Patents by Inventor L. Berge

L. Berge 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: 20250074664
    Abstract: A closure includes a cap having a top wall and a skirt perpendicular to the top wall and extending downwardly from the top wall to a lower edge. The skirt includes an inner surface having a sealing formation. A band is concentric with and attached to the lower edge of the skirt by a plurality of frangible members. The band remains coupled to the body of the closure even after being removed from a container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Richard D. Lohrman, Sungsuk Steve Kim, Gary L. Berge, Dustin Vance, Darren R. Neputy
  • Publication number: 20250019136
    Abstract: A closure is provided for coupling to a container. The closure includes an insert and an overcap affixed to a container neck of a container. The insert includes a cover removably coupled to the insert. The insert may includes a pull tab coupled to the cover, the cover detaching from the insert in response to a user pulling on the pull tab.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2023
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventors: Sungsuk Steve Kim, Gary L. Berge
  • Patent number: 12179960
    Abstract: A closure includes a cap having a top wall and a skirt perpendicular to the top wall and extending downwardly from the top wall to a lower edge. The skirt includes an inner surface having a sealing formation. A band is concentric with and attached to the lower edge of the skirt by a plurality of frangible members. The band remains coupled to the body of the closure even after being removed from a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Silgan White Cap LLC
    Inventors: Richard D. Lohrman, Sungsuk Steve Kim, Gary L. Berge, Dustin Vance, Darren R. Neputy
  • Publication number: 20240425247
    Abstract: A closure includes a hinged sealing element including a top wall and a first skirt. The first skirt has a sealing formation allowing engagement of a mating sealing formation of a bottle. A second skirt has an attachment formation engageable with a mating attachment formation of the bottle. A plurality of frangible members is attached to each of the skirts. A pair of hinge members is attached between the first and second skirts. A biasing member is attached to the first skirt between the hinge members and extending downwardly from the first skirt to interact with a neck portion of the bottle such that the sealing formation of the first skirt and the mating sealing formation of the bottle are biased toward each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Inventors: Gary L. Berge, Thomas P. Hennessy
  • Publication number: 20240375830
    Abstract: A closure including a base that couples to a container neck of a container, and a cap that is pivotally coupled to the base. A projection is coupled to a front of a panel of the base panel and extends upwards and radially outward from the panel. The cap interfaces with the projection when pivoting from the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2024
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventors: Gary L. Berge, Sungsuk Steve Kim
  • Patent number: 12103742
    Abstract: A closure includes a hinged sealing element including a top wall and a first skirt. The first skirt has a sealing formation allowing engagement of a mating sealing formation of a bottle. A second skirt has an attachment formation engageable with a mating attachment formation of the bottle. A plurality of frangible members is attached to each of the skirts. A pair of hinge members is attached between the first and second skirts. A biasing member is attached to the first skirt between the hinge members and extending downwardly from the first skirt to interact with a neck portion of the bottle such that the sealing formation of the first skirt and the mating sealing formation of the bottle are biased toward each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Silgan White Cap LLC
    Inventors: Gary L. Berge, Thomas P. Hennessy
  • Publication number: 20240300706
    Abstract: A closure includes a body and a cap flexible coupled to the body via a hinge. The cap actuates between an open position and a closed position with respect to the body via deflecting at the hinge, which includes more than one location that deflects as the cap is being opened and closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2024
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Inventors: Gary L. Berge, Sungsuk Steve Kim, Dustin S. Vance
  • Publication number: 20240067419
    Abstract: A cap is provided for coupling to a container. The cap includes a closure and an insert that may be coupled together prior to affixing the cap to a container. The insert may include a removable wall coupled to a pull tab, the removable wall detaching from the insert in response to a user pulling on the pull tab.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventor: Gary L. Berge
  • Publication number: 20240025606
    Abstract: A 2-piece closure includes a cap having a first skirt perpendicular to, and extending downwardly from, a first circular top wall. The first skirt includes a groove and a first anti-rotation formation. A tamper band attaches to the first skirt by frangible members. A cap cover includes a second skirt extending downwardly from a second circular top wall. The second circular top wall and the second skirt define an interior having a groove engagement formation and a second anti-rotation formation. The cap cover encloses a portion of the cap, with the groove engagement formation and the groove engaged. The first and second anti-rotation formations interact to restrict rotation of the cap cover relative to the cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventor: Gary L. Berge
  • Patent number: 11827425
    Abstract: A closure includes a flip-top structure and a tamper-evident band. The flip-top structure is restricted from being opened because it interfaces against an underlying protrusion, such as a thread of a container's neck. To open the flip-top structure the closure is rotated with respect to the container neck. When the closure is rotated with respect to the container neck, the closure is configured such that the tamper-evident band breaks before the flip-top structure is permitted to rotate to an open position. Thus, the closure prevents accessing the container's contents until after the tamper-evident band is broken even with the addition of a flip-top structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Silgan White Cap LLC
    Inventors: Gary L. Berge, Thomas P. Hennessy
  • Publication number: 20230365305
    Abstract: A closure includes a hinged sealing element including a top wall and a first skirt. The first skirt has a sealing formation allowing engagement of a mating sealing formation of a bottle. A second skirt has an attachment formation engageable with a mating attachment formation of the bottle. A plurality of frangible members is attached to each of the skirts. A pair of hinge members is attached between the first and second skirts. A biasing member is attached to the first skirt between the hinge members and extending downwardly from the first skirt to interact with a neck portion of the bottle such that the sealing formation of the first skirt and the mating sealing formation of the bottle are biased toward each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Gary L. Berge, Thomas P. Hennessy
  • Patent number: 11807434
    Abstract: A 2-piece closure includes a cap having a first skirt perpendicular to, and extending downwardly from, a first circular top wall. The first skirt includes a groove and a first anti-rotation formation. A tamper band attaches to the first skirt by frangible members. A cap cover includes a second skirt extending downwardly from a second circular top wall. The second circular top wall and the second skirt define an interior having a groove engagement formation and a second anti-rotation formation. The cap cover encloses a portion of the cap, with the groove engagement formation and the groove engaged. The first and second anti-rotation formations interact to restrict rotation of the cap cover relative to the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Silgan White Cap LLC
    Inventor: Gary L. Berge
  • Publication number: 20230322451
    Abstract: A closure including a base, a cutter and a cap is described which is configured to be attached to a container. Upon initial removal of the cap from the base, the cutter is configured to move downwards relative to the base so as to create an opening through the container. The portion of the container through which the cutter creates an opening may be formed of a film that is configured to be easily pierceable by the cutter. Methods of molding the closure components may include co-molding the cutter and base an in integral unit so as to facilitate and expedite assembly of the base, cutter and cap components to form the closure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventor: Gary L. Berge
  • Patent number: 11753217
    Abstract: A closure includes a hinged sealing element including a top wall and a first skirt. The first skirt has a sealing formation allowing engagement of a mating sealing formation of a bottle. A second skirt has an attachment formation engageable with a mating attachment formation of the bottle. A plurality of frangible members is attached to each of the skirts. A pair of hinge members is attached between the first and second skirts. A biasing member is attached to the first skirt between the hinge members and extending downwardly from the first skirt to interact with a neck portion of the bottle such that the sealing formation of the first skirt and the mating sealing formation of the bottle are biased toward each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Silgan White Cap LLC
    Inventors: Gary L. Berge, Thomas P. Hennessy
  • Patent number: 11718457
    Abstract: A closure including a base, a cutter and a cap is described which is configured to be attached to a container. Upon initial removal of the cap from the base, the cutter is configured to move downwards relative to the base so as to create an opening through the container. The portion of the container through which the cutter creates an opening may be formed of a film that is configured to be easily pierceable by the cutter. Methods of molding the closure components may include co-molding the cutter and base an in integral unit so as to facilitate and expedite assembly of the base, cutter and cap components to form the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Silgan White Cap LLC
    Inventor: Gary L. Berge
  • Publication number: 20220289435
    Abstract: A closure includes a cap having a top wall and a skirt perpendicular to the top wall and extending downwardly from the top wall to a lower edge. The skirt includes an inner surface having a sealing formation. A band is concentric with and attached to the lower edge of the skirt by a plurality of frangible members. The band remains coupled to the body of the closure even after being removed from a container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Richard D. Lohrman, Sungsuk Steve Kim, Gary L. Berge, Dustin Vance, Darren R. Neputy
  • Publication number: 20220267065
    Abstract: A closure includes a cap having a top wall and a skirt perpendicular to the top wall and extending downwardly from the top wall to a lower edge. The skirt includes an inner surface having a sealing formation. A band is concentric with and attached to the lower edge of the skirt by a plurality of frangible members. The band remains coupled to the body of the closure even after being removed from a container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Richard D. Lohrman, Sungsuk Steve Kim, Gary L. Berge, Dustin Vance, Darren R. Neputy
  • Publication number: 20220169423
    Abstract: A closure includes a cap having a top wall and a skirt perpendicular to the top wall and extending downwardly from the top wall to a lower edge. The skirt includes an inner surface having a sealing formation. A band is concentric with and attached to the lower edge of the skirt by a plurality of frangible members. A tab is formed at a hinge location from the band and extending from the lower edge of the skirt to one or more lines of weakness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Richard D. Lohrman, Sungsuk Steve Kim, Gary L. Berge, Dustin Vance, Darren R. Neputy, Nicholas Arthur Davies
  • Patent number: D1030485
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Silgan White Cap LLC
    Inventors: Gary L. Berge, Sungsuk Steve Kim
  • Patent number: D1035440
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Silgan White Cap LLC
    Inventor: Gary L. Berge