Patents by Inventor Scott Kepner

Scott Kepner 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: 20040077247
    Abstract: The present invention is a laminate of a low loft layer, the first layer, and a high loft layer, the second layer. More specifically, the present invention provides a nonwoven laminate containing a first layer from thermoplastic spunbond filaments having an average denier less than about 1.8 dpf (2.0 dtex); and a second layer containing thermoplastic multicomponent spunbond filaments having an average denier greater than about 2.3 dpf (2.55 dtex). The laminate has a structure such that the density of the first layer is greater than the density of the second layer and the thickness of the second layer is greater than the thickness of the first layer. Also disclosed is a laminate containing the laminate of a low loft layer containing spunbond filaments having an average denier less than 1.8 dpf (2.0 dtex), a high loft layer containing thermoplastic multicomponent spunbond filaments having an average denier greater than about 2.3 dpf (2.55 dtex) and layer containing a meltblown nonwoven web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Richard J. Schmidt, Eric Scott Kepner, Christopher Dale Fenwick, Chad Michael Freese
  • Patent number: 6580015
    Abstract: An absorbent composition comprising an uncrosslinked, high molecular weight polymer, wherein the uncrosslinked, high molecular weight polymer is treated by a means to effectively insolubilize the uncrosslinked, relatively high molecular weight polymer such that the absorbent composition exhibits desirable absorbent properties. In particular, the absorbent composition has the ability to absorb a large quantity of liquid. The absorbent composition is useful in disposable absorbent products, such as those disposable absorbent products that are used to absorb bodily liquids. Suitable polymers include polyethylene oxide, poly(acrylic acid), poly(vinyl alcohol), and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) wherein the polymer has a weight average molecular weight that is greater than about 1,000,000.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: William Grover Reeves, William Galey Robertson, Mary Jeanne Dupuis, Eric Scott Kepner, Thomas Patrick Jorgenson, Gerald Lee Richmond
  • Publication number: 20020143308
    Abstract: An absorbent composition comprising an uncrosslinked, high molecular weight polymer, wherein the uncrosslinked, high molecular weight polymer is treated by a means to effectively insolubilize the uncrosslinked, relatively high molecular weight polymer such that the absorbent composition exhibits desirable absorbent properties. In particular, the absorbent composition has the ability to absorb a large quantity of liquid. The absorbent composition is useful in disposable absorbent products, such as those disposable absorbent products that are used to absorb bodily liquids. Suitable polymers include polyethylene oxide, poly(acrylic acid), poly(vinyl alcohol), and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) wherein the polymer has a weight average molecular weight that is greater than about 1,000,000.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventors: William Grover Reeves, William Galey Robertson, Mary Jeanne Dupuis, Eric Scott Kepner, Thomas Patrick Jorgenson, Gerald Lee Richmond
  • Patent number: 6369293
    Abstract: An absorbent composition comprising an uncrosslinked, high molecular weight polymer, wherein the uncrosslinked, high molecular weight polymer is treated by a means to effectively insolubilize the uncrosslinked, relatively high molecular weight polymer such that the absorbent composition exhibits desirable absorbent properties. In particular, the absorbent composition has the ability to absorb a large quantity of liquid. The absorbent composition is useful in disposable absorbent products, such as those disposable absorbent products that are used to absorb bodily liquids. Suitable polymers include polyethylene oxide, poly(acrylic acid), poly(vinyl alcohol), and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) wherein the polymer has a weight average molecular weight that is greater than about 1,000,000.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: William Grover Reeves, William Galey Robertson, Mary Jeanne Dupuis, Eric Scott Kepner, Thomas Patrick Jorgenson, Gerald Lee Richmond
  • Patent number: 6248097
    Abstract: An absorbent article (10) which includes a backsheet layer (30) having a pair of laterally opposed and longitudinally extending side margins (20). Each side margin has an outwardly concave, terminal side edge contour 15 located at appointed leg opening regions (17) in an intermediate portion (16) of the side margin. Each concave side edge contour (15) has a selected longitudinal extent along a length dimension (26) of the article (10). A liquid permeable topsheet layer (28) is connected in a superposed facing relation to the backsheet layer (30), and an absorbent body (32) is sandwiched between the topsheet layer (28) and the backsheet layer (30). A separately provided gusset-flap composite member (19) is connected to at least one of the backsheet and topsheet layers along each of the leg opening regions (17). The gusset-flap member (19) provides a leg gusset section (142) and a containment flap section (144), and is distinctively configured to provide improved leakage resistance, fit and comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark John Beitz, Monica Lynn Bontrager, Barbara Ann Gossen, Chris Lee Heikkinen, Daniel Hoo, David Andrae Justmann, Richard Francis Keller, Cynthia Helen Nordness, Douglas Paul Rammer, Lorry Francis Sallee, Raymond Gerard St. Louis, David James VanEperen, Cynthia Louise Wyngaard, Sandra Marie Yarbrough, Roxanne Marie Zuleger, Steven Scott Friderich, Eric Scott Kepner, Kuo-Shu Edward Chang
  • Patent number: 6022818
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an entangled nonwoven composite made from absorbent fibers such as wood pulp fibers and matrix fibers such as polyolefin staple fibers. The absorbent fibers are entangled with the matrix fibers in such a manner so that the composite has an absorbent-rich side and a matrix-rich side. Intermediate the two exterior sides there is an entangled interior portion made from a mixture of the absorbent and matrix fibers. The composite is particularly well-suited for use in multifunctional handling of fluids such as, for example, body fluids which are absorbed by personal care absorbent articles. The matrix fiber portion of the composite acts as a fluid intake region while the absorbent fiber portion acts as a fluid retention region and the portion of the composite intermediate the two exterior surfaces acts as a fluid transfer region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Debra Nell Welchel, Eric Scott Kepner, Crystal Sutphin Leach
  • Patent number: 5932495
    Abstract: Odor reduction for products such as disposable diapers and training pants, sanitary napkins and tampons, incontinent products, and medical dressings is obtained by the use of an internal additive for synthetic polymers or an external additive for natural polymers. Results are further enhanced by the use of a surfactant especially in the case of synthetic polymers. Webs, fibers and films find uses as components of the described products and are effective in absorbing odors such as ammonia, triethylamine, indole and skatole, for example, which are commonly found in body fluids like sweat, menses, urine and fecal matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Cullen Boney, Richard Arnold Borders, Robert Cosmo Di Luccio, Eric Scott Kepner, Ali Yahiaoui
  • Patent number: 5820973
    Abstract: There is provided a surge material for personal care products comprising a layered structure of at least one relatively high permeability layer on a top side toward a wearer and at least one relatively low permeability layer where the structure has a capillary tension range between about 1 and 5 cm with a differential capillary tension of at least about 1 cm from top to bottom. The surge material should have a high permeability layer with a permeability of at least 1000 Darcys and a low permeability layer with a permeability of less than 1000 Darcys. The surge material should also have a said high permeability layer which has a permeability of at least 250 Darcys greater than the low permeability layer. Such a layered structure should have a first insult run-off value of at most 30 ml from a 100 ml insult delivered at 20 ml/second. Such a surge material is useful in personal care products like diapers, training pants, absorbent underpants, adult incontinence products, feminine hygiene products and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Norris Dodge, II, Clifford Jackson Ellis, Connie Lynn Hetzler, Eric Scott Kepner, Sylvia Bandy Little, Lawrence Howell Sawyer