Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Young Ko

Jason Matthew Laumer

Dave Allen Soerens

David Martin Jackson

Sridhar Ranganathan

Sheng-Hsin Hu

Stanley Roy Kellenberger

Michael Alan Hermans

James Leo Baggot

Michael John Smith

James Monroe Perkins

Richard Harry Thiessen

Kambiz Bayat Makoui

Laura Leigh Boudrie

Arvinder Pal Singh Kainth

Jeffrey Dean Lindsay

Michael John Rekoske

Paul Douglas Beuther

Varunesh Sharma

William James Raynor, Jr

Paulin Pawar

Terrance David Ries

A soft, layered, single-ply wet-pressed tissue can be made with improved softness by providing one or both outer layers of the tissue with polysiloxane-treated pulp fibers. A particularly suitable wet-pressing process includes pressing a wet tissue web between a felt and a transfer belt to dewater the web, followed by transfer of the dewatered web to a texturizing fabric where the wet web is provided with a three-dimensional texture. Thereafter the texturized web is transferred to a Yankee dryer, dried and creped. The combination of the polysiloxane fibers and the texturizing step provides a particularly effective combination of surface feel, low stiffness and high bulk (caliper).

Molded wet-pressed tissue

Multi-ply tissue products are disclosed. The multi-ply tissue products contain tissue webs that have raised areas and depressed areas. The tissue webs may be constructed so as to be relatively non-compressive and may have a resilient three-dimensional structure. During production, in one embodiment, the tissue webs may be produced without being subjected to any substantial compression, such as a calendering process. Although not necessary in all applications, in one embodiment, the tissue webs may be combined such that the depressed areas contact each other to form the multi-ply product. The tissue webs, for instance, may comprise a through-air dried web in which the raised areas and the depressed areas are molded into the web. Tissue products made according to the present invention have enhanced absorption characteristics. For instance, the tissue products can have an interply absorbency of greater than about 3 g/g after 30 seconds.

Multiple ply tissue products having enhanced interply liquid capacity

A method of forming twisted, curly fibers from a wet wood pulp without the aid of a wet fluffing process or a chemical cross-linker. The method includes forming the wet wood pulp into fiber bundles and subsequently thermally drying the fiber bundles. The invention also includes curly fibers derived from the method of the invention.

Method of producing twisted, curly fibers

The present invention comprises compositions and methods of making high internal phase emulsion foam (HIPE) and inverse high internal phase emulsion foam (I-HIPE) using super critical fluids. Such foams may be used in a wide variety of articles such as absorbent articles.

Absorbent articles comprising supercritical fluid treated HIPE, I-HIPE foams and other foams

A method of making an absorbent structure having high integrity is provided. A first superabsorbent polymer precursor composition including a monomer, a crosslinking agent and a reducing agent, and a second superabsorbent polymer precursor composition including a monomer, a crosslinking agent and an oxidizing agent are combined at a plurality of discrete, spaced-apart locations on or in a substrate. The precursor compositions react with each other to form discrete, spaced-apart microdomains of superabsorbent polymer adhering to the substrate. The spacing is sufficient to avoid gel blocking when the microdomains swell due to liquid absorption. The adhesion to the substrate is sufficient to maintain spacings between the microdomains of superabsorbent polymer.

Method of making an absorbent structure having high integrity

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

A method of modifying a two-dimensional, flat fiber morphology of a never-been-dried wood pulp into a three-dimensional twisted fiber morphology without the aid of a chemical cross-linker. The method includes the steps of treating a never-been-dried wood pulp fiber slurry with a drying aid and thermally drying the wood pulp fiber slurry. The method may alternatively, or additionally, include the steps of spray drying a wood pulp fiber slurry and/or a slurry of a hydrophilic material, and flash drying the spray dried wood pulp fiber slurry and/or slurry of hydrophilic material.

Wood pulp fiber morphology modifications through thermal drying

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.

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Neenah, WI, United States of America

Young Ko