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).

  • Publication number: 20140012688
    Abstract: A virtual payment system including a customer-specific, customer geolocation responsive, limited time duration payment identifier generator operative to generate a customer-specific, customer geolocation responsive, limited time duration payment identifier, a customer-specific limited time duration payment identifier communicator operative to communicate the customer-specific, customer geolocation responsive, limited time duration payment identifier to a customer and a limited time duration payment identifier validator, operative to verify genuineness and timeliness of the customer-specific, customer geolocation responsive, limited time duration payment identifier presented by the customer at a point of sale.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: VERIFONE, INC.
    Inventors: Brad MCGUINNESS, David EZELL, Paul JANNARONE, Erik VLUGT, Mike Thomas ROACH
  • Patent number: 8466216
    Abstract: Topically-applied binder materials for imparting wet strength to soft, absorbent paper sheets, such as are useful as household paper towels and the like, include an epoxy-reactive polymer, such as a carboxyl-functional polymer, and an epoxy-functional polymer. These binder materials can be cured at ambient temperature over a period of days and do not impart objectionable odor to final product when wetted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Thomas Goulet, Tracy Ho Mathews, Stacey Lynn Pomeroy, Maurizio Tirimacco
  • Publication number: 20110283939
    Abstract: A pressure relief system and a non-intrusive, low chatter pressure relief valve for use with such as system are disclosed. The pressure relief valve allows excess pressure in a pressurized fluid line to flow through a flow return line to a fluid reservoir when the fluid pressure exceeds the valve's pressure limit setting. The establishment of a uniform channel between the valve stem and the inner surface of a housing in which the valve stem is slidably located, as well as the use of a vent and sight tube to remove air from the top portion of the housing upon a spring being compressed during the opening of the valve, reduces the occurrence of pulsation and vibration when the valve is cycled between its open and closed positions. When the valve is in its closed position, the bottom end of the valve stem is in close proximity to the inner surface of the main fluid passageway in the pressurized fluid line, but does not intrusively interfere with the flow of fluid through the main fluid passageway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works
    Inventors: Bill Bertakis, Jan Pitzer, Mike Thomas, Dale Wesener, Mike Wallace
  • Patent number: 7993490
    Abstract: Pulp fibers can be treated with chemical additives with a minimal amount of unretained chemical additives present later in the process water. The present invention is a method for preparing chemically treated pulp fiber. A fiber slurry is created comprising process water and pulp fibers. The fiber slurry is transported to a web-forming apparatus of a pulp sheet machine thereby forming a wet fibrous web. The wet fibrous web is dried to a predetermined consistency thereby forming a dried fibrous web. The dried fibrous web is treated with a chemical additive thereby forming a chemically treated dried fibrous web. The dried fibrous web contains chemically treated pulp fibers. The chemically treated pulp fibers retain from between about 10 to about 100 percent of the applied amount of the chemical additive when the chemically treated pulp fibers are redispersed in water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy Michael Runge, Louise Cynthia Ellis Coe, Mike Thomas Goulet, Ricardo Toru Nishihata, Vera Maria Sacon
  • Publication number: 20100243187
    Abstract: Pulp fibers can be treated with chemical additives with a minimal amount of unretained chemical additives present later in the process water. The present invention is a method for preparing chemically treated pulp fiber. A fiber slurry is created comprising process water and pulp fibers. The fiber slurry is transported to a web-forming apparatus of a pulp sheet machine thereby forming a wet fibrous web. The wet fibrous web is dried to a predetermined consistency thereby forming a dried fibrous web. The dried fibrous web is treated with a chemical additive thereby forming a chemically treated dried fibrous web. The dried fibrous web contains chemically treated pulp fibers. The chemically treated pulp fibers retain from between about 10 to about 100 percent of the applied amount of the chemical additive when the chemically treated pulp fibers are redispersed in water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventors: Troy Michael Runge, Louise Cynthia Ellis Coe, Mike Thomas Goulet, Ricardo Toru Nishihata, Vera Maria Sacon
  • Patent number: 7749356
    Abstract: Pulp fibers can be treated with water insoluble chemical additives resulting in a minimal amount of unretained water insoluble chemical additives present after redispersing the treated pulp fibers in the process water. One embodiment of the present invention is a method for preparing chemically treated pulp fiber. A fiber slurry is created comprising process water and pulp fibers. The fiber slurry is transported to a web-forming apparatus of a pulp sheet machine thereby forming a wet fibrous web. The wet fibrous web is dried to a predetermined consistency thereby forming a dried fibrous web. The dried fibrous web is treated with a water insoluble chemical additive thereby forming a chemically treated dried fibrous web containing chemically treated pulp fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy Michael Runge, Louise Cynthia Ellis Coe, Mike Thomas Goulet, Ricardo Toru Nishihata, Vera Maria Sacon
  • Patent number: 7678228
    Abstract: Topically-applied binder materials for imparting wet strength to soft, absorbent paper sheets, such as are useful as household paper towels and the like, include an azetidinium-reactive polymer, such as a carboxyl-functional polymer, an azetidinium-functional polymer and, optionally, a component useful for reducing sheet-to-sheet adhesion (blocking) in the product. These binder materials can be cured at ambient temperature over a period of days and do not impart objectionable odor to final product when wetted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Thomas Goulet, Tracy Ho Mathews, Stacey Lynn Pomeroy, Maurizio Tirimacco
  • Patent number: 7678232
    Abstract: Synthetic co-polymers having moieties capable of forming hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds, or covalent bonds with cellulose fibers and paper modifying moieties capable of modifying a paper sheet are disclosed. These synthetic co-polymers are derived from the reaction of an aldehyde functional polymer and an aldehyde reactive paper modifying agent containing a non-hydroxyl aldehyde reactive functional group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Gerard Shannon, Mike Thomas Goulet, Dana Stephanie Kass
  • Patent number: 7678856
    Abstract: Topically-applied binder materials for imparting wet strength to soft, absorbent paper sheets, such as are useful as household paper towels and the like, include an azetidinium-reactive polymer, such as a carboxyl-functional polymer, an azetidinium-functional polymer and, optionally, a component useful for reducing sheet-to-sheet adhesion (blocking) in the product. These binder materials can be cured at ambient temperature over a period of days and do not impart objectionable odor to final product when wetted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Thomas Goulet, Tracy Ho Mathews, Stacey Lynn Pomeroy, Maurizio Tirimacco
  • Patent number: 7588662
    Abstract: Soft tissue products with a good rate of absorbency, such as facial and bath tissue, are provided by forming a tissue sheet with a non-fibrous polymeric surface structure and thereafter topically applying a softening composition comprising a polysiloxane, a fatty alkyl derivative and glycerin. The non-fibrous polymeric surface structure is created by applying an additive composition to the surface of a tissue sheet prior to or after drying. The additive composition can be an aqueous dispersion containing an alpha-olefin polymer, an ethylene-carboxylic acid copolymer, or mixtures thereof. The alpha-olefin polymer may comprise an interpolymer of ethylene and octene, while the ethylene-carboxylic acid copolymer may comprise ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick John Lang, Perry Howard Clough, Thomas Joseph Dyer, Mike Thomas Goulet, Kou-Chang Liu, Michael Ralph Lostocco, Deborah Joy Nickel, Michael John Rekoske, Troy Michael Runge, Michelle Lynn Seabaugh, Jeffrey James Timm, Kenneth J. Zwick
  • Patent number: 7566381
    Abstract: Topically-applied binder materials for imparting wet strength to soft, absorbent paper sheets, such as are useful as household paper towels and the like, include an epoxy-reactive polymer, such as a carboxyl-functional polymer, and an epoxy-functional polymer. These binder materials can be cured at ambient temperature over a period of days and do not impart objectionable odor to final product when wetted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Thomas Goulet, Tracy Ho Mathews, Stacey Lynn Pomeroy, Maurizio Tirimacco
  • Publication number: 20090057171
    Abstract: An array of paper towel products, especially paper towel products, associated with non-indicia textual indicia that are psychologically matched to intensive properties of the paper towel products; processes for making such an array of paper towel products are provided, and marketing articles associated with displaying and/or advertising an array of paper towel products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Connie Marie Roetker, Gregory William Duritsch, Markus Wilhelm Altmann, Mike Thomas Loyson, Kristine Gail Noschang, Dean Larry DuVal, Paul Thomas Weisman
  • Publication number: 20080302498
    Abstract: Synthetic co-polymers having moieties capable of forming hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds, or covalent bonds with cellulose fibers and paper modifying moieties capable of modifying a paper sheet are disclosed. These synthetic co-polymers are derived from the reaction of an aldehyde functional polymer and an aldehyde reactive paper modifying agent containing a non-hydroxyl aldehyde reactive functional group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Gerard Shannon, Mike Thomas Goulet, Dana Stephanie Kass
  • Patent number: 7462258
    Abstract: Paper towels are produced by printing a binder material, such as certain latex binders, onto one side of a basesheet and creping the binder-treated sheet. The resulting products have exceptional wipe dry properties and a unique pore structure and wicking properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Maurizio Tirimacco, Mike Thomas Goulet, Michael William Veith
  • Patent number: 7449085
    Abstract: Absorbent paper products, such as paper towels, are disclosed which have a combination of high absorbent capacity and a moderate to low rate of absorbency for hand protection. These properties can be produced, for example, using a throughdried basesheet, such as an uncreped throughdried sheet, in which at least one surface of which has been printed with a patterned moisture barrier coating and creped. The presence of the moisture barrier coating on the surface retards the absorbent rate for that side of the sheet while allowing a significant amount of liquid to pass through to the center of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Alan Hermans, Richard Joseph Behm, Mike Thomas Goulet, Mark John Hassman, Jeffrey Janne Johnson, Jeffrey Dean Lindsay, Rebecca Catherine Mohr, Maurizio Tirimacco
  • Publication number: 20080266098
    Abstract: Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) reader system, software, and methods are provided, such that an operational processing block for the RFID reader to communicate with an RFID tag uses a RF spectrum portion subdivided into a set of channels. The communication takes place in the presence of a foreign device that uses a subset of first channels of the RF spectrum and does not use a subset of second channels of the spectrum. The methods cause a radiating power directed towards the tag to be reduced and a radiating dwell time to be changed. This is to assure that co-existing systems can operate without compromising their functionality and operational quality. In some embodiments, the radiating power is reduced to zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Impinj, Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Aiouaz, Christopher J. Diorio, Aanand Esterberg, Harsh Jain, Omar Khwaja, David Ord, Mike Thomas
  • Patent number: 7435312
    Abstract: An improved paper and the process of making an improved paper web are disclosed. The improved paper is characterized as having two regions; one is a network (or open grid) region and the other is a plurality of domes. At least a portion of either region of the paper web contains a bonding material that penetrates at least partially through the paper's thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Dean Lindsay, Michael Alan Hermans, Mike Thomas Goulet, Mark John Hassman, Maurizio Tirimacco, Jeffrey Janne Johnson, Rebecca Catherine Mohr
  • Publication number: 20080230195
    Abstract: Soft tissue products with a good rate of absorbency, such as facial and bath tissue, are provided by forming a tissue sheet with a non-fibrous polymeric surface structure and thereafter topically applying a softening composition comprising a polysiloxane, a fatty alkyl derivative and glycerin. The non-fibrous polymeric surface structure is created by applying an additive composition to the surface of a tissue sheet prior to or after drying. The additive composition can be an aqueous dispersion containing an alpha-olefin polymer, an ethylene-carboxylic acid copolymer, or mixtures thereof. The alpha-olefin polymer may comprise an interpolymer of ethylene and octene, while the ethylene-carboxylic acid copolymer may comprise ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Frederick John Lang, Perry Howard Clough, Thomas Joseph Dyer, Mike Thomas Goulet, Kou-Chang Liu, Michael Ralph Lostocco, Deborah Nickel, Michael John Rekoske, Troy Michael Runge, Michelle Lynn Seabaugh, Jeffrey James Timm, Kenneth J. Zwick
  • Publication number: 20080059324
    Abstract: Facial tissue products can be customized by providing readers or customers of topical mediums, such as topical magazines or websites, with related graphics and tissue basesheet options through an advertisement in the magazine or website that directs the reader to a website. Through the website, the reader can select and order their customized products, which can be shipped directly to the reader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Andrew Peter Bakken, Mike Thomas Goulet, Jeffrey Dean Lindsay, Thomas Gerard Shannon, Benjamin Peter Sierra
  • Patent number: 7297231
    Abstract: Topically-applied binder materials for imparting wet strength to soft, absorbent paper sheets, such as are useful as household paper towels and the like, include an azetidinium-reactive polymer, such as a carboxyl-functional polymer, an azetidinium-functional polymer and, optionally, a component useful for reducing sheet-to-sheet adhesion (blocking) in the product. These binder materials can be cured at ambient temperature over a period of days and do not impart objectionable odor to final product when wetted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Thomas Goulet, Tracy Ho Mathews, Stacey Lynn Pomeroy, Maurizio Tirimacco