Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.

E4 Technologies, Inc.

Tisteron, Ltd.

Cellresin Technologies, LLC

Stanley Roy Kellenberger

David Louis Zenker

Jeffrey Dean Lindsay

James Hongxue Wang

Herb F Velazquez

Dave Allen Soerens

Fung-jou Chen

Sandra M Yarbrough

Frank Paul Abuto

Richard Warren Tanzer

Carl Gerard Rippl

Wen Zyo Schroeder

Gregory John Rajala

Thomas Harold Roessler

William S Pomplun

Sridhar Ranganathan

Mark Louis Robinson

Lorry F Sallee

Brian K Nortman

Daniel R Laux

David Martin Jackson

Robert A Stevens

Young Ko

Jason Matthew Laumer

Anthony John Wisneski

Melissa Christine Putzer

John C Wilson

Shannon K Byerly

Mark Kevin Melius

Vincent B Newbill

Moshe D Goldwasser

Ron Chen

John P Alber

Willard E Wood

Neil J Beaverson

Fred R Radwanski

Daniel T Quillin

James Jay Tanner

Julie Bednarz

Hoa La Wilhelm

Timothy Henry Bohrer

Leona G Boland

Varunesh Sharma

Charles Everett Dunning

Wendy Lynn VanDyke

Jennifer L Marvin

Wendy Lynn Van Dyke

Richard Harry Thiessen

Jeffrey Jennings Krueger

Jenny L Day

Gregory Marc Lefkowitz

Fung Jou-Chen

Susan Klinsport

Wen-Huey Shih-Schroeder

Denise J Nelson

Duane L Mcdonald

Julie M Bednarz

Young Chan Ko

Jason M Laumer

Roman A Weyenberg

Young C Ko

A preferably disposable item protector having a first and second layer, sealed peripheral edges, and an opening to provide access to the interior, formed of material substantially permeable to vapor and substantially impermeable to liquid and microbial contaminants. A method of producing such item protectors comprising the steps of folding a continuous strip of material, bonding the peripheral edges with adhesives, sonic bonding, heat bonding, or other techniques, and cutting the material proximate to the bonded edges to release the item protectors.

Multi-purpose item protector and methods of production thereof

A disposable waste containment article is disclosed along with a combination of using two articles simultaneously. The article includes a bodyside layer having a first surface and an outer perimeter, and a garment facing layer having an outer perimeter approximately coincident with the outer perimeter of the bodyside layer. An absorbent layer is positioned between the bodyside layer and the garment facing layer. A seal secures the bodyside layer to the garment facing layer. The seal is located inward of the outer perimeters. An ingress is formed in the bodyside layer and is aligned with one of the waste orifices present in a human body such that waste from the human body can pass through the ingress and be collected in the waste containment article. The waste containment article also includes a body adhesive for securing the first surface to the wearer's body.

Combination of two disposable waste containment articles worn simultaneously

A multipurpose item rest having a bottom sheet with a non-absorbent surface with an absorbent pad fixedly attached thereto, an outwardly extending tab integral to the bottom sheet having an adhesive area such that the rest may be formed into a restraining device by applying the adhesive are to the bottom surface of the bottom sheet, and a supply of such item rests comprising one or more continuous strips of rests joined with perforated attachments.

Multi-purpose item rest

Durable and disposable articles are provided which include a thermoplastic polymer composition, which includes a blend of a polymer and a modified polymer. The modified polymer has covalently bonded pendant substituents derived from cyclodextrin. The articles can be a films, coatings, nonwoven webs, or monolithic articles. An article can have the polymer composition as one part of the article, such as in one distinct area of the article, or on the surface of the article, for example as a coating or surface film. The article can be, for example, a multilayer barrier film, a nonwoven sheet or pad, an absorbent article, or a storage container.

Articles having a polymer grafted cyclodextrin

Disposable waste containment article and a combination of two articles worn simultaneously

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 cleaning wipe and cleaning product are provided. The cleaning wipe includes a foam layer such as phenolic or melamine based foam that is configured for contacting and cleaning a surface. A reinforcing web is attached to the foam.

Multi purpose cleaning product including a foam and a web

Absorbent, elastomeric materials and methods of making absorbent, elastomeric materials. The absorbent, elastomeric materials include an elastomeric substrate and a superabsorbent polymer non-adhesively attached to the substrate. The elastomeric substrate includes at least one nonwoven, and may include, for example, elastic strands, elastic film, and/or elastic foam between layers of nonwoven. The superabsorbent polymer includes particles that either encase fibers of the nonwoven or bond themselves to fibers of the nonwoven.

Elastomeric nonwoven with attached superabsorbent polymer

Methods for restoring elasticity to a stiffened elastic material include prestretching, compressing and/or notching the stiffened elastic material. These methods can be used alone, or in combination for a compounding effect.

Methods of restoring elasticity after stiffening treatments

A process for making an absorbent fibrous web composite including a stable, controllable dispersion of superabsorbent polymer is provided. A pre-formed web, desirably including cellulose fibers and, optionally, thermoplastic fibers is provided. First and second superabsorbent polymer precursor compositions are added to the fibrous web using separate streams. The first and second superabsorbent polymer precursor compositions combine with each other and chemically react on or in the fibrous web, to form a superabsorbent polymer which sticks to the surface of the fibrous web.

Process for adding superabsorbent to a pre-formed fibrous web using two polymer precursor streams

A process for forming an absorbent fibrous web composite includes the initial step of forming a fibrous web from hydrophilic fibers and, optionally, thermoplastic fibers. Then, a superabsorbent polymer is completely formed in situ on or in the fibrous web by adding one or more superabsorbent polymer precursor compositions to the fibrous web using a non-contact process, and performing the polymerization reaction(s) completely on or in the web.

Process for adding superabsorbent to a pre-formed fibrous web via in situ polymerization

An absorbent composite suitable for use in a disposable absorbent garment includes material for containing a superabsorbent material and a supersbsorbent material contained by said containment material. The superabsorbent material has a Pressure Absorbency Index of at least 100 and a 16-hour extractable level of less than about 13 weight percent; a Pressure Absorbency Index of at least 100 and a Vortex Time of less than about 45 seconds; or a Pressure Absorbency Index of at least about 110. The superabsorbent material is present in the containment means in an amount of from about 30 to about 100 weight percent based on total weight of the containment material and the superabsorbent material. A disposable absorbent garment includes an outer cover, a body-side liner, and an absorbent composite such as that described above.

Absorbent composite

A process for making an absorbent composite including absorbent fibers, superabsorbent polymer and, optionally, thermoplastic fibers and other ingredients is provided. The synthesis (i.e., polymerization) of the superabsorbent is completely integrated into the process for forming the absorbent composite. Specifically, the polymerization of superabsorbent is initiated from within a plurality of absorbent and/or thermoplastic fibers, which are then formed into a web. The integrated process eliminates the need for separate manufacture of superabsorbent polymer prior to the fiber forming and web forming processes. Also, the superabsorbent polymer thus formed tends to disperse better and remain adhered to the absorbent and/or thermoplastic fibers, providing a stable and uniform absorbent composite for various end use applications.

Process for making absorbent material with in-situ polymerized superabsorbent

One aspect of the present invention relates to an absorbent composite suitable for use in a disposable absorbent garment. The absorbent composite includes means for containing a superabsorbent material and a superabsorbent material contained by said containment means. The superabsorbent material has a Pressure Absorbency Index of at least 100 and a 16-hour extractable level of less than about 13 weight percent; a Pressure Absorbency Index of at least 100 and a Vortex Time of less than about 45 seconds; or a Pressure Absorbency Index of at least about 110. The superabsorbent material is present in said containment means in an amount of from about 30 to about 100 weight percent based on total weight of the containment means and the superabsorbent material. In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a disposable absorbent garment including an outer cover, a body-side liner, and an absorbent composite such as that described above.

An absorbent article comprises a first, liquid-permeable carrier layer and at least a second carrier layer. A carrier attaching mechanism secures together the carrier layers to provide substantially attached zones and a multiplicity of substantially unattached zones thereof. The substantially unattached zones provide a plurality of pocket regions, and high-absorbency material is located within the pocket regions to provide an absorbent laminate having a laminate length and a laminate width. A selected plurality of the pocket regions can, for example, be configured with an elongate shape having a major axis length and a relatively shorter minor axis width. The selected plurality of elongate pocket regions is included within a dispersed pocket array having a non-contiguous, labyrinth configuration of pockets. For example the pocket array can include a plurality of regular or irregular rows of pocket regions, and immediately adjacent rows portions of the array can have pocket regions which are arranged in a non-contiguous and staggered configuration. In particular aspects of the invention, the carrier attaching mechanism can be water-sensitive.

Absorbent article which includes superabsorbent material located in

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Stanley Roy Kellenberger