Patents by Inventor James T. Richard

James T. Richard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7777832
    Abstract: A light management unit is described for attachment to a display module, especially suited for an LCD TV or LCD monitor. The light management unit includes a directionally recycling layer including a structured side and a planar side where the structured side includes prism structures. The light management unit also includes a reflective polarizer positioned on the planar side of the directionally recycling layer. The light management unit also includes a diffusion structure incorporated into either the directionally recycling layer or between the directional recycling layer and the reflective polarizer. The diffusion structure causes a level of diffusion that is sufficient to prevent the appearance of colored bands when a viewer positioned along a line of sight that is perpendicular to the direction of the prism structures views the light management unit, illuminated from below, at an oblique angle from a vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: James T. Richard, Clinton L. Jones
  • Patent number: 7766531
    Abstract: A display system includes a display panel and a backlight disposed behind the display panel. The backlight has a light guide and at least one light source that directs light into an edge of the light guide. The light guide comprises a front layer facing the display panel, a back layer facing away from the display panel, and a plurality of connecting members connecting the front and back layers. The spaces formed between the connecting members and the upper and the first and second layers are referred to as flutes. Light from the light source may propagate along the flutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Susan E. Anderson, Mark D. Gehlsen, James T. Richard
  • Publication number: 20040188150
    Abstract: A touch sensor employs one or more transparent conductors incorporating a random pattern of voids. The voids are arranged according to a random pattern that maintains the electrical continuity of the transparent conductive layer. The touch sensor is manufactured by depositing a layer of a transparent conductor and forming voids in the transparent conductor. Formation of the voids may be used to achieve a selected sheet resistance of the conductive layer as well as to improve optical transmission through the touch sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: James T. Richard, William K. Smyth
  • Patent number: 6689544
    Abstract: An ablatable laminar imaging medium useful in the manufacture of a substantially transparent electrode assembly is disclosed. The laminar imaging medium comprises a substrate, a high-index metal oxide layer, an ablatable metallic conductive layer, a high-index conductive metal oxide layer, and an ablation enhancement layer. The ablation enhancement layer has an IR-absorption greater than the IR-absorption of said high-index conductive metal oxide layer and an IR-reflectivity less than the IR-reflectivity of said high-index conductive metal oxide layer. Presence in the laminar imaging medium of the ablation enhancement layer lowers the exposure threshold of the medium and improves ablation accuracy, both—when occasioned in the manufacture of LCD electrode patterns—resulting collectively and ultimately in a more reliably formed electrical architecture, less susceptible to unwanted “shorting”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Pradnya V. Nagarkar, James T. Richard, Linda S. Heath, Radha Sen, Jyothsna Ram
  • Publication number: 20020195435
    Abstract: An ablatable laminar imaging medium useful in the manufacture of a substantially transparent electrode assembly is disclosed. The laminar imaging medium comprises a substrate, a high-index metal oxide layer, an ablatable metallic conductive layer, a high-index conductive metal oxide layer, and an ablation enhancement layer. The ablation enhancement layer has an IR-absorption greater than the IR-absorption of said high-index conductive metal oxide layer and an IR-reflectivity less than the IR-reflectivity of said high-index conductive metal oxide layer. Presence in the laminar imaging medium of the ablation enhancement layer lowers the exposure threshold of the medium and improves ablation accuracy, both—when occasioned in the manufacture of LCD electrode patterns—resulting collectively and ultimately in a more reliably formed electrical architecture, less susceptible to unwanted “shorting”.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Inventors: Pradnya V. Nagarkar, James T. Richard, Linda S. Heath, Radha Sen, Jyothsna Ram
  • Patent number: 6485839
    Abstract: An ablatable laminar imaging medium useful in the manufacture of a substantially transparent electrode assembly is disclosed. The laminar imaging medium comprises a substrate, a high-index metal oxide layer, an ablatable metallic conductive layer, a high-index conductive metal oxide layer, and an ablation enhancement layer. The ablation enhancement layer has an IR-absorption greater than the IR-absorption of said high-index conductive metal oxide layer and an IR-reflectivity less than the IR-reflectivity of said high-index conductive metal oxide layer. Presence in the laminar imaging medium of the ablation enhancement layer lowers the exposure threshold of the medium and improves ablation accuracy, both—when occasioned in the manufacture of LCD electrode patterns—resulting collectively and ultimately in a more reliably formed electrical architecture, less susceptible to unwanted “shorting”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Pradnya V. Nagarkar, James T. Richard, Linda S. Heath, Carl A. Chiulli, Radha Sen, Jyothsna Ram, David W. McCarthy
  • Patent number: 5293721
    Abstract: A horizontal cable animal barrier for mounting on a cable to deter animal passage including a plurality of roller elements each having a central hole for rotatably mounting on a cable and a spacer element between each pair of roller elements and also having a central hole for rotatably mounting on the cable, in which the spacer elements are of a different size than the roller elements on either side to present an uneven, rotating barrier to animals on the cable to prevent the animals from passing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: The Omt Group
    Inventors: James T. Richard, George J. Costigan, David J. Perry, Kevin T. Eldridge