Abstract: A paper towel sheet is disclosed which contains a low strength adhesive material strategically applied to selected areas of the sheet. The adhesive areas enable the user to optionally fold and form the sheets into three-dimensional shapes suitable for a variety of new uses, such as making “bowls” for holding popcorn or other food, for example.

Abstract: A method of dewatering a fabric includes contacting the fabric with an endless wicking substrate.

Abstract: A fabric dewatering apparatus for use after a fabric cleansing apparatus in a paper machine including: an endless wicking substrate disposed for rotation about a dryer roll; the endless wicking substrate and the fabric brought into surface contact as the fabric traverses at least a portion of the dryer roll's circumference; and a wicking substrate dewatering apparatus disposed along the wicking substrate's travel path after the dryer roll.

Abstract: A method of making soft, strong, high bulk tissue is disclosed. The method includes pre-conditioning a wet web by straining the wet web in the cross-machine direction prior to transferring the wet web to a throughdrying fabric. The pre-conditioned web provides improved sheet softness and conforms more readily to the surface contour of the throughdrying fabric, thereby creating greater caliper (bulk) in the resulting dried sheet. The bulk is maintained during a subsequent creping step by maintaining the dried sheet in registration with the throughdrying fabric when the dried sheet is applied to the surface of the creping cylinder.

Abstract: A method of making soft, strong, high bulk tissue is disclosed. The method includes pre-conditioning a wet web by straining the wet web in the cross-machine direction prior to transferring the wet web to a throughdrying fabric. The pre-conditioned web provides improved sheet softness and conforms more readily to the surface contour of the throughdrying fabric, thereby creating greater caliper (bulk) in the resulting dried sheet. The bulk is maintained during a subsequent creping step by maintaining the dried sheet in registration with the throughdrying fabric when the dried sheet is applied to the surface of the creping cylinder.

Abstract: A papermaking machine for making paper includes a forming section, a press section, and a drying section. The paper web is pressed between two press members while enclosed between a press felt and a transfer belt having non-uniformly distributed microscopic depressions in its surface, the web following the transfer belt from the press to a transfer point at which the web is transferred via a suction transfer device onto a structuring fabric, the web then being dried on a drying cylinder. The transfer point is spaced a distance D from the press nip selected based on machine speed, a basis weight of the web, and the surface characteristics of the transfer belt, such that within the distance D a thin water film between the web and the transfer belt at least partially dissipates to allow the web to be separated from the transfer belt.

Abstract: A notification service that efficiently scales to the number and variety of notifications and users being serviced. The notification service is separated into three general functional components. A listener component receives a notification in a network format suitable for transmitting the notification over a network. The listener component translates the notification into an internal processing format used by the notification service. The notification is then forwarded to a routing component that determines a category associated with the notification, and performs a set of one or more operations on the notification based on its category. Finally, the notification service is forwarded to a delivery service for delivery of the notification to the notification sink. The listener component, the routing component, and the delivery component may each be scaled in order to adjust for current processing loads using load balancing functionality.

Abstract: By designing a belt-driven unwind to have two distinct belt tension areas, the belt pressure against the unwinding roll can be decreased. The belt-driven unwind can have a higher belt tension section for proper belt tracking and to prevent slippage at the drive roller, and the belt driven unwind can have a lower belt tension section for the portion of the belt in contact with the unwinding roll. In this manner, the belt-driven unwind can be used with soft, bulky tissue rolls without damaging the rolls like a conventional belt-driven unwind.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (20) for intermittently cutting a moving target web (26) includes rotating a knife roll (32) having at least one knife member (44) to provide an operative knife-member speed, and rotating an anvil roll (34) having at least one anvil member (46) to provide an operative anvil-member speed. The knife roll and anvil roll have been positioned to provide an operative nip region (30) therebetween, and a substantially continuous target web (26) has been moved at a selected web speed through the nip region. A rotational positioning of the knife member has been coordinated with a rotational positioning of its cooperating anvil member to provide an operative, cutting engagement between the knife member and its cooperating anvil member, thereby cutting the moving web at cut locations which are intermittently spaced along a machine-direction (22) of the target web.

Abstract: A method, system, computer program product, and devices for salary planning and performance management, including at least one of means for allowing documents used by organizations for salary planning, performance management, or other human resource (HR) processes to be used as a user interface to an automated system; and means for allowing documents used by organizations for salary planning, performance management, or other human resource (HR) processes to be used to generate online forms that closely mirror the documents and subsequent changes to the documents via an automated system.

Abstract: A tissue product having a combination of substantially equal tensile energy absorbed (TEA) in the machine direction and the cross-machine direction of the tissue sheet and a significant level of stretch in both directions provides improved perception of strength and resistance to “poke through” in use.

Abstract: A protocol for synchronizing data is provided. Additionally, a system and method of using the protocol are also provided. The protocol allows responses to be grouped with commands in a single XML document. It provides a command for requesting a single object be sent without requiring that all unsynchronized objects be sent. It provides a command for specifying how many objects at a time should be sent and a response that indicates that more objects are available to be sent. It provides a means for arbitrarily extending the protocol in application-specific ways. It provides a means for sending updates while requesting that no updates be sent back.

Abstract: A notification service that efficiently scales to the number and variety of notifications and users being serviced. The notification service is separated into three general functional components. A listener component receives a notification in a network format suitable for transmitting the notification over a network. The listener component translates the notification into an internal processing format used by the notification service. The notification is then forwarded to a routing component that determines a category associated with the notification, and performs a set of one or more operations on the notification based on its category. Finally, the notification service is forwarded to a delivery service for delivery of the notification to the notification sink. The listener component, the routing component, and the delivery component may each be scaled in order to adjust for current processing loads using load balancing functionality.

Abstract: An optical modulator includes first and second modulator segments. The first and second modulator segments form an optical signal path for an optical signal. The optical modulator also includes an electrical signal path capable of receiving and carrying a modulation signal, which is applied to the optical signal at the first and second modulation segments to generate a modulated optical signal. An inductive element may be disposed between electrical inputs to the first and second modulator segments. The optical modulator may be an electro-absorption modulator (EAM). The inductive element may be an inductor or a transmission line segment.

Abstract: The energy efficiency of a throughdrying papermaking process is improved by recycling exhaust gas from one or more throughdryers prior to throughdrying to profile the consistency of the web.

Abstract: A tissue sheet is made using a modified wet pressed tissue machine employing an integrally sealed air press. The apparatus includes: a forming roll; a drying cylinder positioned downstream of the forming roll; an air press positioned between the forming roll and the drying cylinder; a molding fabric adjacent a first fabric such that both fabrics travel through the air press, and wherein the air press is installed to direct a pressurized fluid through the molding fabric first and then through the first fabric; and a pressure roll adjacent the drying cylinder for pressing the molding fabric against the drying cylinder.

Abstract: A method of sealing percutaneous punctures in a patient's body that open into an internal body cavity using a sealing material such as a fibrin adhesive while preventing the sealing material from entering the body cavity. An apparatus for delivering the sealing material is also disclosed.

Abstract: The subject invention provides a means of flanging a plastic lined steel pipe in a field fabrication environment by either threading or welding the flange adapter to the pipe housing, employing a rotating back up flange for easy bolt hole alignment during assembly, and providing a vent path for permeating gases trapped between the plastic liner and the pipe housing to escape.

Abstract: The present invention provides a provisioning interface between a plurality of wireless communication carriers and a mobile data service provider, which allows carrier specific business logic to be executed at the provider. This is especially useful when managing account information that identifies which of the provider's services are available to each of the plurality of carriers' individual users. A request handler receives a request from the carrier and processes the request to generate a work item, which is then stored for future processing. A request processor can then retrieve the work item, determine an appropriate task processor, and pass the work item to the appropriate task processor for processing. Finally, a task processor is provided that processes one or more tasks associated with the work item in accordance with the carrier's business logic stored in a business logic store.

Abstract: A tissue sheet is made using a modified wet pressing process employing an integrally sealed air press. After initial formation and conventional vacuum dewatering, the wet web may be conformed to the surface contour of a relatively coarse fabric to give the web a textured surface. By creating a pressure differential across the web, the air press noncompressively dewaters the wet web to a consistency of about 30 to about 40 percent prior to a heated drying cylinder. The web may be dried to substantially preserve its three-dimensional, throughdried-like-texture. The process provides a web having an exceptionally high degree of bulk and absorbency not expected in wet-pressed products.