Patents Examined by Laura C. Hill
  • Patent number: 7361803
    Abstract: A multi-layer moisture management fabric composite includes a three-dimensional fabric spacer. The spacer forms a first layer of the fabric composite. The spacer has a first facing adapted for residing nearest the skin, a second facing, and an intermediate spacer yarn interconnecting the first and second facings. A plurality of overlying moisture-absorbent layers reside outside of the spacer, and are adapted for receiving and dispersing moisture entering the fabric composite and passing through the first layer. A liquid impermeable jacket resides outside of the absorbent layers and defines an outermost layer of the fabric composite adapted for trapping liquid moisture within the absorbent layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Inventor: Mark Miskie
  • Patent number: 7347847
    Abstract: A disposable diaper capable of being put on from either the front or the back of a wearer is disclosed. The longitudinal end section having the fastening tapes has a waist elastic member and an extensible side part. The absorbent member is disposed such that its longitudinal end in the section having the fastening tapes is nearer to the waist portion of that section than the centerline parallel to the diaper width direction and dividing each of the extensible side parts into equal halves. Two portions on opposite sides of the centerline dividing the length of the diaper in equal halves have a saturated absorption capacity ratio of 45/55 to 55/45. The natural length of the waist elastic member in the state removed from the diaper is 60 to 80% of the length of the waist elastic member as provided in the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Haruko Toyoshima, Yasuyuki Okuda
  • Patent number: 7335810
    Abstract: Disclosed is an absorbent article including: a liquid-permeable topsheet; a backsheet; an absorbent storage layer between the topsheet and the backsheet; and a cushion layer between the topsheet and the absorbent storage layer. When a tensile force of 490 mN per 25 mm width is applied to the topsheet in a transverse direction crossing the cushion layer, an extension is at least 30%. When the absorbent article is pressed from above in a region having the cushion layer, an initial thickness T0 of the pressed region of the absorbent article for a pressure of 49 Pa is at least 10 mm, a compressive hardness (LC value) is 0.5 to 0.65, and a compressive recovery (RC value) is at least 35%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Yoshimasa, Kazuya Nishitani
  • Patent number: 7322971
    Abstract: Devices and methods of using a surgical drain, and more particularly a surgical drain having at least one sensor for monitoring and/or recording the condition of the anatomical site or fluid emitted from the site where the surgical drain is placed. Modifications may be made to the surgical drain to improve stabilization or immobilization in the proximity of the anatomical site to be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California
    Inventor: Ramez Emile Necola Shehada
  • Patent number: 7264616
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to devices and methods of using a surgical drain, and more particularly to a surgical drain having at least one sensor for monitoring and/or recording the condition of the anatomical site or fluid emitted from the site where the surgical drain is placed. The invention may also include modifications of the surgical drain to improve stabilization or immobilization in the proximity of the anatomical site to be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California
    Inventors: Ramez Emile Necola Shehada, Nicolas Jabbour
  • Patent number: 7258683
    Abstract: Absorbent article, such as a sanitary towel, a panty liner, an incontinence pad or the like, which article has two transverse end edges, two longitudinal side edges, a liquid-permeable surface layer, an essentially liquidtight backing layer, and an absorbent core located between the liquid-permeable surface layer and the essentially liquidtight backing layer and also side flaps at the longitudinal side edges on both sides of the absorbent core, the side flaps being folded and detachably tacked to the surface layer, said tacking being mechanical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventor: Solgun Drevik
  • Patent number: 7252659
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to devices and methods of using a surgical drain, and more particularly to a surgical drain having at least one sensor for monitoring and/or recording the condition of the anatomical site or fluid emitted from the site where the surgical drain is placed. The invention may also include modifications of the surgical drain to improve stabilization or immobilization in the proximity of the anatomical site to be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California
    Inventors: Ramez Emile Necola Shehada, Nicolas Jabbour
  • Patent number: 7250548
    Abstract: An absorbent article may define a front region, a rear region, and a crotch region intermediate the front and rear regions. The article may include an outercover, a liner and an absorbent assembly front portion disposed intermediate the outercover and the liner in the front region. The article may also include an absorbent assembly rear portion disposed intermediate the outercover and the liner in the rear region and at least partially spaced from the absorbent assembly front portion to provide a first gap. The article further includes a temperature change member disposed in the first gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Shirlee A. Weber, Christopher P. Olson, Andrew M. Long
  • Patent number: 7244251
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to devices and methods of using a surgical drain, and more particularly to a surgical drain having at least one sensor for monitoring and/or recording the condition of the anatomical site or fluid emitted from the site where the surgical drain is placed. The invention may also include modifications of the surgical drain to improve stabilization or immobilization in the proximity of the anatomical site to be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering
    Inventors: Ramez Emile Necola Shehada, Nicolas Jabbour
  • Patent number: 7241287
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to devices and methods of using a surgical drain, and more particularly to a surgical drain having at least one sensor for monitoring and/or recording the condition of the anatomical site or fluid emitted from the site where the surgical drain is placed. The invention may also include modifications of the surgical drain to improve stabilization or immobilization in the proximity of the anatomical site to be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California
    Inventors: Ramez Emile Necola Shehada, Nicolas Jabbour
  • Patent number: 7226436
    Abstract: A multiple-layered tampon applicator that has at least one modification to one or more inner layers that form the applicator. As a result, enhanced aesthetics, enhanced functionality, or both are achieved in the applicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Playtex Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Gorham, Keith Edgett
  • Patent number: 7204830
    Abstract: A disposable wearing article includes a liquid-impervious chassis, a pair of liquid-impervious leak-barrier sheets laid along transversely opposite side edges of the chassis, a body fluid absorbent first panel extending over a crotch region and a rear waist region of the chassis and joined to the chassis, and a body fluid absorbent second panel extending over a front waist region and the crotch region. The second panel has a front portion joined to the front waist region, a distal portion and transversely opposite side edges joined to the chassis. The distal portion has side sections extending upward above the chassis and joined to distal sections of the respective leak-barrier sheets, and a transversely middle section which extends between the side sections and is convex upward above the side sections and thereby a pocket opening from the crotch region toward the rear waist region is formed between the chassis and the distal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Mishima, Kaiyo Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7195624
    Abstract: A ventilated bandage system is provided for use with a wound. The system includes a bandage positioned adjacent the wound to create a sealed environment around the wound. A vacuum source of the system is in communication with the bandage to create negative pressure between the bandage and the wound. The system may also include a first passageway or vent in communication with the bandage and with the surrounding atmosphere, and a second passageway in communication with the bandage and with the vacuum source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Lockwood, Robert Petrosenko
  • Patent number: 7192423
    Abstract: A spike assembly for facilitating the supply of a fluid from a container to a hypodermic syringe, fluid conduit extending therethrough between first and second ends of a body, a piercing member located at the first end for piercing into the container to form a fluid sealing engagement therebetween, a fluid seal, and a vent having a plurality of preprinted indicia bands with protective removable covers disposed around the outside surface of the vent which corresponds to a user details of the container contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Inventor: Cindy Wong
  • Patent number: 7192424
    Abstract: A less invasive disposable urinary collection device for receiving a penis of a male patient comprises a freestanding bulb-shaped sack formed from a single sheet of laminate material. The sheet includes a first absorbent inner layer disposed between a moisture impervious outer layer and a second absorbent layer. The sack has a top hand insertion opening with elastic and an elastic passageway disposed orthogonal to the hand opening for securing the sack to the penis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Inventor: Teresa Cooper
  • Patent number: 7192420
    Abstract: An adapter arrangement for use with a waste collection construction, for example an ostomy appliance, includes a flange defining a stoma-receiving aperture and a tubular wall extending from the flange. The flange includes first and second opposite surfaces, each having an adhesive layer disposed thereon. The tubular wall has an inner, stoma-contacting surface and an opposite outer surface. The inner, stoma-contacting surface includes a stoma-contacting adhesive layer. A collection system includes an adapter arrangement, and a waste collection pouch. The waste collection pouch includes a pouch wall and a mouth. There is a lip on the pouch wall circumscribing the mouth, and an adhesive collar circumscribing the lip. The tubular wall of the adapter arrangement is received within the mouth, and the adhesive layer on the flange of the adapter arrangement secures the flange to the pouch lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Inventor: Bruce W. Whiteford
  • Patent number: 7189220
    Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a pair of tape fasteners 6 that are used to connect front and rear waist regions 8, 10 to each other and are attached to side flaps 14 in the rear waist region 10 of the diaper. Each of the tape fasteners 6 includes fibrous nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic synthetic resin fiber and thermoplastic synthetic resin coated on a substantially whole area of an outer surface of the fibrous nonwoven fabric wherein the thermoplastic synthetic resin forms a substantially smooth synthetic resin layer on outer surfaces of the respective tape fasteners. Thus, a free portion of each tape fastener is reliably prevented from being disengaged from a target tape even when the outer surface of the tape fastener and an inner surface of an underwear rub together during use of the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Miyoshi, Hisashi Takai, Hironao Minato, Koichiro Mitsui
  • Patent number: 7186248
    Abstract: A device for introducing an object into a vagina includes finger mounting means whereby the device is mountable on a user's finger, and a holder which protrudes from the finger mounting means and which is insertable into a user's vagina, the holder being configured to hold an object whilst being inserted into the user's vagina and then release the object once positioned inside the vagina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Inventor: Peter James Brian Lamb
  • Patent number: 7179247
    Abstract: The present invention provides an absorbent article (14) used by being fitted to the female pubic region, which comprises: an absorbent sheet body made of a water permeable sheet (11), a water impermeable sheet (12), and an absorbent body (13) being formed into one body; and a body fluid inflow hole (14b) in a cylindrical shape with the garment side being the bottom, having an opening in a size capable of being fitted to cover a pair of labia majoras from outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizutani, Koichi Yamaki, Yuki Noda
  • Patent number: 7175616
    Abstract: An array of disposable absorbent articles which have a first absorbent article and a second absorbent article. The first absorbent article has i.) an outer surface wherein the outer surface has an outer surface area and ii.) a first identifier having a first surface area. The first identifier is disposed on the first absorbent article and corresponds to a first absorbency. The second absorbent article has i.) an outer surface wherein the outer surface has an outer surface area and ii.) a second identifier having a second surface area. The second identifier is disposed on the second absorbent article and corresponds to a second absorbency. The first surface area of the first absorbent article is different than the second surface area of the second absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Federica Denti, Beate Rosemarie Stellbrink