Patents by Inventor Gregory Michael Bixler
Gregory Michael Bixler 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).
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Patent number: 9914234Abstract: The present invention provides a perforating station comprising two or more discrete perforating stations, the stations synchronized with one another to cut a line of perforations across a web, such as a web of tissue paper, moving at high speeds. By providing two or more synchronized perforating stations the perforating station may increase the number of impacts per minute compared to prior art perforating devices.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2016Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: James Leo Baggot, Robert Eugene Krautkramer, Kyle Andrew Krautkramer, Gregory Michael Bixler, Matthew Robert Wilson, Frank Stephen Hada
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Publication number: 20170327337Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for making adjustments to the web converting machinery based upon the measured web caliper. Generally the web caliper is measured without contacting the web and in real time while the web is being conveyed at high rates of speed. The web caliper measuring system may be employed in the web converting system to improve web caliper control and improve winding. The web caliper measurement may be fed back to a calendering system to improve the caliper of web fed into a winding system, or the caliper may be fed forward to the web winding system to improve web tension and winding performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2014Publication date: November 16, 2017Inventors: Gregory Michael Bixler, Vivek Moreshwar Karandikar, Daniel James Wilczynski
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Patent number: 9540202Abstract: Registration and inspection systems and methods for use on a winder are disclosed. The systems and methods include scanning a region proximate a winding module with one or more sensors to determine a product defect. The product defect is then associated with a winding process parameter, such as percent roll build information or the identity of the particular sensor to first detect the defect. The winding process parameter is used to classify the defect into one or more defect profiles. The defect profiles can be based at least in part on segmenting the roll build of a web onto a winding module into a plurality of inspection windows and segmenting a plurality of sensors into a plurality of inspection sensor segments.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2014Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Brett Schoenberg, Mark Gary Dollevoet, Jeffrey George Skarda, Matthew Robert Wilson, Kevin B. Sartain, Gregory Michael Bixler, Daniel Mark Heinz, Vivek Moreshwar Karandikar
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Patent number: 9340389Abstract: Coreless rolls of tissue, such as rolls of bath tissue or paper towels, are produced by winding tissue logs on a mandrel having retractable pins. During winding, the pins extend and penetrate the first several windings of the log as it is initially wound, which prevents slippage. After the winding is complete, the pins retract to allow the tissue log to slide off of the mandrel for subsequent slitting into individual product rolls and packaging. The penetration of the pins into the first several windings of the log tends to mechanically entangle and structurally unify those windings to create a “soft core”. At the same time, the properties of the tissue sheets within the soft core are the same as the other sheets within the roll and are therefore usable by the consumer.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2014Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Gregory Michael Bixler, Daniel Mark Heinz, Vivek Moreshwar Karandikar, Frank Stephen Hada, James Leo Baggot
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Publication number: 20160121501Abstract: The present invention provides a perforating station comprising two or more discrete perforating stations, the stations synchronized with one another to cut a line of perforations across a web, such as a web of tissue paper, moving at high speeds. By providing two or more synchronized perforating stations the perforating station may increase the number of impacts per minute compared to prior art perforating devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2016Publication date: May 5, 2016Inventors: James Leo Baggot, Robert Eugene Krautkramer, Kyle Andrew Krautkramer, Gregory Michael Bixler, Matthew Robert Wilson, Frank Stephen Hada
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Patent number: 9302872Abstract: A web winding and measuring system is provided. The system includes a rotatably-mounted spool onto which a web of material is wound to form a roll. The system additionally includes a light-emitting device configured to illuminate the roll by light, providing a line on a cylindrical surface of the roll in a cross-machine direction, a light-receiving device configured to detect the line and generate measurement data from the detected line, and a computing device communicatively coupled to the light-receiving device and configured to receive the measurement data and calculate a diameter of the roll.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2013Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Gregory Michael Bixler, Vivek Moreshwar Karandikar, Daniel James Wilczynski
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Publication number: 20150034757Abstract: A web winding and measuring system is provided. The system includes a rotatably-mounted spool onto which a web of material is wound to form a roll. The system additionally includes a light-emitting device configured to illuminate the roll by light, providing a line on a cylindrical surface of the roll in a cross-machine direction, a light-receiving device configured to detect the line and generate measurement data from the detected line, and a computing device communicatively coupled to the light-receiving device and configured to receive the measurement data and calculate a diameter of the roll.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2013Publication date: February 5, 2015Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Gregory Michael Bixler, Vivek Moreshwar Karandikar, Daniel James Wilczynski
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Publication number: 20140238210Abstract: The present invention provides a perforating station comprising two or more discrete perforating stations, the stations synchronized with one another to cut a line of perforations across a web, such as a web of tissue paper, moving at high speeds. By providing two or more synchronized perforating stations the perforating station may increase the number of impacts per minute compared to prior art perforating devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2013Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: James Leo Baggot, Robert Eugene Krautkramer, Kyle Andrew Krautkramer, Gregory Michael Bixler, Matthew Robert Wilson, Frank Stephen Hada
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Publication number: 20140224919Abstract: Coreless rolls of tissue, such as rolls of bath tissue or paper towels, are produced by winding tissue logs on a mandrel having retractable pins. During winding, the pins extend and penetrate the first several windings of the log as it is initially wound, which prevents slippage. After the winding is complete, the pins retract to allow the tissue log to slide off of the mandrel for subsequent slitting into individual product rolls and packaging. The penetration of the pins into the first several windings of the log tends to mechanically entangle and structurally unify those windings to create a “soft core”. At the same time, the properties of the tissue sheets within the soft core are the same as the other sheets within the roll and are therefore usable by the consumer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2014Publication date: August 14, 2014Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Gregory Michael Bixler, Daniel Mark Heinz, Vivek Moreshwar Karandikar, Frank Stephen Hada, James Leo Baggot
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Publication number: 20140217226Abstract: Registration and inspection systems and methods for use on a winder are disclosed. The systems and methods include scanning a region proximate a winding module with one or more sensors to determine a product defect. The product defect is then associated with a winding process parameter, such as percent roll build information or the identity of the particular sensor to first detect the defect. The winding process parameter is used to classify the defect into one or more defect profiles. The defect profiles can be based at least in part on segmenting the roll build of a web onto a winding module into a plurality of inspection windows and segmenting a plurality of sensors into a plurality of inspection sensor segments.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2014Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Brett Schoenberg, Mark Gary Dollevoet, Jeffrey George Skarda, Matthew Robert Wilson, Kevin B. Sartain, Gregory Michael Bixler, Daniel Mark Heinz, Vivek Moreshwar Karandikar
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Patent number: 8714472Abstract: Registration and inspection systems and methods for use on a winder are disclosed. The systems and methods include scanning a region proximate a winding module with one or more sensors to determine a product defect. The product defect is then associated with a winding process parameter, such as percent roll build information or the identity of the particular sensor to first detect the defect. The winding process parameter is used to classify the defect into one or more defect profiles. The defect profiles can be based at least in part on segmenting the roll build of a web onto a winding module into a plurality of inspection windows and segmenting a plurality of sensors into a plurality of inspection sensor segments.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2010Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Brett Schoenberg, Mark Gary Dollevoet, Jeffrey George Skarda, Matthew Robert Wilson, Kevin B. Sartain, Gregory Michael Bixler, Daniel Mark Heinz, Vivek Moreshwar Karandikar
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Publication number: 20130153703Abstract: A method and apparatus for winding a moving web upon a mandrel is disclosed. A moving web with a leading edge is conveyed towards a mandrel. The mandrel is adapted to allow the moving web to adhere to the mandrel at a specific circumferential location on the mandrel. To enable control of the location of the mandrel, the mandrel further includes a reference input to identify the specific circumferential location. A position sensor is used to determine the position of the reference input. The position of the specific circumferential location of the mandrel is controlled with a position drive control that controls the rotational speed of the mandrel. The position drive control sets the rotational speed of the mandrel to allow transfer of the leading edge of the moving web near the specific circumferential location.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Inventors: Gregory Michael Bixler, Daniel Mark Heinz, Vivek Moreshwar Karandikar, Frank Stephen Hada, James Leo Baggot
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Publication number: 20110240789Abstract: Registration and inspection systems and methods for use on a winder are disclosed. The systems and methods include scanning a region proximate a winding module with one or more sensors to determine a product defect. The product defect is then associated with a winding process parameter, such as percent roll build information or the identity of the particular sensor to first detect the defect. The winding process parameter is used to classify the defect into one or more defect profiles. The defect profiles can be based at least in part on segmenting the roll build of a web onto a winding module into a plurality of inspection windows and segmenting a plurality of sensors into a plurality of inspection sensor segments.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2010Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Brett Schoenberg, Mark Gary Dollevoet, Jeffrey George Skarda, Matthew Robert Wilson, Kevin B. Sartain, Gregory Michael Bixler, Daniel Mark Heinz, Vivek Moreshwar Karandikar