Patents by Inventor Walter Reade

Walter Reade 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: 7732737
    Abstract: A warming dispenser includes a housing having a compartment. The compartment holds a plurality of sheets. A heating device is located adjacent the plurality of sheets. A micro power source is connected to the heating device to generate energy from a fuel source, wherein the heating device uses the energy to warm at least one of the sheets. The micropower source may be, for example, a micro fuel cell adapted to deliver electricity for resistive heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Lindsay, Fung-Jou Chen, Sheng-Hsin Hu, Walter Reade
  • Publication number: 20080105635
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for unfolding and dispensing diapers. The system includes a dispenser and a folded diaper that is within the dispenser. The folded diaper includes a first longitudinal fold that is between a main portion and a first side portion and a second longitudinal fold that is between the main portion and a second side portion. The dispenser includes a first projection that unfolds the first longitudinal fold as the diaper is removed from the dispenser and a second projection that unfolds the second longitudinal fold as the diaper is removed from the dispenser. The system may make it easier for care givers to perform multiple diaper changes per day.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: Jonathan Rice, Walter Reade, Daniel Ellingson, Rhonda Joch, Brenda Nelson, Denise Nelson, Jaime Vitense, Timothy Clare, Connie Warshall, John Vukos
  • Publication number: 20080081147
    Abstract: A web for use in applying a functional material is provided. The web includes a layer that has a plurality of elevated regions. The layer defines a plurality of cavities such that the cavities are located between adjacent elevated regions. A plurality of depressed regions are located on the layer intermediate the elevated regions. The layer has a longitudinal direction and a longitudinal mid-plane defined therethrough. A plurality of functional material members are located in the cavities of the layer. The functional material members are adapted for adhesion of particles or surfaces thereon. The layer is extendable in the longitudinal direction so that the elevated regions are moved in a direction towards the longitudinal mid-plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lindsay, Fung Jou-Chen, Thomas Roessler, Daniel Ellingson, Walter Reade
  • Patent number: 7321315
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system that includes a plurality of disposable absorbent products where at least one of the disposable absorbent products includes a tag. The system further includes a reader that identifies the tags on the plurality of disposable absorbent products and plays media based on the identity of the tags. In another form, the system includes a reader that identifies the tags on the plurality of disposable absorbent products and provides information relating to one other product based on the identity of the tags. In still another form, the present invention relates to a method that includes marking a plurality of disposable absorbent products (e.g., diapers) with a tag, and providing a reader that plays media based on the identity of the tags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell J. Brumm, Jason Cohen, Daniel L. Ellingson, Alissa Ellingson, Brian C. Eppstein, Sheng-Hsin Hu, Jennifer Marvin, Walter Reade, Brendon F. Ribble, Eric F. Wagner, Dan Westbrook
  • Publication number: 20070220344
    Abstract: Analyzing an event chronology record to permit identification of periods of a production sequence that correspond to a high probability of failure. Systems and methods include receiving an event chronology for a particular machine in the production sequence and for a particular time interval. A reliability analysis system accesses process flow information to determine whether a particular event in the event chronology is related to a subsequent adverse event within a predefined event window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicant: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Bett, Tanakon Ungpiyakul, Walter Reade, Michelle Irwin, Jeremy Cannady, Babe Bedenbaugh
  • Publication number: 20070081803
    Abstract: A warming dispenser includes a housing having a compartment. The compartment holds a plurality of sheets. A heating device is located adjacent the plurality of sheets. A micro power source is connected to the heating device to generate energy from a fuel source, wherein the heating device uses the energy to warm at least one of the sheets. The micropower source may be, for example, a micro fuel cell adapted to deliver electricity for resistive heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Publication date: April 12, 2007
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lindsay, Fung-Jou Chen, Sheng-Hsin Hu, Walter Reade
  • Publication number: 20060191993
    Abstract: Communication between machines in an event-based manufacturing system. In an event-based manufacturing system, material-specific data obtained for a material produced during a first manufacturing operation is used to govern a second manufacturing operation to decrease the likelihood of at least a delay event, a waste event, or poor quality of the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Markham, Douglas Barber, Paul Fuller, John Hise, Sheryl Ihde, Jeffrey Lindsay, Jon Matheus, Kurt Nygaard, Michael Pokorny, Walter Reade, Gregory Shaffer, Flynn Tiffany, Roger Yosten
  • Publication number: 20060149407
    Abstract: Providing quality management and intelligent manufacturing with labels and smart tags in event-based product manufacturing. Some of the disclosed embodiments include a system, method, and computer-readable media for storing, during a process, data associated with a material. Also disclosed are a method of collecting, storing, and reporting machine productivity, waste, and delay information on an event basis in a manufacturing system, a method of capturing and storing material history, a method of automating tracking of positions of components used in a process and correlating portions of a component with production problems, an improved inventory management system, and a method of tracking and recording actions of specific operators of a process performed by a machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clark Worlwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Markham, Douglas Barber, John Hise, Sheryl Ihde, Jeffrey Lindsay, Kurt Nygaard, Michael Pokorny, Michael Price, Walter Reade, Gregory Shaffer, Roger Yosten
  • Publication number: 20060135935
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for unfolding and dispensing diapers. The system includes a dispenser and a folded diaper that is within the dispenser. The dispenser engages the diaper to unfold the diaper as the diaper is removed from the dispenser. The method includes grasping a folded diaper that is at least partially within a dispenser and removing the folded diaper from the dispenser such that the dispenser unfolds the diaper. The system and method may make it easier for care givers to perform multiple diaper changes per day.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Jonathan Rice, Walter Reade, Daniel Ellingson, Rhonda Joch, Brenda Nelson, Denise Nelson, Jaime Vitense, Timothy Clare, Connie Warshall, John Vukos
  • Publication number: 20060047705
    Abstract: A data integrity module and method for evaluating data in a process information database. A neural network generates statistical patterns for specifying patterns for the data being evaluated. A fuzzy expert rules base specifies rules for evaluating the data. A processor, responsive to the rules base and the statistical patterns, identifies suspect data in the process information database by evaluating the data according to the rules base and the statistical patterns. A modification system modifies the suspect data in the process information database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Applicant: Kimberly-Clarke Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Reade, Douglas Barber, Paul Fuller, Melissa Klaips, Charles Markham, Michael Pokorny
  • Publication number: 20050278052
    Abstract: Analyzing an event chronology record to permit identification of periods of a production sequence that correspond to a high probability of failure. Systems and methods include receiving an event chronology for a particular machine in the production sequence and for a particular time interval. A reliability analysis system accesses process flow information to determine whether a particular event in the event chronology is related to a subsequent adverse event within a predefined event window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Publication date: December 15, 2005
    Inventors: Thomas Bett, Tanakon Ungpiyakul, Walter Reade, Michelle Irwin, Jeremy Cannady, Babe Bedenbaugh
  • Publication number: 20050148978
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system that includes a plurality of disposable absorbent products where at least one of the disposable absorbent products includes a tag. The system further includes a reader that identifies the tags on the plurality of disposable absorbent products and plays media based on the identity of the tags. In another form, the system includes a reader that identifies the tags on the plurality of disposable absorbent products and provides information relating to one other product based on the identity of the tags. In still another form, the present invention relates to a method that includes marking a plurality of disposable absorbent products (e.g., diapers) with a tag, and providing a reader that plays media based on the identity of the tags.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Russell Brumm, Jason Cohen, Daniel Ellingson, Alissa Ellingson, Brian Eppstein, Sheng-Hsin Hu, Jennifer Marvin, Walter Reade, Brendon Ribble, Eric Wagner, Dan Westbrook
  • Publication number: 20050132543
    Abstract: A web for use in applying a functional material is provided. The web includes a layer that has a plurality of elevated regions. The layer defines a plurality of cavities such that the cavities are located between adjacent elevated regions. A plurality of depressed regions are located on the layer intermediate the elevated regions. The layer has a longitudinal direction and a longitudinal mid-plane defined therethrough. A plurality of functional material members are located in the cavities of the layer. The functional material members are adapted for adhesion of particles or surfaces thereon. The layer is extendable in the longitudinal direction so that the elevated regions are moved in a direction towards the longitudinal mid-plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lindsay, Fung Jou-Chen, Thomas Roessler, Daniel Ellingson, Walter Reade