Patents by Inventor Toby R. Thomas

Toby R. Thomas 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: 5896627
    Abstract: A slider is disclosed for straddling relation with a profiled plastic zipper of a reclosable bag. The zipper has first and second interlocking profiles, and the straddling slider closes and opens the interlocking profiles by movement along the zipper. The slider includes a transverse support member and a pair of side walls extending downward from opposing sides of the support member. The side walls forming respective first and second shoulders extending inwardly toward each other. The first and second shoulders include respective first and second innermost ends facing and contacting respective adjacent portions of the reclosable bag below the respective first and second interlocking profiles. The first and second innermost ends define a tortuous path therebetween, and the adjacent portions of the reclosable bag pass through said tortuous path. The tortuous path is created by protrusions formed by at least one of the innermost ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Tenneco Packaging Inc.
    Inventors: Craig E. Cappel, Toby R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 5788378
    Abstract: A reclosable standup bag and a method for manufacturing the bag. The bag includes opposing top and bottom panel assemblies. The top panel assembly includes first and second opposing fins having upper edge portions that define a mouth opening. Opposing front and back wall panels extend between the top and bottom panel assemblies. First and second opposing gusseted side wall panels couple and bridge the side edges of the front and back wall panels, defining four wall corners. A resealable closing assembly is coupled to the upper edge portion of the fins. The method for manufacturing the bag includes providing a lay flat web of a flexible packaging material and cutting comer reliefs at the location of the upper side corners of the bag. The lay flat web is run over a forming tube to create a duct-shaped cylinder with overlapping side edges. The side edges are joined and are fin sealed to form a tube having a bottom opening and a top opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Tenneco Packaging Specialty and Consumer Products Inc.
    Inventor: Toby R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 5718337
    Abstract: A carton for a bag stack comprises a bottom wall, opposing front and back walls, and opposing first and second side walls bridging the opposing front and back walls. The first side wall forms a first pair of detents in proximity to the respective front and back walls. The second side wall forms a second pair of detents in proximity to the respective front and back walls. The front and back walls each include a profiled upper edge forming a window adapted to accommodate a human hand and allow retrieval of the plastic bags within the carton via the window. The bag stack includes first sets of plastic bags and second sets of plastic bags interleaved (alternately-arranged) with each other. Each set of plastic bags may include one or more plastic bags. The first and second sets of plastic bags are oriented in opposite longitudinal directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: Tenneco Packaging Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel G. Carr, David J. Thomas, Toby R. Thomas, David V. Dobreski
  • Patent number: 5713669
    Abstract: A reclosable plastic bag comprises first and second opposing body panels, a zipper, a slider, and first and second upstanding panels. The opposing body panels are fixedly connected to each other along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the pair of sides. The zipper extends along a mouth formed opposite the bottom. The zipper includes a first track with a first profile and a second track with a second profile. The first and second profiles are releasably engageable to each other. The slider is slidably mounted to the zipper for movement between a closed position and an open position. The first and second profiles are engaged to each other while the slider is in the closed position, and the first and second profiles are disengaged from each other in response to movement of the slider from the closed position to the open position. The first and second upstanding panels extend upwardly from the respective first and second body panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Tenneco Packaging
    Inventors: Toby R. Thomas, David G. Vanderlee
  • Patent number: 5669715
    Abstract: A reclosable plastic bag comprises first and second opposing panels fixedly connected to each other along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the pair of sides. The bag is provided with a reclosable zipper extending along a mouth formed opposite the sealed bottom. The zipper includes a male track with a male profile and a female track with a female profile. A slider is slidably mounted to the zipper for movement between a closed position and an open position. The male and female profiles are engaged to each other while the slider is in the closed position. The male and female profiles are disengaged from each other in response to movement of the slider to the open position. To prevent tampering with the contents of the plastic bag prior to being initially opened, the slider is initially parked in the closed position at one end of the zipper, and upper edges of the male and female profiles are detachably connected to each other, except at the one end of the zipper supporting the parked slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Tenneco Packaging
    Inventors: David V. Dobreski, Michael W. McManus, Alexander R. Provan, Toby R. Thomas