Patents by Inventor Mike Thomas
Mike Thomas 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: 11960955Abstract: RFID readers may be configured to supply power to tags during frequency hops. When a reader is supplying power to a passive RFID tag via a first RF waveform having a first radio frequency and determines that it is to frequency-hop, the reader may determine whether the tag requires power during the hop. If so, the reader begins (or continues) to synthesize a second RF waveform with a second radio frequency while also synthesizing the first RF waveform, and frequency-hops by transitioning from transmitting the first RF waveform to transmitting the second RF waveform such that the power transmitted during the transition is sufficient for the tag to operate.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Mike Thomas, Omer Onen, Joe Tarantino, Christopher J. Diorio
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Publication number: 20240060242Abstract: The present invention provides an embossed multi-ply tissue product that is visually pleasing and has improved physical attributes. For example, the inventive multi-ply tissue products have reduced stiffness, such as a GM Flexural Rigidity less than about 600 mg*cm, improved absorbency, such as a Residual Water (WResidual) value less than about 0.15 g, and improved wet resiliency, such as a wet elastic strain ratio greater than about 32 percent.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Christopher Steven LeCount, Kevin Joseph Vogt, Sarah Ann Funk, Jeffrey Dean Holz, Jason Daniel Hanke, Mike Thomas Goulet
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Patent number: 11795625Abstract: The present invention provides an embossed multi-ply tissue product that is visually pleasing and has improved physical attributes. For example, the inventive multi-ply tissue products have reduced stiffness, such as a GM Flexural Rigidity less than about 600 mg*cm, improved absorbency, such as a Residual Water (WResidual) value less than about 0.15 g, and improved wet resiliency, such as a wet elastic strain ratio greater than about 32 percent.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2022Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Steven LeCount, Kevin Joseph Vogt, Sarah Ann Funk, Jeffrey Dean Holz, Jason Daniel Hanke, Mike Thomas Goulet
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Patent number: 11514255Abstract: RFID readers may be configured to supply power to tags during frequency hops. When a reader is supplying power to a passive RFID tag via a first RF waveform having a first radio frequency and determines that it is to frequency-hop, the reader may determine whether the tag requires power during the hop. If so, the reader begins (or continues) to synthesize a second RF waveform with a second radio frequency while also synthesizing the first RF waveform, and frequency-hops by transitioning from transmitting the first RF waveform to transmitting the second RF waveform such that the power transmitted during the transition is sufficient for the tag to operate.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2021Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Mike Thomas, Omer Onen, Joe Tarantino, Christopher J. Diorio
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Publication number: 20220127791Abstract: The present invention provides an embossed multi-ply tissue product that is visually pleasing and has improved physical attributes. For example, the inventive multi-ply tissue products have reduced stiffness, such as a GM Flexural Rigidity less than about 600 mg*cm, improved absorbency, such as a Residual Water (WResidual) value less than about 0.15 g, and improved wet resiliency, such as a wet elastic strain ratio greater than about 32 percent.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2022Publication date: April 28, 2022Inventors: Christopher Steven LeCount, Kevin Joseph Vogt, Sarah Ann Funk, Jeffrey Dean Holz, Jason Daniel Hanke, Mike Thomas Goulet
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Patent number: 11255049Abstract: The present invention provides an embossed multi-ply tissue product that is visually pleasing and has improved physical attributes. For example, the inventive multi-ply tissue products have reduced stiffness, such as a GM Flexural Rigidity less than about 600 mg*cm, improved absorbency, such as a Residual Water (WResidual) value less than about 0.15 g, and improved wet resiliency, such as a wet elastic strain ratio greater than about 32 percent.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2018Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Christopher Steven LeCount, Kevin Joseph Vogt, Sarah Ann Funk, Jeffrey Dean Holz, Jason Daniel Hanke, Mike Thomas Goulet
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Publication number: 20210381172Abstract: The present invention provides an embossed multi-ply tissue product that is visually pleasing and has improved physical attributes. For example, the inventive multi-ply tissue products have reduced stiffness, such as a GM Flexural Rigidity less than about 600 mg*cm, improved absorbency, such as a Residual Water (WResidual) value less than about 0.15 g, and improved wet resiliency, such as a wet elastic strain ratio greater than about 32 percent.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2018Publication date: December 9, 2021Inventors: Mike Thomas Goulet, Sarah Ann Funk, Michaela Ann Busch, Kelly Anne Balzereit
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Patent number: 11162223Abstract: The invention relates to fibrous structures having desirable physical properties, such as good tensile strength, low stiffness and high bulk, manufactured using a fiber furnish comprising cellulosic fibers having a pH of 5.0 or less and at least one strength resin. Not only do structures prepared with acidic fibers have desirable physical properties, they may also be manufactured in an energy efficient manner. To achieve the greatest energy savings it is generally desirable that acidic fibers not be subjected to mechanical treatment, such as by refining, prior to forming the fiber into a fibrous structure. Further, it may be desirable to subject the remainder of the fiber furnish to a minimal degree of mechanical treatment, such as by refining, so as to produce a furnish having a freeness greater than about 550 mL.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2018Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: David John Paulson, Richard Louis Underhill, Mike Thomas Goulet, Kenneth John Zwick
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Publication number: 20210292972Abstract: The present invention provides an embossed multi-ply tissue product that is visually pleasing and has improved physical attributes. For example, the inventive multi-ply tissue products have reduced stiffness, such as a GM Flexural Rigidity less than about 600 mg*cm, improved absorbency, such as a Residual Water (WResidual) value less than about 0.15 g, and improved wet resiliency, such as a wet elastic strain ratio greater than about 32 percent.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2018Publication date: September 23, 2021Inventors: Christopher Steven LeCount, Kevin Joseph Vogt, Sarah Ann Funk, Jeffrey Dean Holz, Jason Daniel Hanke, Mike Thomas Goulet
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Patent number: 11035081Abstract: The present invention provides tissue webs and products that are manufactured by non-compressive dewatering and/or drying methods, such as through-air drying, where the webs and products comprise cross-linked fiber. The non-compressively dewatered tissue webs and products have improved sheet bulk and z-direction properties. For example, in one embodiment, the invention provides through-air dried tissue products having good sheet bulk and resiliency, such as a sheet bulk greater than about 15 cc/g and Compression Energy (E) greater than about 1.30 N/m. Surprisingly the foregoing products have sufficient strength to withstand use, such as a GMT greater than about 600 g/3?, but are not overly stiff, generally having a Stiffness Index less than about 12.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2016Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Stephen Michael Lindsay, Michael Andrew Zawadzki, Cathleen Mae Uttecht, Mike Thomas Goulet, Kenneth John Zwick, Christopher Lee Satori, Donald Eugene Waldroup
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Patent number: 11017187Abstract: RFID readers may be configured to supply power to tags during frequency hops. When a reader is supplying power to a passive RFID tag via a first RF waveform having a first radio frequency and determines that it is to frequency-hop, the reader may determine whether the tag requires power during the hop. If so, the reader begins (or continues) to synthesize a second RF waveform with a second radio frequency while also synthesizing the first RF waveform, and frequency-hops by transitioning from transmitting the first RF waveform to transmitting the second RF waveform such that the power transmitted during the transition is sufficient for the tag to operate.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2020Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Mike Thomas, Omer Onen, Joe Tarantino, Christopher J. Diorio
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Patent number: 10927508Abstract: The present invention discloses tissue products, specifically rolled bath tissue products, having a three-dimensional surface topography comprising substantially continuous machine direction (MD) oriented elements, discrete cross-machine direction (CD) oriented elements and discrete MD oriented valleys having valley sidewalls formed by the MD oriented elements and valley endwalls formed by the CD oriented elements. The discrete valleys generally have a length greater than about 10.0 mm. The CD oriented elements comprise a relatively small percentage of the tissue surface area, such as less than about 15 percent, yet the tissue products display good anti-nesting properties when spirally wound into rolls, such as a Roll Structure greater than about 0.75.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2018Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Kevin Joseph Vogt, Mark Alan Burazin, Mike Thomas Goulet, Richard Allen Zanon
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Patent number: 10794007Abstract: A soft through-air dried tissue having a soothing feel and method of making the same is disclosed which contains an aqueous softening composition comprising from about 10 to about 20 weight percent of a cationic softening compound, such as quaternary ammonium compounds and imidazolinium compounds; from about 10 to about 20 weight percent of a polyhydroxy compound having a molecular weight of at least about 1,000 g/mol, and optionally a silicone or glycerin. Examples of the cationic softening compound include tallow- and ester-substituted quaternary ammonium compounds having chloride or methyl sulfate as the anion, and examples of the polyhydroxy compound include polyethylene glycols (PEG) or polypropylene glycols (PPG) having a molecular weight of at least about 1,000 g/mol, such as PEG-1000 and PEG-8000.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2017Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Kevin Joseph Vogt, Jeffrey Dean Holz, Mike Thomas Goulet
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Publication number: 20200270812Abstract: Disclosed are papermaking fabrics comprising a plurality of structuring elements disposed on a carrier structure. The fabrics are useful in the manufacture of tissue products having good caliper and smoothness without negatively affecting drying of the tissue product. The fabrics have structuring elements having a polygonal cross-sectional shape and a perimeter less than 3.6 mm, such as from about 1.4 to 3.6 mm. In certain instances the structuring elements may cover more than about 28 percent, such as from about 28 to about 35 percent, of the surface area of the web contacting surface of the carrier structure without adversely affecting drying. In this manner the amount of the nascent web that contacts the structuring elements and is molded into a smooth surface is maximized without exacerbating the negative affect to drying commonly associated with occluding a large portion of the surface area of the papermaking fabric.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2018Publication date: August 27, 2020Inventors: Jeffrey Dean Holz, Kenneth John Zwick, Mark William Sachs, Kevin Joseph Vogt, Mike Thomas Goulet, Mark Alan Burazin
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Patent number: 10753046Abstract: The disclosure provides tissue webs and products comprising cross-linked cellulosic fibers. In certain embodiments cross-linked cellulosic fibers are selectively disposed in one or more layers of a multi-layered tissue, wherein the tissue layer comprising cross-linked fibers is adjacent to a layer which is substantially free from cross-linked fiber. The cross-linked fibers may include hardwood kraft fibers reacted with a cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of DMDHU, DMDHEU, DMU, DHEU, DMEU, and DMeDHEU. Tissue products and webs produced in this manner generally have improved sheet bulk, without losses in strength, compared to similar tissue products produced without cross-linked cellulosic fibers. As such the tissue products of the present invention generally have a basis weight from about 10 to about 50 gsm, a sheet bulk greater from about 8.0 to about 12.0 cc/g and geometric mean tensile from about 730 to about 1,500 g/3?.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2019Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Michael Andrew Zawadzki, Stephen Michael Lindsay, Christopher Lee Satori, Mike Thomas Goulet, Cathleen Mae Uttecht, Donald Eugene Waldroup, Kenneth John Zwick
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Publication number: 20200240086Abstract: The present invention provides tissue webs and products that are manufactured by non-compressive dewatering and/or drying methods, such as through-air drying, where the webs and products comprise cross-linked fiber. The non-compressively dewatered tissue webs and products have improved sheet bulk and z-direction properties. For example, in one embodiment, the invention provides through-air dried tissue products having good sheet bulk and resiliency, such as a sheet bulk greater than about 15 cc/g and Compression Energy (E) greater than about 1.30 N/m. Surprisingly the foregoing products have sufficient strength to withstand use, such as a GMT greater than about 600 g/3?, but are not overly stiff, generally having a Stiffness Index less than about 12.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2016Publication date: July 30, 2020Inventors: Stephen Michael Lindsay, Michael Andrew Zawadzki, Cathleen Mae Uttecht, Mike Thomas Goulet, Kenneth John Zwick, Christopher Lee Satori, Donald Eugene Waldroup
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Patent number: 10679019Abstract: RFID readers may be configured to supply power to tags during frequency hops. When a reader is supplying power to a passive RFID tag via a first RF waveform having a first radio frequency and determines that it is to frequency-hop, the reader may determine whether the tag requires power during the hop. If so, the reader begins (or continues) to synthesize a second RF waveform with a second radio frequency while also synthesizing the first RF waveform, and frequency-hops by transitioning from transmitting the first RF waveform to transmitting the second RF waveform such that the power transmitted during the transition is sufficient for the tag to operate.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2018Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: Impinj, Inc.Inventors: Mike Thomas, Omer Onen, Joe Tarantino, Christopher J. Diorio
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Publication number: 20200173114Abstract: The present invention discloses tissue products, specifically rolled bath tissue products, having a three-dimensional surface topography comprising substantially continuous machine direction (MD) oriented elements, discrete cross-machine direction (CD) oriented elements and discrete MD oriented valleys having valley sidewalls formed by the MD oriented elements and valley endwalls formed by the CD oriented elements. The discrete valleys generally have a length greater than about 10.0 mm. The CD oriented elements comprise a relatively small percentage of the tissue surface area, such as less than about 15 percent, yet the tissue products display good anti-nesting properties when spirally wound into rolls, such as a Roll Structure greater than about 0.75.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2018Publication date: June 4, 2020Inventors: Kevin Joseph Vogt, Mark Alan Burazin, Mike Thomas Goulet, Richard Allen Zanon
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Publication number: 20200032456Abstract: The invention relates to fibrous structures having desirable physical properties, such as good tensile strength, low stiffness and high bulk, manufactured using a fiber furnish comprising cellulosic fibers having a pH of 5.0 or less and at least one strength resin. Not only do structures prepared with acidic fibers have desirable physical properties, they may also be manufactured in an energy efficient manner. To achieve the greatest energy savings it is generally desirable that acidic fibers not be subjected to mechanical treatment, such as by refining, prior to forming the fiber into a fibrous structure. Further, it may be desirable to subject the remainder of the fiber furnish to a minimal degree of mechanical treatment, such as by refining, so as to produce a furnish having a freeness greater than about 550 mL.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2018Publication date: January 30, 2020Inventors: David John Paulson, Richard Louis Underhill, Mike Thomas Goulet, Kenneth John Zwick
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Patent number: 10487454Abstract: The present invention provides tissue webs and products that are manufactured by non-compressive dewatering and/or drying methods, such as through-air drying, where the webs and products comprise cross-linked fiber. The non-compressively dewatered tissue webs and products have improved sheet bulk and z-direction properties. For example, in one embodiment, the invention provides through-air dried tissue products having good sheet bulk and resiliency, such as a sheet bulk greater than about 12 cc/g and Compression Energy (E) greater than about 1.30 N/m. Surprisingly the foregoing products have sufficient strength to withstand use, such as a GMT greater than about 1,200 g/3?, but are not overly stiff, generally having a Stiffness Index less than about 10.0.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Stephen Michael Lindsay, Michael Andrew Zawadzki, Cathleen Mae Uttecht, Mike Thomas Goulet, Kenneth John Zwick, Christopher Lee Satori, Donald Eugene Waldroup