Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Kimberly-clark Corporation

Michael Joseph Garvey

Thomas Walter Odorzynski

Duane Girard Uitenbroek

Thomas David Ehlert

Patrick Sean McNichols

Eric Donald Johnson

Robert Allen Janssen

Earl C McCraw, Jr

John Gavin MacDonald

Vasily Aramovich Topolkaraev

Dave Allen Soerens

Alan Francis Schleinz

Melissa Christine Putzer

Richard Francis Keller

Timothy Raymond Heindel

Mary P Jordan

Timothy J Probst

Dennis John DeGroot

Daniel W Dick

Thomas Harold Roessler

Gregory K Hall

Kimberly D Anderson

Michael Alan Hermans

Michael Tod Morman

Peiguang Zhou

Robert Eugene Vogt

Michael Barth Venturino

Timothy James Blenke

Kaiyuan Yang

Sridhar Ranganathan

Andrew Thomas Baker

Jeffrey Eldon Fish

Jason C Cohen

Frank Paul Abuto

Fred R Radwanski

Donald Eugene Waldroup

Edward A Colombo

Charles Wilson Colman

John Philip Vukos

Bryon Paul Day

Joseph Earl Pierce

Timothy James Rymer

Jeffrey Jennings Krueger

James Alvin Boldra

Braulio Arturo Polanco

Mary F Mallory

Mark Scott Lancaster

Charlcie Christie Kay Leitner

Peter Michalovich Kobylivker

Kimberly D Baer

A mass produced absorbent article having an image of a quality that is commercially acceptable. The image is produced by ink jet printheads applying ink to a web moving at high speed under the jets in the course of manufacturing the article. The image is printed at low resolution but is characterized in part by a higher coverage area ratio and brightness.

Absorbent article with high quality ink jet image produced at line speed

In a process for dyeing a textile web having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, dye is applied to the textile web and the web is then moved in an open configuration thereof over a contact surface of an ultrasonic vibration system with the textile web in direct contact with the contact surface of the ultrasonic vibration system. The ultrasonic vibration system is operated to impart ultrasonic energy to the textile web to facilitate the distribution of dye throughout the web. The web is then moved further in its open configuration through a microwave application chamber of a microwave system and the microwave system is operated to impart microwave energy to the web in the microwave application chamber to facilitate binding of the dye to the web.

Process for dyeing a textile web

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

A fastening system that includes an auto-adhesive layer and a cover layer. The cover layer engages the auto-adhesive layer such that the auto-adhesive layer is exposed as the cover layer is stretched. In some embodiments, stretching the cover layer causes the cover layer to rupture (i.e., tear) so that the auto-adhesive layer may be exposed for subsequent bonding. The term 'auto-adhesive' refers to self-adhesive properties of a polymeric material where an auto-adhesive is substantially non-adhesive with respect to many other materials. Also disclosed is a method of joining a fastening system to an item. The method includes positioning the fastening system near the item. The method further includes exposing an auto-adhesive layer by stretching a cover layer that is engaged with the auto-adhesive layer and then engaging the auto-adhesive layer on the fastening system with an auto-adhesive layer on the item.

Fastening system with auto-adhesive layer exposed through rupturable cover layer

The present disclosure provides an article adapted to produce heat, the article including an outer surface having a skin-facing surface, the outer surface enclosing a heat generator; and a thermal grill disposed on the skin-facing surface. The present disclosure also provides an article for delivering a heating sensation, the article including a skin-facing surface; a plurality of warm portions disposed on the skin-facing surface; and a plurality of cool portions disposed on the skin-facing surface, wherein the warm portions and cool portions are disposed in an alternating pattern.

Thermal grill for heating articles

In a process for dyeing a textile web having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, a solvent-based dye having at least one component that has a thermal conductivity substantially greater than that of the solvent is applied to the textile web. The web is then moved, in an open configuration thereof, over a contact surface of an ultrasonic vibration system with the textile web in direct contact with the contact surface of the ultrasonic vibration system. The ultrasonic vibration system is operated to impart ultrasonic energy to the textile web at the contact surface of the ultrasonic vibration system. In one embodiment, the dye is applied to the first face of the web and the web is then moved over the contact surface of the ultrasonic vibration system with the second face of the web in direct contact with the contact surface.

In a process for dyeing a textile web, dye is applied directly to a first face of the textile web other than by saturating the web. The web is moved in an open configuration thereof over a contact surface of an ultrasonic vibration system with a second (opposite) face of the textile web in direct contact with the contact surface of the ultrasonic vibration system and the first face free from contact with the contact surface of the ultrasonic vibration system. The ultrasonic vibration system is operated to impart ultrasonic energy to the second face of the textile web to facilitate movement of the dye from the first face of the web into and through the web to the second face thereof. In another embodiment, dye is applied to the first face of the textile web without applying the dye to the second face of the web.

A blended composition of unsaturated block copolymer with improved thermal stability and processing behavior includes at least one unsaturated block copolymer; and a compatibilizer selected from the group consisting of (1) high melt flow rate homopolymers or copolymers; (2) styrene-ethylenepropylene-styrene (SEPS); (3) ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA); (4) styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), or styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS) block copolymers; (5) single site catalyzed polyolefins, such as metallocene catalyzed and constrained geometry polyolefins; (6) amorphous poly alpha olefin homopolymer and copolymers; and (7) a combination of such.

Thermal stabilization and processing behavior of block copolymer compositions by blending, applications thereof, and methods of making same

In a process for dyeing a textile web having a first face and a second face opposite the first face, dye is applied to the textile web and the dyed web is then immersed in a flowing treatment liquid with the textile web in a generally open configuration. A contact surface of an ultrasonic vibration system is immersed in the flowing treatment liquid with the contact surface in direct contact with at least a portion of the textile web immersed in the treatment liquid. The ultrasonic vibration system is operated to impart ultrasonic energy to the portion of the textile web immersed in the treatment liquid at the contact surface of the ultrasonic vibration system to facilitate the removal of unbound dye from the textile web for entrainment in the flow of treatment liquid.

The present invention relates to shape deformable materials, which are capable of (1) being deformed, (2) storing an amount of shape deformation, and (3) recovering at least a portion of the shape deformation when exposed to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) energy. The shape deformable materials can advantageously be in the form of films, fibers, filaments, strands, nonwovens, and pre-molded elements. The shape deformable materials of the present invention may be used to form products, which are both disposable and reusable. More specifically, the shape deformable materials of the present invention may be used to produce products such as disposable diapers, training pants, incontinence products, and feminine care products.

Materials having shape-memory

Disclosed is a film formed from an elastomeric, hot melt, pressure-sensitive adhesive, with at least two different dimensions in the Z axis resulting in areas of differential tension when the film is stretched. The elastomeric and adhesive film further forms a liquid barrier. The elastomeric, hot melt, pressure-sensitive adhesive film with differential tension is particularly suitable for making a disposable absorbent garment.

Three dimensional profiling of an elastic hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive to provide areas of differential tension

A method for forming a stabilized airlaid layer () can include an airforming of a substantially unbonded fibrous layer () which includes absorbent fibers and binder-fibers. The fibrous layer () is exposed to high-frequency electromagnetic energy during a distinctively short activation period to activate the binder-fibers to provide the stabilized, airlaid layer (). In a particular aspect the activation period can be not more than about 3 sec.

Method and apparatus for making on-line stabilized absorbent materials

The present invention provides a method of placing elasticized areas in a nonwoven web construction such as may be suitable for the waistbands or leg openings of disposable absorbent pant garments, cuffs on sleeves of medical garments, or the like. A web, or webs, of extendible nonwoven material which make up the substrate for the elasticized area are printed with an elastic adhesive in its fluid or semi-fluid and untensioned state to provide a tensioning force against distension of the web during wearing of the garment for conformable, well fitting, elasticized cuff areas and may further be used to reinforce biaxially extendible web components such as the backsheet web.

Method for making an absorbent article with printed elastomers

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Michael Joseph Garvey