Patents Examined by Sonya Mazumdar
  • Patent number: 9339997
    Abstract: Methods of adhering graphic film on an irregular substrate are disclosed. The methods includes providing a polymer film composite having two or more layers with at least one layer having a glass transition temperature of at least about 40° C., the polymer film composite having a first side and a second side, and an adhesive layer disposed on the second side. Then the method includes, positioning the adhesive layer against the irregular substrate, heating the polymer film composite, and pressing the heated polymer film against the irregular substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Ronald S. Steelman, John A. Nielsen, Frank T. Sher
  • Patent number: 9340313
    Abstract: A labeling arrangement for labeling beverage bottles. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Volker Till
  • Patent number: 9333734
    Abstract: A method is presented for making releasable transfer film suitable to provide a metalized embossed composite onto a paper substrate without a release layer between the composite and a polymeric carrier layer. The transfer film includes a polymeric base layer, an embossing material layer and a metal layer. The transfer film is bonded to the paper substrate with an adhesive layer allowing the polymeric barrier layer to peel away from and to expose the metal-backed, embossing material layer. The substrate covered with the metalized embossed composite can be used to impart holographic style images to packaging, printed media products such as magazines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: TORAY PLASTICS (AMERICA), INC.
    Inventors: John Fitch, Tracy Paolilli, Scott Narkevicius, Bonnie Adams
  • Patent number: 9337274
    Abstract: A method for transfer of a two-dimensional material includes forming a spreading layer of a two-dimensional material on a first substrate. The spreading layer has at least one monolayer. A stressor layer is formed on the spreading layer. The stressor layer is configured to apply stress to a closest monolayer of the spreading layer. The closest monolayer is exfoliated by mechanically splitting the spreading layer wherein at least the closest monolayer remains on the stressor layer. The at least one monolayer is stamped against a second substrate to adhere remnants of the two-dimensional material on the at least one monolayer to the second substrate to provide a single monolayer on the stressor layer. The single monolayer is transferred to a third substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Christos D. Dimitrakopoulos, Keith E. Fogel, Jeehwan Kim, Hongsik Park
  • Patent number: 9327484
    Abstract: A process of making an improved sheet/card laminate for packaging, signage, displays, transaction cards, ID cards and the like. The process comprises registering flat sheets to a film and then laminating the film or transferring coating(s) from the film to the individual, generally flat sheets via an adhesive. The film or coating(s) may include layered security, functional and/or decorative features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Herring, Shannon K. Crawford-Taylor, Suwit (John) Sangkaratana
  • Patent number: 9315001
    Abstract: Provided are method and apparatus for transferring graphene. The graphene transferring method includes: a graphene synthesizing operation comprising forming at least one layer of graphene on at least one surface of a catalyst metal film; a substrate film attaching operation comprising contacting an adhesive first surface of the substrate film to the at least one layer of graphene and compressing the catalyst metal film and the substrate film by using a first roller; and a substrate film separating operation comprising separating the substrate film from the catalyst metal film such that the at least one layer of graphene is separated from the catalyst metal film together with the substrate film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Hanwha Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Duk-Hwa Na, Jong-Hyuk Yoon, Young-Il Song, Dong-Kwan Won
  • Patent number: 9301577
    Abstract: Heat press platens for a shoe customization/decoration system and a method of using the same are disclosed. The platens may be quickly interchanged to allow the same equipment to be used to dye shoes of different sizes. The platens individually accommodate a pair of assembled shoes and are shaped to: reduce print sizes, maintain symmetry and flatness of the shoe, and accommodate a range of shoe sizes. The size and shape of the platens enable one shoe to be fitted on one side of a platen and another shoe to be fitted on the opposite side. The platens position the shoes so that they are mirror images of each other. This positioning allows a single print, including mirror images of the same design, to be applied to two shoes at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory R. Leedy
  • Patent number: 9302459
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for removing pressure adhesive indicia, such as labels or stamps, from their backing and affixing the same to a target substrate is provided. The automated process affixes stamps, for example, to the target substrate with both speed and precision of placement. Desired stamps can be selectively removed from a backing, for example, can be placed on variable locations upon the target substrate, and can be affixed in the desired orientation with precise spacing between stamps. The precision of affixation afforded by this system is commensurate with philatelic standards and is suitable for all pressure adhesive indicia where rapid and precise placement is desired for aesthetic or other reasons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Khalid Hussain, David C. Faulkner
  • Patent number: 9304067
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for collecting thin tissue samples for imaging. Thin tissue sections may be cut from tissue samples using a microtome-quality knife. In one example, tissue samples are mounted to a substrate that is rotated such that thin tissue sections are acquired via lathing. Collection of thin tissue sections may be facilitated by a conveyor belt. Thin tissue sections may be mounted to a thin substrate (e.g., by adhering thin tissue sections to a thin substrate via a roller mechanism) that may be imaged, for example, by an electron beam (e.g., in an electron microscope). Thin tissue sections may be strengthened before cutting via a blockface thinfilm deposition technique and/or a blockface taping technique. An automated reel-to-reel imaging technique may be employed for collected/mounted tissue sections to facilitate random-access imaging of tissue sections and maintaining a comprehensive library including a large volume of samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Kenneth Jeffrey Hayworth, Amy Au Hayworth
  • Patent number: 9296253
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to be able to adjust gloss or impart gloss variation not only for a decoration layer of dark color such as black ink, but also for a decoration layer of light color other than black and the gloss of the ink printed portion is adjusted or the gloss variation where a high gloss pattern part and a low gloss pattern part are adjacent to each other is imparted according to the ratio of blend of ultraviolet ray absorbent and/or ultraviolet ray shielding agent contained in an ink of a print pattern of a transfer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: TAICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Ikeda, Akiko Tomiki
  • Patent number: 9295588
    Abstract: An apparatus for applying discrete components of a first substrate to a second substrate includes a programmable servo motor having a shaft. The servo motor is programmed to rotate the shaft in a first phase and a second phase at a variable angular velocity in a single direction. The apparatus also includes a crank member connected with the shaft, a connector link connected with the crank member, and a tamper member connected with the connector link. When the shaft rotates in the first phase, the tamper member travels from a first position to a second position to displace a selected portion of the second substrate into contact with the discrete component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Bradley Edward Walsh, Paul Anthony Kawka, David Carlton Ordway
  • Patent number: 9283740
    Abstract: A method of sequentially laminating a carrier film-attached optical film laminate to a rectangular-shaped panel having a long side and a short side, is provided. The optical film laminate includes an optical film including a thin polarizing film, and a carrier film attached to the optical film through an adhesive layer. The method includes the steps: forming a plurality of slits in the carrier film-attached optical film laminate in a width direction thereof at lengthwise given intervals to extend from a surface of the optical film on a side opposite to the carrier film to a depth reaching a surface of the carrier film adjacent to the optical film to thereby form an optical film sheet supported by the carrier film, between lengthwisely adjacent two of the slits; and laminating each of the optical film sheets to a respective one of the panels through the adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeharu Kitagawa, Takuya Nakazono, Shusaku Goto, Minoru Miyatake, Tomohiro Mori, Takashi Kamijo
  • Patent number: 9281230
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for massive manufacturing a hierarchical structure that can hierarchically form high performance micro units one a flexible substrate. For this purpose, an apparatus for manufacturing a hierarchical structure according to the present invention is provided to layer micro units provided on a dummy substrate that is made of a hard material on a target substrate that is made of a flexible material by releasing the micro units from the dummy substrate. The apparatus includes: a transfer stage flat-transferring the dummy substrate by supporting the same and a main roller rolling the target substrate by winding the same as the transfer stage proceeds and layering the micro unit of the dummy substrate on the target substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF MACHINERY & MATERIALS
    Inventors: Jae-Hyun Kim, Hak-Joo Lee, Seung-Min Hyun, Seung-Woo Han, Byung-Ik Choi
  • Patent number: 9272567
    Abstract: The application of image transfer paper and a wrap to a curved surface of a container is described. A device for affixing the image transfer paper and wrap includes a base, a support member to support the container, and two wrap applicator arms coupled to the base in a pivoting manner. The support member includes a shoulder and, when the container is placed upon the support member, an edge of the container around an opening of the container rests upon the shoulder and a perimeter of the shoulder extends beyond a perimeter of the edge of the container. The shoulder receives the image transfer paper and aligns the image transfer paper with the edge of the container. Each wrap applicator arm is configured to receive a respective end of the wrap. Rotating the wrap applicator arms about the support member stretches the wrap around the container and image transfer paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Lane Polk, Gregory Lee Franklin, Armand Wayne DeSollar
  • Patent number: 9248619
    Abstract: A method for forming a three-dimensional structure includes depositing a first pattern of thermoplastic toner particles onto a first surface of a receiver to form a plurality of spaced-apart stacks of toner particles that extend above the first surface of the receiver. The receiver is bent so that non-overlapping first and second portions of the receiver are defined. At least part of a surface of the receiver in the second portion is brought into contact with the deposited stacks of toner particles. The toner particles are fused to bind the second portion to the first portion and provide a selected spacing between the first portion and the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Roland R. Schindler, II, Donald Saul Rimai
  • Patent number: 9248636
    Abstract: A structural laminate having a selected resistance to a first stress applied in a selected first stress direction relative to the laminate is formed from first and second sheets. A selected volume of toner is deposited on the first sheet to form a deposited toner pattern, the deposited toner pattern being disposed over a selected first surface area of the first sheet and extending normal to the first sheet by a selected first height. The second sheet, or toner thereon, is brought into contact with the deposited toner pattern. The deposited toner pattern is fixed to produce a fixed toner pattern that adheres the second sheet to the first sheet, in that way forming the laminate. The fixed toner pattern includes one or more first contiguous regions of toner extending in a direction within about 45° of the stress direction, so that the contiguous regions resist the applied stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventor: Roland R. Schindler, II
  • Patent number: 9245693
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrode includes printing an electrode ink on a portion of a substrate using a rotary lithographic printer. The electrode ink is allowed to dry on the substrate. A separator material is printed on the portion of the substrate using the rotary lithographic printer. A sealant wall is printed around the portion of the substrate using the rotary lithographic printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: IOXUS, INC.
    Inventor: Thor E. Eilertsen
  • Patent number: 9233050
    Abstract: The device (1) according to the invention aims to join at least two medicine capsules (A, B) by adhesive bonding in a reliable and economical manner, in particular in the context of industrial production. To do this, this device comprises at least one matrix (10), which at least partially delimits a recess (15), for depositing capsules (Eight, B), and also a chamber (16), this recess and this chamber being separated from each other by a deformable wall (14) of the matrix, which matrix is designed to move elastically, by pneumatic action of its chamber (16), from a first configuration, in which its recess (15) receives the capsules with a glue (Z) interposed between them, to a second configuration, in which its deformable wall (14) at least partially envelops the capsules by flexible deformation, in such a way as to at least partially enclosed these capsules between the deformable wall and a bottom of the recess in order to align them and press them against one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: DUO-GE
    Inventors: Mehdi El Glaoui, Guillaume El Glaoui, Jean Hoffelt, Jean-Pierre Fontaine
  • Patent number: 9205944
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for transporting a label strip from a self-adhesive labelling machine, which comprises a frame and at least two grooved rollers attached to the frame, to a label-devoid strip store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Dieter Hafner, Wolfgang Roidl
  • Patent number: 9193491
    Abstract: A system for labels that are positioned on a pharmaceutical container. The system can vary the choices for design and size of the labeling with respect to several types of container in which pharmaceuticals are positioned. The system increases the readability of information positioned on the pharmaceutical container by coordinating a label to the type and size of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Tri State Distribution, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Miceli, David A. Miceli