Patents Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11591755
    Abstract: A tissue paper product is provided having at least one ultra-low density ply having a highly porous, open-celled structure and that comprises cellulosic fibers, a water insoluble binder and a foaming surfactant. The cellulosic fiber comprises greater than 50% by weight of the ply and are bonded to one another by hydrogen bonding. Further, the ply has a density less than about 0.04 g/cc and yet still provides low lint and high strength properties with the use of minimal binder. The ultra-low density ply may comprise or be included in sheets forming a stack of dispensable wipers or may be employed as or part of an absorbent core or liquid distribution layer of a personal care absorbent personal care product such as a diaper or feminine pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Qin, Deborah J. Calewarts, Donald E. Waldroup
  • Patent number: 11583706
    Abstract: A headgear device for a user including an integrated face shield, mask and hood. More specifically, the headgear device includes a hood, a face shield, and a moisture barrier fabric to cover the user's mouth when the headgear device is worn and direct air out through a breathable particle filtration fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Theresa M. McCoy, Alice S. Gordon, Suzuko Hisata, JaeHun Gu, Alyssa G. Mellett, Philip D. Palermo
  • Publication number: 20230038985
    Abstract: An absorbent article having improved handling of body exudates. The absorbent article can minimize the amount of body exudates in contact with a wearer's skin and can minimize the incidence of leakage of body exudates from the absorbent article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Applicant: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Scott S.C. Kirby, David Glen Biggs, Andrew Thomas Hammond, Eric Donald Johnson, Candace Dyan Krautkramer, Robert Lee Popp, Leila Joy Roberson, Daniel Robert Schlinz, Kendell Jean Williams, Niall Finn, Andy R. Butler
  • Patent number: 11566379
    Abstract: Soft, durable and bulky tissue products comprising non-wood fibers and more particularly high yield hesperaloe pulp fibers are disclosed. The tissue products preferably comprise at least about 5 percent, by weight of the product, high yield hesperaloe pulp fiber and have relatively modest tensile strengths, such as a geometric mean tensile (GMT) greater than about 1,000 g/3?, and improved durability and cross-machine direction (CD) properties, such as a CD Stretch greater than about 10 percent. Additionally, at the foregoing tensile strengths the products are not overly stiff. For example the tissue products may have a Stiffness Index less than about 10.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kayla Elizabeth Rouse, Richard Louis Underhill, David John Paulson, Felicia Marie Sauer, Thomas Gerard Shannon
  • Patent number: 11560658
    Abstract: Soft point bonded nonwoven webs, and methods of making the same, are described that utilize a pattern of small, discrete bond points in a sequent pattern that together form macro-elements. The macro-elements are themselves positioned and aligned within a pattern such that mechanical stretching operations on the point bonded nonwoven webs yields soft and bulky fabrics but with reduced incidence of tearing or rupturing of the individual bond points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Ferguson, David A. Palzewicz, Daniel M. Nussbaum, Tom R. Belau
  • Patent number: 11554054
    Abstract: An absorbent article with a fastening system with reduced waste and method of manufacturing such an absorbent article is disclosed. The method of manufacturing an absorbent article can include cutting a first web of ear tab material to provide a first ear tab that is registered and cutting a second web of ear tab material to provide a second ear tab that is registered. The method can also include providing a web of ear panel material, coupling the first and second ear tabs to the web of ear panel material, cutting the web of ear panel material to provide first and second ear panels to form first and second ears, and coupling the first and second ears to the absorbent assembly to form at least a portion of the fastening system for the absorbent article. The first and second ears can be configured to be different from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Jason Gene Csida, Rebecca Suzanne Walter, Patrick Robert Lord, Kyle Mark Barriger, Eric-John Raoul Gilgenbach
  • Patent number: 11554055
    Abstract: An absorbent article (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) can include a waist containment member (54) and an absorbent body (34, 134, 234, 334, 434). The waist containment member (54) can include a proximal portion (76) and a distal portion (78) configured to freely move with respect to the chassis (11) when the absorbent article (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) is in a relaxed configuration to provide a containment pocket (82). The absorbent body (34, 134, 234, 334, 434) can be configured to provide improved access for exudates into the containment pocket (82) of the waist containment member (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: David F. Bishop, Patsy A. Benedict, Joseph D. Coenen, Kaitlyn E. Mast, Michael J. Faulks
  • Patent number: 11548258
    Abstract: The novel tissue products of the present invention are generally produced by calendering a tissue basesheet using at least one patterned roll. In one embodiment the patterned roll replaces the flat steel roll commonly used in calendering. The elements on the patterned roll provide a means of providing a nip having variable loading that yields a web having a smooth surface without subjecting the web to excessive compression forces and preventing excessive caliper loss. Thus, webs converted according to the present invention have comparable or better surface smoothness compared to webs converted using conventional calendering means and also retain a greater percentage of their caliper and bulk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Donald John Slayton, Samuel August Nelson
  • Patent number: 11540957
    Abstract: An absorbent article can have a pair of pivotable wings. The pair of pivotable wings can be formed from a wing material which can be bonded to a backsheet layer of the absorbent article and each wing can be configured to pivot between a first wing configuration and a second wing configuration. The wing material can be provided with a wing pivot point and fold lines which can enable the pivoting between the first wing configuration and the second wing configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: JaeAh Suh
  • Patent number: 11540676
    Abstract: A dispenser for sheet materials is disclosed. The dispenser includes a housing and a front cover. The dispenser includes a first internal door configured to secure a first roll of sheet material in a dispensing position and a second internal door configured to secure a second roll of sheet material in a dispensing position. The first and second doors include first and second nozzles for dispensing sheet material. The dispenser is a centrally unwinding dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Green, David Reynolds, Joseph E. Oberdorf, Michiel de Hann
  • Patent number: 11542661
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a papermaking fabric having a both machine direction (MD) and cross-machine direction (CD) oriented protuberances for molding and structuring a nascent paper web, particularly tissue paper webs. The MD oriented protuberances are spaced apart from one another in the fabric cross-machine direction and may be continuous and parallel to one another. The CD oriented protuberances are preferably discrete and comprise less than 15 percent of the web contacting surface of the fabric. In certain instances the MD oriented protuberances are formed from interwoven filaments and the CD oriented protuberances are nonwoven and may be applied to the woven fabric substrate by printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Allen Zanon, Kevin Joseph Vogt, Mark Alan Burazin
  • Patent number: 11542664
    Abstract: A process for making a multi-ply dispersible wipe includes providing a first web and a second web, each web comprising cellulose fibers; superposing the first web over the second web; applying an aqueous solution to at least the first web; after the aqueous solution is applied to the first web, crimping the second web to the first web to create a composite web; cutting or perforating the composite web to define a plurality of multi-ply wet wipes; and packaging the composite web/wet wipes into a package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: SangSoo Lee, David Andrew Moline, Colin Ackroyd
  • Publication number: 20220400909
    Abstract: A dispensing system can include a dispenser. The dispenser can include a dispenser housing configured to hold a supply of substrate. The dispensing system can include an actuation mechanism configured to provide a length of substrate as a tissue product. The dispensing system can be configured to produce and dispense tissue products of more than one variant. The more than one variant of tissue products can be distinguished from one another by at least one characteristic of the tissue products. The dispensing system can be configured to dispense a tissue product of a particular variant of the more than one variant of tissue products based on input independent of user interaction with the dispensing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew M. Long, Joseph P. Fell, Jonathan D. Boulos, Jose A. Corella, III, Abena Wojciehowski, Daryl Steven Bell
  • Patent number: 11531937
    Abstract: A system and associated method are provided for maintenance of a plurality of washroom facilities by maintenance personnel, wherein each of the washroom facilities has one or more consumable product dispensers that require periodic refill. For each of the washroom facilities, the product dispensers are configured with a sensor that detects a product level or amount condition of the product dispenser, the sensors in communication with a monitoring station assigned to the washroom facility. A set of instructions unique to each of the washroom facilities is generated based upon the detected product level or amount conditions of the dispensers in the respective washroom facility, the set of instructions including instructions as to the amount of product refill to be added to the dispensers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Becker, Charlene B. Dunbar, Jason Kirkland, Warren Moede, Thomas H. Schulz, Chrissy M. Sheehan, Peter W. Shipp, Jr., Paul F. Tramontina, Matthew T Zielinski
  • Patent number: 11523946
    Abstract: An absorbent article can have a topsheet layer, a liquid impermeable layer, and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet layer and the liquid impermeable layer. The absorbent article can further include an exudate management layer in fluid communication with the topsheet layer. In various embodiments, the exudate management layer can be positioned on a body facing surface of the topsheet layer. In various embodiments, the exudate management layer can be positioned between the topsheet layer and the absorbent core. The exudate management layer has a first component which defines an opening for direct passage of body exudates into the absorbent core. The exudate management layer has a second component which at least partially overlaps the first component of the exudate management layer and further extends in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article in a direction towards the posterior region of the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Suzanne Marie Schmoker, Heidi Bauerlein Hopkins, Andrew Thomas Hammond, Kyle Mark Barriger, Michael Donald Sperl, Russell J. Brumm, Alyssa Kimberly DeYoung, Ellen E. Pelky, Kimberly M. Downs
  • Patent number: 11505883
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are improvements to processes and equipment for the manufacture of composite nonwoven webs comprising a mixture of two or more different fibers and formed from at least two streams of air-entrained fibers. Adjacent the perimeter of an exit port of one of the fiber streams are located a series of spaced tabs and apertures. As a first stream of air-entrained fibers pass the series of tabs and apertures, vortices are formed therein. When mixed with a second stream of air-entrained fibers, the vortices within the first stream of fibers causes increased mixing of the fibers, helping to drive the first fibers deeper into the second stream of air-entrained fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventor: Bryan D. Haynes
  • Patent number: 11497655
    Abstract: Absorbent articles having curved elasticized laminates and apparatuses and methods for forming such articles are disclosed. In one embodiment a method of forming an article may comprise moving absorbent assemblies and elasticized laminates in the machine direction. The method may further comprise oscillating the elasticized laminates in the cross-machine direction to impart a curvature, bonding the elasticized laminates to the absorbent assemblies while maintaining the imparted curvature such that at least a portion of the elasticized laminates are disposed outboard of longitudinal side edges of the absorbent assemblies, and finally separating the absorbent assemblies into individual absorbent articles, where the elasticized laminates extend in a curving manner throughout the absorbent articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew R. Jones, James R. Niedt, Robert W. Scholl, Kirk J. Dempsey
  • Patent number: D970002
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Dok Chon, SungSu Kim
  • Patent number: D976951
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Samantha R. Goss, Valerie Michelle Aurillo, Hannah Elizabeth Motz, Benjamin Arthur Warner
  • Patent number: D978342
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Dok Chon, SungSu Kim