Patents by Inventor Brian Wester

Brian Wester 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: 10710930
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of making a fiber-reinforced cementitious composite material which finds widespread applicability in a variety of construction and related applications. The composite comprises cellulosic fibrous material in order to provide the composite with the desired performance characteristics. Notably, at least a portion of the cellulosic fibrous material comprises surfaced enhanced pulp fiber, which desirably enhances the processing characteristics of the material, as well enhancing the characteristics of the finished composite product. The method of making a fiber-reinforced cementitious composite comprising the steps of providing a cementitious composition, and providing cellulosic fibrous material. The present method further includes blending the cementitious composition and the cellulosic fibrous material to form the cementitious composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: DOMTAR PAPER COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Bruno Marcoccia, Harshad Pande, Brian Wester
  • Publication number: 20170226009
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of making a fiber-reinforced cementitious composite material which finds widespread applicability in a variety of construction and related applications. The composite comprises cellulosic fibrous material in order to provide the composite with the desired performance characteristics. Notably, at least a portion of the cellulosic fibrous material comprises surfaced enhanced pulp fiber, which desirably enhances the processing characteristics of the material, as well enhancing the characteristics of the finished composite product. The method of making a fiber-reinforced cementitious composite comprising the steps of providing a cementitious composition, and providing cellulosic fibrous material. The present method further includes blending the cementitious composition and the cellulosic fibrous material to form the cementitious composite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Bruno Marcoccia, Harshad Pande, Brian Wester
  • Patent number: 7290353
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated crosslinked cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated, crosslinked, and dried fibers. In accordance with the process, a feed pulp containing a crosslinker is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be further treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl, and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Yancey, Brian Wester, Michael David Vrbanac, Ramon Charles Dezutter
  • Patent number: 7226525
    Abstract: A pulp product that has a low COD is comprised of an unbleached pulp that is soaked and washed in alkaline water for a sufficient time so that the COD after soaking and washing is less than or equal to 3.0 kg/1000 kg of dry pulp. The pulp is produced by repetitively soaking and washing an unbleached pulp in alkaline water that is never allowed to drop below pH 7.0. The pulp is soaked and washed for a total of at least 400 minutes at an elevated temperature to produce the pulp product that has a low COD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Weyehaeuser Company
    Inventors: Michael D. Vrbanac, Brian Wester, Brian E. Dennis, Peter K. Lau, Julie A. Reimer, David W. Bickell
  • Patent number: 7090744
    Abstract: A process for making a composition for conversion to lyocell fiber where the process comprises pulping a raw material in a digester to provide an alkaline pulp, wherein the raw material comprises sawdust in an amount greater than 0 % up to 100 %; and contacting the alkaline pulp comprising cellulose and at least about 7 % hemicellulose under alkaline conditions with an amount of an oxidant sufficient to reduce the average degree of polymerization of the cellulose to within the range of from about 200 to about 1100, without substantially reducing the hemicellulose content of the pulp or substantially increasing the copper number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: James E. Sealey, II, W. Harvey Persinger, Jr., Mengkui Luo, Brian Wester
  • Patent number: 7081184
    Abstract: A process for making a pulp product that has a low COD is comprised of soaking and washing pulp in alkaline water for a sufficient time so that the COD after soaking and washing is less than or equal to 2.0 kg/1000 kg of dry pulp. The process includes repetitively soaking and washing an unbleached pulp in alkaline water that is never allowed to drop below pH 7.0. In this process, the pulp is soaked and washed for a total of at least 220 minutes at an elevated temperature to produce the pulp product that has a low COD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Brian Wester, Michael D. Vrbanac, Julie A. Reimer, Peter K. Lau, Brian E. Dennis, David W. Bickell
  • Patent number: 7018508
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated crosslinked cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated, crosslinked, and dried fibers. In accordance with the process, a feed pulp containing a crosslinker is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be further treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Yancey, Brian Wester, Michael David Vrbanac, Ramon Charles Dezutter
  • Publication number: 20050145355
    Abstract: A process for making a fiber product from the waste fiber derived from a virgin fiber pulping or paper making facility. The method comprising dewatering the waste fiber, flaking, then drying. The fiber product is useful for many applications, including use as animal bedding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Brian Wester, Melissa Johnson, Greg Drinkwater
  • Patent number: 6910285
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated and dried fibers. In accordance with the process a feed pulp is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Michael David Vrbanac, Ramon Charles Dezutter, Brian Wester, Michael James Yancey
  • Patent number: 6865822
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated and dried fibers. In accordance with the process a feed pulp is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Michael David Vrbanac, Ramon Charles Dezutter, Brian Wester, Michael James Yancey
  • Patent number: 6862819
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated and dried fibers. In accordance with the process a feed pulp is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Michael David Vrbanac, Ramon Charles Dezutter, Brian Wester, Michael James Yancey
  • Patent number: 6861023
    Abstract: A process for making lyocell fibers including the steps of pulping raw material in a digester to provide an alkaline pulp, wherein the raw material includes sawdust in an amount greater than 0% up to 100%; contacting the alkaline pulp including cellulose and at least about 7% hemicellulose under alkaline conditions with an amount of an oxidant sufficient to reduce the average degree of polymerization of the cellulose to the range of from about 200 to about 1100 without substantially reducing the hemicellulose content or substantially increasing the copper number of the pulp; and forming fibers from the pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: James E. Sealey, II, W. Harvey Persinger, Jr., Mengkui Luo, Brian Wester
  • Publication number: 20050022415
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated crosslinked cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated, crosslinked, and dried fibers. In accordance with the process, a feed pulp containing a crosslinker is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be further treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl, and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Yancey, Brian Wester, Michael Vrbanac, Ramon Dezutter
  • Patent number: 6837452
    Abstract: A process for making singulated pulp flakes is provided. The process includes dewatering liquid pulp stock to a consistency of about 30 to about 50% solids. The process includes initial flaking to break up the dewatered pulp bundles into semi-uniform flakes having a median size of from about 3 to about 5 mm3 and a consistency of from about 33 to about 55% solids. The process includes drying the flaked pulp to a consistency of from about 85 to about 97% solids. The process includes flaking a second time to separate the flakes that may have bonded during drying. The product “singulated” flakes then go to a baler for packaging. In another embodiment, the process includes blending the liquid pulp stock with at least one adjuvant prior to dewatering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Ramon C. Dezutter, Brian Wester, Robert A. Veleber, Michael R. Hansen
  • Patent number: 6811879
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a new form of pulp that is a flake having a specific size, density, and wet dispersibility. The flakes are easy to meter in specified quantities when adding to cementitious products, because bulk quantities of the flakes flow well in conduits and other enclosed containers. The pulp flakes can supply sufficient cellulose fiber to an extrusion process due to the flakes' high fiber density. The pulp flakes have a wet dispersability that is comparable to some pulp sheets that have not been hammermilled. In one embodiment of the invention, a pulp flake is provided that has a wet dispersion of from about 60 to about 240 counts as measured by a standard British disintegrator. Another embodiment of a pulp flake has a density of from about 0.3 to about 0.7 g/cc. In one embodiment, the pulp flake has a size of from about 3 to about 5 mm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Ramon C. Dezutter, Brian Wester, Robert A. Veleber, Michael R. Hansen
  • Publication number: 20040177936
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated and dried fibers. In accordance with the process a feed pulp is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp is treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Michael David Vrbanac, Ramon Charles Dezutter, Brian Wester, Michael James Yancey
  • Patent number: 6782637
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated crosslinked cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated, crosslinked, and dried fibers. In accordance with the process, a feed pulp containing a crosslinker is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be further treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Yancey, Brian Wester, Michael David Vrbanac, Ramon Charles Dezutter
  • Patent number: 6769199
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated and dried fibers. In accordance with the process a feed pulp is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Michael David Vrbanac, Ramon Charles Dezutter, Brian Wester, Michael James Yancey
  • Publication number: 20040123483
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated and dried fibers. In accordance with the process a feed pulp is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Michael David Vrbanac, Raman Charles Dezutter, Brian Wester, Michael James Yancey
  • Patent number: 6748671
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated and dried fibers. In accordance with the process a feed pulp is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Michael David Vrbanac, Ramon Charles Dezutter, Brian Wester, Michael James Yancey