Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

Other

Lee Kirby Jameson

Bernard H Cohen

Lamar Heath Gipson

Judith Katherine Faass

Varunesh Sharma

Robert L Isaac

Leslie Hope Van Hout

Phillip A Schorr

Roger Bradshaw Quincy, Iii

Alice Susan Gordon

James Russell Fitts, Jr

Ty Jackson Stokes

Michael David Powers

Paul Windsor Estey

Darryl Franklin Clark

Steven Wayne Fitting

Hue Scott Snowden

Robert John Schwartz

James Richard Neely

Allen James Dohnalik

Diane Leilani Kilpatrick

Bernhard Cohen

Gerald L Kochanny, Jr

Phillip Andrew Schorr

The present invention relates to protective outerwear for covering a body portion. The protective outerwear has an inside surface and an outside surface, with at least the outside surface including thereupon an ink jet printed low surface tension liquid blocking material in a continuous unbroken band, region, or combination of such, for blocking the wicking of liquid that is contained on the outside surface of the outerwear.

Anti-wicking protective workwear and methods of making and using same

An absorbent article includes an outer cover member, a liner, and an absorbent body structure disposed between the cover member and the liner. A first matrix of discrete deposits of a skin wellness lotion formulation are applied relative to the body facing surface of the liner so as to contact the wearer's skin. The lotion formulation deposits have a phase-change temperature less than body temperature. A second matrix of discrete deposits of a phase-change liquid are applied to the body facing surface of the liner interspaced with the lotion deposits. These phase-change liquid deposits have a phase-change temperature greater than body temperature. The phase-change lotion deposits have a height above the body facing surface greater than the height of the phase-change liquid deposits.

Absorbent article with a body facing liner having discretely placed lotion deposits

A method of creating high-speed multi-color process images. The method includes providing at least two high operating frequency printheads which are capable of processing phase-change inks, providing at least two phase-change inks, providing a substrate, activating the printheads such that at least two inks pass therethrough, and passing the substrate under the printheads at a rate of at least about 1000 feet per minute so as at least one process image is formed on the substrate. The present invention also includes a process for achieving high-speed crockfast process printing on a material with phase-change ink. The process includes providing at least an array of printheads capable of processing phase-change inks at frequencies of at least about 20 kHz, providing a material, providing a material transport system capable of transporting the material under the printheads, providing a plurality of phase-change inks, transporting material under the array printheads at a speed of at least 1000 ft/min, and ejecting ink from at least two of the printheads onto the material so as to form an image.

High-speed inkjet printing for vibrant and crockfast graphics on web materials or end-products

A method involves retrofitting conventional injectors with needles having magnetostrictive portions and wound coils configured and disposed so as to subject the magnetostrictive portions of the needles to ultrasonically oscillating magnetic fields.

Method of retrofitting an unitized injector for ultrasonically stimulated operation

Described is an improved two-step process for treating lightweight nonwovens to impart single-sided anti-static and alcohol repellency properties while maintaining good barrier characteristics as measured by hydrostatic head values. The resulting nonwovens find particular uses as infection control product medical fabrics for sterilization wrap and surgical gowns, for example.

Treated nonwoven fabrics

An apparatus for controllably focusing ultrasonic acoustical energy to a desired position within a liquid stream by manipulation of the shape of a wave generator used to propagate acoustic energy as well as by the selection of the shape of a chamber within which the acoustic energy is applied to the liquid. When the ultrasonic acoustical wave generator is excited, it applies ultrasonic energy to the pressurized liquid contained within the chamber as the liquid passes through the housing without mechanically vibrating the exit orifice.

Apparatus for controllably focusing ultrasonic acoustical energy within a liquid stream

An ultrasonic fuel injector for injecting a pressurized liquid fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine that uses an overhead cam for actuating the injector, includes an injector body and an injector needle. The injector needle is disposed within the body and includes a magnetostrictive portion disposed in the region of the body defined by a ceramic wall, which is transparent to magnetic fields changing at ultrasonic frequencies. A wire coil is wound around the outside surface of the ceramic wall and connected to a source of electric power that is controlled to oscillate at ultrasonic frequencies during predetermined intervals of operation of the injector. A sensor is configured to signal when the overhead cam is actuating the injector to inject fuel into the combustion chamber of the engine. The sensor is connected to a control that is connected to the power source and is configured to operate same only when the overhead cam is actuating the injector to inject fuel into the combustion chamber of the engine. When the power source activates the oscillating magnetic field in the coil and applies same to the magnetostrictive portion of the needle, ultrasonic energy is applied to the pressurized liquid. A method involves retrofitting conventional injectors with needles having magnetostrictive portions and wound coils configured and disposed so as to subject the magnetostrictive portions of the needles to ultrasonically oscillating magnetic fields.

Unitized injector modified for ultrasonically stimulated operation

An ultrasonic apparatus and a method for injecting a pressurized liquid fuel by applying ultrasonic energy to a portion of the pressurized liquid fuel. The apparatus includes a die housing which defines a chamber adapted to receive a pressurized liquid and a means for applying ultrasonic energy to a portion of the pressurized liquid. The die housing further includes an inlet adapted to supply the chamber with the pressurized liquid, and an exit orifice defined by the walls of a die tip. The exit orifice is adapted to receive the pressurized liquid from the chamber and pass the liquid out of the die housing. When the means for applying ultrasonic energy is excited, it applies ultrasonic energy to the pressurized liquid without applying ultrasonic energy to the die tip. The method involves supplying a pressurized liquid to the foregoing apparatus, applying ultrasonic energy to the pressurized liquid but not the die tip while the exit orifice receives pressurized liquid from the chamber, and passing the pressurized liquid out of the exit orifice in the die tip.

Ultrasonic liquid fuel injection apparatus and method

An ultrasonic fuel injector for injecting a pressurized liquid fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine that uses an overhead cam for actuating the injector includes a valve body having an injector needle disposed therein forming a needle valve to meter the flow of fuel through the injector. The valve body is formed of ceramic material that is transparent to magnetic fields changing at ultrasonic frequencies. The injector needle includes a magnetostrictive portion disposed in the region of the valve body that is surrounded by a wire coil wound around the outside surface of the ceramic valve body. The wire coil is connected to a source of electric power that oscillates at ultrasonic frequencies. A sensor is configured to signal when the overhead cam is actuating the injector to inject fuel into the combustion chamber of the engine. The sensor is connected to a control that is connected to the power source and is configured to operate same only when the overhead cam is actuating the injector to inject fuel into the combustion chamber of the engine. When the power source activates the oscillating magnetic field in the coil and applies same to the magnetostrictive portion of the needle, ultrasonic energy is applied to the pressurized liquid. The method involves retrofitting a conventional injector with a needle having a magnetostrictive portion and with a ceramic valve body surrounded by wound wire coils configured and disposed to subject the magnetostrictive portion of the needle to ultrasonically oscillating magnetic fields.

Ultrasonic unitized fuel injector with ceramic valve body

An apparatus and a method for the melt extrusion of a molten thermoplastic polymer, e.g., as fibers and nonwoven webs, which apparatus and method utilize ultrasonic energy to assist in the melt-extrusion process. The apparatus includes a die housing which defines a chamber adapted to receive the molten thermoplastic polymer and a means for applying ultrasonic energy to a portion of the molten thermoplastic polymer. The die housing includes a chamber adapted to receive the molten thermoplastic polymer, an inlet orifice adapted to supply the chamber with the molten thermoplastic polymer, and an extrusion orifice adapted to receive the molten thermoplastic polymer from the chamber and extrude the polymer. The means for applying ultrasonic energy is located within the chamber. The method involves supplying a molten thermoplastic polymer and extruding the molten thermoplastic polymer through an extrusion orifice in the foregoing apparatus to form a threadline. The means for applying ultrasonic energy is at least partially surrounded by molten thermoplastic polymer and is adapted to apply the ultrasonic energy to molten thermoplastic polymer as it passes into the extrusion orifice. While extruding the molten thermoplastic polymer, the means for applying ultrasonic energy is excited with ultrasonic energy. The resulting threadline then is attenuated to form a fiber. The means for applying the ultrasonic energy may be an ultrasonic horn.

Method and apparatus for ultrasonically assisted melt extrusion of fibers

A method employing a ultrasonicator apparatus to emulsify a pressurized multi-component liquid. The apparatus includes a die housing comprising a chamber adapted to receive a pressurized multi-component liquid, an inlet adapted to supply the chamber with the pressurized multi-component liquid, an exit orifice defined by the walls of a die tip, and a means for applying ultrasonic energy to a portion of the pressurized liquid. The method for emulsifying a pressurized multi-component liquid comprising supplying a pressurized multi-component liquid to the apparatus, applying ultrasonic energy to the pressurized liquid but not the die tip while the exit orifice receives pressurized liquid from the chamber, and passing the pressurized liquid out of the exit orifice in the die tip so that the multi-component liquid is emulsified, wherein the means for applying ultrasonic energy is excited, it applies ultrasonic energy to the pressurized liquid without applying ultrasonic energy to the die tip.

Apparatus and method for emulsifying a pressurized multi-component liquid

A method for stretching nonwoven sheet material in the cross-machine direction includes coursing a nonwoven sheet material through a deformable nip, the nip being formed between two rotating stretch surfaces having intermeshing peaks and troughs, the surfaces of the peaks and troughs being covered with a deformable material, and contemporaneously pressing the stretch surfaces together while rotating them, such that as the nonwoven material travels through the nip, the nip deforms from an initial flat formation into a convoluted formation.

Apparatus and method for cross-directional stretching of polymeric film and other nonwoven sheet material and materials produced therefrom

An apparatus and a method for ultrasonically producing a spray of liquid. The apparatus includes a die housing which defines a chamber adapted to receive a pressurized liquid and a means for applying ultrasonic energy to a portion of the pressurized liquid. The die housing further includes an inlet adapted to supply the chamber with the pressurized liquid, and an exit orifice defined by the walls of a die tip. The exit orifice is adapted to receive the pressurized liquid from the chamber and pass the liquid out of the die housing to produce a spray of liquid. When the means for applying ultrasonic energy is excited, it applies ultrasonic energy to the pressurized liquid without applying ultrasonic energy to the die tip. The method involves supplying a pressurized liquid to the foregoing apparatus, applying ultrasonic energy to the pressurized liquid but not the die tip while the exit orifice receives pressurized liquid from the chamber, and passing the pressurized liquid out of the exit orifice in the die tip to produce a spray of liquid.

Apparatus and method for ultrasonically self-cleaning an orifice

A method of attaching a substantially uniform distribution of particulates to individual exposed surfaces of a matrix of fibrous material. The method includes the following steps: 1) electrically charging a matrix of fibrous material having individual exposed surfaces to create a substantially uniform distribution of charged sites at the exposed surfaces; 2) applying particulates to the charged matrix of fibrous material so that at least some particulates adhere at the charged sites; and 3) attaching particulates adhering to the fibrous material at charged sites by substantially non-transient bonding.

Growing community of inventors

Roswell, GA, United States of America

Lee Kirby Jameson