Patents by Inventor Donald LeRoy Smith

Donald LeRoy Smith 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: 10596042
    Abstract: A liquid absorbent structure is made by dry laying a fibrous web having incorporated therein a superabsorbent material, and applying an aqueous composite stabilizer to at least one surface of the web. The aqueous composite stabilizer imparts integrity to the resulting structure without substantially impairing the effectiveness of the superabsorbent material to absorb liquid while forming the absorbent structure without removing the water from aqueous composite stabilizer or drying out the absorbent structure. The absorbent composite absorbs the water from the aqueous composite stabilizer. The absorbent composite comprises about 70% by weight of a superabsorbent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: David Arthur Fell, Steven Michael Hurley, Donald LeRoy Smith, Kendell Jean Williams, Nicholas Alan Kraft, Johanna Marie Buss, David John Paulson, Thomas Gerard Vercauteren, Sara Lynn Rosack, James George Van Himbergen
  • Patent number: 10548782
    Abstract: A liquid absorbent structure is made by dry laying a fibrous web having incorporated therein a superabsorbent material, and applying an aqueous composite stabilizer to at least one surface of the web. The aqueous composite stabilizer imparts integrity to the resulting structure without substantially impairing the effectiveness of the superabsorbent material to absorb liquid while forming the absorbent structure without removing the water from aqueous composite stabilizer or drying out the absorbent structure. The absorbent composite absorbs the water from the aqueous composite stabilizer. The absorbent composite comprises about 70% by weight of a superabsorbent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David Arthur Fell, Steven Michael Hurley, Donald LeRoy Smith, Kendell Jean Williams, Nicholas Alan Kraft, Johanna Marie Buss, David John Paulson, Thomas Gerard Vercauteren, Sara Lynn Rosack, James George Van Himbergen
  • Publication number: 20180185200
    Abstract: A liquid absorbent structure is made by dry laying a fibrous web having incorporated therein a superabsorbent material, and applying an aqueous composite stabilizer to at least one surface of the web. The aqueous composite stabilizer imparts integrity to the resulting structure without substantially impairing the effectiveness of the superabsorbent material to absorb liquid while forming the absorbent structure without removing the water from aqueous composite stabilizer or drying out the absorbent structure. The absorbent composite absorbs the water from the aqueous composite stabilizer. The absorbent composite comprises about 70% by weight of a superabsorbent material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: David Arthur Fell, Steven Michael Hurley, Donald LeRoy Smith, Kendell Jean Williams, Nicholas Alan Kraft, Johanna Marie Buss, David John Paulson, Thomas Gerard Vercauteren, Sara Lynn Rosack, James George Van Himbergen
  • Publication number: 20180021188
    Abstract: A liquid absorbent structure is made by dry laying a fibrous web having incorporated therein a superabsorbent material, and applying an aqueous composite stabilizer to at least one surface of the web. The aqueous composite stabilizer imparts integrity to the resulting structure without substantially impairing the effectiveness of the superabsorbent material to absorb liquid while forming the absorbent structure without removing the water from aqueous composite stabilizer or drying out the absorbent structure. The absorbent composite absorbs the water from the aqueous composite stabilizer. The absorbent composite comprises about 70% by weight of a superabsorbent material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: David Arthur Fell, Steven Michael Hurley, Donald LeRoy Smith, Kendell Jean Williams, Nicholas Alan Kraft, Johanna Marie Buss, David John Paulson, Thomas Gerard Vercauteren, Sara Lynn Rosack, James George Van Himbergen
  • Patent number: 9808381
    Abstract: A liquid absorbent structure is made by dry laying a fibrous web having incorporated therein a superabsorbent material, and applying an aqueous composite stabilizer to at least one surface of the web. The aqueous composite stabilizer imparts integrity to the resulting structure without substantially impairing the effectiveness of the superabsorbent material to absorb liquid while forming the absorbent structure without removing the water from aqueous composite stabilizer or drying out the absorbent structure. The absorbent composite absorbs the water from the aqueous composite stabilizer. The absorbent composite comprises about 70% by weight of a superabsorbent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David Arthur Fell, Steven Michael Hurley, Donald LeRoy Smith, Kendell Jean Williams, Nicholas Alan Kraft, Johanna Marie Buss, David John Paulson, Thomas Gerard Vercauteren, Sara Lynn Rosack, James George Van Himbergen
  • Publication number: 20170143562
    Abstract: A liquid absorbent structure is made by dry laying a fibrous web having incorporated therein a superabsorbent material, and applying an aqueous composite stabilizer to at least one surface of the web. The aqueous composite stabilizer imparts integrity to the resulting structure without substantially impairing the effectiveness of the superabsorbent material to absorb liquid while forming the absorbent structure without removing the water from aqueous composite stabilizer or drying out the absorbent structure. The absorbent composite absorbs the water from the aqueous composite stabilizer. The absorbent composite comprises about 70% by weight of a superabsorbent material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: David Arthur Fell, Steven Michael Hurley, Donald LeRoy Smith, Kendell Jean Williams, Nicholas Alan Kraft, Johanna Marie Buss, David John Paulson, Thomas Gerard Vercauteren, Sara Lynn Rosack, James George Van Himbergen
  • Patent number: 9572729
    Abstract: A liquid absorbent structure is made by dry laying a fibrous web having incorporated therein a superabsorbent material, and applying an aqueous composite stabilizer to at least one surface of the web. The aqueous composite stabilizer imparts integrity to the resulting structure without substantially impairing the effectiveness of the superabsorbent material to absorb liquid while forming the absorbent structure without removing the water from aqueous composite stabilizer or drying out the absorbent structure. The absorbent composite absorbs the water from the aqueous composite stabilizer. The absorbent composite comprises about 70% by weight of a superabsorbent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David Arthur Fell, Steven Michael Hurley, Donald LeRoy Smith, Kendell Jean Williams, Nicholas Alan Kraft, Johanna Marie Buss, David John Paulson, Thomas Gerard Vercauteren, Sara Lynn Rosack, James George Van Himbergen
  • Publication number: 20150094682
    Abstract: A liquid absorbent structure is made by dry laying a fibrous web having incorporated therein a superabsorbent material, and applying an aqueous composite stabilizer to at least one surface of the web. The aqueous composite stabilizer imparts integrity to the resulting structure without substantially impairing the effectiveness of the superabsorbent material to absorb liquid while forming the absorbent structure without removing the water from aqueous composite stabilizer or drying out the absorbent structure. The absorbent composite absorbs the water from the aqueous composite stabilizer. The absorbent composite comprises about 70% by weight of a superabsorbent material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David Arthur Fell, Steven Michael Hurley, Donald LeRoy Smith, Kendell Jean Williams, Nicholas Alan Kraft, Johanna Marie Buss, David John Paulson, Thomas Gerard Vercauteren, Sara Lynn Rosack, James George Van Himbergen
  • Patent number: 6652693
    Abstract: The present invention provides a distinctive method and apparatus (20) for forming an article which includes one or more selectively configured strands of material. In particular aspects, the invention can provide a method and apparatus for wrapping a strand of material with a selected filament, and desirably, the filament can be an adhesive filament. The technique of the invention can include a moving of a strand of material (22) at a selected speed along an appointed machine-direction (34). A substantially continuous filament (24) can be directed onto the strand of material (22) along an oscillating filament path (26) to form a plurality of filament threads (28) extending from opposed lateral side regions (30) of the strand of material (22). An air stream (32) is directed to operatively wrap the filament threads (28) around the strand of material (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Conrad Burriss, Robert Thomas Cimini, Chris Lee Heikkinen, David Andrae Justmann, Richard Francis Keller, Donald LeRoy Smith, David James VanEperen
  • Publication number: 20010025683
    Abstract: The present invention provides a distinctive method and apparatus (20) for forming an article which includes one or more selectively configured strands of material. In particular aspects, the invention can provide a method and apparatus for wrapping a strand of material with a selected filament, and desirably, the filament can be an adhesive filament. The technique of the invention can include a moving of a strand of material (22) at a selected speed along an appointed machine-direction (34). A substantially continuous filament (24) can be directed onto the strand of material (22) along an oscillating filament path (26) to form a plurality of filament threads (28) extending from opposed lateral side regions (30) of the strand of material (22). An air stream (32) is directed to operatively wrap the filament threads (28) around the strand of material (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Inventors: JOSEPH CONRAD BURRISS, ROBERT THOMAS CIMINI, CHRIS LEE HEIKKINEN, DAVID ANDRAE JUSTMANN, RICHARD FRANCIS KELLER, DONALD LEROY SMITH, DAVID JAMES VANEPEREN
  • Patent number: 6235137
    Abstract: A distinctive method and apparatus for forming an article includes a moving of at least one first strand of material, such as strand (22), along an appointed machine-direction (34). The at least one first strand of material is attached to a base layer of material (42) to provide a substrate composite (40), and a laminate layer (44) can be placed adjacent the at least one first strand of material to provide a laminate composite web (48). In a particular aspect, at least one second strand of material, such as strand (56), can be moved along its appointed machine-direction, and the at least one second strand of material can be attached to the base layer (42). In another aspect, an appointed portion of the base layer (42) can be folded to substantially enclose the at least one second strand (56) with the base layer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David James Van Eperen, Mark John Beitz, Joseph Conrad Burriss, Robert Thomas Cimini, Chris Lee Heikkinen, Daniel Hoo, David Andrae Justmann, Richard Francis Keller, Douglas Paul Rammer, Lorry Francis Sallee, Jeffrey Joseph Samida, Donald LeRoy Smith, Raymond Gerard St. Louis, Barbara Jean Wink
  • Patent number: D779628
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Inventor: Donald LeRoy Smith