Patents Examined by Christopher C Pratt
  • Patent number: 6465379
    Abstract: A layered composite suitable for disintegration into superabsorbent cellulose fluff suitable for use as a core material in an absorbent product. The composite includes a wetlaid web of cellulosic fibers; a layer of superabsorber disposed on the wetlaid web; a drylaid cellulosic layer disposed on the superabsorber layer; wherein the layer of superabsorbent particles comprises greater than 50 percent by weight of the composite; and the drylaid cellulosic layer does not include a bonding agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: BKI Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffery T. Cook, Howard L. Schoggen
  • Patent number: 6465073
    Abstract: A stretchable nonwoven web, or laminate of a stretchable nonwoven web and an elastic sheet, is treated with a plurality of bond lines in one or more regions thereof to provide controlled stretching properties. In one embodiment, the nonwoven web or laminate has at least one first region having a plurality of bond lines in a direction parallel to the machine direction and at least one second region having a plurality of bond lines in a direction parallel to the cross-machine direction to provide controlled stretching in different directions in different regions of the web. The bond lines can be substantially continuous in length, or segmented. When segmented bond lines are employed, the length of the bond line segments and spacing between them can be varied to import variable stretch properties to the nonwoven web or laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Tod Morman, Thomas Walter Odorzynski, Georgia Lynn Zehner
  • Patent number: 6457961
    Abstract: Replacement of an existing permanent type commercial carpet installation is facilitated by applying a first pressure sensitive adhesive (preferably containing about 2-10% (by weight) shredded fiberglass) to an existing floor surface, e.g. using a napped roller, and applying a layer of creped kraft base paper with reinforcing yarns substantially directly to the first adhesive. The creped kraft paper layer provides a macroscopically smooth surface substantially impervious to moisture. A conventional, e.g. wet laid, carpet installation adhesive is applied in any conventional manner to the layer, and commercial carpeting is applied substantially directly to the wet laid adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Burlington Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert H. Drake, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6451417
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a molded article laminated with fabric wherein a thermoplastic resin (A) has a fabric, made up of fibers of a highly heat resisting thermoplastic resin (B), adhered to the surface thereof, wherein the thermoplastic resin (A) of the molding contains the highly heat resisting thermoplastic resin (B) constituting the fibers and wherein the highly heat resisting thermoplastic resin (B) is present as minute particles in the thermoplastic resin (A), and a method not only for reprocessing the mold flashes at the time of the preparation of molded articles laminated with fabric but also for reprocessing the defective molded articles laminated with fabric which come from the production line and are destined to be discarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Kyoraku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Sumi, Tetuya Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 6451718
    Abstract: A water disintegratable non-woven fabric having excellent water disintegratability and high wet strength can be obtained by a step of forming a fiber web from fibers having a fiber length of 10 mm or less, a step of applying a water jet treatment to the fiber web to obtain a fiber sheet having wet strength of less than 100 g/25 mm in MD and CD, the wet strength being defined by tensile strength at break of the fiber sheet, as measured by using a tensilon tester with a chuck distance of 100 mm, at a tensile speed of 100 mm/min to the fiber sheet which is cut into 25 mm width and 150 mm length and impregnated with water in an amount 2.5 times the weight of the fiber sheet, and a step of adding at least one binder selected from the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, alkylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol and modified polyvinyl alcohol to the fiber sheet. The water disintegratable non-woven fabric is sufficiently bulky and has an excellent wiping effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamada, Naohito Takeuchi, Takayoshi Konishi
  • Patent number: 6402875
    Abstract: Repeated use of an adhesive-film laminate for bonds which can be redetached without residue by pulling on the laminate in the direction of the bond plane, the laminate employed comprising a) an elastic support with a resilience of at least 50% b) coated on at least one side with a solvent or hot-melt pressure-sensitive acrylate adhesive or dispersion pressure-sensitive acrylate adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: testa AG
    Inventors: Bernd Lühmann, Reinhard Storbeck, Christian Harder, Stephan Zöllner
  • Patent number: 6399189
    Abstract: A sheet-form structure of expandable thermoplastic resin is provided which is capable of undergoing a pseudo-one-dimensional expansion in its thickness direction and which enables manufacture of thermoplastic resin foams having reduced variations in thickness and weight precisions, increased compressive strength, and excellent properties such as surface smoothness. A method of manufacturing the sheet-form structure, as well as such thermoplastic resin foams, are also provided. A sheet-form structure 1 of expandable thermoplastic resin including granules 2 of expandable thermoplastic resin arranged generally uniformly for integral connection thereof through a thin film 3 of expandable thermoplastic resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kobayashi, Kenji Miyazaki, Eiji Nagara, Michiaki Sasayama, Mitsuo Okubo
  • Patent number: 6387479
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a repair and reinforcement method for preexisting structures such as buildings or the like, and in particular, relates to a repair and reinforcement method for concrete structures, and to an anisotropic textile employed in this method. The present invention provides a method which permits execution even in low temperature conditions, and which moreover exhibits superior repair and reinforcement effects in a short period of time; during the impregnation of a resin into a sheet material comprising reinforcement fibers and the curing of this resin to form a fiber-reinforced resin layer which is used in the repair and reinforcement of preexisting structures, a reactive mixture having a gelling period of 15 minutes or more at a temperature of 20° C. and which polymerizes even at 5° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigetsugu Hayashi, Masahiro Sugimori, Tomowo Sano, Tadashi Yokochi, Masayuki Fukumoto, Yasushi Suzumura, Hideo Konishi, Toshikazu Aoki, Mikio Takasu
  • Patent number: 6350711
    Abstract: A personal care absorbent article, such as a sanitary pad or napkin, wound dressing, and the like having an absorbent material treated with a fluid treatment agent, which fluid treatment agent causes red blood cells in a blood-containing fluid to agglomerate or lyse as the fluid passes into and/or through the absorbent article. In accordance with one preferred embodiment, the absorbent material is a porous nonwoven web material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David Charles Potts, Jack Nelson Lindon, Emmanuelle Cecile Damay, Dmitry Yavich, Matthew David Young
  • Patent number: 6319606
    Abstract: The invention concerns a monofilament for use in engineering textiles, in particular in papermaking fabrics, made up of a plastic material having a principal constituent that is polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTMT) and at least one additional constituent, and is characterized in that the additional constituent is a nylon or a mixture of several nylon types. The invention further concerns a papermaking fabric having the aforesaid monofilaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Thomas Josef Heimbach Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung & Co.
    Inventor: Walter Best
  • Patent number: 6300260
    Abstract: Provided is a polyester fabric for ink jet recording which is suitable for outdoor use. A treating solution comprising a water-swelling resin (A) comprising a reaction product of a polycarbonate polyol and a polyisocyanate compound and having a sulfite group at the side chain and a number average molecular weight of 20,000 to 100,000; a water-swelling resin (B) comprising a reaction product of a polycarbonate polyol and a polyisocyanate compound and having a sulfite group at the side chain and a number average molecular weight of 5,000 to 15,000, wherein a blocking agent is reacted with active isocyanate groups positioned at both terminals of the water-swelling resin to mask the terminal isocyanates; and water-retentive microparticles (C) is applied to a polyester fabric, followed by heat-treating to form the fabric for ink jet recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Seiren Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youichi Iwasa, Toshiharu Katsuki, Hiroyuki Saito
  • Patent number: 6300258
    Abstract: A nonwoven web treated with a hydrophilic surfactant having high polydispersity results in a fabric having fast wetting which is durable to multiple fluid insults and to fabric aging during storage. The treated nonwoven fabric can be used in a wide variety of applications including, without limitation, absorbent applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Dana Elizabeth Stano, Roger Bradshaw Quincy, III
  • Patent number: 6300257
    Abstract: A nonwoven layer of sheeting is extrusion-coated on one side with ethylene polymers, propylene polymers, modified propylene polymers and fillers. The nonwoven layer of sheeting is formed from polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate and/or polyamide. The coated nonwoven sheeting is subjected to longitudinal and transverse stretching and white crackling cloudiness develops. The extrusion-coated nonwoven sheeting has a textile texture and is suitable for use in hygiene products, in medical products, in the textile and clothing industry, in the automobile industry and in construction products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Borealis AG
    Inventors: Manfred Kirchberger, Anton Wolfsberger, Christian Paulik
  • Patent number: 6296929
    Abstract: An absorbent member is disclosed which has a high absorbent capacity and which exhibits exceptional expansion properties when wetted by an aqueous fluid. The absorbent member includes a multitude of randomly oriented cellulosic fibers having an average length of from between about 1 mm to about 5 mm and containing at least about 20% lignin within each fiber. The absorbent member also has a moisture content of from between about 1% to about 20% water by weight of fiber and has a density in the range of from between about 0.1 g/cc to about 1 g/cc. The fibers are stressed and bonded by hydrogen bonds and are retained in an elastically stressed condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Michael Gentile, James Jay Tanner
  • Patent number: 6296921
    Abstract: A lightweight, high-strength composite fabric suitable for use in carpet backing, roofing and membranes and other products which employ rugged fabrics. The composite fabric comprises a layer of nonwoven material disposed between a layer of low shrinkage warp strands and a layer of low shrinkage weft strands. The layers are stitched or knitted together and the resultant fabric may be coated with a resin or sizing to prevent slippage between the several layers of the fabric and impart a measure of stiffness to the fabric. The fabric may be manufactured in sheet or, more preferably, roll form and may be coated with materials suitable for desired end applications, e.g., bituminous material whereby the fabric may function as a ready-to-use roofing membrane or other high-strength fabric product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignees: Bay Mills Ltd, CertainTeed Corp
    Inventors: Phillip W. Blackmore, David L. Spanton, Douglas W. LeVan
  • Patent number: 6294251
    Abstract: A colored film is formed of a transparent film and at least one colored adhesive layer colored with at least one coloring agent and provided on at least one side of the transparent film. The colored adhesive layer comprises a polyester resin as an adhesive, and the coloring agent comprises a pigment and a polyester-base dispersant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Lintec Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Minagawa, Kohei Tachikawa, Leonardo M. Garcia, Chandrakant C. Patel
  • Patent number: 6291375
    Abstract: A textile fabric for dissipating electrostatic charges achieves remarkably low surface resistivity by forming into a fabric ground structure a matrix of electrically conducted yarns wherein electrical connections between the yarns are made by plural successive interconnections of two electrically conductive yarns, e.g., by plating electrically conductive yarns across multiple successive stitches in a knitted fabric ground structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Guilford Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Hilda E. Allen, John H. Beason, Dennis D. Leet
  • Patent number: 6291372
    Abstract: A water soluble polymer binder for binding a fibrous substrate comprises from about 25 weight percent to about 85 weight percent of an unsaturated carboxylic acid/unsaturated carboxylic acid ester terpolymer; from about 5 weight percent to about 35 weight percent of a divalent ion inhibitor; and from about 10 weight percent to about 60 weight percent of a hydrophilic cross-linkable polymer. In a preferred mode of the invention the hydrophilic cross-linkable polymer functions substantially as a divalent ion inhibitor and promotes hydrophilicity of the treated fabric eliminating the requirement of a separate divalent ion inhibitor. The binder composition is soluble in an aqueous environment having a divalent ion concentration less than about 50 ppm and a monovalent ion concentration of less than about 0.4 weight percent. Also disclosed is a water dispersible fibrous fabric having an effective amount of the binder distributed on the fibrous substrate and a method of making a water dispersible fibrous fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Pavneet Singh Mumick, William Seal Pomplun
  • Patent number: 6277469
    Abstract: A composite fabric product is produced which has a unique three dimensional conformation. The composite fabric product is made from at least two layers of fabric that are stitched together according to a pattern. After the layers are stitched together, the composite fabric undergoes a shrinking procedure in which one of the layers is shrunk more than at least one of the other layers causing the non-shrinking layer to form a three dimensional surface. This material can be made with a variety of fabrics and fills in order to optimize insulation, flexibility, cushioning and moisture management properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Tietex International, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Wildeman
  • Patent number: RE37533
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a costume having semi-rigid costume components, and the costume itself. The semi-rigid costume components are capable of being sewn to fabric to form an integrated costume. An embodiment is shown in which the costume includes a semi-rigid muscular torso suitable for a superhero chestpiece. The sewn rigid component is formed from fusing a layer of fabric to a layer of foam and the resulting laminate is vacuum molded into a three-dimensional shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: Rubie's Costume Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Marc P. Beige, John G. Kearns