Patents by Inventor Jerome G. Dees
Jerome G. Dees 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).
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Patent number: 7258905Abstract: A sealable food container includes a base serving member such as a plate having a generally planar central portion, a sidewall extending generally upwardly and outwardly therefrom and a base outer flange portion extending outwardly from the sidewall. The sidewall defines a sealing area with an undercut annular sealing surface disposed between the substantially planar central portion of the base serving member and the base outer flange portion. The sidewall portion of the plate defines a base stop ridge adjacent the upper edge of the undercut annular sealing surface of the sidewall as well as a laterally extending retaining shelf adjacent the lower edge of the undercut annular sealing surface of the base serving member.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2002Date of Patent: August 21, 2007Assignee: Dixie Consumer Products LLCInventors: Rebecca E. Whitmore, Mark B. Littlejohn, Margaret P. Neer, Debra D. Bowers, Jerome G. Dees, Gerald J. Van Handel
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Patent number: 7032773Abstract: There is provided a container having both male and female sealing regions disposed about its periphery in a pattern making it possible to seal a container with another container having substantially identical sealing regions. The male sealing regions used in the practice of the present invention may take the form of a U-shaped ridge which is undercut along at least one leg of the U in a radial direction. Typically, a container will be thermoformed from lightweight thermoplastic material giving the U-shaped ridge considerable flexibility. The female sealing regions used in the practice of the invention may take the form of an undercut channel adapted to receive and match the undercut U-shaped ridges found in the male portion of the container wherein the walls and base of the channel are sufficiently flexible that the undercut portions of the U-shaped ridge are urged into engagement with the undercut portions of the channel.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2004Date of Patent: April 25, 2006Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Jerome G. Dees, Rebecca E. Whitmore, Gerald J. Van Handel, Mark B. Littlejohn, Luther A. Gross, Mark A. Cruz
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Patent number: 6923338Abstract: There is provided a container having both male and female sealing regions disposed about its periphery in a pattern making it possible to seal a container with another container having substantially identical sealing regions. The male sealing regions used in the practice of the present invention may take the form of a U-shaped ridge which is undercut along at least one leg of the U. Typically, a container will he thermoformed from lightweight thermoplastic material giving the U-shaped ridge considerable flexibility. The female sealing regions used in the practice of the invention may take the form of an undercut channel adapted to receive and match the undercut U-shaped ridges found in the male portion of the container wherein the walls and base of the channel are sufficiently flexible that the undercut portions of the U-shaped ridge are urged into engagement with the undercut portions of the channel and the crest of the ridge is urged into the channel.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2002Date of Patent: August 2, 2005Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Jerome G. Dees, Rebecca E. Whitmore, Gerald J. Van Handel, Mark B. Littlejohn
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Publication number: 20040144781Abstract: There is provided a container having both male and female sealing regions disposed about its periphery in a pattern making it possible to seal a container with another container having substantially identical sealing regions. The male sealing regions used in the practice of the present invention may take the form of a U-shaped ridge which is undercut along at least one leg of the U in a radial direction. Typically, a container will be thermoformed from lightweight thermoplastic material giving the U-shaped ridge considerable flexibility. The female sealing regions used in the practice of the invention may take the form of an undercut channel adapted to receive and match the undercut U-shaped ridges found in the male portion of the container wherein the walls and base of the channel are sufficiently flexible that the undercut portions of the U-shaped ridge are urged into engagement with the undercut portions of the channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2004Publication date: July 29, 2004Inventors: Jerome G. Dees, Rebecca E. Whitmore, Gerald J. Van Handel, Mark B. Littlejohn, Luther A. Gross, Mark A. Cruz
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Patent number: 6733852Abstract: In a preferred construction, a food container includes: (i) a container base such as a serving planer, plate or howl having (a) a substantially planar central area, (b) a container base sidewall extending outwardly and upwardly from the central area having: (1) a recessed frustal tapered container base sealing area formed in the container base sidewall, and (2) a container base stop ridge adjacent the frustal tapered container base sealing area, and (c) an outwardly extending convex rim adjoining the container base stop ridge having an outer lip formed thereabout; and (ii) a resilient mating domed lid.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2001Date of Patent: May 11, 2004Assignee: Georgia-Pacific CorporationInventors: Mark B. Littlejohn, Rebecca E. Whitmore, Jerome G. Dees
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Patent number: 6715630Abstract: The present invention is directed to rigid disposable food containers provided with a relatively steep sidewall with a generally linear profile and an outwardly flared arcuate flange portion. The containers are further characterized by a flange outer vertical drop wherein the ratio of the length of the vertical drop to the characteristic diameter of the container is greater than about 0.01. By virtue of unique geometry, the containers of the invention exhibit improved rigidity and/or rim stiffness yet have favorable runnability in pressware manufacturing systems characteristic of plates of lower strength.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2003Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Mark B. Littlejohn, Gerald J. Van Handel, Thomas W. Zelinski, Jerome G. Dees
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Publication number: 20030173366Abstract: The present invention is directed to rigid disposable food containers provided with a relatively steep sidewall with a generally linear profile and an outwardly flared arcuate flange portion. The containers are further characterized by a flange outer vertical drop wherein the ratio of the length of the vertical drop to the characteristic diameter of the container is greater than about 0.01. By virtue of unique geometry, the containers of the invention exhibit improved rigidity and/or rim stiffness yet have favorable runnability in pressware manufacturing systems characteristic of plates of lower strength.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2003Publication date: September 18, 2003Inventors: Mark B. Littlejohn, Gerald J. Van Handel, Thomas W. Zelinski, Jerome G. Dees
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Publication number: 20020175171Abstract: A sealable food container includes a base serving member such as a bowl with a generally planar central portion, a sidewall and a flange. The sidewall defines an annular sealing region with an annular sealing portion, a stop ridge and a laterally extending retaining shelf. A lid is provided with a peripheral portion adapted to be retained by the annular base sealing portion and to be secured by the stop ridge. In one preferred embodiment, the lid is a planar paperboard lid provided with a tab and the annular sealing portion of the base is an undercut groove in its sidewall.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2002Publication date: November 28, 2002Inventors: Elizabeth Ann Walton Stewart, Rebecca E. Whitmore, Mark B. Littlejohn, Margaret P. Neer, Debra D. Bowers, Jerome G. Dees, Gerald J. Van Handel
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Publication number: 20020175164Abstract: There is provided a container having both male and female sealing regions disposed about its periphery in a pattern making it possible to seal a container with another container having substantially identical sealing regions. The male sealing regions used in the practice of the present invention may take the form of a U-shaped ridge which is undercut along at least one leg of the U. Typically, a container will be thermoformed from lightweight thermoplastic material giving the U-shaped ridge considerable flexibility. The female sealing regions used in the practice of the invention may take the form of an undercut channel adapted to receive and match the undercut U-shaped ridges found in the male portion of the container wherein the walls and base of the channel are sufficiently flexible that the undercut portions of the U-shaped ridge are urged into engagement with the undercut portions of the channel and the crest of the ridge is urged into the channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2002Publication date: November 28, 2002Inventors: Jerome G. Dees, Rebecca E. Whitmore, Gerald J. Van Handel, Mark B. Littlejohn
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Publication number: 20020122907Abstract: A sealable food container includes a base serving member such as a plate having a generally planar central portion, a sidewall extending generally upwardly and outwardly therefrom and a base outer flange portion extending outwardly from the sidewall. The sidewall defines a sealing area with an undercut annular sealing surface disposed between the substantially planar central portion of the base serving member and the base outer flange portion. The sidewall portion of the plate defines a base stop ridge adjacent the upper edge of the undercut annular sealing surface of the sidewall as well as a laterally extending retaining shelf adjacent the lower edge of the undercut annular sealing surface of the base serving member. A matching sealing lid is typically provided with a dome, a flexible sidewall and an annular sealing portion configured to cooperate with the base stop ridge and the sealing surface of the serving member in order to seal the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2002Publication date: September 5, 2002Inventors: Rebecca E. Whitmore, Mark B. Littlejohn, Margaret P. Neer, Debra D. Bowers, Jerome G. Dees, Gerald J. Van Handel
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Publication number: 20020037378Abstract: In a preferred construction, a food container includes: (i) a container base such as a serving platter, plate or bowl having (a) a substantially planar central area, (b) a container base sidewall extending outwardly and upwardly from the central area having: (1) a frustral tapered container base sealing area formed in the container base sidewall, and (2) a container base stop ridge adjacent the frustral tapered container base sealing area, and (c) an outwardly extending convex rim adjoining the container base stop ridge having an outer lip formed thereabout; and (ii) a resilient mating domed lid having (a) a raised central portion, (b) a downwardly extending resilient lid sidewall adjoining the raised central portion, (c) a flexible surround adjoining and extending outwardly about the downwardly extending resilient lid sidewall, (d) an outwardly extending flange adjoining the surround having (1) a frustral tapered lid sealing area formed there for engaging the frastral container base sealing area formed in thType: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2001Publication date: March 28, 2002Inventors: Mark B. Littlejohn, Rebecca E. Whitmore, Jerome G. Dees
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Patent number: 6287247Abstract: Composite paperboard containers formed from a first substantially planar sheet of paperboard material having a content contacting surface and a back surface, a first embossed sheet of paperboard material having a plurality of raised portions adhered to the back surface of the first planar sheet and a second embossed sheet of paperboard material having a plurality of raised portions adhered to the first embossed sheet of paperboard material. Additional planar sheets or embossed sheets may be added as desired in order to achieve the desired flexural stiffness and thermal resistance.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2000Date of Patent: September 11, 2001Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Jerome G. Dees, Kirk Kimbel
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Patent number: 6186394Abstract: Composite paperboard containers formed from a first substantially planar sheet of paperboard material having a content contacting surface and a back surface, a first embossed sheet of paperboard material having a plurality of raised portions adhered to the back surface of the first planar sheet and a second embossed sheet of paperboard material having a plurality of raised portions adhered to the first embossed sheet of paperboard material. Additional planar sheets or embossed sheets may be added as desired in order to achieve the desired flexural stiffness and thermal resistance.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2000Date of Patent: February 13, 2001Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Jerome G. Dees, Kirk Kimbel
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Patent number: 6039682Abstract: Composite paperboard containers formed from a first substantially planar sheet of paperboard material having a content contacting surface and a back surface, a first embossed sheet of paperboard material having a plurality of raised portions adhered to the back surface of the first planar sheet and a second embossed sheet of paperboard material having a plurality of raised portions adhered to the first embossed sheet of paperboard material. Additional planar sheets or embossed sheets may be added as desired in order to achieve the desired flexural stiffness and thermal resistance.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1997Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Jerome G. Dees, Kirk Kimbel
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Patent number: D446087Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2000Date of Patent: August 7, 2001Assignee: Georgia-Pacific CorporationInventors: Derek Riemer, Jerome G. Dees, Robert J. Aloisi, Andrew W. Taylor, Paul R. Kaknes
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Patent number: D450580Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2000Date of Patent: November 20, 2001Assignee: Fort James CorporationInventors: Mark B. Littlejohn, Rebecca E. Whitmore, Jerome G. Dees
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Patent number: D452417Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2001Date of Patent: December 25, 2001Assignee: Georgia-Pacific CorporationInventors: Rebecca E. Whitmore, Jerome G. Dees