Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Steven W. Miller
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Laundry detergent compositions comprising zwitterionic polyamines and mid-chain branched surfactants
Patent number: 6660711Abstract: The present invention relates to laundry detergent compositions which provide enhanced hydrophilic soil cleaning benefits, said compositions comprising from about 0.01% by weight of a zwitterionic polyamine, b) from about 0.01% by weight of a surfactant system; c) and the balance, adjunct ingredients.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2001Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Kenneth Nathan Price, Eugene Paul Gosselink -
Patent number: 6652273Abstract: A method and apparatus for zone controlling the temperature of a rotating roll. The apparatus includes a roll having a surface at a first temperature and a belt disposed adjacent at least a portion of the surface of the roll. The belt contacts the roll surface in a contact region and has a second temperature that is different from the first temperature of the roll such that the belt affects a temperature change in at least a portion of the surface of the roll in the contact region as the roll is rotated.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2002Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: William J. Butsch, John William Toussant
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Patent number: 6651290Abstract: A cleaning implement, such as a floor mop, is provided. The cleaning implement includes a handle and a cleaning head attached to the handle. The cleaning head has at least one attachment structure for receiving and retaining a sheet about the cleaning head. The attachment structure includes a base triangle and a plurality of substantially pie-shaped sections whose apexes meet at a substantially common point adjacent the base triangle. Two sides of the base triangle and two sides of each of the pie-shaped sections are defined by slits passing through the flexible material forming the attachment structure such that the base triangle and each of the pie-shaped sections can be deflected to receive the sheet.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2002Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Gary William Kingry, Wilbur Cecil Strickland, Michael Earl Hardy
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Patent number: 6652766Abstract: Polymer compositions, while providing suitable wrinkle control, also tend to dispense poorly when sprayed. The present invention shows that when viscosity of polymer compositions is minimized spray dispensing improves. Several approaches to minimizing the viscosity of polymer compositions are disclosed. Methods of controlling wrinkles in fabrics comprise treating fabrics with a variety of polymer compositions following a variety of methods. Articles of manufacture comprise (1) a container or substrate, (2) a wrinkle controlling composition, and (3) a set of instructions.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2002Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Gayle Marie Frankenbach, Toan Trinh, Mary Vijayarani Barnabas, Alessandro Corona, III, John Henry Shaw, Jr., John William Smith, Donald Ray Brown, Timothy Roy Nijakowski, Bruno Albert Jean Hubesch, Gabrielle Holly Spangler Detzel, Todd Stephen Alwart, Anne Marie Candido, Stephan Gary Bush, Dimitris Ioannis Collias, Ellis Bailey Gregg, Earl Bray
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Patent number: 6648983Abstract: A process of cleaning an enamel surface with a liquid acidic composition comprising an enamel safe buffering system, wherein said buffering system comprises a salt having an anion selected from the group consisting of hydroxide and carbonate; and a cation that has an ionic radius larger than 115 pm; with the proviso that no ethers of diethylene glycol are present in said composition.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2001Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Sergio Cardola, Panos Iakovides, Laura Orlandini, Maria Rosa Rescio
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Patent number: 6649222Abstract: A method for treating substrates including the steps of: providing a substrate; exposing said substrate to a plasma glow discharge in the presence of a fluorocarbon gas; maintaining said gas at a pressure between about 50 mTorr and about 400 mTorr; generating said plasma as a modulated glow discharge; pulsing said discharge at an on time of 1-500 milliseconds; pulsing said glow at an off time of 1-1000 milliseconds; maintaining said plasma glow discharge at a power density of 0.02-10 watts/cm2; and applying a hydrophobic coating to said substrate.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2001Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Riccardo D'Agostino, Italo Corzani, Pietro Favia, Ritalba Lamendola, Gianfranco Palumbo
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Patent number: 6645604Abstract: Disclosed are cleaning sheets having at least two regions, where the regions are distinguished by basis weight. In particular, the cleaning sheet comprises one or more high basis weight regions having a basis weight of from about 30 to about 120 g/m2 and one or more low basis weight regions, wherein the low basis weight region(s) have a basis weight that is not more than about 80% of the basis weight of the high basis weight region(s). Also disclosed are cleaning sheets having substantial macroscopic three-dimensionality, in addition to having multiple basis weights. Optionally, the macroscopically three-dimensional cleaning sheets can comprise a scrim material, which when heated and then cooled, contracts so as to provide a macroscopic three-dimensional structure. Macroscopic three-dimensionality is described in terms of “average height differential”, as well as the “average peak-to-peak” distance.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 1998Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Saeed Fereshtehkhou, Paul Joseph Russo, Wilbur Cecil Strickland, Jr., Nicola John Policicchio
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Patent number: 6645392Abstract: The present invention relates to selecting dispensers having optimal spray patterns for use together with aqueous wrinkle removal and/or reduction compositions to minimize the potential to stain fabrics and significantly reduce drying time associated with aqueous-based wrinkle control compositions. The present invention also relates to wrinkle control compositions suitable for use in dispensers with optimal spray patterns and articles of use including instructions for use. The present invention also relates to methods of use for wrinkle control compositions in dispensers with optimal spray patterns.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2002Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Gayle Marie Frankenbach, Anne Marie Candido, John Henry Shaw, Jr., Gabrielle Holly (Spangler) Detzel, Stephan Gary Bush, Todd Stephen Alwart, Dimitris Ioannis Collias
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Patent number: 6640867Abstract: A shade for covering and uncovering an opening. The shade is attachable to drawstrings which raise and lower or otherwise move the end of the shade to obscure/reveal more or less of the opening, as desired. The shade is attachable to the drawstrings through attachments which comprise slots, etc. The attachments do not require threading of the drawstrings through holes in the shade. The shades are conveniently removable from the drawstrings and optionally disposable so that different shades may be coordinated with room colors, seasonal events, etc.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2002Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Shawn Christopher Pallotta, Von Adoniram Kinsey
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Patent number: 6638320Abstract: A method of laundering fabric materials in a washing machine includes the steps of providing a non-particulate detergent product comprising a mixture of spray-dried detergent and an agglomeration detergent comprising a perborate component, and a flow aid; providing a flexible porous bag for receiving the non-particulate detergent product; placing the non-particulate detergent product within the flexible porous bag containing the detergent product in the washing machine with the fabric materials to be washed.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2002Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Adrian John Waynforth Angell, Les Charles Zorb
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Patent number: 6639119Abstract: An absorbent article adapted to receive feces having a first waist region, a second waist region opposed to the first waist region, a crotch region disposed between the first waist region and the second waist region, the absorbent article comprising: a liquid pervious topsheet; a liquid impervious backsheet joined to at least a portion of the topsheet; an absorbent core disposed between at least a portion of the topsheet and the backsheet, and an effective amount of a feces reducing agent disposed in the article such that the reducing agent is available to contact at least a portion of the feces deposited in the article.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Donald C. Roe, Brian R. White, John Christison, Christopher P. Bewick-Sonntag
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Patent number: 6630441Abstract: Amine fabric softener actives are prepared in dispersion and/or clear form with materials to improve performance by increasing the cationic charge density. These materials include polycationic compounds, especially cationic polymers; single long-chain cationic compounds; and carboxylic acids that increase the acidity in the rinse, thus lowering pH and increasing the percentage of amine fabric softener active that is protonated. Antistatic properties are also improved.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2000Date of Patent: October 7, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Kimberly Ann Grimm, Dennis Ray Bacon, Toan Trinh, Errol Hoffman Wahl, Helen Bernardo Tordil
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Patent number: 6627597Abstract: A process for producing a starting material in a granular form and in a nanoporous anhydrous state, a process for improving the water-solubility and controlled release characteristics of a detergent material, and a detergent composition are disclosed. In one aspect, a process for producing a starting material in a granular form and in a nanoporous anhydrous state includes obtaining a starting material in a form of a dispersion or solution in a sublimable solvent or mixtures of sublimable solvents, forming graded droplets by atomization, freezing the graded droplets in a freezing medium at a controlled freezing rate of a least 100° C. per second to form frozen droplets and drying the frozen droplets by vacuum sublimation to obtain freeze-dried granules of the starting material in a nanoporous anhydrous state. The starting material in dispersion or solution form has a viscosity suitable for atomization and formation of graded droplets.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2001Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Srinivas Achanta, Paul Amaat France
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Patent number: 6627596Abstract: The present invention relates to a cationic particle containing an aqueous cationic surfactant solution adsorbed to a water-insoluble high absorbing material. Preferably, the water-insoluble high absorbing material has an oil absorption (using d-butyl phthalate) of from about 140 mL/100 g to about 400 mL/100 g. A process for making the cationic particle is also described herein. The cationic particle can be incorporated into a particulate detergent composition.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2001Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Manivannan Kandasamy, Kenji Naemura, Daniel James Dufton, Eric San Jose Robles, Aram Armand Dedeyan
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Patent number: 6623469Abstract: The invention is a refastenable mechanical fastening system, made of free formed prongs joined to a substrate. The prongs taper and are nonperpendicularly oriented relative to the plane of the substrate. Each prong has an engaging means projecting laterally from the periphery of the prong. The free formed prongs are manufactured by the process of depositing liquid material onto a moving substrate, stretching the liquid material in a direction parallel to the plane of the substrate and severing the stretched material to form the distal end and engaging means of the prong. The advantageous usage of the fastening system in an article of manufacture, such as a disposable absorbent garment, specifically a diaper, is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1993Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventor: Dennis Albert Thomas
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Patent number: 6620774Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid bleaching composition comprising a bleach and a substantially linear nonionic surfactant, whereby said substantially linear nonionic surfactant has the general formula: R—(A)x—(B)y—(C)z—O—R1 wherein: R is an even numbered C6 to C22 alkyl chain or a mixture thereof, containing at least 90% linear alkyl chains; A is an ethoxy unit; B is a butoxy unit; C is a propoxy unit; x, y and z are independent integers of from 0 to 20; the sum of x+y+z is at least 2, wherein when x is equal to or greater than 1. y+z is equal to or greater than 1; and R1 is H, a C6 to C22 alkyl chain or a C6 to C28 alkyl benzene chain. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of said substantially linear nonionic surfactant in a fabric bleaching composition comprising a bleach to treat a fabric whereby stain removal and/or bleaching benefits are provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2001Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Valerio Del Duca, Andrea Esposito, Milena Leone
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Patent number: 6617016Abstract: A low stress relaxation elastomeric material comprises a block copolymer having an elasotmeric soft block portion and thermoplastic hard block portions, at least one vinylarene resin and mineral oil. The elasotmeric material may be used in a film comprising an elastomeric layer and at least one substantially less elastomeric skin layer. The skin layer comprises a thermoplastic polymer such as polyolefins. The film exhibits desired elastic and stress relaxation properties at body temperature. The film is useful in forming a macroscopically-expanded, three-dimensional elastomeric web.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2002Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: John Jianbin Zhang, John Joseph Curro, Michele Ann Mansfield
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Patent number: 6612344Abstract: A vent and fluid transfer fitment for sealing and transferring a fluid from an inverted fluid-filled container without premature leakage to a receiver attachment, has a transfer check valve and a venting check valve which are preferably duckbill valves. The transfer check valve is attached to the fitment for allowing fluid to be transferred from the container when the receiver attachment engages the transfer check valve. The venting check valve is also attached to the fitment for allowing air to displace the fluid as the fluid exits the container, wherein both the transfer check valve and the venting check valve have an inherent sealing pressure created by the static pressure of the fluid within the container. In addition, the inherent sealing pressure of the venting check valve is less than the inherent sealing pressure of the transfer check valve which allows air to enter the container due to the pressure differential created as the fluid is displaced.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2002Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Phillip Gene Nagel, James Christopher Bailey, Gordon Edgar Atkinson, Arnold George Benecke
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Patent number: D480177Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2001Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Makoto Isono, Hideto Maeda, Satomi Nakamura, Tadayasu Koga, Christopher David Leahy, Kentaro Yamamoto, Kazuya Iwata
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Patent number: D481184Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2002Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Benjamin Jacob Clare, Richard George Lohre, Gregory Clegg Spooner, Ronald Peter DeVlam, Neil Anthony Litten, Leonard Joseph Keller, Jr.