Patents Represented by Attorney G. E. Croft
  • Patent number: 5904810
    Abstract: The invention relates to tissue products having improved softness properties and methods of making them. Specifically, improved softness is achieved by incorporating a cationic amidoamine into the fiber furnish at the wet end of the tissue machine prior to formation and/or by topical addition to the tissue web. One or more softeners/debonders can be added to the furnish and/or topically applied to the tissue web after the tissue web is dried. The result is a tissue product with added bulk and a smooth surface feel, both properties contributing to improved softness characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Wen Zyo Schroeder, Gary Lee Shanklin
  • Patent number: 5411636
    Abstract: The internal bulk of a tissue web can be improved during manufacturing of the basesheet by subjecting the tissue web to differential pressure while supported on a coarse fabric at a consistency of about 30 percent or greater. The differential pressure, such as by applying vacuum suction to the underside of the coarse fabric, causes the wet web to deflect into the openings or depressions in the fabric and "pop" back, resulting in a substantial gain in thickness or internal bulk. The method is especially adapted to improve the internal bulk of wet-pressed tissue webs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark
    Inventors: Michael A. Hermans, Fung-Jou Chen, Larry L. Spiegelberg, Bernhardt E. Kressner, Janice G. Neilson
  • Patent number: 5300347
    Abstract: Uniformly embossed facial tissue having a continuous or closely-spaced discontinuous embossing pattern and having from about 1 to about 40 distinct individual unembossed areas per square inch of tissue is considered to be a consumer-preferred facial tissue. In addition, the embossing intensity (as determined by the Shadow Index defined herein) is preferably within the range of from about 3 to about 25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventors: Kimberly K. Underhill, Mark A. Burazin
  • Patent number: 5215617
    Abstract: The quality of glued nested paper towels is improved by embossing at least one of the two plies using a matched rubber embossing roll and applying adhesive to that embossed ply using a rotogravure printing roll while the ply is backed by the matched rubber embossing roll. The use of a matched rubber embossing roll reduces strength degradation of the ply during embossing and permits the use of rotogravure adhesive printing, which provides metered application of adhesive with less adhesive strike-through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Edward H. Grupe
  • Patent number: 5180471
    Abstract: The bulk and absorbency of multi-ply tissue products can be improved by brushing at least one surface of at least one ply of the tissue and plying the tissue product together such that at least one brushed surface is facing inwardly, i.e. is in the middle and not on the outside of the multi-ply product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventors: Robert D. Sauer, Mustafa M. Jamal
  • Patent number: 5149333
    Abstract: The properties of (meth)acrylic ester/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer webs, such as films and nonwovens, are improved by blending the ester/acid copolymer with polyethylene glycol. The polymer blend provides a polymeric material which is useful for making personal care products such as diapers and feminine pads in that it can be made water-soluble while exhibiting other properties which are necessary for adequate product performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Philip A. Sasse
  • Patent number: 5063272
    Abstract: The properties of (meth)acrylic ester/(meth)acrylic acid copolymer webs, such as films and nonwovens, are improved by blending the ester/acid copolymer with polyethylene glycol. The polymer blend provides a polymeric material which is useful for making personal care products such as diapers and feminine pads in that it can be made water-soluble while exhibiting other properties which are necessary for adequate product performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1991
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Philip A. Sasse
  • Patent number: 5026458
    Abstract: In the manufacture of stretchable webs such as creped tissue, nonwovens, and the like, in which the web is formed and thereafter wound onto a reel, basis weight control of the web on the reel is accomplished by measuring the speed and basis weight of the web prior to winding the web onto the reel and calculating the basis weight of the web on the reel. In response to this calculated value, the downstream speed of the web (reel speed) is adjusted to obtain the desired basis weight of the web at the reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Paul D. Beuther
  • Patent number: 4994144
    Abstract: The bulk of creped tissue products, such as facial and bath tissue, can be increased by steaming the tissue while stressed in the machine direction of the tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Smith, Fung-Jou Chen
  • Patent number: 4526825
    Abstract: A sanitary appliance is provided which has fused barrier lines in the cover only.The web is useful as a wrap for absorbent appliances or for toweling in which the fused barrier in each instance minimizes surface runoff and excessive wicking.The invention also includes a process for making a sanitary appliance with the web of the subject invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1985
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Howard A. Whitehead
  • Patent number: 4478354
    Abstract: A shipping package for dispensing industrial size meltblown microfiber wipers therefrom. The wipers are folded in alternating opposite directions and joined to the next wiper by a plurality of perforated teeth forming a substantially continuous web of separable wipers. Two such webs are interfolded in a particular manner, i.e., a first web superposed over a second web but having the second web lagging the first web by at least one and one-half segments of a folded wiper. The package includes dispensing port for initiating breakage of the perforation teeth joining a lead wiper to a trailing wiper as a lead wiper is being dispensed. Also the dispensing port includes structure for opposing adherence of microfibers from wiper segments of one web to microfibers from wiper segments of the other web as the lead wiper is being dispensed from the carton and is being removed from the interfolded web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1984
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Patrick J. Notheis
  • Patent number: 4475913
    Abstract: A sanitary napkin as provided with an absorbent batt folded along the longitudinal edges to provide a soft surface abutting the wearer's legs. The folded portion of the batt is cut away to produce a cavity on the bottom portion; with the cavity having garment attachment adhesive positioned therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1984
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: James J. Hlaban
  • Patent number: D276072
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1984
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Howard A. Whitehead
  • Patent number: D276073
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1984
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Howard A. Whitehead
  • Patent number: D276183
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1984
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Howard A. Whitehead
  • Patent number: D276184
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1984
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Howard A. Whitehead
  • Patent number: D276368
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1984
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Howard A. Whitehead
  • Patent number: D277169
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1985
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventors: John M. Ito, James D. Cotton
  • Patent number: D277553
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventors: John M. Ito, James D. Cotton