Patents Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide
  • Patent number: 11667086
    Abstract: An energy apparatus can be configured for providing energy to an item being transferred over a rotatable drum. The energy apparatus can include a first energy mechanism configured to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable drum and rotate with the rotatable drum. The energy apparatus can also include a second energy mechanism configured to rotate around a circumference of the rotatable drum. The energy apparatus can additionally include a translation system coupled to the second energy mechanism and configured to move the second energy mechanism to an end position that allows the second energy mechanism and the first energy mechanism to provide energy to the item while there is no relative motion between the first energy mechanism and the second energy mechanism. Methods of providing energy to an item utilizing an energy apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Michael L. Lohoff, Craig R. Roble, Greg Rajala, Katherine M. Nackers, Kelly D. Farmer, Jason K. Sieck, Joseph D. Coenen, Jerry L. Hameister
  • Patent number: 11659966
    Abstract: A dispenser comprising a body, a dispensing device having an orifice, a gate configured to move between a first position and a second position with respect to the orifice, a biasing device to bias the gate towards the first position, and a dampener coupled to the gate and configured to impede the biasing device from biasing the gate towards the first position to delay, in time, the gate from moving from the second position to the first position; and wherein in the first position the gate engages the sheets passing through the orifice with enough force to break a perforation separating two contiguous sheets of the series to cause single sheet dispensing; and the delay allows multiple sheets of the series of interconnected sheets to pass through the orifice, when pulled at a given rate, before the gate moves from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Green, Michiel de Haan, Freerk van Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11661707
    Abstract: Disclosed are multi-ply tissue products comprising a non-crosslinked binder that are durable and dispersible. The products generally have a Slosh time less than 2 minutes, such as less than about 60 seconds, such as less than about 45 seconds. Surprisingly, the foregoing Slosh times are achieved despite the tissue products having relatively high cross-machine direction (CD) wet tensile strength, such as greater than about 100 g/3?. Typically, increasing wet tensile strength, particularly wet CD tensile strength, negatively effects dispersability and increases Slosh time. Despite this trend, the present invention surprisingly provides a tissue product having a relatively high degree of wet strength and good dispersability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Joseph Vogt, Mark William Sachs, Erin Ann McCormick, Devon Gaynelle Curley, Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt, Nathan John Vogel, Christopher Steven LeCount
  • Patent number: 11661706
    Abstract: Provided are tissue webs, and products produced therefrom, that are generally durable, flexible and have improved cross-machine direction (CD) properties, such as CD tensile energy absorption (CD TEA), CD stretch and CD modulus. The inventive tissue products generally comprise a single tissue ply that has been prepared by through-air drying and more preferably by through-air drying without creping. Moreover, the products may be produced using a transfer fabric positioned between the forming fabric and the through-air drying fabric where the transfer fabric imparts the nascent web with a high degree of CD strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark W. Sachs, Lynda E. Collins, Kevin J. Vogt, Richard A. Zanon, Christopher L. Satori
  • Patent number: 11653649
    Abstract: Antimicrobial compositions and methods for inhibiting microbial growth are disclosed. The antimicrobial compositions can include an antimicrobial agent that includes a dihydroxamic acid having a carbon chain length less than or equal to 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott W. Wenzel, Andrew R. Kischnick, Corey T. Cunningham, Vinod Chaudhary
  • Patent number: 11655994
    Abstract: Antimicrobial compositions and methods for inhibiting microbial growth are disclosed. The antimicrobial compositions can include an acyl lactylate, a glycol, and a carrier. The carrier can include water. Water can form at least about 90% by weight of the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffery R. Seidling, Paige N. Anunson, Corey T. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 11649590
    Abstract: Provided are tissue products comprising a single ply tissue web that has been prepared by a creping process and more preferably by a print creping process adapted to dispose a non-crosslinked latex polymer on at least one of the outer surfaces of the tissue web. The creped single ply tissue products generally have a low degree of stiffness, such as a Stiffness Index less than about 8.00, and are highly durable, such as a Durability Index greater than about 12.0. In other instances, the tissue products may have very low levels of lint or dust, such as a Slough less than about 4.00 mg, even at basis weights from about 45 to about 55 grams per square meter (gsm) and tensile strengths from 600 to 1,200 g/3?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Maurizio Tirimacco, Kevin Joseph Vogt
  • Patent number: 11649591
    Abstract: Disclosed are multi-ply tissue products comprising a non-crosslinked binder that are durable, smooth and with low levels of Slough. In certain instances the creped tissue product have a geometric mean tensile (GMT) from about 700 to about 1,500 g/3?, a basis weight from about 45 to about 60 gsm and a Slough less than about 2.00 mg, more preferably less than about 1.50 mg, such as from about 0.10 to about 2.00, such as from about 0.25 to about 1.50 mg. The inventive tissue products also have good durability, such as a Durability Index from about 10.0 to about 20.0, smooth surfaces, such as a TS750 value from about 15.0 to 40.0 and low stiffness, such as a Stiffness Index less than about 10.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Joseph Vogt, Mark William Sachs, Erin Ann McCormick, Devon Gaynelle Curley, Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt, Nathan John Vogel, Christopher Steven LeCount
  • Patent number: 11648153
    Abstract: Elasticized absorbent articles containing weakened elasticized portions and methods of manufacture are disclosed. A method comprises applying a first amount of adhesive to a first portion of at least one of the first web of material and the elastic strand, applying a second amount of adhesive to a second portion of at least one of the first web of material and the elastic strand, covering the elastic strand with either the first surface of the first web of material or a first surface of a second web of material to form an elasticized web. The elasticized web comprises a heavy bonding region and a light bonding region, wherein the heavy bonding region comprises a greater area density of adhesive than the light bond region. Finally, the method may further comprise partially weakening the waist panel elastic strand at least at one location within the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Brian K. Rhodes, Timothy A. Thorson, Qingyuan Deng, Gregory J. Rajala, Rae Leonard Kirkwood
  • Patent number: 11648553
    Abstract: A material for manipulating liquid includes a porous substrate having first and second surfaces; and a wedge-shaped transport element disposed on one of the first and second surfaces, wherein the wedge-shaped transport element has a narrow end and a wide end, the wide end connected to a first reservoir, wherein the wedge-shaped transport element is configured to pass liquid from the narrow end to the wide end to the first reservoir, regardless of gravity, and wherein the first reservoir is configured to pass liquid away from the substrate in a z-direction opposite from the surface on which a liquid is deposited. The surface on which the wedge-shaped transport element is disposed is one of hydrophobic or superhydrophobic, and the wedge-shaped transport element is one of a) superhydrophilic when the first surface is hydrophobic, b) superhydrophilic when the first surface is superhydrophobic, and c) hydrophilic when the first surface is superhydrophobic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignees: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC., The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Constantine Megaridis, Souvick Chatterjee, Ali Ibrahim, Pallab Sinha Mahapatra, Ranjan Ganguly, Lisha Yu, Richard N. Dodge
  • Patent number: 11642868
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dispersible adhesively bonded wet tissue laminate and more particularly a dispersible wet wipe comprising two or more adhesively bonded tissue plies. Generally, the wipe comprises first, and second tissue plies adhesively bonded to one another by an adhesive, particularly a triggerable binder, disposed at the interface of the plies. The first and second tissue plies preferably comprise fibrous tissue plies and more preferably wet-laid tissue plies consisting essentially of conventional papermaking fibers. The adhesively bonded laminates are generally strong enough to withstand use, such as having a geometric mean wet tensile strength (GMWT) greater than about 250 g/in, but disperse quickly in water, such as having a Slosh Time less than about 60 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Monson, Nicholas S. Wolter, Daniel M. Piette
  • Patent number: 11634868
    Abstract: The present invention discloses tissue products, specifically rolled paper towel products, such as one, two or three ply tissue products having a basis weight greater than about 35 gsm and a GMT greater than about 1,500 g/3?. The products have a three-dimensional surface, typically the air contacting surface, comprising substantially continuous machine direction (MD) oriented elements, discrete cross-machine direction (CD) oriented elements and discrete MD oriented valleys having valley sidewalls formed by the MD oriented elements and valley endwalls formed by the CD oriented elements. The discrete valleys generally have a length greater than about 10.0 mm. The CD oriented elements comprise a relatively small percentage of the tissue surface area, such as less than about 15 percent, yet the tissue products display good anti-nesting properties when spirally wound into rolls, such as a Roll Structure greater than about 1.75.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Joseph Vogt, Christopher Steven LeCount, Richard Allen Zanon, Mark Alan Burazin
  • Patent number: 11634869
    Abstract: The present invention provides multi-ply creped tissue products, and in particular embodiments creped wet pressed tissue products, having substantially higher per-ply basis weights, such as from about 20 to about 30 gsm, without the negative effects often associated with higher basis weight. As such, the tissue products are generally soft and flexible, having a softness value (measured as TS7) less than about 12.0 and a Stiffness Index less than about 20. While being soft and flexible, the instant tissue products are durable enough to withstand use, such as having a GMT greater than about 600 g/3? and a Burst Index greater than about 12.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Oriol Margo Moreno, John Alexander Werner, IV, Steven J. Hickey, Paul David Bradford, Cristiano Bobba, Giovanni Massarotti
  • Patent number: 11634844
    Abstract: A nonwoven composite that has a dimension in a machine direction and a cross-machine direction is provided. The composite comprises a nonwoven facing positioned adjacent to an elastic film. The nonwoven facing contains a spunbond web that is formed by necking a base spunbond web. The base spunbond web includes a plurality of fibers generally oriented in the machine direction and exhibiting a machine direction tensile strength and cross-machine direction tensile strength. The ratio of the machine direction tensile strength to the cross-machine direction tensile strength is about 4:1 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Conrad, James R. Fitts, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11634870
    Abstract: The present invention provides multi-layered tissue webs, and tissue products comprising the same, the multi-layered webs comprising wood fibers and non-wood cellulosic fibers where the non-wood cellulosic fibers are selectively deposited in one or more outer layers of the multi-layered web. Surprisingly disposing non-wood cellulosic fibers in the outer layers, even in relatively modest amounts, alters the machine and/or cross-machine direction properties of the resulting web, such that MD:CD tensile ratio may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kayla Elizabeth Rouse, Richard Louis Underhill
  • Patent number: 11628097
    Abstract: A male incontinence article includes a liquid permeable liner, a liquid impermeable outer cover, and an absorbent core disposed between the liner and the outer cover. The article is configurable from a laid flat configuration to a use configuration. The article has, in the use configuration, an absorbent cup and an upstanding wall that extends upward from the cup. The cup has a closed bottom, a sidewall extending upward from the closed bottom, and an open top. The closed bottom and the sidewall cooperatively define an interior chamber adapted to receive at least a portion of the user's penis. Suitable packaging and methods of manufacturing such an article are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Marcille F. Ruman, Sarah A. Kleuskens, Phillip L. Hutchinson
  • Patent number: D983220
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Marayia E. Lotts, Eric B. Maclean
  • Patent number: D983817
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Samantha Goss, Valerie Aurillo, Hannah Motz, Benjamin Warner
  • Patent number: D983968
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Dok Chon, SungSu Kim
  • Patent number: D985303
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric M. Chalko, Alice S. Gordon, Alyssa G. Mellett, Julia B. Kemper, Suzuko Hisata