Patents by Inventor Keith Rea

Keith Rea 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: 7055713
    Abstract: A retortable container and an easy-opening closure for hermetic sealing of an open end thereof. The closure includes a metal end ring adapted to be double seamed to an open end of the retortable container, an intermediate area extending radially inward and defining an opening to an interior of the container, and a folded area folded into the interior of the container. The folded area extends radially outward from the opening and substantially parallel to at least an adjacent portion of the intermediate area. A first membrane patch overlaps and is bonded to an under side of the intermediate area of the end ring such that the first membrane patch prevents contamination of contents of the container by the metal end. A second membrane patch covers the opening and is bonded to an upper side of the first membrane patch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Rea, Lawrence E. Renck
  • Patent number: 6974056
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved apparatus for measuring and dispensing powdered products. The apparatus includes a cup portion and a funnel-shaped dispenser. The cup holds the powdered material to be measured is sized to contain a desired volume of the powder when filled to its upper edge. The upper edge of the cup has a flat surface to accommodate leveling of the powdered ingredients. The funnel-shaped dispenser serves as a leveler and aids in accurately dispensing the measured powder into a mixing area. The funnel-shaped dispenser thus defines a flat edge at its receiving opening for engaging the upper edge of the cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Rea
  • Publication number: 20050035187
    Abstract: The present invention provides a single wrap container and a method for forming such a container and a blank therefor. The blank and, hence, the container are formed of a multilayer web that has an inner liner ply and an outer label ply, each adhered to opposite sides of a paper ply, which can be recycled paper. The multilayer web is cut to a predetermined shape, for example, using a rotary die, thereby forming the blank. The container can then be formed by singly wrapping the blank so that helical wrapping is not required and a seam formed by joining the edges of the blank is linear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Inventors: Keith Rea, Teddy Westphal
  • Publication number: 20050017028
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved apparatus for measuring and dispensing powdered products. The apparatus includes a cup portion and a funnel-shaped dispenser. The cup holds the powdered material to be measured is sized to contain a desired volume of the powder when filled to its upper edge. The upper edge of the cup has a flat surface to accommodate leveling of the powdered ingredients. The funnel-shaped dispenser serves as a leveler and aids in accurately dispensing the measured powder into a mixing area. The funnel-shaped dispenser thus defines a flat edge at its receiving opening for engaging the upper edge of the cup.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Applicant: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Rea
  • Publication number: 20040089664
    Abstract: A retortable container and an easy-opening closure for hermetic sealing of an open end thereof. The closure includes a metal end ring adapted to be double seamed to an open end of the retortable container, an intermediate area extending radially inward and defining an opening to an interior of the container, and a folded area folded into the interior of the container. The folded area extends radially outward from the opening and substantially parallel to at least an adjacent portion of the intermediate area. A first membrane patch overlaps and is bonded to an under side of the intermediate area of the end ring such that the first membrane patch prevents contamination of contents of the container by the metal end. A second membrane patch covers the opening and is bonded to an upper side of the first membrane patch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Rea, Lawrence E. Renck
  • Patent number: 6053400
    Abstract: A container has a movable end closure for accommodating expansion or contraction of the product packaged therein. The container includes a hollow body portion with opposed open ends and an inside surface and an end closure positioned at each of the open ends of the hollow body portion and secured thereto for closing the container with product contained therein. One of the end closures is of a generally cup-shaped configuration and has a radially-extending central portion of generally the same configuration and dimensions as the inside surface of the body portion and an accordion-folded sidewalk extending axially from the central portion toward the body portion open end to define a free end area secured to the inside surface of the body portion at the open end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Rea
  • Patent number: 6036629
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing and the resulting cylindrical composite container having a recessed spiral groove therein includes generally the following. A mandrel is provided having at least one recessed spiral groove cut into its surface and positioned at a predetermined angle to a longitudinal axis of the mandrel. Desired material layers for constructing the composite container are fed onto the mandrel and are spirally-wound at a winding angle corresponding to the predetermined angle of the spiral groove in the mandrel to form a continuous tube on the mandrel. Pressure is applied at the mandrel spiral groove to the continuous tube as it is being formed to force the material layers into the spiral groove for deforming the material layers to form a spiral groove in the continuous tube. This continuous tube with a spiral groove therein is cut into individual continuous lengths and removed from the mandrel for forming the composite container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Rea, Mark Morrow, James Lowry