Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Binforma Group Limited Liability Company

Walter Caswell Reade

Jeffrey Dean Lindsay

Michael Roy Pokorny

Charles Earl Markham

Douglas Gordon Barron Barber

Kurt Sigurd Nygaard

Daniel Lee Ellingson

John Harland Hise

Gregory Duncan Shaffer

Roger Dale Yosten

Sheryl Annette Ihde

Jeff Lindsay

Paul D Fuller

Fung-jou Chen

Jon Ray Matheus

Thomas Harold Roessler

Sheng-Hsin Hu

Fung Jou-Chen

Jamie Scott Mork

Melissa S Klaips

Michael T Price

Flynn Matthew Tiffany

Jason C Cohen

John Philip Vukos

Thomas Arthur Bett

Brenda Marie Nelson

Tanakon Ungpiyakul

Brendon Frank Ribble

Jennifer L Marvin

Eric Francis Wagner

Russell Joseph Brumm

Timothy P Clare

Jonathan K Rice

Winnie Shi Mei Shun Hoo

Jose Andres Stambuk

Alissa Rachel Ellingson

Dan Westbrook

Michelle Reneé Irwin

Jeremy Brian Cannady

Jaime M Vitense

Babe Bedenbaugh

Brian C Eppstein

Connie J Warshall

Denise J Nelson

Rhonda K Joch

John L Reynders

Scott Jeffrey Park

Jolene Marie Meissner

Gary Lee Goggans

Amy Hancock Boyd

Daniel L Ellingson

Providing quality management by validating a bill of materials in event-based product manufacturing. Some of the disclosed embodiments include a system and method for validating materials during manufacture of a product. Also disclosed are a method of validating that acceptable materials are being used on a machine during manufacture of a product, and one or more computer-readable media for storing a data structure representing a product specification in an event-based manufacturing system. The embodiments are operable in an intelligent manufacturing system including a process for converting raw materials to a product, a process control system including one or more sensors capable of generating an alarm in response to an event that results in one of waste, machine delay, or decrease product quality, a data logger associated with the process control system for obtaining event parameters associated with the event, a database on a server for recording event parameters obtained by the data logger, and a reporting system cooperatively associated with the database for reporting productivity parameters regarding the process derived at least in part from the event parameters.

Quality management by validating a bill of materials in event-based product manufacturing

The present invention relates to a system for unfolding and dispensing diapers. The system includes a dispenser and a folded diaper that is within the dispenser. The folded diaper includes a first longitudinal fold that is between a main portion and a first side portion and a second longitudinal fold that is between the main portion and a second side portion. The dispenser includes a first projection that unfolds the first longitudinal fold as the diaper is removed from the dispenser and a second projection that unfolds the second longitudinal fold as the diaper is removed from the dispenser. The system may make it easier for care givers to perform multiple diaper changes per day.

System and method for unfolding and dispensing diapers

Providing quality management and intelligent manufacturing with labels and smart tags in event-based product manufacturing. Some of the disclosed embodiments include a system, method, and computer-readable media for storing, during a process, data associated with a material. Also disclosed are a method of collecting, storing, and reporting machine productivity, waste, and delay information on an event basis in a manufacturing system, a method of capturing and storing material history, a method of automating tracking of positions of components used in a process and correlating portions of a component with production problems, an improved inventory management system, and a method of tracking and recording actions of specific operators of a process performed by a machine. The embodiments are operable in an intelligent manufacturing system including a process for converting raw materials to a product, a process control system including one or more sensors capable of generating an alarm in response to an event that results in one of waste, machine delay, or decrease product quality, a data logger associated with the process control system for obtaining event parameters associated with the event, a database on a server for recording event parameters obtained by the data logger, and a reporting system cooperatively associated with the database for reporting productivity parameters regarding the process derived at least in part from the event parameters.

Quality management and intelligent manufacturing with labels and smart tags in event-based product manufacturing

A warming dispenser includes a housing having a compartment. The compartment holds a plurality of sheets. A heating device is located adjacent the plurality of sheets. A micro power source is connected to the heating device to generate energy from a fuel source, wherein the heating device uses the energy to warm at least one of the sheets. The micropower source may be, for example, a micro fuel cell adapted to deliver electricity for resistive heating.

Micro powered warming container

A web for use in applying a functional material is provided. The web includes a layer that has a plurality of elevated regions. The layer defines a plurality of cavities such that the cavities are located between adjacent elevated regions. A plurality of depressed regions are located on the layer intermediate the elevated regions. The layer has a longitudinal direction and a longitudinal mid-plane defined therethrough. A plurality of functional material members are located in the cavities of the layer. The functional material members are adapted for adhesion of particles or surfaces thereon. The layer is extendable in the longitudinal direction so that the elevated regions are moved in a direction towards the longitudinal mid-plane.

Activatable fastening system and web having elevated regions and functional material members

A method and system are provided to aid consumers having food allergies, or other dietary concerns. An RFID system is used to provide consumers with food product information. The food products are provided with smart tags. The tags containing information regarding the food product that is of interest to consumers with allergies or dietary concerns. A smart tag scanner is used to retrieve the food product information from the smart tags. The consumers scan a potential food product with the scanner and, based on the retrieved food product information, make an informed decision as to whether to purchase or consume the food product.

RFID system and method for ensuring food safety

A RFID method and system are provided to aid consumers in making an informed decision prior to purchasing products from a vending or other type of dispensing machine. The products in the machine are associated with a smart tag that contains information regarding the product that may be of interest to a consumer prior to purchasing the product. A smart tag scanner is incorporated with the dispensing machine and used to retrieve the product information from the smart tags.

RFID system and method for vending machine control

Communication between machines in an event-based manufacturing system. In an event-based manufacturing system, material-specific data obtained for a material produced during a first manufacturing operation is used to govern a second manufacturing operation to decrease the likelihood of at least a delay event, a waste event, or poor quality of the product.

Feed-forward control in event-based manufacturing systems

User interface for reporting event-based production information in product manufacturing. Some of the disclosed embodiments include a system, method, computer-readable medium, and display device for processing data stored in a database. The data includes automatically collected event-based production information records in a manufacturing system wherein each record represents an event and includes a timestamp, an event code, and a measure of cost or production loss associated with the event. The embodiments are operable in an intelligent manufacturing system including a process for converting raw materials to a product, a process control system including one or more sensors capable of generating an alarm in response to an event that results in one of waste, machine delay, or decrease product quality, a data logger associated with the process control system for obtaining event parameters associated with the event, a database on a server for recording event parameters obtained by the data logger, and a reporting system cooperatively associated with the database for reporting productivity parameters regarding the process derived at least in part from the event parameters.

User interface for reporting event-based production information in product manufacturing

The present invention relates to a system that includes a plurality of disposable absorbent products where at least one of the disposable absorbent products includes a tag. The system further includes a reader that identifies the tags on the plurality of disposable absorbent products and plays media based on the identity of the tags. In another form, the system includes a reader that identifies the tags on the plurality of disposable absorbent products and provides information relating to one other product based on the identity of the tags. In still another form, the present invention relates to a method that includes marking a plurality of disposable absorbent products (e.g., diapers) with a tag, and providing a reader that plays media based on the identity of the tags.

System and method for identifying disposable absorbent products

Analyzing an event chronology record to permit identification of periods of a production sequence that correspond to a high probability of failure. Systems and methods include receiving an event chronology for a particular machine in the production sequence and for a particular time interval. A reliability analysis system accesses process flow information to determine whether a particular event in the event chronology is related to a subsequent adverse event within a predefined event window.

Generating a reliability analysis by identifying casual relationships between events in an event-based manufacturing system

A RFID jamming device and methodology are provided for inhibiting unwanted intrusions of RFID smart tag technology. The device includes a mechanism for actively or passively preventing a RFID scanner from accurately receiving information from smart tags associated with products.

Jamming device against RFID smart tag systems

A data integrity module and method for evaluating data in a process information database. A neural network generates statistical patterns for specifying patterns for the data being evaluated. A fuzzy expert rules base specifies rules for evaluating the data. A processor, responsive to the rules base and the statistical patterns, identifies suspect data in the process information database by evaluating the data according to the rules base and the statistical patterns. A modification system modifies the suspect data in the process information database.

Intelligent agent system and method for evaluating data integrity in process information databases

A RFID method for storing products in a defined location is provided to minimize undesired combinations of stored products resulting from improper placement of the products in the storage location. RFID smart tags are associated with any products to be stored within the storage location, the smart tags containing information to identify the product they are associated with. A product profile is compiled and stored for any products to be stored within the storage location, the profile may include information on products, materials, and substances that should not be stored together or in close proximity to the profiled product. A smart tag scanner is disposed at a position relative to the storage location such that the scanner is within range of any smart tag associated with a stored product at any position within the storage location, the smart tag scanner configured to retrieve the product identification information from the smart tags. For the products identified by the scanner, the respective product profiles are use to determine if any of the identified products are improperly stored relative to any other identified product.

RFID system and method for ensuring safety of hazardous or dangerous substances

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Walter Caswell Reade