Patents by Inventor Stéphane Graux

Stéphane Graux 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).

  • Publication number: 20210316908
    Abstract: This invention is an improved stopper for a bottle with a tethered plastic stopper where its closure shell remains attached to its tamper band after bottle opening. The tethered plastic stopper includes a closure shell that remains attached to its tamper band after the bottle is opened through a linking feature. The invention also includes a method for making a stopper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Richard LAMOUREUX, Stéphane GRAUX, Henri GRABARCZYK
  • Publication number: 20210206536
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a tethered screw plastic stopper, comprising a tamper shell positioned around the stopper. The tamper shell includes a retaining feature operable to cooperate with a top ring extending outwardly around a bottle neck. The stopper also includes a roof connected to the tamper shell through a hinge and separably connected to the tamper shell through a weakness line, wherein the tamper shell may be moved downwardly in rotation into an opened position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Henri GRABARCZYK, Stéphane GRAUX
  • Publication number: 20210206537
    Abstract: This invention relates to a tethered plastic stopper, having a tamper band positioned around the stopper, a closure shell positioned on top of the stopper above the tamper band, and a linking feature. The linking feature is configured to connect the tamper band to the closure shell, the linking feature including a first end configured to attach to the closure shell, a second end configured to attach to the tamper band, and a central portion. The central portion positioned between the first end and the second end, the central portion being situated furthest from the stopper when compared to the first end and the second end. The linking feature is positioned outside the periphery of the stopper and is configured to allow the central portion to flex during removal of the closure shell from a top of a bottle neck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Richard LAMOUREUX, Stéphane GRAUX, Henri GRABARCZYK
  • Patent number: 10669077
    Abstract: A cap for closing a neck of a bottle is disclosed. The cap includes a lid for closing off the neck and a skirt for fixing to the neck. The skirt is provided with a bulge line for interfering by wedging with the neck, a weakened line to be ruptured by propagation of a tear, and a stop means for preventing the tearing propagating in the rectilinear extension of a first part of the weakened line that runs along the bulge line while being situated on the side of the latter opposite to the lid. The weakened line also includes second and third substantially rectilinear parts which, on the periphery of a skirt, follow on respectively from the first part to the second part of the weakened line. The second part of the weakened line avoids the stop means and extends on either side of the bulge line, while being inclined both with respect to the bulge line and with respect to the direction of the axis of the skirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Novembal USA Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Luzzato, Stéphane Graux
  • Patent number: 9840354
    Abstract: A stopper is disclosed. The stopper includes a tubular skirt, designed to surround a container neck and including, on either side of a weakening line, a removable skirt portion, inwardly provided with means for removable fastening to the neck, and a non-removable skirt portion, inwardly provided with a retaining strip permanently around the container neck. The strip comprises an annular main body whereof a first end is turned opposite the removable skirt portion and integral with the non-removable skirt portion, while a second end is provided to axially abut against a bulge of the container neck and to be radially inserted between the bulge and the skirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventors: Stéphane Graux, David Jouve
  • Patent number: 9580212
    Abstract: A packaging assembly includes a bottle, which may be used upside-down such that a neck is turned towards the ground, and a closure without any added seal gasket for closing the neck. This closure includes a cap for obturating the neck, and a skirt for attachment to the neck. The cap includes an inner sealing lip, delimiting on its outer face, a convex tight bearing surface for bearing tightly against the inner face of the neck, and a substantially flat ramp surface, which connects the tight bearing surface to a lower axial end of the lip, and which, while the lip is deformed with the remainder of the closure when an inner clip of the skirt interferes with an outer bead of the neck during placement of the closure on the neck, may interfere with a free end of the neck to guide engagement of the lip inside the neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventors: Stéphane Graux, Richard Lamoureux, Michel Luzzato
  • Patent number: 9321561
    Abstract: A plug for closing a neck of a carboy is disclosed. The plug comprises a cap for obturating the neck and a skirt for attachment to the neck. The skirt includes a first skirt portion, provided with a bulging line for interfering by jamming with the neck, and a second skirt portion, adapted for substantially encircling snugly an outer face of the neck. In order to avoid the presence of liquid between an outside of the neck and an inside of the skirt after placement of the plug, an inner face of the second skirt portion is provided with draining means adapted for delimiting fluid flow passages between the second skirt portion and the neck, which connect with each other opposite axial ends of the second skirt portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventors: Stéphane Graux, Richard Lamoureux
  • Publication number: 20150298870
    Abstract: A stopper is disclosed. The stopper includes a tubular skirt, designed to surround a container neck and including, on either side of a weakening line, a removable skirt portion, inwardly provided with means for removable fastening to the neck, and a non-removable skirt portion, inwardly provided with a retaining strip permanently around the container neck. The strip comprises an annular main body whereof a first end is turned opposite the removable skirt portion and integral with the non-removable skirt portion, while a second end is provided to axially abut against a bulge of the container neck and to be radially inserted between the bulge and the skirt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Stéphane GRAUX, David JOUVE
  • Publication number: 20150001173
    Abstract: A plug for closing a neck of a carboy is disclosed. The plug comprises a cap for obturating the neck and a skirt for attachment to the neck. The skirt includes a first skirt portion, provided with a bulging line for interfering by jamming with the neck, and a second skirt portion, adapted for substantially encircling snugly an outer face of the neck. In order to avoid the presence of liquid between an outside of the neck and an inside of the skirt after placement of the plug, an inner face of the second skirt portion is provided with draining means adapted for delimiting fluid flow passages between the second skirt portion and the neck, which connect with each other opposite axial ends of the second skirt portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Stéphane Graux, Richard Lamoureux
  • Publication number: 20140291323
    Abstract: A cap for closing a neck of a bottle is disclosed. The cap includes a lid for closing off the neck and a skirt for fixing to the neck. The skirt is provided with a bulge line for interfering by wedging with the neck, a weakened line to be ruptured by propagation of a tear, and a stop means for preventing the tearing propagating in the rectilinear extension of a first part of the weakened line that runs along the bulge line while being situated on the side of the latter opposite to the lid. The weakened line also includes second and third substantially rectilinear parts which, on the periphery of a skirt, follow on respectively from the first part to the second part of the weakened line. The second part of the weakened line avoids the stop means and extends on either side of the bulge line, while being inclined both with respect to the bulge line and with respect to the direction of the axis of the skirt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Michel Luzzato, Stéphane Graux
  • Publication number: 20140076840
    Abstract: A packaging assembly includes a bottle, which may be used upside-down such that a neck is turned towards the ground, and a closure without any added seal gasket for closing the neck. This closure includes a cap for obturating the neck, and a skirt for attachment to the neck. The cap includes an inner sealing lip, delimiting on its outer face, a convex tight bearing surface for bearing tightly against the inner face of the neck, and a substantially flat ramp surface, which connects the tight bearing surface to a lower axial end of the lip, and which, while the lip is deformed with the remainder of the closure when an inner clip of the skirt interferes with an outer bead of the neck during placement of the closure on the neck, may interfere with a free end of the neck to guide engagement of the lip inside the neck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Stéphane Graux, Richard Lamoureux, Michel Luzzato
  • Patent number: 8631954
    Abstract: The stopper (1) has a tubular skirt (12) for fastening it around the container neck, an end wall (10) perpendicular to the central axis (X-X) of the skirt, and an annular sealing lip (16) extending into the skirt from the inner face (10A) of the end wall. A protrusion (22) connects the inner face of the end wall to the inner face (16B) of a peripheral portion of the lip in order to transmit a movement of the end wall to the lip in the event of excess pressure in the container. In order to release this excess pressure reliably and in a manner which is easy to carry out, the protrusion occupies all the space delimited jointly by the inner face of the end wall, by the inner face of said lip portion and by a geometric plane (P) which passes through said lip portion and intersects the inner face of the end wall along a straight line (L) orthoradial to the axis of the skirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Stephane Graux, Veronique Bernard, Michel Luzzato
  • Publication number: 20130043207
    Abstract: A cap for a container neck includes a tubular skirt defining a longitudinal central axis, and a plurality of longitudinal ribs distributed around a periphery of the skirt, each having a free supporting end for the pad of at least one finger of a user. The plurality of ribs on the skirt includes main ribs and secondary ribs, the supporting ends of the main ribs having a radius of curvature greater than a radius of curvature of the supporting ends of the secondary ribs. At least one of the secondary ribs is arranged between the main ribs. A tamperproofing strip, centered on the axis, is connected to the skirt by a weakening line designed to break when the cap is first opened. The tamperproofing strip includes longitudinal ribs distributed around the outer periphery of the strip, each with a free supporting end for the pad of at least one finger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Michel Luzzato, Stéphane Graux, Stéphane Iacopi
  • Publication number: 20110100950
    Abstract: The stopper (1) has a tubular skirt (12) for fastening it around the container neck, an end wall (10) perpendicular to the central axis (X-X) of the skirt, and an annular sealing lip (16) extending into the skirt from the inner face (10A) of the end wall. A protrusion (22) connects the inner face of the end wall to the inner face (16B) of a peripheral portion of the lip in order to transmit a movement of the end wall to the lip in the event of excess pressure in the container. In order to release this excess pressure reliably and in a manner which is easy to carry out, the protrusion occupies all the space delimited jointly by the inner face of the end wall, by the inner face of said lip portion and by a geometric plane (P) which passes through said lip portion and intersects the inner face of the end wall along a straight line (L) orthoradial to the axis of the skirt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventors: Stephane Graux, Veronique Bernard, Michel Luzzato
  • Patent number: D917286
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Novembal USA Inc.
    Inventor: Stephane Graux