Patents by Inventor Karen L. Mills

Karen L. Mills 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: 20230391524
    Abstract: A construct for holding at least one article includes at least one panel positioned adjacent an interior of the construct, and attachment features for at least partially engaging one or more portions of the at least one article, the attachment features including at least one article engagement flap foldably connected to the at least one panel, the at least one article engagement flap for being positioned in a recessed portion of the at least one article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Karen L. Mills, Mark Zammit
  • Publication number: 20220289422
    Abstract: A container for one or more articles, the container including a top end, a closed bottom end, and a sidewall extending from the top end of the container to the bottom end of the container and at least partially around an interior of the container, the sidewall having an upper portion, a central portion, and a lower portion. The central portion of the sidewall includes at least one reconfigurable section having a plurality of reconfigurable features such that the container is reconfigurable between a first configuration, in which a first interior volume of the container is defined between the top end, the sidewall, and the closed bottom end, and a second configuration, in which a second interior volume of the container is defined between the top end, the sidewall, and the closed bottom end, the first interior volume is larger than the second interior volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventor: Karen L. Mills
  • Publication number: 20210403216
    Abstract: A shipping and dispensing construct for engaging a plurality of product holding containers includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the shipping and dispensing construct and including a front panel, a top panel, at least one central panel, and at least one side panel. The shipping and dispensing construct further includes dispensing features for removal of one or more of the product holding containers, the dispensing features including a plurality of dispensing portions comprising at least a portion of the at least one central panel, the dispensing portions for being removably attached to a respective container of the plurality of product holding containers and being separable from a remainder of the shipping and dispensing construct for allowing access to the respective container of the plurality of product holding containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Karen L. Mills, Mark Zammit, Scott Thomas Strand
  • Publication number: 20210403217
    Abstract: A shipping and dispensing construct for engaging a plurality of product holding containers includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the shipping and dispensing construct and comprising a front panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, at least one side panel, and at least one back panel. The shipping and dispensing construct further includes dispensing features for removal of a group of the plurality of the product holding containers, the dispensing features including a plurality of dispensing portions comprising at least a portion of at least one of the top panel and the bottom panel, the dispensing portions being separable from a remainder of the shipping and dispensing construct for allowing access to a group of the plurality of product holding containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventor: Karen L. Mills
  • Publication number: 20190241337
    Abstract: A package for holding a product. The package can comprise a liner for at least partially receiving the product and at least partially wrapping around the product. The package further can comprise a construct wrapped at least partially around the liner. The construct can comprise a first portion and a second portion, the first portion at least partially overlapping and engaging the second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: Kelly R. Fitzwater, Karen L. Mills, Raymond S. Kastanek
  • Patent number: 10294001
    Abstract: A package for holding a product. The package can comprise a liner for at least partially receiving the product and at least partially wrapping around the product. The package further can comprise a construct wrapped at least partially around the liner. The construct can comprise a first portion and a second portion, the first portion at least partially overlapping and engaging the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, LLC
    Inventors: Kelly R. Fitzwater, Karen L. Mills, Raymond S. Kastanek
  • Patent number: 9499296
    Abstract: A carton for containing a cooked food product. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels can comprise a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. A lid is positionable to at least partially close a top of the carton. A plurality of vent features are in at least one panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially maintaining product attributes of the cooked food product contained in the carton by at least partially venting the carton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventors: Karen L. Mills, Mark P. Baker
  • Publication number: 20160107814
    Abstract: A package for holding a product. The package can comprise a liner for at least partially receiving the product and at least partially wrapping around the product. The package further can comprise a construct wrapped at least partially around the liner. The construct can comprise a first portion and a second portion, the first portion at least partially overlapping and engaging the second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Kelly R. Fitzwater, Karen L. Mills, Raymond S. Kastanek
  • Publication number: 20160096648
    Abstract: A carton for holding a plurality of articles. The carton includes a plurality of panels that at least partially form an interior of the carton. In a first configuration of the carton, the carton contains at least one article containing a plurality of food products. The carton has features for converting the carton to a second configuration wherein the carton is converted to a serving tray for serving the plurality of food products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Felicia A. Pinkstone, Karen L. Mills
  • Publication number: 20150028088
    Abstract: A carton for containing a cooked food product. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels can comprise a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel. A lid is positionable to at least partially close a top of the carton. A plurality of vent features are in at least one panel of the plurality of panels for at least partially maintaining product attributes of the cooked food product contained in the carton by at least partially venting the carton.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Karen L. Mills, Mark P. Baker
  • Publication number: 20110042450
    Abstract: Blanks, cartons, packaging assemblies, and methods for applying a heat-shrink patch to a carton for forming a shape of contents in, or to be placed in, a carton are provided. The carton includes at least one side and at least one void. At least one heat-shrink patch is applied by an adhesive is applied in a registered pattern to cover the at least one void. The carton is formed from the blank, with contents being inserted into the carton either at the time of forming or subsequent to forming, and the at least one heat-shrink patch is heated to conform to a shape of contents in, or to be placed in, the carton.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventor: Karen L. Mills
  • Publication number: 20100288824
    Abstract: A carton including a back panel and a bottom panel is provided. The back panel is foldably connected along a first fold line to a first accordion panel and a second accordion panel is foldably connected along a second fold line to the first accordion panel. The back panel, the first accordion panel, and the second accordion panel are movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the first accordion panel and the second accordion panel are substantially parallel to the back panel and are substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel. In the second position, the back panel moves toward the bottom panel, the second accordion panel is substantially parallel the bottom panel, and the first accordion panel is disposed diagonally between the second fold line and the back panel. Articles in the carton thus can be slanted toward the back panel in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Felicia A. Pinkstone, Karen L. Mills
  • Publication number: 20020134822
    Abstract: A box having a bottom panel, a rear panel, a front panel and two pairs of opposed side panels in which two pair of opposed side panels in which two pair of triangular connecting panels each have a fold line such that when the folding panel portions are folded inwardly or outwardly, the other panels move upwardly to form the box or downwardly, respectively to enable access to the contents of the box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventor: Karen L. Mills
  • Publication number: 20020134824
    Abstract: A box having a bottom panel, a rear panel, a front panel and two pairs of opposed side panels in which two pair of opposed side panels in which two pair of triangular connecting panels each have a fold line such that when the folding panel portions are folded inwardly or outwardly, the other panels move upwardly to form the box or downwardly, respectively to enable access to the contents of the box. There is also provided a lid for placement above the bottom panel and along an outer surface of the side panels, rear panel and front panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventor: Karen L. Mills
  • Patent number: D777027
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark P. Baker, Karen L. Mills, Felicia A. Pinkstone, Daniel Ahern