Patents by Inventor Rick Gaiser

Rick Gaiser 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: 6848603
    Abstract: A flip-top type tamper evident closure for dispensing material from a container includes a body portion having a dispensing opening, a lid portion hingedly connected to the body portion and a tamper evident band that is frangibly connected to the body portion. The tamper evident band is constructed and arranged to engage structure on the lid portion in an interlock arrangement in order to retain the lid portion in a closed position prior to the closure first being opened by a consumer. Advantageously, as an additional security measure the tamper evident band is further lightly spot-welded to the lid portion, which prevents or makes evident any attempt to overcome the interlock arrangement. A method of making the closure is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Rick Gaiser, Ray Burg
  • Patent number: 6821239
    Abstract: A tamper evident hinge type closure includes, as is conventional in such closures, a body portion, a lid portion and a hinge portion. Advantageously, at least one tamper evident band is provided so as to mechanically secure the lid portion to the body portion at a position that is distal from the hinge. The tamper evident band, which is designed to break upon initial opening of the closure by a consumer, is preferably integral with both the body portion and the lid portion, so as to ensure more reliably than was possible with interlocking mechanical tamper evident structures that the closure may not be opened without defeating the tamper evident band. A process for making the improved closures is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Valentin Hierzer, Rick Gaiser, Gordon Beth
  • Publication number: 20040200836
    Abstract: A tamper evident hinge type closure includes, as is conventional in such closures, a body portion, a lid portion and a hinge portion. Advantageously, at least one tamper evident band is provided so as to mechanically secure the lid portion to the body portion at a position that is distal from the hinge. The tamper evident band, which is designed to break upon initial opening of the closure by a consumer, is preferably integral with both the body portion and the lid portion, so as to ensure more reliably than was possible with interlocking mechanical tamper evident structures that the closure may not be opened without defeating the tamper evident band. A process for making the improved closures is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Valentin Hierzer, Rick Gaiser, Gordon Beth
  • Publication number: 20040011829
    Abstract: A flip-top type tamper evident closure for dispensing material from a container includes a body portion having a dispensing opening, a lid portion hingedly connected to the body portion and a tamper evident band that is frangibly connected to the body portion. The tamper evident band is constructed and arranged to engage structure on the lid portion in an interlock arrangement in order to retain the lid portion in a closed position prior to the closure first being opened by a consumer. Advantageously, as an additional security measure the tamper evident band is further lightly spot-welded to the lid portion, which prevents or makes evident any attempt to overcome the interlock arrangement. A method of making the closure is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventors: Rick Gaiser, Ray Burg
  • Patent number: 6578744
    Abstract: A dispensing closure for a container that contains a flowable product such as a bath gel includes a body member that is constructed and arranged to be mounted to the container, that includes a dispensing opening and a further includes an upper deck portion, a lid member that is hinged to the body member and that includes a cover portion and at least one downwardly depending sidewall, and a snap fit mechanism for releasably locking the lid member to the body member. The downwardly depending sidewall portion of the lid member and the upper deck portion of the body member are advantageously configured to form therebetween a watertight seal when the lid member is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Valentin Hierzer, Rick Gaiser, Robert Simpson
  • Publication number: 20030062369
    Abstract: A tamper evident hinge type closure includes, as is conventional in such closures, a body portion, a lid portion and a hinge portion. Advantageously, at least one tamper evident band is provided so as to mechanically secure the lid portion to the body portion at a position that is distal from the hinge. The tamper evident band, which is designed to break upon initial opening of the closure by a consumer, is preferably integral with both the body portion and the lid portion, so as to ensure more reliably than was possible with interlocking mechanical tamper evident structures that the closure may not be opened without defeating the tamper evident band. A process for making the improved closures is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventors: Valentin Hierzer, Rick Gaiser, Gordon Beth
  • Patent number: 6488186
    Abstract: A closure for dispensing a viscous material such as mustard or ketchup from a container includes a threaded closure body having a dispensing orifice through which viscous material may flow during dispensing, and a collection space for collecting a volume of thin liquid that may form on top of the viscous material during storage. The collection space acts to intercept the thin liquid as the container is inverted to dispense the viscous material. As the material continues to be dispensed, the thin liquid is re-mixed into the material, thereby keeping the solid to liquid ratio of the material in the container relatively constant. Additionally, a valve may be placed in the orifice for at least partially precluding passage of the thin liquid through the orifice during initial dispensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Rick Gaiser, Val Hierzer, Bob Simpson
  • Publication number: 20020134795
    Abstract: A dispensing closure for a container that contains a flowable product such as a bath gel includes a body member that is constructed and arranged to be mounted to the container, that includes a dispensing opening and a further includes an upper deck portion, a lid member that is hinged to the body member and that includes a cover portion and at least one downwardly depending sidewall, and a snap fit mechanism for releasably locking the lid member to the body member. The downwardly depending sidewall portion of the lid member and the upper deck portion of the body member are advantageously configured to form therebetween a watertight seal when the lid member is in the closed position. To achieve this, the lid member may have a recess for providing clearance for a hinge, and the upper deck portion of the body member may include a complementary projection, which helps to maintain a watertight seal in the area of the hinge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Valentin Hierzer, Rick Gaiser, Robert Simpson
  • Patent number: 6419101
    Abstract: A closure is provided that includes a closure orifice that is at least as large as the container orifice, thereby enhancing drinking and pouring. A non-living hinge or a two-joint, living hinge enables easy opening and pivoting of a top cover completely away from a closure orifice to enable a user to drink directly from the closure. The top cover includes a plug that seals the closure orifice. A tear band encircles most of the top cover and secures the lid to the base, and provides tamper resistance. After detaching the tear band, the closure may be pivoted open about the hinge to its fully open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Hessel, Valentin Hierzer, Rick Gaiser
  • Publication number: 20020066745
    Abstract: A closure for dispensing a viscous material such as mustard or ketchup from a container includes a threaded closure body having a dispensing orifice through which viscous material may flow during dispensing, and a collection space for collecting a volume of thin liquid that may form on top of the viscous material during storage. The collection space acts to intercept the thin liquid as the container is inverted to dispense the viscous material. As the material continues to be dispensed, the thin liquid is re-mixed into the material, thereby keeping the solid to liquid ratio of the material in the container relatively constant. Additionally, a valve may be placed in the orifice for at least partially precluding passage of the thin liquid through the orifice during initial dispensation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Inventors: Rick Gaiser, Val Hierzer, Bob Simpson
  • Patent number: 6315160
    Abstract: A closure for dispensing a viscous material such as mustard or ketchup from a container includes a threaded closure body having a dispensing orifice through which viscous material may flow during dispensing, and a collection space for collecting a volume of thin liquid that may form on top of the viscous material during storage. The collection space acts to intercept the thin liquid as the container is inverted to dispense the viscous material. As the material continues to be dispensed, the thin liquid is re-mixed into the material, thereby keeping the solid to liquid ratio of the material in the container relatively constant. A method of dispensing viscous material such as ketchup or mustard is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Rick Gaiser, Val Hierzer, Bob Simpson
  • Patent number: 6089418
    Abstract: A valved dispensing closure is adapted to be mounted on a resiliently deformable bottle. The valved closure has a self-sealing dispensing valve mounted internally of the base of the closure by a securement in the form of an internally mounted retaining ring or inner deformable plug. A protective cover is adapted to extend over the side and top of the base to protect the valve from inadvertent activation. A tamper evident part is at the bottom of the base to visually indicate when the closure is removed after having been applied on the container after it is filled with product to be dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Rick Gaiser, Valentin Hierzer, Robert Simpson
  • Patent number: D455077
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Rick Gaiser, Val Hierzer, Bob Simpson
  • Patent number: D472144
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Valentin Hierzer, Rick Gaiser, Robert Simpson
  • Patent number: D398851
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Zeller Plastik, Inc.
    Inventors: Rick Gaiser, Valentin Hierzer, Robert Simpson