Patents by Inventor Kenneth D. Hester

Kenneth D. Hester 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: 5497916
    Abstract: A dispensing device for dispensing measured doses of liquid. A fluid tight container which holds the liquid is equipped with a hollow shell at its bottom portion. The shell has one or more inlets to allow liquid to enter it. A dispensing conduit extends from the shell to the top of the container and presents a dispensing outlet which discharges liquid from the container. A flow restriction in the dispensing conduit prevents the entirety of the conduit from filling with liquid during the dispensing cycle. This assures that an air path remains open in the conduit to provide outside air through a port in the conduit to displace the liquid that is dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Inventor: Kenneth D. Hester
  • Patent number: 5405055
    Abstract: A dispensing device for dispensing measured doses of liquid. A fluid tight container which holds the liquid is equipped with a hollow shell at its bottom portion. The shell has one or more inlets to allow liquid to enter it. A dispensing conduit extends from the shell to the top of the container and presents a dispensing outlet which discharges liquid from the container. A flow restriction in the dispensing conduit prevents the entirety of the conduit from filling with liquid during the dispensing cycle. This assures that an air path remains open in the conduit to provide outside air through a port in the conduit to displace the liquid that is dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Inventor: Kenneth D. Hester
  • Patent number: 4969585
    Abstract: A dispensing device for dispensing measured doses of liquid during each dispensing cycle. A fluid-tight bottle is provided with a well at its bottom. A hollow shell fits in the well and includes an opening permitting flow of material from the bottle into the shell. A tubular stem extends from the shell through the top of the bottle and terminates in a dispensing spout. A vent tube exceeds from the interior of the bottle adjacent to the shell and terminates in an upper end located outside of the bottle. The vent tube is apertured inside of the bottle, and a shutter is provided to control the aperture exposure to adjust the level at which the liquid can rise in the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Inventor: Kenneth D. Hester
  • Patent number: 4828149
    Abstract: A dispensing device for dispensing measured doses during each dispensing cycle. A fluid tight bottle is provided with a well at its bottom. A hollow shell fits in the well and includes an opening permitting flow of material from the bottle into the shell. A tubular stem extends from the shell through the top of the bottle and terminates in a dispensing spout. Different embodiments provide different arrangements for supplying air to an air chamber in the top of the bottle so that pressure within the bottle can equalize at the end of each dispensing cycle. If the bottle is not a squeeze bottle, air is supplied to the bottom of the bottle to displace the liquid in the shell which is dispensed through the stem upon inversion of the bottle. Additional embodiments of the invention are specially constructed to dispense powders and to allow the dosage of each dispensing cycle to be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Inventor: Kenneth D. Hester