Patents by Inventor Robert L. Vance

Robert L. Vance 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: 10710860
    Abstract: A method of removing a closure from a container includes engaging three or more pry fingers against a lid and a container of the package in three or more locations spaced circumferentially around the package, and moving the pry fingers against the container and the lid, to pry the lid away from the container. A closure remover includes a frame, an actuator movable with respect to the frame, and a plurality of kinematic links movably carried between the frame and the actuator and including a plurality of articulatable pry fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: BEHR PROCESS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory James Warren, Robert L. Vance, Anthony Gmitruk, Jose L. Vega
  • Publication number: 20160332857
    Abstract: A method of removing a closure from a container includes engaging three or more pry fingers against a lid and a container of the package in three or more locations spaced circumferentially around the package, and moving the pry fingers against the container and the lid, to pry the lid away from the container. A closure remover includes a frame, an actuator movable with respect to the frame, and a plurality of kinematic links movably carried between the frame and the actuator and including a plurality of articulatable pry fingers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Gregory James Warren, Robert L. Vance, Anthony Gmitruk, Jose L. Vega
  • Patent number: 5765721
    Abstract: A note pad dispenser arranged to selectively lift a single web of an underlying note pad is provided, with the note pad having a reusable adhesive strip of each leaf of the note pad, with each adhesive strip arranged in a superimposed orientation relative to one another in the stack of leaves of the pad. A base member is arranged with a base member top wall pivotally mounting a platform. The platform is constructed with a platform top wall spaced from a platform bottom wall arranged in a facing relationship relative to the base top wall and pivotally mounted relative thereto. The platform includes an abutment member arranged to accommodate a stack of individual leaves to define a pad, with each of the leaves having an adhesive strip arranged in an aligned relationship relative to one another relative to the pad, with the adhesive strips positioned at a forward end of the pad, and the forward end of the pad in abutment with the abutment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Inventor: Robert L. Vance
  • Patent number: 5288188
    Abstract: A dunnage air bag is formed from two rectangular sheets. Each sheet is formed by a polyethylene layer adhesively bonded to a liner board layer. An air valve is mounted through one of the sheets to enable the dunnage air bag to be selectively filled with air. The sheets are disposed in overlying offset relation, with the polyethylene faces of the sheets in contact. A rectangular bladder is created by heat welding the polyethylene layers together, through the liner board layer, in a rectangular heat weld. Offset flaps of the sheets are then folded over on fold lines disposed interiorly of the heat weld and adhesively secured in order to reinforce the bladder and minimize stress on the heat weld. In alternative constructions, the polyethylene layer may be dimensionally smaller than the liner board layer such that a strip of liner board remains exposed along one or more peripheral edges of the polyethylene face of the laminate sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Inventor: Robert L. Vance
  • Patent number: 4521911
    Abstract: A bulk container of substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout its height is formed by so folding a single rectangular piece of woven fabric as to provide a bottom wall, four side walls extending from the bottom wall, and four rectangular corner flaps each extending between adjacent side walls. Each corner flap is folded into four triangular portions, the first and second portions being folded against the surfaces of the corresponding side walls, the third portion being folded against the surfaces of the first and second portions, and the fourth portion being folded against the surface of the third portion. Lifting loops are mounted at the corners at the upper edges of the side walls, each loop having two legs disposed intermediate and overlying the fourth portion and the first and second portions of the corresponding corner flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1985
    Assignee: St. Regis Corporation
    Inventor: Robert L. Vance
  • Patent number: 4231513
    Abstract: A diffuser for a conditioned air system for buildings incorporates a self contained and integrated sensor actuator for varying the volume flow of conditioned air through the diffuser in response to changes in room air temperature.The sensor actuator structure for sensing the room air temperature and for modulating the conditioned air flow is entirely contained within the diffuser structure and is powered directly by the changes in room air temperature without auxiliary equipment or power systems.The self contained diffuser is fully adaptable to existing systems to provide either or both modulated cooling and modulated heating and also to supply modulated cooling with the capability of morning warm-up.The diffuser is constructed to direct the air flow from the periphery of the diffuser and into the room at an angle and with a velocity which causes the air flow to have preferred aerodynamic characteristics so as to hug the ceiling and to avoid dumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Acutherm, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Vance, Robert W. Noll
  • Patent number: RE30953
    Abstract: A diffuser for a conditioned air system for buildings incorporates a self contained and integrated sensor actuator for varying the volume flow of conditioned air through the diffuser in response to changes in room air temperature.The sensor actuator structure for sensing the room air temperature and for modulating the conditioned air flow is entirely contained within the diffuser structure and is powered directly by the changes in room air temperature without auxiliary equipment or power systems.The self contained diffuser is fully adaptable to existing systems to provide either or both modulated cooling and modulated heating and also to supply modulated cooling with the capability of morning warm-up.The diffuser is constructed to direct the air flow from the periphery of the diffuser and into the room at an angle and with a velocity which causes the air flow to have preferred aerodynamic characteristics so as to hug the ceiling and to avoid dumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1982
    Assignee: Acutherm, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Vance, Robert W. Noll