Patents by Inventor John Wnek

John Wnek 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: 7897015
    Abstract: Tissue products are described that have been topically treated with a chemical additive, such as a softener. The softener may be, for instance, a polysiloxane. The polysiloxane is topically applied to a tissue sheet, such as a single ply sheet, so as to form a Z-directional gradient in the sheet. Particular, most of the polysiloxane remains on the surface of the tissue product as opposed to migrating to the center of the sheet. In this manner, tissue sheets are formed with improved softness at lower levels of polysiloxane and without the need for applying any surfactants to the sheet. A system for applying chemical additives to tissue sheets is also described. The system includes a chemical additive applicator, such as a meltblown die that emits the chemical additive through a plurality of orifices. In one embodiment, the system includes a device for periodically cleaning the orifices during application of the chemical additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kou-Chang Liu, Tom G. Shannon, Peter J. Allen, Geof Carlow, Mike Goulet, Paul Burden, Greg Aykens, Joe Capizzi, Thomas Hunt, Diane Linskens, Roger Wendler, John Wnek
  • Publication number: 20080257512
    Abstract: Tissue products are described that have been topically treated with a chemical additive, such as a softener. The softener may be, for instance, a polysiloxane. The polysiloxane is topically applied to a tissue sheet, such as a single ply sheet, so as to form a Z-directional gradient in the sheet. Particular, most of the polysiloxane remains on the surface of the tissue product as opposed to migrating to the center of the sheet. In this manner, tissue sheets are formed with improved softness at lower levels of polysiloxane and without the need for applying any surfactants to the sheet. A system for applying chemical additives to tissue sheets is also described. The system includes a chemical additive applicator, such as a meltblown die that emits the chemical additive through a plurality of orifices. In one embodiment, the system includes a device for periodically cleaning the orifices during application of the chemical additive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kou-Chang Liu, Tom G. Shannon, Peter J. Allen, Geof Carlow, Mike Goulet, Paul Burden, Greg Aykens, Joe Capizzi, Thomas Hunt, Diane Linskens, Roger Wendler, John Wnek
  • Patent number: 7396593
    Abstract: Tissue products are described that have been topically treated with a chemical additive, such as a softener. The softener may be, for instance, a polysiloxane. The polysiloxane is topically applied to a tissue sheet, such as a single ply sheet, so as to form a Z-directional gradient in the sheet. Particular, most of the polysiloxane remains on the surface of the tissue product as opposed to migrating to the center of the sheet. In this manner, tissue sheets are formed with improved softness at lower levels of polysiloxane and without the need for applying any surfactants to the sheet. A system for applying chemical additives to tissue sheets is also described. The system includes a chemical additive applicator, such as a meltblown die that emits the chemical additive through a plurality of orifices. In one embodiment, the system includes a device for periodically cleaning the orifices during application of the chemical additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kou-Chang Liu, Tom G. Shannon, Peter J. Allen, Geof Carlow, Mike Goulet, Paul Burden, Greg Aykens, Joe Capizzi, Thomas Hunt, Diane Linskens, Roger Wendler, John Wnek
  • Patent number: 6863205
    Abstract: An ultrasonic welder for splicing a plurality of workpieces has four anvils, each formed with a meeting surface and displaceable to form a workpiece nest, which has a rectangular shape of a predetermined width. The width of the workpiece nest is sufficient to receive only at least one vertical column of workpieces to be welded, so as to produce a vertical splice. The ultrasonic welder further has a controller controlling a starting position of tooling, which forms the predetermined width of the workpiece nest, and displacing at least one of tools, which form side faces of the nest in reciprocal and time controlled manner. The displaceable tool is brought back to its starting position corresponding to the predetermined width of the workpiece nest before a new bundle of workpieces is loaded therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: American Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John Wnek, James A. Markus
  • Publication number: 20040234804
    Abstract: Tissue products are described that have been topically treated with a chemical additive, such as a softener. The softener may be, for instance, a polysiloxane. The polysiloxane is topically applied to a tissue sheet, such as a single ply sheet, so as to form a Z-directional gradient in the sheet. Particular, most of the polysiloxane remains on the surface of the tissue product as opposed to migrating to the center of the sheet. In this manner, tissue sheets are formed with improved softness at lower levels of polysiloxane and without the need for applying any surfactants to the sheet. A system for applying chemical additives to tissue sheets is also described. The system includes a chemical additive applicator, such as a meltblown die that emits the chemical additive through a plurality of orifices. In one embodiment, the system includes a device for periodically cleaning the orifices during application of the chemical additive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Kou-Chang Liu, Tom G. Shannon, Peter J. Allen, Geof Carlow, Mike Goulet, Paul Burden, Greg Aykens, Joe Capizzi, Thomas Hunt, Diane Linskens, Roger Wendler, John Wnek
  • Publication number: 20020000459
    Abstract: An ultrasonic welder for splicing a plurality of workpieces has four anvils, each formed with a meeting surface and displaceable to form a workpiece nest, which has a rectangular shape of a predetermined width. The width of the workpiece nest is sufficient to receive only at least one vertical column of workpieces to be welded, so as to produce a vertical splice. The ultrasonic welder further has a controller controlling a starting position of tooling, which forms the predetermined width of the workpiece nest, and displacing at least one of tools, which form side faces of the nest in reciprocal and time controlled manner. The displaceable tool is brought back to its starting position corresponding to the predetermined width of the workpiece nest before a new bundle of workpieces is loaded therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Inventors: John Wnek, James A. Markus
  • Patent number: 6299052
    Abstract: An ultrasonic welder for splicing a plurality of workpieces has four anvils, each formed with a meeting surface and displaceable to form a workpiece nest, which has a rectangular shape of a predetermined width. The width of the workpiece nest is sufficient to receive only at least one vertical column of workpieces to be welded, so as to produce a vertical splice. The ultrasonic welder further has a controller controlling a starting position of tooling, which forms the predetermined width of the workpiece nest, and displacing at least one of tools, which form side faces of the nest in reciprocal and time controlled manner. The displaceable tool is brought back to its starting position corresponding to the predetermined width of the workpiece nest before a new bundle of workpieces is loaded therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: American Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John Wnek, James Markus