Patents Examined by Terrel Morris
  • Decorative laminate assembly and method of producing same
    Patent number: 7081300
    Abstract: A decorative laminate assembly having a decorative laminate top layer assembly. This top layer assembly includes, in descending superimposed relationship, a decorative layer and a core layer that includes PETG, or other polymeric material. Preferably, the top layer assembly also includes a wear resistant overlay layer on top of the decorative layer, and the core layer's PETG is in a sheet form. The top layer assembly may be directly bonded to a water resistant substrate. The decorative laminate assembly of the present invention can be used for a variety of purposes, including flooring applications. When the present invention is used for flooring applications, it is preferred that the overlay layer has enhanced wear resistant qualities and that the water resistant substrate comprise PVC or cement fiberboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Formica Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth John Laurence, Terry Paul Drees, Kevin Francis O'Brien, Bob Fairbanks
  • Absorbent composite sheet and absorbent article using the same
    Patent number: 7081559
    Abstract: An absorbent composite sheet is thin and has a surface to be easily situated in dry condition. The absorbent composite sheet includes at least a first layer and a second layer. The first layer placed on the side of receiving a liquid is a non-woven fabric fabricated from thermoplastic synthetic resin fibers. The second layer stacked below the first layer is a non-woven fabric fabricated by entangling cellulose type fibers and thermoplastic synthetic resin fibers. The first layer and the second layer are joined by fuse bonding synthetic resin fibers of the first layer and synthetic resin fibers of the second layer. The liquid applied on a surface of the first layer is transferred to the second layer through gaps between synthetic resin fibers of the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Michiyo Fujikawa, Takeshi Hanajiri
  • Low VOC cleanroom cleaning wipe
    Patent number: 7078358
    Abstract: A prewetted cleaning wipe for cleaning surfaces and having low volatile organic chemical and low nonvolatile residue properties comprising a wipe substrate wetted with an aqueous solution of high purity water and an effective amount of an acetylenic alcohol surface active agent. The surface active agent is preferably an acetylenic diol. Preferred acetylenic diols include dimethyl octynediol and tetramethyl decynediol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: David Allen Roberts, John Anthony Marsella, Robert Edward Stevens
  • Glazing with optical and/or energetic properties capable of being electrically controlled
    Patent number: 7074486
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is glazing which incorporates at least one electrically controllable system having variable optical and/or energy properties, especially in the form of a system comprising one or more reversible-insertion materials of the electrochromic-system type, in the form of an optical-valve or viologen-based system or in the form of a liquid-crystal or cholesteric-gel system. This glazing also includes at least one means for adjusting the optical appearance conferred on the said glazing by the said system, these means comprising at least one coating having antireflection properties in the visible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Philippe Boire, Renaud Fix, Jean-Christophe Giron
  • Incorporation of a self-crosslinking polymer into a nonwoven binder for use in improving the wet strength of pre-moistened wipes
    Patent number: 7064091
    Abstract: This invention is directed to an aqueous polymeric binder composition that is useful in improving the wet strength of pre-moistened wipes. The binder composition comprises a blend or mixture of two components. One component is a water dispersible polymer capable of binding together the fibers composing a nonwoven web. The other component is an aqueous solution or dispersion of a polymer comprised predominantly of self-crosslinking monomer(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Air Products Polymers, L.P.
    Inventors: Joel Erwin Goldstein, Ronald Joseph Pangrazi, Nicola Ranieri, Christian Leonard Daniels
  • Woven face polyvinyl chloride floor covering
    Patent number: 7064092
    Abstract: The floor covering includes multiple layers including a non-woven base layer, a VAE precoat applied to the non-woven woven base layer and overlaid by a first PVC layer. A fiberglass mat is applied over the first PVC layer and a second PVC layer is applied over the mat. A woven PVC layer is laminated by heat and pressure to the underlying second PVC layer. The woven PVC layer comprises monofilament or multifilament cores, preferably but not limited to, polyester filaments overlaid by a PVC coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Mohawk Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Hutchison, Todd M. Shail
  • Three-dimensional spacer fabric resin interlaminar infusion media process and vacuum-induced reinforcing composite laminate structures
    Patent number: 7060156
    Abstract: A three-dimensional spacer fabric resin interlaminar infusion medium and reinforcing composite lamina for use in the vacuum-induced manufacture of fiber reinforced polymer composites is described. This use of the three-dimensional spacer fabric as a composite interlaminar component improves both the vacuum-induced resin infusion flow rate and laminate quality control and aids in the achievement of enhanced resin uniformity distribution throughout the laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: VRAC, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick E. Mack, Mitchell D. Smith
  • Transparent conductive film for transparent touch panel, transparent touch panel using transparent conductive film, and method of manufacturing transparent conductive film
    Patent number: 7060320
    Abstract: In a transparent conductive film for use in a transparent touch panel in which a lower electrode and an upper electrode are stacked so as to be spaced from each other by spacers, the transparent conductive film being provided on an electrode substrate of at least one of the electrodes and thereby forming the electrode, the transparent conductive film has, in its surface shape, an arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) within a range of 0.4 nm?Ra?4.0 nm and a root-mean-square roughness (Rms) within a range of 0.6 nm?Rms?3.0 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Nissha Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoumei Omote, Yoshihide Inako, Yosuke Matsukawa, Masayasu Sakane, Kazuhiro Nishikawa
  • Binder for high wet-strength substrates
    Patent number: 7056847
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a fibrous substrate made of chemically bonded fibers, where the fibers are bound with a polymeric binder in an amount which is sufficient to bind the fibers together to form a self-sustaining web, and where the binder is characterized as having a wet tensile strength of greater than 4500 grams per inch (g/in) when measured at a 20 percent add-on on Whatman #4 CHR chromatography paper which is drum dried for 90 seconds at 210 to 215° F. and cured for 2 minutes at 300 to 325° F. Preferably the level of free formaldehyde in the fibrous substrate is less than 15 ppm. The emulsion binders of the invention may be used to bind fibers together in a substrate; may be used to bind pigment, colors or other substances to a substrate; may be used as a backing material; or may be used to finish or surface-treat a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: James L. Walker, Pavneet Mumick, John C. Parsons, David R. Nass, Christopher Barcomb
  • Burner membrane comprising machined metal fiber bundles
    Patent number: 7053014
    Abstract: A burner membrane comprising a textile fabric. The textile fabric comprising at least 60% by weight of machined metal fiber bundles, having a bundle voluminousity in the range of 1 to 15% and a torsion rate in the range of 10 to 80 turns/m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignees: N.V. Bekaert S.A., Bekaert Combustion Technology NV
    Inventor: Gabriël Dewaegheneire
  • Three-dimensional spacer fabric resin infusion media and reinforcing composite lamina
    Patent number: 7048985
    Abstract: A three-dimensional spacer fabric resin infusion medium and reinforcing composite lamina for use in the manufacture of fiber reinforced polymer composites is disclosed. The use of the three-dimensional spacer fabric as a composite lamina aids in both the resin infusion rate and resin uniformity throughout the laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: VRAC, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick E. Mack, Mitchell D. Smith
  • Facing material with controlled porosity for construction boards
    Patent number: 7049251
    Abstract: This invention provides facing materials for cementitious boards such as those including Portland cement or gypsum cores. The preferred facing material includes, in a first embodiment, a facing layer having an areal weight of about 300 grams/M2, and an air permeability rating of no greater than about 300 CFM/ft2 (FG 436-910 test method). The facing layer reduces the penetration of a slurry of cementitious material during the manufacture of a cementitious board, while permitting the water vapor from the slurry to pass therethrough. The facing materials of this invention can be designed to substantially eliminate the fouling of rolls used in continuous processing of such boards without the use, or with greatly reduced use, of costly viscosity control agents in the slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics Canada Ltd
    Inventor: John Frederick Porter
  • Stuffed textile article
    Patent number: 7045191
    Abstract: A stuffed textile article and method of manufacturing the same has at least one compartment having a baffle gate which receives a tube-like stuffing tool through which loose stuffing is blown into the compartment. Upon removal of the tool, the surrounding layers and panels which define the compartment are placed under tension by the stuffing causing the baffle gates to automatically close upon removal of the tool permanently preventing migration of the stuffing out of the compartment. The gate has a primary panel secured to the top and bottom layers of the article and an adjacent secondary panel at least partially covering the primary panel. The primary panel has a slit and the secondary panel has a slot. Taken individually, the slit and slot are each preferably longer than the thickness of the stuffed textile article and longer than half the circumference of the stuffing tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: American Quality Assurance Corporation
    Inventor: Peter Huntley
  • Absorbent article with back sheet, and method for manufacturing the back sheet
    Patent number: 7034199
    Abstract: There is disclosed an absorbent article including: a liquid-permeable top sheet; a back sheet; and an absorbent core sandwiched between the top sheet and back sheet. The back sheet is formed of a resin film containing an inorganic filler in a resin base material. The back sheet includes: a stretched moisture-permeable region; and a high optical transmittance region having a lower degree of orientation than that of the moisture-permeable region and/or left unstretched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Suekane, Toshio Inoue, Shigeo Imai
  • Simulated stone block and aged artist's canvas articles and method
    Patent number: 7033658
    Abstract: Articles comprising simulated stone block walls and artist's canvases may be formed by providing a burlap or canvas substrate, coating the substrate with a layer of gypsum wallboard finishing compound or similar plaster-like composition, and folding or otherwise manipulating the substrate when a predetermined set or hardening of the composition has occurred to create cracks, crevices and chipped corners of the article, for example, to simulate a broken stone block or an aged artist's work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Inventor: Gregory J. Ringness
  • Nonwoven protective fabrics with conductive fiber layer
    Patent number: 7022630
    Abstract: Nonwoven barrier laminates are provided having a desirable balance of properties, including barrier properties, strength, static dissipation, fluid repellency, aesthetics and tactile properties. The nonwoven barrier laminates of the invention generally include outer spunbonded layers, at least one hydrophobic microporous layer between the outer spunbonded layers, and at least one discrete layer of electrically conductive strands. A multiplicity of discrete bond sites bond the various layers of the nonwoven barrier laminate into a coherent fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: BBA Nonwovens Simpsonville, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Henry Samuel Berman, Samuel Charles Baer
  • Print through elimination in fiber reinforced matrix composite mirrors and method of construction
    Patent number: 7022629
    Abstract: A fiber reinforced matrix composite mirror that eliminates the problem of “print through”. A layer of small unbundled fibers in the matrix diffuses and randomize any stresses that are created by the weave pattern of the fiber reinforcement so that the coarse texture is not transferred to the optical quality surface thus eliminating “print through”. The layer can be provided in a variety of embodiments using random fibrils, a continuous fiber mat or a weave of single or finely towed continuous fibers. The fiber reinforced mirror is constructed by adding a mixture of matrix pre-cursor and fibers or fibrils to a common graphite fiber reinforced matrix construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: P. Chris Theriault
  • Composition and method for treating fibers and nonwoven substrates
    Patent number: 7018945
    Abstract: A treatment composition and a method for treating substrates that includes contacting at least a portion of the substrate with (a) an alkyl polyglycoside or a derivative of an alkyl polyglycoside; and (b) a polysaccharide, a modified polysaccharide, a derivative of a polysaccharide or a derivative of a modified polysaccharide is provided. A treated substrate is provided that when used in a personal care product like a diaper and in such a way that the substrate is not in direct contact with skin promotes skin dryness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Yahiaoui, Susan Carol Paul, Andrea Susan Wulz
  • Porous ceramic laminate and production thereof
    Patent number: 7018707
    Abstract: A porous ceramic laminate has a porous silicon nitride substrate and a porous silicon nitride separation film supported thereon and having minute pores of sizes capable of Knudsen separation or molecular sieve by sintering a porous silicon nitride substrate supporting a formed layer containing polysilazane at 800° C. in a nitrogen atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignees: Noritake Co., Limited, Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Shigekazu Mase, Shigeo Nagaya, Junichiro Tsubaki, Kiyoshi Komura
  • Polyketone solution
    Patent number: 7015303
    Abstract: A solution of a polyketone as a copolymer of carbon monoxide and one or more olefins, wherein 90 wt % or more of said copolymer comprises carbon monoxide units and olefin units, and a solvent is an aqueous solution of at least one member selected from the group consisting of zinc salts, calcium salts, thiocyanates and iron salts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jinichiro Kato, Toru Morita, Kiyoshi Fujieda