Patents by Inventor Kevin Cink

Kevin Cink 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).

  • Extruded polylactide foams blown with carbon dioxide
    Patent number: 8013031
    Abstract: This invention provides a process for extruding a PLA resin using high levels of CO2. Excellent quality, low density foam is produced easily and reproducibly. The foams arc capable of being heat-annealed to induce significant crystallinity, even when an ordinarily amorphous PLA resin is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: NatureWorks LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Cink, Jeffrey C. Smith, James F. Nangeroni, Jed Richard Randall
  • Branching polylactide by reacting OH or COOH polylactide with epoxide acrylate (co)polymer
    Patent number: 7566753
    Abstract: Polylactide polymers are reacted with an epoxy-functional acrylate polymer to introduce long-chain branching into the polymer. The acrylate polymer provides a flexible means for introducing a controllable amount of branching into the polylactide polymer, with little risk of forming gelled or highly crosslinked structures. The branched polylactide polymers have excellent melt rheological properties that make them more easily processable in various melt-processing applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: NatureWorks LLC
    Inventors: Jed Richard Randall, Kevin Cink, Jeffrey C. Smith
  • Extruded Polylactide Foams Blown With Carbon Dioxide
    Publication number: 20080262118
    Abstract: This invention provides a process for extruding a PLA resin using high levels of CO2. Excellent quality, low density foam is produced easily and reproducibly. The foams arc capable of being heat-annealed to induce significant crystallinity, even when an ordinarily amorphous PLA resin is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Kevin Cink, Jeffrey C. Smith, James F. Nangeroni, Jed Richard Randall
  • Branched Polylactic Acid Polymer and Method of Preparing Same
    Publication number: 20080050603
    Abstract: Polylactide polymers are reacted with an epoxy-functional acrylate polymer to introduce long-chain branching into the polymer. The acrylate polymer provides a flexible means for introducing a controllable amount of branching into the polylactide polymer, with little risk of forming gelled or highly crosslinked structures. The branched polylactide polymers have excellent melt rheological properties that make them more easily processable in various melt-processing applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Jed Randall, Kevin Cink, Jeffrey Smith
  • Injection stretch blow molding process using polylactide resins
    Publication number: 20070187876
    Abstract: Containers are manufactured in an injection stretch molding process using a PLA resin having a specified ratio of lactic acid stereoisomers and stretch ratios. The process permits good quality containers to be made at good operating rates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: NATUREWORKS LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Cink, Richard Bopp, Kevin Sikkema