Patents by Inventor Martin S. Laffey

Martin S. Laffey 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: 20150090741
    Abstract: Springs having various configurations include upper and lower connecting members and spring elements extending therebetween. The configurations of the springs may enable them to be formed of polymeric material such as by injection molding. Pumps for pumping fluid or adapted for other uses may include such springs and may include interfacing arrangements with the springs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Martin S. Laffey
  • Publication number: 20130206868
    Abstract: A hose end dispenser for dispensing a carrier fluid and an aspiration fluid. The dispenser includes a body including a carrier fluid inlet and an aspiration fluid inlet. The dispenser includes a nozzle configured for dispensing the carrier fluid and the aspiration fluid. A valve includes a valve member and a valve housing. The valve member is rotatable in the valve housing about the axis of rotation for moving the valve member between an open position in which the valve member permits flow of carrier fluid through the valve member and a closed position in which the valve member blocks flow of carrier fluid through the valve member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventor: Martin S. Laffey
  • Patent number: 7198180
    Abstract: A closure is removably attachable to a container and comprises a dispensing orifice and a tubular valve element that is biased closed blocking communication of the container with the orifice. By inverting the container so that a liquid contents of the container exerts pressure on the valve element, or by squeezing the container causing the liquid contents to exert pressure on the valve element, the valve element opens communication with the dispensing orifice allowing the liquid contents to be dispensed from the container. On removing the pressure from the valve element, the valve element resiliently closes the dispensing orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Continental AFA Dispensing Company
    Inventors: Donald D. Foster, Martin S. Laffey
  • Patent number: 7036689
    Abstract: A child-resistant trigger sprayer includes a sprayer body having a barrel with an internal passage, and at least one first lug formed integrally with the barrel and extending radially outwardly from the barrel. A nozzle is rotatable on the barrel between at least one first position for dispensing liquid from the passage, and at least one second position for blocking dispensing of liquid from the passage. The nozzle has a flexible resilient skirt that is telescopically received over the barrel and the first lug on the barrel, and at least one pair of second lugs extending radially inwardly from the skirt for circumferential abutment on opposed sides of the first lug to block rotation of the nozzle in both directions from the second position toward the first position. The skirt is deflectable to distort the portion of the skirt carrying the second lugs radially outwardly so as to be rotatable past the first lug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Continental Afa Dispensing Company
    Inventor: Martin S. Laffey
  • Patent number: 6997397
    Abstract: A trigger sprayer includes a sprayer body having a barrel with an internal passage, and a nozzle mounted over an open end of the barrel for rotation between dispensing and non-dispensing positions. The nozzle has a plug that is received in the open end of the barrel passage. The plug has laterally opening windows positioned for selective registry with an internal axial slot in the wall of the barrel passage adjacent to the open end of the barrel. The windows in the plug connect with fluid outlets in the nozzle. The nozzle is rotatable around the end of the barrel selectively for bringing the windows into registry with the slot in the barrel to dispense fluid from the end of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Continental AFA Dispensing Company
    Inventors: Wing-Kwong Keung, Martin S. Laffey
  • Patent number: 6729560
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a trigger sprayer which is connectable to two container volumes containing separate liquids. The sprayer has a trigger that is manipulated to draw the separate liquids into two separate pump chambers and then supply the two separate liquids from the pump chambers to a discharge passage of the sprayer. In the discharge passage the two separate liquids are mixed together prior to their being dispensed from the discharge passage as a spray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Continental Sprayers International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald D. Foster, Martin S. Laffey, John A. Zurcher
  • Publication number: 20030201339
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a trigger sprayer which is connectable to two container volumes containing separate liquids. The sprayer has a trigger that is manipulated to draw the separate liquids into two separate pump chambers and then supply the two separate liquids from the pump chambers to a discharge passage of the sprayer. In the discharge passage the two separate liquids are mixed together prior to their being dispensed from the discharge passage as a spray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Donald D. Foster, Martin S. Laffey, John A. Zurcher
  • Patent number: 6550694
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a trigger sprayer which is connectable to two container volumes containing separate liquids. The sprayer has a trigger that is manipulated to draw the separate liquids into two separate pump chambers and then supply the two separate liquids from the pump chambers to a discharge passage of the sprayer. In the discharge passage the two separate liquids are mixed together prior to their being dispensed from the discharge passage as a spray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Continental Sprayers International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald D. Foster, Martin S. Laffey, John A. Zurcher
  • Patent number: 6536686
    Abstract: The selector wheel is mounted to rotate about the axis of the nozzle cap, and a spray window and foaming sleeve are formed in the wheel offset from the axis. The window or sleeve is registrable with the offset spray orifice by rotating the wheel. Either window or sleeve can be brought into registry so that the discharge is spray or foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Dukes, Martin S. Laffey
  • Publication number: 20020092927
    Abstract: The selector wheel is mounted to rotate about the axis of the nozzle cap, and a spray window and foaming sleeve are formed in the wheel offset from the axis. The window or sleeve is registrable with the offset spray orifice by rotating the wheel. Either window or sleeve can be brought into registry so that the discharge is spray or foam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: Stephen A. Dukes, Martin S. Laffey
  • Patent number: 6382527
    Abstract: The selector wheel is mounted to rotate about the axis of the nozzle cap, and a spray window and foaming sleeve are formed in the wheel offset from the axis. The window or sleeve is registrable with the offset spray orifice by rotating the wheel. Either window or sleeve can be brought into registry so that the discharge is spray or foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Dukes, Martin S. Laffey
  • Patent number: 6364173
    Abstract: This pump dispenser has a downward tubular support providing a lead-in for a resilient closure. The closure is formed with an upwardly facing inward lead-in chamfer and spaced deep arcuate recesses in the top surface so that the wall between the recesses and the inner diameter is outwardly resilient to permit an attachment flange to stretch the wall outward and permit snap passage of the attachment flange. In this manner the closure is permanently attached to the pump body without the need for welding or separate attaching parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.
    Inventors: Martin S. Laffey, Richard C. Sayers, Bradley J. Kimble, Gennaro R. Martire, Wing-Kwong Keung
  • Patent number: 5887761
    Abstract: A dual fluid dispenser comprising a dispenser body and a nozzle. The dispenser body has first and second pump chambers, a first intake port adapted for fluid communication with a first liquid source, a second intake port adapted for fluid communication with a second with a first liquid source, a second intake port adapted for fluid communication with a second liquid source, first and second intake liquid flow paths for passage of fluid from the intake ports to the pump chambers, and first and second discharge liquid passageways. A third discharge liquid passageway is defined at least in part by the dispenser body. The third discharge liquid passageway includes a mixing chamber and a spinner chamber downstream of the mixing chamber. The first and second discharge liquid passageways are configured for passage of liquid from the first and second pump chambers to the mixing chamber. The nozzle includes a nozzle orifice in fluid communication with the spinner chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Continental Sprayers International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald D. Foster, Martin S. Laffey
  • Patent number: 5704550
    Abstract: A liquid dispenser comprises a dispenser body and a flow restrictor. The dispenser body has a pump mechanism, an intake port adapted for fluid communication with a source of liquid, an intake liquid flow path providing fluid communication between the intake port and the pump mechanism, a discharge port, and a discharge liquid flow path providing fluid communication between the pump mechanism and discharge port. The flow restrictor is in the discharge liquid flow path and is moveable between first and second positions. The flow restrictor is configured for permitting fluid flow from the pump mechanism to the discharge port when the flow restrictor is in its first position, and is configured for at least partially impeding fluid flow from the pump mechanism to the discharge port when the flow restrictor is in its second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Contico International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald D. Foster, Philip L. Nelson, Martin S. Laffey
  • Patent number: 5609299
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a trigger sprayer which is connectable to two container volumes containing separate liquids. The sprayer has a trigger that is manipulated to draw the separate liquids into two separate pump chambers and then supply the two separate liquids from the pump chambers to a discharge passage of the sprayer. In the discharge passage the two separate liquids are mixed together prior to their being dispensed from the discharge passage as a spray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Contico International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald D. Foster, Martin S. Laffey, John A. Zurcher
  • Patent number: 5344053
    Abstract: A trigger sprayer apparatus is comprised of a sprayer housing and a vent housing that are formed independently of each other and are then assembled together. By providing a separate sprayer housing and vent housing, the sprayer apparatus may be produced in a manner that significantly reduces the occurrence of deformations or imperfections in the component parts of the apparatus. Molding the sprayer housing and vent housing separately enables the cylindrical interior surface of the pump chamber and the cylindrical interior surface of the vent chamber to be molded more accurately. Because the sprayer and vent housings are molded separately, a lesser amount of material is needed to mold each of these components and therefore shrinkage of the material as the components cool is significantly reduces. This eliminates the occurrence of deformations or sinks in critical areas of these component parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Contico International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald D. Foster, Martin S. Laffey
  • Patent number: D332652
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: Contico International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald D. Foster, Martin S. Laffey
  • Patent number: D351646
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Contico International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald D. Foster, Martin S. Laffey
  • Patent number: D385492
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: Contico International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald D. Foster, Martin S. Laffey