Patents Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
  • Multi-ply tissue products having improved cross-machine direction properties
    Patent number: 11427967
    Abstract: Provided are tissue webs, and products produced therefrom, that are generally durable, flexible and have improved cross-machine direction (CD) properties, such as CD tensile energy absorption (CD TEA), CD stretch and CD modulus. The inventive tissue products generally comprise multiple tissue plies, such as two or more plies, that have been prepared by through-air drying and more preferably by through-air drying without creping. Moreover, the plies may be produced in a through-air drying process that utilizes a transfer fabric positioned between the forming fabric and the through-air drying fabric where the transfer fabric imparts the nascent web with a high degree of CD strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Mark W. Sachs, Richard A. Zanon, Lynda E. Collins, Kevin J. Vogt, Christopher L. Satori
  • Perforator lubrication system
    Patent number: 11426891
    Abstract: The lubrication device delivers a lubricant to the perforating device which provides intermittently spaced cuts to a moving web, also referred to as perforations. The lubrication device includes a retaining member, a plenum, and a comb having a plurality of comb channels. The plenum and the plurality of comb channels are in fluid communication with one another and deliver a lubricant to the perforating device. Lubrication of the perforating device in this manner may improve knife life, perforation quality and web handling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Robert E. Krautkramer, Matthew R. Wilson, James L. Baggot
  • Creped multi-ply tissue product
    Patent number: 11427968
    Abstract: Disclosed are multi-ply tissue products comprising a non-crosslinked binder that are durable, smooth and with low levels of Slough. In certain instances the creped tissue product have a geometric mean tensile (GMT) from about 700 to about 1,500 g/3? a basis weight from about 45 to about 60 gsm and a Slough less than about 2.00 mg, more preferably less than about 1.50 mg, such as from about 0.10 to about 2.00, such as from about 0.25 to about 1.50 mg. The inventive tissue products also have good durability, such as a Durability Index from about 10.0 to about 20.0, smooth surfaces, such as a TS750 value from about 15.0 to 40.0 and low stiffness, such as a Stiffness Index less than about 10.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Joseph Vogt, Mark William Sachs, Erin Ann McCormick, Devon Gaynelle Curley, Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt, Nathan John Vogel, Christopher Steven LeCount
  • Soft textured tissue
    Patent number: 11421384
    Abstract: Provided are tissue webs and products that have a modest degree of surface texture, but are still soft. In certain instances the tissue products and webs may also have good sheet bulk and low stiffness. For example, the tissue products may have good softness, such as a TS7 value (measured using the EMTEC Tissue Softness Analyzer) less than 11.0, and a textured surface, such as an R2 value from about 11,000 to about 20,000 (measured using an OpTiSurf tester). The foregoing tissue products may have a sheet bulk greater than about 8.0 cc/g and a Stiffness Index less than about 15.0. In certain instances the tissue product and webs may be through-air dried and may be either creped or uncreped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Michael John Rekoske, David Matthew VanBergen, John Paul David, Jessica Jan O'Connor, Gary Lee Shanklin
  • Tear resistant wiper
    Patent number: 11406232
    Abstract: An improved tear resistant wiper is provided having a repeating pattern of thin, closely spaced curvilinear embossed elements adjacent the leading edge of the wipe and which pattern extends inwardly less than a third of the length of the wipe. The linear emboss elements have a high aspect ratio and narrow width in order to obtain a high density of embossments such that discrete unembossed regions within the leading edge region are small and yet the overall unembossed area still occupies at least 70% of the surface area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Lauren Munoz, David A. Palzewicz, Kristina M. Bloy, Dylan L. Wudtke, Alejandro Romero Villarreal
  • Container having a push-button activated, pop-open lid
    Patent number: 11399672
    Abstract: A container for dispensing product includes a housing having an interior space. A rigid flip top assembly is disposed on the housing, and includes a lever, a lid, and a flange. The lid covers a dispensing orifice when in a closed position. The lever has a first end and a second end, and the lid is connected to the flange at a hinge proximate the second end. The lever longitudinally extends over a fulcrum. When a force is applied to the lever proximate the first end, the lever pivots at the fulcrum about a pivot axis, and the second end of the lever moves the lid from the closed position toward an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Bryan Eliot Rolfs, Jeremy Thaddeus Gauger, Maggie VanderHeiden Berger, Amanda Ann Gantz, Heidi Ellen Gehrke
  • Laminated papermaking belt
    Patent number: 11401658
    Abstract: Disclosed is a two layered belt useful in the manufacture of tissue products comprising a first woven layer and a second nonwoven layer joined together in a laminated arrangement. The woven layer typically forms the machine contacting layer of the belt and is woven from a highly abrasion resistant material, while the nonwoven layer contacts the nascent tissue web. The woven layer may be provided with valleys and ridges that the nascent web is molded into, while the nonwoven layer may be provided with elements that impart a visually aesthetic pattern to the web. In this manner the belt may be useful in the production of products having desirable physical properties resulting from molding into the woven fabric while also being visually pleasing to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Alan Burazin, Geoffrey Fenn Carlow, Richard Alan Zanon
  • Water soluble farnesol analogs and their use
    Patent number: 11383003
    Abstract: Farnesol analogs, along with their related products (e.g., treatment compositions, wipes, absorbent articles, etc.) and their methods of formation, are provided. The farnesol analog includes a hydrophilic end group (e.g., a hydroxyl end group or a carboxylic acid end group) attached to farnesol via a covalent linkage (e.g., an ester group or an ether group).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David William Koenig, Mary Kay Foegen, Corey Thomas Cunningham, Aimin He, Yang Huang
  • Layered tissue comprising long, high-coarseness wood pulp fibers
    Patent number: 11384484
    Abstract: The present invention provides multi-layered tissue webs, and tissue product comprising the same, comprising long, high-coarseness wood pulp fibers selectively deposited in one or more outer layers of the multi-layered web. Surprisingly disposing long, high-coarseness wood pulp fibers in one or more outer layers, even in relatively modest amounts, may improve certain product properties, such as durability, without negatively affecting softness. In certain instances, both the softness and durability may be improved by selectively incorporating long, high-coarseness wood pulp fibers in one or more of the outer layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Gerard Shannon, Stephen Michael Lindsay, Brent Merrik Thompson, Richard Louis Underhill
  • Hydroembedded film-based composites
    Patent number: 11383480
    Abstract: A substrate has an elastomeric film having surfaces and a nonwoven web having fibers, wherein a plurality of fibers is partially embedded in one surface of the film. In addition, a substrate has an elastomeric film and a nonwoven web having fibers, wherein a plurality of fibers is partially embedded in one surface of the film, and wherein the substrate is essentially free of adhesives and film-based microfibers. A method for making a film/nonwoven composite includes providing an elastomeric film traveling in a machine direction; providing a nonwoven web traveling in the machine direction in face-to-face contact with the film, wherein the nonwoven web includes fibers; and impinging the elastomeric film with hydro jets such that at least some of the fibers become embedded in the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaiyuan Yang, Carl Gerard Rippl, Peiguang Zhou, Yiming Weng, Michael Andrew Zawadzki, Stephen Michael Lindsay, James Benjamin Harvey, Joel Brostin
  • Color-changing polymeric material
    Patent number: 11377525
    Abstract: A color-changing polymeric material is provided. The material is formed from a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase that includes a matrix polymer, colorant, microinclusion additive, and nanoinclusion additive, wherein the microinclusion additive and nanoinclusion additive are dispersed within the continuous phase in the form of discrete domains. A porous network is formed in the polymeric material when subjected to a deformational strain in a solid state. The polymeric material exhibits a first color prior to being subjected to the deformational strain and a second color after being subjected to the deformational strain, the first color being different than the second color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark, Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan J. McEneany, Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Neil T. Scholl, Antonio J. Carrillo Ojeda, Brent M. Thompson
  • Woven papermaking fabric having machine and cross-machine oriented topography
    Patent number: 11377797
    Abstract: Disclosed are woven papermaking fabrics having a textured sheet contacting surface with machine and cross-machine direction topography. The machine direction (MD) topography may be imparted by substantially MD oriented protuberances comprising a warp strand supported by a shute strand. The cross-machine direction (CD) topography may be imparted by substantially CD oriented protuberances comprising a shute strand supported by a warp strand. The CD protuberances may extend continuously in the CD and intersect the MD oriented protuberances to form discrete pockets there between. The pockets may have a variety of shapes and size depending on the MD and CD oriented protuberance. In certain instances the pockets may be rectilinear and have a pocket depth greater than 1.0 mm and a pocket angle greater than 28 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Lynda Ellen Collins, Mark Alan Burazin
  • Woven papermaking fabric including stabilized weave providing textured contacting surface
    Patent number: 11377793
    Abstract: The present invention relates to papermaking fabrics useful in the manufacture of paper products, such as tissue paper. Particularly this invention relates to a woven papermaking fabric that includes a stabilized weave providing a textured contacting surface. The woven papermaking fabric includes a plurality of warp and shute filaments woven together to provide at least one protuberance on the web contacting side of the fabric that extends longitudinally over at least five shute filaments. The at least one protuberance is stabilized by including an offset shute float weave pattern configured such that a majority of the shute filaments forming the at least one protuberance are woven in an anti-nesting configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Lynda Ellen Collins, Mark Alan Burazin
  • PROCESS FOR MAKING THREE-DIMENSIONAL FOAM-LAID NONWOVENS
    Publication number: 20220205154
    Abstract: A method for making a high topography nonwoven substrate includes generating a foam including water and synthetic binder fibers; depositing the foam on a planar surface; disposing a template form on the foam opposite the planar surface to create a foam/form assembly; heating the foam/form assembly to dry the foam and bind the synthetic binder fibers; and removing the template from the substrate after heating the foam/form assembly, wherein the substrate includes a planar base layer having an X-Y surface and a backside surface opposite the X-Y surface; and a plurality of projection elements integral with and protruding in a Z-direction from the X-Y surface, wherein the projection elements are distributed in both the X- and Y-directions, and wherein the density of a projection element is the same as the density of the base layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Davis Dang H. Nhan, Cathleen M. Uttecht, Lori A. Eslinger, Neil T. Scholl, Jian Qin, Charles W. Colman, Deborah J. Calewarts, Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Antonio J. Carrillo Ojeda
  • Product use acoustic determination system
    Patent number: 11369236
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for determining product use by acoustically sensing actuations of product dispensers to determine how much product remains, and, optionally, alert a provider when low product states exist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Cleary E. Mahaffey, Stephen Becker
  • Durable and dispersible creped multi-ply tissue
    Patent number: 11371191
    Abstract: Disclosed are multi-ply tissue products comprising a non-crosslinked binder that are durable and dispersible. The products generally have a Slosh time less than 2 minutes, such as less than about 60 seconds, such as less than about 45 seconds. Surprisingly, the foregoing Slosh times are achieved despite the tissue products having relatively high cross-machine direction (CD) wet tensile strength, such as greater than about 100 g/3?. Typically, increasing wet tensile strength, particularly wet CD tensile strength, negatively effects dispersability and increases Slosh time. Despite this trend, the present invention surprisingly provides a tissue product having a relatively high degree of wet strength and good dispersability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Joseph Vogt, Mark William Sachs, Erin Ann McCormick, Devon Gaynelle Curley, Sara Jane Wille Stabelfeldt, Nathan John Vogel, Christopher Steven LeCount
  • System and method for developing individual and team washroom compliance practices
    Patent number: 11367099
    Abstract: A system and associated method for encouraging individual employees of a business, or members of a ten, to practice proper washroom activities is provided. The employees or team members are enrolled a washroom rewards program, and certain washroom facilities are designated as available to the individuals for use in the rewards program. The washroom facilities are configured with an identification (ID) system that automatically identifies enrolled employees or team members that enter the facility. Point values me assigned in the washroom rewards program for defined washroom activities performed by the individuals in the designated washroom facilities, and upon performance of such activities, the individual is identified via the ID system and a personal account assigned to the individual is automatically credited with the point value. The points are redeemable by the individuals for an award value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Becker, Charlene Dunbar, Jason Kirkland, Warren Moede, Thomas H. Schulz, Chrissy Sheehan, Peter W. Shipp, Jr., Paul F. Tramontina, Matthew T. Zielinski
  • Process for making fluid-entangled laminate webs with hollow projections and apertures
    Patent number: 11365495
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process and apparatus for formation of a fluid-entangled laminate web. The laminate web includes a support layer and a nonwoven projection web having a plurality of projections which are preferably hollow. The laminate web also includes a plurality of apertures interspersed with the projections. As a result of the fluid-entangling process, entangling fluid is directed through the support layer and into the projection web which is situated on a forming surface. The force of the entangling fluid causes the two layers to be joined to one another and the fluid causes a portion of the fibers in the projection web to be forced into openings present in a forming surface thereby forming the hollow projections. The force of the entangling fluid also causes the fibers of the two layers to be moved around protrusions present in the forming surface thereby forming the apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Mark J. Beitz, Stacy E. Evenson, Andrew T. Hammond, Sarah Kleuskens, Amy Q. Feng, Patrick D. Abney, Kevin G. Dolan, Robert M. Hill, Kroy D. Johnson, Niall Finn, Andy Butler, Danielle Kirby, Phil Penaia
  • Absorbent article with an absorbent system having an opening
    Patent number: 11364158
    Abstract: An absorbent article can have a top sheet layer, a back sheet layer, and an absorbent system positioned between the top sheet layer and the back sheet layer. The absorbent system can have at least a fluid intake layer, an absorbent core, and a distribution layer. The fluid intake layer can define a fluid intake layer opening and the absorbent core can define an absorbent core opening. A void space is present between the top sheet layer and the distribution layer and the top sheet layer is maintained in a spaced apart relationship from the distribution layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: JuHyung Lee, HyungWoo Park, SungSu Kim
  • Tissue package surface indicia
    Patent number: D962058
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Lucy E. Fretwell, Paul Ponting