Patents Examined by Elizabeth M. Cole
  • Patent number: 7255816
    Abstract: A method of recycling bonded fibrous materials, the method includes the steps of: providing pieces of bonded fibrous materials, the pieces having sizes that are adapted for suspension in a liquid; suspending the discrete pieces of bonded fibrous materials in a liquid; applying mechanical work to the liquid suspension of discrete pieces to generate hydraulic pressure and mechanical shear stress conditions sufficient to hydraulically fragment the bonded fibrous materials into fibers and fiber-like components; and separating substantially individual fibers and fiber-like components from the liquid. The method is used to produce recycled synthetic fibers and fiber-like materials that have at least one thread element composed of synthetic material having at least one irregular distortion generated by hydraulic fracture of the thread element to separate it from a bonded fibrous material while the bonded fibrous material is suspended in a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Gustavo Palacio, Maria Clara Garcia, Pablo Ramirez, Bernardo Vanegas
  • Patent number: 7255917
    Abstract: Flexible filtering filling material consisting of pieces that are 100% open cell reticulated polyurethane foam. The pieces filter out the damp warm condition within the filling, haltering the proliferation of microorganisms, giving the product a more sanitary and longer life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventors: Scott Rochlin, Mike Rochlin, legal representative, Rubin Rochlin, deceased
  • Patent number: 7247370
    Abstract: The invention provides asymmetric membranes composed of a microporous substrate whose pores contain a crosslinked gel, the density of the crosslinked gel being greater at or adjacent to one major surface of the membrane than the density at the other major surface. The membranes are useful for separating matter from liquids and display good flux and good rejection at low pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: McMaster University
    Inventors: Ronald F. Childs, Alicja M. Mika, Jijun Ge, Chris McCrory
  • Patent number: 7229698
    Abstract: Laminated board for exterior cladding formed from a core (13) of kraft paper impregnated with phenolic resin, at least one layer of natural wood (14) and at least one surface covering layer (15) including a coating film (17) and a substrate film (16). The coating film (17) is a single-layer film based on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), a two-layer film with its lower layer based on polymethyl methacrylate and its upper layer based on polyvinylidine fluoride (PVDF), or a PMMA/PVDF single-layer film. The substrate film (16) consists of a paper impregnated with a compound formed from 80-95% by weight of a phenolic resin and 5-20% by weight of a polymer promoting adhesion of the coating film (17), such as an acrylic, melamine or urea polymer or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Composites Gurea, S.A.
    Inventors: Fernando Encío Martinez, Santiago Bastida Sagarzazu
  • Patent number: 7223708
    Abstract: A fabric is formed from yarn comprised of inorganic filaments coated with rayon. Specifically, the inorganic filaments are spun from a melt of volcanic black rock and are comprised of calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, potassium oxide, aluminum oxide, iron oxide, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, sodium oxide, and boron. As a result of its composition, the fabric is temperature resistant and lightweight, yet strong. Preferably, the fabric exhibits a melting point between 1500° C. and 1650° C., a working range of ?130° C. to 700° C., a density of 1.6 g/cc, a surface density between 160 g/m2 and 350 g/m2, and a tensile strength between 500 lbf/in2 and 1800 lbf/in2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Inventor: Lilo Nessim Beuzieron
  • Patent number: 7220474
    Abstract: A resin composition for producing a molded article having a surface which has an appearance of a non-woven fabric, which comprises fiber piles of a carbonized polyacrylonitrile having a nitrogen content of 10% by weight or more, a size of 1 to 15 denier and a length of 0.1 to 1 mm. A process for producing a molded article of a resin having a surface which has an appearance of a non-woven fabric which comprises mixing the resin composition with an uncolored resin and molding the prepared mixture. A molded article produced by molding the resin composition. The resin composition can be pelletized with stability and, when the resin composition is mixed with pellets of an uncolored resin and molded, the molded article shows excellent mechanical properties and durability for a long time, exhibits a non-woven fabric appearance with warmth ad depth and has an excellent recycling property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Kondou, Isamu Yamaguchi, Masaki Mizuno, Nobuhiko Todaka
  • Patent number: 7214633
    Abstract: Textile materials, including paper webs, treated with a polyvinylamine polymer and a second agent that interacts with the polyvinylamine polymer is disclosed. The second agent added with the polyvinylamine polymer can be, for instance, a polymeric anionic reactive compound or a polymeric aldehyde-functional compound. When incorporated into a paper web, the combination of the polyvinylamine polymer and the second agent provide improved strength properties, such as wet strength properties. In an alternative embodiment, the polyvinylamine polymer and the second polymer can be applied to a textile material for increasing the affinity of the textile material for acid dyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Tong Sun, Jeff Lindsay
  • Patent number: 7211291
    Abstract: A composite having a plurality of filaments arranged in a fibrous web that is held together in a unitary structure by a domain matrix. The domain matrix comprises a plurality of matrix islands that individually connect, or bond, at least two filaments, to thereby hold the filaments in a unitary structure. Portions of the filament lengths within the unitary structure are free of matrix islands, causing the domain matrix to be discontinuous. The composite possesses a greater flexibility than coated structures. The composite may be formed into cross-plied structures. A method of making the composite also is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Allan Harpell, Igor Palley, Max Wilheim Gerlach, Alexander Lobovsky, James Alan Matrunich
  • Patent number: 7196024
    Abstract: A protective drainage wrap comprises a first portion, a second portion and a solid sheet portion. The first portion comprises cross-woven or cross-laminate material in the machine direction and in the transverse direction. The material in the machine direction comprises a polyolefin, polyester, nylon or combinations thereof and has a first thickness. The material in the transverse direction comprises a polyolefin, polyester, nylon or combinations thereof and has a second thickness. The second thickness is at least about 2 times greater than the first thickness so as to assist in providing drainage for moisture build-up. The second portion is a coating comprising a polyolefin, polyester, nylon or combinations thereof. The first and second portions are located adjacent to each other. The solid sheet portion comprises a polyolefin, polyester, nylon or combinations thereof. The solid sheet portion is attached to at least one of the first portion and the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Pactiv Corporation
    Inventor: John W. Lubker, II
  • Patent number: 7196022
    Abstract: Absorbent products and wet wipes are disclosed that are useful in reducing the amount of ammonia produced by bacteria on or near the skin or in bodily fluids such as urine. The products described herein contain an osmoregulation protector which when introduced into a bacteria-containing environment interacts with the bacteria and reduces the amount of ammonia produced by the bacteria without significantly affecting the growth rate of the bacteria. The osmoregulation protectors described herein are particularly useful in combination with adult incontinence garments where the control of odors from bacterial by-products such as ammonia is highly desirable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David William Koenig, Franklin M. C. Chen, Melanie A. Keomany, Jason Robert Borski
  • Patent number: 7192633
    Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening, having a first layer with alternating relatively opaque stripes and relatively translucent stripes, and a second layer with alternating relatively opaque stripes and relatively translucent stripes. The first and second layers are positioned one behind the other, with the stripes substantially parallel. The first and second layers are movable relative to one another in a direction substantially perpendicular to the stripes. The covering also includes a series of parallel binder threads for attaching the first layer to the second layer. The binder threads run substantially perpendicular to the stripes, and thereby, one of the layers can be slid along the binder threads when moved relative to the other. The blind is preferred to be woven as a double-layer fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
    Inventor: Anton Petrus Theodorus Hubertus Fransen
  • Patent number: 7192896
    Abstract: The invention is directed at a disposable dry cleansing article that is formed from a melt extruded fibrous web that has incorporated into the fibers forming the web from 0.5 to 20 percent by weight of a melt extruded lathering surfactant. The invention, dry article generally comprises a melt extruded fibrous web of a thermoplastic polymer having a basis weight of from about 10 to 200 g/m2, preferably 10 to 150 g/m2 wherein the fibers have a lathering surfactant incorporated into the fiber at a level that allows the article to be used two (2) or more times with a rinse foam volume of 15 or more, with an initial foam volume of at least 50 ml.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jayshree Seth, Jerry W. Hall
  • Patent number: 7189448
    Abstract: Absorbent article comprising a liquid-impermeable cover sheet, a liquid-permeable cover sheet, and an absorbent body between the liquid-impermeable cover sheet and the liquid-permeable cover sheet. Any one or all of the liquid-impermeable cover sheet, the liquid-permeable cover sheet, or the absorbent body can be made of a corrugated web which is corrugated from a sheet material which, in the process of being corrugated, is drawn in, and optionally elongated in a direction transverse to the corrugations, alternatively drawn-in along a direction transverse to a length of the web. The corrugated web can comprise corrugations of differing heights (H1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Maria Raidel, Jan Ullman, Franz Aschenbrenner
  • Patent number: 7175901
    Abstract: The combination of ingredients, especially for use in the formulation of a one or two-pack retroreflective ink, comprising retroreflective elements, microbeads additional to said retroreflective elements and/or constituting said retroreflective elements at least in part, binder chemicals for attaching the retroreflective elements and microbeads to a substrate to which the ink is to be applied, and a coupling agent for coupling the microbeads and cross-linking the binder chemicals, the coupling agent being unreactive until the printing process is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Reflec plc
    Inventor: Brian Sagar
  • Patent number: 7172802
    Abstract: Window coverings are formed of woven fabrics of acrylic yarns to provide minimal degradation of the window covering due to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and to minimize damage to interior furnishings within a building at which the window coverings are applied. The window coverings are preferably formed of panels of pigmented acrylic yarn having a yarn number of about 24, 2 ply and a weave density of about 29 ends per inch of warp threads and 24 picks per inch of weft threads with about 0.063 inch square openings between the thread rows. UV blocking for A and B wavelength ranges may be on the order of 69 to 78 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Inventors: Ann M. Sutherland, David F. Sutherland
  • Patent number: 7147738
    Abstract: A process for producing a component with an inner fabric includes layering at least two layers of fabric one on top of the other. A layer of plastic in powder form or sheet form is introduced between respective pairs of neighboring layers of fabric. The plastic has a melting point corresponding to at most the melting point and/or the decomposing temperature of the fabric layers. The fabric layers and plastic layer are heated and pressed at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, during which the plastic layer is at least partially melted. After reaching the desired final form, the partially-melted plastic is cooled, thereby bonding the fabric layers to one another. The cooled plastic is arranged between the layers of fabric and, in particular, at least partially between the fibers of the fabric layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Robert Bjekovic, Konrad Eipper, Bruno Möltgen, Jörn Roth, Markus Vennemann
  • Patent number: 7132161
    Abstract: A fiber velvet comprising nano-size fibers or nanofibrils attached to micro-size fibers is disclosed. Methods of manufacturing the velvet as well as various uses of the velvet are also described. For example, the fiber velvet can be used as a thermal interface or as an adhesive material. The nanofibrils may be attached to a flat base or membrane, or may be attached to the tip portions of the micro-size or larger diameter fibers. Various attributes of the micro-size fibers and of the nano-size fibers, for example, geometry (e.g. size, length, packing density) material type (e.g. carbon, metal, polymer, or ceramic) and properties (e.g. conductivity, modulus, surface energy, dielectric constant, surface roughness) can be selected depending on the desired attributes of the fiber velvet. The nanofibrils have a diameter of less than about 1 micron, and may advantageously be formed from single walled and/or multi-walled carbon nanotubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Energy Science Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy R. Knowles, Christopher L. Seaman
  • Patent number: 7094715
    Abstract: A non-halogen series floor material includes a first intermediate resin layer containing filler of 100 to 400 mass parts with respect to resin ingredient of 100 mass parts, the resin ingredient consisting essentially of resin having no chlorine atom in chemical structure, a surface resin layer integrally formed at an upper surface side of the first intermediate resin layer, the surface resin layer containing resin having no chloride atom in chemical structure and having a thickness of 100 to 1,000 ?m, a second intermediate resin layer integrally formed at a lower surface side of the first intermediate resin layer, the second intermediate resin layer containing resin having no chloride atom in chemical structure and filler of 0 to 200 mass parts with respect to resin ingredient of 100 mass parts, and a backing layer integrally formed at a lower surface side of the second intermediate resin layer, the backing layer being formed of a fibrous fabric constituted by fibers containing resin having no chloride atom i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Suminoe Textile Co., LTD
    Inventors: Eiji Sakaguchi, Makoto Koyama, Junichi Takeda, Yoshiharu Nishino, Hiroaki Ishii
  • Patent number: 7094462
    Abstract: A base material for a wiping sheet on which powder is to be supported, wherein the ratio of the average pore diameter (D) of the surface of the base material while dry as measured by the mercury penetration method to the average particle diameter (d) of the powder, D/d, ranges from 0.03 to 30, and the base material while dry has a bulk softness of from 0.1 to 5 N/30 mm and a thickness of from 0.3 to 5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Machiko Yokoyama, Manabu Kaneda, Takashi Kawai, Yasuhiro Komori, Shoichi Taneichi, Katsuhiko Takeuchi
  • Patent number: RE39554
    Abstract: A reinforced composite structure (29) is disclosed. The structure is formed by opposed layers of material extending over a core and continuous bundles stitched in a repeating pattern through the opposed layers (30, 32) and the intermediate core (29) to form the reinforced composite structural member (29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Spectrum Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Robin S. Steele, Jennifer L. Stenger