Patents by Inventor Joyce R. Merritt

Joyce R. Merritt 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: 5560544
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved atomization system for dispensing and atomizing a fluid product having film-forming characteristics. The atomization system includes a nozzle for atomizing the fluid product which has been formed of a reduced wettability composition including a base material and a wettability-reducing component for reducing the wettability of the base material with the fluid product. The reduced-wettability attribute ensures that the product will tend to "bead up" on the surfaces of the nozzle assembly rather than wetting or coating the surfaces. The surfaces will thus tend to repel the product, once the supply pressure driving the fluid toward the nozzle is relieved, leaving the critical nozzle surfaces substantially free of a film of product which would tend to dry and form a residue on the critical nozzle surfaces when exposed to atmospheric air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Joyce R. Merritt, Mark T. Lund
  • Patent number: 5337926
    Abstract: A spray pump package capable of delivering two or more different predetermined spray patterns or spray characteristics through two or more different spray orifices, but at a liquid application amount per unit of area being treated which is optimum for the particular spray orifice selected rather than a compromise between two extremes. The predetermined spray patterns from which the end user may select may differ by any desired spray pattern or characteristic, including but not limited to: the cone angle of the spray; the width of the spray pattern; the average size of the particles in the spray; the amount of particle size deviation from the average; etc. The packages are provided with structure for automatically adjusting the maximum available pump stroke so as to optimize the maximum amount of product which can be delivered on each complete pump stroke for whichever orifice is selected by the end user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: James L. Drobish, Daniel Biard, Joyce R. Merritt