Patents by Inventor Matthew R. Kearns

Matthew R. Kearns 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: 20250223092
    Abstract: A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a central panel having a plurality of container retention openings for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, a plurality of container retention tabs positioned extending into respective container retention openings of the plurality of container retention openings, the plurality of container retention tabs positioned for engaging a respective container of the plurality of containers, at least one container retention tab of the plurality of container retention tabs foldably connected to the central panel at a fold line, and at least one deflection tab positioned extending away from the at least one container retention tab of the plurality of container retention tabs, the fold line intersecting a respective at least one deflection tab.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2025
    Publication date: July 10, 2025
    Inventors: Meng-Chuan Wu, Matthew R. Kearns
  • Publication number: 20250187805
    Abstract: A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier includes a front portion, the front portion including a portion of at least one attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, a back portion, the back portion including a portion of the at least one attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, and a reinforcement portion extending from the front portion to the back portion for reinforcing the carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2025
    Publication date: June 12, 2025
    Inventors: Jon Thompson, Anna Maria Gonzalez Manzano, Raymond R. Spivey, SR., Jean-Manuel Gomes, John Murdick Holley, JR., Matthew R. Kearns
  • Publication number: 20250058930
    Abstract: A container for holding a product. The container can comprise a tray comprising a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray. The plurality of panels can comprise at least a front panel. The container further can comprise a lid can comprise at least a top panel. A closure can comprise at least a locking slot extending in at least the front panel, a closure aperture extending in at least the top panel, and a closure flap foldably connected to the top panel and extending in the closure aperture. The container comprises an open configuration and a closed configuration. At least a portion of the front panel is received in the closure aperture and the closure flap is at least partially received in the locking slot in the front panel when the container is in the closed configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2024
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Inventors: Matthew R. Kearns, Donald Spitler
  • Patent number: 12116186
    Abstract: A carton for holding and dispensing a flowable product includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton and including a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel, a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels for forming a closed end of the carton, and a dispenser for accessing the interior of the carton, the dispenser including a dispenser panel and a dispenser opening, the dispenser panel being movable between a closed position wherein the dispenser opening is closed and an open position wherein the dispenser opening is open to allow removal of the flowable product through the dispenser opening, the dispenser panel includes a cover portion and a protruding portion extending from the cover portion, in the closed position, the protruding portion is at least partially received in the dispenser opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, LLC
    Inventors: Felicia A. Pinkstone, Matthew R. Kearns
  • Publication number: 20240109703
    Abstract: A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier includes a front portion, the front portion including a portion of at least one attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, a back portion, the back portion including a portion of the at least one attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, and a reinforcement portion extending from the front portion to the back portion for reinforcing the carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Jon Thompson, Ana Maria Gonzalez Manzano, Raymond R. Spivey, SR., Jean-Manuel Gomes, John Murdick Holley, JR., Matthew R. Kearns
  • Publication number: 20230339670
    Abstract: A carton for holding and dispensing at least one article, the carton including a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton and including a top panel, a bottom panel, a front panel, and at least one back panel, a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels and forming at least one closed end of the carton, and a dispenser for accessing the interior of the carton, the dispenser including a plurality of dispenser flaps at least partially separably connected to the top panel such that the dispenser is reconfigurable between a first configuration, in which the plurality of dispenser flaps is foldably connected to the top panel, and a second configuration, in which one or more of the dispenser flaps is separated from the top panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Brink, Scott Thomas Strand, Matthew R. Kearns
  • Publication number: 20220177187
    Abstract: A carton for holding and dispensing a flowable product includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton and including a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel, a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to respective panels of the plurality of panels for forming a closed end of the carton, and a dispenser for accessing the interior of the carton, the dispenser including a dispenser panel and a dispenser opening, the dispenser panel being movable between a closed position wherein the dispenser opening is closed and an open position wherein the dispenser opening is open to allow removal of the flowable product through the dispenser opening, the dispenser panel includes a cover portion and a protruding portion extending from the cover portion, in the closed position, the protruding portion is at least partially received in the dispenser opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Felicia A. Pinkstone, Matthew R. Kearns
  • Publication number: 20220144490
    Abstract: A tray for holding at least one food product includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel, a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels and cooperating to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels, and denesting features comprising at least one denesting tab extending into the interior of the tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas Brink, Matthew R. Kearns, Raymond S. Kastanek, Scott Thomas Strand, Joseph C. Walsh
  • Publication number: 20220144475
    Abstract: A tray for holding at least one food product, the tray includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the tray, the plurality of panels including a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel, a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels and cooperating to form a rim extending outwardly from the plurality of panels, and reinforcement features for supporting the rim, the reinforcement features including at least one reinforcement tab extending from a respective panel of the plurality of panels and contacting a portion of a respective end flap of the plurality of end flaps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Matthew R. Kearns, Thomas Brink, Scott Thomas Strand, Elliot Hithersay
  • Patent number: 11174064
    Abstract: A carton for holding one or more articles, the carton including a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton and at least partially forming a body portion of the carton, a plurality of impact-resistant panels foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, and a plurality of end flaps for forming a closed end of the carton. The plurality of end flaps includes a first end flap foldably connected to an impact-resistant panel of the plurality of impact-resistant panels and a second end flap foldably connected to a panel of the plurality of panels, a lateral edge of the second end flap is a folding edge about which the first end flap is folded to at least partially form the closed end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Graphie Packaging International, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew R. Kearns, Aaron Lee Bates
  • Patent number: 11142365
    Abstract: A carton for holding at least one article includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel, at least one top end flap foldably connected to a panel of the plurality of panels, and at least one bottom end flap foldably connected to a panel of the plurality of panels. The at least one bottom end flap is for forming a closed bottom of the carton and the at least one top end flap is for forming a closed top of the carton. The closed top of the carton has a square configuration and the closed bottom has a round configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew R. Kearns, Steven M. Oliveira
  • Patent number: 11001407
    Abstract: A carton for holding one or more articles includes a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton and at least partially forming a body portion of the carton. The carton further includes at least one impact-resistant feature extending away from the body portion of the carton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew R. Kearns, Aaron Lee Bates
  • Publication number: 20200339302
    Abstract: A carton for holding at least one article includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels comprising a front panel, a back panel, and at least one side panel, at least one top end flap foldably connected to a panel of the plurality of panels, and at least one bottom end flap foldably connected to a panel of the plurality of panels. The at least one bottom end flap is for forming a closed bottom of the carton and the at least one top end flap is for forming a closed top of the carton. The closed top of the carton has a square configuration and the closed bottom has a round configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Matthew R. Kearns, Steven M. Oliveira
  • Publication number: 20200102112
    Abstract: A carton for holding one or more articles, the carton including a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton and at least partially forming a body portion of the carton, a plurality of impact-resistant panels foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels, and a plurality of end flaps for forming a closed end of the carton. The plurality of end flaps includes a first end flap foldably connected to an impact-resistant panel of the plurality of impact-resistant panels and a second end flap foldably connected to a panel of the plurality of panels, a lateral edge of the second end flap is a folding edge about which the first end flap is folded to at least partially form the closed end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Matthew R. Kearns, Aaron Lee Bates
  • Patent number: 10479549
    Abstract: A carton for holding at least one article. The carton comprises a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and a top panel and a plurality of end flaps for closing an end of the carton. A dispenser comprises a dispenser panel pivotably connected to at least one panel of the plurality of panels. The dispenser panel comprises a front portion comprising at least a portion of the front panel and as swing arm foldably connected to the front portion and comprising at least a portion of at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps. The dispenser panel is moveable between a closed position and an open position allowing access to the interior of the carton. The dispenser comprises locking features for engaging the front panel and locking the dispenser panel in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew R. Kearns
  • Publication number: 20190127111
    Abstract: A construct for engaging and supporting at least one article includes a plurality of panels and further includes retaining features. The plurality of panels extends around an interior of the construct and includes a central panel, a side panel, and an end panel, each of the side panel and the end panel foldably connected to the central panel. The retaining features are for engaging and supporting the at least one article, and provide access to the interior of the construct. The retaining features are reconfigurable between a first configuration in which the retaining features are substantially coplanar with the central panel and a second configuration in which the retaining features are at least partially recessed in the interior of the construct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventor: Matthew R. Kearns
  • Patent number: 10106291
    Abstract: A carton for holding at least one article. The carton includes an outer portion having a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels include a front panel, a back panel, a first side panel and a second side panel. A reinforcement portion is attached to the outer portion. The reinforcement portion comprises an attached portion in face-to-face contact with at least one panel of the plurality of panels and an unattached portion. The unattached portion comprises a divider extending between at least two panels of the plurality of panels and dividing the interior into a first compartment and a second compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, LLC
    Inventor: Matthew R. Kearns
  • Patent number: D898565
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew R. Kearns, Steven M. Oliveira
  • Patent number: D1042120
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew R. Kearns, Thomas Brink, Scott Thomas Strand
  • Patent number: D1042122
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging International, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Brink, Matthew R. Kearns, Raymond S. Kastanek, Scott Thomas Strand, Joseph C. Walsh