable package having visible evidence of tampering, where the package has a first portion, a second portion joined to the first portion along a common edge by a hinge integral to the first and second portions and thereby forming the package, and closure portions for locking the package, where the closure portions are removably connected to each of the first and second portions respectively. Upon first closure of the package, the closure portions engage each other, and upon first opening of the package, the closure portion become detached from the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas E. Foos
  • Patent number: 5634559
    Abstract: A package tray configured for use with at least one other such tray in forming reclosable enclosed packages includes a recess portion having an upper edge, a flange portion projecting from the upper edge and having upper and lower sides, at least one snap fastener of a first type located on the flange portion, and at least one snap fastener of a second type located on the flange portion in spaced relationship to the at least one fastener of the first type. Each of the first and second type fasteners is configured to be fastenable on both said upper and lower sides of said flange portion to opposing fasteners of like package trays. The first and second type fasteners are disposed on the flange portion so that when multiples of the package trays are placed in vertically stacked relationship, at least one opposing pair of the fasteners on adjacent trays engage each other to secure the trays together in one of a nested and an opposing relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Foos, Todd O. Buck, Richard L. Partlow, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5586677
    Abstract: A foldover container which is uniquely constructed so that the container may be easily opened and closed. The container has a base with a sidewall circumscribing a top opening. An outward extending flange for grasping the base is attached to the sidewall. A cover is hingeably connected to the base and has a peripheral downward extending skirt with a flange extending generally outward from the skirt. The cover is shaped and dimensioned to cover and close the top opening with the skirt extending generally along the exterior of the sidewall of the base.When the cover closes the top opening, the cover and base may be releasably attached to hold the cover in the closed position, and the skirt and the sidewall are sized so that the flange on the base is vertically spaced from the flange on the cover so that each of the flanges may be individually and pinchingly grasped to open the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas E. Foos
  • Patent number: 5568865
    Abstract: A tray is provided for storing a surgical cable. The tray includes a body portion configured to define a track for receiving the cable, and a lead-in channel configured to guide the cable into the track. The body portion includes a generally circular recessed portion configured to define an annular track extending around an outer periphery of the recessed portion. The lead-in channel is curved so that the cable enters the annular track in a direction generally tangential to the track. The body portion includes a flange configured to be coupled to a cover for sealing the body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: DePuy Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph C. Mase, Douglas E. Foos
  • Patent number: 5385232
    Abstract: A unitary packaging structure for a shock sensitive article, including a platform portion adapted to support the article and having a peripheral portion, a sidewall structure forming an enclosure around the platform portion, the sidewall structure including an inner wall being joined to the peripheral portion, and an outer wall peripherally spaced from the inner wall, the inner wall being relatively shorter than the outer wall so that the platform portion is held a specified cushion distance above a lower edge of the outer wall, and at least one collapsibility control device for selectively releasing air compressed beneath the package when the package is subjected to shock loading while disposed in a shipping container, the control device controlling the collapsibility of the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Foos, Fred Schindler
  • Patent number: 5322163
    Abstract: A catheter tray package includes a tray portion including a floor, an access end, a storage end opposite the access end, and an elongate locking formation secured to the floor and being substantially parallel in relation to a longitudinal axis of the floor. The present package also includes an insert portion configured for sliding engagement with the tray portion and including a planar sheet portion having a catheter access end, a catheter storage end opposite the access end and an elongate keyway formation disposed on the sheet portion for engaging the locking formation to limit the sliding action of the insert portion relative to the tray portion in a first direction, while permitting the insert to be released from engagement with the locking formation in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas E. Foos
  • Patent number: 5322178
    Abstract: A tub-type container having a one-hand operable latch includes a tub portion with an upper edge, a front wall, a rear wall and first and second side walls, the walls integrally joined to each other. A skirt depends from a peripheral edge of at least the front wall, and a forwardly projecting flange extends from the skirt along at least a portion of the front wall. The container also has a lid including a peripheral edge and front, rear, and first and second side portions corresponding to the walls of the container, the lid provided with a skirt depending from at least the front portion of the lid. The container is provided with a handle formation integrally formed into the skirt on the front side and projecting vertically above the peripheral edge, the handle formation being pivotable from a generally vertical closed position to a rearwardly projecting open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas E. Foos
  • Patent number: 5255588
    Abstract: An apparatus for making accurate cuts in thermoformed articles projecting vertically above a generally planar sheet of thermoformable material includes a base plate having a lower surface, at least one pair of knives being mounted to the lower surface of the base plate to depend therefrom and being capable of limited movement, each knife having a cutting portion and a guiding portion, the guiding portion of each knife being angled relative to the longitudinal axis of each knife and being divergent from the adjacent knife.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Foos, Todd O. Buck
  • Patent number: 5226543
    Abstract: The invention provides a unitary packaging structure for a shock sensitive article. The packaging structure includes a platform portion which includes a platform portion adapted to support the article, and a sidewall structure of preferably flexible material forming an enclosure around the platform portion. The sidewall structure includes an inboard wall being integral with the platform portion, and an outboard wall maintained in spaced relationship from the inboard wall by a bridge section, the inboard wall being relatively shorter than the outboard wall so that the platform portion is held a specified cushion distance above a lower edge of the outboard wall. Shock limiting formations are formed in the sidewall structure for restricting the movement of the platform portion toward the lower edge of the outboard wall upon shock loading of the platform portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignees: Plastofilm Industries, Inc., Roberts, Stephens, Van Amburg Packaging Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas E. Foos, Thomas Stephens
  • Patent number: 5221007
    Abstract: A telescoping capsule package for supporting a fragile article having a plurality of flexible strands forming a basket. The package includes a first capsule portion having a tubular wall, a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end, a second capsule portion having a tubular wall, a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end, and a biasing device located within the package for biasing the first and second capsule portions axially relative to each other. The second capsule portion is dimensioned so that when the respective open ends of the first and second capsule portions are placed in opposing, engaged relationship to each other to form the package, the second capsule portion telescopes relative to the first telescoping portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas E. Foos
  • Patent number: 5137316
    Abstract: A plastic stackable measuring scoop of the type which is frequently included in packages of granular detergents wherein a generally rectilinear scoop bowl has a front wall which slopes inwardly from top to bottom and a rear wall the central portion of which also slopes inwardly from top to bottom and has a corrugation providing a median ridge terminating just above the bottom of the bowl as an inwardly projecting shoulder which serves as a stop to limit the extent of entry of a scoop bowl thereinto. The front wall of the shoulder has a five degree backdraft to increase the distance that the shoulder extends inwardly. The slope of the central portion of the back wall of the bowl is substantially greater than the draft of the side portions thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas E. Foos
  • Patent number: 5060828
    Abstract: A thermoformed package/dispenser for bbs and other kinds of small balls has a cover rotatably mounted on a cup-shaped base to close the package or convert it into a dispenser. Detent stop structure is built in integrally with the base and cover to hold the cover in a desired open or closed package position. A knockout may be provided in the cover to package and dispense balls larger than those for which the package was primarily designed. Interlocking peripheral flanges demountably hold base and cover together with friction assured to hold the cover in a predetermined position. At least a portion of the package may be transparent so that the ball load may be observed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Rosten, Douglas E. Foos, Richard L. Partlow, Jr., Edward M. Berger
  • Patent number: 4892220
    Abstract: The product of the invention is a thermoformed container for wet wipes or the like having a hinged cover that is releaseably secured to the container when it is closed. The container can be opened with one hand by inserting the thumb and index finger in adjoining recesses formed by arcuate formations in front portions of the cover and container body and camming the cover upwardly by pressing the inserted finger and thumb toward each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas E. Foos
  • Patent number: 4819829
    Abstract: A closure for containers of various sizes and configurations. The closure comprises of a cover member, a flange or similar structure for attaching the cover member to a container, and a slideway formed in the cover member with a slide disposed therewithin, slideable to cover and uncover a hole formed in the cover member in the slideway. The slide is mounted in the slideway such that it normally is firmly retained within the slideway. Detents may be formed in the side of the slideway with corresponding protrusions on the other member to temporarily position the slide in one of several locations long the slideway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Rosten, William C. Perchak, Douglas E. Foos, Richard L. Partlow, Jr., Gary G. Buhrke
  • Patent number: 4505404
    Abstract: A unitary container for playing or calling cards and the like. The container comprises a bottom part and a top part complementary to the bottom part, with the two parts, when engaged to constitute a closed container, forming an internal compartment. A flange extends about each of the top and bottom parts. These flanges are spaced apart by the sidewall which is a part of the bottom of the container. An exterior cap is provided for the top and bottom parts and secured to the flange thereabout. The top and bottom parts include respective first and second complementary closure elements which engage and lock when the container is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1985
    Assignee: Plastofilm Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Perchak, Douglas E. Foos
  • Patent number: D347576
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Miles Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Boger, Todd O. Buck, James F. Caruso, Douglas E. Foos, Alex L. Litwin, Brian D. Moore, Ralph G. Priddy, Bryce Rutter