Patents Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
  • Durable wet-pressed tissue
    Patent number: 9896805
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a wet-pressed tissue product having improved cross-machine tensile, toughness and durability properties. Cross-machine properties are significant because tissue products often fail in the cross-machine direction because it is often the weaker of the two product orientations (cross and machine directions). Accordingly, in certain embodiments the present disclosure provides a conventional wet pressed tissue product having a CD Tensile greater than about 450 g/3? and a CD Stretch greater than about 6.0 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey James Timm, Michael Alan Hermans
  • Aqueous medium-sensitive coating compositions for triggered release of active ingredients and visual indication for wetness
    Patent number: 9889222
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a topsheet layer, a backsheet layer and one absorbent core layer. The topsheet layer, absorbent core layer and backsheet layer each include a longitudinally directed side peripheral edge. The absorbent article further includes an aqueous medium-sensitive coating composition for triggered release of active ingredients from the absorbent article. The aqueous medium-sensitive coating composition is affixed to the absorbent article adjacent a longitudinally directed side peripheral edge. The coating composition includes a betaine ester or betaine ester derivative having a functional active group derived from a fragrance with a hydroxyl group, a color changing visual indicator chemistry, where the visual indicator chemistry is selected from at least one of the group of a pH indicator dye and pH adjuster, a thermochromic dye and a polarity-sensitive dye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Xuedong Song
  • Tissue products comprising high carbohydrate content fillers
    Patent number: 9890502
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to tissue webs and products, which generally have a basis weight less than about 80 grams per square meter (gsm) and a sheet bulk greater than about 5 cubic centimeters per gram (cc/g) comprising a blend of conventional papermaking fibers and high carbohydrate fillers. Surprisingly, the fillers may displace a relatively large amount of conventional papermaking fibers, such as hardwood kraft pulp, without negatively affecting important tissue properties such as caliper, bulk, slough, absorbent capacity and softness. In fact, in certain instances the use of fillers actually improves tissue properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Gerard Shannon, Bo Shi
  • Refillable dispensing container for stacked moist wipes
    Patent number: 9889963
    Abstract: A container of stacked moist wipes includes a dispenser housing. The housing defines top and bottom walls, first and second side walls, and first and second end walls. The walls collectively define an interior space, and the first end wall can be removed to provide access to the interior space via a refill orifice. The top wall includes a dispensing orifice through which wipes are extracted. A refill direction is generally perpendicular to a dispensing direction. In particular embodiments, the dispensing orifice is covered by a lid assembly. In certain embodiment, the first end wall includes a removable cap that has no permanent connection to the top wall, bottom wall, first side wall, or second side wall. In certain embodiments, the top wall, the bottom wall, the first side wall, the second side wall, and a permanent layer of the second end wall are integrally molded with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Bechyne, Brian J. Brigham, Jereme N. Dumm, Scott A. Ternovits
  • Stiff nanocomposite film for use in an absorbent article
    Patent number: 9878065
    Abstract: A thin nanocomposite film for use in an absorbent article (e.g., sanitary napkin) is provided. The film contains a first ethylene polymer having a density of about 0.94 g/cm3 or less, second ethylene polymer having a density of greater than 0.94 g/cm3, and nanoclay having an organic surface treatment. The present inventors have discovered that through selective control over the particular type and concentration of the components used to form the film, as well as the manner in which it is formed, the properties of the film can be significantly improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: James Hongxue Wang, Feng Chen, Gregory J. Wideman, Michael J. Faulks, Mark M. Mleziva
  • Absorbent article having a primary fastening system and a secondary fastening system
    Patent number: 9867743
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a chassis having longitudinally opposite ends, transversely opposite sides, a bodyside liner at least in part defining the inner surface of the article, an outer cover at least in part defining the outer surface of the article, and an absorbent core disposed between the liner and the outer cover. A pair of ears extends transversely outward from the opposite sides of the chassis at the second waist portion thereof. A primary fastening system has a primary first fastening component located on each of the pair of ears and a primary second fastening component. A secondary fastening system has a secondary second fastening component located on each of the ears and corresponding secondary first fastening components. A non-linear strip attached to an outer surface of the article includes the primary second fastening component and the secondary first fastening components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt, David Fleger Bishop, Wendy Lynn VanDyke, Robert Lee Popp, David John Enz, Catherine Marguerite Hancock-Cooke, Alanna Haessler
  • Drug delivery device
    Patent number: 9861801
    Abstract: A drug delivery device is disclosed that may include a skin penetrating assembly having a support defining an upper surface and a lower surface. The skin penetrating assembly may also include a plurality of skin penetrating members extending outwardly from the lower surface. Each skin penetrating member may define a channel for receiving a drug formulation. In addition, the device may include a reservoir positioned adjacent to the upper surface of the support for initially retaining the drug formulation. The reservoir may include a top surface and a bottom surface and may define a plurality of passages extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The passages may be configured such that the drug formulation is retained within the passages against gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Baker, Russell F. Ross, Luke Hagan
  • Tampon method of manufacture
    Patent number: 9849041
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tampon includes the steps of at least partially overlaying a web of base material with a web of absorbent material. The web of absorbent material is secured to the web of base material with a first securement. At least one of the web of base material and the web of absorbent material is folded after the first securement. The web of absorbent material is further secured to the web of base material with a second securement that is a stronger securement than the first securement. The web of absorbent material and the web of base material together define a web of cover material. The web of cover material is applied to an absorbent structure. The web of cover material and the absorbent structure is manipulated such that the web of cover material extends about a circumference of the absorbent structure to form a tampon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas Scott Wolter, Charles Robert Tomsovic, Wayne D. Beyer, Ronald A. Hilt, Joshua Fiedorowicz, Brian Alberts, Martin Gottvald, Steven Craig Gehling
  • Apparatus and method for controlling the unwinding of a web
    Patent number: 9850089
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) for controlling the unwinding of a web (2) wound on a core is disclosed. The apparatus (1) includes a turnbar (10), an actuator (20), a sensor (30), and a controller (70). The turnbar (10) includes a target location to receive the web (2). The actuator (20) is coupled to the turnbar (10) and includes an axis of movement (29). The sensor (30) measures transverse placement of the web (2) relative to the target location and transmits an input signal to the controller (70) when transverse placement of the web (2) differs from the target location. The controller (70) provides an output signal to the actuator (20 to move the turnbar (10) along the axis of movement (29) such that the web (2) maintains substantial alignment with the target location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Phillip J. Poisson, Aaron Gander, Daniel K. Buck, Suzanne Laughrin
  • Absorbent article having a protected fastening system
    Patent number: 9849043
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes an absorbent assembly including longitudinally opposite ends, transversely opposite sides, a front waist region, a back waist region. The absorbent article also includes a pair of ears extending transversely outward from the opposite sides of the absorbent assembly in the back waist region, each of the ears comprising a loop fastening component. The absorbent article also includes a nonwoven shield coupled to the garment-facing surface of the outer cover and a hook material patch, wherein the hook material patch is disposed between the outer cover and the shield such that at least a portion of the plurality of hooks is accessible through an aperture, and such that at least a portion of the base layer edges is covered by the shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolas Paul Barnes, Patrick Robert Lord, Bonnie Lynn VandenPlas, Himanshi Arunkumar Patel
  • Fiber Bundle
    Publication number: 20170362757
    Abstract: A fiber bundle containing a plurality of fibers that are twisted about a longitudinal axis is provided. At least a portion of the fibers are formed from a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase that includes a polyolefin matrix polymer and a nanoinclusion additive dispersed within the continuous phase in the form of discrete domains. A porous network is defined in the composition that includes a plurality of nanopores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Ryan J. McEneany, Neil T. Scholl, Antonio J. Carrillo
  • Melt processed antimicrobial composition
    Patent number: 9832993
    Abstract: A method for forming a composition that includes mixing an antimicrobially active botanical oil (e.g., thymol, carvacrol, etc.) and a modified starch polymer within a melt blending device (e.g., extruder) is provided. Unlike the problems associated with proteins, the use of starch polymers allows for a greater degree of flexibility in the processing conditions and is still able to achieve good properties in the resulting composition. The present inventors have also discovered that a plasticizer may be employed to facilitate melt processing of the starch, as well as to enhance the ability of the botanical oil to flow into the internal structure of the starch where it can be retained in a stable manner. The composition is also typically generally free of solvents. In this manner, the starch will not generally disperse before use and prematurely release the botanical oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: James H. Wang, Bo Shi, JaeHong Lee, Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Neil T. Scholl, YoungSook Kim
  • Low-moisture cloud-making cleaning article
    Patent number: 9826876
    Abstract: A cleaning article includes a cleaning article sheet comprising a fabric substrate, wherein the fabric substrate includes pores therein, and wherein the fabric substrate has a background moisture percentage by weight, and liquid water disposed substantially and disconnectedly within the pores, wherein the liquid water is at moisture percentage by weight that is 5 to 150 percentage points higher than the background moisture percentage. The nonwoven substrate can include pores formed between and/or within the fibers and can have a background moisture percentage by weight. The substrate can include a treatment to increase the dielectric constant from the dielectric constant of the substrate without the treatment. The moisture of the article can be configured to exhibit a dielectric constant of at least 50% and up to 600% higher than the dielectric constant of the same article with only background moisture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaiyuan Yang, Andrew T Baker, Joseph R Feldkamp, David William Koenig, WanDuk Lee, Carl G Rippl, Kathleen C Engelbrecht, Waihong Leong, Dave A Soerens, Divesh Bhatt, Jin Heo, Jose Kollakompil Abraham
  • Packaged body adhering absorbent article
    Patent number: 9820892
    Abstract: A packaged feminine care absorbent article has an absorbent article with an absorbent structure and a shell. The absorbent structure is configured for disposition adjacent a female wearer's vaginal region. The shell is configured for supporting the absorbent structure at the vaginal region. The shell has a body-facing surface and a garment-facing surface. The body-facing surface has an adhesive thereon for adhering the shell directly to the wearer. The absorbent structure is attached directly to the garment-facing surface. The absorbent article is configurable between a packaged configuration and a use configuration. The absorbent structure is folded longitudinally about at least one transverse fold line and transversely about at least one longitudinal fold line in the packaged configuration. A portion of the shell overlies a portion of the absorbent structure in the packaged configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Melissa Jean Dennis, Thomas Lutzow, Gerhard Foelsche, Luke Hagan, Margaux Boyaval, Adrienne Rae Loyd
  • Method of manufacturing an absorbent article having fully encircling bodyside and garment-side waistband
    Patent number: 9820889
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing absorbent articles comprises delivering a continuous web assembly including a backsheet material, a liquid permeable bodyside liner material, and an absorbent structure interposed between the backsheet material and the bodyside liner material, the web assembly having a body-facing side and a garment-facing side; attaching a discrete segment of first waist elastic material to the body-facing side of the web assembly; attaching a discrete segment of second waist elastic material to the garment-facing side of the web assembly such that the web assembly is interposed between the discrete segments of first and second waist elastic materials; and cutting the web assembly to form a plurality of absorbent articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph J. Sina, Kathleen Irene Bennett, Marcille Faye Ruman, Thomas Harold Roessler
  • ABSORBENT ARTICLE HAVING LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION FOLDED SIDE REGIONS
    Publication number: 20170326006
    Abstract: An absorbent article which can have longitudinal direction folded side regions. The longitudinal direction folded side regions of the absorbent article can provide the absorbent article with a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the lateral direction width of each of the front waist edge and the back waist edge can be the same. In the second configuration, the lateral direction width of the front waist edge can be smaller than the lateral direction width of the back waist edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Edward Neubauer, Christopher Peter Olson
  • Wiping sheet with surface pattern
    Patent number: D804192
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: TaeYoung B. Kim, EoYeon Hwang, JongChon Kim, GangHong Bae
  • Paper product with surface pattern
    Patent number: D807044
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Nuno Azeredo, Karen Hunter, Juan P. Aragon, Marvin E. Swails, Holly K. Kowalski, Sarah McMahon
  • Tissue dispenser
    Patent number: D807076
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Kapiloff, Barry P. Markwick
  • Applicator device for a fluid delivery apparatus
    Patent number: D810927
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Russell Ross, Andrew T. Baker, Elizabeth D. Gadsby