Kimberly-clark Corporation

Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Other

R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Kimberley-clark Corporation

Fred R Radwanski

Herb F Velazquez

Thomas Harold Roessler

Henry Skoog

Cherie H Everhart

Terry R Cleveland

Ralph Lee Anderson

William F Cartwright

Leon E Chambers, Jr

Lloyd E Trimble

Sridhar Ranganathan

James William Clark

Jeffrey Jennings Krueger

Ann Louise McCormack

Charles Wilson Colman

Frances Wynn Mayfield

Linda A Connor

Loyd G Kasbo

Donald F Durocher

Robert G Geer

Edward P Bullwinkel

Lawrence M Brown

James L Post

Phillip Sherman Warren

Roland C Smith

Ali Yahiaoui

Robert J Henshaw

Timothy James Blenke

Kaiyuan Yang

Russell J Kroll

Andrew Thomas Baker

Jeffrey Eldon Fish

George Ikuya Nukuto

Jark Chong Lau

Oomman Painummoottil Thomas

Donald Eugene Waldroup

Edward A Colombo

Stanley Roy Kellenberger

Gary R Shelar

Carl Gerard Rippl

MeeWha Lee

Michael Joseph Garvey

Paulette Mary Rosch

Hoa La Wilhelm

Joseph Kenneth Baker

Mark G Reichmann

Kiran K Reddy

Joseph Earl Pierce

Mark Londborg

Russell D Barnes

Renette E Richard

Joseph F Merker

Ronald F Cook

Raymond Chung

Jenny L Day

Cameron Ray Morris

Peter Robert Elliker

Stephanie Ann Rossignol

Denis R Grimard

Paul Woon

Gregory Marc Lefkowitz

Andrew B Clement

Mary F Mallory

Danial O Fischer

Elizabeth A Wolfson

Daniel O Fischer

Denise J Nelson

Deborah A Kimmitt

Harold K Barnes

Adrian J Trevisan

Duane L Mcdonald

Frances W Mayfield

Roman A Weyenberg

A hybrid absorbent foam includes an integrated hybrid foam layer having an open surface, a closed surface, and a foam body extending between the open and closed surfaces. The integrated hybrid foam layer has an open-cell content of at least 50%, while the closed surface provides a barrier to aqueous liquids. The integrated hybrid foam layer is formed as a single layer, and has a substantially uniform polymer composition throughout its thickness. The integrated hybrid foam layer combines the functions of liquid absorbency, retention, and barrier into a single layer, and is useful in a wide variety of absorbent articles.

Hybrid absorbent foam and articles containing it

An absorbent structure expands to a greater extent along one surface than along an opposite surface when in the presence of a liquid. The absorbent structure may include a single layer, or two or more layers intimately bonded to one another. When in the presence of a liquid, the more expandable surface causes an increase in concavity in the X-Y plane of the structure, with the concavity being in the direction of the less expandable surface. One or both surfaces can be treated to adjust the respective level of expandability. By inducing a formed shape upon hydration swelling, a trough shape can be generated to facilitate absorbent properties, containment, and fit. The invention includes absorbent articles having such an absorbent structure incorporated therein.

Differentially expanding absorbent structure

A wet mop head assembly for use with a mop handle is disclosed. The mop head includes a laminate mop substrate having a first layer of scrubbing material, a second layer of scrubbing material and an absorbent foam layer sandwiched between the scrubbing material layers. At least one bond is present to join the scrubbing and absorbent foam layers together.

Wet mop with multi-layer substrate

A soft, flexible, low-density, open-cell, thermoplastic, absorbent foam formed from a foam polymer formula including a balanced amount of a plasticizing agent and a surfactant in combination with a base resin. Thermoplastic elastomers can be added to the foam polymer formula to improve softness, flexibility, elasticity, and resiliency of the resulting foam. The surfactant may be either a single surfactant or a multi-surfactant system. The foam possesses a number of qualities, such as softness and strength, which render the foam particularly suitable for use in a variety of personal care products, medical products, and the like.

Low-density, open-cell, soft, flexible, thermoplastic, absorbent foam and method of making foam

A wiper having a controlled release anti-microbial agent therein for providing anti-microbial cleansing of surfaces is provided. The wiper is formed from an absorbent base web to which an anti-microbial formulation is adhered. The formulation includes an anti-microbial agent that is capable of being controllably released from the wiper. In some embodiments, a polymer mixture may be employed to control the rate of release of the anti-microbial agent. Various anti-microbial agents, such as metal ions and organic compounds may be employed.

Wiper containing a controlled-release anti-microbial agent

A use-dependent indicator system for detecting the exhaustion of an active chemical within an absorbent article is provided. The indicator system includes at least one dye component and a polymer mixture. The dye component(s) can be non-reactive and/or reactive dyes. The polymer mixture can contain a polymer, such as a latex adhesive, to facilitate control over the dissolution rate of the dye component(s). By controlling the dissolution rate of the dye component(s), an indicator system of the present invention can impart a change in color to signal the exhaustion of an active chemical incorporated within the absorbent article, such as an anti-microbial agent.

Use-dependent indicator system for absorbent articles

A wiper that provides a controlled release anti-microbial agent has a substrate layer to which the anti-microbial agent is adhered. In addition, the wiper will have one or more laminate layers, at least one of which will be absorbent. Various anti-microbial agents such as silver containing additives, calcium hypochlorite, and chlorine dioxide generating compounds may be employed. The substrate layer may be a poly(ethylene vinyl acetate) meltblown web and the laminate layer may be a hydroentangled composite absorbent fabric.

Controlled release anti-microbial hard surface wiper

The present invention desirably provides a fabric including a synthetic fiber structure first zone, a synthetic fiber structure second zone, and a short fiber third zone. The first zone may include a spunbond web layer and a meltblown web layer. The synthetic fiber structure second zone may be positioned proximate to the synthetic fiber structure first zone and the short fiber third zone may be positioned substantially between the first and second zones. Desirably, the first and second zones are entwined.

Method for making a hydraulically entangled composite fabric

A process for treating a fibrous material which includes the steps of: 1) providing a liquid suspension composed of fibrous material; 2) intermixing the liquid suspension of fibrous material with a treatment over a time period T,&mdash;wherein the treatment requires a period of time T,sufficient to treat the fibrous material; 3) depositing the liquid suspension of fibrous material and intermixed treatment onto a forming surface to form a layer and removing a substantial portion of the liquid, over a perod of time T,; and 4) applying pressurized jets of a liquid to the layer of fibrous material to wash unused treatment from the fibrous material within a period of time T,. Periods of time T,, T,and T,are immediately consecutive and amount to a total period of time at least as great as T,. Also disclosed is a hydraulically entangled structure composed of: 1) at least one layer a wet-laid nonwoven web containing fibrous cellulosic material; and 2) colorfast dye imparting color to the fibrous cellulosic material such that the fibrous cellulosic material is colorfast.

Process for treating a fibrous material and article thereof

Fabric

A flame retardant composition for treating a high pulp content nonwoven web is provided. The flame retardant composition includes soluble solids formed from inorganic salts, such as ammonium polyphosphate and sulfur. The TGA range of such soluble solids is from about 175.degree. C. to about 370.degree. C. The flame retardant composition may be continuously and uniformly applied to the high pulp content nonwoven web by a non-compressive process.

Flame inhibitor composition and method of application

A method of making a nonwoven composite material. The method includes the steps of: providing a hydraulically entangled web containing a fibrous component and a nonwoven layer of substantially continuous filaments; applying a bonding material to at least one side of said web; and creping said at least one side of the hydraulically entangled web. The bonder material may be an aqueous mixture including a curable latex polymer, a pigment, and a cure promoter. Also disclosed is a nonwoven composite material made of a hydraulically entangled web including a fibrous component; a nonwoven layer of substantially continuous filaments; and regions containing bonder material covering at least a portion of at least one side of the composite material, wherein at least one side of the web has been creped.

Soft, strong hydraulically entangled nonwoven composite material and

A process for treating a fibrous material which includes the steps of: 1) providing a liquid suspension composed of fibrous material; 2) intermixing the liquid suspension of fibrous material with a treatment over a time period T.sub.1 --wherein the treatment requires a period of time T.sub.R sufficient to treat the fibrous material; 3) depositing the liquid suspension of fibrous material and intermixed treatment onto a forming surface to form a layer and removing a substantial portion of the liquid, over a period of time T.sub.2 ; and 4) applying pressurized jets of a liquid to the layer of fibrous material to wash unused treatment from the fibrous material within a period of time T.sub.3. Periods of time T.sub.1, T.sub.2 and T.sub.3 are immediately consecutive and amount to a total period of time at least as great as T.sub.R. Also disclosed is a hydraulically entangled structure composed of: 1) at least one layer a wet-laid nonwoven web containing fibrous cellulosic material; and 2) colorfast dye imparting color to the fibrous cellulosic material such that the fibrous cellulosic material is colorfast.

Disclosed is a continuous process of non-compressively and uniformly applying a liquid saturant throughout a permeable sheet. The process includes the steps of: 1) providing a continuously advancing permeable sheet having a first surface and a second surface, 2) depositing a substantially laminar flowing curtain of a liquid saturant generally across and onto the first surface of the continuously advancing permeable sheet, 3) applying a vacuum to the second surface of the continuously advancing permeable sheet, and 4) drawing a substantial portion of the liquid saturant through the permeable sheet to generate a substantially uniform distribution of liquid saturant throughout the permeable sheet. The process may also include the step of drying the liquid saturated permeable sheet. The dry bulk of the liquid saturant treated permeable sheet may be within about 15 percent of the dry bulk of an identical untreated permeable sheet. Also disclosed is a non-compressively and uniformly liquid saturant treated permeable sheet and an apparatus for non-compressively and uniformly applying a liquid saturant throughout a permeable sheet.

Liquid saturation process, apparatus and article thereof

Growing community of inventors

Roswell, GA, United States of America

Fred R Radwanski