Patents by Inventor Robert E. Spring

Robert E. Spring 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: 6558029
    Abstract: A light support apparatus is provided for use on a windshield oriented at a windshield slope angle with respect to the horizontal and includes a bracket member which has a top bracket portion and a bottom bracket portion. A horizontal support member is connected to the top bracket portion at a bracket-to-support angle. A vertical support member is connected to the horizontal support member, and a windshield supported foot member is connected to the vertical support member at a foot-to-vertical support angle. The horizontal support member includes a fastener reception channel. Preferably, the bracket-to-support angle is substantially supplementary to the windshield slope angle, and the foot-to-vertical support angle is substantially complementary to the windshield slope angle. A light assembly is connected to the horizontal support member. The light support apparatus of the invention is especially useful on the windshield of a boat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Inventor: Robert E. Spring, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20020021572
    Abstract: A light support apparatus is provided for use on a windshield oriented at a windshield slope angle with respect to the horizontal and includes a bracket member which has a top bracket portion and a bottom bracket portion. A horizontal support member is connected to the top bracket portion at a bracket-to-support angle. A vertical support member is connected to the horizontal support member, and a windshield supported foot member is connected to the vertical support member at a foot-to-vertical support angle. The horizontal support member includes a fastener reception channel. Preferably, the bracket-to-support angle is substantially supplementary to the windshield slope angle, and the foot-to-vertical support angle is substantially complementary to the windshield slope angle. A light assembly is connected to the horizontal support member. The light support apparatus of the invention is especially useful on the windshield of a boat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventor: Robert E. Spring,
  • Patent number: 5885635
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispersing a substance in a liquid beverage contained in a container includes a receptacle containing the substance formed in the interior of the container and an opening tab attached to the top of the container for bursting the receptacle to disperse the substance and for opening a pour panel in the top of the container so that the liquid beverage can be drunk from the container. The receptacle is formed of a flat sheet of an elastic material that is joined at opposite edges thereof to form a burstable seam. One end of the receptacle is a beak that causes the seam to burst upon engagement with the opening tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Canning Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Spring, David Loper, Scott Jones
  • Patent number: 5819923
    Abstract: An apparatus for opening a container and for dispensing a substance in a liquid beverage contained in a container includes a flat portion defining a wedge-shaped cut-out, side portions that extend downwardly from the flat portion, and an opening lever attached to the flat portion. The opening lever may include a receptacle containing the substance to be dispensed, a burstable material covering one end of the opening lever, and a plunger attached at an opposite end of the opening lever. The plunger is pushed to compress the substance and break the burstable material to dispense the substance. Otherwise, the opening lever contains no receptacle and is used simply to open the pour panel formed in the top of the container or a tearable receptacle is attached to an underside of the flat portion at a position corresponding to the cut-out so that the opening lever tears open the receptacle and releases the substance contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Canning Concepts, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Spring, Scott Jones
  • Patent number: 5799775
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a substance in a liquid beverage contained in a container includes a receptacle containing the substance formed in the interior of the container and a tab attached to the top of the container for bursting the receptacle to dispense the substance and for opening a pour panel in the top of the container so that the liquid beverage container be drunk from the container. The receptacle can be formed in the top of the container such that it is upwardly openable so that a dispenser containing the substance to be dispensed can be added to the receptacle after the container has been manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Canning Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Spring
  • Patent number: 5711420
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a substance in a liquid beverage contained in a container includes a receptacle containing the substance formed in the interior of the container and a tab attached to the top of the container for bursting the receptacle to dispense the substance and for opening a pour panel in the top of the container so that the liquid beverage container be drunk from the container. The receptacle can be formed in the top of the container such that it is upwardly openable so that a dispenser containing the substance to be dispensed can be added to the receptacle after the container has been manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Canning Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Spring