Having Specified Means For Lateral Stacking Patents (Class 206/504)
  • Publication number: 20030001003
    Abstract: A modular container for the storage or display of articles, formed from a foldable unitary blank of sheet material. The container has a base panel, opposed first and second side panels and an end panel. A container-locating aperture is located adjacent the second side panel and is formed on the end panel, together with a tab-locating aperture that is located adjacent the first side panel. A container connecting tab projects from the first side panel, and may selectively be folded to locate in the tab-locating aperture, or to locate in the container-locating aperture of another container and thereby connecting the containers together in side-by-side relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventor: Clive Victor Stephen Rowland
  • Patent number: 6431436
    Abstract: A stackable archive container (10) is formed from a cardboard sheet, and comprises, when in the stacked state, two side walls (14, 16), a top wall (18), a bottom wall (20) and a rear wall (12), with a closure flap (22) being hinged to the top or bottom wall. Reinforcing bars (41; 58; 64) are provided on the vertical side edges of the side walls and/or the back wall. The bars are typically extruded from aluminum, and have a U-shaped profile that extends the length of the side edges of the side and/or back walls, and embraces the side edges in a snug push fit. The reinforcing bars may have a U-, H- and/or W-configuration. The profiles enable the stacking height of the containers to be increased, and also serve to interconnect adjacent containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Inventor: Wilhelmus Johannes Albertus Antonius Evers
  • Patent number: 6398068
    Abstract: A container (10) has a tray-like bottom (11) and a cover (12). The bottom (11) has two protrusions or supporting handles (13, 14), suitable to hang the bottom on two parallel guides, located in a horizontal plane. The container has a nose or hook at its front side, for coupling another container, placed in front of it. This container (10) may be used to supply meals for passengers by using a trolley during passenger transport and avoids the necessity of a serving tray, on which the container is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: QCC B.V.B.A.
    Inventor: Laurens Gehéniau
  • Patent number: 6338316
    Abstract: An integral one piece injection molded drawer for carrying live poultry on a road vehicle, having side walls and end walls, formed integrally together and meeting at radiused corners, and a floor formed integrally with the side walls and end walls, and intersecting ribs extending downwardly from the floor and extending from end to end and side to side of the drawer and defining generally rectangular spaces there between, and a plurality of intersecting bars located within the rectangular spaces, defining together an integral generally honeycomb floor structure the floor being shaped with a generally shallow upwardly convex profile, extending upwardly between the side and end walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Marilyn J. Enterprises Inc.
    Inventor: Richard L. Weaver
  • Publication number: 20010045370
    Abstract: A liquid container for a comestible product such as milk or juice includes a base having a substantially planar region, a top surface having a substantially planar region parallel to the substantially planar region of the base and having a pour spout. A sidewall is integrally formed with and extends between the base and top surface, and includes a structural load distributing feature that transfers loads from the top surface to the base. A handle is interposed between the base and top surface and integrally formed with the base, top surface, and sidewall. The containers can be arrayed into units and stacked on top of one another. A first flexible material such as a shrink wrap holds the individual containers together and a second flexible material maintains the stacked array of containers together so that cases that typically hold the containers can be eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventors: GREGORY M. SOEHNLEN, DALE PANASEWICZ, LAWRENCE A. BECKS
  • Patent number: 6296541
    Abstract: A toy capsule for containing toys and for constructing structures has an upper portion and a lower portion with wherein the upper and lower portions are detachably connected at their respective open ends thereby defining a closed container when the open ends are connected. A tapered thickened wall portion on each of the upper and lower portions extends concentrically from an intermediate location of an external surface of each of the cylindrical wall portions of the upper and lower portions and tapers to a thicker portion at the respective closed ends. One of the upper and lower portion closed ends has a rounded projection and the remaining upper and lower closed end has a projecting ridge defining a recess capable of receiving the rounded projection to form a releasable frictional tight fit connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Alottafun, Inc.
    Inventors: David Bezalel, Andreas Wambach
  • Patent number: 6237772
    Abstract: An assembly of interconnected containers includes a plurality of containers each of which has an upper portion connected to a lower portion by a hinge or hinges with the upper portion having a pair of elongated generally parallel upwardly open channels. The container also has a pair of generally parallel generally downwardly projecting flanges structured to engage an upwardly open channel of an adjacent container and adjacent containers have either at least one of the channels engaged by a flange of an adjacent container or at least one of its flanges engaged in a channel of an adjacent container or both. The channels are preferably open having at least one end so as to permit relative sliding removal and insertion of the containers from and into the assembly. In another embodiment, a rail and flange structure is provided to interengage adjacent containers within an assembly. A container can also be provided that has a lid portion hingably attached to the upper portion of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Neotech Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul E. LaMarche, Victor Golani, James P. McCarthy, James E. Smith, Gregory J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 6149872
    Abstract: 52350626 The invention concerns a modular reagent cartridge (10) which includes a plurality of reagent containers (12 to 18) directly interconnected by integrally formed coupling devices (22). The connection is brought about by form-locking rail guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Byk-Sangtec Diagnostica GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Mack, Peter Nebel, Peter Stoerk
  • Patent number: 6098819
    Abstract: A magazine for pipette tip-shaped articles including a plurality of plates for holding the pipette tip-shaped articles and each having a plurality of bores for receiving the pipette tip-shaped articles in their entirety, a plurality of racks stacked over one another and adapted to each receive at least one holding plate, and complementary locking elements provided on the adjacent racks, respectively, and engageable with each other to form the at least one of a form-locking connection and a force-locking connection upon insertion of a holding plate in one of the adjacent racks and disengageable from each other upon removal of the holding plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Eppendorf-Netheler-Hinz GmbH
    Inventor: Holger Link
  • Patent number: 6092684
    Abstract: A connectable case and method of forming the connectable case from a synthetic resin plate. The case includes a bottom panel, four side-wall panels each extending from a respective side of the bottom panel and a flap panel extending from the side of at least one side-wall panel, the flap panel extending downwardly adjacent to its respective side-wall panel, such that the space between the downwardly extending flap panel and its respective side-wall panel is approximately equal to the thickness of a side-wall panel. One side-wall panel has at leat one hole formed therein, and one of the flap panel and its associated side-wall panel has at least one protrusion formed therein extend into the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Tanakaya, Inc.
    Inventor: Hidekiyo Sato
  • Patent number: 6082542
    Abstract: A full-depth nestable crate includes a plurality of columns, projections and channels disposed along exterior and interior surfaces of a retainer wall such that a top crate is nestable within a bottom crate in a first position and stacked on top of a bottom crate when rotated 180.degree. to a second position with respect to the bottom crate. A plurality of stacking rings depend from the bottom floor and interlock a top crate with a bottom crate when crates are stacked or nested. Each stacking ring is aligned with a pocket in the crate and disposed over a bottle in a bottom crate. A bottle cap on the bottle seats within a depression formed in the stacking ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Inventors: Patrick James McGrath, Robert C. Allabaugh, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6044966
    Abstract: A ready-for-sale container for transporting contact lenseshas at least one closable cavity that is open to the exterior and which receives at least one contact lens, onto which container inscriptions and identifications can be applied. The container is in one piece, made of a single material, of plastic, and a tear-off serves as the closure of the cavity. The contact lens is introduced into a container of this kind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Wohlk Contact-Linsen GmbH
    Inventor: Lothar Haase
  • Patent number: 5992665
    Abstract: A see-through display case has a plurality of compartments for storing, displaying and transporting a plurality of collectibles. Each case has an open front face which is closed by a clear plastic cover hinged to the front edge of the top surface. A case may be attached to vertically adjacent cases by means of a pair of tongue and groove interlocks integral to both the top and bottom surfaces and to laterally adjacent cases by a tongue on one case and a groove on the adjacent case to form a unit of interconnected cases. Each of the interlocks is activated by sliding a first of the adjacent cases front to back relative to the other adjacent case. An array of cases as large as two by two can be transported using an attachable handle which can be connected to the uppermost, centrally positioned pair of tongue and groove interlocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Inventor: Richard W. Deeter
  • Patent number: 5967322
    Abstract: A reusable container assembly is provided which comprises a substantially rectangular open-top container particularly adapted to receive a fluid-containing bag. The container is lidded to thereby enclose the contents of the container assembly. A side wall aperture receives the spout of a fluid-containing bag disposed within the container assembly. The container assembly is further made tamper evident.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company, Inc.
    Inventors: William P. Apps, John A. Hagan
  • Patent number: 5895540
    Abstract: A linerless double-backed adhesive tape structure is disclosed. In one embodiment the tape has three tape strips each with an adhesive coated surface and an adhesive free surface. Two of the strips are joined to a center strip along its lateral edges with the adhesive coated surfaces of the two strips overlapping and adhered to the adhesive coated surface of the center strip. Also disclosed is a method of unitizing and sealing a plurality of containers. In one embodiment a double-backed adhesive tape structure is adhered to each of the containers and the containers are stacked together with the exposed adhesive side of the tape on each container adhered to the exposed adhesive side of the tape on an adjacent container. Finally, an apparatus for dispensing the double-backed adhesive tape of the present invention is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: John Richard David, Dee Lynn Johnson, Kenneth Francis Knoll, Curtis Larson, Graham Edward Thoms, Raymond Daniel Zachrison
  • Patent number: 5890595
    Abstract: A food-service kit and method includes a plurality of similar or diverse-type containers wherein the containers may be coupled together in various configurations to form toy-like assemblies. The respective containers include compatible projection and socket configurations so that they may be joined together as building blocks in order to create the toy-like devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventor: William S Credle, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5881880
    Abstract: A container lid has a top wall with a series of recessed areas that include therewithin a plurality of geometrical projections and a bottom wall that displays a plurality of recesses complementary in shape to the projections of the top wall whereby identically shaped lids may be stacked or cross-stacked in nested condition with the projections of one lid being received in the corresponding recesses of a superposed lid. The lid is adapted to be affixed to a container having four side pieces and a bottom piece, the configuration of the lid allowing a stacking or cross-stacking arrangement of lid-covered containers with their side pieces in the erected position as well as the stacking or cross-stacking of lid-covered containers with their side pieces in an inwardly folded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: IPL, Inc.
    Inventors: Michel Jacques, Roch Nolet
  • Patent number: 5878881
    Abstract: A storage saver system (22) comprising a storage container (24) which includes a generally cylindrical shaped base (26) having a compartment (28) to hold at least one article (30) therein. A cover (32) extends over the compartment (28) of the base (26). A hinge (34) attaches the cover (32) to a top edge of the base (26). A structure (36) is for retaining the cover (32) in a closed position over the compartment (28), to keep the at least one article (30) within the compartment (28) of the base (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Inventor: Ricardo Hunt
  • Patent number: 5875896
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer packaging system to cushion semiconductor wafers from damage from shock and vibration during transportation is described. The semiconductor wafer packaging system has at least one a wafer case to enclose the semiconductor wafers. Each wafer case is placed within a wafer case padding unit. Each padding unit includes a rectangular cushioning block and a plurality of trapezoidal spacer blocks affixed to the four sides of the rectangular cushioning block. The rectangular cushioning block has an opening to accept the wafer case and a plurality of trapezoidal notches on two adjoining sides of the rectangular cushioning block. The wafer case padding unit is placed within a packaging canister for transportation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-Sheng Liang
  • Patent number: 5819929
    Abstract: A CD container storage device includes an upper cover having a top and a vertical rear side wall and two vertical lateral side walls extending downwardly from three sides of the top, a lower cover having three upwardly extending side walls adapted to engage the three downwardly depending side walls of the upper cover to form a rectangular casing, and a disk holder dimensioned to be fitted into the rectangular casing, whereby a CD and its container can be separately fitted into the CD container storage device and a plurality of similar CD container storage devices can be conveniently connected together as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Inventor: Chih-Wen Chung
  • Patent number: 5810187
    Abstract: A drawer organizer assembly including a plurality of releasably interlocked juxtaposed containers, each container having a bottom wall and a plurality of interconnected side walls open at the top. A peripheral ledge surrounds each open top having a plurality of spaced corners, each ledge having an cut-out section at each of the corners with one ledge of one container abutting against the ledge of an adjacent container. A plurality of connectors are disposed in certain ones of the cut-out sections, the connectors mounted in the cut-out sections of one container which abuts against adjacent cut-out sections of another container being connected to both of the containers at the abutting cut-out sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Barbara D. Arner
    Inventor: Cooper C. Woodring
  • Patent number: 5791462
    Abstract: A carton blank formed utilizing a pattern layout with adjacent blanks nesting with each other to minimize the material required and reduce waste between adjacent blanks. The formed carton is a modular carrier with a central hand grip opening and a peripheral wall with a pair of reduced height corner portions, and is adapted to lock to a laterally adjacent duplicate carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Dopaco, Inc.
    Inventor: Simon Whitnell
  • Patent number: 5788303
    Abstract: A portable wrench rack is provided. The rack includes a rectangular housing, a handle projected upward from the top of the housing, a pair of dovetail grooves and a pair of dovetail protrusions superposedly formed on respective lateral walls of the housing and a suspension member on the bottom of the housing having a plurality of L-shaped slots vertically formed in the front portion thereof for suspending the wrenches therefrom. A slidable front door slidably engages into a pair of guide slots in the housing and closes the front side of the housing in a snap fitting. Thereby, the wrench rack of the present invention is portable, suspensible and juxtaposedly combinative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Inventor: Chen Chia-Hsiang
  • Patent number: 5779051
    Abstract: A container for liquids is configured for two-plane stacking with one or two similarly constructed containers; it comprises a body having a rectanguloid configuration with a top wall defining a recessed liquid pouring spout area and a raised handle area. The bottom wall has an underface included within a downwardly extending peripheral border defined by a series of spaced legs and pockets between the legs. The configurations of the top and bottom walls allow such containers to be stacked in two planes: one plane includes containers one directly above the other or one above the other but vertically offset thereto; a second plane includes containers in vertical planes 90.degree. to one anoother. The handle area has rectangular planar faces and a handle bar therebetween, both cooperating with the legs and pockets of one or two superposed containers to secure them in stacked relations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Inventor: Raymond Boutin
  • Patent number: 5758771
    Abstract: A pallet system for use in the warehousing or transporting of a load comprised, for example, of strand material packages such as yarn bobbins, cones and pirns utilizes first and second sections, each including a platform portion having an upwardly-facing surface upon which a load can be positioned and a cap for covering the load positioned upon the first and second sections. An upwardly-directed lip is joined to the platform portion so as to extend along at least one side of the perimeter of the upwardly-facing surface and includes a vertically-oriented wall having an outside surface which faces away from one side of the corresponding section. A plurality of protuberances extend outwardly from the outside surface of the lip wall and a plurality of openings are disposed along the length of the lip wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Formall Inc
    Inventor: Henry H. Rose
  • Patent number: 5730289
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a box insert for protecting bottles. The box insert is formed from a piece of cardboard with fold lines. When the cardboard is folded along the lines and a bottle is placed within the cardboard, the bottle's sides are surrounded by cardboard. At least one bottom and top cut am provided through the cardboard across one of the fold lines. When the cardboard is pushed below the bottom cut and above the top cut, the cardboard folds inward to create a bottom and top indentation to hold the bottle away from the bottom and top of the box. If the bottle has a neck, the top indentation is positioned next to the bottle's neck above the body of the bottle. Usually the top indentation is formed from two top cuts. The inserts and bottles are then placed in a box for shipping. The cardboard inserts provide cardboard indentations that cushion and provide a small space between the bottom and top of the box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Inventor: Bruce Cappels
  • Patent number: 5715948
    Abstract: A CD rack includes at least two parts and each of the two parts has four connections, a first connection, a second connection, a third connection and a fourth connection. Each of the connections has a first tube extending upwardly therefrom and each of the first tubes has an inserting portion extending downwardly therefrom so that the inserting portions of one part are sized to be received in the first tubes of another part. The first connection and the second connection are located on one of two sides of the respective part and the third connection and the fourth connection are located on the other side of the respective part. Each of the first connection and the second connection has a second tube extending laterally from the respective first tube thereof and each of the third connection and the fourth connection has a third tube extending laterally from the respective first tube thereof so that the third tubes in one part are sized to be received in the second tubes of another part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Inventor: Chun-jen Hung
  • Patent number: 5669519
    Abstract: A two container assembly comprises a first container for containing a fluid and a second container for containing a fluid. The first container has a handle and a handle opening, and the second container has a resilient sidewall, a top end and a bottom end. The second container is dimensioned to fit into the handle opening of the first container. The two container assembly has a means for snap-fitting the second container into the handle opening or frictionally engaging the second container in the handle opening. The means for snap-fitting preferably comprises a concave portion in the resilient sidewall of the second container. The concave portion has a shape that mates with a convex shaped portion of the handle. For example, the handle may have an oval cross-section. Also, the second container has a top-to-bottom axis which is substantially perpendicular to a top-to-bottom axis of the first container when the second container is located in the handle opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert R. Notz, Jerome P. Cappel, Gregory A. Zimmer
  • Patent number: 5644473
    Abstract: Each IC package carrier holds a single ZIP or SIP package between its side walls having openings to provide air flow for cooling the package and to allow heat generated within the package to dissipate. A locking strip member is provided to prevent loosening of the held package. Locking elements of snap fasteners are mounted on the side walls to allow several IC package carriers be attached to each other for producing an IC package assembly. The IC package assembly held by the several attached carriers can be inserted into a socket to connect circuits within the packages with external circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Semiconductor America, Inc.
    Inventor: Nour Eddine Derouiche
  • Patent number: 5617953
    Abstract: A stack of containers is formed from a container system. The system includes a plurality of open-topped containers each adapted to be selectively stackable or nestable with like containers. First containers are of relatively large plan. Second containers are of smaller plan. Thus, large containers can stack or nest with large containers. Small containers can stack or nest with small containers. Additionally, small containers are adapted to allow two smaller containers to form a layer in the stack which includes at least one larger container. The smaller containers are supported at the edges of the large container and reach toward the middle, where they engage one another to form a locked cantilever-style bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: McKechnie UK Limited
    Inventor: Andrew C. Cope
  • Patent number: 5602721
    Abstract: An expandable system such as a computer system includes a plurality of stacked functional modules with each module engaging an abutting module in a physically locked relationship. Electric power for the modular system is provided to all modules through power lines within each module housing for EMI shielding with abutting modules having mating electric power connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Tandem Computers
    Inventors: Boyd Slade, Walter R. Carver, Brad D. Caramagno, Henry S. Coleman
  • Patent number: 5573117
    Abstract: A system for displaying packaged goods has an insert sized to be placed on a bottom surface of a packaging carton. The insert has a plurality of alternating peaks and valleys. Each peak has a front wall, a rear wall having a height greater than the front wall and a sloped top extending from the front wall to the rear wall. Each valley is sized to receive a bottom portion of a blister package. A blister package comprised of a card portion, and blister portion attached to the card portion is sized and configured so that a plurality of blister packages can be placed in front to back relationship and a bottom edge of each blister package will fit into a valley in the insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Patent number: 5547081
    Abstract: A unitized, stable stacking system with a tier sheet stabilizer is provided, along with a method for stacking containers. The tier sheet includes a substantially planar top surface, a bottom surface, peripheral retainers disposed about and extending away from the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, and a plurality of protuberances extending downwardly away form the bottom surface such that said protuberances engage the sidewalls of each container to secure the tier sheet to the containers positioned below the tier sheet. The protuberances are positioned so that the tier sheet can be utilized with several different container layering patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Chiquita Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Mullock, Paul Baker, John Knight
  • Patent number: 5524760
    Abstract: An apparatus for interlocking the top layer of corrugated cardboard cartons in a palletized load of said cartons while also providing edge protection, load containment, a flat even surface to stack additional palletized loads upon, and the ability to stack palletized units of boxed product while not damaging the stacking tabs used in produce corrugated cardboard carton designs. The apparatus has two sides at substantially right angles to each other that meet to form an edge. Material is removed from at least one side to create a plurality of slots for receiving the stacking tabs in the tops of the corrugated cardboard cartons. The apparatus is placed on the edge of the upper layer of cartons on a palletized load to interlock the cartons for greater load stability and to reduce load failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Laminations Corporation
    Inventor: Lyn Funk
  • Patent number: 5441151
    Abstract: A storage box for documents, files or the like, and having a generally rectangular body (2) with one open side for access which is sloped or angled, relative to the opposite side. Three of the side edges of the opening are also inwardly flanged, and a slightly smaller lid (4) of co-operating shape is hinged to the fourth edge (6) or to the edge of an insert (30) which divides the interior into sections. The insert may divide the interior into two or more such sections depending on the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Inventor: Paul R. Billingham
  • Patent number: 5425196
    Abstract: A device for attaching fishing bait to a supporting surface such as a belt worn around a fisherman's waist includes a hook which is attached to a flexible strap. The strap has a pair of opposed broad sides, each of which are juxtaposed to a lid. The lids and the strap are secured to each other by a mechanical fastener passing through a central opening in each of the lids and an end of the strap. The lids are provided with threads for engagement with jars of fishing bait. Preferably the strap is formed of a flexible fabric and the hook is connected to a buckle passing through the strap, the hook being rotatably attached to the buckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Magic Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Donn F. Schwarze
  • Patent number: 5417329
    Abstract: A storage and dispensing device having a plurality of individual storage and dispensing compartments is provided. Each compartment is provided with a slidable mating opening through a wall of the compartment for slidably mating with an extending track. The compartments are adapted to be grasped and slidably moved along the track to separate the compartments and permit access to compartments opened thereby. The compartments are slidably returned to a non-separated position in which the wall of one compartment serves as a closure element for an adjacent compartment. The track may be an upstanding vertical rod requiring upward horizontal separation of the compartments in order to gain access. A plurality of these compartments, each having a mating opening for sliding along the extending track, act cooperatively to prevent jamming or sticking of the compartments as they slide along the track together. The compartments are rotatable with respect to each other and rotatable in unison around the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Inventor: Robert S. Whitman
  • Patent number: 5411140
    Abstract: A product display package includes a formed transparent display enclosure such as a blister-type container having a back section and a front section. Each section is generally a rectangular-dished element with sections having abutting edge flanges defining a box-like container for holding and displaying a product. The front section has a front wall including an outwardly embossed logo. The logo has a unique coloring for enhanced display. The back section has a flat back wall including a recess aligned with the embossed logo. In stacked relationship, the logo of a back package protrudes into the recess in the back wall of the abutting front package to provide a compact stacked assembly of the packages. A card insert within the back section abuts the back wall and top wall of the back section. The top wall of the front section has an inward projection abutting the edge of the card top wall to hold the card in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Wells Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Lloyd J. Byer
  • Patent number: 5390785
    Abstract: A pressurized sealable transportable container (100) stores at least one workpiece (138) and has a substantially parallelepipedic-shaped cassette reservoir (123). The container has a box-shaped housing (102) with a main access opening (104) on the front lateral face and protective shells to protect the housing top (143) and bottom (144) surfaces. A door (124) mates with the main access opening to define a sealable interior space (103). The housing has a gas injection valve (124) adapted for connection to a compressed ultra pure neutral gas supply installation (700) to establish a determined static first or nominal pressure p within the interior space having a positive differential pressure .DELTA.p with respect to the outside ambient. A support (108) firmly and accurately maintains the workpiece within the interior space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: George Garric, Andre Lafond
  • Patent number: 5372257
    Abstract: The disclosure herein describes a stackable tray which is formed of a body of rigid plastic material with a bottom wall integrally formed with opposite side walls and front and rear walls; each side wall is provided with an upper edge flange which is engageable in a recessed area defined in the lower edge of a superposed similarly constructed tray. The location of the recessed area with respect to the upper edge flange is such as to force outwardly the side walls during stacking engagement thus causing internal stresses in the bottom wall which counteract the sagging which occurs when loads are supported on the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Assignee: IPL Inc.
    Inventors: Maurice Beauchamp, Michel Lanoue
  • Patent number: 5366073
    Abstract: A media storage container, particularly suitable for storing CD's and the like, comprises a generally flat, rectangular outer casing having an open front and enclosed top, bottom, sides and rear. The sides of the front casing are provided with mating dovetail edges for interconnecting various ones of the outer casings in a side-by-side relationship. Spaced pin extensions rise from predetermined locations on the top of the outer casing for receipt by correspondingly spaced recesses in the bottoms of the casings; so that the several casings may be stacked one upon the other. The locations of these pins and recesses is such that offset stacking of the outer casings also may be effected. A media record storage tray, having an open top, is slidably mounted through the open front of the outer casing, and is releaseably secured into place by a finger operated release lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: JaJa, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Turrentine, Michael W. Tibshraeny
  • Patent number: 5330055
    Abstract: A package assembly formed from two detachably connectable package modules is provided for separately packaging a plurality of articles, such as machine tool cutting inserts. Each package module is substantially structurally identical to the other module, and comprises a tray having a top portion, a bottom wall, side walls, and a plurality of spaced-apart interior walls that define a plurality of article-holding chambers, a transparent lid slidably mounted on the top portion of the tray for retaining, displaying, and sequentially dispensing articles disposed in the article-holding chamber of the tray. Each tray further comprises a cantilevered lip on the exterior of the tray for releasably interconnecting the side walls of the trays of two different package modules such that the bottom wall of the tray of one module and the transparent lid of the other module face the same direction. A label concerning the nature of the articles may be applied to the bottom wall of the tray or to the lid of each module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Kennametal Inc.
    Inventors: Robert T. Kendra, Philip H. Weihl, Thomas J. Baric, Kent W. Murphy, Edward L. Bejster, Harry C. Dundore
  • Patent number: 5316159
    Abstract: A dual bottle container has two bottles which are releasably interlocked together in side-by-side relation by a plateau on one of the bottles which engages a depression on the other bottle for transverse sliding movement. The plateau is bordered at opposite sides by rounded lip portions and the depression is bordered at opposite sides by rounded groove portions, the lip portions and the groove portions engaging each other to prevent undesired relative movement between the two bottles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1994
    Assignee: Plastic Processing Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry A. Douglas, Godfried Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5314067
    Abstract: A connection system adapted to be used with cylindrical containers includes a sleeve which is adapted to frictionally engage either end of a cylindrical container. A recess extends orthogonally inward from the surface of the sleeve and is adapted to receive a projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Inventor: Sara Strock
  • Patent number: 5305902
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for interconnecting thin-walled vessels. Lip and groove alternatively disposed on the exterior upper edges of contiguous vessels fit together to interlock the vessels. Tensioning brackets provided with tension screw engage the contiguous vessels. Tightening the tension screw causes force to be exerted on the interconnected lip and groove, thereby providing a rigid connection between the vessels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: AFP Imaging Corporation
    Inventor: David Vozick
  • Patent number: 5275301
    Abstract: A freight container of the flatrack type is designed to have an end wall structure 22 plus inboard from the end wall structure a gate 23 which is pivotally or collapsibly mounted thereon. The gate 23 includes a load bearing post having a freight container-securing fitment 26 of conventional type, these fitments 26 being positioned at the standard positions for such fitments in a standard freight container but the platform 21 being extended beyond these positions to carry additional load. Diagonal bracing 29 and diagonal top links 37 triangulate and rigidify the gate structure against longitudinal, lateral and vertical forces in both tension and compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Inventor: Martin Clive-Smith
  • Patent number: 5263605
    Abstract: The invention concerns a separator, of the type comprising a sheet provided with openings for centering the necks (3) of a layer of bottles (8) and protrusions (5) extending from the upper face of the sheet to center the bottoms (4) of a superposed layer of bottles, characterized in that each opening is defined, on the one hand, by at least two projections 12 presented by the sheet to abut on the shoulder (23) of the bottle and, on the other hand, by a cap 11 whose height is adapted to shroud the neck (3) of the bottle, when the projections (12) abut on the shoulder of the bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: PLV Concepts
    Inventor: Andre Caton
  • Patent number: 5263582
    Abstract: A shipping carton for five legged chair bases is disclosed. The shipping carton is hexagonal with rectangular sides and four obtuse corner angles and two acute corner angles. The configuration of the carton allows for more efficient loading of a standard truck trailer or other shipping vehicle. In addition, the load has more stability and structural integrity than pentagonal cartons previously used for shipping five legged chair bases. The shipping carton of the present invention is economically formed from a single flat sheet of foldable material such as corrugated paperboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventor: Donnie Schaaf
  • Patent number: 5259505
    Abstract: An interfitting image display box (FIGS. 1, 12) is made of a top (FIGS. 2, 13) and a bottom (FIGS. 3, 4, 14, 15). The top lifts off completely (FIGS. 2, 13), or is hinged to permit lifting the box top back or the side (not shown), or that can be closed (FIGS. 1, 12) and that can then be stacked one on top of the other (FIGS. 10, 11, 16, 17, 18). A box can be made of any material--wood, metal, plastic, papers, and in any shape--rectangular (FIGS. 1-18), square, triangular, round or eliptical. The boxes interfit one into the next one above in such a way as to secure an entire stack of boxes--one on top of the other--either empty or filled with any product of choice FIGS. 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18. The top of the interfitting box incorporates a protruding molded image or logo FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18. The bottom of the box has a molded recess or cavity to accommodate the protruding molded image or logo on the top of the box below FIGS. 3, 4, 7, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Inventor: Roger Sobel
  • Patent number: 5251748
    Abstract: A method of attaching two containers wherein two containers faced toward each other are secured by cooperation of at least one tab on the front wall of one container and at least one slot on the front wall of the other container, and the dual container structure formed thereby. The slot and tab act to securely attach the two containers such that the containers may easily be separated for later sale as independent units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: John M. Adams, Christopher N. Chance, James A. DeBlasio, Donald H. Evers, Michael A. Kirby, Reginald W. Newsome, Robert E. Talley