Patents by Inventor Steven L. Edwards

Steven L. Edwards 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).

  • Patent number: 6558510
    Abstract: There is provided a method of making absorbent sheet including the steps of: (a) an aqueous cellulosic furnish on a foraminous support; (b) at least partially dewatering the furnish to form a nascent web; (c) applying the nascent web to a rotating cylinder and drying the web to a consistency of from about 30 to about 90 percent solids; (d) creping the web at the consistency of from about 30 to about 90 percent while maintaining a narrow creping shelf effective width; and (e) drying the creped web to form an absorbent sheet, wherein the absorbent sheet exhibits a Void Volume of at least about 3.5 gms/gm. The process is advantageously applied to absorbent sheet having a thickness of from about 0.003 inches to about 0.010 inches while utilizing a creping blade having a creping surface with a ledge width of from about 0.005 inches to about 0.025 inches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Robert J. Marinack
  • Patent number: 6517672
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for maximizing water removal from an absorbent web in a press nip. The present invention uses a pressing unit having a blanket with a void volume and with a pressure profile that maximizes water removal in the press section or on the Yankee dryer of a paper machine. The pressure profile of the pressing unit according to the present invention has a very steep pressure drop at and/or following the exit of a pressure distribution curve in order to maximize water removal by minimizing rewet of the web. The improved pressure profile according to the present invention results in increased water removal and/or improved line speed. The void volume further increases water removal and/or improves line speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Robert J. Marinack, Jeffrey Charles McDowell, Gary L. Worry
  • Patent number: 6511579
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of making a near-premium quality paper product having good strength and absorbency characteristics and a product made by that method. The invention is also a method for retaining a high ash content within a paper web formed by conventional wet pressing. The present invention is also a method for retaining a high percentage of softening agent within a paper web that includes such an agent. Further, the present invention is a soft absorbent paper product having a high void volume. Finally, the invention is also a method for producing a soft, absorbent, and near premium paper product having a high void volume using an undulatory crepe blade having a multiplicity of serrulations in its rake surface which presents differentiated creping angles and/or rake angles as to the paper being creped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, David W. White, Frank D. Harper, John H. Dwiggins
  • Publication number: 20020148584
    Abstract: An improved process for making sheet from a fibrous furnish includes: depositing the furnish on a foraminous support; compactively dewatering the furnish to form a nascent web; drying the web on a heated cylinder; creping the web therefrom and throughdrying the web to a finished product. The microstructure of the web is controlled so as to facilitate throughdrying. The product exhibits a characteristic throughdrying coefficient of from 4 to 10 when the airflow through the sheet is characterized by a Reynolds Number of less than about 1. The novel products of the invention are characterized by wet springback ratio, hydraulic diameter and an internal bond strength parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Greg A. Wendt, Robert J. Marinack, Michael J. Vander Wielen, Stephen J. McCullough, Jeffrey C. McDowell, Guy H. Super, Gary L. Worry
  • Patent number: 6458248
    Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for maximizing water removal from an absorbent web in a press nip. The present invention uses a pressing unit with a pressure profile that maximizes water removal in the press section or on the Yankee dryer of a paper machine. The pressure profile of the pressing unit according to the present invention has a very steep pressure drop at and/or following the exit of a pressure distribution curve in order to maximize water removal by minimizing rewet of the web. The improved pressure profile according to the present invention results in increased water removal and/or improved line speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Robert J. Marinack, Jeffrey Charles McDowell, Gary L. Worry
  • Patent number: 6447640
    Abstract: A process for making absorbent sheet includes: (a) depositing an aqueous furnish of cellulosic fiber on a forming fabric; (b) dewatering the wet web to a consistency of from about 15 to about 40 percent; (c) transferring the dewatered web from the forming fabric to another fabric traveling at a speed of from about 10 to about 80 percent slower than the forming fabric; (d) wet-shaping the web on an impression fabric whereby the web is macroscopically rearranged to conform to the surface of the impression fabric; and (e) impingement air drying the web. The process is particularly suitable for making high bulk products form difficult to process furnishes such as recycle furnishes and for making high basis weight products without compressive dewatering with a papermaking felt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
    Inventors: Gary M. Watson, Steven L. Edwards
  • Publication number: 20020088595
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for maximizing water removal from an absorbent web in a press nip. The present invention uses a pressing unit having a blanket with a void volume and with a pressure profile that maximizes water removal in the press section or on the Yankee dryer of a paper machine. The pressure profile of the pressing unit according to the present invention has a very steep pressure drop at and/or following the exit of a pressure distribution curve in order to maximize water removal by minimizing rewet of the web. The improved pressure profile according to the present invention results in increased water removal and/or improved line speed. The void volume further increases water removal and/or improves line speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Applicant: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Robert J. Marinack, Jeffrey Charles McDowell, Gary L. Worry
  • Publication number: 20020088577
    Abstract: A process for making absorbent sheet includes: (a) depositing an aqueous furnish of cellulosic fiber on a forming fabric; (b) dewatering the wet web to a consistency of from about 15 to about 40 percent; (c) transferring the dewatered web from the forming fabric to another fabric traveling at a speed of from about 10 to about 80 percent slower than the forming fabric; (d) wet-shaping the web on an impression fabric whereby the web is macroscopically rearranged to conform to the surface of the impression fabric; and (e) impingement air drying the web. The process is particularly suitable for making high bulk products form difficult to process furnishes such as recycle furnishes and for making high basis weight products without compressive dewatering with a papermaking felt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventors: Gary M. Watson, Steven L. Edwards
  • Publication number: 20020088594
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for maximizing water removal from an absorbent web in a press nip. The present invention uses a pressing unit having a blanket with a void volume and with a pressure profile that maximizes water removal in the press section or on the Yankee dryer of a paper machine. The pressure profile of the pressing unit according to the present invention has a very steep pressure drop at and/or following the exit of a pressure distribution curve in order to maximize water removal by minimizing rewet of the web. The improved pressure profile according to the present invention results in increased water removal and/or improved line speed. The void volume further increases water removal and/or improves line speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Applicant: Georgia Pacific Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Robert J. Marinack, Jeffrey Charles McDowell, Gary L. Worry
  • Patent number: 6387217
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for maximizing water removal from an absorbent web in a press nip. The present invention uses a pressing unit having a blanket with a void volume and with a pressure profile that maximizes water removal in the press section or on the Yankee dryer of a paper machine. The pressure profile of the pressing unit according to the present invention has a very steep pressure drop at and/or following the exit of a pressure distribution curve in order to maximize water removal by minimizing rewet of the web. The improved pressure profile according to the present invention results in increased water removal and/or improved line speed. The void volume further increases water removal and/or improves line speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Robert J. Marinack, Jeffrey Charles McDowell, Gary L. Worry
  • Patent number: 6379496
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for making a high quality paper product at improved process efficiency through the use of high steam levels in the Yankee dryer. The product according to the present invention is creped from the Yankee dryer while it is still wet and is then drying is completed using conventional methods. Products made according to the present invention exhibit improved absorbency, softness and bulk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Robert J. Marinack
  • Publication number: 20010007278
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for making a high quality paper product at improved process efficiency through the use of high steam levels in the Yankee dryer. The product according to the present invention is creped from the Yankee dryer while it is still wet and is then drying is completed using conventional methods. Products made according to the present invention exhibit improved absorbency, softness and bulk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2001
    Publication date: July 12, 2001
    Applicant: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Robert J. Marinack
  • Patent number: 6248210
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for maximizing water removal from an absorbent web in a press nip. The present invention uses a pressing unit with a pressure profile that maximizes water removal in the press section or on the Yankee dryer of a paper machine. The pressure profile of the pressing unit according to the present invention has a very steep pressure drop at and/or following the exit of a pressure distribution curve in order to maximize water removal by minimizing rewet of the web. The improved pressure profile according to the present invention results in increased water removal and/or improved line speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Robert J. Marinack, Jeffrey Charles McDowell, Gary L. Worry
  • Patent number: 6187139
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for making a high quality paper product at improved process efficiency through the use of high steam levels in the Yankee dryer. The product according to the present invention is creped from the Yankee dryer while it is still wet and is then drying is completed using conventional methods. Products made according to the present invention exhibit improved absorbency, softness and bulk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Robert J. Marinack
  • Patent number: 5494554
    Abstract: The formation of wet-pressed tissue webs useful for facial tissue, bath tissue, paper towels or the like is substantially improved by forming the wet tissue web in layers in which the second-formed layer has a consistency which is significantly less than the consistency of the first-formed layer. The fiber support index of the forming fabric is about 170 or greater. The resulting improvement in web formation enables uniform debonding during creping, which in turn provides a significant improvement in softness and a reduction in linting. Wet-pressed tissues made with this process are uniformly internally debonded, as measured by a high Void Volume Index, which is comparable to that of throughdried tissues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, Peter J. Allen, Oliver P. Renier
  • Patent number: 4894118
    Abstract: There has been provided a recreped absorbent product manufactured by forming a web from an aqueous stock, drying the web to a selected consistency and creping one side thereof. The creped web is then conveyed at a selected rate for drying and recreping on the same side. The web moisture consistency, draw speeds, crepe angle and nip pressures as well as crepe adhesive qualities are controlled parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1990
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Edwards, William D. Lloyd