Patents by Inventor James Stelzer

James Stelzer 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).

  • Publication number: 20250162763
    Abstract: A polymeric container including a finish defining an opening. A base is configured to support the container upright. A grip area is between the opening and the base. A plurality of grip panels are at the grip area. Each one of the grip panels has a depth, a height, and a width. The depth is at least 17% of the height, and the depth is at least 10% of the width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2025
    Publication date: May 22, 2025
    Inventors: Michael T. LANE, James Stelzer, Omkar Dole, Dan Witham, Luke A. Mast
  • Patent number: 12297028
    Abstract: A polymeric container including a finish defining an opening of the container, a base, and a body. The body is between the finish and the base. The body includes a flexible panel extending entirely around the container A longitudinal axis of the container extends through an axial center of the finish, the base, the body, and the flexible panel. The flexible panel includes alternating concave portions and vertically extending columns arranged about the flexible panel. In response to a vacuum within the container resulting from filling and capping the container, the concave portions are configured to flex inward towards the longitudinal axis to become more concave, and the vertically extending columns are configured to flex outward away from the longitudinal axis of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: AMCOR RIGID PACKAGING USA, LLC
    Inventors: John Siciliano, Tyler M. Nunnold, Michael T. Lane, James Stelzer, Omkar Dole
  • Publication number: 20250058947
    Abstract: A polymeric container with a finish defining an opening. A base is at an end of the polymeric container opposite to the opening. A plurality of base lobes are spaced apart about an axial center of the base. Each one of the plurality of base lobes includes a generally horizontal portion, a generally vertical portion, and a curved portion between the generally horizontal portion and the generally vertical portion. The polymeric container is made of at least 35% recycled material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Inventors: Tyler M. NUNNOLD, Daniel FLOREZ-BEDOYA, James STELZER, John SICILIANO
  • Patent number: 12208941
    Abstract: A polymeric container including a finish defining an opening. A base is configured to support the container upright. A grip area is between the opening and the base. A plurality of grip panels are at the grip area. Each one of the grip panels has a depth, a height, and a width. The depth is at least 17% of the height, and the depth is at least 10% of the width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: AMCOR RIGID PACKAGING USA, LLC
    Inventors: Michael T. Lane, James Stelzer, Omkar Dole, Dan Witham, Luke A. Mast
  • Publication number: 20250010536
    Abstract: A base assembly configured to cooperate with an injection blow molding machine for forming a polymeric container from a preform by injection blow molding. The base assembly includes a base insert defining a base mold configured to form a base of the polymeric container during injection blow molding. The base insert is slidably seated within the base assembly. The base insert is slidably movable between a retracted position and an extended position during injection blow molding of the polymeric container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Inventors: Lauren STRAPEC, Michael T. LANE, James STELZER, Luke A. MAST
  • Patent number: 12139296
    Abstract: A multi-serve polymeric container having a finish defining an opening of the container, a body, and a base. The body and the base have a substantially oval shape in cross-section, which enables the use of smaller finishes and provides for lighter weight containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: AMCOR RIGID PACKAGING USA, LLC
    Inventors: Michael T. Lane, Bradley S. Philip, James Stelzer
  • Publication number: 20240262560
    Abstract: A polymeric container including a base that moves inward toward the finish from an as-blown configuration to a post-fill, post vacuum configuration after the container has been filled and capped to generate a vacuum therein. In the as-blown configuration a diaphragm is linear in cross-section. In the post-fill, post-vacuum configuration the diaphragm is concave relative to an outer surface of the base. As the base moves inward from the as-blown configuration to the post-fill, post vacuum configuration, an angle of intersection between an outer standing surface and a heel decreases as vacuum in the container increases and a pushup portion moves inward towards a finish of the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Inventors: Jeffery VAJEN, John SICILIANO, James STELZER, Omkar DOLE
  • Publication number: 20240208687
    Abstract: A multi-serve polymeric container having a finish defining an opening of the container, a body, and a base. The body and the base have a substantially oval shape in cross-section, which enables the use of smaller finishes and provides for lighter weight containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventors: Michael T. LANE, Bradley S. PHILIP, James STELZER
  • Patent number: 12017835
    Abstract: A method of forming a container and filling the container with a product. The method includes heat-set blow molding the container from a preform and hot-filling the container with the product such that the product occupies about 95% or more of a total interior volume of the container. A headspace volume is defined between a top fill line of the product and a brim of the container. The headspace volume is less than about 5% of the total interior volume of the container. The container is capped and allowed to cool. The container is configured to shrink during cooling such that the total interior volume decreases by about 0.5% to 1.5% during cooling. A base of the container is displaced after hot-filling and capping to reduce the total interior volume by less than about an additional 0.5% to 4%. The hot-filling, capping, cooling, and displacing of the base creates a pressure change within the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: AMCOR RIGID PACKAGING USA, LLC
    Inventors: Michael T. Lane, James Stelzer, Frederick C. Beuerle, Omkar Dole, Luke A. Mast
  • Publication number: 20240174422
    Abstract: A container including an opening defined by a finish portion. A base is at an end of the container opposite to the opening. The base includes a deep base ring between a standing surface and a truncated cone at a center of the base. The truncated cone is mechanically movable a displacement distance from an as-blown position to a displaced position subsequent to hot-filling and capping of the container to reduce an internal volume of the container. In the displaced position, the truncated cone is closer to the opening than in the as-blown position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2024
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Michael T. LANE, James STELZER
  • Publication number: 20240101299
    Abstract: A polymeric container including a finish defining an opening of the container. A body defines an internal volume for storing product therein. A base is at an end of the body opposite to the finish. The base defines a plurality of recesses spaced apart from one another about an axial center of the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: James STELZER, Bradley S. PHILIP, Michael T. LANE
  • Publication number: 20240092551
    Abstract: A polymeric container including a finish defining an opening of the container, a base, and a body. The body is between the finish and the base. The body includes a flexible panel extending entirely around the container A longitudinal axis of the container extends through an axial center of the finish, the base, the body, and the flexible panel. The flexible panel includes alternating concave portions and vertically extending columns arranged about the flexible panel. In response to a vacuum within the container resulting from filling and capping the container, the concave portions are configured to flex inward towards the longitudinal axis to become more concave, and the vertically extending columns are configured to flex outward away from the longitudinal axis of the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: John SICILIANO, Tyler M. NUNNOLD, Michael T. LANE, James STELZER, Omkar DOLE
  • Patent number: 11919670
    Abstract: A displacement device for moving a truncated cone at a base of a container from an as-blown position to a displaced position. The base includes a deep base ring between a standing surface and the truncated cone. The displacement device includes a collar sized and shaped to be received within the deep base ring. A plunger includes a head at an end of a shaft extending through the collar. The head is sized and shaped to be received within the receptacle of the collar. The plunger is movable from a retracted position, at which the head is seated within the receptacle, to an extended position at which the head extends out from within the receptacle to allow the head to contact the truncated cone and move the truncated cone from the as-blown position to the displaced position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: AMCOR RIGID PACKAGING USA, LLC
    Inventor: James Stelzer
  • Patent number: 11891227
    Abstract: A container including an opening defined by a finish portion. A base is at an end of the container opposite to the opening. The base includes a deep base ring between a standing surface and a truncated cone at a center of the base. The truncated cone is mechanically movable a displacement distance from an as-blown position to a displaced position subsequent to hot-filling and capping of the container to reduce an internal volume of the container. In the displaced position, the truncated cone is closer to the opening than in the as-blown position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: AMCOR RIGID PACKAGING USA, LLC
    Inventors: Michael T. Lane, James Stelzer
  • Patent number: 11884447
    Abstract: A polymeric container including a finish defining an opening of the container. A shoulder of the container is between the finish and a body of the container. A base of the container is at an end of the body opposite to the shoulder. The base is configured to support the container upright. A plurality of body ribs are at the body. A shoulder rib is between the shoulder and the body. The shoulder rib has a maximum height that is about 5 times greater than a maximum depth of the shoulder rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: AMCOR RIGID PACKAGING USA, LLC
    Inventors: Tyler M. Nunnold, James Stelzer, Jairaj Chetas Desai
  • Publication number: 20230054837
    Abstract: A method of forming a container and filling the container with a product. The method includes heat-set blow molding the container from a preform and hot-filling the container with the product such that the product occupies about 95% or more of a total interior volume of the container. A headspace volume is defined between a top fill line of the product and a brim of the container. The headspace volume is less than about 5% of the total interior volume of the container. The container is capped and allowed to cool. The container is configured to shrink during cooling such that the total interior volume decreases by about 0.5% to 1.5% during cooling. A base of the container is displaced after hot-filling and capping to reduce the total interior volume by less than about an additional 0.5% to 4%. The hot-filling, capping, cooling, and displacing of the base creates a pressure change within the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Michael T. LANE, James STELZER, Frederick C. BEUERLE, Omkar DOLE, Luke A. MAST
  • Publication number: 20220097912
    Abstract: A polymeric container including a finish defining an opening. A base is configured to support the container upright. A grip area is between the opening and the base. A plurality of grip panels are at the grip area. Each one of the grip panels has a depth, a height, and a width. The depth is at least 17% of the height, and the depth is at least 10% of the width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Michael T. LANE, James STELZER, Omkar DOLE, Dan WITHAM, Luke A. MAST
  • Publication number: 20220089310
    Abstract: A displacement device for moving a truncated cone at a base of a container from an as-blown position to a displaced position. The base includes a deep base ring between a standing surface and the truncated cone. The displacement device includes a collar sized and shaped to be received within the deep base ring. A plunger includes a head at an end of a shaft extending through the collar. The head is sized and shaped to be received within the receptacle of the collar. The plunger is movable from a retracted position, at which the head is seated within the receptacle, to an extended position at which the head extends out from within the receptacle to allow the head to contact the truncated cone and move the truncated cone from the as-blown position to the displaced position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventor: James STELZER
  • Publication number: 20220081149
    Abstract: A container including an opening defined by a finish portion. A base is at an end of the container opposite to the opening. The base includes a deep base ring between a standing surface and a truncated cone at a center of the base. The truncated cone is mechanically movable a displacement distance from an as-blown position to a displaced position subsequent to hot-filling and capping of the container to reduce an internal volume of the container. In the displaced position, the truncated cone is closer to the opening than in the as-blown position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Michael T. LANE, James STELZER
  • Patent number: D955883
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: Rohit Joshi, Trey Veal, Marina Brook, John Pinto, Christopher Howe, John Siciliano, James Stelzer