Patents Examined by Eric Hug
  • Patent number: 11459700
    Abstract: A method of and an arrangement for adding at least one additional stock component to an approach flow system (30) of a fiber web machine by mixing the at least one additional stock component to a fibrous stock such that the stock flow is equalized (50) and the at least one additional stock component is introduced to the stock flow by injection mixing (80).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignees: WETEND TECHNOLOGIES OY, VALMET TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Antti Ketolainen, Jouni Matula, Leif Piippola
  • Patent number: 11453247
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises at least one block partitioned by a block partitioning groove, the at least one block comprises a first block groove extending from an edge toward a first side in a tire circumferential direction of the at least one block so as to be directed toward a second side in the tire circumferential direction, and a second block groove extending from an edge toward the second side in the tire circumferential direction of the at least one block so as to be directed toward the first side in the tire circumferential direction, and the first block groove and the second block groove appear to overlap as viewed in a tire width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiki Sato
  • Patent number: 11441270
    Abstract: The invention relates to suction roll, which has in the space within its roll sleeve at least one transmitter, from which transmitter data is wirelessly transmitted to a receiver, which is also present in the space within the roll sleeve, and wherein the suction roll has at least one additional component to transfer data out of and/or into the suction roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: RÖCHLING INDUSTRIAL OEPPING GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Peter Eckerstorfer, Anton Luger, Markus Ecker
  • Patent number: 11441269
    Abstract: Provided are woven papermaking fabrics having a web contacting surface having protuberances formed from woven warp and shute filaments. The protuberances, which may be oriented in the machine direction (MD) converge, merge or diverge and may be arranged to form a pattern. In certain instances the protuberance may comprise a first MD oriented protuberance having an element angle from about 0.5 to about 15 degrees, a second MD oriented protuberance having an element angle from about ?0.5 to about ?15 degrees wherein the first and second protuberances converge at a convergence area to form a third MD oriented protuberance having an element angle from about ?15 to about 15 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Lynda Ellen Collins, Mark Alan Burazin
  • Patent number: 11441274
    Abstract: Products having reducing tissue wrinkling, puckering, and bunching and improved emboss definition, emboss visibility, and perceived softness are described. The methods comprise embossing the tissue sheet with a emboss elements having segments aligned in the machine direction and including an abatement component, such as a tapered width or a multi dual-apex, that can absorb machine direction stretch during the production of the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Brian J. Schuh, Steven R. Olson, Michael D. Wishneski, Eric A. Stuart
  • Patent number: 11427967
    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 multiple tissue plies, such as two or more plies, that have been prepared by through-air drying and more preferably by through-air drying without creping. Moreover, the plies may be produced in a through-air drying process that utilizes 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: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Mark W. Sachs, Richard A. Zanon, Lynda E. Collins, Kevin J. Vogt, Christopher L. Satori
  • Patent number: 11421383
    Abstract: The problem of inconsistent steam penetration of a fibrous sheet is solved by a steam box having a steam header, a diffuser housing disposed within the steam header, wherein walls disposed in the diffuser housing divide an inside of the diffuser housing into multiple diffuser chambers, wherein a valve is configured to fluidly and programmatically communicate with each of the multiple diffuser chambers, such that a steam from the header box may selectively enter one of the diffuser chambers depending upon the valve's orientation in an open or closed position; and multiple orifices of different sizes per diffuser chamber. Ideally, exemplary steam boxes may also comprise a diffuser plates per diffuser chamber. Preferably, the diffuser plates may be located at a bottom of the diffuser chamber. Exemplary steam box systems may further comprise control equipment to manage the flow of steam from the steam header into the diffuser chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas Hart, Lairton Cardoso, Peter Ebneth, Andries Nienaber
  • Patent number: 11414816
    Abstract: A method for treating a pulp web in a paper or tissue machine with an extended-nip press unit. This extended-nip press unit includes a shoe press roll with a revolving press belt and a backing roll, where the pulp web is dewatered in the extended press nip between the backing roll and the press belt and where the pulp web is carried on the revolving press belt of the press roll after the extended press nip to a transfer fabric that receives the pulp web. The transfer fabric is guided over a stationary transfer device in the transfer area. A corresponding device for treating the pulp web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: ANDRITZ AG
    Inventors: Andreas Anzel, Robert Meitner, Paul Richards, Wolfgang Plienegger
  • Patent number: 11401658
    Abstract: Disclosed is a two layered belt useful in the manufacture of tissue products comprising a first woven layer and a second nonwoven layer joined together in a laminated arrangement. The woven layer typically forms the machine contacting layer of the belt and is woven from a highly abrasion resistant material, while the nonwoven layer contacts the nascent tissue web. The woven layer may be provided with valleys and ridges that the nascent web is molded into, while the nonwoven layer may be provided with elements that impart a visually aesthetic pattern to the web. In this manner the belt may be useful in the production of products having desirable physical properties resulting from molding into the woven fabric while also being visually pleasing to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Alan Burazin, Geoffrey Fenn Carlow, Richard Alan Zanon
  • Patent number: 11390993
    Abstract: A hopper includes a receiving member having a guide surface that guides a non-flat strip-shaped sheet and a posture adjusting unit that adjusts a posture of the falling sheet and sends it to the guide surface, and a discharge unit that discharges the sheet. The posture adjusting unit may have a posture adjusting surface continuous with the guide surface and bent from the guide surface so as to form a ridge line at a boundary portion with the guide surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kentaro Yamada
  • Patent number: 11390992
    Abstract: Variation in the thickness of accumulated material is suppressed when material containing fiber is dispersed by the sieve and accumulated. A sheet manufacturing apparatus includes a drum that sieves defibrated material containing fiber, a first web former that accumulates first screened material discharged from the drum, and a processor that processes a first web accumulated in the first web former. During processing by the processor, the mesh belt operates at a first speed. When operation starts with the drum not operating, a startup operation including the mesh belt operating at a higher speed than the first speed in a first period after the drum starts is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki Oguchi, Soichiro Seo
  • Patent number: 11390995
    Abstract: A method to prepare, pulp, and bleach cannabis bast and hurd fibers to allow for the fiber to be incorporated into absorbent cellulosic structures on a wet-laid paper machine while keeping the pectin within the fibers. The wet laid paper machine can use the ATMOS, NTT, ETAD, TAD, or UCTAD method to produce the absorbent cellulosic structure. Absorbent cellulosic structures are produced with the cannabis bast and hurd fibers or with the bast fibers alone with the hurd fibers being combined with paper mill sludge or dust to form a fuel pellet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: FIRST QUALITY TISSUE, LLC
    Inventors: Karthik Ramaratnam, James E. Sealey, II, Byrd Tyler Miller, IV, Taras Z. Andrukh, Randy H. Elgin
  • Patent number: 11390994
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a web of fibrous material includes a roll having incisions with a depth of 0.01-2.00 mm, a width of 0.01-2.00 mm, and a pitch 0.01-10.00 mm, and rotated at a peripheral velocity v1 equal to the velocity of an upstream apparatus unit; a belt stretched between transmission rollers that advances at a velocity v2 less than v1, wherein v1/v2 lies between 1.05 and 1.40; a presser roller rotating at a peripheral velocity v2, associated with a presser system acting to press the belt against the metal roll with a pressure of 1-200 kg per centimeter; and a system that feeds a sheet of pliable fibrous material between the belt and the roll, the belt having a longitudinal elongation of no more than 5%, dimensional stability along its entire length, a thickness of 1-10 cm, and a hardness 24-70° Shore A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventor: Giorgio Trani
  • Patent number: 11383189
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a preparation method of a cotton bast fiber and chitosan composite non-woven fabric for filtration and belongs to the technical field of fiber materials. The preparation method adopts steam flash explosion for pretreatment to separate cotton bast first, then a papermaking method is used for forming, finally chitosan is added to enhance the mechanical performance and improve the filtration efficiency, and a technological process is simple, environmentally friendly and suitable for industrial production. The non-woven fabric adopts lignin-rich cotton bast fibers and chitosan as raw materials, so that the non-woven fabric has good antibacterial performance. The cotton bast and chitosan used in the preparation method are both bio-based materials which can be degraded in the natural environment after use, so that burdens caused to the environment are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Jiangnan University
    Inventors: Xiuliang Hou, Dan Yang, Bomou Ma, Gangwei Pan, Guowei Liu
  • Patent number: 11377796
    Abstract: A sealing device for sealing a positive or negative pressure zone of a roll for a machine for producing or processing a fibrous web includes a sealing strip and a lubricating device for introducing a lubricant between an inner surface of a roll shell and a sealing surface of the sealing strip when used as intended. The lubricating device includes a plurality of lubricant outlet openings and can be connected to a supply line for supplying lubricant. The lubricating device can be connected to the supply line through a plurality of inlets which are distributed over the length of the sealing strip. The sealing strip has a first and a second longitudinal-side end and the distance from at least one longitudinal-side end, preferably both longitudinal-side ends, to an inlet is at most 800 mm. A roll and a method for operating a roll are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Marc Erkelenz
  • Patent number: 11377797
    Abstract: Disclosed are woven papermaking fabrics having a textured sheet contacting surface with machine and cross-machine direction topography. The machine direction (MD) topography may be imparted by substantially MD oriented protuberances comprising a warp strand supported by a shute strand. The cross-machine direction (CD) topography may be imparted by substantially CD oriented protuberances comprising a shute strand supported by a warp strand. The CD protuberances may extend continuously in the CD and intersect the MD oriented protuberances to form discrete pockets there between. The pockets may have a variety of shapes and size depending on the MD and CD oriented protuberance. In certain instances the pockets may be rectilinear and have a pocket depth greater than 1.0 mm and a pocket angle greater than 28 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Lynda Ellen Collins, Mark Alan Burazin
  • Patent number: 11377795
    Abstract: A shoe press belt (10) for a shoe press has an inner surface (11), an outer surface (12), an elastomer body and a support structure (20, 21, 22, 23) for the elastomer body. A plurality of parallel dewatering grooves (50, 50a, 50b) are on the outer surface (12) of the shoe press belt (10), with a ridges (53) provided between two adjacent dewatering grooves (50a, 50b). The dewatering grooves (50, 50a, 50b) have a first wall (60), a second wall (70), and a bottom (80) therebetween. At least the first wall (60) of the dewatering groove (50, 50a, 50b) has a plurality of parallel auxiliary grooves (100, 100a, 100b). A paper, board or pulp drying machine has said shoe press belt (10). A method for installing the shoe press belt (10) is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: VALMET TECHNOLOGIES OY
    Inventors: Jari Jännetyinen, Vesa-Matti Riihioja
  • Patent number: 11377794
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for removing liquid from a gas/liquid flow for use in pulp washers, deinking cells, and the like are disclosed. A gas/liquid separator includes a separation chamber with a flow director providing a gas/liquid flow from a receptacle into the separator in a direction causing impingement of entrained liquid particles on a chamber wall such that liquid particles coalesce into liquid droplets that travel downward by the force of gravity to a separated liquid drain and drained outside the receptacle. A tangential flow inlet provides greater impingement than a cyclonic flow introduced at the lower end of the gas/liquid separator in initially directed upwards. Separated liquid could further be taken outside the pulp washer system for further processing or disposal based on the chemical content of the separated liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventor: Clinton R. Parks
  • Patent number: 11377793
    Abstract: The present invention relates to papermaking fabrics useful in the manufacture of paper products, such as tissue paper. Particularly this invention relates to a woven papermaking fabric that includes a stabilized weave providing a textured contacting surface. The woven papermaking fabric includes a plurality of warp and shute filaments woven together to provide at least one protuberance on the web contacting side of the fabric that extends longitudinally over at least five shute filaments. The at least one protuberance is stabilized by including an offset shute float weave pattern configured such that a majority of the shute filaments forming the at least one protuberance are woven in an anti-nesting configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Lynda Ellen Collins, Mark Alan Burazin
  • Patent number: 11371187
    Abstract: A press section which includes first and second press nips and at least one separate continuously revolving press belt which is routed around each press element of each press nip over a plurality of guide rollers. An upper press belt is led away from the fibrous web after the first press nip. Thereafter the fibrous web is transferred from a lower press belt of the first press nip to an upper press belt of the second press nip. The upper press belt of the second press nip wraps around a vacuum assisted guide roller. Thereafter the lower press belt of the second press nip is brought into contact with the fibrous web via a guide roller, after which the fibrous web travels to the second press nip via a guided path jointly with the two opposite upper and lower press belts of the second press nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Gronych, Richard Horn