Patents by Inventor Stephen W. McBride

Stephen W. McBride 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: 6761275
    Abstract: A liner disc for a bottle cap for sealingly closing a bottle includes an annular rim portion and a downwardly domed portion depending from the annular rim portion. The domed portion is convex toward the contents of the bottle. A seal layer is provided on the domed portion. Internal pressure of the contents of the bottle acts in a direction tending to flatten the domed portion which in turn expands an annular side wall of the domed portion outwardly to press the seal layer against the inside surface of the bottle to assist in effecting a seal between the bottle and the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International
    Inventors: Stephen W. McBride, David Babcock
  • Patent number: 5819976
    Abstract: A promotional closure includes a sealed promotion-receiving member in the form of a compartment positioned generally within an outer closure cap, for disposition within an associated container. The sealed configuration of the promotion compartment desirably acts to isolate the promotional element therein from the contents of the container. Use on a container having carbonated contents is particularly facilitated by an arrangement by which a plastic film cover member which seals the compartment is sealed to an annular flange of the compartment to permit predetermined delamination and release of gas pressure from within the interior of the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International
    Inventors: Ted W. Boehm, David L. Cerny, Wendell D. Willingham, Daniel J. Denman, Sheldon L. Wilde, Stephen W. McBride, Hugh C. Urmston, Ralph H. Whitney, David E. Babcock, Joseph M. Ladina
  • Patent number: 5806707
    Abstract: A removable inner compartment promotional closure includes a plastic closure cap having a circular top wall portion and a depending annular skirt portion depending from the top wall portion. A circular, resilient liner is positioned in the cap, and has a retaining element extending therefrom. A removable compartment member is positioned in the closure cap in engagement with the retaining element. The compartment defines an interior compartment adapted to receive promotional indicia, such as a promotional game piece, therein. The compartment is adapted to release from the cap after the cap is removed from the container. A sealed cover element may be positioned to extend over and close the compartment member, to isolate the compartment from the contents of the container. The promotional closure is used in conjunction with a simulated promotional closure, which configured to be is indistinguishable from the promotional closure cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ted W. Boehm, David L. Cerny, Wendell D. Willingham, Daniel J. Denman, Sheldon L. Wilde, Stephen W. McBride, Hugh C. Urmston, Ralph H. Whitney
  • Patent number: 5769263
    Abstract: A promotional closure for use with an associated container includes a plastic closure cap having an inwardly recessed, circular top wall portion defining a compartment and a depending annular skirt portion depending from the top wall portion. A circumferential lip formed in the closure cap generally at about a periphery of the compartment, defines a circumferential channel-like recess adjacent to the compartment. The closure further includes a removable, circular cover member adapted to cover the compartment by insertion into the circumferential recess. The cover has a pair of circumferentially opposed tab-like, releasable engaging members which are adapted to be received in the circumferential recess to retain the cover in place in the cap over the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International, Inc.
    Inventors: Wendell D. Willingham, David W. Smith, David L. Cerny, Stephen W. McBride
  • Patent number: 5356021
    Abstract: A container closure having a multiple liner seal is disclosed. The closure comprises a plastic closure cap having a circular top wall portion and a depending annular skirt portion. The skirt portion has an internal thread formation for threadedly engaging a cooperative container. In a typical closure, a pilfer band depends from the skirt portion. The closure cap has an abutment internal thereto, generally at the juncture of the top wall portion and the skirt portion. A first resilient, molded-in plastic seal is positioned in the cap adjacent to and against the top wall portion, and a second resilient plastic seal is positioned in the closure and extends thereacross resting upon the abutment. When the closure is threadedly engaged with a container, the second seal provides a top/side seal to seal the contents from the environs. The closure will seal a container with or without the second seal in place because of the independent sealing capabilities of the first seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: H-C Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen W. McBride, Lawrence M. Smeyak
  • Patent number: 5205426
    Abstract: A tamper-indicating plastic closure includes a plastic closure cap having a top wall portion, and a depending cylindrical skirt portion, and an annular pilfer band depending from the skirt portion. The pilfer band includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible tabs, and an annular interference bead, with the arrangement configured to provide two modes of tamper-indicating interaction with an associated container. In order to facilitate high-speed application of the closure to a container, each of the flexible tabs includes a relatively thick central portion, operative during the second mode of tamper-indication, and an adjacent base portion of relatively reduced thickness for enhanced flexibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: H-C Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen W. McBride, Thomas J. McCandless
  • Patent number: 5167335
    Abstract: A tamper-indicating plastic closure includes a plastic closure cap having a top wall portion, and a depending cylindrical skirt portion, and an annular pilfer band depending from the skirt portion. The pilfer band includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible tabs, and an annular interference bead, with the arrangement configured to provide two modes of tamper-indicating interaction with an associated container. In order to facilitate high-speed application of the closure to a container, each of the flexible tabs includes a relatively thick central portion, operative during the second mode of tamper-indication, and an adjacent base portion of relatively reduced thickness for enhanced flexibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: H-C Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen W. McBride, Thomas J. McCandless
  • Patent number: 5064084
    Abstract: A composite closure with a side seal proportioning lip is disclosed, with the closure including an outer plastic closure cap, and a plastic sealing liner positioned adjacent a top wall portion of the cap. The sealing liner includes a central disc-shaped portion, and an integral relatively thick, annular sealing bead portion. The closure is thus configured to effect a "top/side seal" with an associated container. The construction includes an annular liner-retaining lip having a relatively flexible annular inner edge portion which coacts with the sealing bead portion of the liner to self-adjust and proportion the degree of sealing engagement between the sealing bead portion of the liner and the associated container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: H-C Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen W. McBride, Ralph Whitney
  • Patent number: 5050753
    Abstract: A tamper-indicating plastic closure includes a pilfer band at least partially detachably connected to a skirt portion of the closure by a frangible connection. The frangible connection comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced frangible bridges, which fracture attendant to removal of the closure from an associated container to provide visually discernable evidence of opening. In order to facilitate high-speed application of the closure to a container, one or more regions of the frangible connection are preferentially strengthened by the provision of relatively strengthened frangible bridges. At least one of the strengthened bridges is generally diametrically opposed to the leading portion of the internal thread formation of the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: H-C Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hubert D. Trump, Stephen W. McBride, Lawrence M. Smeyak
  • Patent number: 5004112
    Abstract: A tamper-indicating plastic closure for a container comprises a plastic closure cap having a circular top wall portion, and a depending annular skirt portion. The closure further includes an annular pilfer band depending from the skirt portion which is at least partially detachably connected thereto by a frangible connection. The pilfer band includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible projections, and a plurality of respectively associated interference beads. By this arrangement, the pilfer band is configured for two modes of interfering engagement with an annular locking ring of an associated container for at least partially separating the pilfer band from the closure skirt for tamper-indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: H-C Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen W. McBride
  • Patent number: 4978017
    Abstract: A tamper-indicating plastic closure is disclosed, with the closure configured for interfering coaction with an associated container. The closure includes a plastic cap having a top wall portion and an internally threaded annular skirt portion, with an annular pilfer band depending therefrom. The pilfer band includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible tabs configured for interfering engagement with an annular locking ring portion of the associated container. The pilfer band further includes an annular interference bead positioned beneath the flexible tabs. By this arrangement, two modes of interfering engagement with the associated container locking ring are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: H-C Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen W. McBride
  • Patent number: 4938370
    Abstract: A tamper-indicating plastic closure is disclosed, with the closure configured for interfering coaction with an associated container. The closure includes a plastic cap having a top wall portion and an internally threaded annular skirt portion, with an annular pilfer band depending therefrom. The pilfer band includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible tabs configured for interfering engagement with an annular locking ring portion of the associated container. The pilfer band further includes an annular interference bead positioned beneath the flexible tabs. By this arrangement, two modes of interfering engagement with the associated container locking ring are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: H-C Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen W. McBride