Patents by Inventor Earle L. Ellis

Earle L. Ellis 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: 6957953
    Abstract: An extruder for extruding extrudate is provided and includes a generally cylindrical barrel portion having an end face. A screw conveyor is rotatably arranged coaxially within the barrel portion and has a downstream end. The screw conveyor has helical flights that define a first flow path with the barrel for the extrudate. The first flow path has a first cross-sectional area. An adapter is arranged on the end face of the barrel portion and defines an exit portion of the extruder. A screw tip is secured to the downstream end of the screw conveyor and extends into the adapter. The screw tip and the adapter define a second flow path for the extrudate with a second cross-section area being at least as large as the first cross-sectional area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Earle L. Ellis, Roy N. Krohn, David A. Kesselman
  • Publication number: 20040166191
    Abstract: An extruder for extruding extrudate is provided and includes a generally cylindrical barrel portion having an end face. A screw conveyor is rotatably arranged coaxially within the barrel portion and has a downstream end. The screw conveyor has helical flights that define a first flow path with the barrel for the extrudate. The first flow path has a first cross-sectional area. An adapter is arranged on the end face of the barrel portion and defines an exit portion of the extruder. A screw tip is secured to the downstream end of the screw conveyor and extends into the adapter. The screw tip and the adapter define a second flow path for the extrudate with a second cross-section area being at least as large as the first cross-sectional area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Earle L. Ellis, Roy N. Krohn, David A. Kesselman
  • Patent number: 6673301
    Abstract: A squeezable tube-shaped plastic container (10, 100) having a one-piece construction formed by extrusion blow-molding techniques. The container (10, 100) has a retractable end wall (26, 126) which is positionable into an outwardly projecting position and an inverted position. The end wall (26, 126), as blown, is in the outwardly projecting position and is thereafter inverted so that a tamper indicating covering (28, 128) can be attached to the end (14, 114) of the container (10, 100) thereby sealing the end wall (26, 126). The inverted end wall (26, 126) permits the container (10, 100) to be free standing on the standing ring (20, 120). In use, the flexible sidewall (12, 112) of the container (10, 100) is squeezed to snap the end wall (26, 126) from the inverted position to an outwardly projecting position to enable ready access to a dispensing opening (32, 132) on the end wall (26, 126).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David W. Cargile, Earle L. Ellis, Roy N. Krohn, David A. Kesselman, Edward Roubal, Rafael F. Berrittella, Norberto O. Gomez
  • Patent number: 6629834
    Abstract: At least one blow-molded plastic container and one compression molded lid are simultaneously produced in a blow mold. Preferably, the method and apparatus utilize a mold capable of simultaneously receiving a pair of extruded parisons. One of the parisons is utilized to produce a pair of aligned container bodies and the other of the parisons is utilized to form a pair of aligned closures. In this manner, a container and closure combination can be manufactured having perfect color matching and can be readily recycled in its entirety. In addition, the method and apparatus according to the present invention significantly reduces tooling costs and required machine capitol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David W. Cargile, Earle L. Ellis, David Kesselman, Roy N. Krohn
  • Patent number: 6555033
    Abstract: At least one blow-molded plastic container and one compression molded lid are simultaneously produced in a blow mold. Preferably, the method and apparatus utilize a mold capable of simultaneously receiving a pair of extruded parisons. One of the parisons is utilized to produce a pair of aligned container bodies and the other of the parisons is utilized to form a pair of aligned closures. In this manner, a container and closure combination can be manufactured having perfect color matching and can be readily recycled in its entirety. In addition, the method and apparatus according to the present invention significantly reduces tooling costs and required machine capitol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David W. Cargile, Earle L. Ellis, David Kesselman, Roy N. Krohn
  • Patent number: 6551092
    Abstract: A separate parison separation assembly for each parison in a multiple parison blow molding apparatus. Each assembly has a shear plate secured in a recess machined into the mold in order to provide a positive and repeatable location of the shear plate. The shear plate is square and provides eight cutting edges; each of the four sides of the shear plate by rotating the shear plate as an edge wears, and by turning it over. The shear plate has a useful life up to eight times that of the prior art designs. The cut-off knife for each assembly is secured to the other half of the mold, directly on its surface, with a compression pocket cut into the face of this half of the mold to contain and to compress the parison between the mold halves. The design eliminates open space at the edge where the flash forms, reducing the mass of polymer at the edge and thus the temperature of the flash edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, LP
    Inventors: Earle L. Ellis, David A. Kesselman, Bernd Klingenmaier, Jeff Enfield, Roy N. Krohn
  • Publication number: 20030064127
    Abstract: At least one blow-molded plastic container and one compression molded lid are simultaneously produced in a blow mold. Preferably, the method and apparatus utilize a mold capable of simultaneously receiving a pair of extruded parisons. One of the parisons is utilized to produce a pair of aligned container bodies and the other of the parisons is utilized to form a pair of aligned closures. In this manner, a container and closure combination can be manufactured having perfect color matching and can be readily recycled in its entirety. In addition, the method and apparatus according to the present invention significantly reduces tooling costs and required machine capitol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventors: David W. Cargile, Earle L. Ellis, David Kesselman, Roy N. Krohn
  • Publication number: 20030001316
    Abstract: At least one blow-molded plastic container and one compression molded lid are simultaneously produced in a blow mold. Preferably, the method and apparatus utilize a mold capable of simultaneously receiving a pair of extruded parisons. One of the parisons is utilized to produce a pair of aligned container bodies and the other of the parisons is utilized to form a pair of aligned closures. In this manner, a container and closure combination can be manufactured having perfect color matching and can be readily recycled in its entirety. In addition, the method and apparatus according to the present invention significantly reduces tooling costs and required machine capitol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: David W. Cargile, Earle L. Ellis, David Kesselman, Roy N. Krohn
  • Publication number: 20020180114
    Abstract: A squeezable tube-shaped plastic container (10, 100) having a one-piece construction formed by extrusion blow-molding techniques. The container (10, 100) has a retractable end wall (26, 126) which is positionable into an outwardly projecting position and an inverted position. The end wall (26, 126), as blown, is in the outwardly projecting position and is thereafter inverted so that a tamper indicating covering (28, 128) can be attached to the end (14, 114) of the container (10, 100) thereby sealing the end wall (26, 126). The inverted end wall (26, 126) permits the container (10, 100) to be free standing on the standing ring (20, 120). In use, the flexible sidewall (12, 112) of the container (10, 100) is squeezed to snap the end wall (26, 126) from the inverted position to an outwardly projecting position to enable ready access to a dispensing opening (32, 132) on the end wall (26, 126).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventors: David W. Cargile, Earle L Ellis, Roy N Krohn, David A Kesselman, Edward Roubal, Rafael F Berrittella, Norberto O Gomez
  • Publication number: 20020094353
    Abstract: A separate parison separation assembly for each parison in a multiple parison blow molding apparatus. Each assembly has a shear plate secured in a recess machined into the mold in order to provide a positive and repeatable location of the shear plate. The shear plate is square and provides eight cutting edges; each of the four sides of the shear plate by rotating the shear plate as an edge wears, and by turning it over. The shear plate has a useful life up to eight times that of the prior art designs. The cut-off knife for each assembly is secured to the other half of the mold, directly on its surface, with a compression pocket cut into the face of this half of the mold to contain and to compress the parison between the mold halves. The design eliminates open space at the edge where the flash forms, reducing the mass of polymer at the edge and thus the temperature of the flash edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: Earle L. Ellis, David A. Kesselman, Bernd Klingenmaier, Jeff Enfield, Roy N. Krohn