Patents Examined by Lynne Anderson
  • Patent number: 11039963
    Abstract: An absorbent article can have an improved attachment to a wearer's undergarment and can maintain proper placement in the undergarment of the wearer. The absorbent article can produce less waste for the wearer of the absorbent article. The absorbent article can have a topsheet layer, a backsheet layer, an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet layer and the backsheet layer, and a pair of opposing wings. The absorbent article can have a mechanical garment attachment which can maintain the placement of the absorbent article within the wearer's undergarment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Peter Olson, Suzanne Marie Schmoker, Cynthia H. Hendren
  • Patent number: 11020286
    Abstract: Exemplary wearable articles including regions with differing visual patterns are disclosed. In one embodiment, an article may comprise an elasticated front chassis region and an elasticated front waistband region, a rear region, a crotch region, and an absorbent body disposed at least partially within the crotch region. The front chassis and front waistband regions may comprise a plurality of elastomeric strands disposed between a first material and a material and are bonded together by a plurality of discrete bonds, at least some of which entrap the strands. The strands of the front chassis region are spaced apart a first distance, while the strands of the front waistband region are spaced apart a second distance, with the second distance being less than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Ross T. Kaufman, Kelly D. Farmer, Joseph D. Coenen, Jerry L. Hameister
  • Patent number: 10993856
    Abstract: An array of products comprising three or more different sizes of disposable pant-type absorbent articles is provided, wherein each of first and second and third disposable pant-type absorbent articles comprises a chassis with a front portion and a back portion, and an absorbent body attached to the chassis, and a length direction and a width direction, wherein the size of the front and rear portion of the first disposable pant-type absorbent articles is smaller than the size of the front and rear portion of the second disposable pant-type absorbent articles, wherein the size of the front and rear portion of the third disposable pant-type absorbent articles is larger than the size of the front and rear portion of the second disposable pant-type absorbent articles, and wherein each of the front and back portions has a waist edge, a pair of leg edges and a pair of side edges and wherein a distance, in the length direction, between the leg edge of the front portion and the leg edge of the back portion, is common
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: ESSITY HYGIENE AND HEALTH AKTIEBOLAG
    Inventor: Lucas Bäck
  • Patent number: 10973703
    Abstract: Elasticated materials and absorbent articles comprising elasticated materials are disclosed. In an embodiment, an elasticated material can comprise a first web material, a second web material bonded to the first web material, and a plurality of elastomeric strands extending in a lateral direction and disposed between the first and second web materials. The material may comprise a pair of bonds disposed on opposite sides of an elastomeric strand and spaced apart across the elastomeric strand a distance less than an untensioned diameter of the elastomeric strand of the plurality of elastomeric strands. Additionally, the elasticated material may exhibit a first amount of elongation in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction at a given tension along a first length of the elasticated material and a second amount of elongation in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction at the given tension along a second length of the elasticated material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph D. Coenen, Ross T. Kaufman, Kelly D. Farmer, Jerry L. Hameister, Julia R. Selden
  • Patent number: 10932958
    Abstract: A sensor system for detecting a property of or within an absorbent article may comprise an absorbent article and a sensor. The absorbent article may comprise a garment-facing layer and an absorbent assembly. The sensor may be disposed in and/or on the absorbent article. The sensor may be separable from the absorbent article. The sensor may be configured to sense a change in condition within the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Gary Dean LaVon, Vijay Rajagopalan
  • Patent number: 10918536
    Abstract: A diaper has vertical and lateral directions, and a skin facing surface and a non-skin facing surface on an opposite side thereof, includes a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region positioned between the front and rear waist regions, and includes a pair of leg openings, and a waist opening defined by side edges of the front and rear waist regions. At least one of the front and rear waist regions includes a pair of tape fasteners fixed to the non-skin facing surface of the side edges. At least one of the front and rear waist regions includes a pocket openable toward the crotch region, on the skin facing surface. An upper end of a fixing part of the tape fastener is positioned at a lower side of a closing edge (folding part) positioned on the waist opening side of the pocket in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Inoue, Shunsuke Takino, Hideaki Maki
  • Patent number: 10888469
    Abstract: An absorbent article for personal hygiene having a front edge and a back edge and comprising a liquid impermeable backsheet, a liquid permeable topsheet, an absorbent core and a pair of barrier leg cuffs disposed symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis. Each barrier leg cuff is defined by a proximal edge attached to the rest of the article and an elasticized terminal edge that can protrude upwards. The topsheet comprises a raisable region that is attached to the barrier leg cuffs so that when the barrier leg cuffs are raised, the raisable region is lifted up by the barrier leg cuffs and an empty volume is formed between the raisable region and the chassis of the article underneath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Carsten Heinrich Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 10849798
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a longitudinal centerline, a front region, a crotch region, and a back region. The absorbent article has a main portion, a side portion, and a waist portion. The waist portion has a belt portion that has a front belt portion having elastomeric material and a back belt portion having elastomeric material. The front belt portion has a first elastic section and a second elastic section, each section having force zones. The back belt portion has a third elastic section and a fourth elastic section, each section having force zones. The force zones in the portions alternate between a high force zone and a low force zone in at least one belt portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Gary Dean LaVon, Masaharu Nishikawa, Jacob Alan Barnhorst
  • Patent number: 10799421
    Abstract: An apparatus (100) to maintain an environment over an anterior surface of a patient eye can include an enclosure (110) sized and shaped to be seated about the patient eye to form a cavity (112) within the enclosure. The enclosure can be configured to contain a fluid other than ambient air in contact with the patient eye. The apparatus can include a fluid regulator (1209) in communication with the enclosure, where the fluid regulator can be configured to regulate the composition of the fluid contained within the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Equinox Ophthalmic, Inc.
    Inventors: John Berdahl, George Tsai
  • Patent number: 10765564
    Abstract: An absorbent article can have a chassis which can have a backsheet layer, a topsheet layer, and an absorbent system positioned between the backsheet layer and the topsheet layer. The absorbent system can have at least one absorbent layer which is a lobed absorbent layer. At least one flexure feature can associate with the lobed absorbent layer. A pair of non-integral wings can be bonded to the backsheet layer of the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: JuHyung Lee, SungSu A. Kim, MoonYoung Cho, SeoYeon Son, HyungWoo Park
  • Patent number: 10722407
    Abstract: An absorbent article (10) can include a waist elastic member (50, 150, 250). In one embodiment, the waist elastic member (50, 150, 250) can include a first longitudinal zone (92), a second longitudinal zone (94), and a middle longitudinal zone (93). The first longitudinal zone (92) can include a first elastic member (76) disposed between two layers of material, the second longitudinal zone (94) can include a second elastic member (78) disposed between two layers of material, and the middle longitudinal zone (93) can include less layers of materials than each of the first longitudinal zone (92) and the second longitudinal zone (94).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Randall Jones, Robert Michael Hill, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10716713
    Abstract: An absorbent core for use in an absorbent article, the absorbent core including a first absorbent layer comprising a first substrate, a layer of first superabsorbent polymer particles deposited on the first substrate on a deposition area and a fibrous layer of thermoplastic adhesive material covering the layer of first superabsorbent polymer particles, and a second absorbent layer comprising a second substrate and a mixed layer comprising a mixture of second superabsorbent particles and cellulosic fibers deposited on the second substrate. The first and second absorbent layers are combined together such that at least a portion of the fibrous thermoplastic adhesive material of the first absorbent layer contacts at least a portion of the mixed layer of the second absorbent layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Birgit Wirtz, Walter Pieter Hendrik Laurentius Van Der Klugt, Rodrigo Rosati, Ernesto G Bianchi, Aniruddha Chatterjee, Carsten Heinrich Kreuzer, Holger Beruda
  • Patent number: 10279070
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a belt structure, wherein the inner surface of the belt comprises a treatment and wherein the inner surface of the belt is different than the outer surface of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Ellyne Elizabeth Prodoehl, Ronald Joseph Zink, Koichi Morimoto, Albert Choy So, Chunmin Cheng
  • Patent number: 10207079
    Abstract: A drain tube holder system for securely retaining drainage tubes and reservoir bulbs against the body without impeding movement of the wearer. The drain tube holder system generally includes a strap adapted to be secured around various portions of an individual's body such as the waist, thigh, or shoulder. A retainer attachment is fixedly or removably secured to the strap. The retainer attachment includes one or more pouches adapted to retain one or more tubes and bulbs therein, with a first end of the tube exiting the body of the individual before being secured within a tube retainer within the pouch. The pouch is also adapted to securely retain a bulb, such as a reservoir, adapted to retain fluids drained through the tube. Using the present invention, an individual may enjoy improved comfort while wearing a drainage tube, such as after a medical procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: RED OAK INNOVATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Louan R. Fee, Patrick Fee
  • Patent number: 10201457
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include wound packing devices and methods of making and using the same. In an embodiment, the invention includes a wound packing device including a plurality of spacing elements comprising a nanotextured surface. The wound packing device can also include a connector connecting the plurality of spacing elements to one another. Other embodiments are also included herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Surmodics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Maharaj, Teryl L. Woodwick Sides
  • Patent number: 10188554
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wound dressing for absorbing exudate from a wound on which the wound dressing is placed. The wound dressing includes a porous, highly absorptive fiber dressing and a negative surface charge on a surface of the dressing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: IWMT Intellectual Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd
    Inventors: Martin C. Robson, Jacobus Frederick Mouton
  • Patent number: 10188560
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an absorbent article includes feeding a first web of material in a machine direction, feeding a second web of material in the machine direction, the second web being spaced from the first web by a gap, attaching an absorbent assembly to the first web and the second web such that the absorbent assembly spans the gap between the first and second webs, forming a partial cut line through the second web, folding the first web into face-to-face relationship with the second web after forming the partial cut line, and cutting the first and second webs after folding the first web into face-to-face relationship with the second web to separate the absorbent article from the first and second webs. The partial cut line defines at least one finger tab on the absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Justin M. Mueller, Blake A. Hondl, William J. Meyer, Brian K. Rhodes, Sarah A. Kleuskens
  • Patent number: 10188842
    Abstract: A device used for applying an antiseptic preparation to a surgical site of a patient prior to surgery outside of an operating theater. A loose-fitting bag is provided which encloses the surgical site by securing the open end(s) to the patient by closing means. A high friction scrub surface is provided in the bag. A method and apparatus are also provided for releasing antiseptic into the interior of the bag. The method provides that the surgical site can be scrubbed within the bag so as to properly prepare the skin for surgery. A temperature indicator for the antiseptic preparation is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Inventor: Mark R. Moore
  • Patent number: 10184777
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a change in a thickness and temperature of a surface of a material are disclosed herein. The system and the method are usable in a thermal protection system of a space vehicle, such as an aeroshell of a space vehicle. The system and method may incorporate micro electric sensors arranged in a ladder network and capacitor strip sensors. Corrosion or ablation causes a change in an electrical property of the sensors. An amount of or rate of the corrosion or the ablation and a temperature of the material is determined based on the change of the electrical property of the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Robert S. Okojie
  • Patent number: 10183135
    Abstract: A respiratory assistance device is disclosed. There is a patient interface for coupling to a patient respiratory passageway, and a selectively regulated therapeutic gas flow source in pneumatic communication with the patient over the patient interface. A controller is connected to the therapeutic gas flow source and is receptive to inputs of a prescription pressure level and an initial delay duration. After the patient dons the patient interface, therapeutic gas flow is restricted for the initial delay duration following receipt of a treatment initiation command. Upon the expiry of the initial delay duration, the controller increases therapeutic gas flow to the prescription pressure level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Breathe Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Samir S. Ahmad, Leonardo Alberto Baloa-Welzien