Patents by Inventor Melissa A. Lackey
Melissa A. Lackey 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).
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Patent number: 11884550Abstract: Shaped gel articles that are formed within a mold cavity and that retain the size and shape of the mold cavity upon removal from the mold cavity, sintered articles prepared from the shaped gel articles, and methods of making the sintered articles are provided. The shaped gel articles are formed from a casting sol that contains colloidal silica particles that are treated with a surface modification composition that includes a silane surface modification agent having a radically polymerizable group. The sintered article has a shape identical to the mold cavity (except in regions where the mold cavity was overfilled) and to the shaped gel article but reduced in size proportional to the amount of isotropic shrinkage.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2017Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Kathleen M. Humpal, Melissa A. Lackey, Brant U. Kolb, Paul D. Pennington, Mark J. Hendrickson
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Publication number: 20220380260Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of making a ceramic article. The method includes (a) obtaining a photopolymerizable slurry or sol including a plurality of ceramic particles distributed in the photopolymerizable slurry or sol and (b) selectively polymerizing the photopolymerizable slurry or sol using actinic radiation and continuous movement of a build substrate through the photopolymerizable slurry or sol to form a gelled article. The method also includes (c) extracting solvent from the gelled article to form an aerogel article or a xerogel article; (d) heat treating the aerogel article or the xerogel article to form a porous ceramic article; and (e) sintering the porous ceramic article to form a sintered ceramic article. The sintered ceramic article exhibits a particular density. Further, additive manufactured ceramic articles are provided that exhibit a particular density, opacity, or both.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2020Publication date: December 1, 2022Inventors: Amy T. Shah, James D. Hansen, David B. Stegall, Alexander J. Huffman, Gareth A. Hughes, Melissa A. Lackey, Kathleen M. Humpal, Andreas M. Geldmacher, Kristen F. Keller
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Patent number: 11339095Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a printing sol as construction material in an additive manufacturing process for producing a 3-dim article, the printing sol comprising solvent(s), nano-sized crystalline zirconia particles in an amount from 2 to 25 vol.-% with respect to the volume of the sol, the average primary particle size of the nano-sized crystalline zirconia particles being in a range up to 50 nm, a first monomer being a polymerizable surface modification agent represented by formula A-B, with A being capable of attaching to the surface of the nano-sized crystalline zirconia particles and B being a radiation curable group, optionally a second monomer, the second monomer comprising at least one radiation curable moiety but no acidic or silane group(s), photo initiator(s). The invention also relates to a ceramic article obtainable according to such a process.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2016Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Helmar B. Mayr, Malte Korten, Christine M. Andres, Brant U. Kolb, Holger Hauptmann, Gallus Schechner, Michael Jahns, Kathleen M. Humpal, Melissa A. Lackey, Paul D. Pennington
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Publication number: 20210292243Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of making a non-oxide ceramic part. The method includes obtaining a photopolymerizable slurry; selectively curing the photopolymerizable slurry to obtain a gelled article; drying the gelled article to form an aerogel article or a xerogel article; heat treating the aerogel article or the xerogel article to form a porous ceramic article; and sintering the porous ceramic article to obtain a sintered ceramic article. The photopolymerizable slurry includes non-oxide ceramic particles; at least one radiation curable monomer; a solvent; a photoinitiator; an inhibitor; and at least one sintering aid. Further, aerogels, xerogels, porous ceramic articles, and non-oxide ceramic articles are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2019Publication date: September 23, 2021Inventors: Gareth A. Hughes, Melissa A. Lackey, Brant U. Kolb, Jerome G. Magnant, Zeba Parkar, Kevin M. Casey, Nicholas S. Wren
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Publication number: 20210163362Abstract: Reaction mixtures, gel compositions that are a polymerized product of the reaction mixtures, shaped gel articles that are formed within a mold cavity and that retain the size and shape of the mold cavity upon removal from the mold cavity, and sintered articles prepared from the shaped gel articles are provided. The sintered article has a shape identical to the mold cavity (except in regions where the mold cavity was overfilled) and to the shaped articles but reduced in size proportional to the amount of isotropic shrinkage. Methods of forming the sintered articles also are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2021Publication date: June 3, 2021Inventors: Kathleen M. Humpal, Brant U. Kolb, Melissa A. Lackey, Mark J. Hendrickson, Paul D. Pennington
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Patent number: 10759707Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a ceramic article, the process comprising the steps of providing a printing sol, the printing sol comprising solvent, nano-sized particles, radiation curable monomer(s) and photoinitiator, the printing sol having a viscosity of less than 500 mPa*s at 23° C., processing the printing sol as construction material in an additive manufacturing process to obtain a 3-dim article being in a gel state, the 3-dim article having a Volume A, transferring the 3-dim article being in a gel state to a 3-dim article being in an aerogel state, heat treating the 3-dim article to obtain a sintered 3-dim ceramic article, the ceramic article having a Volume F, Volume A of the 3-dim article in a gel state being more than 500% of Volume F of the ceramic article in its sintered state. The invention also relates to a ceramic article obtainable according to such a process. The ceramic article can have the shape of a dental or orthodontic article.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2016Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Helmar B. Mayr, Malte Korten, Christine M. Andres, Brant U. Kolb, Holger Hauptmann, Gallus Schechner, Michael Jahns, Kathleen M. Humpa, Melissa A. Lackey
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Patent number: 10436984Abstract: An optical network comprises a fiber distribution cable and a terminal assembly. The terminal assembly receives a plurality of optical fibers from the fiber distribution cable and distributes one or more individual fibers to one or more single fiber bare-fiber holders that hold and protect each single fiber prepared and configured for splicing via an individual splicing element. The splicing element includes an alignment mechanism having a base plate and a clamp plate. At least one of the base plate and clamp plate is formed from a silica material and at least one of the base plate and clamp plate includes an alignment groove or channel configured to receive the first and second optical fibers in an end-to-end manner. The splice element also comprises an optical adhesive disposed in at least a portion of the alignment groove, wherein the optical adhesive is curable via actinic radiation.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2017Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: William J. Clatanoff, Donald K. Larson, Daniel J. Treadwell, William G. Allen, Raman K. Selli, Victor J. Borer, Kathleen M. Humpal, Melissa A. Lackey, Brant U. Kolb, Paul D. Pennington, Mark J. Hendrickson, Wendy L. Thompson, Wayne S. Mahoney
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Publication number: 20190185328Abstract: Shaped gel articles that are formed within a mold cavity and that retain the size and shape of the mold cavity upon removal from the mold cavity, sintered articles prepared from the shaped gel articles, and methods of making the sintered articles are provided. The shaped gel articles are formed from a casting sol that contains colloidal silica particles that are treated with a surface modification composition that includes a silane surface modification agent having a radically polymerizable group. The sintered article has a shape identical to the mold cavity (except in regions where the mold cavity was overfilled) and to the shaped gel article but reduced in size proportional to the amount of isotropic shrinkage.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2017Publication date: June 20, 2019Inventors: Kathleen M. Humpal, Melissa A. Lackey, Brant U. Kolb, Paul D. Pennington, Mark J. Hendrickson
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Publication number: 20180148378Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a ceramic article, the process comprising the steps of providing a printing sol, the printing sol comprising solvent, nano-sized particles, radiation curable monomer(s) and photoinitiator, the printing sol having a viscosity of less than 500 mPa*s at 23° C., processing the printing sol as construction material in an additive manufacturing process to obtain a 3-dim article being in a gel state, the 3-dim article having a Volume A, transferring the 3-dim article being in a gel state to a 3-dim article being in an aerogel state, heat treating the 3-dim article to obtain a sintered 3-dim ceramic article, the ceramic article having a Volume F, Volume A of the 3-dim article in a gel state being more than 500% of Volume F of the ceramic article in its sintered state. The invention also relates to a ceramic article obtainable according to such a process. The ceramic article can have the shape of a dental or orthodontic article.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2016Publication date: May 31, 2018Inventors: Helmar B. Mayr, Malte Korten, Christine M. Andres, Brant U. Kolb, Holger Hauptmann, Gallus Schechner, Michael Jahns, Kathleen M. Humpa, Melissa A. Lackey
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Publication number: 20180127317Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a printing sol as construction material in an additive manufacturing process for producing a 3-dim article, the printing sol comprising solvent(s), nano-sized crystalline zirconia particles in an amount from 2 to 25 vol.-% with respect to the volume of the sol, the average primary particle size of the nano-sized crystalline zirconia particles being in a range up to 50 nm, a first monomer being a polymerizable surface modification agent represented by formula A-B, with A being capable of attaching to the surface of the nano-sized crystalline zirconia particles and B being a radiation curable group, optionally a second monomer, the second monomer comprising at least one radiation curable moiety but no acidic or silane group(s), photo initiator(s). The invention also relates to a ceramic article obtainable according to such a process.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2016Publication date: May 10, 2018Inventors: Helmar B. Mayr, Malte Korten, Christine M. Andres, Brant U. Kolb, Holger Hauptmann, Gallus Schechner, Michael Jahns, Kathleen M. Humpal, Melissa A. Lackey, Paul D. Pennington
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Publication number: 20180067262Abstract: A splice element for splicing a first and a second optical fiber comprises an alignment mechanism having a base plate and a clamp plate. At least one of the base plate and clamp plate is formed from a silica material and at least one of the base plate and clamp plate includes an alignment groove configured to receive the first and second optical fibers in an end-to-end manner. The splice element also comprises an optical adhesive disposed in at least a portion of the alignment groove, wherein the optical adhesive is curable via actinic radiation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2017Publication date: March 8, 2018Inventors: Donald K. Larson, William J. Clatanoff, Daniel J. Treadwell, William G. Allen, Raman K. Selli, Kathleen M. Humpal, Melissa A. Lackey, Brant U. Kolb, Paul D. Pennington, Mark J. Hendrickson, Wendy L. Thompson, Wayne S. Mahoney
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Publication number: 20180067261Abstract: An optical network comprises a fiber distribution cable and a terminal assembly. The terminal assembly receives a plurality of optical fibers from the fiber distribution cable and distributes one or more individual fibers to one or more single fiber bare-fiber holders that hold and protect each single fiber prepared and configured for splicing via an individual splicing element. The splicing element includes an alignment mechanism having a base plate and a clamp plate. At least one of the base plate and clamp plate is formed from a silica material and at least one of the base plate and clamp plate includes an alignment groove or channel configured to receive the first and second optical fibers in an end-to-end manner. The splice element also comprises an optical adhesive disposed in at least a portion of the alignment groove, wherein the optical adhesive is curable via actinic radiation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2017Publication date: March 8, 2018Inventors: William J. Clatanoff, Donald K. Larson, Daniel J. Treadwell, William G. Allen, Raman K. Selli, Victor J. Borer, Kathleen M. Humpal, Melissa A. Lackey, Brant U. Kolb, Paul D. Pennington, Mark J. Hendrickson, Wendy L. Thompson, Wayne S. Mahoney
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Publication number: 20180044245Abstract: Reaction mixtures, gel compositions that are a polymerized product of the reaction mixtures, shaped gel articles that are formed within a mold cavity and that retain the size and shape of the mold cavity upon removal from the mold cavity, and sintered articles prepared from the shaped gel articles are provided. The sintered article has a shape identical to the mold cavity (except in regions where the mold cavity was overfilled) and to the shaped articles but reduced in size proportional to the amount of isotropic shrinkage. Methods of forming the sintered articles also are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2016Publication date: February 15, 2018Inventors: Kathleen M. HUMPAL, Brant U. KOLB, Melissa A. LACKEY, Mark J. HENDRICKSON, Paul D. PENNINGTON
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Patent number: 9074098Abstract: The invention provides highly resilient synthetic hydrogels, which can be prepared, for example, by using the efficient thiol-norbornene chemistry to cross-link hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer chains. The simple hydrogel system with enhanced mechanical properties is useful in many applications, including in the biomedical field and in the design of protective and corrective wear.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2014Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: University of MassachusettsInventors: Gregory N. Tew, Melissa A. Lackey, Jun Cui, Catherine N. Walker, Alfred J. Crosby
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Publication number: 20140296425Abstract: The invention provides highly resilient synthetic hydrogels, which can be prepared, for example, by using the efficient thiol-norbornene chemistry to cross-link hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer chains. The simple hydrogel system with enhanced mechanical properties is useful in many applications, including in the biomedical field and in the design of protective and corrective wear.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2014Publication date: October 2, 2014Inventors: Gregory N. Tew, Melissa A. Lackey, Jun Cui, Catherine N. Walker, Alfred J. Crosby