Abstract: A low calorie ice pop formulation containing powdered cellulose having an average particle size of less than about 20 microns.

Abstract: An antimicrobially active, non-woven web, a wet wiper containing the web, and a method of making the web. The method includes the steps of forming an unbounded fibrous web; applying throughout the unbonded fibrous web an uncured binder and polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride as an antimicrobial agent, the antimicrobial active agent being substantive to the fibers of the web and to the binder; and curing the binder material to bind the fibers together to form an antimicrobially active, non-woven web.

Abstract: A sheet of fibrous web material having opposite smooth surfaces, an apparent bulk in the range of about 0.10 to about 0.20 caliper pts/lb ream and a machine direction stretch of at least 8%, wherein surface undulations on the opposite smooth surfaces of the sheet have an amplitude variance of less than 0.0002 inch. The invention includes an apparatus and a method of manufacturing the product comprising partially dewatering a wet fibrous web to about 30% to 50% solids, conveying the web to a compression nip defined by a smooth-surfaced roll and a smooth-surfaced fabric material, moving the fabric material at a speed of about 10% to 20% less than the surface speed of the smooth-surfaced roll, compressing the web in the nip with a compression force of less than 15 lbs/linear inch, with an average pressure of less than about 50 psi in the compression nip, and drying the web. The dried web has an apparent bulk less than 0.20 caliper pts/lb ream.

Abstract: A porous thermoformable heat sealable nonwoven fabric that is constructed by carding a bicomponent polymeric fiber and then heating the resulting fibrous web to cause bonding. The polymeric components of the bicomponent fiber have crystalline melting points that differ by at least 30.degree. C. The bicomponent fiber has a staple length ranging from 1.5" to 3.0" and a staple elongation-to-break of at least 30%.

Abstract: A sponge cushion material is suitable for use as a carpet underlay. The sponge cushion has a cellular layer bonded to two nonwoven textile layers which can delaminate. The carpet is adhesively bonded to the cellular layer and one of the textile layers is adhesively bonded to a floor. The carpet can be easily removed by pulling it away from the floor so that the two textile layers delaminate and one of the textile layers remains bonded to the floor.

Abstract: A disposable food receptacle for use in microwave cooking is disclosed which includes a provision to brown the exterior of the food in the receptacle. A thin layer of an electrically conductive material, such as an elemental metal is incorporated into the receptacle on the food contacting surfaces thereof, so that the conductive layer will become heated by the microwave radiation and will, in turn, brown the exterior of the food in the receptacle. The conductive layer is formed as an extremely thin film deposited on a substrate protective layer by a process of vacuum vapor deposition.

Abstract: A method for forming a fibrous web by wet-laying fibers on paper-making equipment, the web comprising staple length natural or synthetic fibers and wood cellulose paper-making fibers wherein a water furnish of the fibers is made up with an associative thickener in the absence of a conventional surfactant. A preferred associative thickener for use with hydrophobic fibers is a urethane block copolymer having a polyethylene glycol backbone, the associative thickener acting as both surfactant and thickener. With predominately cellulosic fibers, i.e. conventional wood cellulose fibers, or a mixture of conventional and contorted wood fibers, and synthetic cellulosic fibers, such as rayon, a hydroxyethyl cellulose having a long alkyl side chain is preferred. Excellent consistency of the water and fiber dispersion is obtained at relatively low viscosity with rapid drainage of water from the wire and uniform formation of the web.

Abstract: Provided is a distribution system for the uniform distribution of fluids. The system comprises a conduit means which has an inlet for supplying fluid under pressure to the interior of the conduit means. Outlet means are distributed along the length of the conduit for lateral discharge of the fluid from the conduit, and means for increasing the interior surface roughness of the conduit, such as a stainless steel screen, is attached to the inner surface of the conduit opposite the outlet means. The resulting distribution system achieves a uniform distribution of fluid easily and inexpensively.

Abstract: A strong, absorbent nonwoven fabric containing wood pulp and textile fibers is prepared by hydroentanglement with a continuous filament, base web. The fabric may be apertured or essentially nonapertured and may be made water repellant for use in medical and surgical applications.

Abstract: A food package assembly of the type designed to serve the dual function of providing a package for shipment and storage of a prepared food and of microwave heating of the food in a manner producing a browning or crisping effect that is particularly adapted to the needs of foods, such as French bread pizzas and garlic bread, which cannot be crisped in a microwave oven via the use of a single planar microwave interactive crisping layer and which, due to the grease and/or vapor driven out of them cannot be heated in a microwave oven in a closely confined manner without becoming soggy. In accordance with preferred embodiments, a food product is received upon an inner tray member that coacts with an outer package body to cradle the food product so that the adjoining surface thereof will be crisped by a microwave interactive heating layer applied to the facing surface of the inner tray member.

Abstract: An ink jet printing substrate particularly useful as a coating for paper for multi-color, water base ink jet printing consisting essentially of a high swelling montmorillonite clay, and optionally including a high surface area pigment, such as a synthetic silica or calcium carbonate and a water-insoluble binder.

Abstract: A device for aligning an elliptical blank relative to a female die half comprising a drawpad having an elliptical opening supporting a blank in position on a female die half. Alignment pins are movable rearwardly of the minor diameter of the blank within slots formed in the drawpad for engaging the perimeter of the blank for rotating the blank to the aligned position, in preparation for press forming the blank into the desired shape.

Abstract: An antimicrobially active wet wiper and a method of making the wiper. The wet wiper has an antimicrobially active non-woven web that includes: (i) bonded fibers; (ii) a binder in an amount effective to bind the fibers; and (iii) a first antimicrobial agent that is substantive to the fibers and to the binder when the web is either wet or dry. The web is maintained in a wet condition in a liquid containing a second antimicrobial agent until use.

Abstract: A microwave insert for use in an outer microwave transparent carton for surface heating an object, such as a food product, in a microwave oven. The insert includes a flexible layer of interactive material for converting microwave energy into heat, and a support material, preferably a semi-rigid microwave transparent material such as paperboard, for supporting the interactive material in a position adjacent one portion of the surface of the object in a configuration to minimize the amount of overlaps of interactive material. The overlap is provided along a base panel spaced from the folds which define the base panel and is restricted to a zone wherein the overlap zone is positioned to utilize the maximum possible amount of microwave shielding by the object when the object and the insert are located in operative position within a microwave oven.

Abstract: A microwave browning and crisping sleeve as well as a package assembly and method of microwave heating of food using the sleeve, wherein a paperboard strip has a microwave interactive layer affixed over one surface of the paperoard strip, the paperboard strip being subdivided by fold lines into at least five panel portions, wherein opposite ends of the paperboard strip are connected end-to-end in a manner creating a paperborad sleeve having the surface to which the interactive layer is fixed as its inner peripheral surface, and wherein the fold lines are disposed at positions which enable the sleeve to be erected and collapsed between a first configuration wherein the sleeve is flattened for shipping and storage, and a second configuration wherein the inner peripheral surface defines an open ended space for receiving a food product with top, bottom and side surfaces of the food product being in heat transfer relationship with respect to the microwave interactive layer.

Abstract: An elastic nonwoven fabric is made up of staple textile fibers or wood pulp, or both hydroentangled with an elastic web or net of a thermoplastic elastic polymer.

Abstract: A wet wiper product of the type having a fibrous wipe, a liquid preservative composition, and an enclosure for the fibrous wipe and the liquid preservative composition. The liquid preservative composition consists essentially of: (a) a mixture of citric acid and sorbic acid as the preservative component; (b) water; and (c) optional ingredients selected from the group consisting of skin moisturizers and fragrance compounds.

Abstract: An antimicrobially active, non-woven web, a wet wiper containing the web, and a method of making the web. The method includes the steps of forming an unbonded fibrous web; applying throughout the unbonded fibrous web an uncured polymeric binder; applying a leachable catalyst to catalyze the cross-linking of the binder during curing, the leachable catalyst being antimicrobial; and curing the binder to cross-link the binder and bind the fibers together to form an antimicrobially active, non-woven web.

Abstract: A nonwoven fibrous web is disclosed having high wet tensile strength when packed in a preservative liquid load, yet which breaks up under mild agitation conditions in a wet environment such as by the flushing action of a toilet. The wiper includes a nonwoven web made of a special blend of cellulosic fibers held together only by friction and naturally occurring hydrogen bonding. No binder is necessary to hold together the fibers. Derivatization of the fibers is not necessary for their breakapartability. The nonwoven fibrous web is produced by subjecting a wet-laid web of cellulosic fibers to hydroentanglement and drying the web without addition of a bonding agent.

Abstract: An antimicrobially active, non-woven web, a wet wiper containing the web, and a method of making the web. The method includes the steps of forming an unbonded fibrous web; applying throughout the unbonded fibrous web an uncured polymeric binder; applying a leachable catalyst to catalyze the cross-linking of the binder during curing, the leachable catalyst being antimicrobial; and curing the binder to cross-link the binder and bind the fibers together to form an antimicrobially active, non-woven web.