Patents by Inventor Marge M. Hicks

Marge M. Hicks 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: 6811047
    Abstract: A closure is provided for an opening in a container having a wall around the opening and at least one thread on the wall. The closure includes (1) an attachment wall defining at least one thread for threadingly engaging the container wall thread, (2) an occlusion wall closing the attachment wall to occlude the container opening when the container is in the closed position, and (3) a continuously curving, peripheral, finger-engaging surface which defines (1) a plurality of circumferentially spaced protuberances, (2) a finger-receiving recess between adjacent protuberances, and (3) a finger-engaging rib projecting laterally from each of the protuberances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Marge M. Hicks, James W. Hammond, Alan P. Hickok
  • Publication number: 20040200797
    Abstract: A closure is provided for an opening in a container having a wall around the opening and at least one thread on the wall. The closure includes (1) an attachment wall defining at least one thread for threadingly engaging the container wall thread, (2) an occlusion wall closing the attachment wall to occlude the container opening when the container is in the closed position, and (3) a continuously curving, peripheral, finger-engaging surface which defines (1) a plurality of circumferentially spaced protuberances, (2) a finger-receiving recess between adjacent protuberances, and (3) a finger-engaging rib projecting laterally from each of the protuberances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Applicant: Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Marge M. Hicks, James W. Hammond, Alan P. Hickok
  • Patent number: 6616016
    Abstract: A dispensing valve is mounted in a dispensing aperture of a closure that has (1) a deck around the aperture, and (2) a hinged lid for closing over the aperture. The valve includes a marginal portion, a head portion with a discharge orifice therein, and a resilient, connector sleeve extending between the marginal portion to the head portion. The connector sleeve has a generally U-shaped cross-section that defines a first leg that is connected with the marginal portion and a shorter second leg connected with the head portion. The connector sleeve locates the head portion below the closed lid. An arcuate junction portion of the connector sleeve joins the first and second legs. The arcuate junction portion projects from the deck aperture when the lid is open. When the lid is closed, the arcuate junction portion is engaged and elastically deformed by the lid, and that prevents the valve orifice from opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Marge M. Hicks, Timothy R. Socier
  • Publication number: 20030106910
    Abstract: A dispensing valve is mounted in a dispensing aperture of a closure that has (1) a deck around the aperture, and (2) a hinged lid for closing over the aperture. The valve includes a marginal portion, a head portion with a discharge orifice therein, and a resilient, connector sleeve extending between the marginal portion to the head portion. The connector sleeve has a generally U-shaped cross-section that defines a first leg that is connected with the marginal portion and a shorter second leg connected with the head portion. The connector sleeve locates the head portion below the closed lid. An arcuate junction portion of the connector sleeve joins the first and second legs. The arcuate junction portion projects from the deck aperture when the lid is open. When the lid is closed, the arcuate junction portion is engaged and elastically deformed by the lid, and that prevents the valve orifice from opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Applicant: Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Marge M. Hicks, Timothy R. Socier
  • Patent number: 6513681
    Abstract: A spray dispensing closure includes a spray plug and a cap cooperating therewith to selectively occlude passages in the spray plug. In one embodiment, a spray plug includes a set of inner passages for conveying product from a dip tube through the spray plug and a set of outer passages for conveying air from a head space in the container. The inner passages communicate with an inner flow space and the outer passages communicate with an outer flow space. A cap cooperates with the spray plug to define an outer chamber and an inner chamber which are isolated from one another when the cap is in the closed position, thereby preventing the mixing of air and product. As the cap is moved to the open position, the cap chambers are permitted to communicate with one another and, as the container is squeezed, a product/air mixture is formed in the closure. A central spray plug post has an upper portion that forms at least one restrictive passage with an inner wall of the cap when the cap is in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Gross, Dieter F. Lay, Marge M. Hicks
  • Publication number: 20020113090
    Abstract: A spray dispensing closure includes a spray plug and a cap cooperating therewith to selectively occlude passages in the spray plug. In one embodiment, a spray plug includes a set of inner passages for conveying product from a dip tube through the spray plug and a set of outer passages for conveying air from a head space in the container. The inner passages communicate with an inner flow space and the outer passages communicate with an outer flow space. A cap cooperates with the spray plug to define an outer chamber and an inner chamber which are isolated from one another when the cap is in the closed position, thereby preventing the mixing of air and product. As the cap is moved to the open position, the cap chambers are permitted to communicate with one another and, as the container is squeezed, a product/air mixture is formed in the closure. A central spray plug post has an upper portion that forms at least one restrictive passage with an inner wall of the cap when the cap is in the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Inventors: Richard A. Gross, Dieter F. Lay, Marge M. Hicks
  • Publication number: 20020063104
    Abstract: A closure structure which includes a container neck having an external thread to be engaged by an internal thread of a closure body for drawing the closure body tightly down onto the container neck. The external thread of the container neck includes a pad on a bottom thread turn. A sealing element of the closure body is drawn downwardly onto a sealing surface of the container neck to effect a seal. The pad is sized to have a depth which causes the internal thread of the closure body to be drawn downwardly during the final portion of the screwing-on of the closure body to the container neck. The presence of the pad reduces axial clearance between the external thread of the container neck and the internal thread of the closure body to prevent axial displacement of the closure body from the container neck to prevent leakage due to the sealing element of the closure body being axially displaced from the sealing surface of the container neck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Randall, Alan P. Hickok, Marge M. Hicks, David J. Knudtson, Mitch J. Leuthard
  • Patent number: D519029
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Seaquist Closure Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Marge M. Hicks, Alan P. Hickok, Katja Wood
  • Patent number: D521381
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Seaquist Closure Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Marge M. Hicks, Cori M. Blomdahl
  • Patent number: D521865
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Marge M. Hicks, Cori M. Blomdahl
  • Patent number: D521866
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Marge M. Hicks, Cori M. Blomdahl
  • Patent number: D522363
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Marge M. Hicks, Cori M. Blomdahl
  • Patent number: D522364
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Marge M. Hicks, Cori M. Blomdahl
  • Patent number: D491063
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Seaquist Closures Foreign, Inc.
    Inventors: Marge M. Hicks, James W. Hammond, Alan P. Hickok