Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Harold C. Knecht, III
  • Patent number: 7234499
    Abstract: An adhesive tape application tool (1) usable for applying an adhesive tape to a door sash frame (80) of a vehicle, for example, quickly without causing bubbles incorporated or without deviation of tape applying positions even if the door sash has a form of a curve with a small radius or curves steeply with a corner. The adhesive tape application tool includes: an application part (5) for pressing an adhesive tape against an application surface (54), and a guidance part (6) having three guide rollers (16, 17) having a tapered shape portion and being in contact with the projected line portion in such a manner that the guide rollers pinch the adherend together with the application part. The guidance part is provided with guide rollers having a tapered shape portion positioned at both ends being installed with their top directed in one direction, and the central guide roller having a tapered shape portion being installed with its top directed in other direction (opposite to the aforementioned direction).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Takayoshi Fujino
  • Patent number: 7235124
    Abstract: A filter, system and method is provided for filtering nanoparticles in a hot gas, namely particles <about 1 micron in a gas >about 200° C. and further particularly >about 450° C. including diesel exhaust. The filter includes filter media material composed of fibrous filter media having a plurality of fibers and granular filter media having a plurality of granules extending from the surfaces of the fibers. The filter is characterized by a permeability >about 3×10?12 m2 and an inertial resistance coefficient <about 1×106 m?1. The filter captures particles in the Most Penetrating Region (MPR). A filter system includes a nanoparticle filter in series with a diesel exhaust treatment element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company, Cummins Filtration IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Z. Gerald Liu, Matthew P. Henrichsen, William C. Haberkamp, Elaine M. Yorkgitis, Robert K. Miller, Thomas E. Wood, Zhongshu Tan, Barry M. Verdegan
  • Patent number: 7217455
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an adhesive tape and to a method for its manufacture, the tape comprising: (A) a heat-activatable adhesive resin layer, wherein the resin is a polymer of one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of olefins, and (B) a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, comprising an acrylic-type pressure sensitive adhesive, wherein said pressure sensitive adhesive layer is permanently and directly bonded to a first major surface of said heat-activatable adhesive layer. The present invention also relates to an intermediate article comprising the heat-activatable adhesive resin layer (A) releasably bonded to a support layer, to a composite article comprising the adhesive tape and a rubber article bonded to the second major surface of the heat-activatable layer (A), and to a vehicle comprising the composite article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Benito Valdez
  • Patent number: 7189447
    Abstract: A transparent optical film laminate and a method of making such a laminate. The laminate can include a transparent optical sheet comprising a non-metallic multi-layer optical film sandwiched between first and second bonding sheets. The optical sheet and the bonding sheets are also sandwiched between two glazing components. A substantial portion of the peripheral edge of the optical film lies within or beyond the peripheral edge of at least one of the glazing components. The peripheral edge of the optical film may have a portion that lies within and a portion that lies beyond the peripheral edge of at least one of the glazing components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Conway, Janet R. Kirkman, Brian L. Koster, Heather K. Kranz, Bruce E. Tait, Einar O. Vaage
  • Patent number: 7175293
    Abstract: A decorative article (10) capable of being used in combination with an article having a light source (21) and of remarkably improving the decorative effect together with the light source. The decorative article (10) is attached to an article having a light source (21), and comprises, at least, an appearance-providing layer (15) defining an appearance of the decorative article, and a light-storage layer (16) which is disposed under the appearance-providing layer (15) and is able to store the light from the light source (21) and generate afterglow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ken Egashira, Motoaki Muraoka, Hirofumi Nitta
  • Patent number: 7175204
    Abstract: A hydroformable frame element is formed from the combination of at least two elements. The at least two elements are designed with a partially overlapping region, with an annular space defined within the overlapping region. The annular space is filled with adhesive, which is then cured to bond the at least two elements together. The adhesive bond is designed to withstand the stresses caused by the hydroforming operation and to retain its strength so that the hydroformed article is then usable as a vehicular frame element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company, General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Kent S. Tarbutton, Joseph M. Lendway, IV
  • Patent number: 7152651
    Abstract: An adhesive tape attaching jig (50) that allows adhesive tape, which widens along its length, to be continuously attached to an adherend in a stable and reliable manner. The attaching jig (50) has a construction comprising the combination of a tape holder (11, 12) which receives and holds adhesive tape in the attaching jig, a tape attacher (9) which contact bonds the adhesive tape that has been guided from the tape holder (11, 12) onto the tape attachment surface of an adherend, and a jig guide member (6, 7) which continuously guides the attaching jig (50) along the adherend, wherein the tape holder (11, 12), the tape attacher (9) and the jig guide member (6, 7) each also comprise movable mechanisms (26, 31, 32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Daisuke Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7141294
    Abstract: A decorative film using no appreciable amount, or no amount, of polyvinyl chloride. In a decorative film comprising a substrate and an adhesive layer formed on one surface of the substrate, the substrate is formed from an ethylene-(meth)acrylic acid copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Aizo Sakurai, Hajime Chisaka, Yutaka Mori
  • Patent number: 7137718
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a lamp chamber containing at least one light source in an interior thereof and having a light-emitting opening, a lamp cover is attached to the light-emitting opening, and a polarizing film is applied to an inner surface of said cover body. The lamp cover includes a transparent cover body having a configuration and size capable of covering at least a light emission surface of the lamp. The polarizing film has fine textured structures on a surface thereof for changing color of the exterior of the lamp when the lamp is in a lit condition compared to an unlit condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Ken Egashira
  • Patent number: 7077550
    Abstract: An automotive lamp having an excellent outer design along with a simple structure and easy production. The automotive lamp can comprise a light source (21), a housing (22), a light-emitting opening and a light-transmissive lamp cover (23), in which a non-light-emitting area of the lamp cover, which does not substantially concern the emission of the light generated from the light source (21), is provided with a light transmissive colored member (10) through which, under unlit conditions, outer light is transmitted to the housing (22), to thereby reflect the transmitted light at the inner wall of the housing (22) and emit the colored and reflected light out of the housing (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Ken Egashira
  • Patent number: 7052532
    Abstract: A filter, system and method is provided for filtering nanoparticles in a hot gas, namely particles <about 1 micron in a gas >about 200° C. and further particularly >about 450° C. including diesel exhaust. The filter includes filter media material composed of fibrous filter media having a plurality of fibers and granular filter media having a plurality of granules extending from the surfaces of the fibers. The filter is characterized by a permeability >about 3×10?12 m2 and an inertial resistance coefficient <about 1×106 m?1. The filter captures particles in the Most Penetrating Region (MPR). A filter system includes a nanoparticle filter in series with a diesel exhaust treatment element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Z. Gerald Liu, Matthew P. Henrichsen, William C. Haberkamp, Elaine M. Yorkgitis, Robert K. Miller, Thomas E. Wood, Zhongshu Tan, Barry M. Verdegan
  • Patent number: 6923942
    Abstract: The invention provides a preform insulating end cone suitable for forming the end cone of a pollution control device. The preform insulating end cone includes a cone shaped intumescent or non-intumescent sheet material. The sheet material has a plurality of slits enabling the sheet material to be cone shaped. A shape retaining element is in intimate contact with the intumescent sheet material. The shape retaining element enables the intumescent sheet material to maintain a cone shape. The invention also provides methods of making preform insulating end cones of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ryan C. Shirk, Stephen M. Sanocki, Joseph C. Peisert, Roger L. Langer, Loyd R. Hornback, III, Ian R. Harding
  • Patent number: 6800157
    Abstract: A method of assembling a structure comprises applying an epoxy composition to at least one of a first member and a second member, sandwiching the epoxy composition between the first and second members, and bonding the two members wherein the adhesive bond is a thermally cured mass. The epoxy composition contains an epoxy resin, a phenolic or amine compound as a chain extender, a basic catalyst and a polymeric toughener. The composition can be formulated in two parts wherein part A contains the catalyst and part B has the epoxy resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Kent S. Tarbutton, Janis Robins
  • Patent number: 6797371
    Abstract: Polymer foam articles prepared by melt-mixing a polymer composition and a plurality of microspheres, at least one of which is an expandable polymeric microsphere, under process conditions, including temperature and shear rate, selected to form an expandable extrudable composition; and extruding the composition through a die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Mark D. Gehlsen, Bradley S. Momchilovich
  • Patent number: 6797396
    Abstract: A birefringent dielectric multilayer film that reflects in a wavelength region of interest, and preferably reflects at least 50% of light in a band at least 100 nm wide, preferably positioned between wavelengths from about 700 nm to about 2000 nm. The film is heat set to render the film capable of shrinking to conform without substantial wrinkling to a substrate having a compound curvature. The film may be laminated to form a wide variety of non-planar articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Yaoqi J. Liu, Jeffrey A. Boettcher, Heather K. Kranz, Andrew T. Ruff, Brian L. Koster, David K. Mortenson
  • Patent number: 6759015
    Abstract: A pollution control device that includes a housing, a pollution control element, and a sheet of mounting material. The mounting material is positioned around the monolith in a specific configuration to provide a tight fitting insulating wrap about the outer surface of the monolith. The sheet of mounting material is positioned such that at least a portion of the mating edges meet to form a seam that is non-perpendicular to the inlet and outlet of the monolith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Joseph C. Peisert
  • Patent number: 6753056
    Abstract: A decorative film for glass-paned window, which is superior in privacy protection, light screening property and decorative effect. The decorative film comprises a transparent substrate and a colored layer comprising ink containing an optical coherent pigment. The colored layer is provided on One surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Yoichiro Mizumoto
  • Patent number: 6742258
    Abstract: A hydroformable frame element is formed from the combination of at least two elements. The at least two elements are designed with a partially overlapping region, with an annular space defined within the overlapping region. The annular space is filled with adhesive, which is then cured to bond the at least two elements together. The adhesive bond is designed to withstand the stresses caused by the hydroforming operation and to retain its strength so that the hydroformed article is then usable as a vehicular frame element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company, General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Kent S. Tarbutton, Joseph M. Lendway, IV
  • Patent number: 6740399
    Abstract: A multi-layered article for establishing a seal between two substrates. The multi-layered article includes a bulk layer and an adhesive layer. The layers of the article are generally epoxy-containing, photo-activated materials. Upon photo activation, the bulk layer and the adhesive layer have different curing rates. The article is suitable for adhering and sealing two substrates together. The article is particularly useful when at least one of the substrates is glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Clayton A. George, Michael A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6709748
    Abstract: The present invention provides a flexible two component polyurethane and method for producing the polyurethane. The cured polyurethane is flexible, durable and weather resistant. The polyurethane is suitable for use as a protective layer on various substrates. The flexible polyurethane is the reaction product of solvent-free reaction components. The first component includes one or more polyols, optionally, one or more diols, and a catalyst. The second component includes a primary aliphatic isocyante crosslinker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Chia-Tie Ho, Clarence Fullbright, Jr.