Patents by Inventor Jerry E. Buchanan
Jerry E. Buchanan 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: 7217032Abstract: A flexible container and method for making same are provided. The container comprises a base portion including a bottom, side walls, and an interior, the bottom defining a substantially flat planar surface when the container houses product and the container rests on its bottom, an upper panel portion, that is designed to be received within the interior of the base portion and includes side panels that define a closure member, the upper panel being so constructed and arranged to define a substantially flat surface when the closure member is closed and portions of the upper panel are folded over, the upper panel includes a portion that is sealed to the base portion, and a pair of handles may also be coupled to the base portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2003Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: Nestec S.A.Inventors: Jerry E. Buchanan, Rodney A. Buchanan, Albert L. Baner, Harold H. Bennett, Todd A. Miles, John G. Ratcliff
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Patent number: 7207716Abstract: A flexible container (10) has a base (12) that includes a bottom (20), side walls (22, 24, 26, 28) and an interior (30), the bottom defining a substantially flat planar surface when the container houses product and the container rests thereon, an upper panel portion (14), that is adapted to be received within the interior of the base portion and includes side panels that define a closure member (60, 62). The upper panel is constructed and arranged to define a substantially flat surface (72) when the closure member is closed and portions of the upper panel are folded over. The upper panel includes a portion that is sealed to the base portion. A pair of handles (16, 18) may be secured to the base portion. The flat top and flat bottom allow for vertical stacking of the filled containers.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2001Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: Nestec S.A.Inventors: Jerry E. Buchanan, Rodney A. Buchanan, Albert L. Baner, Harold Bennett, Todd A. Miles, John Ratcliff
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Patent number: 6805486Abstract: A sheet material which may be used for a closure system adapted to receive surface fasteners. The sheet material may be used for the manufacture of containers, such as bags and provides a primary form of closure as well as a secondary form of closure which allows for tamper proofing an packaged product prior to its initial opening followed by a one or two part secondary closure system.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2002Date of Patent: October 19, 2004Assignee: YKK Corporation of AmericaInventors: David D. Smith, Nobuo Fujisawa, Jerry E. Buchanan
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Publication number: 20040052436Abstract: A flexible container (10) has a base (12) that includes a bottom (20), side walls (22, 24, 26, 28) and an interior (30), the bottom defining a substantially flat planar surface when the container houses product and the container rests thereon, an upper panel portion (14), that is adapted to be received within the interior of the base portion and includes side panels that define a closure member (60, 62). The upper panel is constructed and arranged to define a substantially flat surface (72) when the closure member is closed and portions of the upper panel are folded over. The upper panel includes a portion that is sealed to the base portion. A pair of handles (16, 18) may be secured to the base portion. The flat top and flat bottom allow for vertical stacking of the filled containers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2003Publication date: March 18, 2004Inventors: Jerry E. Buchanan, Rodney A. Buchanan, Albert L. Baner, Harold Bennett, Todd A. Miles, John Ratcliff
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Publication number: 20030223658Abstract: A sheet material which may be used for a closure system adapted to receive surface fasteners. The sheet material may be used for the manufacture of containers, such as bags and provides a primary form of closure as well as a secondary form of closure which allows for tamper proofing an packaged product prior to its initial opening followed by a one or two part secondary closure system.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2002Publication date: December 4, 2003Inventors: David D. Smith, Nobuo Fujisawa, Jerry E. Buchanan
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Publication number: 20030185467Abstract: A flexible container and method for making same are provided. the container comprises a base portion including a bottom, side walls, and an interior, the bottom defining a substantially flat planar surface when the container houses product and the container rests on its bottom, an upper panel portion, that is designed to be received within the interior of the base portion and includes side panels that define a closure member, the upper panel being so constructed and arranged to define a substantially flat surface when the closure member is closed and portions of the upper panel are folded over, the upper panel includes a portion that is sealed to the base portion, and a pair of handles may also be coupled to the base portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2003Publication date: October 2, 2003Inventors: Jerry E. Buchanan, Rodney A. Buchanan, Albert L. Baner, Harold H. Bennett, Todd A. Miles, John G. Ratcliff
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Patent number: 6604857Abstract: A flexible container and method for making same are provided. the container comprises a base portion including a bottom, side walls, and an interior, the bottom defining a substantially flat planar surface when the container houses product and the container rests on its bottom, an upper panel portion, that is designed to be received within the interior of the base portion and includes side panels that define a closure member, the upper panel being so constructed and arranged to define a substantially flat surface when the closure member is closed and portions of the upper panel are folded over, the upper panel includes a portion that is sealed to the base portion, and a pair of handles may also be coupled to the base portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2001Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: Nestec S.A.Inventors: Jerry E. Buchanan, Rodney A. Buchanan, Albert L. Baner, Harold H. Bennett, Todd A. Miles, John G. Ratcliff
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Publication number: 20020094139Abstract: A flexible container and method for making same are provided. the container comprises a base portion including a bottom, side walls, and an interior, the bottom defining a substantially flat planar surface when the container houses product and the container rests on its bottom, an upper panel portion, that is designed to be received within the interior of the base portion and includes side panels that define a closure member, the upper panel being so constructed and arranged to define a substantially flat surface when the closure member is closed and portions of the upper panel are folded over, the upper panel includes a portion that is sealed to the base portion, and a pair of handles may also be coupled to the base portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2001Publication date: July 18, 2002Inventors: Jerry E. Buchanan, Rodney A Buchanan, Albert L. Baner, Harold H. Bennett, Todd A. Miles, John G. Ratcliff
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Patent number: 6200028Abstract: A convertible package and bowl type container (10) has two overlaying sheets joined along their side edges by side seals (13) and folded to form container sides (19), container ends (20), a generally square bottom (14). The container has an elongated openable seal along the top of the two sides. The sides are of a height of between one to two times that of the major side dimension of the bottom. The container is reconfigurable between a closed configuration with the top seal closed and an open, self standing configuration with a squared off open top.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1997Date of Patent: March 13, 2001Assignee: Technical Developers, Inc.Inventor: Jerry E. Buchanan
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Patent number: 6120183Abstract: Containers (56) are produced from a sheet of flexible sheet material (10) having a sealable inner layer (12). The material is cut to expose the sealable inner layer when the material is folded upon itself so as to form a container having side seams (58) extending past the end walls of the container to prevent breaching and internal tabs (30) to prevent capillary leakage.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 1997Date of Patent: September 19, 2000Assignee: Technical Developers, Inc.Inventors: Jerry E. Buchanan, Larry Sketo, Rodney A. Buchanan
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Patent number: 5855544Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for mounting constructing a flexible a tubular fitment (10) to a flexible container (11) and to the resulting product. The fitment is mounted upon a mandrel (24) having an extendable bearings in the form of an annular array of balls (27). The mandrel supporting the fitment is positioned within the container body (11) and the assembly positioned in heat sealing dies (33,34) having an annular channel (35) sized to receive the fitment. The dies have a groove (36) extending from the channel. The balls are then outwardly extended into the groove and the mandrel rotated to cause the balls to orbit in a circle and seal the fitment to the flexible container oven an annular protrusion (38).Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 1997Date of Patent: January 5, 1999Assignee: Technical Developers, Inc.Inventor: Jerry E. Buchanan
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Patent number: 5468206Abstract: Containers are produced from a sheet of flexible material having a thermally bondable inside surface. In one embodiment the material is formed into a T-shaped intermediate structure having two pleats (302 and 303) having a uncreased, mutual central portion (300). The intermediate structure also has two overlapping side wall portions (295) extending from the pleats.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 1993Date of Patent: November 21, 1995Assignee: Jebco Packaging Systems, Inc.Inventor: Jerry E. Buchanan
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Patent number: 5392589Abstract: A method of making a container (10) having a unitary spout pull tab from a continuous sheet of flexible material (11) comprises the steps of folding the sheet to form two opposite side walls (23) joined at a bottom end by a bottom wall (20) and open at a top end opposite the bottom wall. Elongated portions of the two side walls are sealed together along their side edges to form two side seals (27) at least one of which includes a tab portion (12). Two breachably sealed V-folds (33, 34) are formed in the side walls adjacent the top end straddling the tab portion of the one side seal. Upon manually pulling the tab portion of the one side seal, the breachable seals of the V-folds straddling the tab portion of the one side seal may be broken and the two V-folds pulled outwardly to collectively form an open spout (S).Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 1993Date of Patent: February 28, 1995Assignee: Jebco Packaging Systems, Inc.Inventor: Jerry E. Buchanan
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Patent number: 5348398Abstract: A container 10 and method of making the same preferably from a single web of flexible material wherein the method comprises placing a V-fold, or modified flat V-fold, in a sheet of such material, creating two subsections whose V-fold members (58, 60) are attached to the respective subsections preferably along a longitudinal fold line. First and second side edge weld lines (100, a,b) are made thereby connecting the respective subsections to their own V-fold members (58, 60) as well as those of the opposite subsections. Oblique weld lines (86, 88) then interconnect the point of intersection of the side edge weld lines (66,76) and longitudinal fold line. The bottom wall (2) is formed by folding the legs (80, 82) inwardly with the endmost portions of which pivoting along a lateral axis of the bottom wall (2) upwardly towards the first and second side edge weld line (100, a,b) thereby reinforcing the stress-bearing bottom.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 1994Date of Patent: September 20, 1994Assignee: Jebco Packaging Systems, Inc.Inventor: Jerry E. Buchanan
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Patent number: 5348525Abstract: A method is disclosed for constructing a flexible container (10) with a tubular fitment (13). The method includes placing the fitment upon a mandrel (22), positioning the mandrel supported fitment between the unsealed sides (25, 26) of the container, sealing the top edge (28) of the sides about a base portion (18) of the fitment and fully withdrawing the mandrel from the fitment and from between the sides so that the side edges (29) and top edge of the sides may be sealed to form a completed container.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 1993Date of Patent: September 20, 1994Assignee: Jebco Packaging Systems, Inc.Inventor: Jerry E. Buchanan
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Patent number: 5273362Abstract: Containers are produced from a sheet of flexible material having a thermally bondable inside surface. In one embodiment flaps are formed and folded outwardly to form two windows in the sheet. Pleats are formed and bonded to transverse the windows so that a pleat ply closes the windows. The pleats are folded to bring the flaps against the window closing pleat plies and bonded. In another emobdiment holes are cut in the sheet located in one ply of the pleats.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 1992Date of Patent: December 28, 1993Assignee: Jebco Packaging Systems, Inc.Inventor: Jerry E. Buchanan
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Patent number: 5135464Abstract: A container and method of making the same preferably from a single web of flexible material wherein the method comprises placing a V-fold, or modified flat V-fold, in a sheet of such material, creating two subsections whose V-fold members are attached to the respective subsections preferably along a longitudinal fold line. First and second side edge weld lines are made thereby connecting the respective subsections to their own V-fold members as well as those of the opposite subsections. Oblique weld lines then interconnect the point of intersection of the side edge weld lines and longitudinal fold line. The bottom wall is formed by folding the legs inwardly with the endmost portions of which pivoting along a lateral axis of the bottom wall upwardly towards the first and second side edge weld line thereby reinforcing the stress-bearing bottom.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 1990Date of Patent: August 4, 1992Assignee: Jebco Packaging Systems, Inc.Inventor: Jerry E. Buchanan
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Patent number: D444948Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2000Date of Patent: July 17, 2001Assignee: Nestec S.A.Inventors: Jerry E. Buchanan, Rodney A. Buchanan, Albert L. Baner, Harold H. Bennett, Todd A. Miles, John G. Ratcliff