Patents by Inventor Gérard Denis

Gérard Denis 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: 10266298
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a container having a body formed by wall or walls with a greater diameter S1 and at least a neck with a diameter S2, container made from a semi-crystalline PET, having a wall thickness of less than 100 ?m, substantially in the middle of its body and having a complex, three dimensional shape convenient for gripping, this part having a diameter S3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Nestle Waters Management & Technology
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Alain Contal, Cyrille Durand
  • Patent number: 7473388
    Abstract: Method of producing a polyester resin container, such as a PET bottle, from a preform (10) includes a step whereby the preform (10) is heated to a temperature above a glass-transition temperature and a drawing step which is performed in a cavity (101). According to the invention, during the drawing step, an incompressible fluid and not a gaseous fluid is injected through the opening in the preform (10?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Nestle Waters Management & Technology
    Inventors: Christophe Desanaux, Alain Contal, Gerard Denis
  • Publication number: 20070210471
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a preform from a semicrystalline amorphous polymer at a slow rate of crystallization, in which: the said polymer is plasticized at (3) by rapidly raising its temperature to a temperature below the melting point; the said plasticized polymer is pressed through a die (4); on leaving the die, the said polymer is swept by a hot dry inert gas (11); the plasticized polymer is received in a first container (6), while keeping the polymer at the same temperature as the plasticizing temperature in all the steps; and a die pressing step (13) is carried out in the said first container or in a second container, transferred from the first, with sudden cooling so as to obtain the preform in an amorphous state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Applicant: NESTLE WATERS MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Eric Didier
  • Patent number: 7247698
    Abstract: The invention concerns the field of manufacture of PET containers designed in particular for packaging food products, particularly bottles for aerated beverages such as in particular natural and mineral water. The method for manufacturing PET resin preforms and the resulting preforms, a method for making PET resin containers from the preforms and the manufactured containers, in particular food bottles made of PET resin. The method for making PET resin preforms is characterised in that it consists in using a PET resin having an intrinsic viscosity (IV) less than 0.65 dl/g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Nestle Waters Management & Technology
    Inventors: Gérard Denis, Murielle Vigny, Gérard Perez, Jean-Luc Lepage
  • Publication number: 20070108156
    Abstract: The invention concerns a container comprising a body formed by walls and a bottom having in his greater section a dimension d1 and a neck with an internal diameter d2, said container being made from a semi-crystalline PET, the body of said container comprising at its bottom at least three feet spaced from each other and being integral with said body, wherein for the body, the ratio weight of the walls on weight of the bottom is comprised between 3 and 4 and wherein the ratio volume of the body of the container per gram of PET of the body is comprised between 80 and 120.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Applicant: NESTLE WATERS MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Cyrille Durand, Gerard Denis, Alain Contal, Anne Roulin
  • Patent number: 7201291
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a container for a flowable product, particularly for a beverage and, in particular, for still or sparkling mineral water. The container according to the invention includes a body having in a greater section a dimension d1 and of at least one neck with an internal diameter d2 which can be closed by a member for closing off and/or of distributing the flowable product from the container. The wall or walls forming the body of the container are preferably made of a flexible plastic which can deform for constant surface area, particularly under the weight of the flowable product from the container when the wall or walls encounter a point or bearing surface, so as to form, at least locally, a non-planar wall portion and wherein the ratio d2 to d1 is between 1:3 and 1:10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Nestle Waters Management & Technology
    Inventors: Murielle Vigny, Alain Contal, Jean-Paul Cerveny, Gérard Denis
  • Patent number: 7189441
    Abstract: The invention concerns polyester resins, more particularly polyethyleneterephthalate resins used for making hollow containers, such as bottles for packaging liquid substances, in particular aerated beverages, natural or mineral waters. The invention concerns a polyester comprising at least 92.5% in number of recurrent units derived from terephthalic acid of aliphatic diols having an intrinsic viscosity ranging between 0.45 dl/g and 0.70 dl/g, and an acetaldehyde content less than 3 ppm, preferably less than 1.5 ppm. The invention also concerns a method for obtaining polyester granules with low acetaldehyde content having an intrinsic viscosity in the range mentioned above. Said polyesters are used in particular for making hollow containers such as bottles and more particularly bottles designed to contain foodstuffs sensitive to acetaldehyde.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Nestle Waters Management & Technology
    Inventors: Gérard Denis, Murielle Vigny, Gérard Perez, Jean-Luc Lepage
  • Publication number: 20060261027
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a container having a body formed by wall or walls with a greater diameter S1 and at least a neck with a diameter S2, container made from a semi-crystalline PET, having a wall thickness of less than 100 ?m, substantially in the middle of its body and having a complex, three dimensional shape convenient for gripping, this part having a diameter S3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Gérard Denis, Alain Contal, Cyrille Durand
  • Publication number: 20050206045
    Abstract: Method of producing a polyester resin container, such as a PET bottle, from a preform (10) includes a step whereby the preform (10) is heated to a temperature above a glass-transition temperature and a drawing step which is performed in a cavity (101). According to the invention, during the drawing step, an incompressible fluid and not a gaseous fluid is injected through the opening in the preform (10?).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Christophe Desanaux, Alain Contal, Gerard Denis
  • Publication number: 20040236065
    Abstract: The invention concerns polyester resins, more particularly polyethyleneterephthalate resins used for making hollow containers, such as bottles for packaging liquid substances, in particular aerated beverages, natural or mineral waters. The invention concerns a polyester comprising at least 92.5% in number of recurrent units derived from terephthalic acid of aliphatic diols having an intrinsic viscosity ranging between 0.45 dl/g and 0.70 dl/g, and an acetaldehyde content less than 3 ppm, preferably less than 1.5 ppm. The invention also concerns a method for obtaining polyester granules with low acetaldehyde content having an intrinsic viscosity in the range mentioned above. Said polyesters are used in particular for making hollow containers such as bottles and more particularly bottles designed to contain foodstuffs sensitive to acetaldehyde.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Murielle Vigny, Gerard Perez, Jean-Luc Lepage
  • Publication number: 20040222238
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a container for a flowable product, particularly for a beverage and, in particular, for still or sparkling mineral water. The container according to the invention includes a body having in a greater section a dimension d1 and of at least one neck with an internal diameter d2 which can be closed by a member for closing off and/or of distributing the flowable product from the container. The wall or walls forming the body of the container are preferably made of a flexible plastic which can deform for constant surface area, particularly under the weight of the flowable product from the container when the wall or walls encounter a point or bearing surface, so as to form, at least locally, a non-planar wall portion and wherein the ratio d2 to d1 is between 1:3 and 1:10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventors: Murielle Vigny, Alain Contal, Jean-Paul Cerveny, Gerard Denis
  • Publication number: 20040214981
    Abstract: The invention concerns the field of manufacture of PET containers designed in particular for packaging food products, particularly bottles for aerated beverages such as in particular natural and mineral water. The invention provides a method for manufacturing PET resin preforms and the resulting preforms, a method for making PET resin containers from said preforms manufactured containers, in particular food bottles made of PET resin. The method for making PET resin preforms is characterised in that it consists in using a PET resin having an intrinsic viscosity (IV) less than 0.65 dl/g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Murielle Vigny, Gerard Perez, Jean-Luc Lapage
  • Patent number: 5382157
    Abstract: Equipment for manufacturing a polyethylene terephthalate container which is capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions. The equipment includes a first mold which is designed to shape the body of an intermediate container from the body of an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate preform to a size larger than the dimensions of the final container to be obtained. Second, the equipment includes a treatment station which itself includes a first heating device which, in one embodiment, first heats only the body section of the intermediate container to a temperature of about 160.degree. to about 240.degree. C. to rapidly shrink the body of the intermediate container and then heats the neck section while the contracted intermediate body continues to be heated to effect crystallization of the neck section and increase the crystallinity of the contracted intermediate container body. In a second embodiment, the neck and body sections are heated simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Paul La Barre
  • Patent number: 5342558
    Abstract: Blow molding processes for the manufacture of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers are disclosed. The containers are capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions encountered during processing by filling with a hot liquid or pasteurization of the contents of the container. A representative process includes the steps of blow molding the heated body of an amorphous PET preform comprising a body and a neck section having a body with dimensions greater than the dimensions of the final PET container to be formed; heating only the body of the intermediate container under specified conditions to rapidly shrink the body, thus forming a contracted body; heating the neck section to effect crystallization thereof; slowly cooling the neck section alone while heating of the contracted intermediate body continues; and blow molding the heated contracted body of the intermediate container in a second mold to its final shape and dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Paul La Barre
  • Patent number: 5338181
    Abstract: Equipment for manufacturing a polyethylene terephthalate container which is capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions encountered during processing by filling with a hot liquid or pasteurization of the contents of the container. The equipment includes a first mold which is designed to shape the body of an intermediate container from the body of an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate preform to a size larger than the dimensions of the final container to be obtained. Second, the equipment includes a treatment station which itself includes a first heating device which first heats only the body section of the intermediate container to a temperature of about 160.degree. to about 240.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Paul La Barre
  • Patent number: 5334007
    Abstract: Equipment for manufacturing a polyethylene terephthalate container which is capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions encountered during processing by filling with a hot liquid or pasteurization of the contents of the container. The equipment includes a first mold which is designed to shape the body of an intermediate container from the body of an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate preform to a size larger than the dimensions of the final container to be obtained. Second, the equipment includes a treatment station which itself includes a first heating device which simultaneously heats the body and neck section of the intermediate container to a temperature of about 160.degree. to about 240.degree. C. to rapidly shrink the body of the intermediate container and to effect crystallization of the neck section and increase the crystallinity of the contracted intermediate container body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Paul La Barre
  • Patent number: 5308233
    Abstract: A continuous-feed thermal treatment unit for the manufacture of PET containers includes, in succession, a recovery oven (25) and a crystallization oven (42) having respective heater plates (27, 44) for emitting medium-wavelength infrared radiation to heat the bodies of incoming, rotating, bidirectionally stretched, oversize containers to a temperature of 160.degree.-2400.degree.-C. The crystallization oven also includes short-wavelength infrared tubes (47) disposed along the path of the container necks, whose radiation penetrates the necks and heats support mandrels (18) inserted therein to transport the containers. The heated bodies shrink and become at least partially crystallized during their conveyance through the ovens, while the necks undergo spherulitic crystallization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Alain Evrard
  • Patent number: 5277574
    Abstract: Equipment for manufacturing a polyethylene terephthalate container which is capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions encountered during processing by filling with a hot liquid or pasteurization of the contents of the container. The equipment includes a first mold which is designed to shape the body of an intermediate container from the body of an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate preform to a size larger than the dimensions of the final container to be obtained. Second, the equipment includes a treatment station which itself includes a first heating device which simultaneously heats the body and neck section of the intermediate container to a temperature of about 160.degree. to about 240.degree. C. to rapidly shrink the body of the intermediate container and to effect crystallization of the neck section and increase the crystallinity of the contracted intermediate container body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Paul La Barre
  • Patent number: 5256341
    Abstract: A core 6 is disposed inside of and spaced from a hollow plastic preform 1 subjected to external infrared radiation 4 including a first wavelength B.sub.1 that is absorbed by and heats the plastic, and a second wavelength B.sub.2 that propagates through the wall 2 of the preform. The propagated radiation 12 is converted into the first wavelength by the surface 7 of the core, and reemitted at 13 back towards the preform to heat its internal surface 8 to a higher temperature than its external surface 10. The preform may be axially rotated with the core stationary to implement uniform angular heating. Alternatively, the core may be irregularly configured and/or surface treated, with both the core and preform rotated in synchronism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Rene Hudebine
  • Patent number: 5229042
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) container capable of withstanding, without appreciable deformation, relatively severe thermal conditions encountered during processing by filling with a hot liquid or pasteurization of the contents of the container. The process inlcudes the following steps, on an amorphous PET preform which includes a body and a neck section which already possesses the final shape and dimensions of the PET container to be formed, heating only the body, exclusive of the neck section, of the PET preform to a temperature at least equal to the PET-softening temperature; in a mold, blow molding the heated preform body to form an intermediate container whose body has dimensions greater, by about 20% with respect to height and by 0 to about 30% transversely, than the dimensions of the PET container to be formed, while cooling the mold walls holding the intermediate container to a temperature of about 5.degree. to about 40.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Paul La Barre