Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Bernie Graves
  • Patent number: 6762276
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process of hydrogenating a polyester oligomer containing terephthalic acid residues wherein terephthalic acid residues are converted to residues of 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid. Also disclosed is a process for the preparation of polyesters containing 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid residues by first hydrogenating a polyester oligomer containing terephthalic acid residues and then reacting the resulting oligomer with one or more polyester-forming reactants to produce a higher molecular weight polyester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Charles Edwan Sumner, Jr., Bruce LeRoy Gustafson, Robert Lin
  • Patent number: 6723768
    Abstract: Thermoplastic compositions of polyester/polycarbonate blends have reduced yellowness and improved thermal and melt stability when the polyester is produced with a reduced level of a titanium-containing catalyst in an amount of from about 1 to about 30 ppm elemental titanium, with ppm based on the total weight of the polyester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Valerie Sue Adams, Emmett Dudley Crawford, Michael Eugene Donelson, Douglas Stephens McWilliams
  • Patent number: 6703454
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for recovering a dihydroxy compound from a fluid stream that results from the preparation of a polyester by use of an adsorption system to selectively recover the dihydroxy compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventor: Bruce Roger DeBruin
  • Patent number: 6703115
    Abstract: There are provided novel multilayer films comprising a layer comprising a thermoplastic polymer, such as an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester (AAPE), with or without filler, and a layer comprising a filled thermoplastic polymer. The polymers in the layers may be the same or different. The multilayer films are preferably characterized by having increased moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR). Also provided are novel articles of manufacture comprising the novel multilayer films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Wesley Raymond Hale, Ted Calvin Germroth
  • Patent number: 6682793
    Abstract: There are provided multi-layered structures comprising at least one layer that is an ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer having a density of less than 0.916 g/cc and a melting peak temperature of greater than 118° C. The multi-layered structures comprise at least two layers. Also provided are articles of manufacture produced from the multi-layer structures such as films, containers, pouches, packages, tubing and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: James Douglas Small, Jr., Jeffrey James Vanderbilt, Kathleen Diane Greer, James Edward Rhein
  • Patent number: 6673892
    Abstract: There is disclosed a process for reducing residual free radical polymerizable monomer content of a polymer comprising contacting the polymer, in molten form, with a free radical initiator, such as di-tert-amylperoxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Jose Pedro Martinez, Jeffrey James Vanderbilt, Kenneth Alan Dooley
  • Patent number: 6660817
    Abstract: A novel continuous gas phase polymerization process for producing polyethylene and interpolymers of ethylene and at least one other olefin is provided wherein a non-aromatic halogenated hydrocarbon is used in a specified amount such that the activity of the titanium, zirconium and/or hafnium containing Ziegler-Natta catalyst is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Don Kent Farrer, Kenneth Alan Dooley, Glenn Edward Moore, Larry Allen Noble
  • Patent number: 6649694
    Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing films from ethylene-&agr;-olefin interpolymers, which films have, in combination, the properties of improved surface haze, improved stiffness, and improved color. The process involves incorporating from about 0.1 to less than 1% by weight, of a functionalized ethylene homopolymer or functionalized ethylene interpolymer into an ethylene-&agr;-olefin interpolymer-containing composition, and forming a film from the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Kurt Joseph Jordens, Stephen Wayne Coe, Scott Arnold Hanson, Jeffrey James Vanderbilt, Bradley Scott Westbrook
  • Patent number: 6646073
    Abstract: A novel continuous gas phase polymerization process for producing polyethylene and interpolymers of ethylene and at least one other olefin is provided wherein a saturated halogenated hydrocarbon is used in a specified amount such that the activity of the titanium containing Ziegler-Natta catalyst is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Don Kent Farrer, Kenneth Alan Dooley, Glenn Edward Moore, Larry Allen Noble
  • Patent number: 6641920
    Abstract: There is described an ultraviolet protected multi-layer structure comprising a layer produced from a copolyester/polycarbonate blend, and a protective UV absorbing compound-containing polycarbonate cap layer. Also described is a process for producing the multi-layer structures, and articles of manufacture produced from the multi-layer structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Roy Lee Conn, James Carl Williams, John Edward Christopher Willham
  • Patent number: 6635726
    Abstract: A novel continuous gas phase polymerization process for producing polyethylene and interpolymers of ethylene and at least one other olefin is provided wherein chloroform is used in a specified amount such that the activity of the titanium containing Ziegler-Natta catalyst is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Don Kent Farrer, Kenneth Alan Dooley, Glenn Edward Moore, Larry Allen Noble
  • Patent number: 6632390
    Abstract: In a process for producing a profile by profile extrusion, a melt of a polyester composition is extruded through a die to form a profile. The processability of the polyester composition is improved by the addition of a branching agent, which provides increased melt strength and increased high shear thinning. The polyester composition has an inherent viscosity of at least 0.65 dl/g. The diacid component of the polyester composition has from 100 to 98.0 mole percent of residues of a primary acid selected from terephthalic acid, naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, isophthalic acid and mixtures thereof. The glycol component of the polyester composition has from 100 to 98.0 mole percent of residues of a primary glycol selected from ethylene glycol, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, diethylene glycol, neopentyl glycol, and mixtures thereof. The polyester composition has from 0.05 to 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Marcus David Shelby, Julian Harold Scott Jensen, Daniel Christopher Cobb, Marc Alan Strand
  • Patent number: 6616998
    Abstract: A heat sealable packaging film producing a peelable seal is formed from a blend of 99 to 75 weight percent of a copolyester and 1 to 25 weight percent of an epoxy-containing impact modifying polymer. The copolyester has a diacid component of at least 50 mole percent terephthalic acid, naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, or mixtures thereof and diol component of about 90 to 35 mole percent ethylene glycol and 10 to 65 mole percent of at least one of diethylene glycol or 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Kathleen Diane Greer, James Edward Rhein, Hubertus Jacobus Wilhelmus Moolenaar, Scott Ellery George, Richard Leon McConnell
  • Patent number: 6569957
    Abstract: There is described a novel blend composition comprising specified amounts of any polycarbonate and specified amounts of a specific copolyester comprising terephthalic acid, naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, or mixtures thereof; isophthalic acid; and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol. Also described are films and sheets produced from the novel blend compositions that are thermoformable without having to pre-dry the films and sheets. Further, articles of manufacture produced from the novel blend compositions are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: James Carl Williams, John Guthrie Thompson, Roy Lee Conn
  • Patent number: 6551688
    Abstract: A calendered film or sheet of a polyester resin composition has a haze value of less than 5 percent. The polyester resin composition comprises a polyester having a crystallization half-time from a molten state of at least 5 minutes and an additive comprising (i) a fatty acid or a salt of a fatty acid containing more than 18 carbon atoms and (ii) an ester wax comprising a fatty acid containing more than 18 carbon atoms with an alcohol containing from 2 to 28 carbon atoms, wherein the ratio of the fatty acid or salt of the fatty acid to the ester wax is 1:1 or greater. Also, the present invention is a process for producing such calendered film or sheet having a haze value of less than 5 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Eric Jon Moskala, Kevin Douglas Horton