Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Ricky Wayne Purcell

David J Trettin

Scott M Belliveau

Trent Kahute

William Lytell Bridwell, Iii

Cleary E Mahaffey

David W Kapiloff

Kenneth Michael Ross

Gregory John Rajala

Steven Craig Gehling

Stephen Becker

Leslie Thomas Long

Anne Clare Moser

Ki Bok Song

Frederick J Williams, Jr

Toriono A Granger

Waihong Leong

Ronald Raymond Padak

Darrell R Johnson

Jennifer Leigh Singletary

Sean S Corbin

John H Evans

Adam Glass

Ronald R Arvay

Cristine E Schulz

Sena S Corbin

Thomas A Wozny

Wayne E Ford, Jr

Scott Madison Belliveau

A washroom management system with a sensor to generate operability level data for a washroom component: a controller to modify operation of the washroom component; and a central management system to access the operability level data, communicate with the controller and evaluate the operability data to determine an actionable event type for the washroom component, and the central system further configured to in response to determining the event type is the automated resolution event, put the washroom component into the issue resolution state and then putting the washroom component to one of the normal operation state or disabled state based on evaluating the operability level data after the issue resolution state; and in response to determining the event type is the assisted resolution event, leave the washroom component in the normal operation state or put it into the disabled state and causing a message to be sent to an attendant.

Management of washroom components

A dispenser for dispensing consumable product having a consumable product storage area configured to store the consumable product within the dispenser; a dispensing mechanism operatively coupled to the consumable product and configured to facilitate a dispensing cycle to dispense a portion of consumable product, and wherein the dispensing cycle creates a vibration event in at least a portion of the dispenser; a vibration sensing device configured to sense a vibrational characteristic of the vibration event, wherein a value of the vibrational characteristic changes as a function of an amount of consumable product remaining in the dispenser; and a data processing device configured to (i) store data describing the vibrational characteristic and (ii) communicate the data to a remote receiver separate from the dispenser.

Product use determination system

Hygiene product caddy

A heat patch and method for providing therapy to a body. The heat patch includes a reflective layer and a heat source that is attached to the reflective layer. The reflective layer reflects infrared energy emitted by the body back into the body while the heat source applies heat to the body. The combination of supplying heat and reflecting infrared energy provides effective therapy to people with relatively deep tissue injuries. In another aspect, the heat patch includes an enclosure made from a gas-permeable layer and a reflective layer attached to the gas-permeable layer. A heating composition is sealed inside the enclosure to generate heat when a gas (e.g., air) is received through the gas-permeable layer. The heat generated by the heating composition is easily controlled such that heat patch can be maintained at a temperature well above ambient temperature.

Reflective heat patch

A self-conforming sound attenuation earplug, including: a stem, at least one support joined with the stem and extending radially outward from the stem, and a shell engaging the support and encircling the stem to form a space between the shell and the stem. At least one of the support material and the shell material is a deformable-resilient material.

Self-conforming sound attenuation earplug

A self-fitting device for location in an ear canal. The device includes a body having a body ear end, an opposite body user end, and a shaft extending from the ear end to the user end. A resilient bladder is joined with the body ear end and a chamber is defined inside the resilient bladder. An elongate plunger is located in the shaft. The resilient bladder is deformable between an at-rest position and an in-ear position. The elongate plunger actuates between the at-rest position and an insertion position to assist the resilient bladder to be deformed into the in-ear position. The plunger actuates in the insertion position without extending a front end portion of the bladder forward of a position of the front end portion when the bladder is in the at-rest position.

Self-fitting device for location in an ear canal

A self-fitting device for location in an ear canal. The device includes a body having a body ear end, an opposite body user end, and a shaft extending from the ear end to the user end. A resilient bladder is joined with the body ear end and a chamber is defined inside the resilient bladder where the chamber is in communication with the shaft and the resilient bladder has a wall portion and is deformable from an at-rest position to an in-ear position. The resilient bladder has a variable strength profile in the wall portion of the bladder.

Self-fitting device for location in ear canal, including first end portion joined with second end portion. First end portion including first resilient bladder and first chamber of fluid and second end portion including second resilient bladder and second chamber of fluid. The bladders are in communication via the chambers. First bladder is deformable between at-rest position to in-ear position to insertion position such that first bladder has first cross-sectional area in at-rest position, second cross-sectional area in in-ear position and third cross-sectional area in insertion position. First cross-sectional area is greater than second cross-sectional area which is greater than third cross-sectional area. Second bladder is deformable to cause first bladder to be deformed from at-rest position to insertion position before device is located in ear canal.

The present invention relates to an ear cap intended for use as hearing, the ear cap having a sound-reflecting outer shell and a liner of sound absorption materials. The ear cap is characterized by at least one sound-reflecting and vibration-damping weight element arranged on or within the sound absorption liner to at least partly block an audio mode of vibration that would have existed in the cap in the absence of the weight element.

Hearing protection cap

A device and method for locating a pair of ear engaging members and an eye protector in proximity to a user's head. This includes a cord with a length and a dual mode adjustment member located along the length of the cord. An ear end of the cord can have a pair of ear engaging members joined thereto. An eye end of the cord has a pair of eye protector connectors joined thereto. The dual mode adjustment member is positionable along the length of the cord to a first mode and to a second mode shortens that, respectively, lengths or shortens the cord between the adjustment member and the eye end of the cord.

Device for use with an eye protector

A methodology for prioritizing between a number of anticipated problems employs a mathematical formula that considers probability and seriousness for each of a plurality of identified problems. Each of a plurality of problems is assigned a value for its seriousness, a value for its coefficient of seriousness, and a value for the probability of its occurrence. Once each of the identified problems is assigned these numerical values, then for each problem, the values of probability (P), coefficient of seriousness (&#x3c3;) and seriousness (S) are entered into the following formula: [P&#xd7;S]+[&#x3c3;&#xd7;S]=RP. The relative priority (RP) value that is calculated by this formula for each rated problem is then ranked to enable the decision-maker to decide which problems deserve to receive the most attention in the shortest period of time.

Enhanced process for conducting potential problem analysis

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing therapy to a portion of a body. The system and method use an elastic band to hold a pack against an injured area on a body. The system and method are particularly effective in supporting packs that require access to the ambient environment in order to maintain a chemical reaction within the pack. The system comprises an elastic band that includes an opening and a pack that includes a gas-permeable portion. The pack is secured to the elastic band such that the gas-permeable portion of the pack is exposed through the opening in the elastic band. The elastic band provides support to the pack without covering the gas-permeable portions of the pack. Therefore, the elastic band does not inhibit the chemical reaction within the pack when the elastic band is applied to the portion of the body.

Growing community of inventors

Alpharetta, GA, United States of America

Ricky Wayne Purcell