Patents by Inventor Douglas J. Hidding

Douglas J. Hidding 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: 11225361
    Abstract: A closure for a container includes a cap connected to a retaining ring. The cap includes a cover and a skirt. A plurality of concentric threads are disposed on an inside surface of the skirt. The plurality of threads includes at least a first thread at a first level and a second thread at a second level. The first thread is comprised of at least a first thread segment separated from a second thread segment by a first space. The second thread is comprised of at least a third thread segment separated from a fourth thread segment by a second space. A plurality of latch segments includes a first latch segment separated from a second latch segment by a third space. The first space, the second space, and the third space at least partially overlap in along a radial direction of the cap to provide a flex point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: BLACKHAWK MOLDING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Hidding, Jeffrey S. Davis, Thomas M. Urie
  • Patent number: 10647480
    Abstract: A closure for a container of the kind use to deliver milk and juice. The closure is a two-piece construction comprise of a lid and a base. The closure preferably has overall dimensions that approximate a standard unitary cap use with the same containers, so that the closure can easily be used with standard feeding equipment in a bottling facility. The closure has a hinge that is formed of a post connected by a tab to the lid, and hinge supports extending upwardly from the closure's base. The hinge supports include a hook and a bridge. The hook allows the tab to slide under the hook during assembly of the lid to the base. Once the tab is positioned between hook and the bridge, the hook blocks disassembly of the lid from the base. The post of the hinge assembly fits within tunnel sections formed by the hook and the bridge, and gripping forces applied by the hook and/or bridge hold the lid in an open position when contents are poured from the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: BLACKHAWK MOLDING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Davis, Douglas J. Hidding
  • Publication number: 20200122899
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein are directed to a high density polyethylene cap with various flex points that act as hinges or stretch points, whereby the cap behaves similar to a low density polyethylene cap when installed on a bottle neck
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: BLACKHAWK MOLDING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Douglas J. HIDDING, Jeffrey S. DAVIS, Thomas M. URIE
  • Publication number: 20180072471
    Abstract: A closure for a container of the kind use to deliver milk and juice. The closure is a two-piece construction comprise of a lid and a base. The closure preferably has overall dimensions that approximate a standard unitary cap use with the same containers, so that the closure can easily be used with standard feeding equipment in a bottling facility. The closure has a hinge that is formed of a post connected by a tab to the lid, and hinge supports extending upwardly from the closure's base. The hinge supports include a hook and a bridge. The hook allows the tab to slide under the hook during assembly of the lid to the base. Once the tab is positioned between hook and the bridge, the hook blocks disassembly of the lid from the base. The post of the hinge assembly fits within tunnel sections formed by the hook and the bridge, and gripping forces applied by the hook and/or bridge hold the lid in an open position when contents are poured from the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicant: BLACKHAWK MOLDING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. DAVIS, Douglas J. HIDDING
  • Publication number: 20150360829
    Abstract: A closure for a container of the kind use to deliver milk and juice. The closure is a two-piece construction comprise of a lid and a base. The closure preferably has overall dimensions that approximate a standard unitary cap use with the same containers, so that the closure can easily be used with standard feeding equipment in a bottling facility. The closure has a hinge that is formed of a post connected by a tab to the lid, and hinge supports extending upwardly from the closure's base. The hinge supports include a hook and a bridge. The hook allows the tab to slide under the hook during assembly of the lid to the base. Once the tab is positioned between hook and the bridge, the hook bocks disassembly of the lid from the base. The post of the hinge assembly fits within tunnel sections formed by the hook and the bridge, and gripping forces applied by the hook and/or bridge hold the lid in an open position when contents are poured from the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: BLACKHAWK MOLDING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. DAVIS, Douglas J. HIDDING
  • Publication number: 20120285963
    Abstract: A closure for glass and polycarbonate bottles. The closure is the press-on and pull off type, i.e., it is unthreaded. The closure has a down-outwardly extending rib on the underside of the lid that forms a seal on the upwardly and outwardly facing surface of the neck of the bottle. The closure has a removable tamper indicating ring connected to the lower portion of the skirt of the closure by a reduced-thickness tear strip. In one embodiment, slits are formed in the tear strip to further increase the sensitivity of the tear strip to tampering. Between the slits, links in the tear strip act to hold the ring in connection with the lower portion of the skirt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: BLACKHAWK MOLDING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. DAVIS, Douglas J. HIDDING
  • Patent number: 8172102
    Abstract: A cap for use with bottled water dispensing systems. The cap includes a main cap and a liner. The main cap has an opening which receives and seals against a probe. The liner is gripped between the main cap and the bottle neck and has a outside part and an inner movable part. The inner movable part is linked to the outer part by a large connecting section that serves as a hinge, and breakable or frangible connecting section. When the bottle is lowered onto the dispensing system, the probe enters into the opening in the main cap, breaks the frangible connection, and pushes the inner movable part open like a flap. The liner, at the location of the large connecting section, is resilient such that the inner movable part tends to close when the bottle is removed from the dispensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Blackhawk Molding Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Hidding
  • Publication number: 20080179273
    Abstract: A cap for use with bottled water dispensing systems. The cap includes a main cap and a liner. The main cap has an opening which receives and seals against a probe. The liner is gripped between the main cap and the bottle neck and has a outside part and an inner movable part. The inner movable part is linked to the outer part by a large connecting section that serves as a hinge, and breakable or frangible connecting section. When the bottle is lowered onto the dispensing system, the probe enters into the opening in the main cap, breaks the frangible connection, and pushes the inner movable part open like a flap. The liner, at the location of the large connecting section, is resilient such that the inner movable part tends to close when the bottle is removed from the dispensing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventor: Douglas J. Hidding
  • Patent number: 7350656
    Abstract: A cap for use with bottled water dispensing systems. The cap includes a main cap and a liner. The main cap has an opening which receives and seals against a probe. The liner is gripped between the main cap and the bottle neck and has a outside part and an inner movable part. The inner movable part is separated from the outer part by perforations and is connected to the outer part by a large connecting section, which serves as a hinge, and small connecting sections, which serve as frangible ties. When the bottle is lowered onto the dispensing system, the probe enters into the opening in the main cap, breaks the frangible ties, and pushes the inner movable part open like a flap. The liner, at the location of the large connecting section, is resilient such that the inner movable part tends to close when the bottle is removed from the dispensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Blackhawk Molding Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Hidding
  • Patent number: 6945011
    Abstract: A system for sealing threaded containers. The system includes a clutch-free spindle assembly which is easily disassembled and cleaned. The special interface between the exterior surface of the cap an the gripping jaws of the chuck allow the system to operate without the moving parts and complications that attend the use of clutch. The spindle assembly features an easily adjustable stop arm and a quick release pin for removing and cleaning the chuck. The chuck has several passageways for the rapid infusion of cleaning fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Blackhawk Molding Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Hidding, Joseph E. Bashour
  • Publication number: 20040237471
    Abstract: A system for sealing threaded containers. The system includes a clutch-free spindle assembly which is easily disassembled and cleaned. The special interface between the exterior surface of the cap an the gripping jaws of the chuck allow the system to operate without the moving parts and complications that attend the use of clutch. The spindle assembly features an easily adjustable stop arm and a quick release pin for removing and cleaning the chuck. The chuck has several passageways for the rapid infusion of cleaning fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Douglas J. Hidding, Joseph E. Bashour
  • Patent number: 6523710
    Abstract: An improved tamper resistant bottle cap and neck for bottles which hold liquid. The bottle cap of the present invention includes a circular cover, a skirt depending from the periphery of the cover, and a tamper evidencing lower portion. A raised ring formed on the outer and upper surface of the bumper roll typically used in blow-molded containers protects the lower edge of the cap from tampering by making the lower edge of the ratchet ring in the case of a thread-on cap (or the lower edge of the removable portion of a skirt in the case of a push-on cap) less accessible to potential tamperers. Thread-on caps with helical threads and a ratchet ring, or push-on caps with skirts having removable lower portions, may each be equipped with an arched or curved pull tab. The pull tab in each instance is designed to accommodate a raised ring on the bumper roll of the neck of a blow-molded bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Inventors: Walter E. Hidding, Douglas J. Hidding, Robert D. Hidding
  • Patent number: 6488165
    Abstract: The closure of the present invention provides a seal a variety of neck configurations, including substantially new and different neck profiles. The top of the cap, which may or may not include a valve, has side wall depending from the top of the cap and a skirt extending further downwardly from the side wall. The inside surface of the cap has an elongated sealing flange extending downwardly and outwardly from the underside of the top of the cap. The lower tip of the sealing flange is preferably disposed outside, in the radial direction, of the inside diameter of the latch bead formed at the base of the side wall of the cap. The length of the sealing flange, its position on the underside of the cap and the length-to-basewidth ratio of the flange keep it from becoming misaligned or twisted. The inside surface of the wedge-shaped sealing flange is preferably disposed at an obtuse angle from the plane of the top of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Inventor: Douglas J. Hidding
  • Patent number: 6193113
    Abstract: A dispensing device for use in extracting liquid, such as water, from a container of the type which is inverted into a position above a reservoir. The device includes probe which is of simple construction and wherein the surfaces of the probe are exposed and readily observed or inspected. In a preferred embodiment, the probe has a cruciform cross-section through which water may flow when the probe is inserted into an inverted water bottle to separate an inner cap from a sleeve in the center of the closure of the bottle. The probe is supported by and projects from a base which has apertures through which water may flow into a reservoir of the dispenser with which the probe is used. If the probe is a replacement part for an existing dispenser, as opposed to being designed and sold as part of a new dispenser, the base which supports the probe may have an externally threaded cylindrical or cup-shaped portion extending in a direction opposite to that of the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Inventor: Douglas J. Hidding
  • Patent number: 6129474
    Abstract: A toothbrush and dispenser for toothpaste is provided. The toothbrush and dispenser includes an elongated one-piece handle and a plurality of substantially parallel bristles disposed along a side of the elongated one-piece handle proximate a first end orthogonal to a predominant axis of the elongated one-piece handle. The toothbrush and dispenser also includes a toothpaste reservoir disposed within the handle predominantly at a second end of the handle and a toothpaste discharge orifice disposed to discharge the toothpaste from the side of the first end of the elongated one-piece handle among the plurality of bristles. First and second substantially parallel toothpaste passageways are provided which communicates the toothpaste from the reservoir to the discharge orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Blackhawk Molding Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Mitchell, Douglas J. Hidding
  • Patent number: 6003701
    Abstract: A tamper resistant bottle cap and neck for a threaded blow molded bottles which hold liquid, such as milk. The bottle cap and neck combination has an enhanced tamper evidency feature wherein a circumferential lip is formed at the outside edge of the interface between the cap and the neck. The lip protects the contents of the bottle by limiting the ability of potential tamperers to pry or bend upwardly the rachet ring at lower edge of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Inventors: Walter E. Hidding, Douglas J. Hidding, Robert D. Hidding
  • Patent number: 5957316
    Abstract: A cap for use with a dispensing system. The cap includes a main outer cap and an inner cap. The main outer cap has a central sleeve which receives and seals against a probe. The inner cap moves into and out of a sealing engagement with the central tube as the bottle is raised and lowered over the probe. The seal between the inner cap and the central tube is located on the outside surface of the central tube. The location of the connection between the inner cap and the probe is displaced away from the location of the connection between the inner cap and the sleeve of the main outer cap. This allows the cap to have effective differentials between the forces which are necessary to achieve proper sequencing of the formation of the various seals and connections which occur during use of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Inventors: Walter E. Hidding, Douglas J. Hidding, Robert D. Hidding
  • Patent number: 5904259
    Abstract: An improved, tamper-evident label and bottle cap to be used with standard five gallon bottles; such bottle cap of the type having a central tube section capable of receiving a dispensing probe which is part of a dispensing system. A micro-thin, plastic label is heat-sealed to the face of the bottle cap, thereby protecting the central tube section from any external contaminants. An edge of the label is left unsealed to provide a means for peeling the label from the bottle cap when the bottle is to be installed. By virtue of the heat-sealing method of attachment, the tamper-evident label cannot be reattached to the face of the bottle cap, or any other surface, once it is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Inventors: Walter E. Hidding, Douglas J. Hidding
  • Patent number: 5826409
    Abstract: A bottle cap removing system which is easily adapted to a conveyor system of either 5-gallon or 3-gallon bottle movement within a bottling or recycling facility. Such system automatically determines which, if any, bottles have attached bottle caps and automatically removes such bottle caps in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Multiple lengths of steel comprise a main support structure which supports an overhead decapping assembly. As bottles from a conveyor line pass underneath this decapping assembly, a sensor determines whether or not the first bottle in the line has an attached bottle cap. If such bottle has an attached bottle cap, pneumatic actuators located at both the lower and upper front end of the support structure are energized to extend a set of bottle pads into the path of the bottle. This bottle's movement is thus stopped and its bottle cap situated immediately underneath the decapping assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Blackhawk Molding Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Frank J. Slepicka, Douglas J. Hidding
  • Patent number: D448933
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Blackhawk Molding, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Mitchell, Douglas J. Hidding