Patents Assigned to Weyerhaeuser NR Company
  • METHOD FOR PREDICTING WHETHER A WOOD PRODUCT ORIGINATED FROM A BUTT LOG
    Publication number: 20130173179
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods for predicting whether a wood product originated from a butt log. In some embodiments, such methods include dividing the wood product into at least two sections and obtaining, for each of the at least two sections, one or more optical measurements. One or more slope values may then be calculate, each representing an estimated rate at which the one or more optical measurements vary across the wood product. The slope values may then be used in a prediction model to determine a predictive output, the predictive output indicating whether the wood product originated from a butt log. Further aspects of the disclosure are directed towards a computer-readable storage medium for executing methods according to embodiments of the disclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventors: John N. Giovanini, John E. Jones, III, Stanley L. Floyd
  • EMBRYO INSERTION AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20130167437
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed generally towards to embryo insertion systems and methods for use with manufactured seeds. In some embodiments, embryo insertion systems according to the disclosure include an embryo delivery assembly and a fill material deposit assembly. The embryo delivery assembly may include an insertion member, a release assistance member, and a fill material deposit assembly. The fill material deposit assembly may include a fill material containment device, a fill material conveyance device, and optionally, a fill material separation device. Further aspects of the disclosure relate to methods for operating embryo insertion systems according to embodiments of the disclosure to enable simultaneous embryo insertion and fill material delivery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventor: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
  • SPRAY APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING PLANT EMBRYOS
    Publication number: 20130168296
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a spray apparatus and methods for the separation of plant embryos.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventor: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
  • AUTOMATED SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR SEPARATING AND SINGULATING PLANT EMBRYOS
    Publication number: 20130167438
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an automated system and methods for separating and singulating plant embryos.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventor: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
  • Nutritive media and manufactured seeds comprising same
    Patent number: 8466086
    Abstract: Manufactured seeds are disclosed that comprise a unit of totipotent plant tissue and a nutritive medium. The nutritive medium can contain a number of different components selected from the following: a gel solute, charcoal, a carbon source, urea, KNO3, NH4NO3, CuCl2, CuSO4, KI, KH2PO4, CaCl2, MgSO4, Na2EDTA, FeSO4, ferric citrate, MnSO4, MnCl2, H3BO3, ZnSO4, CoCl2, Na2MoO4, (NH4)2MoO4, thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, HCl, Ca-pantothenate, nicotinic acid, biotin, folic acid, and myo-inositol. The nutritive medium can also include any of various protein amino acids, any of various polyamines, any of various oxygen-absorbing compounds, any of various non-protein amino acids, and/or a smoke suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: William C. Carlson, Jeffrey E. Hartle, James A. Grob, Katherine M. Salatas, Mollie K. Heilesen
  • Fiber for fiber cement and resulting product
    Patent number: 8461233
    Abstract: A fiber-cement product which includes a treated cellulose wood pulp fiber. The fiber is treated with fibrillated carboxymethyl cellulose or a carboxyethyl cellulose and poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium)chloride. The fiber can be bleached or partially bleached, refined or unrefined or a mixture of refined and unrefined fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: S. Ananda Weerawarna, Harshadkumar M. Shah
  • Fire resistant wood products
    Patent number: 8458971
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed generally towards fire-resistant wood products and formulations for fire-resistant coatings. In some embodiments, the disclosure includes a fire-resistant coating comprising an aromatic isocyanate (present in a quantity ranging from about 15% to about 39%), castor oil (present in a quantity ranging from about 37% to about 65%), and intumescent particles (present in a quantity ranging from about 1% to about 40%). Further aspects are directed towards materials such as wood products coated with fire-resistant coatings according to embodiments of the disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: Jack G. Winterowd, Glen Robak
  • CELLULOSE CROSSLINKED FIBERS MANUFACTURED FROM PLASMA TREATED PULP
    Publication number: 20130137862
    Abstract: Intrafiber crosslinked cellulose pulp fibers manufactured from a plasma-treated pulp sheet are provided. The provided fibers have lower knot content and increased wet bulk compared to an untreated pulp sheet. Methods for forming the fibers are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventor: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
  • Utilization of kraft lignin in phenol/formaldehyde bonding resins for OSB
    Patent number: 8445563
    Abstract: A resin for OSB comprising an aqueous resole reaction product of phenol, formaldehyde, alkaline metal hydroxide or carbonate, urea and a degraded lignin polymer having 35-65% solids, a pH of 8-13 and a viscosity 50-1000 centipoises. The phenol and formaldehyde are present in a molar ratio of 1.5 to 3.4 moles formaldehyde to 1 mole phenol and are 40 to 85% of the total solids added to the mixture. In one embodiment they are 50 to 75% of the total solids added to the mixture. The alkaline metal hydroxide or carbonate are 5 to 20% of the total solids added to the mixture. Urea is 5 to 35% of the total solids added to the mixture. The degraded lignin is 5 to 20% of the total solids added to the mixture. A method for making the resin and a product using the resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: Jack G. Winterowd, Cheng Zhang, Amar N. Neogi
  • Fractionation of lignocellulosic material using ionic liquids
    Patent number: 8435355
    Abstract: Lignocellulosic biomass materials are fractionated by dissolving at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material in an ionic liquid and separating the resulting mixture into a cellulose-enriched fraction and/or a lignin-enriched fraction. The cellulose-enriched fraction contains about 10 percentage points more glucose than the weight percent glucose contained in the original lignocellulosic biomass material. In certain embodiments, the lignin-enriched fraction includes a lignin content that is 5 percentage points greater than the weight percent lignin present in the original lignocellulosic material. The techniques used to isolate the cellulose-enriched fractions and/or the lignin-enriched fractions from the ionic liquid mixture do not employ environmentally unfriendly solvents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: Angela P. Gifford, David E Severeid
  • Internally curing cement based materials
    Patent number: 8435345
    Abstract: A method of curing cementitious material comprising added a carboxylated bleached wood pulp fiber to the material during mixing. The fiber has a carboxyl content of from 10 to 70 meq/100 g cellulose fiber. The fibers are 0.1 to 5% by weight of the dry weight of the cementitious material. The structure produced by the method. The autogenous shrinkage of the cementitious material is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: John A. Westland, David J. O'Callaghan
  • Method for constructing a truss from selected components
    Patent number: 8434232
    Abstract: A method for constructing a truss includes selecting three or more chord elements (two or more upper chord elements and one or more lower chord elements) and one or more web elements. The selecting of the components includes estimating a first change in length for each of the two or more upper chord elements and estimating a second change in length of each of the one or more lower chord elements, the first change in length and the second change in length in response to changes in conditions to which the truss is exposed. The one or more web elements are selected from the plurality of wood members to compensate for the deformation caused by the first change in length and the second change in length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: John E. Jones, III, Benjamin C. Donner
  • Floor panel and flooring drainage system
    Patent number: 8424260
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed generally towards floor panels and flooring drainage systems utilizing two or more interconnected improved floor panels. In some embodiments, the disclosure includes a floor panel having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first longitudinal surface, a second longitudinal surface, a first transverse surface, and a second transverse surface. One or more drainage assemblies are located on either the first transverse surface and/or the second transverse surface. Each of the drainage assemblies include one or more drainage slots and one or more drainage notches. Further aspects are directed towards flooring drainage systems comprising two or more interconnected floor panels according to embodiments of the disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventor: Travis E. Bjorkman
  • Seedling counter
    Patent number: 8422629
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for counting seedlings. A seedling moves through a seedling counter, which comprises a spectral energy emitter and a spectral energy detector. When the spectral energy detector detects a sufficient attenuation of the spectral energy for a sufficient amount of time, the spectral energy detector indicates the presence of a seedling. The spectral energy detector detects irregularities in the received spectral energy to indicate faults in the apparatus. In one embodiment, the seedling counter is adapted to use X-ray energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: Jimmy Lee Stokes, Edward Joseph Kelleher, Jr.
  • Method for optimizing value of wood products dried in a drying process
    Patent number: 8417372
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a method for optimizing value of current wood products dried in one or more current drying processes and associated computer software. The method comprises the steps of obtaining prior wood product data for prior wood products dried in one or more prior drying processes and generating a value function based on the prior wood product data. The method further includes identifying one or more sources of variability in the prior wood product data and quantifying a contribution to overall variability from each of the sources. The value function and the contributions to overall variability may be used to quantify one or more value opportunities associated with each the one or more sources, each value opportunity being associated with one or more executable steps for improving the one or more current drying processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventor: Mark A. Stanish
  • Systems and methods for manufacturing composite wood products to reduce bowing
    Patent number: 8414720
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and methods for manufacturing a composite wood product. In some embodiments, the method includes the steps of forming a mat from a plurality of wood elements and an adhesive, the mat having a width W measured substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the mat and an initial thickness T1. The mat is then moved in a machine direction, the machine direction being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and the temperature across the width W of the mat is adjusted. The mat is then compressed into a billet having a final thickness T2. In some embodiments, the system includes a continuous movement mechanism, a side preheat assembly, and a press assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: Mark T. Churchland, M. Tekamul Buber
  • CATALYTIC CARBOXYLATION OF CELLULOSE FIBERS IN A CONTINUOUS PROCESS WITH MULTIPLE ADDITIONS OF CATALYST, SECONDARY OXIDANT AND BASE TO A MOVING SLURRY OF CELLULOSE FIBERS
    Publication number: 20130081768
    Abstract: Manufacturing carboxylated fiber by catalytically carboxylating cellulose fiber in at least two catalytic carboxylation stages in series in which a primary catalyst and secondary oxidizing agent and, if necessary, pH adjustment agent is added at the beginning of each stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventor: S. Ananda Weerawarna
  • Cellulose Fibrillation
    Publication number: 20130082128
    Abstract: A process for making a fibrillated blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers in which a blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers is provided. The lyocell is from 25% to 75% of the total weight of the blend of lyocell and cellulose pulp fibers. The blend is refined in a high shear field device to provide a blend of fibrillated lyocell and pulp fibers having a diameter of 10 to 500 nanometers and a fiber length of 50 to 500 ?m. The high shear field device can be a homogenizer or colloid mill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventor: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING LiDAR DATA
    Publication number: 20130080057
    Abstract: A programmed computer or non-transitory computer readable storage media has instructions that are executable by a processor to identify LiDAR data points associated with items of vegetation or other objects. Each LiDAR data point is tested to determine if it lies within the value of a closed surface defined for higher LiDAR points. If so, the LiDAR point is grouped with the LiDAR points associated with a previously identified item of vegetation. If not, a new item of vegetation is identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. Welty
  • METHODS OF MULTIPLYING CONIFER EMBRYOGENIC TISSUE
    Publication number: 20130078722
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for multiplying conifer embryogenic tissue. The methods of the invention comprise the steps of: (a) culturing conifer embryogenic tissue in or on a solid multiplication medium comprising one or more growth hormones; and (b) culturing the conifer embryogenic tissue multiplied in step (a) in or on a liquid multiplication medium comprising one or more growth hormones, wherein the initial concentration of growth hormones in the solid multiplication medium of step (a) is greater than the initial concentration of growth hormones in the liquid multiplication medium of step (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventors: Pramod K. Gupta, Diane G. Holmstrom, Pamela L. Carlson