Issued Patents

This week I will focus on issued patents.  Below is a summary of selected patents that have been recently issued in textile related classification codes:

Method for manufacturing a turf reinforcement mat:  A turf reinforcement fabric and a method for producing such a fabric by weaving a plurality of filaments in a predetermined pattern to form a three-dimensional structure formed to have a loft thickness without the application of heat to heat shrink the fibers, and/or formed with one or more fibers of increased thickness at peaks and valleys of the woven structure, and/or incorporating flame retardant and/or UV stabilizing fiber additives.  Patent:  8752592.  Inventor:  Sutton et.al.   Assignee:  Lumite, Inc

Elastomeric flexible article with absorbant polymer and manufacturing method:  An elastomeric glove with moisture absorbing characteristics that includes a first layer; and a second layer with an effective amount of super absorbent polymer dispersed between.  One layer is configured to absorb excess moisture, when the glove is worn for a period of time, to facilitate wet donning and provide for breathability of the skin, and thereby to provide for a comfortable environment for the skin.  Patent:  8752215.  Inventor:  Chou and Zhang.  Assignee:  Shen Wei (Usa) Inc.

Hybrid rope:  Hybrid rope having a core containing synthetic yarns, surrounded by an outer containing steel wire strands, the rope being terminated at least at one of its ends by a socket having a conically shaped space, which has a conical angle α of between 2 and 8° and a length of between 5D and 20D, D being the smallest diameter of the conically shaped space.  The core contains synthetic yarns and the steel wires having been untwisted at said at least one of the ends, the open space around the untwisted wires and fibers in the hollow conical body of the socket being filled with a resin.  Patent:  8752361.  Inventor:  Smeet, et.al.  Assignee:  Dms Ip Assets B.V.

System and method for textile positioning:  A method for needling a spiral textile to create a needled preform, the method comprising receiving the spiral textile on a bed plate of a circular needle loom, engaging a positional structure of the spiral textile, rotating the spiral textile around the circular needle loom, depositing a predetermined number of layers of the spiral textile on the bed plate, and needling the spiral textile to create the needled preform. Moreover, the present disclosure also provides, in various embodiments, a method for creating a circular needled preform from a spiral textile, comprising attaching sacrificial fibers to at least one of the weft tow and the plurality of warp tows proximate at least one of the inside diameter and the outside diameter, and engaging the sacrificial fibers with an engagement mechanism on a circular needle loom.  Patent:  8752255.  Inventor:  LeCostaouec.  Assignee:  Goodrich Corporation. 

Cottonseed delinters and methods:  A system for removing linters from ginned cottonseeds.  The systems and methods involve rotating the seeds in a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinal brushes. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the drum and the plurality of longitudinal brushes urge the seeds against an interior surface of the drum that is lined with a brush insert. In this way, work is performed that removes the material from the exterior of the seeds. The material is removed using reduced pressure and the processed seeds are removed. The system may include a brush insert that is easily removed from the rotatable drum. Other systems and methods are disclosed.  Patent:  8752250.  Inventor:  Wedegartner and Horth.  Not Assigned.

Positioning brace for a kneepad:  An adjustable kneepad support that is a brace formed by a pair of elongated, flexible, and overlapping beam members that are movable relative to each other for lengthwise adjustment. Flexing of the beam members allows operation of a flex-latch that can release a fixed position of the beam members to allow sliding of the members to a newly adjusted lengthwise position.  Patent:  8752214.  Inventor:  Maldonado.  Not Assigned.

Radiation treatment brassiere:  A radiation treatment bra.  The bra includes adjustable elements and a medial window. During radiation treatment planning, the elements are adjusted to establish a reference breast geometry. The reference breast geometry is reproduced prior to an actual treatment session by repeating the original adjustment of the elements, as necessary. The medial window enables a light field to be projected onto the patient's chest, and read therefrom, thereby establishing proper alignment of the patient to the radiation treatment machine.  Patent:  8753171.  Inventor:  Thompson.  Not Assigned.

Jim Carson is a principal of RB Consulting, Inc. and a registered patent agent.  He has over 30 years of experience across multiple industries including the biotechnology, textile, computer, telecommunications, and energy sectors.  RB Consulting, Inc. specializes in providing management, prototyping, and regulatory services to small and start-up businesses.  He can be reached via email at James.Carson.Jr@gmail.com or by phone at (803) 792-2183.