Patents Examined by Paul Shanoski
  • Patent number: 6215038
    Abstract: There is provided a personal care product having an osmolality changing agent incorporated into it which achieves the objects of this invention. The agent can reduce skin hydration significantly by increasing the osmolality of a solution outside of, but in contact with, the skin, in order to cause water to move across the skin cellular boundary to dilute the solution. Such a material is preferably compatible with modern fiber forming processes like spunbonding and meltblowing. The reduction of skin hydration may reduce redness and irritation due to contact with fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: James Arthur Davis, Pamela Jean Mayberry, Michael Tod Morman
  • Patent number: 6213993
    Abstract: An absorbent article is provided having an adhesive on the bodyfacing surface for securement of the article to the wearer. The adhesive has a rheological property tan &dgr; at 20° C. ranging from about 0.01 to about 0.6 at a frequency of about 0.1 radian per second and a tan &dgr; ranging from about 0.1 to about 1.7 at a frequency of about 1000 radians per second. Preferably the adhesive is a hot melt adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane Kenneth Zacharias, Yung Hsiang Huang, Frank Gerald Druecke
  • Patent number: 6210389
    Abstract: An article (10) has a lengthwise longitudinal direction (26), a lateral cross-direction (24), a first article portion (12), a second article portion (14), and a fastener (36) for securing the first article portion (12) to the second article portion (14). The fastener (36) includes at least one first fastener component (70) attached to a lateral side section (86) of the first article portion (12), and a cooperating, second fastener component (72) attached to the second article portion (14). The first fastener component includes an engagement substrate (56) having an appointed lift region (54), and a plurality of engagement members (40), such as the representatively shown hook members, which are operably attached to extend away from the engagement substrate. The lift region (54) is disposed along at least a longitudinally extending, outboard edge of the engagement substrate (56), and the lift region contains a plurality of engagement members which have been substantially deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Mark Long, Patrick Robert Lord, Brian Keith Nortman, Paula Kay Zoromski, Richard John Schmidt, Mari-Pat Yvonne Von Feldt
  • Patent number: 6210385
    Abstract: A absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin includes an absorbent means and deformation inducing means underlying the absorbent means, and is provided in a direction of its longitudinal center line with deformation guiding means serving for the absorbent means and the deformation inducing means, and thereby improves fitting to a wearer's skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Mizutani
  • Patent number: 6194631
    Abstract: Poly(vinylamine)-based superabsorbent gels are disclosed. The superabsorbent gels either comprise a mixture of a poly(vinylamine) polymer and an acidic water-absorbing polymer, like polyacrylic acid, or comprise a salt of a poly(vinylamine) polymer. An improved method of preparing poly(vinylamine), and improved diaper cores, also are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Amcol International Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Mitchell, Thomas W. Beihoffer, Leticia L Trzupek, Jerald W. Darlington, Jr., Mark Anderson
  • Patent number: 6190369
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article, such as a diaper, comprising a medium viscosity feces storage material having an improved ability to store in particular medium low viscosity feces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Gianfranco Palumbo, Vincenzo D'Acchioli
  • Patent number: 6186990
    Abstract: A collection device for human bodily fluids includes an expandable, liquid permeable and insoluble pouch containing a proper volume of hydrophilic material. This hydrophilic material allows quick absorption of such fluids and turns into gelled material. The gelled material is then trapped inside the pouch preventing possible spill and back flow. The hydrophilic material with a proper volume only allows expansion up to the predetermined size of the pouch without the pouch breaking up into fragments. This pouch may be made of different shapes and materials in order to fit in different types of human bodily fluid collection devices and reduce possible leakage and back flow. The hydrophilic material can be a polymer and may have antibacterial properties to reduce bacteria growth. A one-way valve, snap-fit seal, or screw-on cap may be added for further enhanced prevention of leakage and back flow. The versatility of this pouch helps speeding up manufacturing processes and reducing overall production costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Reachgood Industrial Company
    Inventors: Chen-Hsiung Chen, Hung Shou Li, Mike Deni Lin, Gary Lin
  • Patent number: 6183458
    Abstract: This invention relates to a diaper device wherein a layer (1) engaging the user is provided with an opening (15) and the layer (1) is arranged an outer layer enclosing at least one absorption body (5) wherein a layer (22) covering the absorption body has at least one opening (25) facing the user. The at least one absorption body enclosing layer (22) is part of a container (2) which is closed besides this one opening (25) connected to the opening (15) in the layer (1) engaging the user. The container has soft flexible wall portions (21) connecting its at least one absorption body enclosing outer layer with the layer (22) engaging the user and that the wall portions are so adapted that in the used position the volume of the container essentially exceeds the absorption body volume meaning that the at least one absorption body is situated at a distance from the opening or openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Marlene Sandberg AB
    Inventors: Ove Ahlstrand, Marlene Sandberg
  • Patent number: 6174302
    Abstract: A disposable diaper includes a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet and an absorbent core disposed therebetween. The core has its transversely opposite side edges curved inwardly of the core. Portions of the topsheet and the backsheet extending outward beyond the side edges of the core are put flat and bonded together. Such extensions are folded inwardly of the diaper along straight folding lines extending longitudinally outside the respective curved side edges of the core so as to form a pair of leak-proofing cuffs. First and second elastically stretchable/contractile members are bonded under appropriate tension to the respective leak-proofing cuffs along its inner side edges and the straight folding lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinori Kumasaka
  • Patent number: 6172276
    Abstract: There is provided a distribution material for personal care products which is a fabric which wicks artificial menses according to a horizontal wicking test a distance of about 1 inch in less than about 1.5 minutes. Materials meeting this performance criteria generally have a pore size distribution with a high percentage (usually more than 50 percent) of pore diameters between about 80 and 400 microns and a density below about 0.15 g/cc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Connie Lynn Hetzler, Nancy Donaldson Kollin, Crystal Sutphin Leach, Jack Nelson Lindon, Lawrence Howell Sawyer, Heather Anne Sorebo, Garry Roland Woltman
  • Patent number: 6168583
    Abstract: A body waste disposable article adapted to receive feces and/or urine discharged thereon, the article having a body fluids absorbent means above which an opening is formed by a surrounding wall partially covering the body fluids absorbent means and surrounding the opening. The article is longitudinally composed of a front end, a rear end and an intermediate region extending between these two ends. The article is configured so as to have the largest width in its intermediate region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tanji, Toshifumi Otsubo, Yoshitaka Mishima
  • Patent number: 6165160
    Abstract: A diaper is folded along a first folding guide line extending in a transverse direction of the diaper so as to divide its longitudinal dimension in two toward the outer surface of a backsheet, then along a pair of second folding guide lines extending in parallel to each other in the transverse direction of the diaper and lying between the first folding guide line and longitudinally outer ends of front and rear waist regions toward an outer surface of a topsheet and finally along a pair of third folding guide lines extending in parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction of the diaper along transversely opposite side edges of an absorbent core toward an outer surface of the backsheet in any one of the front and rear waist regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Suzuki, Yoshitaka Mishima
  • Patent number: 6166285
    Abstract: An absorbent article, such as a diaper, containing cuffs with a skin care composition disposed thereon. The skin care composition disposed on the cuffs is transferable to the wearer's skin by normal contact and/or wearer motion and/or body heat. The skin care compositions disclosed in the present invention are selected to maintain and/or improve the skin health of the wearer upon transfer during use, for example, to provide a skin protective barrier or a therapeutic benefit; to minimize the abrasion between the cuffs and skin in the area where the cuffs contact the wearer's skin, resulting in less skin irritation; to improve BM clean up on the skin, or to improve the barrier properties of the cuffs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Schulte, Laura Graves Spalding VanRijswijck, Donald Carroll Roe
  • Patent number: 6160199
    Abstract: The present invention relates to biodegradable PHA copolymers comprising at least two randomly repeating monomer units. The present invention further relates to a plastic article comprising a biodegradable copolymer, wherein the biodegradable copolymer comprises at least two randomly repeating monomer units (RRMU) wherein the first RRMU has the structure ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is H, or C.sub.1 or C.sub.2 alkyl, and n is 1 or 2; the second RRMU has the structure ##STR2## and wherein at least 50% of the RRMUs have the structure of the first RRMU. The present invention further relates to an absorbent article comprising a liquid pervious topsheet, a liquid impervious backsheet comprising a film comprising a PHA of the present invention and an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Isao Noda
  • Patent number: 6152906
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes a vapor permeable backsheet, a liquid permeable topsheet positioned in facing relation with the backsheet; and an absorbent body located between the backsheet and the topsheet which defines multiple zones of high air permeability. The absorbent article may also include a ventilation layer between the absorbent body and the backsheet and a surge management layer between the absorbent body and the topsheet. The article exhibits improved air exchange within the article during use. As a result, the article exhibits substantially reduced levels of hydration of the wearer's skin when in use which renders the skin less susceptible to the growth of microorganisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael John Faulks, Pamela Jean Mayberry
  • Patent number: 6146368
    Abstract: A diaper to eliminate bed sores includes a front section, a back section and a middle section extending longitudinally between the front section and the back section. The middle section includes a liquid-permeable inner sheet, a liquid-impermeable outer sheet aligned with and secured to the inner sheet, and an absorbent body disposed between the inner sheet and the outer sheet. The middle section includes an aperture extending through the inner sheet and the absorbent body and the outer sheet and having a thickened portion completely surrounding the aperture. The aperture is adapted to be located over a bed sore on a body of person with the middle portion disposed between legs of the person and the front section disposed in front of the person and the back section disposed in back of the person and attached to the front portion when the diaper is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventor: Lynn LaPointe
  • Patent number: 6110159
    Abstract: A device for disposing excrement comprising: a diaper cup 1 for enveloping a lumbar/gluteal region of a human body; and a device body C connected to the diaper cup 1 for supplying washing water to the inside of the diaper cup and for sucking excrements and sewage from the inside of the diaper cup 1. The device body C includes: a suction motor 21 for establishing a vacuum to suck the excrements and the sewage; a water supply pump 5 for supplying the washing water; and a sequencer 12 for controlling the suction motor 21 and the water supply pump 5. The sequencer 12 includes intermittent drive means S4 to S8 or S24 to S29 for controlling the drive of the water supply pump 5 by setting time parameters according to the sense signals of the feces sensor 109 and the urine sensor 114.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Tsujita, Kiichi Komatsu, Hisashi Yamatoya
  • Patent number: 6107539
    Abstract: A disposable absorbent article comprising a backsheet, a topsheet, a fluid acquisition/distribution region and at least on fluid storage region, said article having a total product acquisition performance of more than 3.75 ml/sec in the first gush and more than 0.5 ml/sec in the fourth gush and an in bag stack height of less than 9.9 mm, characterized in that said topsheet allows to retain no more them 0.25 g of fluid as measured by the topsheet-on-acquisition-material-wetness test, and that said acquisition/distribution region has a drip capacity of at least 5.0 grams of fluid per gram of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Gianfranco Palumbo, Mattias Schmidt, Manfred Plischke, Wolfgang Meyer
  • Patent number: 6096942
    Abstract: An absorbent dressing which does not stick to the wound to thereby minimize secondary lesions which are caused by shearing stresses and the like. The dressing includes an absorbent pad and a thin support film with an adhesive layer therein to maintain the dressing in place on a patient. A backer sheet supports the film and a release liner covers the adhesive layer. The support film is, preferrably, transparent or translucent which permits visual inspection of the pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Pabban Development Inc.
    Inventor: Bradford H. Hack
  • Patent number: 6087550
    Abstract: This invention relates to water responsive thermoplastic compositions and articles constructed thereof. This invention particularly relates to thermoplastic copolyester compositions useful for the manufacture of disposable articles such as disposable diapers and feminine napkins. More particularly, this invention relates to thermoplastic copolyester compositions that are useful as a raw material in the manufacture of nonwovens, barrier films or coatings and as well as for various improved hot melt adhesives compositions useful for incorporating hydrophilic features into disposable articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: H. B. Fuller Licensing & Financing, Inc.
    Inventors: Carolyn Anderson-Fischer, Mai Nguyen, Mark S. Hull, Mark G. Katsaros, Mark S. Kroll, Greg J. VanLith