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: 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
  • Publication number: 20220017256
    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. Abase 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: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Tyler M. NUNNOLD, James STELZER, Jairaj Chetas DESAI
  • Patent number: 11104503
    Abstract: A pill dispenser including a first primary ramp and a second primary ramp, which is opposite to the first primary ramp. Also included are a first secondary ramp and a second secondary ramp, which is opposite to the first secondary ramp. The first and second secondary ramps are both between the first and the second primary ramps. The pill dispenser further has an outlet including outlet sidewalls and an aperture through which pills are dispensed from, or loaded into, the pill dispenser. The outlet sidewalls extend to the aperture from the first primary ramp, the second primary ramp, the first secondary ramp, and the second secondary ramp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Amcor Rigid Packaging USA, LLC
    Inventors: Bradley S. Philip, Mark Woloszyk, James Stelzer
  • Publication number: 20210221593
    Abstract: A polymeric container including an upper portion defining an opening to an interior volume of the container. A base is movable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container, thereby decreasing the volume of the container. A substantially cylindrical sidewall extends between the upper portion and the base. A rigid, central pushup portion of the base is at an axial center of the base. A central longitudinal axis of the container extends through a center of the central pushup portion. A flexible diaphragm of the base extends outward from the central pushup portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: AMCOR RIGID PLASTICS USA, LLC
    Inventors: Michael T. LANE, James STELZER
  • Patent number: 10968006
    Abstract: A container including a finish defining an opening at a first end of the container that provides access to an internal volume defined by the container. A base portion of the container includes a diaphragm that is concave relative to an exterior of the container. The diaphragm extends from a standing surface of the container to a center push-up portion of the base portion. The standing surface is at a second end of the container opposite to the first end. The diaphragm is configured to move from an as-blown first configuration to a second configuration in which the diaphragm is closer to the first end as compared to the first configuration in order to reduce residual vacuum within the container. The diaphragm is generally hemispherical in cross-section when in the second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: AMCOR RIGID PACKAGING USA, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Woloszyk, Omkar Dole, David Downing, Kirk Edward Maki, Bradley S. Philip, James Stelzer, Luke A. Mast, Richard J. Steih
  • Publication number: 20200299053
    Abstract: A pill dispenser including a first primary ramp and a second primary ramp, which is opposite to the first primary ramp. Also included are a first secondary ramp and a second secondary ramp, which is opposite to the first secondary ramp. The first and second secondary ramps are both between the first and the second primary ramps. The pill dispenser further has an outlet including outlet sidewalls and an aperture through which pills are dispensed from, or loaded into, the pill dispenser. The outlet sidewalls extend to the aperture from the first primary ramp, the second primary ramp, the first secondary ramp, and the second secondary ramp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Bradley S. PHILIP, Mark WOLOSZYK, James STELZER
  • Patent number: 10723504
    Abstract: A container has a finish, a sidewall portion, a shoulder portion extending between the finish and the sidewall portion, and a base portion extending from the sidewall portion and enclosing the sidewall portion to form a volume therein for retaining a commodity. The sidewall portion includes a label boundary panel and a vacuum panel. The label boundary panel is generally resistant to deflection in response to a vacuum force and defining a surface for receiving a pressure sensitive spot label. The vacuum panel is deflectable in response to the vacuum force. Moreover, the container includes one or more inwardly-directed ribs extending along the label boundary panel and bound thereby. The inwardly-directed rib(s) generally aid(s) the label boundary panel to resist the vacuum force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: AMCOR RIGID PACKAGING USA, LLC
    Inventors: Rohit V. Joshi, Nathaniel Haller, James Stelzer
  • Patent number: 10625917
    Abstract: A non-round container including a sidewall with an outer surface. A first vacuum panel is recessed beneath the outer surface and includes at least one first rib. A second vacuum panel is recessed beneath the outer surface and includes at least one second rib. A middle vacuum panel is recessed beneath the outer surface and is positioned between the first and the second vacuum panels. The middle vacuum panel includes at least one middle rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: AMCOR RIGID PLASTICS USA, LLC
    Inventors: James Stelzer, Rohit V. Joshi, Guizhang Zheng, Dwayne Gannon
  • Publication number: 20200095008
    Abstract: A container including a finish defining an opening at a first end of the container that provides access to an internal volume defined by the container. A base portion of the container includes a diaphragm that is concave relative to an exterior of the container. The diaphragm extends from a standing surface of the container to a center push-up portion of the base portion. The standing surface is at a second end of the container opposite to the first end. The diaphragm is configured to move from an as-blown first configuration to a second configuration in which the diaphragm is closer to the first end as compared to the first configuration in order to reduce residual vacuum within the container. The diaphragm is generally hemispherical in cross-section when in the second configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Mark WOLOSZYK, Omkar DOLE, David DOWNING, Kirk Edward MAKI, Bradley S. PHILIP, James STELZER, Luke A. MAST, Richard J. STEIH
  • Patent number: D896656
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: The Clorox Company
    Inventors: Matthias Palm, John E. Jamieson, Sameer Satghare, James Stelzer
  • Patent number: D932897
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Shamrock Foods Company
    Inventors: Damien Moyal, James Stelzer, Pankaj Kumar, Stuart Whitworth, Paula Grant, Dominic DeMaria, James Grant, Laurel Gillispie, Melissa Piombo, Tyana Soto
  • 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