Patents by Inventor Robert Lee Popp

Robert Lee Popp has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9480608
    Abstract: An absorbent article having improved handling of body exudates can include a fluid-entangled body facing material including a support layer and a projection layer. The fluid-entangled body facing material can include a plurality of hollow projections formed from a first plurality of fibers in the projection layer. The hollow projections can extend from the outer surface of the projection layer in a direction away from the support layer. The absorbent article can minimize the amount of body exudates in contact with a wearer's skin and can minimize the incidence of leakage of body exudates from the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott S. C. Kirby, David Glen Biggs, Andrew Thomas Hammond, Eric Donald Johnson, Robert Lee Popp, Daniel Robert Schlinz, Kendell Jean Williams, Niall Finn, Andy R. Butler
  • Patent number: 9474660
    Abstract: An absorbent article having improved handling of body exudates can include a fluid-entangled body facing material including a support layer and a projection layer. The fluid-entangled body facing material can include a plurality of hollow projections formed from a first plurality of fibers in the projection layer. The hollow projections can extend from the outer surface of the projection layer in a direction away from the support layer. The absorbent article can minimize the amount of body exudates in contact with a wearer's skin and can minimize the incidence of leakage of body exudates from the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott S. C. Kirby, David Glen Biggs, Andrew Thomas Hammond, Eric Donald Johnson, Candace Dyan Krautkramer, Robert Lee Popp, Leila Joy Roberson, Daniel Robert Schlinz, Kendell Jean Williams, Niall Finn, Andy R. Butler
  • Patent number: 9468564
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of manufacturing a body adhering absorbent article oriented in the machine direction wherein the body adhering absorbent articles have reduced or eliminated curl. The articles are manufactured with reduced curl by selectively reducing or eliminating the shell elastic tension in regions where components of the body adhering absorbent article are to be attached to form the composite absorbent article web. In certain aspects the body adhering absorbent articles are manufactured by supplying an elastic web of shell material having a longitudinal and transverse direction, stretching the web of shell material in the longitudinal direction, deadening at least one region of the stretched web of shell material, attaching at least one absorbent article component to at least a portion of the longitudinal deadened zone to form a composite web material, and cutting the composite web material to form a body adhering absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Lee Popp, Jay David Gottleib, Joseph Daniel Coenen, Gary Alan Turchan
  • Patent number: 9468569
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a pair of ears secured to and extending transversely outward from opposite sides of a back portion of the article. Each of the ears is stretchable in at least a transverse direction of the article from a relaxed position to an extended position. A waistband includes a waist elastic disposed in at least the back portion. The waist elastic has an in product load loss of less than 60 percent according to a four-hour hold stress relaxation test. A fastening system has a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system. In a wear configuration of the absorbent article, the secondary fastening system secures each of the ears of the pair of ears in the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Catherine Hancock-Cooke, David Fleger Bishop, Robert Lee Popp, Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt, Wendy Lynn VanDyke
  • Patent number: 9445953
    Abstract: An absorbent article having improved handling of body exudates can include a fluid-entangled body facing material including a support layer and a projection layer. The fluid-entangled body facing material can include a plurality of hollow projections formed from a first plurality of fibers in the projection layer. The hollow projections can extend from the outer surface of the projection layer in a direction away from the support layer. The absorbent article can minimize the amount of body exudates in contact with a wearer's skin and can minimize the incidence of leakage of body exudates from the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott S. C. Kirby, David Glen Biggs, Andrew Thomas Hammond, Eric Donald Johnson, Candace Dyan Krautkramer, Robert Lee Popp, Leila Joy Roberson, Daniel Robert Schlinz, Kendell Jean Williams, Niall Finn, Andy R. Butler
  • Patent number: 9445954
    Abstract: An absorbent article having improved handling of body exudates can include a fluid-entangled body facing material including a support layer and a projection layer. The fluid-entangled body facing material can include a plurality of hollow projections formed from a first plurality of fibers in the projection layer. The hollow projections can extend from the outer surface of the projection layer in a direction away from the support layer. The absorbent article can minimize the amount of body exudates in contact with a wearer's skin and can minimize the incidence of leakage of body exudates from the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott S. C. Kirby, David Glen Biggs, Andrew Thomas Hammond, Eric Donald Johnson, Robert Lee Popp, Daniel Robert Schlinz, Kendell Jean Williams, Niall Finn, Andy R. Butler
  • Patent number: 9445952
    Abstract: An absorbent article having improved handling of body exudates can include a fluid-entangled body facing material including a support layer and a projection layer. The fluid-entangled body facing material can include a plurality of hollow projections formed from a first plurality of fibers in the projection layer. The hollow projections can extend from the outer surface of the projection layer in a direction away from the support layer. The absorbent article can minimize the amount of body exudates in contact with a wearer's skin and can minimize the incidence of leakage of body exudates from the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott S. C. Kirby, David Glen Biggs, Andrew Thomas Hammond, Eric Donald Johnson, Robert Lee Popp, Daniel Robert Schlinz, Kendell Jean Williams, Niall Finn, Andy R. Butler
  • Patent number: 9339425
    Abstract: An absorbent article has a pair of leg cuffs adapted to fit about the legs of a wearer and a pair of containment flaps adapted to provide a barrier to the lateral flow of body exudates. Each containment flaps includes a seam bonding the respective containment flap to the article and at least one elastic member spaced from the seam. A fastening system includes a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system. The secondary fastening system comprises a pair of secondary first fastening components and a pair of secondary second fastening components. Each of the secondary first fastening components is laterally located relative to one of the containment flaps such that an outboard-most longitudinal edge of the secondary first fastening component is spaced laterally inward from the seam and an inboard-most longitudinal edge of the secondary first fastening component is spaced laterally outward from the elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt, David Fleger Bishop, Robert Lee Popp, Wendy Lynn VanDyke
  • Patent number: 9265674
    Abstract: An absorbent article is provided. The absorbent article includes a bodyside liner, an outer cover, and an absorbent core between the liner and the outer cover. The absorbent article further includes a pair of ears extending outward from the opposite sides of the absorbent article, and a fastening system having a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system. The primary fastening system includes a primary first fastening component disposed on each of the pair of ears and a primary second fastening component disposed on the outer surface of the article. The secondary fastening system includes a secondary second fastening component on each of the pair of ears and a corresponding secondary first fastening component on the outer surface of the article. Each of the secondary first fastening components has a stiffness in the longitudinal direction of the article of less than 185 milligrams according to a Gurley Stiffness Test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Catherine Hancock-Cooke, David F. Bishop, Jeffrey DeBroux, David J. Enz, Alanna Haessler, Robert Lee Popp, Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt, Wendy Lynn VanDyke
  • Patent number: 9265673
    Abstract: A folded absorbent article is provided. The folded absorbent article includes an absorbent assembly having a liquid permeable inner layer, an outer layer, and an absorbent body between the inner and outer layers. The folded absorbent article further includes a pair of ears extending outward from absorbent assembly in the back waist region, with each ear including a loop fastening component, and a pair of spaced-apart hook fastening components on the outer layer in the front waist region. A pair of longitudinally extending foldlines are also provided in the front waist region. An outboard-most longitudinal edge of each of the hook fastening components is spaced apart from a respective side of the absorbent assembly, and an inboard-most longitudinal edge is spaced apart from a respective longitudinally extending foldline at least a distance equal to a predetermined process range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt, David F. Bishop, David J. Enz, Alanna Haessler, Catherine Hancock-Cooke, Robert Lee Popp, Thomas H. Roessler, Wendy Lynn VanDyke
  • Patent number: 9265669
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a body-facing side and a garment-facing side generally comprises a chassis, a liquid permeable bodyside liner, an absorbent structure, a front bodyside waist elastic member, a rear bodyside waist elastic member, a front garment-side waist elastic member, and a rear garment-side waist elastic member. The chassis has a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region extending between the front waist region and the back waist region. The front and rear bodyside waist elastic members are disposed on the body-facing side of the absorbent article, and the front and rear garment-side waist elastic members are disposed on the garment-facing side of the absorbent article. At least one of the garment-side waist elastic members and the bodyside waist elastic members are configured to fully extend around a waist opening of the absorbent article when the absorbent article is in the wear configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Kathleen Irene Bennett, Marcille Faye Ruman, Thomas Harold Roessler, Joseph Daniel Coenen, Robert Lee Popp
  • Patent number: 9259362
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a first containment flap and a second containment flap each having a stem, an inner flap projection, and an outer flap projection. The stems of the first and the second containment flaps can be positioned laterally inward of the longitudinal side edges of the absorbent article. The stem can extend away from the body facing liner when the absorbent article is in a relaxed condition. The inner flap projection can extend laterally from the stem towards a longitudinal axis of the absorbent article and the outer flap projection can extend laterally from the stem away from the longitudinal axis and the inner flap projection when the article is in a relaxed condition. The outer flap projection can be bonded to the stem in at least a portion of one of the front waist region and the rear waist region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Lee Popp, Scott Simon Craig Kirby, Rodney Allan Butler, Kylie Brooke Bridger, Jeffrey Alan DeBroux, David Fleger Bishop, Michael John Faulks
  • Patent number: 9216117
    Abstract: An absorbent article having improved handling of liquid and improved intake and retention of liquid loadings during use. The absorbent article can minimize the amount of moisture in contact with a wearer's skin and can provide a feeling of softness on the skin of the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: EoYeon Hwang, JinYoung Jung, WonYoung Lee, JinHee Lee, Richard Norris Dodge, II, David Arthur Fell, Eric Donald Johnson, Debra Jean McDowall, Robert Lee Popp, Allyson Marie Sagel, Lawrence Howell Sawyer, Daniel Robert Schlinz, Michael W. Veith, Kendell Jean Williams
  • Patent number: 9198806
    Abstract: A permanently closed containment pant includes an elastically extensible chassis and a sling positioned within the chassis. The sling is joined to the front waist region and the back waist region. The sling includes a fluid-impervious base sheet and a containment flap joined with the base sheet to create a fluid-impervious pouch. The sling also includes a first transition and a second transition that are elastically extensible in a longitudinal direction and in a transverse direction. Material properties of the pouch and chassis provide the proper fit for comfort and leakage protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederique Vignali, Kevin Leon LaBerge, Robert Lee Popp, Lewis Preole Orchard, IV, Jennifer Ann Diedrich, Stacy Elaine Evenson
  • Publication number: 20150335499
    Abstract: An absorbent article has attachment regions having body adhesive. The attachment regions have a protected condition where the body adhesive is fully covered. The attachment regions are adapted to transition from the protected condition to a fixed donning condition where a portion of the body adhesive is exposed and a portion of the body adhesive is covered. The attachment regions are adapted to transition from the fixed donning condition to a fully exposed condition where the body adhesive is fully exposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Lee Popp, Thomas Harold Roessler
  • Patent number: 9192526
    Abstract: A discrete absorbent insert for use in a containment system includes an absorbent core positioned between a first sheet and a second sheet. The first sheet and the second sheet extend beyond the core and are joined together to form a seal. The absorbent core has at least 40% superabsorbent. The absorbent insert has an intake layer of at least 100 gsm between the first sheet and the absorbent core. The first sheet and the second sheet are fluid permeable, spunbond webs of synthetic polymer filaments. The absorbent insert has an absorbent capacity of at least 600 g. The discrete absorbent insert may have an intake rate for a first insult through the first sheet having a first value and an intake rate for a first insult through the second sheet having a second value, wherein a difference between the first value and the second value is less than 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Paula Kathleen De Bruin, Alissa Frances Stein, Robert Lee Popp, Marcille Faye Ruman, Connie May McMorrow, Kyle Mark Barriger, Angela Ann Johnston, Katherine Carol Shaw
  • Patent number: 9168181
    Abstract: A method of forming a containment system for an absorbent article that includes a front end region, rear end region, a first elasticized leg cuff and a second elasticized leg cuff. The method includes providing a first containment flap and a second containment flap that can each include a stem, an inner flap projection, and an outer flap projection. The method can further include securing the outer flap projection of the first containment flap in at least a portion of at least one of the front end region and the rear end region and securing the outer flap projection of the second containment flap in at least a portion of at least one of the front end region and the rear end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Lee Popp, Scott Simon Craig Kirby, Rodney Allan Butler, Kylie Brooke Bridger, Jeffrey Alan DeBroux, David Fleger Bishop, Michael John Faulks
  • Patent number: 9138361
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a front waist region, a back waist region and a crotch region. The front and back waist regions are permanently attached or releasably attachable to each other by an article fastening system to define a wear configuration of the absorbent article. The article is configurable from the wear configuration to a disposal configuration. A disposal tab has an attachment region attached to one of the sides of the article and extends a greatest length La along at least a portion of a length Lp of one of the sides. A tab region extends transversely outward from the attachment region a greatest distance Dt and is attachable to the article in at least the disposal configuration of the article. The attachment region has a first surface attached to one of the sides of the article and a second surface that defines part of the article fastening system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Michael J. Faulks, Robert Lee Popp, Michael D. Sperl, Nancy Meetz, Sandra M. Rogers, Lorelle M. Scheibe, Joseph P. Fell, Christine Ann Caneba
  • Patent number: 9138362
    Abstract: A folded absorbent article is provided. The folded absorbent article includes an absorbent assembly including a liquid permeable inner layer, an outer layer, and an absorbent body. Each of a pair of ears extend outward from the back waist region and include a loop fastening component. A pair of spaced-apart hook fastening components are located on the outer layer in the front waist region, each being selectively engageable with a respective one of the loop fastening components in a wear configuration of the article. The absorbent article is folded such that the hook fastening components engage the back waist region, and such that a peak force required to disengage each of the hook fastening components from the back waist region is less than 120 grams-force when measured using a Diaper Opening Force Test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Lee Popp, David F. Bishop, Alanna Haessler, Catherine Hancock-Cooke, Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt
  • Patent number: 9132049
    Abstract: An absorbent article has attachment regions having body adhesive. The attachment regions have a protected condition where the body adhesive is fully covered. The attachment regions are adapted to transition from the protected condition to a fixed donning condition where a portion of the body adhesive is exposed and a portion of the body adhesive is covered. The attachment regions are adapted to transition from the fixed donning condition to a fully exposed condition where the body adhesive is fully exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Lee Popp, Thomas Harold Roessler