Patents by Inventor Roger P. Smith
Roger P. Smith 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).
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Patent number: 11912608Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, a glass manufacturing system includes a hot-end subsystem, including: a submerged combustion melter that melts feedstock to produce molten glass; a stiller that receives the molten glass from the submerged combustion melter and that includes a stilling tank to still the molten glass and that is configured to control outflow of the stilled molten glass to effectively decouple viscosity of the molten glass from the flow rate of the molten glass and thereby control finer molten glass levels; and a finer that is mechanically decoupled from the stiller, and that receives and fines the stilled molten glass to produce fined molten glass. Many other aspects of the system are also disclosed and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2020Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.Inventors: Scott Weil, Randy Ernsthausen, Thomas G. Green, Shane T. Rashley, Phillip J. Rausch, Roger P. Smith, Zhongming Wang
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Patent number: 11845685Abstract: A method of fining glass is disclosed that includes flowing a molten glass bath through a fining chamber. The molten glass bath has an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer that is partially submerged in the molten glass bath. One or more fining agents are introduced into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer from a dissolvable fining material component. In this way, the fining agent(s) may selectively target the gas bubbles drawn under the skimmer within the undercurrent of the molten glass for removal. The method may be employed to fine molten gas produced in a submerged combustion melter. A fining vessel for fining molten glass is also disclosed that includes a housing, a skimmer, and a dissolvable fining material component disposed directly beneath the skimmer.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2022Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.Inventors: Scott Weil, Zhongming Wang, Roger P. Smith
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Publication number: 20230348307Abstract: A method of fining glass is disclosed that includes flowing a molten glass bath through a fining chamber. The molten glass bath has an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer that is partially submerged in the molten glass bath. One or more fining agents are introduced into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer from a carrier gas. In this way, the fining agent(s) may selectively target the gas bubbles drawn under the skimmer within the undercurrent of the molten glass bath for removal. The method may be employed to fine molten glass produced in a submerged combustion melter. A fining vessel for fining molten glass is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Inventors: Zhongming Wang, Scott Weil, Roger P. Smith
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Patent number: 11697608Abstract: A method of fining glass is disclosed that includes flowing a molten glass bath through a fining chamber. The molten glass bath has an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer that is partially submerged in the molten glass bath. One or more fining agents are introduced into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer from a carrier gas. In this way, the fining agent(s) may selectively target the gas bubbles drawn under the skimmer within the undercurrent of the molten glass for removal. The method may be employed to fine molten gas produced in a submerged combustion melter. A fining vessel for fining molten glass is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2019Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.Inventors: Zhongming Wang, Scott Weil, Roger P Smith
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Patent number: 11537965Abstract: A method for tracking containers. The method includes manufacturing containers, including forming the containers and serializing them with machine-readable codes. The method further includes using the machine-readable codes to store data associated with the containers, and supplying the containers to a customer. The method still further comprises receiving from the customer, data obtained from customer-readings of the machine-readable codes; and receiving from one or more other locations in a distribution chain in which the containers travel, data obtained from readings of the machine-readable codes at those locations. The method still further comprises comparing the data from the customer-readings and other readings of the machine-readable codes across product brands, product distribution channels, and/or container types, and providing the data to the customer.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.Inventors: Roger P. Smith, Chris D. Anderson, Olivier Dangmann, Anthony R. Caracciolo, Casey L. Ingle
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Publication number: 20220402799Abstract: A method of fining glass is disclosed that includes flowing a molten glass bath through a fining chamber. The molten glass bath has an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer that is partially submerged in the molten glass bath. One or more fining agents are introduced into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer from a dissolvable fining material component. In this way, the fining agent(s) may selectively target the gas bubbles drawn under the skimmer within the undercurrent of the molten glass for removal. The method may be employed to fine molten gas produced in a submerged combustion melter. A fining vessel for fining molten glass is also disclosed that includes a housing, a skimmer, and a dissolvable fining material component disposed directly beneath the skimmer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Inventors: Scott Weil, Zhongming Wang, Roger P. Smith
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Publication number: 20220388884Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, a glass manufacturing system includes a hot-end subsystem, including: a submerged combustion melter that melts feedstock to produce molten glass; a stiller that receives the molten glass from the submerged combustion melter and that includes a stilling tank to still the molten glass and that is configured to control outflow of the stilled molten glass to effectively decouple viscosity of the molten glass from the flow rate of the molten glass and thereby control finer molten glass levels; and a finer that is mechanically decoupled from the stiller, and that receives and fines the stilled molten glass to produce fined molten glass. Many other aspects of the system are also disclosed and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2020Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Scott Weil, Randy Ernsthausen, Thomas G. Green, Shane T. Rashley, Phillip J. Rausch, Roger P. Smith, Zhongming Wang
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Patent number: 11459263Abstract: A method of fining glass is disclosed that includes flowing a molten glass bath through a fining chamber. The molten glass bath has an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer that is partially submerged in the molten glass bath. One or more fining agents are introduced into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer from a dissolvable fining material component. In this way, the fining agent(s) may selectively target the gas bubbles drawn under the skimmer within the undercurrent of the molten glass for removal. The method may be employed to fine molten gas produced in a submerged combustion melter. A fining vessel for fining molten glass is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2019Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.Inventors: Scott Weil, Zhongming Wang, Roger P. Smith
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Patent number: 11279532Abstract: A product includes a container, a photosensitive material carried by the container and responsive to ultraviolet light, and a UV protector carried by the container to protect the photosensitive material from exposure to UV light. A method of producing a food or beverage container includes applying a photochromic material to a food or beverage container that is responsive to ultraviolet (UV) light so as to darken upon exposure thereto, and protecting at least a portion of the photochromic material from exposure to UV light.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2018Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.Inventors: Roger P. Smith, Jessica R. Bryant, Chris D. Anderson, Scott Cooper, Terence J. Clark, Oleg Feygenson, Anatoly Solunin
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Publication number: 20210094856Abstract: A method of fining glass is disclosed that includes flowing a molten glass bath through a fining chamber. The molten glass bath has an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer that is partially submerged in the molten glass bath. One or more fining agents are introduced into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer from a dissolvable fining material component. In this way, the fining agent(s) may selectively target the gas bubbles drawn under the skimmer within the undercurrent of the molten glass for removal. The method may be employed to fine molten gas produced in a submerged combustion melter. A fining vessel for fining molten glass is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2019Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Scott Weil, Zhongming Wang, Roger P. Smith
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Publication number: 20210094858Abstract: A method of fining glass is disclosed that includes flowing a molten glass bath through a fining chamber. The molten glass bath has an undercurrent that flows beneath a skimmer that is partially submerged in the molten glass bath. One or more fining agents are introduced into the undercurrent of the molten glass bath directly beneath the skimmer from a carrier gas. In this way, the fining agent(s) may selectively target the gas bubbles drawn under the skimmer within the undercurrent of the molten glass for removal. The method may be employed to fine molten gas produced in a submerged combustion melter. A fining vessel for fining molten glass is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2019Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Zhongming Wang, Scott Weil, Roger P. Smith
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Publication number: 20200372430Abstract: A method for tracking containers. The method includes manufacturing containers, including forming the containers and serializing them with machine-readable codes. The method further includes using the machine-readable codes to store data associated with the containers, and supplying the containers to a customer. The method still further comprises receiving from the customer, data obtained from customer-readings of the machine-readable codes; and receiving from one or more other locations in a distribution chain in which the containers travel, data obtained from readings of the machine-readable codes at those locations. The method still further comprises comparing the data from the customer-readings and other readings of the machine-readable codes across product brands, product distribution channels, and/or container types, and providing the data to the customer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventors: Roger P. Smith, Chris D. Anderson, Olivier Dangmann, Anthony R. Caracciolo, Casey L. Ingle
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Patent number: 10810394Abstract: A system and method for use in authenticating one or both of a container and a product packaged therein. The method comprises obtaining images of each of two codes carried by a container system comprising the container. The method further comprises determining, for each image, a contrast ratio between one or more elements of the code in the image and the background of the code. The method still further comprises determining the authenticity of one or both of the container and the product packaged therein based at least in part on the contrast ratios for each image, and therefore, each code.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2019Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.Inventors: Roger P. Smith, Jessica R. Bryant
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Patent number: 10776729Abstract: A method for tracking containers. The method includes manufacturing containers, including forming the containers and serializing them with machine-readable codes. The method further includes using the machine-readable codes to store data associated with the containers, and supplying the containers to a customer. The method still further comprises receiving from the customer, data obtained from customer-readings of the machine-readable codes; and receiving from one or more the locations in a distribution chain in which the containers travel, data obtained from readings of the machine-readable codes at those locations. The method still further comprises comparing the data from the customer-readings and other readings or the machine-readable codes across product brands, product distribution channels, and/or container types, and providing the data to the customer.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2015Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.Inventors: Roger P Smith, Chris D Anderson, Olivier Dangmann, Anthony R Caracciolo, Casey L Ingle
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Publication number: 20200285825Abstract: A system and method for use in authenticating one or both of a container and a product packaged therein. The method comprises obtaining images of each of two codes carried by a container system comprising the container. The method further comprises determining, for each image, a contrast ratio between one or more elements of the code in the image and the background of the code. The method still further comprises determining the authenticity of one or both of the container and the product packaged therein based at least n part on the contrast ratios for each image, and therefore, each code.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2019Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Roger P. Smith, Jessica R. Bryant
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Patent number: 10351301Abstract: A package includes a container, a closure coupled to the container, a flaccid loop, and a medal coupled to the flaccid loop. The container may include a wall and the medal retained to the wall by container material of integral one-piece construction with the wall and extending over at least a portion of the medal.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2018Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.Inventors: Roger P. Smith, Jessica R. Bryant, Douglas Laib, Susan L. Smith
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Patent number: 10086971Abstract: A tamper-evident product and related methods of production. A container includes a neck, and a tamper-evidencing component separate from the container and carried by the neck of the container in direct contact with a corresponding portion of the container neck. The component is composed of material that has higher thermal conductivity than that of a material of the container so as to concentrate heat in the corresponding portion of the container neck. The neck is thermally responsive to application of heat pursuant to tampering with the product by at least one of the following responses: an irreversible change in visual appearance of the corresponding portion of the container neck, or fracture of the container neck at the corresponding portion of the container neck.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2015Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.Inventors: Roger P. Smith, Kenneth S. Bloom
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Patent number: 10040603Abstract: A product includes a container, and an indicator carried inside the container, and including an air-reactive material and a protective material on the air-reactive material, and having a first visible characteristic with the protective material, and a second visible characteristic when exposed to air without the protective material. A package including the product, and a method for making the package are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2016Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Conatiner Inc.Inventors: Michael J. Whitton, Roger P. Smith, Jessica R. Bryant, Diana Darvish, Anatoly Solunin, Nikolay Taratin
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Patent number: 10018575Abstract: A soda-lime-silica glass container and related methods of manufacturing. A black-strikable glass composition having a base glass portion and a latent colorant portion is prepared. The base glass portion includes soda-lime-silica glass materials and one or more blue colorant materials, and the latent colorant portion includes cuprous oxide (Cu2O), stannous oxide (SnO), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and carbon (C). Glass containers may be formed from the black-strikable glass composition, and these glass containers may be heated to a temperature greater than 600 degrees Celsius to strike black therein. The glass containers formed from the black-strikable glass composition may be inspected—before or after striking—by infrared inspection equipment.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2016Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.Inventors: Roger P. Smith, Carol A. Click, Rebecca Mullen, Stephen Daniel Barton
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Publication number: 20180186526Abstract: A product includes a container, a photosensitive material carried by the container and responsive to ultraviolet light, and a UV protector carried by the container to protect the photosensitive material from exposure to UV light. A method of producing a food or beverage container includes applying a photochromic material to a food or beverage container that is responsive to ultraviolet (UV) light so as to darken upon exposure thereto, and protecting at least a portion of the photochromic material from exposure to UV light.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2018Publication date: July 5, 2018Inventors: Roger P. Smith, Jessica R. Bryant, Chris D. Anderson, Scott Cooper, Terence J. Clark, Oleg Feygenson, Anatoly Solunin