Patents by Inventor Ned J. Smalley

Ned J. Smalley 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: 4821898
    Abstract: A hinged dispensing closure of unitary molded construction is disclosed which may be readily opened by an adult using one hand. A narrow slot of short length is molded near the periphery of the top wall of the snap-hinged cover cap opposite its hinged connection to the main closure. The sidewall of the cover cap includes axially extending parallel score lines from near its skirt edge to the ends of the slot to define a tab. Pressing by the thumb on the tab while holding the package in the same hand ruptures the scores and deflects the tab inwardly for ready access to an exposed edge of the formed slot; and pressure on the edge opens the cover cap. The deflected tab is held by an internal cam wall inwardly of the slot, which indicates that the package is opened when the tab is held in this deflected position. A second embodiment provides a hook and latch locking means between the main closure and cover cap opposite the hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.
    Inventor: Ned J. Smalley
  • Patent number: 4501371
    Abstract: A non-reusable tamper indicating package comprising a container and a closure. The container has a body portion and a neck portion defining an opening and having an annular bead spaced from the end of the neck. The closure has a top wall and a peripheral skirt and a retention and holding bead on the skirt adapted to engage the annular bead on the container. The closure includes spaced score lines on the skirt and a portion of the top wall defining a severable portion of the skirt between the score lines such that when the severable portion is pulled outwardly and upwardly, the closure is severed along the score lines. A foil sheet having a layer of thermoplastic material on each surface thereof and is thermally bonded to the upper end of the container. A liner ring overlies the foil sheet and is thermally bonded to the thermoplastic material on the foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1985
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned J. Smalley
  • Patent number: 4408700
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a unitary molded article and a method for producing a multi-part closure for assembly on the neck of a container, the closure involving an axially shiftable valve element which is movable between open and closed position. All parts of the multi-part valve element are integrally molded in a common molding cavity and the various relatively movable parts are interconnected by thin annular webs which are severed and the parts placed in proper operative condition during the assembly of the closure to the neck of a container by a conventional applicating machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Fillmore, George V. Mumford, Ned J. Smalley
  • Patent number: 4402416
    Abstract: A child-resistant package comprising a container having a neck with threads thereon and a child-resistant closure. The closure comprises a cap made of organic plastic material and having a top wall and a peripheral skirt, having threads thereon adapted to engage the threads of the container. The skirt has a radial flange and a plurality of circumferentially spaced depressions on the upper surface of the radial flange. The closure also comprises a ring telescoped over the cap and surrounding the skirt of the cap. The ring has a plurality of lugs extending upwardly from the radial flange of the cap and adapted to engage the depressions upon application of a downward force on the ring. Each depression on the radial flange has a substantially vertical surface at one circumferential end adapted to be engaged by a lug on the ring when the ring is rotated in a direction to thread the closure onto the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventors: George V. Mumford, Ned J. Smalley
  • Patent number: 4394916
    Abstract: A child-resistant closure assembly is disclosed which includes inner and outer cap members in a nested configuration. Leaf spring and ratchet elements are respectively provided on the cap members whereby torque can normally be transmitted from the outer cap member to the inner cap member only in the closure tightening direction. For transmission of torque in the closure removal direction, drive lugs on the inner cap member are engageable in non-concentric apertures formed in the panel of the outer cap member. The drive lugs and apertures are normally maintained axially out of engagement by the leaf springs formed on one of the cap members. When the leaf springs and ratchet elements are transmitting closure tightening torque, the non-concentric apertures are angularly displaced relative to the drive lugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1983
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned J. Smalley
  • Patent number: 4341318
    Abstract: A child-resistant closure includes a tamper-proof band which engages an associated container finish, and which must be separated from the remainder of the closure for removal of the closure from the finish. A pull tab and weakening grooves are provided to permit manual separation of the tamper-proof band from the remainder of the closure. A resilient shield integrally formed with the tamper-proof band overlies the pull tab and normally prevents grasping thereof. Removal of the closure is possible only when the shield is manually deflected and held in position while the pull tab is grasped and the tamper-proof band torn away from the remainder of the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1982
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned J. Smalley
  • Patent number: 4244479
    Abstract: A tamperproof press-on, snap cap for closing a container having a neck defining the mouth opening. The container has an upper cap retaining bead and lower, enlarged annular ledge. The snap cap includes an enlarged end wall and a downwardly depending skirt inwardly of the end wall periphery which has an inwardly directed radial annular bead for cap retaining engagement with the container bead. A cylindrical tear sleeve depends downwardly from the peripheral edge of the end wall of the cap, is spaced radially outwardly from the skirt, is longer than the skirt and sized for encircling and snugly engaging the annular ledge. The tear sleeve has a peripherally weakened annular tear zone at the cap end wall juncture and includes an axial tear groove extending from the weakened tear zone to the lowered edge of the sleeve. Adjacent the tear groove is shortened section to enable grasping and tearing the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1981
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned J. Smalley
  • Patent number: 4138028
    Abstract: A child-resistant, safety closure for a container having a dispensing end including a threaded neck portion onto which the closure is adapted to be threadably assembled. The closure is of the type having an annular sidewall section having a flexible distal end portion provided with at least one interlocking member adapted to interlockingly engage at least one complementary interlocking member on the dispensing end of the container in such manner that interlocking engagement is achieved when the closure is in a fully closed position on the container neck portion. Removal of the closure requires manual compression of the sidewall at locations straddling the interlocking members coupled with concurrent retrogressive turning movement of the closure. An additive safety feature embodies providing a secondary interlocking engagement when the closure is partially removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1979
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventors: James H. Price, Ned J. Smalley
  • Patent number: 4093094
    Abstract: An improved home canning closure system is provided for a home canning jar featuring a plastic ring and a metal lid combination which is adapted to allow excess pressure to escape while preventing the escape of the contents from the container. The plastic ring includes an annular top panel portion and a skirt portion depending downwardly from the outer periphery of the top panel portion. The skirt portion incorporates buttress threads on its inner surface to engage threads on the external neck of the home canning jar. The plastic ring features an upwardly and outwardly inclined ramp portion on its lower surface and a thin section at the junction of the top panel and skirt portions which combine to form a spring member to maintain a constant force to bias the metal lid into sealing engagement with the upper rim on the home canning jar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1978
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventors: Ned J. Smalley, Ralph H. Whitney
  • Patent number: 4069937
    Abstract: A linerless closure for a container having a neck portion terminating at its end in an annular rim defining the periphery of an open mouth, the closure including a top panel with a depending cylindrical skirt adapted to engage the neck of the container. A downwardly and outwardly depending annular sealing fin is provided on the inside of the top panel of the closure and is adapted to engage the annular rim of the container to close and seal the open mouth of the container. An annular wedge or stop member depends downwardly from the inside of the top panel at a location radially outwardly from the annular sealing fin and has and inwardly inclined lower surface adapted to bias or wedge the sealing fin into firm engagement with the annular rim of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1978
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned J. Smalley
  • Patent number: 3976215
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a tamper-indicating press-on, pull-off closure for maintaning pressure in a container whereby the closure and container provide a package which may be readily opened by a consumer without the use of tools and without the creation of dangerous sharp edges. This closure includes a cap and a unique cap liner which fits within the cap and is formed integral with a pull ring for removal of the cap from a container. A plurality of severable tamper-indicating webs are formed between the pull ring and the cap liner and sever upon actuation of the ring pull to indicate tampering with the package. The cap incorporates a plurality of scores in its skirt portion which fracture when the pull ring is actuated to thereby release the cap from engagement with the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1976
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned J. Smalley
  • Patent number: 3941268
    Abstract: A child-resistant liquid seal closure and container combination featuring one or more camming projections on the container neck and one or more locking lugs on the interior surface of the closure which engage the camming projections to prevent rotational removal of the closure from the container. The closure may be removed from the container only by squeezing the closure on opposite sides to force the locking lugs radially outwardly beyond the camming projections to permit rotation of the closure relative to the container. The camming projections on the container neck are of sufficient axial height to prevent rotation of the closure relative to the container both when the closure is fully tightened onto the container and when the closure has been rotated 180.degree. relative to the container, thereby necessitating two separate squeezing actions to remove the closure from the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1976
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward W. Owens, Ned J. Smalley
  • Patent number: D254480
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1980
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois, Inc.
    Inventor: Ned J. Smalley