Patents by Inventor John L. Center

John L. Center 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: 5721000
    Abstract: A method for producing seasoned food products where seasoning is performed at individual packaging lines. The product is conveyed from the preparation area to a packaging area in an unseasoned condition. Upon reaching the packaging lines, which are disposed in packaging departments in the packaging area, the product can be selectively seasoned independent of other packaging lines. After seasoning, the product is packaged and prepared for delivery. At each packaging line, a volumetric feeder includes a feed head that cooperates with a tumbler having helical flights to produce continuous controlled product portions. A seasoning dispenser is positionable within the tumbler and can be adjusted to dispense a given weight of seasoning at a given rate, based on the amount of product passing through the tumbler, to obtain consistent seasoning levels and coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Center, Patrick J. Bierschenk
  • Patent number: 5613620
    Abstract: A process for co-dispensing beverages and snack food products from a single vending machine, and a vending machine including filled beverage and snack food containers. Filled beverage containers and filled snack food containers are stored in the vending machine and a buyer, upon payment, product selection, etc., can obtain both a beverage, e.g., a soft drink, and a snack food, e.g., corn chips, from a single machine. The beverage and snack food containers preferably are of substantially the same size so that a vending machine of the type which dispenses containers having a uniform size may be used to carry out the present invention. An automatic door-opening mechanism opens the dispensing door of a vending machine when a snack food container is selected to avoid problems due to the snack food container being too light to open the door under the force of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Center, James W. Stalder
  • Patent number: 5554221
    Abstract: A system and apparatus for producing seasoned food products where seasoning is performed at individual packaging lines. The product is conveyed from the preparation area to a packaging area in an unseasoned condition. Upon reaching the packaging lines, which are disposed in packaging departments in the packaging area, the product can be selectively seasoned independent of other packaging lines. After seasoning, the product is packaged and prepared for delivery. At each packaging line, a volumetric feeder includes a feed head that cooperates with a tumbler having helical flights to produce continuous controlled product portions. A seasoning dispenser is positionable within the tumbler and can be adjusted to dispense a given weight of seasoning at a given rate, based on the amount of product passing through the tumbler, to obtain consistent seasoning levels and coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Center, Patrick J. Bierschenk
  • Patent number: 5445287
    Abstract: A process for co-dispensing beverages and snack food products from a single vending machine. Filled beverage containers and filled snack food containers are stored in the vending machine and a buyer, upon payment, product selection, etc., can obtain both a beverage, e.g., a soft drink, and a snack food, e.g., corn chips, from a single machine. The beverage and snack food containers preferably are of substantially the same size so that a vending machine of the type which dispenses containers having a uniform size may be used to carry out the present invention. A process for packaging snack food product in cylindrical containers also is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Center, James W. Stalder
  • Patent number: 5353959
    Abstract: A system and apparatus for producing seasoned food products where seasoning is performed at individual packaging lines. The product is conveyed from the preparation area to a packaging area in an unseasoned condition. Upon reaching the packaging lines, which are disposed in packaging departments in the packaging area, the product can be selectively seasoned independent of other packaging lines. After seasoning, the product is packaged and prepared for delivery. At each packaging line, a volumetric feeder includes a feed head that cooperates with a tumbler having helical flights to produce continuous controlled product portions. A seasoning dispenser is positionable within the tumbler and can be adjusted to dispense a given weight of seasoning at a given rate, based on the amount of product passing through the tumbler, to obtain consistent seasoning levels and coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Center, Patrick J. Bierschenk
  • Patent number: 5235794
    Abstract: A multiple bag forming and filling apparatus and method utilizes a plurality of filling tubes which have a cross-sectional width in the range from one-third to one times the width of the tubular preform between the vertical seals at the filling tube means. There is also disclosed the directing of horizontally adjacent vertical tubular bag preforms to opposite sides of a center sealing bar prior to forming transverse seals by movable seal bars on the opposite sides. The horizontal displacement of the horizontally adjacent bags prevents the adjacent bags from being sealed together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Center
  • Patent number: 5102382
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for closing the bottom end flaps of a reusable rectangular carton whereby the carton is disposed in an expanded position with the bottom end flaps biased outward with respect to the carton sidewalls. A sequence controller is programmed to release the bias and fold each bottom end flap in a predetermined sequence. A closure is effected by disposing at least two end flaps in locking relationship to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Center, William C. Mills, Jr., John R. Plaskett
  • Patent number: 5078509
    Abstract: A resealable package for snack food items and a method of making the same from a sheet of flexible material. Two side edges of the sheet are joined together in a seam, with a flap extending longitudinally from an exterior surface of the package. A resealable adhesive is disposed beneath the flap, whereby the flap serves as a release strip to protect the adhesive until use. The consumer re-closes the package by removing the release strip to expose the adhesive. The package then is folded downward a number of times until the exterior surface of the package is secured to the adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1992
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Center, Paul R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5066269
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for closing the bottom end flaps of a reusable rectangular carton whereby the carton is disposed in an expanded position with the bottom end flaps biased outward with respect to the carton sidewalls. A sequence controller is programmed to release the bias and fold each bottom end flap in a predetermined sequence. A closure is effected by disposing at least two end flaps in locking relationship to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1991
    Assignee: Frito-Lay, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Center, William C. Mills, Jr., John R. Plaskett
  • Patent number: 3995628
    Abstract: A catheter insertion device utilizing a catheter wound inside a two-piece generally cylindrical dispenser and extending outwardly into a slotted needle secured to an outlet from the dispenser; a stiffener comprising a closely-wound wire helix which surrounds a central straight wire is positioned inside the catheter; the dispenser is composed of two relatively rotatable parts, one a relatively flat base having a slot communicating with the slotted needle, the other a receptacle having an inwardly-facing wall which engages the catheter; the receptacle is releasably and rotatably held to the base by a central spindle extending upwardly from the base member through a hole in the top of the receptacle; a flexible feed guide extends from the base adjacent the dispenser outlet and guides the catheter toward the outlet; the guide is engageable with a stop to positively prevent further rotation of the receptacle at a predetermined point when the proximal end of the catheter nears the outlet; the dispenser spindle is s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1976
    Assignee: Travenol Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Gula, Thomas C. Thompson, John Ellis Kling, John L. Center, Bert S. Bodnar
  • Patent number: D332220
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Specht, John L. Center
  • Patent number: D347171
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Specht, John L. Center, David R. Swift