Patents by Inventor Michael A. Freek

Michael A. Freek 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: 7134569
    Abstract: A tear-back drink-through lid for a drinking cup sealingly engages the drinking cup at an annular mounting portion with a downwardly extending annular skirt. The tear-back section extends from the inner skirt to a hinge and has an outwardly extending raised protrusion. When the tear-back section is torn away from the lid and pivoted about the hinge, the raised protrusion is frictionally engaged by the end walls of the recess and retained within the recess. The recess further includes a straw slot formed therein defined by two sloping converging sidewalls extending from the upper surface the lid at different angles to form a frangible juncture at the deepest portion of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Freek, Michael G. Thomas
  • Patent number: 6866905
    Abstract: An injection blow-molded disposable tumbler is formed from a polymeric material and includes a fortified upper rim having a thickness greater than the adjacent sidewall. The tumbler may be formed of a variety of resinous materials and exhibits improved toughness and crush resistance as well as aesthetic qualities particulary desired by consumers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Erland R. Sandstrom, Brigitte K. Weigert, Donald C. McCarthy, Michael G. Thomas, Michael A. Freek
  • Publication number: 20040142132
    Abstract: An injection blow-molded disposable tumbler is formed from a polymeric material and includes a fortified upper rim having a thickness greater than the adjacent sidewall. The tumbler may be formed of a variety of resinous materials and exhibits improved toughness and crush resistance as well as aesthetic qualities particularly desired by consumers. In a particularly preferred embodiment, thick-walled polycarbonate tumblers are prepared from hydrolysis-stabilized polycarbonate compositions while minimizing molded-in stress. In still further embodiments, nanocomposites compositions are used to form the containers of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Erland R. Sandstrom, Brigitte K. Weigert, Donald C. McCarthy, Michael G. Thomas, Michael A. Freek
  • Publication number: 20040022977
    Abstract: An injection blow-molded disposable tumbler is formed from a polymeric material and includes a fortified upper rim having a thickness greater than the adjacent sidewall. The tumbler may be formed of a variety of resinous materials and exhibits improved toughness and crush resistance as well as aesthetic qualities particularly desired by consumers. In a particularly preferred embodiment, thick-walled polycarbonate tumblers are prepared from hydrolysis-stabilized polycarbonate compositions while minimizing molded-in stress. In still further embodiments, nanocomposites compositions are used to form the containers of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Erland R. Sandstrom, Brigitte K. Weigert, Donald C. McCarthy, Michael G. Thomas, Michael A. Freek
  • Patent number: 6627278
    Abstract: An injection blow-molded disposable tumbler is formed from a polymeric material and includes a fortified upper rim having a thickness greater than the adjacent sidewall. The tumbler may be formed of a variety of resinous materials and exhibits improved toughness and crush resistance as well as aesthetic qualities particularly desired by consumers. In a particularly preferred embodiment, thick-walled polycarbonate tumblers are prepared from hydrolysis-stabilized polycarbonate compositions while minimizing molded-in stress. In still further embodiments, nanocomposites compositions are used to form the containers of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Erland R. Sandstrom, Brigitte K. Weigert, Donald C. McCarthy, Michael G. Thomas, Michael A. Freek
  • Publication number: 20030108695
    Abstract: A method of making a disposable tumbler includes: injection molding a polyethylene terephthalate resin in an annular mold cavity defined by an injection mold wall and a core to form a resinous parison on the core; separating the parison from the injection mold wall by moving the parison on the core away from the mold wall; moving the parison on the core into alignment with a blow-mold; and expanding the parison by directing a pressurized fluid to its interior such that the parison separates from the core and expands to the surface of the blow mold to form the tumbler, wherein the parison is radially expanded by a factor of at least about 2.6 at its base to form the tumbler. Typically, the parison is radially expanded at its base by a factor of from about 2.6 to about 3.25 to form the tumbler; whereas preferably the parison is expanded by a factor of from about 2.7 to about 2.9.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: Michael A. Freek, Ottavio Di Minno, Dan Weissman, Erland R. Sandstrom, David H. Hollenberg