Patents by Inventor Mark M. Mleziva
Mark M. Mleziva 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).
-
Publication number: 20240099899Abstract: A method of manufacturing zoned webs can include providing a substrate and transferring the substrate in a machine direction. The method can include modifying the substrate to include a plurality of lanes to provide a modified substrate. The plurality of lanes can include a first lane and a second lane. The first lane can include a first zone and a second zone. The first zone can include an open area greater than an open area of the second zone. The second lane can include a third zone and a fourth zone. The third zone can include an open area greater than an open area of the fourth zone. The first lane and the second lane can be formed such that the first zone in the first lane is staggered in the machine direction from the third zone in the second lane. The method can also include slitting the modified substrate between adjacent lanes in the plurality of lanes to provide zoned webs.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2021Publication date: March 28, 2024Inventors: Antonio J. Carrillo Ojeda, Davis Dang H. Nhan, Dwayne J-K Jackson, Juha P. Kemppinen, Mark M. Mleziva
-
Patent number: 11931469Abstract: An absorbent article comprising an absorbent member positioned between a topsheet and a backsheet is provided. The absorbent member contains at least one layer that comprises porous superabsorbent particles, wherein the particles exhibit a relative humidity microclimate of about 67% or less after being exposed to an atmosphere having a temperature of about 23° C. and relative humidity of 80% for a time period of 20 minutes.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2018Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Yuriy Galabura, Mark M. Mleziva, John Gavin MacDonald, Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Michelle McBride, Karien J. Rodriguez, Matthew Valaskey, Dave Soerens, Neil T. Scholl, WanDuk Lee
-
Patent number: 11931468Abstract: A feminine care absorbent article comprising an absorbent member positioned between a topsheet and a baffle is provided. The absorbent member contains at least one layer that comprises superabsorbent particles containing nanopores having an average cross-sectional dimension of from about 10 to about 500 nanometers.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2018Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Yuriy Galabura, Austin N. Pickett, WanDuk Lee, Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Palani Raj R. Wallajapet, Cynthia S. Krueger, Mark M. Mleziva, Richmond R. Cohen
-
Patent number: 11864985Abstract: Described herein are absorbent composites containing embossed superabsorbent materials and methods of manufacturing absorbent composites containing embossed superabsorbent materials. The absorbent composites have significantly improved rates of intake. Compositions and methods described herein are useful in a variety of absorbent products.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2021Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Feng Chen, Wing-Chak Ng, Mark M. Mleziva
-
Patent number: 11767615Abstract: A hollow fiber that generally extends in a longitudinal direction is provided. The hollow fiber comprises a hollow cavity that extends along at least a portion of the fiber in the longitudinal direction. The cavity is defined by an interior wall that is formed front a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase that includes a polyolefin matrix polymer and a nanoinclusion additive dispersed within the continuous phase in the form of discrete domains. A porous network is defined in the composition that includes a plurality of nanopores.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2021Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Mark M. Mleziva, Ryan J. McEneany, Neil T. Scholl, Antonio J. Carrillo
-
Publication number: 20230118949Abstract: Described herein are absorbent composites containing embossed superabsorbent materials and methods of manufacturing absorbent composites containing embossed superabsorbent materials. The absorbent composites have significantly improved rates of intake. Compositions and methods described herein are useful in a variety of absorbent products.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2021Publication date: April 20, 2023Inventors: Feng Chen, Wing-Chak Ng, Mark M. Mleziva
-
Patent number: 11596924Abstract: Superabsorbent particles have a median size of from about 50 to about 2,000 micrometers and contain a porous network that includes a plurality of nanopores having an average cross-sectional dimension of from about 10 to about 500 nanometers, wherein the superabsorbent particles exhibit a Vortex Time of about 80 seconds or less and a free swell gel bed permeability (GBP) of 5 darcys or more, of 10 darcys or more, of 20 darcys or more, of 30 darcys or more, of 60 darcys or more, or of 90 darcys or more. A method for forming such superabsorbent particles includes forming a composition that contains a superabsorbent polymer and a solvent system; contacting the composition with a non-solvent system to initiate formation of the porous network through phase inversion; removing non-solvent from the composition; and surface crosslinking the superabsorbent particles.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2018Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Austin N. Pickett, Karen Goeders, Mark M. Mleziva, Theodore T. Tower, WanDuk Lee, Neil T. Scholl, Lori A. Eslinger, Yuriy Galabura, Dave Soerens, Kazuhiro Takahashi, Yusuke Ueda, Megumi Tomioka
-
Patent number: 11286362Abstract: A polymeric material for use in thermal insulation is provided. The polymeric material is formed from a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase that includes a matrix polymer and within which a microinclusion additive and nanoinclusion additive are dispersed in the form of discrete domains. A porous network is defined in the material that includes a plurality of nanopores having an average cross-sectional dimension of about 800 nanometers or less. The polymeric material exhibits a thermal conductivity of about 0.20 watts per meter-kelvin or less.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2014Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Ryan J. McEneany, Neil T. Scholl, Charles Wilson Colman, Mark M. Mleziva
-
Publication number: 20220015963Abstract: Three dimensional nonwoven materials and methods of manufacturing such materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, a nonwoven material comprising a plurality of fibers may comprise a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being opposite from the second surface, and an apertured zone. The apertured zone may comprise a plurality of nodes extending away from a base plane on the first surface, a plurality of connecting ligaments interconnecting the plurality of nodes, wherein a majority of the plurality of nodes include at least three connecting ligaments connecting to adjacent nodes, and a plurality of openings providing a percent open area for the apertured zone of the nonwoven material from about 10% to about 60%, as determined by the Material Sample Analysis Test Method.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2019Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Antonio J. Carrillo Ojeda, Davis Dang H. Nhan, Neil T. Scholl, Vasily A. Topolkaraev, David G. Biggs, Mark M. Mleziva, Steven J. Roffers, Dustin J. Smith
-
Publication number: 20220015961Abstract: Three dimensional nonwoven materials and methods of manufacturing such materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, a nonwoven material comprising a plurality of fibers can include a first surface and a second surface. The first surface can be opposite from the second surface. The nonwoven material can include a plurality of nodes extending away from a base plane on the first surface. At least a majority of the plurality of nodes have an anisotropy value greater than 1.0 as determined by the Node Analysis Test Method.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2019Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Antonio J. Carrillo Ojeda, Davis Dang H. Nhan, Neil T. Scholl, Vasily A. Topolkaraev, David G. Biggs, Mark M. Mleziva
-
Publication number: 20220015960Abstract: Three dimensional nonwoven materials and methods of manufacturing such materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, a nonwoven material may comprise a plurality of fibers and may further comprise an opposing first surface and a second surface, an apertured zone comprising a plurality of nodes extending away from a base plane on the first surface, a plurality of connecting ligaments interconnecting the plurality of nodes, and a plurality of openings providing a percent open area for the apertured zone that is greater than about 15%, as determined by the Material Sample Analysis Test Method. The material may further comprise a first and second side zones with the nonwoven material having a material width and the first and second side zones having first and second side zone widths, and wherein each of the first and second side zone widths are between about 5% and about 25% of the nonwoven material width.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2019Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Antonio J. Carrillo Ojeda, Davis Dang H. Nhan, Neil T. Scholl, Vasily A. Topolkaraev, David G. Biggs, Mark M. Mleziva, Steven J. Roffers, Dustin J. Smith
-
Publication number: 20220015964Abstract: Three dimensional nonwoven materials and methods of manufacturing such materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, a nonwoven material may comprise a plurality of fibers, a first surface, and an apertured zone comprising: a plurality of nodes extending away from a base plane on the first surface, a plurality of connecting ligaments interconnecting the plurality of nodes, wherein a majority of the plurality of nodes include at least three connecting ligaments connecting to adjacent nodes, and a plurality of openings. The apertured zone may further comprise a lane of nodes which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the lane of nodes extending substantially in the longitudinal direction is formed of longitudinally adjacent nodes which are aligned such that lines drawn between centers of longitudinally adjacent nodes within the lane of nodes each form an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of less than about 20 degrees.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2019Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Antonio J. Carrillo Ojeda, Davis Dang H. Nhan, Neil T. Scholl, Vasily A. Topolkaraev, David G. Biggs, Mark M. Mleziva, Steven J. Roffers, Dustin J. Smith
-
Publication number: 20220008262Abstract: Three dimensional nonwoven materials and absorbent articles comprising such materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, an absorbent article may comprise an outer cover, a bodyside liner, an absorbent body, and a nonwoven material coupled to the bodyside liner. The nonwoven material may comprise an apertured zone providing a percent open area for the apertured zone that is greater than about 15%. The nonwoven material may be coupled to liner by a front waist bond forming a front waist bonding region which extends through the apertured zone and a rear waist bond forming a rear waist bonding region, wherein the rear waist bonding region has a length that is between about 2% and about 10% of the material length and the front waist bonding region has a length that is between about 20% and about 50% of the material length.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2019Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: Antonio J. CARRILLO OJEDA, Davis Dang H. NHAN, Neil T. SCHOLL, Vasily A. TOPOLKARAEV, David G. BIGGS, Patrick D. ABNEY, Jonathan A. BAKER, Mark M. MLEZIVA, Steven J. ROFFERS, Dustin J. SMITH
-
Publication number: 20220000680Abstract: Three dimensional nonwoven materials and methods of manufacturing such materials are disclosed. An absorbent article can include an absorbent body and an outer cover. The absorbent article can also include a fluid-entangled nonwoven material. The absorbent body can be disposed between the fluid-entangled nonwoven material and the outer cover. The fluid-entangled nonwoven can include a first surface and a second surface. The nonwoven material can also include a plurality of nodes extending away from abase plane on the first surface towards the absorbent body. The nonwoven material can further include a plurality of openings extending from the first surface to the second surface through the fluid-entangled nonwoven material. Individual openings of the plurality of openings can be disposed between adjacent nodes of the plurality of nodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2019Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Antonio J. Carrillo Ojeda, Davis Dang H. Nhan, Neil T. Scholl, Vasily A. Topolkaraev, David G. Biggs, Mark M. Mleziva, Steven J. Roffers, Dustin J. Smith
-
Publication number: 20220002911Abstract: A hollow fiber that generally extends in a longitudinal direction is provided. The hollow fiber comprises a hollow cavity that extends along at least a portion of the fiber in the longitudinal direction. The cavity is defined by an interior wall that is formed front a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase that includes a polyolefin matrix polymer and a nanoinclusion additive dispersed within the continuous phase in the form of discrete domains. A porous network is defined in the composition that includes a plurality of nanopores.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Mark M. Mleziva, Ryan J. McEneany, Neil T. Scholl, Antonio J. Carillo
-
Publication number: 20210388547Abstract: Three dimensional nonwoven materials and methods of manufacturing such materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method can include providing a precursor web that includes a plurality of fibers and transferring the precursor web to a forming surface having a plurality of forming holes. The method can also include directing a plurality of pressurized fluid streams of entangling fluid in a direction towards the precursor web on the forming surface to move at least some of the fibers into the plurality of forming holes to create a fluid entangled web. The method can further include removing the fluid entangled web from the forming surface such that the at least some of the fibers moved into the plurality of forming holes provide a plurality of nodes. The plurality of nodes can have an anisotropy value greater than 1.0 as determined by the Node Analysis Test Method.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2019Publication date: December 16, 2021Inventors: Antonio J. Carrillo Ojeda, Davis Dang H. Nhan, Neil T. Scholl, Vasily A. Topolkaraev, David G. Biggs, Mark M. Mleziva, Steven J. Roffers, Dustin J. Smith
-
Patent number: 11186927Abstract: A hollow fiber that generally extends in a longitudinal direction is provided. The hollow fiber comprises a hollow cavity that extends along at least a portion of the fiber in the longitudinal direction. The cavity is defined by an interior wall that is formed from a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase that includes a polyolefin matrix polymer and a nanoinclusion additive dispersed within the continuous phase in the form of discrete domains. A porous network is defined in the composition that includes a plurality of nanopores.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2014Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Mark M. Mleziva, Ryan J. McEneany, Neil T. Scholl, Antonio J. Carillo
-
Publication number: 20210362125Abstract: An absorbent article includes an absorbent member positioned between a topsheet and a backsheet. The absorbent member contains at least one layer that includes superabsorbent particles containing a porous network that includes a plurality of nanopores having an average cross-sectional dimension of from about 10 to about 500 nanometers, wherein the superabsorbent particles exhibit a Vortex Time of about 80 seconds or less and a free swell gel bed permeability (GBP) of 5 darcys or more, of 10 darcys or more, of 60 darcys or more, or of 90 darcys or more.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2018Publication date: November 25, 2021Applicant: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Vasily A. Topolkaraev, Austin N. Pickett, Karen Goeders, Mark M. Mleziva, Theodore T. Tower, WanDuk Lee, Neil T. Scholl, Lori A. Eslinger, Yuriy Galabura, Dave Soerens
-
Patent number: 11123228Abstract: A flushable tampon applicator product includes an outer tube for housing a tampon; an inner tube, at least a portion of which extends into the outer tube, wherein the outer tube includes an outer, body-contacting surface, wherein the inner tube is moveable relative to the outer tube and configured to expel a tampon from the outer tube, and wherein at least one of the outer tube and the inner tube comprises a thermoplastic composition including partially-hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polyethylene glycol (PEG), a plasticizer, and a hydrophobic polymeric component, wherein at least one of the outer tube and the inner tube is a molded part; and a wrapper material configured for storage under high and low moisture storage conditions, the wrapper material having a water vapor transmission rate of less than 0.05 g/100 in2/day.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2017Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Alphonse DeMarco, Gregory J. Wideman, Peter S. Lortscher, Austin N. Pickett, Mark M. Mleziva, Garry R. Woltman, Michael G. Shlepr
-
Patent number: 11124641Abstract: A water-dispersible injection-moldable composition includes partially-hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polyethylene glycol (PEG), plasticizer, and a hydrophobic polymeric component, wherein the composition has a melt flow index of 5-180. The hydrophobic polymeric component can be a colorant within an ethylene matrix or polyethylene. The composition is flushable according to Guidance Document for Assessing the Flushability of Nonwoven Consumer Products (INDA and EDANA, 2006); Test FG 522.2 Tier 2—Slosh Box Disintegration Test. The PVOH has a hydrolysis of 87% to 89%.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2017Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Alphonse DeMarco, Gregory J. Wideman, Peter S. Lortscher, Austin N. Pickett, Mark M. Mleziva, Garry R. Woltman, Michael G. Shlepr