Patents Examined by Andy Falik
  • Patent number: 6581645
    Abstract: A composite forming fabric woven to a repeating pattern in at least 6 sheds; up to at least 36 sheds can be used. All of the paper side layer warp yarns are pairs of intrinsic warp binder yarns (101, 102) occupying an unbroken warp path in the paper side surface including three segments. The first and a second are occupied in turn by each intrinsic warp binder yarn (101, 102), and the third by both intrinsic warp binder yarns (101, 102) of a pair. The first, second and third segments are separated by at least one paper side layer weft, and a first or second segment is adjacent each end of the third segment. Within each first and second segment, each intrinsic warp binder yarn (101, 102) also interlaces once with a machine side layer weft (2′, 9′), at the same point as a machine side layer warp (103) interlaces with the same weft (2′, 9′). The weave path occupied by each member of a pair of intrinsic warp binder yarns (101, 102) can be the same or different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: AstenJohnson, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale B. Johnson, Ronald H. Seabrook, Richard Stone
  • Patent number: 6539983
    Abstract: The present invention concerns weaving. In particular, it is a woven material produced using tape-like warp and tape-like weft through the employment of a rotary type shedding device which also functions as a direct specific-weave patterning device and a pick guiding device. The material according to the invention has a constructional constitution of at least some of the warp and weft that is non-homogenous. The invention also relates to a weaving device for producing woven material with tape-like warp and weft, comprising a rotary device, which is capable of producing more than one fabric simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Tape Weaving Sweden AB
    Inventor: Nandan Khokar
  • Patent number: 6516834
    Abstract: A loom reed including upper and lower bars which support reed dents and extend along the length of the reed is provided with a connecting device for connecting a brace to the upper bar to restrict longitudinal movement of the reed during loom operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Picanol NV
    Inventors: Joseph Verhulst, Jozef Peeters
  • Patent number: 6515194
    Abstract: A diaper includes a diaper substrate having a peripheral edge and a centrally-located region where fluid from a user will make initial contact therewith, a fluid transport layer disposed with the diaper substrate and having a peripheral edge and a centrally-located portion disposed at the centrally-located region of the diaper substrate, and a wetness indicator on the peripheral edge of the transport layer and exposed and extending along at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the diaper substrate. The transport layer made of a fluid-permeable chromatographic medium draws fluid via capillary action from its centrally-located portion at the centrally-located region of the diaper substrate toward its peripheral edge and into contact with the wetness indicator. The wetness indicator is a material capable of eliciting a visible response to the presence of fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Inventors: Ryan R. Neading, Ryan W. Cate
  • Patent number: 6508797
    Abstract: A pant-like, disposable absorbent article includes an absorbent chassis, a pair of opposed side panels, at least one line of weakness and at least one fastener. The absorbent chassis defines a pair of laterally opposed side edges and a pair of longitudinally opposed waist edges. The side panels extend between the side edges of the absorbent chassis to define a waist opening and a pair of leg openings in the pant-like disposable absorbent article. Each of the opposed side panels defines a first side margin which is permanently attached to the side edge of the absorbent chassis in one waist region of the absorbent article to provide a front permanent joint. The opposed side panels further define a second side margin opposite the first side margin which is permanently attached to the side edge of the absorbent chassis in the other waist region of the absorbent article to provide a back permanent joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Elizabeth Pozniak, Timothy James Blenke, Cassandra Elizabeth Morris, Thomas Harold Roessler, Jody Dorothy Suprise, Robert Eugene Vogt
  • Patent number: 6506959
    Abstract: An absorbent article comprising a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet, and a liquid retentive absorbent layer is disclosed. The absorbent layer comprises a superabsorbent polymer and hydrophilic fiber or foam that does not swell with water or hydrophilic fiber or foam that has a water retention of 0.7 g/g or less when it is swollen with water and then dewatered by centrifugation. The absorbent article has a physiological saline fixing ratio of 90% or more when it absorbs 10 g of physiological saline and, after 5 minutes, is dewatered by centrifugation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsugu Hamajima, Mayumi Kimura, Yasuo Toyoshima, Minoru Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 6499513
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sewn article fabrication wherein the article components are strategically imprinted with processing information using an ink that when irradiated is readable by an operator as well as by strategically located sensors. The printed components are then moved through a sewn goods manufacturing process wherein the indicia is detected and used as reference points to accomplish various manufacturing steps, such as cutting, folding, stitching, and relative positioning of garment components. The ink that is used to imprint the processing information is either invisible or substantially invisible to the naked eye, but becomes readable under exciting radiation such as ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Inventor: Erick C. Couch
  • Patent number: 6498284
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article, such as a diaper. The disposable absorbent article has a liquid pervious structured carrier, a liquid impervious backsheet at least partially peripherally joined to the structured carrier; and an absorbent core intermediate the structured carrier and the backsheet. The liquid pervious structured carrier has an inner surface oriented toward the interior of the disposable absorbent article and an outer surface oriented toward the skin of the wearer when the disposable absorbent article is worn The structured carrier has an effective open area of at least about 12 percent and a plurality of apertures with an effective size greater than 0.1 square millimeters. The outer surface of the structured carrier has an effective amount of a skin care composition which is semi-solid or solid at 20° C. and which is partially transferable to the wearer's skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Donald Carroll Roe
  • Patent number: 6494871
    Abstract: A sanitary absorbent napkin has a laminate structure coprising a first liquid-permeable sheet of material, a second liquid-permeable sheet of material disposed adjacent the first sheet, and an absorbent member for absorbing liquid and disposed adjacent to the second sheet. The second sheet is arranged to receive the liquid deposited on the first sheet and to transfer liquid to the absorbent member. The napkin has a thickness of less than or equal to about 5 mm, when dry, and a penetration time of less than 15 seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Inc.
    Inventors: Christiane Lariviere, Roya Mohmad, Zulfikar Murji, Sylvain Mongeau
  • Patent number: 6488054
    Abstract: An anti-balloon device, to be placed downstream of a weft feeder for weaving looms, comprising a structure which forms a substantially tubular through cavity, preferably substantially frustum-shaped; the cavity is crossed by an unwinding thread that arrives from the weft feeder and controls the passage of the thread, by opposing the centrifugal force that affects it. The structure is shaped like a bottomless basket which is formed by rods lying longitudinally between end elements which connect the rods; the end elements are end rings which are mutually angularly spaced so as to surround the cavity in order to control the passage of the thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: L.G.L. Electronics S.p.A.
    Inventors: Pietro Zenoni, Rosario Castelli
  • Patent number: 6474367
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for the production of a single-piece woven garment which can be converted into a full-body garment, similar to an overall or a hospital gown, using a minimum number of seams and a minimum amount of cutting. The garment is made a two-dimensional fabric, with the various parts produced as a single piece. Additionally, the garment can include an integrated infrastructure component for collecting, processing, transmitting and receiving information, giving it intelligence capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corp.
    Inventors: Sundaresan Jayaraman, Sungmee Park
  • Patent number: 6460577
    Abstract: The heald shafts of a power loom are driven by electric D.C. or A.C. motors which have an external rotor or an armature connected to the respective heald shaft through two articulated couplings, for example snap locks, and a push-pull rod. The motors receive control signals from a computerized controller for reversing the motion direction of the external rotor or armature. The stators of the motors are rigidly mounted on a fixed axis secured to the loom frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Lindauer Dornier Gesellschaft mbH
    Inventor: Valentin Krumm
  • Patent number: 6457491
    Abstract: A weft inserting control device for a fluid jet type loom for detecting dispersion of a weft reaching angle to control the reaching angle of weft yarn. The device includes a weft insertion detecting unit for detecting dispersion of the weft reaching angle in a plurality of control cycles such as a plurality of picking numbers, for example. The device also includes a controlling unit for comparing a plurality of detection values of the weft reaching angle given by the weft insertion detecting unit with a plurality of respective different reference values, and for controlling the weft reaching angle on the basis of a result of the comparison in every control cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Tsudakoma Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Banba, Hiroyuki Kawara
  • Patent number: 6457490
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a loop pile fabric with a varied appearance includes a woven backing fabric. Loop weft yarns (12A), (12B) are provided outside the backing fabric, and loop warp yarns (1), (2), (3) are so provided that they are alternately inwoven in the backing fabric and form a pile loop (13), (14) over at least one loop weft yarn (12A), (12B), and the loop weft yarns (12A), (12B) are subsequently removed. By providing first (12A) and second loop weft yarns (12B) with a different thickness, pile loops (13), (14) of different height are formed. To obtain a fabric in which both pile loops (13) and cut pile (15) occur subsequently a top part can be removed from a number of pile loops (13). In areas (19) where no pile loops are formed effect backing weft yarns (11B) with laterally protruding filaments can be inwoven in the backing fabric. A loop pile fabric can be manufactured according to this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: N.V. Michel Van de Wiele
    Inventors: Andre Dewispelaere, Gilbert Moulin
  • Patent number: 6458112
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a compound sanitary napkin (20) comprising a primary absorbent member (30), a base member (50), flaps (33) and at least one zone of extensibility (66). The compound sanitary napkin (20) has a longitudinal center line along a longitudinal direction and a transverse center line along a transverse direction. The primary absorbent member (30) has a longitudinal length (PL), a transverse width (PW), a thickness (PT), a pair of longitudinal sides (24) and a pair of transverse ends (25), and comprises a primary absorbent element (30) and a fluid pervious cover (32) superimposed on the primary absorbent element (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Robert E Lee Marshall, III, Jin-Young Song, Nami Terada
  • Patent number: 6457489
    Abstract: In face-to-face weaving pile fabrics with high pile density, groups of three weft yarns (1-3), (4-6) are inwoven in respective openings between binding warp yarns (7), (8), (9) (10) crossing each other, and non-pile-forming pile warp yarns are inwoven, while pile warp yarns are alternately interlaced in the top and the bottom backing fabric over a weft yarn according to a two-shot weave. In series of four successive weft insertion cycles in each case three weft yarns (1), (2), (3) are inserted for the top backing fabric (30) and three weft yarns (4), (5), (6) for the bottom backing fabric (31). A weaving machine inserts two weft yarns one above the other per weft insertion cycle and by weft disengagement or weft cancellation in the course of two cycles per series inserts only one weft yarn. Two pile-forming pile warp yarns after a pile change are interlaced over a weft yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: N. V. Michel Van de Wiele
    Inventor: Ludo Smissaert
  • Patent number: 6453951
    Abstract: A heddle includes a plurality of passages spaced from each other in a first direction for guiding warps, respectively, and a retainer provided in each of the passages for retaining a corresponding warp. Each of the guide passages is defined between a first surface and a second surface. The retainer includes an upper projection extending between the first surface and the second surface, and a lower projection extending between the first surface and the second surface. The upper projection and the lower projection define a warp retaining space which is accessible from the guide passage via a clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Clover Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junichi Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 6453952
    Abstract: A yarn clamp (13) for a gripper of a rapier weaving machine includes two clamp elements for clamping a filling yarn (2). Each clamp element is fitted with one clamping segment (20, 25) and the segments are located opposite each other. The clamping segment (20) of at least one of the clamp elements is adjustable by means of an adjustment device (30) relative to the other clamping segment (25) and relative to the main body (18) of the one clamping segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Picanol, n.v.
    Inventor: Eddy Verclyte
  • Patent number: 6450210
    Abstract: A yarn cutting device for mechanical looms, having two mutually movable blades which are arranged on a mounting surface, at least one of the blades being operable by a drive. The drive is constructed as an electrically energized linear motor, whereby a compact flat construction is achieved which has few movable parts. One of the blade carriers is a rotor of the linear motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Lindauer Dornier Gesellschaft mbH
    Inventors: Peter Schiller, Dieter Teufel
  • Patent number: 6450209
    Abstract: A shedding device in a weaving machine including one or more motor groups with a plurality of motors corresponding to a plurality of heald frames which are supported by a plurality of supporting mechanisms arranged in the forward and backward direction of the weaving machine. The motors of each motor group are arranged in the upward and downward, rightward and leftward directions. Two or more motors operating as at least part of the motor group form one or more motor rows. Each motor is connected to the supporting mechanism of a heald frame through a connecting member. Adjacent motors in the motor row or rows are related to non-adjacent heald frames among the heald frames corresponding to the support mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Tsudakoma Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Hirai