Patents Represented by Attorney Michael J. Bendel
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Patent number: 7947864Abstract: A disposable absorbent liner for use in a crotch portion of underwear. The liner includes a cover layer having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface and comprising a mixture of hydrophilic microfibers and hydrophobic microfibers. A quantity of hydrophilic microfibers and hydrophobic microfibers are located at the top surface and a larger quantity of hydrophobic microfibers are located at the top surface than are a quantity of hydrophilic microfibers located at the top surface based on a total weight of the mixture of microfibers in the cover layer. The liner also includes a removable backing layer, and a liquid impermeable baffle layer having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface with the baffle layer being disposed between the cover layer and the backing layer. The absorbent liner has a low profile and a particular Absorbent Capacity and/or Absorbent Intake Rate.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2004Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Emmanuelle Cecile Damay, Renee S. Kole, Lynn Marie Matheus, Ligia A. Rivera, Timothy James Van Himbergen, Margaret Gwyn Latimer, Franz Aschenbrenner
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Patent number: 7913696Abstract: A self-fitting device for location in an ear canal. The device includes a body having a body ear end, an opposite body user end, and a shaft extending from the ear end to the user end. A resilient bladder is joined with the body ear end and a chamber is defined inside the resilient bladder. An elongate plunger is located in the shaft. The resilient bladder is deformable between an at-rest position and an in-ear position. The elongate plunger actuates between the at-rest position and an insertion position to assist the resilient bladder to be deformed into the in-ear position. The plunger actuates in the insertion position without extending a front end portion of the bladder forward of a position of the front end portion when the bladder is in the at-rest position.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2008Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc.Inventors: Ricky Wayne Purcell, Kenneth Michael Ross
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Patent number: 7886745Abstract: A self-fitting device for location in an ear canal. The device includes a body having a body ear end, an opposite body user end, and a shaft extending from the ear end to the user end. A resilient bladder is joined with the body ear end and a chamber is defined inside the resilient bladder where the chamber is in communication with the shaft and the resilient bladder has a wall portion and is deformable from an at-rest position to an in-ear position. The resilient bladder has a variable strength profile in the wall portion of the bladder.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2008Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Ricky Wayne Purcell, Scott M. Belliveau, Thomas A. Wozny, Kenneth Michael Ross
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Patent number: 7594724Abstract: A device and method for locating a pair of ear engaging members and an eye protector in proximity to a user's head. This includes a cord with a length and a dual mode adjustment member located along the length of the cord. An ear end of the cord can have a pair of ear engaging members joined thereto. An eye end of the cord has a pair of eye protector connectors joined thereto. The dual mode adjustment member is positionable along the length of the cord to a first mode and to a second mode shortens that, respectively, lengths or shortens the cord between the adjustment member and the eye end of the cord.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2007Date of Patent: September 29, 2009Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventor: Ricky Wayne Purcell
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Patent number: 7081080Abstract: The invention relates to a stack of fan folded material and related systems and processes. The stack includes at least two clips of fan folded material. Each clip includes a plurality of fan folded sheets, with each sheet joined to at least one adjacent sheet by a weakened line. Each clip is joined to an adjacent clip by a last sheet of one clip being interfolded with or adhesively joined to a first sheet of a succeeding clip.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2002Date of Patent: July 25, 2006Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Gerald Keith Sosalla, John David Amundson, Andrew Kuo
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Patent number: 7078087Abstract: The invention provides a wipe. The wipes include at least one non-woven web. The web includes an edge portion adjoining a main portion. The web has a top surface and a spaced apart opposite bottom surface and is defined by a width of the web which is perpendicular to a length of the web. The top surface of the main portion defines a top plane and the bottom surface of the main portion defines a bottom plane. The top and bottom planes are parallel to one another and a z-directional dimension of the web extends through the top and bottom planes and is orthogonal to the top and bottom planes. The edge portion includes and edge treatment wherein the edge treatment comprises at least a portion of the edge portion being permanently deformed in a non-random pattern in the z-directional dimension.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2003Date of Patent: July 18, 2006Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Lawrence James Romano, III, Kenneth Bradley Close, Larry Edgerton Brown, Steven R. Kalmanson
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Patent number: 7000363Abstract: The invention relates to a system and process for loading containers with formed product. The system includes a container transport assembly, a product transport assembly and a combined transport assembly. The container transport assembly advances and positions the containers along a first path towards a loading zone. The product transport assembly advances and positions the formed product along a second path towards the loading zone. The combined transport assembly defines a third path away from the loading zone. The first path and the second path share at least one common direction of travel and each path is in part independent of the other and each path is in part merged with the other. The formed product is loaded into the containers as the paths merge. Thereafter, the containers with formed product loaded therein are advanced away from the loading zone along the third path.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2002Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Gerald Keith Sosalla, Michael Joseph Muhlebach
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Patent number: 6991840Abstract: The invention relates to a group of wipes. The group of wipes includes at least three wipes separably joined together, each wipe separable joined to each adjacent wipe by a weakened line. Each weakened line includes a plurality of first-type weakened zones and at least one second-type weakened zone. The second-type weakened zone has a length that is at least 1.5 times a length of the first-type weakened zone and the second-type weakened zone is randomly positioned along the weakened line such that no two consecutive weakened lines have the second-type weakened zone in the same position relative to opposite ends of consecutive weakened lines.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2003Date of Patent: January 31, 2006Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventor: Gerald Keith Sosalla
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Patent number: 6905748Abstract: The invention relates to a stack of fan folded material and related systems and processes. The stack includes at least two clips of fan folded material. Each clip includes a plurality of fan folded sheets, with each sheet joined to at least one adjacent sheet by a weakened line. Each clip is joined to an adjacent clip by a last sheet of one clip being separably joined to a first sheet of a succeeding clip.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2001Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventor: Gerald Keith Sosalla
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Patent number: 6848595Abstract: The invention relates to a stack of wipes for use in a wipes dispenser. The stack includes a plurality of wipes, each wipe of the plurality of wipes formed from a portion of a common material. Each wipe includes a leading edge portion with a pleat-like zone located along at least a portion of a length of the leading edge portion and the pleat-like zone is distinct from an adjoining main portion of each wipe. Each wipe is folded upon itself at least once and each wipe is positioned relative to adjacent wipes to form the stack of wipes.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2002Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Scott Richard Lange, Kenneth Bradley Close
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Patent number: 6840401Abstract: There is provided a multiple layer baffle structure for dispensing a wipe therethrough. The structure includes at least a first layer having a first length and a first width and a first dispensing orifice; and, at least a second layer having a second length and a second width and a second dispensing orifice, where the first layer is disposed over the second layer and at least partially contacts the second layer proximate the dispensing orifices and the first layer is distinct from the second layer so as to be movable relative to the second layer and the wipe may be dispensed sequentially through the first dispensing orifice and the second dispensing orifice.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2002Date of Patent: January 11, 2005Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventor: John David Amundson
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Patent number: 6766919Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible orifice for pop-up style dispensing with a wet wipes dispenser. The orifice includes a flexible, rubber-like sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface. A continuous slit extends across the top and bottom surfaces of the sheet and enables a wet wipe to pass from the bottom surface to the top surface or from the top surface to the bottom surface. The continuous slit has at least one curved portion connected with at least one non-curved portion. Alternately, the continuous slit has at least one zigzag portion connected with a pair of end leg portions.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2002Date of Patent: July 27, 2004Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Yung Hsiang Huang, Timothy Walter Shoaf, Robert Samuel Schlaupitz, Gerald Keith Sosalla, Paige Annette Dellerman, Stephen Robert Kehn, James Ronald Bath, Rodney Carlton Christianson
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Patent number: 6749083Abstract: The invention relates to a stack of fan folded material and related systems and processes. The stack includes at least two clips of fan folded material. Each clip includes a plurality of fan folded sheets, with each sheet joined to at least one adjacent sheet by a weakened line. Each clip is joined to an adjacent clip by a last sheet of one clip being separably joined to a first sheet of a succeeding clip.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2003Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Gerald Keith Sosalla, Yung Hsaing Huang
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Patent number: 6745975Abstract: There is provided a system for dispensing a plurality of perforated wipes having a perforation detach strength characteristic. The system includes a dispenser having a dispensing force characteristic and including a sealable chamber. The chamber is configured to retain the plurality of perforated wipes therein. A dispensing opening is in communication with the chamber. The opening is adapted to dispense wipes from the plurality of perforated wipes through the opening and out of the dispenser. A wiper blade is positioned in the dispenser to engage at least a portion of the wipes as the wipes dispense through the opening. When dispensing, a ratio of the perforation detach strength characteristic to the dispensing force characteristic is greater than 1:1.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2001Date of Patent: June 8, 2004Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Michael John Faulks, Yung Hsiang Huang, William Robert Newman, Herb F. Velazquez, Ligia A. Rivera, Paige Annette Dellerman, Steven John Romme, Cherry Ann Bochmann, Gerald P. DeGreen, Jeffrey M. Kalman
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Patent number: 6702225Abstract: A dispenser for premoistened wipes having a removable tray. The dispenser includes a housing which may include a frame and a cover. The housing defines an interior space in which the premoistened wipes may be placed. A removable tray having a liquid retaining receptacle portion may be positioned below the interior space and wipes. The tray may also include a raised portion having a support surface for the premoistened wipes. The raised portion may be formed by a plurality of ribs, guide rolls or a combination thereof. The tray may also include a grip to facilitate its insertion and removal from the dispenser. The premoistened wipes may be dispensed by passing the wipes through a gap between two dispenser rollers. The dispenser may also include an impingement edge which extends adjacent the two dispensing rollers.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1999Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: William R. Newman, Herb F. Velazquez, Jerry P. DeGreen
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Patent number: 6673358Abstract: Wet wipes impregnated with a solution which includes a mono alkyl phosphate are described. In particular, the solution in the wet wipes includes a phosphate ester surfactant which includes a mono alkyl phosphate having the following structural formula: wherein R represents a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having an average of from 8 to 22 carbon atoms, x represents a number of 0 to 20, and each of Y and Z represents hydrogen, an alkali metal, ammonium or an alkanol amine. Such wet wipes have improved tactile properties and cleaning efficacy without excessive skin irritation or foaming when compared to conventional wet wipes.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1999Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Douglas Bryan Cole, Katherine Denise Stahl
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Patent number: 6612462Abstract: The invention relates to a stack of fan folded material and related systems and processes. The stack includes at least two clips of fan folded material. Each clip includes a plurality of fan folded sheets, with each sheet joined to at least one adjacent sheet by a weakened line. Each clip is joined to an adjacent clip by a last sheet of one clip being separably joined to a first sheet of a succeeding clip.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2001Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Gerald Keith Sosalla, Yung Hsaing Huang
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Patent number: 6613729Abstract: Wet wipes impregnated with an aqueous solution containing cationic fatty acid surfactants provide improved tactile properties and cleaning efficacy without excessive skin irritation or foaming when compared to conventional wet wipes.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2000Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Douglas Bryan Cole, Katherine Denise Stahl, Rhonda Sue Solberg
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Patent number: 6604651Abstract: A storage and dispensing package for wipes comprising a non-rigid container having sides which define a cavity. A collapsible-expandable baffle structure having a width is positioned within the sides of the container and divides the cavity into a storage portion for wipes and a dispensing portion. The baffle structure includes a dispensing orifice through which wipes can pass and communicate with the dispensing portion. A resealable mechanism can also be included at an end of the package.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2001Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: John David Amundson, Dennis Edward Fryer, Peter Booth, Martin Christopher Bunce
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Patent number: D482966Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2002Date of Patent: December 2, 2003Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Peter Booth, Martin Christopher Bunce