Patents by Inventor Bethany M. Welke

Bethany M. Welke has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10975234
    Abstract: Use of twin screw extrusion to further enhance the uniformity of crosslinked rubber dispersion in thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) to improve elastic properties of TPVs is disclosed. Most specifically, this invention employs intermeshing twin screw extruders to further homogenize dynamically vulcanized rubber dispersions in TPVs so that their particle size dispersion index (PSDI), or the ratio of weight average equivalent dispersion particle diameter to number average equivalent dispersion particle diameter, can be lowered to less than 1.6 or 1.57 with corresponding elastic property improvements by having lower hysteresis, higher elongation to break, and higher retractive force. TPV products having lower PSDI and improved elastic properties, and apparatus for conducting the disclosed method, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Sudhin Datta, Andy H. Tsou, Ron Walker, Bethany M. Welke
  • Patent number: 10920029
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a monolayer, sealable film includes polyethylene; and between about 0.2 wt % and about 10 wt % of a branched cyclic olefin copolymer (bCOC) comprising: between about 50 wt % to about 98 wt % ethylene; and between about 2 wt % and about 50 wt % cyclic olefin derived monomer units. In another embodiment, a receptacle for containing organic material (such as food), gas, and/or fluent material includes a storage zone; a sealing zone extending around at least a portion of the storage zone; and a film structure having an exterior surface and a storage side surface facing the storage zone, wherein the film structure comprises a gas barrier film, comprising: polyethylene; and between about 0.2 wt % and about 10 wt % of a branched cyclic olefin copolymer (bCOC) comprising: between about 50 wt % and about 98 wt % ethylene; and between about 2 wt % and about 50 wt % cyclic olefin derived monomer units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Yang, Kimari T. M. Slaughter, Hillary L. Passino, Bethany M. Welke, Lynette E. Home-Campbell
  • Patent number: 10858504
    Abstract: A composite comprising a polyethylene and within a range from 1 wt % to 25 wt % of at least one cyclic-olefin copolymer by weight of the composition, where the polyethylene may have a density of at least 0.90 g/cm3, and where the cyclic-olefin copolymer has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 30° C. Disclosed also is the feature of orienting the composite to form an oriented article, wherein the article comprises rods having an average length of at least 1 ?m, and at least 5 nm in average diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Yang, Alexander I. Norman, Andy H. Tsou, Kimari T. M. Slaughter, Bethany M. Welke, Dinara R. Sunagatullina
  • Publication number: 20200172715
    Abstract: This invention relates to blend, and films thereof, comprising: 1) semicrystalline cyclic olefin copolymer comprising less than 15 wt % of a C5-C40 cyclic olefin comonomer and greater than 85 wt % of a C2-C40 linear and/or branched olefin monomer content having a density of about 0.92 g/cm3 to about 0.94 g/cm3, modulus less than 20-80 kpsi, an elongation at break of 150-500%, and a glass transition temperatures less than 38° C.; 2) an amorphous cyclic olefin copolymer comprising more than 25 wt % of a C5-C40 cyclic olefin comonomer and less than 75 wt % of a C2-C40 linear and/or branched olefin monomer having a density greater than 1.0 g/cm3, a modulus of 260-380 kpsi, an elongation at break of <4%, and a glass transition temperature of 54 to 138° C.; and 3) a semicrystalline olefin copolymer comprising C2-C40 monomers having a density of about 0.90 g/cm3 to about 0.96 g/cm3, a modulus less than 150 kpsi, an elongation at break of greater than 400%, and a glass transition temperatures less than ?32° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Nino Ruocco, David M. Fiscus, Summer J. Bernhardt, Bethany M. Welke, Joseph A. Throckmorton, Joseph A. Moebus, Tamara L. Blanton, Kimari T. M. Slaughter
  • Publication number: 20190309154
    Abstract: Use of twin screw extrusion to further enhance the uniformity of crosslinked rubber dispersion in thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) to improve elastic properties of TPVs is disclosed. Most specifically, this invention employs intermeshing twin screw extruders to further homogenize dynamically vulcanized rubber dispersions in TPVs so that their particle size dispersion index (PSDI), or the ratio of weight average equivalent dispersion particle diameter to number average equivalent dispersion particle diameter, can be lowered to less than 1.6 or 1.57 with corresponding elastic property improvements by having lower hysteresis, higher elongation to break, and higher retractive force. TPV products having lower PSDI and improved elastic properties, and apparatus for conducting the disclosed method, are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Sudhin Datta, Andy H. Tsou, Ron Walker, Bethany M. Welke
  • Publication number: 20190263985
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a monolayer, sealable film includes polyethylene; and between about 0.2 wt % and about 10 wt % of a branched cyclic olefin copolymer (bCOC) comprising: between about 50 wt % to about 98 wt % ethylene; and between about 2 wt % and about 50 wt % cyclic olefin derived monomer units. In another embodiment, a receptacle for containing organic material (such as food), gas, and/or fluent material includes a storage zone; a sealing zone extending around at least a portion of the storage zone; and a film structure having an exterior surface and a storage side surface facing the storage zone, wherein the film structure comprises a gas barrier film, comprising: polyethylene; and between about 0.2 wt % and about 10 wt % of a branched cyclic olefin copolymer (bCOC) comprising: between about 50 wt % and about 98 wt % ethylene; and between about 2 wt % and about 50 wt % cyclic olefin derived monomer units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Yong Yang, Kimari T.M. Slaughter, Hillary L. Passino, Bethany M. Welke, Lynette E. Horne-Campbell