Patents Represented by Attorney Carolyn V. Peters
  • Patent number: 7127407
    Abstract: A comprehensive set of risk groups explicitly identifies groups of individuals with multiple interacting co-morbid conditions, and which explicitly identifies the severity of illness level. This allows accurate prediction of future health care resource needs of an entire population, while simultaneously helping the health care provider isolate problems to identify changes in care to reduce costs and improve quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Richard Francis Averill, Jon Eisenhandler, Norbert Israel Goldfield
  • Patent number: 6855386
    Abstract: A wet stick pressure sensitive adhesive comprising the solventless polymerization product of: a) about 30 to about 70 parts by weight of an (meth)acrylate ester monomer wherein the (meth)acrylate ester monomer, when homopolymerized, has a Tg of less than about 10° C.; b) about 70 to about 30 parts by weight of a hydrophilic acidic comonomer; and c) about 10 to 100 parts based on 100 parts of the sum of components (a+b) of a non-reactive plasticizing agent, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive adheres to wet substrate surfaces and a method of making.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Michael P. Daniels, Yen-Lane Chen, Albert I. Everaerts, Stephen E. Krampe, James K. Young
  • Patent number: 6846893
    Abstract: A mixture is provided comprising (a) at least one of an elastomeric thermoplastic, a non-elastomeric thermoplastic, an elastomeric thermoset and mixtures thereof, excluding polydiorganosiloxane fluids and (b) a polymer having soft polydiorganosiloxane units, hard polyisocyanate residue units, optionally, soft and/or hard organic polyamine residue units and terminal groups. The hard polyisocyanate residue and the hard polyamine residue comprise less than 50% by weight of the polydiorganosiloxane urea containing component. The polyisocyanate residue is the polyisocyanate minus the —NCO groups and the polyamine residue is the polyamine minus the —NH2 groups. The polyisocyanate residue is connected to the polyamine residue by urea linkages. The terminal groups are non-functional groups or functional groups. The polydiorganosiloxane urea containing component may be reactive under free-radical or moisture curing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Audrey A. Sherman, Mieczyslaw H. Mazurek, Walter R. Romanko, Patrick D. Hyde, Roy Wong, Albert I. Everaerts
  • Patent number: 6797375
    Abstract: An adhesive tape comprising a backing and a layer of adhesive on the backing. The backing comprises a biaxially oriented substrate which comprises an isotactic polypropylene composition. The tapes and backings of this invention can be severed readily using commercial tape dispensers having metal or plastic cutting teeth to produce cleanly serrated cut edges on the tape. The biaxially oriented substrate is preferably made from a resin comprising an isotactic polypropylene homopolymer having a melt flow rate greater than 8 grams/10 minutes, more preferably greater than 12 grams/10 minutes, and still more preferably greater than about 20 grams/10 minutes. One preferred way to obtain such a resin is to blend: A) at least one isotactic polypropylene homopolymer “A” having a weight average molecular weight of at least 350,000 grams/mole and melt a flow rate of about 0.5-8 grams/10 minutes, more preferably about 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Scott D. Pearson, Patrick J. Hager
  • Patent number: 6773539
    Abstract: A method for sequentially and precisely registering cut sheets for application onto advertising signatures at high speeds employs an initial roll of sheeting material. The sheeting material is unwound to track a process path, where eyemarks on the sheeting material are detected for use in registering the sheeting material to be cut into discrete sheets and to be aligned with a moving advertising signature for affixation thereto. The sheeting material has a repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive along one side edge thereof for use in adhering the cut sheet to the advertising signature. In one embodiment, the sheeting material is generally opaque adjacent one side edge and is sufficiently transparent adjacent its other side edge so that when a sheet cut from the sheeting material is adhered to an advertising signature, images on the advertising signature are visible through at least a portion of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Timothy A. Mertens, Alden R. Miles, Mark G. Gjertson, Melvin R. Collins, Nora J. Grayson, Dennis L. Luense
  • Patent number: 6749084
    Abstract: A package for dispensing sheet material from a stack includes a novel biasing device for urging the stack of sheet material toward an opening in one side of the package. The biasing device is comprised of a flat sheet of material sized and shaped to be located within the package beneath the stack of sheet material. An elastomeric element having an unstressed length that is less than a diameter of the flat sheet of material is stressed and positioned between opposite edges of the flat sheet of material. As stress is relieved from the elastomeric element, the elastomeric element draws the opposite edges together and elevates a central portion of the sheet of material in the form of an arch to urge the stack toward the opening as the stack of sheet material is depleted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Craig D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 6740379
    Abstract: The present invention provides an adhesive tape for laminating a first substrate to a second substrate, wherein the adhesive tape includes a carrier having on a first major surface a first adhesive layer and having on a second major surface opposite to the first major surface in the order given a non-tacky polymer layer and a second adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive tape is capable of being adhered to the first substrate by the first adhesive layer and to the second substrate by the second adhesive layer. The adhesive tape is capable of delamination between the carrier and the non-tacky polymer layer when the first and second substrate are peeled away from each other so as to leave the carrier on the first substrate and the non-tacky polymer layer on the second substrate with a major surface of the non-tacky polymer layer or the carrier. The non-tacky polymer layer and carrier are not co-extruded layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Pierre M. Congard, Richard Sabatier, Jean-Phillippe Weber
  • Patent number: 6688488
    Abstract: A package for dispensing individual sheets of material from a stack includes a base and a compartment with side walls connected to the base and a cover connected to the side walls for holding the stack of sheet material. The cover includes an opening that is configured to define a pair of flanges on either side of the opening. The flanges are formed to be angularly displaced relative to the cover toward the base to bias the stack of sheet material toward the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Dale O. Bailey
  • Patent number: 6677007
    Abstract: An image receptor medium is disclosed as having a non-porous base medium and an imaging layer. The imaging layer includes a solvent-soluble multivalent cationic salt coated from an organic solvent. A water-insoluble binder holds the imaging layer together. The imaging layer also includes organic-solvent insoluble particulates. The image receptor medium can be backed with an adhesive/release liner combination or mechanical fasteners to provide securing means or can be left without such means for “drop-in” backlit uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Elizabeth A. Warner, Steven R. Austin
  • Patent number: 6669992
    Abstract: The present invention provides a stack of flexible sheet material (200) comprising a plurality of sheets (201) disposed one on top of another, each sheet having repositionable adhesive (202) along one edge and being free of adhesive along the opposite edge and the sheets are stacked with the repositionable adhesive edge of each sheet disposed along alternate opposite edges to maintain the sheets in the stack, characterised in that said stack comprises at least two sheets that are different from each other. The present invention also provides a method and apparatus for obtaining a stack of sheets as defined above and a dispenser comprising a stack of sheets as defined above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Frederic P. A. Le Riche
  • Patent number: 6664359
    Abstract: A tackified composition comprising (a) a polydiorgannosiloxane polyurea segmented copolymer comprising the reaction product of (i) at least one polyaminie, wherein the polyamine comprises at least one polydiorganosiloxane diamine, or a mixture of at least one polydiorganosiloxane diamine and at least one organic polyamine, and (ii) at least one polyisocyanate, wherein the mol ratio of isocyanate to amined is between 0.9:1 and 0.95:1 or between 1.05:1 and about 1.3:1, and (b) silicate resins. The tackified compositions are useful as pressure sensitive adhesives, particularly for foamed backing tapes, medical tapes and the like, hot melt adhesives, vibration dampers, anti-corrosive materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Lani S. Kangas, Mieczyslaw H. Mazurek, Kurt C. Melancon, Walter R. Romanko, Audrey A. Sherman
  • Patent number: 6660352
    Abstract: Electrostatically charged graphic sheets are additionally provided with a preapplied activatable adhesive. Such sheets may be oriented on a display substrate using the electrostatically induced adhesion, and more securely fastened to the display substrate using the activatable adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Chih-Chung Hsu, Steven R. Austin, Charles C. Lee, Terry L. Morris
  • Patent number: 6656567
    Abstract: An adhesive sheet comprises a film substrate layer, a channel breathing layer and a breathing adhesive layer. The channel breathing layer has a plurality of convex parts and a concave part interposed between the convex parts that forms a channel communicating with the outside. When the adhesive sheet is applied to an adherend, gas generated from the adherend passes through the channel and swelling of the adhesive sheet is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Junji Abe, Hidetoshi Abe
  • Patent number: 6648173
    Abstract: A tape strip dispenser defining a retention chamber and having an opening through which the tape strips are dispensed from a W-stacked pad of tape strips retained within the retention chamber. The opening is longitudinally bounded along a first end by a first linear edge, and longitudinally bounded along a second end by a second liner edge, with (i); the first and second linear edges laterally angled relative to a central lateral axis of the retention chamber, and/or (ii) the first and second linear edges independently pivotable about a first and a second lateral axis, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Dennis L. Crawford
  • Patent number: 6632510
    Abstract: Inkjet receptor media are disclosed that have both a fluid management system and a pigment management system for use with pigmented inkjet inks that produce vibrant, durable images. The fluid management system is provided by microporous media with the presence of surfactants, if needed. The pigment management system is provided by either fluorinated silica particles or multivalent metal salts impregnated into pores of the microporous media. Methods of making and using are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Clinton P. Waller, Jr., James S. Mrozinski, Omar Farooq
  • Patent number: 6630218
    Abstract: An adhesive sheet containing a flexible substrate film; an adhesive layer in contact with a main surface of the substrate film; and a liner is disclosed. The adhesive layer has an uneven surface structure with a plurality of projections extending from the surface and grooves surrounding the projections. The liner has a corresponding, mating surface in contact with the uneven surface of the adhesive layer. A method of making the adhesive sheet is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Abe
  • Patent number: 6627688
    Abstract: The adhesive composition comprises a hydroxyl group-containing adhesive polymer having little or no carboxylic groups in the molecule, and a separate compound that is an aromatic carboxylic acid compound. This composition prevents the corrosion of a metal layer without requiring formation of a protective film in the production of an adhesive sheet comprising a metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Takeda
  • Patent number: 6624273
    Abstract: Non-tacky, base polymers are plasticized into pressure-sensitive adhesives and comprise: a) about 100 parts by weight of a base copolymer having a Tg greater than about 0° C., wherein the base copolymer is formed from and comprises: (1) about 50 to 70% by weight of a high Tg comonomer component, wherein the homopolymer formed from the high Tg comonomer component has a Tg of at least about 20° C.; (2) optionally, up to about 20% by weight based on the total weight of the base copolymer of an acidic comonomer; and (3) about 30 to 50% by weight of one or more low Tg (meth)acrylate comonomer, wherein the Tg homopolymer of the low Tg comonomer is less than about 20° C., and b) about 1 to about 100 parts based on the base copolymer of a nonreactive, non-volatile, non-acrylic-based plasticizing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Albert I. Everaerts, Eric B. T. Moonen, Peter A. Stark
  • Patent number: 6617293
    Abstract: A concentrated liquid soap composition that readily increases in viscosity upon dilution with water, the concentrated liquid soap composition containing an amine oxide surfactant or mixture thereof having the general formula R1R2 R3N→O, where R1 and R2 are the same or different and are selected from methyl or ethyl and R3 is a straight chain saturated or unsaturated alkyl group having from about 6-24 carbon atoms; an anionic surfactant or mixture thereof; an electrolyte; water; and a buffering agent, sufficient to maintain the pH of the composition between about 8 and about 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Yen-Lane Chen
  • Patent number: 6613411
    Abstract: A multi-layer sheet material comprises a film, and adhesive layer and an optional release liner. The film is a polyester blend comprising first and second polyesters that are substantially amorphous and possess certain physical properties including softening temperature, E-modulus, elongation and residual stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Richard A. Kollaja, Heiner Johannsen, Sabine Konrad, Buren R. Ree