Patents Represented by Attorney Mark D. Kuller
  • Patent number: 6007906
    Abstract: Fine paper that is sized with a 2-oxetanone alkaline sizing agent and that does not encounter machine feed problems in high speed converting or reprographic machines, including continuous forms bond paper and adding machine paper, processes for converting the paper into envelopes, continuous forms bond paper and adding machine paper, and paper products of the processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Kyle J. Bottorff, Clement Linus Brungardt, David Howard Dumas, Susan Merrick Ehrhardt, John Charles Gast, Jian-Jian Zhang
  • Patent number: 5972094
    Abstract: This invention relates to a sizing composition comprising a thermoplastic resin selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic rosins having an acid number less than 50, thermoplastic hydrocarbon resins, thermoplastic polyamides and thermoplastic amide waxes, its use in sizing paper and paper sized with the sizing agent. The invention also relates to a method of sizing paper comprising use of a composition comprising a thermoplastic rosin, wherein the sizing takes place substantially in the absence of alum, and paper so sized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert Bates, Gerard J. Broekhuisen, Edwin R. Hensema, Malcolm J. Welch
  • Patent number: 5879814
    Abstract: A 2-oxetanone sizing agent that is made from fatty acid(s) containing linoleic acid. Paper that is sized with the 2-oxetanone alkaline sizing agent does not encounter machine feed problems in high speed converting or reprographic machines, so the sizing agent is useful for paper including continuous forms bond paper and adding machine paper, processes for converting the paper into envelopes, continuous forms bond paper and adding machine paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventor: Kyle J. Bottorff
  • Patent number: 5853542
    Abstract: Paper sizing enhancer that is a polymerization reaction product of a quaternary diallylammonium monomer and a diallylammonium monomer, as well as compositions containing the sizing enhancer and a sizing agent. The method of sizing paper with such paper sizing enhancer compound and a sizing agent provides sized paper with significantly improved sizing property characteristics, and the sized paper exhibits high print quality when used in inkjet printing applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventor: Kyle J. Bottorff
  • Patent number: 5846308
    Abstract: A dispersed rosin sizing composition comprising rosin stabilized by a cationic colloidal coacervate dispersing agent, the coacervate dispersing agent comprising an anionic component and a cationic component, the anionic and cationic components being present in a proportion such that the sizing composition has a zeta potential of at least about 20 millivolts. Methods of making and using the stable rosin sizing composition are also disclosed, as is sized paper made using the sizing composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventor: Rodrigue V. Lauzon
  • Patent number: 5846663
    Abstract: A sizing agent for paper that is a 2-oxetanone ketene multimer which is not solid at 35.degree. C., particularly a multimer mixture in which at least 25 weight percent of the hydrocarbon substituents contain irregularities such as branched alkyl groups or linear or branched alkenyl groups. Paper surface sized with the 2-oxetanone ketene multimer sizing agent and the method of surface sizing paper are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Clement L. Brungardt, Richard J. Riehle, Jian Jian Zhang
  • Patent number: 5846654
    Abstract: Spinning polypropylene at relatively high temperatures with delayed quenching, and drawing at relatively high temperatures with moderate draw ratios, provides fibers having an improved tensile factor, especially improved elongation, and can be used to produce fibers also having a high tenacity. The fibers are particularly useful for reinforcement applications when provided in the form of staple fibers and exhibit a tensile factor TE.sup.0.50 of at least about 60, where T is tenacity (gpd) and E is elongation (percent), especially those having a tenacity of at least about 8 gpd and/or an elongation of at least about 25%, and most especially those having a tenacity of at least about 10 gpd and elongations of 50% to 400%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventor: James P. Modrak
  • Patent number: 5833806
    Abstract: A method for creping fibrous webs comprises: (1) applying to a drying surface for the fibrous web a polyamine/epihalohydrin resin creping adhesive; (2) applying a creping release agent that is a plasticizer for the polyamine/epihalohydrin resin and has a swelling ratio of at least 0.10 and a solubility parameter of greater than 20 MPa.sup.1/2 ; (3) pressing the fibrous web against the drying surface to adhere the web to the drying surface, and (4) dislodging the web from the drying surface with a creping device to crepe the fibrous web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Anthony John Allen, George Lock
  • Patent number: 5824613
    Abstract: A laminate comprising (1) at least one layer of a textile structure comprising linear low density polyethylene fiber and (2) at least one layer of a textile structure comprising nomnelting fiber or fiber having a melting point higher than the linear low density polyethylene fiber, needlepunched and thermally consolidated together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: James D. Geiman, Rakesh K. Gupta, Randall E. Kozulla, Richard J. Legare, Robert G. MacLellan
  • Patent number: 5766417
    Abstract: A process for using paper in high speed converting or reprographics operations, comprising the steps of providing paper sized under alkaline conditions with alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA) and 2-oxetanone that is not solid at 35.degree. C., and using the paper in high speed converting or reprographic operations. A process for making paper under alkaline conditions comprising the steps of providing sizing agent comprising alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA) and 2-oxetanone that is not solid at 35.degree. C., and sizing the paper with the sizing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventor: Clement Linus Brungardt
  • Patent number: 5763334
    Abstract: Hydrophobic polyolefin fibers are provided with an internal hydrophobic polysiloxane of the formula X--?Si(R.sup.1)(R.sup.2)--O--!.sub.z --Y, in which X, Y, R.sup.1, and R.sup.2, which may be the same or different, or substituted or unsubstituted independently of each other, are aliphatic groups having not more than about sixteen carbon atoms, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 also being selected from among aryl groups, and z being a positive number sufficiently high that the polysiloxane is hydrophobic (z is generally at least 10). The invention also provides a novel polymer melt for spinning these hydrophobic fibers. The fibers can be cut into staple lengths and carded and bonded to form hydrophobic woven and nonwoven products suitable for use in hygiene devices such as diapers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Rakesh K. Gupta, James H. Harrington
  • Patent number: 5733646
    Abstract: Thermobondable fiber of at least one first component of polypropylene having a melt flow rate of 0.5-30, and at least one second component of polypropylene having a melt flow rate of 60-1000.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Rakesh K. Gupta, James E. Mallory, Kunihiko Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 5725731
    Abstract: A sizing composition for fine paper that does not encounter machine feed problems in high-speed converting or reprographic operations is not solid at 35.degree. C. and comprises a mixture of 2-oxetanone compounds that are the reaction product of a reaction mixture comprising (a) a feedstock comprising primarily unsaturated fatty acids and (b) a feedstock comprising primarily saturated fatty acids, or acid halides thereof, provided that at least 20 mole % of the reaction mixture fatty acids comprise saturated fatty acids and at least 20 mole % of the reaction mixture fatty acids comprise unsaturated fatty acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Clement L. Brungardt, John C. Gast, Jian-Jian Zhang
  • Patent number: 5712209
    Abstract: A fabric comprising a warp yarn and a filling yarn, wherein the filling yarn comprises linear low density polyethylene fiber and the warp yarn comprises nonmelting fiber or fiber having a melting point higher than the linear low density polyethylene fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: James D. Geiman, Rakesh K. Gupta, Randall E. Kozulla, Richard J. Legare, Robert G. MacLellan
  • Patent number: 5705119
    Abstract: Process and apparatus for spinning polymer filaments permits the obtaining of skin-core filament structure by feeding a polymer composition to a spinnerette at a flow rate sufficient to obtain a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute through the spinnerette; heating the polymer composition at a location at or adjacent to the spinnerette so as to heat the polymer composition to a sufficient temperature to obtain a skin-core filament structure upon quenching in an oxidative atmosphere; extruding the heated polymer composition through the spinnerette at a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute to form molten filaments; and quenching the molten filaments in an oxidative atmosphere so as to effect oxidative chain scission degradation of at least a surface of the molten filaments to obtain filaments having a skin-core structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Kunihiko Takeuchi, Rakesh K. Gupta, Shiv Sibal, Richard J. Coffin, Walter J. Freeman
  • Patent number: 5698480
    Abstract: A fiber comprising at least about 80% by weight linear low density polyethylene and having a melting point >109.degree. C. is disclosed. Also disclosed are thermally consolidated fiber structures comprising (1) at least about 3% by weight, based on the total weight of the structure, of lower melting binder fibers comprising at least 80% by weight linear low density polyethylene, and (2) not more than 97% by weight, based on the total weight of the structure, of nonmelting fibers, or fibers having a melting point higher than the linear low density polyethylene fibers. The fiber structures can be in the form of multifilament yarns, woven or nonwoven textile fabrics, carpets, or laminates. The linear low density polyethylene binder fibers in the structures preferably have a melting point <109.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: James Dulaney Geiman, Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Randall Earl Kozulla, Richard Jean Legare, Robert Gray MacLellan
  • Patent number: 5686537
    Abstract: Controlling premature curing of vulcanizable halogen-containing polymer compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventor: Jay Bernard Class
  • Patent number: 5685815
    Abstract: Fine paper that is sized with a 2-oxetanone alkaline sizing agent and that does not encounter machine feed problems in high speed converting or reprographic machines, including continuous forms bond paper and adding machine paper, processes for converting the paper into envelopes, continuous forms bond paper and adding machine paper, and paper products of the processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Kyle J. Bottorff, Clement Linus Brungardt, David Howard Dumas, Susan Merrick Ehrhardt, John Charles Gast, Jian-Jian Zhang
  • Patent number: 5683809
    Abstract: Protective articles such as diapers, having filmless hydrophobic barrier elements such as cuffs and backing sheets. The barrier cuffs--which can be, for instance, leg cuffs and waistbands--and the backing sheets can be provided from fabrics having a fabric weight of at least 10 gsy; these fabrics are made of cardable, hydrophobic polyolefin fibers having a dpf value of not more than about 2.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Walter J. Freeman, Rakesh K. Gupta, James H. Harrington, Richard J. Legare, Thomas L. Smith, Adrienne W. Williams
  • Patent number: H1743
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for inventory monitoring a supply consumed in the manufacturing of a finished product. An inventory management system monitors the quantity of supplies in a storage facility. Based upon historical data related to the rate of usage of the supplies, the inventory management system determines the period of time until the stored supplies are depleted. If the supplies are depleted prior to a next scheduled delivery of replacement supplies, the inventory management system communicates with the supplier to move ahead the delivery date. Conversely, if the inventory management system determines that the supplies are being consumed at a rate lower than projected, the inventory management system will instruct the supplier to delay a shipment date. Supervisory personnel may access the system from a local location or a remote location. In addition, an alarm is activated when there is a sudden change in the rate of usage of the stored supplies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Henry K. Graves, Robert W. Perkins, Jack Phillips Mills, Jr., Gerald Richard Giles