The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 22, 2019
Filed:
Nov. 30, 2017
Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, TN (US);
Andrew Ervin McLeod, Jonesborough, TX (US);
Brian Douglas Seiler, Kingsport, TN (US);
Scott Gregory Gaynor, Bristol, TN (US);
Michael Joseph Pearce, Blountville, TN (US);
Kevin Todd Barham, Kingsport, TN (US);
James Andrew Dickenson, Johnson City, TN (US);
Clarissa Tatum, Johnson City, TN (US);
Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, TN (US);
Abstract
Disclosed are fibers comprising one or more branded fibers which exhibit surface markings in a repeated pattern along the length of the branded fibers. The branded fibers can be incorporated into yarns or fiber bands to represent supply chain information of the yarns, fiber bands, and/or articles made from the yards or fiber bands. In a specific example, branded fibers can be incorporated into an acetate tow band The branded fibers can be recovered from a cigarette filter, the repeated pattern decoded, and supply chain information associated with the acetate tow used to make the cigarette filter, such as manufacturer, customer, ship to location, and even the acetate tow bale, can be obtained.