Patents by Inventor Michael David Powers
Michael David Powers 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: 7781353Abstract: Disclosed herein are extruded articles such as, for example, fibers and films, containing thermoplastic polymeric compositions having a copolymeric major component and a melt processable additive treatment, wherein the melt processable additives have enhanced segregation to or expression at the surface of the article, thereby improving the effect of the desired characteristic of the additive treatment. Also disclosed are multicomponent extruded thermoplastic articles having two or more distinct components arranged in a specific geometric arrangement, wherein the thermoplastic polymeric composition of at least one geometric component includes a copolymeric major component and a melt processable additive treatment. Also disclosed are web materials including the extruded articles.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2009Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Hue Scott Snowden, Michael David Powers, Roger Bradshaw Quincy, III
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Publication number: 20090197039Abstract: Disclosed herein are extruded articles such as, for example, fibers and films, containing thermoplastic polymeric compositions having a copolymeric major component and a melt processable additive treatment, wherein the melt processable additives have enhanced segregation to or expression at the surface of the article, thereby improving the effect of the desired characteristic of the additive treatment. Also disclosed are multicomponent extruded thermoplastic articles having two or more distinct components arranged in a specific geometric arrangement, wherein the thermoplastic polymeric composition of at least one geometric component includes a copolymeric major component and a melt processable additive treatment. Also disclosed are web materials including the extruded articles.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2009Publication date: August 6, 2009Applicant: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Hue Scott Snowden, Michael David Powers, Roger Bradshaw Quincy, III
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Patent number: 7500541Abstract: A nonwoven acoustic insulating material which also provides repellency to water and low surface tension fluids. Also disclosed is a method for attenuating transmitted sound and repelling fluids which includes providing a nonwoven acoustic insulating material, the nonwoven acoustic insulating material including at least one nonwoven web having a low surface tension fluids repellency treatment, and interposing the treated nonwoven acoustic insulating material between a sound generation area and a sound receiving area.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2004Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Richard J. Schmidt, Michael David Powers
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Patent number: 7001562Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient method for topically treating and drying fibrous web materials such as nonwoven web materials and nonwoven laminate materials without unduly damaging the materials due to excessive heating during drying.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2002Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Kenneth Schiffer, Clayton James Logan, Michael David Powers, Hue Scott Snowden
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Patent number: 6787184Abstract: Described is an improved two-step process for treating lightweight nonwovens to impart single-sided anti-static and alcohol repellency properties while maintaining good barrier characteristics as measured by hydrostatic head values. The resulting nonwovens find particular uses as infection control product medical fabrics for sterilization wrap and surgical gowns, for example.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2001Date of Patent: September 7, 2004Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Hue Scott Snowden, Michael David Powers, Steven Wayne Fitting, Varunesh Sharma, Lee Kirby Jameson
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Publication number: 20040124565Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient method for topically treating and drying fibrous web materials such as nonwoven web materials and nonwoven laminate materials without unduly damaging the materials due to excessive heating during drying.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2002Publication date: July 1, 2004Inventors: Daniel Kenneth Schiffer, Clayton James Logan, Michael David Powers, Hue Scott Snowden
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Publication number: 20040002273Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid repellent nonwoven protective material comprising a meltspun microfiber layer and one or more additional nonwoven layers bonded to the meltspun microfiber layer. The meltspun microfiber layer comprises a high melt flow rate olefin polymer (i.e., having a melt flow rate of at least 1500 grams per 10 minutes as measured by ASTM-D-1238-01 at 177° C.), a melt flow modifying agent and a liquid repellency internal additive. The high melt flow rate olefin polymer is substantially prodegradant-free and is present in amounts from about 78 percent by weight to about 94.9 percent by weight. The liquid repellency internal additive, such as a fluorochemical or fluoropolymer, is present in amounts from about 0.1 percent by weight to about 2 percent by weight, and the melt flow modifying agent, such as polymers and copolymers of butene, is present in amounts from about 5 percent by weight to about 20 percent by weight.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2002Publication date: January 1, 2004Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Steven Wayne Fitting, Michael David Powers
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Patent number: 6537932Abstract: A method of preparing a sterilized nonwoven web, which method includes providing a nonwoven web; coating the nonwoven web with from about 0.005 to about 3 percent by weight, based on the weight of the web, of an antistatic agent; and exposing the coated nonwoven web to an oxidizing gas plasma. The antistatic agent is adapted to be free of a malodor after exposure of the coated nonwoven web to the oxidizing gas plasma. The antistatic agent may be further adapted to provide a sterilized nonwoven web having a hydrohead value as measured by Method 5514 of Federal Test Method Standard No. 191A which is at least 50 percent of the hydrohead value of the coated nonwoven web before exposure to the oxidizing gas plasma. The antistatic agent also may be adapted to provide a sterilized nonwoven web having a surface resistivity in ohms which is lower than the surface resistivity in ohms of the coated nonwoven web before exposure of the coated nonwoven web to the oxidizing gas plasma.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1998Date of Patent: March 25, 2003Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Steven Wayne Fitting, Michael David Powers, Roger Bradshaw Quincy, III
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Publication number: 20030045193Abstract: Described is an improved two-step process for treating lightweight nonwovens to impart single-sided anti-static and alcohol repellency properties while maintaining good barrier characteristics as measured by hydrostatic head values. The resulting nonwovens find particular uses as infection control product medical fabrics for sterilization wrap and surgical gowns, for example.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2001Publication date: March 6, 2003Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Hue Scott Snowden, Michael David Powers, Steven Wayne Fitting, Varunesh Sharma, Lee Kirby Jameson
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Patent number: 6410823Abstract: A film cover for use in absorbent materials such as feminine care products, surgical drapes, fenestration reinforcement, absorbent pads and the like including a polymeric film having a top planar surface and a bottom planar surface and forming a plurality of apertures, at least a portion of which have an aperture region having a higher wettability than a portion of the top planar surface of the polymeric film.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1998Date of Patent: June 25, 2002Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Michael Allen Daley, Mark Bruce Majors, Ali Yahiaoui, Arthur Edward Garavaglia, Michael David Powers, David Wayne Primm, Tamara Lee Mace, Nancy Donaldson Kollin, Gregory Alan Zelazoski, Jon Edward Tinsley, Jaime Braverman
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Patent number: 6350399Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of forming a treated fiber. A molten polymer is delivered to a fiber spinning assembly adapted to form and distribute polymer streams. At least one treatment is applied in a liquid state to at least one region on the surface of at least one molten polymer stream within the fiber spinning assembly. A substantial portion of the treatment remains on the surface of the resulting fiber within the treated region. One or more regions on the surface of the molten polymer may be treated with one or multiple treatments. The degree of coverage may vary from little coverage to complete coverage of the fiber surface. The treated regions may be in contact with one another or may be separate and distinct. A nonwoven web may be produced with selectively treated fiber regions by designing one or more fiber spinning assemblies to treat selected fibers or to apply multiple treatments. The regions of the nonwoven web may vary in treatment type, amount, or degree of coverage.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1999Date of Patent: February 26, 2002Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Michael Charles Cook, Debra Jean McDowall, Dana Elizabeth Stano, Michael David Powers, Samuel Edward Marmon
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Publication number: 20020019617Abstract: The present invention provides a material for distributing liquid and a method for making such a material. The material includes a substrate permeable to a liquid and a chemical treatment applied to at least a portion of the substrate. The substrate further includes a leakage prevention means of at least one area of an increased concentration of the chemical treatment such that the chemical treatment is non-uniform along a planar dimension of the substrate and creates an area of preferential flow through the substrate. The chemical treatment useful for application to the substrate preferably induces wetting of the substrate by a liquid. The material for distributing liquid has best utility as a component of an absorbent article, e.g. a liner of a diaper. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate is attached to an absorbent layer such that the absorbent layer receives and retains the liquid when the liquid flows from a first planar dimension to a second planar dimension.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 1999Publication date: February 14, 2002Inventors: CHARLES EDWARD BOLIAN, MICHAEL DAVID POWERS
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Publication number: 20010000795Abstract: The present invention provides a material for distributing liquid and a method for making such a material. The material includes a substrate permeable to a liquid and a chemical treatment applied to at least a portion of the substrate. The substrate further includes a leakage prevention means of at least one area of an increased concentration of the chemical treatment such that the chemical treatment is non-uniform along a planar dimension of the substrate and creates an area of preferential flow through the substrate. The chemical treatment useful for application to the substrate preferably induces wetting of the substrate by a liquid. The material for distributing liquid has best utility as a component of an absorbent article, e.g. a liner of a diaper. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate is attached to an absorbent layer such that the absorbent layer receives and retains the liquid when the liquid flows from a first planar dimension to a second planar dimension.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2000Publication date: May 3, 2001Inventors: Charles Edward Bolian, Michael David Powers
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Patent number: 5711994Abstract: Improved method of treating nonwovens with a neat or nearly neat treating composition at least 90% by weight active ingredients by subjecting the nonwoven to a uniform concentration of said composition in an atomized form within a treating station. Drying and its potentially adverse effects are substantially eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 1995Date of Patent: January 27, 1998Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventor: Michael David Powers