Patents by Inventor Tod A. Sutton

Tod A. Sutton 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: 5064582
    Abstract: A process for recycling and reblending dry, difficult to hydrate polymer fines into a water-swellable fluid absorbent polymer gel is disclosed. The process requires feeding the dry polymer fines into a first mixing zone where they are subjected to spraying with water that at least partially hydrates the fines and mixing, substantially simultaneously with the water contact, at high shear such at the fines are substantial completely hydrated without agglomeration. The hydrated fines are then transported from the first zone into a second mixing zone where blending of the hydrated fines with fresh polymer gel occurs at medium shear such that a substantially uniformly blended product results. The resulting process successfully re-introduces fines into the main product stream wherein the resulting product has high aqueous fluid absorbent capacity and good particulate mechanical integrity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Tod A. Sutton, Karl V. Jacob, Timothy Lim, Steven P. Sandor