Patents by Inventor Gene Stull

Gene Stull 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: 5358146
    Abstract: A hand-held dispenser for holding and dispensing various grooming, household, cosmetic and the like liquids features only two parts to effect a turn-to-open-or-close function. A plastic bottle or container part has an integral neck portion for discharge of the contents of the container. The bore of the neck portion is so formed that it provides a valving action in conjunction with a turnable cap part that is carried by the neck. Adjustable positioning of the cap part on the neck portion enables different rates of flow to be had from the container part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 5353970
    Abstract: A dispensing cap construction for containers includes a cap body for attachment to a container neck, the cap body having a discharge spout portion, and a closure cap turnably carried by the cap body and overlying the spout portion. The closure cap has a non-round orifice, and a stopper blade located in the closure cap and receivable in the orifice so as to close off the same. Resilient oppositely-disposed spaced-apart support legs are connected with the stopper blade and mount the latter on the spout portion. The resilient legs retain the stopper blade against outward axial movement with respect to the spout portion of the cap body while simultaneously enabling limited rotary movement of the stopper blade with the closure cap as the latter is shifted axially outward on the cap body, to thereby effect removal of the stopper blade from the orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: Stull Closure Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gene Stull, William C. Horwath
  • Patent number: 5221029
    Abstract: A closure and applicator cap adapted to be attached to the neck of a container which holds a flowable product. The cap includes a molded plastic cap body having a tip portion and an axially-extending discharge passage in the tip portion. The wall of the tip portion has an annular exterior cut extending completely around its circumference. The cut forms an annular zone of weakness in the wall of the tip portion. This zone of weakness is disposed in a first plane which is transverse to the axis of the tip portion, and which is offset downwardly of a second and higher plane containing the uppermost external annular edge of the cut. The tip portion has a flat extremity above the cut to enable it to be grasped and shifted so as to rupture the zone of weakness of the tip portion and expose the discharge passage thereof for the dispensing of product therethrough. Optionally, reinforcing struts are molded integral with the flattened extremity of the tip portion, to increase strength against inadvertent breakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 5121859
    Abstract: A non-resealable dispenser cap construction having an elongate tapered, stepped hollow spout member with an exterior shoulder intermediate its ends, and a discharge orifice. A closure cap member having a transverse closure wall is mounted on the spout member with the transverse wall engaging and closing over the discharge orifice. With the closure cap member so mounted, the transverse closure wall is distorted and biased by its engagement with the wall of the discharge orifice. One of the members is formed with two oppositely-disposed frangible tabs which overlie and are permanently attached to the other member, and each tab has a zone of weakness which can be readily ruptured upon the application of opposing rotative forces to the members. With the cap member removed the orifice is exposed, permitting discharge of the container contents through the spout member. Re-sealing of the cap member on the spout member is prevented, due to a lack of interengageable parts on the two members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 5090598
    Abstract: A dispenser construction having a tubular fitment member with an open end, and a stopper member having an annular wall and a side opening therein. The stopper member has a discharge passage communicating with the side opening and a discharge orifice at the end of the discharge passage. The stopper member is carried in the open end of the fitment member, and is axially movable thereon between a raised, discharge position, and a lowered, sealing position. Sealing structures are provided on the open end of the fitment member and on the annular wall of the stopper member, and disposed above the location of the side opening thereof, to prevent leakage of liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1992
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 5072863
    Abstract: A push-to-open, non-resealable cap construction for hand-held dispensers. The cap has a body member with a discharge passage, and a nozzle member carried by the body member and axially shiftable thereon between a raised, sealing position and a lowered, discharge position. There is a discharge orifice in the nozzle member. A valve structure on the members controls communication between the discharge passage and the discharge orifice to regulate product flow. A blocking rib on the nozzle member normally maintains it in the raised, sealing position in the absence of an external axial force, but the rib can be re-positioned by turning the nozzle member, which latter can then be shifted from its raised, sealing position to its lowered, discharge position. A detent structure on the body member and nozzle member thereafter serves to retain the latter in its lowered, discharge position once it has arrived there.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1991
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 5071017
    Abstract: A valving-type closure having a resilient diaphragm provided with a portion having a through slit for the passage of fluids, the slit portion being adapted to bulge and open the slit in response to fluid pressure applied to one side thereof. The slit portion has abuttable, cooperable structures on one side, which come into forcible abutment and act to physically open the slit as the portion bulges. Preferably the abuttable structures are in the form of rings molded on the underside of the diaphragm. The slit through the diaphragm also extends through the ring, thereby forming two semi-circular ring segments. The ring segments in turn form abutment shoulders that pivot the walls of the slit away from one another when the diaphragm is bulged, thereby resulting in a more pronounced spreading force being applied to the walls, and increasing the size of the opening formed by the slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1991
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 5046646
    Abstract: A non-resealable dispenser cap construction having an elongate tapered, stepped hollow spout member with an exterior shoulder intermediate its ends, and a discharge orifice. A closure cap member having a transverse closure wall is mounted on the spout member with the transverse wall engaging and closing over the discharge orifice. With the closure cap member so mounted, the transverse closure wall is distorted and biased by its engagement with the wall of the discharge orifice. One of the members is formed with two oppositely-disposed frangible tabs which overlie and are permanently attached to the other member, and each tab has a zone of weakness which can be readily ruptured upon the application of opposing rotative forces to the members. With the cap member removed the orifice is exposed, permitting discharge of the container contents through the spout member. Re-sealing of the cap member on the spout member is prevented, due to a lack of interengageable parts on the two members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 5044530
    Abstract: A dispensing cap construction for containers, having a cap body for attachment to a container neck, and having a discharge spout portion through which the container contents can be discharged, and a closure cap turnably carried by the cap body. The closure cap has a non-round or slit-shaped orifice, and a stopper blade in the closure cap is received in the orifice so as to close it off. The stopper blade is rotatably mounted on the spout portion of the cap body to enable it to rotate simultaneously with, or in unison with turning movements of the closure cap. The cross section of the stopper blade is such that it can fit sealingly in the orifice. The cross section of the blade is, in the disclosed embodiment, substantially of rectangular or oblong configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 4842169
    Abstract: A dispensing cap construction including a base cap attachable to a container, the base cap having a spout formation provided with a side wall and with a flow passage in the side wall, and a cover cap which is both turnably mounted on the base cap and axially movable theron between a lowered sealing position and a raised dispensing position. The cover cap has a discharge orifice, and a valving wall and dischage passage in the valving wall, both of which move circumferentially around the side wall of the spout formation. The valving wall moves into and out of a sealing position wherein it covers or uncovers the flow passage in the side wall of the base cap when the cover cap is turned. The valving wall has positions intermediate its full cover and full uncover positions wherein it only partially closes the flow passage. The discharge orifice of the cover cap is sealed at a point downstream of the flow passage of the base cap when the cover cap is in its lowered position thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 4826055
    Abstract: A compact, high-flow-rate closure cap construction for hand-held dispensers, comprising a cap body having an upstanding tubular discharge neck portion, and a closure cap having a bore receiving the neck portion. The neck portion has a cylindrical exterior sealing surface, and the bore has a sealing annulus engaged with the exterior sealing surface. The closure cap is axially slidable on the neck portion between a closed sealing position and an open, product-discharging position. The bore of the neck portion contains multiple product-flow discharge passages which enlarge the effective cross-sectional area of the bore so as to increase its flow-handling capacity, with a minimum of loss in its stiffness and rigidity. The cap has a discharge orifice that is normally closed off by a stopper peg carried by a bridge on the cap body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 4773572
    Abstract: A hand-held dispenser for a flowable product, comprising a container having a neck portion at its top, and a cap body having a discharge opening and a base portion cooperable with the neck portion of the container to mount the cap body thereon. The said base and neck portions have cooperable automatic pressure-relief valving means which are responsive to increased gas pressure in the container, for venting a limited quantity of gas when the container is in its upright position, thereby to prevent possible explosion of the container and spillage or splattering of its contents. In one embodiment, there is a first annular sealing surface on one portion and a cooperable annular sealing surface on a companion portion which is engageable with the said first surface when the cap body is fully seated on the neck portion, A projection on one of the portions is disposed adjacent the sealing surface thereof, and is engageable with the cooperable sealing surface on the other of the portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 4754899
    Abstract: A dispensing cap construction including a base cap attachable to a container, the base cap having a spout formation provided with a side wall and with a flow passage in the side wall, and a cover cap which is both turnably mounted on the base cap and axially movable thereon between a lowered sealing position and a raised dispensing position. The cover cap has a discharge orifice, and a valving wall and discharge passage in the valving wall, both of which move circumferentially around the side wall of the spout formation. The valving wall moves into and out of a sealing position wherein it covers or uncovers the flow passage in the side wall of the base cap when the cover cap is turned. The valving wall has positions intermediate its full cover and full uncover positions wherein it only partially closes the flow passage. The discharge orifice of the cover cap is sealed at a point downstream of the flow passage of the base cap when the cover cap is in its lowered position thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1988
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 4653676
    Abstract: A hand-held dispenser including a container having a dispensing neck portion provided with an exterior, annular locking-type retention bead and a nozzled dispenser cap adapted to be forcibly applied to the neck portion and to be permanently retained thereon. The container neck portion has a circumferentially facing abutment shoulder disposed above its bead, and the cap has an internal locking-type retention bead cooperable with the bead on the neck portion. The cap also has a locater lug which can engage the abutment shoulder of the neck portion during initial relative turning application of the cap, thereby to halt the latter in a predetermined rotative position. A recess on the neck portion receives the locater lug as the cap, subsequent to its halting, is axially applied. The arrangement is such that the cap will always be positioned on the neck portion at a fixed, rotative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 4651886
    Abstract: A screw cap and sealing liner construction including a cap body having a transverse top wall with an inside surface, and having an annular skirt depending from the top wall, the annular skirt having an internal screw thread which extends upward and has a top end located closely adjacent the inside surface. A sealing liner is disposed immediately below and against the inside wall surface, and has a peripheral portion located between this surface and the top end of the screw thread to be engaged and positioned thereby. A nib is provided on the inside of the annular skirt at a location circumferentially spaced from the top end of the screw thread. The nib is adjacent the inside surface of the top wall and engages the underside of the sealing liner to retain the liner in position below this surface. The arrangement simplifies both the molding of the cap and the stripping of the cured part from the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 4648520
    Abstract: A plastic closure cap and liner retention arrangement therefor which permits installation of the liner into the cap without distortion of the liner, and thereafter effectively holds the latter captive during subsequent handling or use of the cap. The construction comprises a cup-shaped molded plastic cap having a top wall and an annular side wall, and a sealing liner carried in the cap adjacent its top wall. Internal threads in the cap wall enable the cap to be screwed onto the threaded neck of a container in the usual manner. The cap interior has a ledge structure which may be annular, and in which the liner is nested. The ledge is preferably integral with the top and side walls of the cap. With the cap inverted, and following insertion of the liner into the cap, a punch having one or more tapered working edges is applied to the ledge and displaces a portion thereof to form a retention shoulder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1987
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 4646949
    Abstract: A captive dispensing cap construction having a body part that is adapted to be carried on a container neck, and a screw cap part that is captive on the body part and is turnable thereon between a retracted, fully screwed on sealing position and an extended, discharge position. Cooperable threads are provided on the parts, to enable the cap part to be moved toward its retracted sealing position. The body part has a pair of upwardly facing cam tracks that are disposed opposite one another, and which are engaged respectively by a pair of interior lugs on the underside of the cap part. During unscrewing of the latter, the lugs ride up the tracks, thereby shifting the cap part axially upward toward its discharge position. Adjacent the lower ends of the cam tracks are abutment shoulders disposed in the path of movement of the lugs, providing tactual resistance to the initial unscrewing of the cap part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 4646947
    Abstract: A hand-held dispenser for a flowable product capable of gassing, comprising a container having a neck part at its top, and a dispensing cap having a body part provided with a discharge opening. The cap-body and container-neck parts are cooperable to mount the cap on the container, and are constituted to form a cooperable automatic pressure-relief valving device which, in response to increased gas pressure in the container, vents a limited quantity of gas when the container is upright. This prevents expelling or splattering of the container contents. A first annular sealing surface on one part and a cooperable annular sealing surface on the other part effect a seal when the cap is fully seated on the container, and permit escape of gas when the cap is slightly unseated. A projection on one part is engageable with a projection on the other part to provide a biasing action which returns the cap to fully-seated position after the venting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: 4635823
    Abstract: A dispensing closure construction of the type having a base part or body that is held captive on a container neck, and a sealing cap and integral hinge connected to the body. The body has an off-center discharge orifice and a high, domed top portion behind the orifice and extending above the level thereof so as to channel product from the top portion back toward the orifice after the container is used and returned to an upright position. A continuous sealing shoulder on the body engages the inner cylindrical surface of the sealing cap near its edge when the latter is swung to its closed position to minimize the possibility of water or other liquid from entering the area around the underside of the cap. A rib carried on the underside of the sealing cap is receivable in a recess in the domed top portion, and can engage opposed, facing shoulders so as to limit relative turning between the cap and body. The rib and recess are adjacent the location of the hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1987
    Inventor: Gene Stull
  • Patent number: D297598
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Inventor: Gene Stull