Patents Examined by Anthony J Calandra
  • Patent number: 7897010
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for deinking printed waste paper—particularly methods that use a deinking composition that includes a hydrophobically-modified inorganic particle (“MIP”) to improve ink collection efficiency under traditional alkaline, reduced alkali, and true neutral deinking conditions. Deinking compositions are provided that include a hydrophobically-MIP substrate, a nonionic surfactant, and a fatty acid, or mixtures thereof. The improved ink collection of the present invention can result in deinked pulp of high quality and/or yields that has excellent brightness and effective residual ink concentrations (“ERIC”) values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kemira Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Rosencrance, Charles M. Ngome, Kevin M. Hale
  • Patent number: 7887672
    Abstract: A method for extracting such natural cellulosic fiber bundles from natural cellulose sources selected from the group consisting of cornhusk, cornstalk, switchgrass leaves, switchgrass stems, rice straw, sorghum leaves, sorghum stems, soybean straw, wheat straw, cotton stems, barley straw, and combinations thereof, the method comprising performing an alkali treatment to partially delignify the cellulose source material and an enzyme treatment to depolymerize hemicellulose, break covalent links between lignin and carbohydrates, and decompose cellulose chains in the natural cellulosic source material, or a combination thereof thereby yielding extracted natural cellulosic fiber bundles having a length that is greater than that of individual cells and a fineness of at least about 1 denier and no greater than about 300 denier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
    Inventors: Yiqi Yang, Narenda Reddy
  • Patent number: 7867360
    Abstract: Polysulphide produced by oxidizing white liquor includes both active and inactive components. “Active” polysulphide is the only component that increases pulp yield. The amount of active polysulphide formed when manganese oxides are used as catalysts in the generating process is increased by adding a co-catalyst. Adding bismuth compounds and, in particular, bismuth oxide as a co-catalyst increases the total amount of polysulphide formed with all the manganese oxides and increases the amount of active polysulphide produced particularly when using the lower manganese oxides. The co-catalyst also increases the number of cycles in which the most active catalyst, manganese dioxide, can participate before losing efficiency. Other elements in the same group and adjacent groups in the periodic table are active but these other elements are more soluble than bismuth and are toxic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Fpinnovations
    Inventors: Yujun Sun, Richard McKinnon Berry
  • Patent number: 7862685
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for deinking printed waste paper—particularly methods that use a deinking composition that includes a hydrophobically-modified inorganic particle (“MIP”) to improve ink collection efficiency under traditional alkaline, reduced alkali, and true neutral deinking conditions. Deinking compositions are provided that include a hydrophobically-MIP substrate, a nonionic surfactant, and a fatty acid, or mixtures thereof. The improved ink collection of the present invention can result in deinked pulp of high quality and/or yields that has excellent brightness and effective residual ink concentrations (“ERIC”) values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Kemira Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Rosencrance, Charles Ngome, Kevin M. Hale
  • Patent number: 7862684
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a particulate material derived from mammalian hair in the preparation of a paper or paperboard product, which particulate material has been prepared by means of a process, which comprises the following steps: (a) subjecting mammalian hair to an oxidation treatment in which the hair is contacted with a solution, which comprises a bleaching agent; (b) separating the oxidised hair from the solution; (c) drying the separated hair; and (d) subjecting the dried hair to a treatment in which the hair is formed into a particulate material having an average particle size in the range of from 0.5 to 4 mm. The invention further relates to a paper or paperboard product, or paper pulp comprising said particulate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO
    Inventors: Theodoor M. Slaghek, Mario T. R. van Wandelen, Willem C. Drost, Dario M. R. Lo Cascio, Remco W. G. van Willige, Willem Huijser
  • Patent number: 7854847
    Abstract: Systems and methods for purifying wood pulp by caustic-borate extraction. The systems and method include a method for recovering both the caustic and borate compounds from the resultant hemicaustic effluent, so that they may be recycled and re-used. Efficient recovery of these components is enabled by a nanofiltration system that has one or more alkali-resistant nanofiltration membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Rayonier TRS Holdings Inc.
    Inventor: Jian Li
  • Patent number: 7842161
    Abstract: A process of treating a lignocellulosic material includes a pre-extraction step in which hemicellulose is extracted from the lignocellulosic material. Then, in a solvent pulping step, the lignocellulosic material is separated into pulp by contacting the lignocellulosic material with a cooking liquor comprising a solvent. In one embodiment, the solvent has a boiling point of at least about 150° C. In another embodiment, the cooking liquor comprises a mixture of solvent and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignees: The University of Maine System Board of Trustees, International Paper
    Inventors: Adriaan Reinhard Pieter van Heiningen, Sung-Hoon Yoon, Haixuan Zou, Jianer Jiang, Gopal C. Goyal
  • Patent number: 7837833
    Abstract: An apparatus (200) for determining fiber orientation parameters of a sheet of material during a production process includes a polarized radiation generating system (201, 202) operable for providing polarized radiation having a frequency of at least 1×108 Hz. The radiation is aligned to be incident on a sheet of material to be characterized (203). A polarimeter (204, 205) is aligned to receive the radiation transmitted by the sheet of material (203). A photodetector (206) is provided for measuring radiation received after polarization processing by the polarimeter. A processor (207) is coupled to the photodetector (206) for calculating Stokes parameters of the moving sheet (203) based upon intensities of the radiation received and determines at least one parameter relating to fiber orientation of the moving sheet based upon the Stokes parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell ASCA Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Jez, Frank M. Haran, Graham I. Duck
  • Patent number: 7832410
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic atomization cigarette which only contains nicotine without harmful tar. The electronic atomization cigarette includes a shell and a mouthpiece. The external wall of the shell has an air inlet. An electronic circuit board, a normal pressure cavity, a sensor, a vapor-liquid separator, an atomizer, a liquid-supplying bottle are sequentially provided within the shell, wherein the electronic circuit board comprises an electronic switching circuit and a high frequency generator. A stream passage of the sensor is provided on one side of the sensor, and a negative pressure cavity is provided in the sensor. The atomizer and the liquid-supplying bottle is in contact with each other. An atomization cavity is arranged in the atomizer. A retaining ring for locking the liquid-supplying bottle is provided between one side of the liquid-supplying bottle and the shell, and an aerosol passage is provided on the other side of the liquid-supplying bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Best Partners Worldwide Limited
    Inventor: Lik Hon
  • Patent number: 7828930
    Abstract: A method for Kraft pulping employing a modified cooking process in conjunction with polysulfide pulping technologies to obtain higher pulping yields than obtained in the prior art. The total required alkali charge (polysulfide liquor) is added to the beginning of a cook, and after all polysulfide has essentially reacted with lignocellulosic material at temperature below that at which no significant carbohydrate degradation occurs, a first quantity of the cooking liquor high in effective alkali (EA) concentration is removed from a first point in the pulping process and replaced with a cooking liquor low in EA concentration removed from another process point. The first quantity is then added elsewhere in the pulping process, where the EA concentration is low. This cooking liquor “exchange” obtains the full yield benefit from polysulfide pulping and a more uniform EA concentration profile to retain the major benefits of modified cooking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventor: Jianer Jiang
  • Patent number: 7824521
    Abstract: A process of treating a lignocellulosic material includes a pre-extraction step in which hemicellulose is extracted from the lignocellulosic material. In one embodiment, the pre-extraction step involves contacting the lignocellulosic material with an aqueous solution under conditions that release acidic material from the lignocellulosic material into the aqueous solution, and the aqueous solution includes a basic material that at least partly neutralizes the acidic material so that the aqueous solution at the end of the pre-extraction step has a pH within a range of from 4.5 to 11. The process also includes a pulping step, after the pre-extraction step, in which the lignocellulosic material is separated into pulp. The process further includes an adsorption step, after the pulping step, in which hemicellulose is adsorbed on the pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignees: University of Maine System Board of Trustees, International Paper Company
    Inventors: Adriaan Reinhard Pieter van Heiningen, Sung-Hoon Yoon, Haixuan Zou, Jianer Jiang, Gopal C. Goyal
  • Patent number: 7807021
    Abstract: In general, the present disclosure is directed to compositions and processes to increase pulp yield, reduce extractives, and reduce scaling in a chemical pulping process. In one particular embodiment, for instance, the present disclosure is directed to a composition comprising a surface active agent, an alkaline mixture, at least one polymer, the polymer having a linear backbone segment having two ends, at least one phosphorus component, the phosphorus component chemically linked along the linear backbone segment of the polymer, and at least one end component, the end component chemically linked to one or both ends of the linear backbone segment of the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Inventors: Michael M. Blackstone, Atif M. Dabdoub
  • Patent number: 7799170
    Abstract: In a paper or board machine drying line after the wire section, during dewatering a web's (W) width is affected in a direction crosswise to the web's traveling direction. Starting from an edge, at least one device (20A, 20B) brings about a force effect of a desired magnitude which is directed all the way to a desired arbitrary crosswise web position in order to modify web characteristics. A device in a paper or board machine line after the wire section has means for processing the web and for dewatering. The paper or board machine line after the wire section further has at least one device (20A; 20B) for directing a force effect at a desired partial area (WS) of the web (W) in the cross machine direction in order to modify the web's characteristics profile in the cross machine direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: John Shakespeare, Taisto Huhtelin, Pasi Kekko, Markku Lummila, Pekka Pakarinen, Vesa Vuorinen, Matti Kurki, Jaana Pienmäki, Asko Majori, Kari Holopainen
  • Patent number: 7771565
    Abstract: A method of making pulp adapted to be used in forming corrugating medium is disclosed. The method comprises cooking woodchips in a first liquor in the absence of an alkali addition. The method further comprises mechanically fiberizing the woodchips to form a pulp. The method further comprises separating hydrolyzate from the pulp. The method further comprises treating the pulp with a second liquor, the second liquor including at least one alkali. The method further comprises refining the pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Packaging Corporation of America
    Inventors: Ventzislav H. Kirov, Anil Sethy, Bryan L. Sorensen
  • Patent number: 7754052
    Abstract: A head-box for depositing slurry upon a moving web including a main metering roll, a companion roll disposed in closely spaced relation to the metering roll and a vibrating gate which forms a nip between the metering roller and the gate. The nip is arranged to retain a supply of the slurry, and the rolls are driven so slurry retained in the nip progresses over an upper outer peripheral surface of the metering roll to be deposited upon the web. Also, preferably included is a doctor blade disposed in operational relationship to the metering roll for directing the slurry downwardly from the outer metering roll surface to a point above the surface of a carrier for a fiberglass layer upon which the slurry layer is deposited. The vibrating gate and doctor blade may be pivotally mounted to either side of the surfaces of the head-box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: United States Gypsum Company
    Inventors: William A. Frank, Eugene Scott Stivender, Lloyd M George
  • Patent number: 7754048
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for bleaching a cellulosic fibre material with a peroxide compound in an aqueous alkaline medium, comprising a bleaching step wherein: a) a first polymer (A) comprising a homopolymer of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or maleic acid, or a copolymer of acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid with an unsaturated dicarboxylic acid, and a solution of a second polymer (B) comprising a poly-alpha-hydroxyacrylic acid or a salt thereof, are added to a cellulosic fibre material, and b) thereafter adding a peroxide compound and an alkaline substance and carrying out the bleaching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Kemira Oyj
    Inventors: Aarto Paren, Jukka Jäkärä, Ilkka Renvall, Jonni Ahlgren, Riitta Laitinen, Jussi Nikkarinen, Tapio Viitanen
  • Patent number: 7727355
    Abstract: The present invention aims to produce high-quality recycled pulp with little damage to fibers, high brightness and low residual ink by means of a force selectively acting on fiber surfaces during the process of recycling waste paper. Moreover, fiber surfaces are modified by means of a force acting on only the fiber surfaces to obtain high-quality pulp and to render harmless dirts deteriorating pulp quality. A method for producing recycled pulp characterized in that cavitation is generated and used to strip contaminants deposited on fibers and ash during the process of recycling waste paper. Contaminants such as ink deposited on fibers and ash are stripped/fragmented by means of the impact force induced by collapse of fine bubbles by actively introducing bubbles generated by cavitation into a pulp suspension. A jet system having one or more nozzles for jetting an aqueous slurry containing a material comprising cellulose into a vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shisei Goto, Keigo Watanabe, Hiromichi Tsuji, Takanori Miyanishi
  • Patent number: 7713385
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for treating a material web, which has at least one nip through which the material web is guided and which is formed between a first revolving, heated surface and a second revolving surface, it being possible for the first surface to be heated to at least 120° C. and both surfaces in the nip having the same direction of movement as the material web. Good surface quality of the material web is obtained by providing a box which bounds a space through which the material web is guided, the space being arranged after the first or after the last nip in the direction of movement of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Voith Paper Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Jörg Rheims, Günter Bonk, Jochen Autrata
  • Patent number: 7699960
    Abstract: Methods for producing cast-coated papers showing a reduced level of curling and reduced curling or wavy deformation caused by moisture absorption or other reasons as well as showing a high surface quality in the cast-coated surface. The steps for producing cast-coated papers include applying a coating color based on a pigment and an adhesive on one side of a base paper, and pressing/drying the coated layer in the wet state against a casting drum mirror surface, where moisture is added to the coated paper by passing it through conditioned air at a high temperature and a high humidity (for 20 seconds or more) after pressing/drying the coated layer against a casting drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumasa Ono, Hidenobu Todoroki, Yuji Abe
  • Patent number: 7699958
    Abstract: A method for separating carbohydrates from pulping liquors includes the steps of providing a wood pulping or wood or biomass hydrolysis pulping liquor having lignin therein, and mixing the liquor with an acid or a gas which forms an acid upon contact with water to initiate precipitation of carbohydrate to begin formation of a precipitate. During precipitation, at least one long chain carboxylated carbohydrate and at least one cationic polymer, such as a polyamine or polyimine are added, wherein the precipitate aggregates into larger precipitate structures. Carbohydrate gel precipitates are then selectively removed from the larger precipitate structures. The method process yields both a carbohydrate precipitate and a high purity lignin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: William Louis Griffith, Alicia Lucille Compere, Carl Frederick Leitten, Jr.