Patents by Inventor Michael W. Gruber

Michael W. Gruber 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: 5536044
    Abstract: An apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets of paper together is disclosed. A pair of clamping plates presents one edge of the sheets for binding after a jogging plate aligns the edges. After a solid hot melt adhesive material sheet is placed along the edge of the sheets, a heating platen heats and melts the hot melt adhesive material sheet and causes the liquid adhesive to bind the sheets together. The method of binding the stack of a plurality of sheets of paper includes positioning a plurality of sheets between the clamping plates, vibrating the sheets to square and align their edges, clamping the aligned sheets of paper, presenting the aligned edge of the paper to the heating platen, placing an adhesive hot melt material sheet on the edge of the sheets, heating and melting the hot melt adhesive material sheet onto the edge, and removing the bound sheets from the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Luhman, Gary K. Kuhn, Kenneth J. Perrington, Karl M. Kropp, Michael W. Gruber
  • Patent number: 5346350
    Abstract: An apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets of paper together is disclosed. A pair of clamping plates presents one edge of the sheets for binding after a jogging plate aligns the edges. After a solid hot melt adhesive material sheet is placed along the edge of the sheets, a heating platen heats and melts the hot melt adhesive material sheet and causes the liquid adhesive to bind the sheets together. The method of binding the stack of a plurality of sheets of paper includes positioning a plurality of sheets between the clamping plates, vibrating the sheets to square and align their edges, clamping the aligned sheets of paper, presenting the aligned edge of the paper to the heating platen, placing an adhesive hot melt material sheet on the edge of the sheets, heating and melting the hot melt adhesive material sheet onto the edge, and removing the bound sheets from the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Luhman, Gary K. Kuhn, Kenneth J. Perrington, Karl M. Kropp, Michael W. Gruber
  • Patent number: 5316424
    Abstract: An apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets of paper together is disclosed. A pair of clamping plates presents one edge of the sheets for binding after a jogging plate aligns the edges. After a solid hot melt adhesive material sheet is placed along the edge of the sheets, a heating platen heats and melts the hot melt adhesive material sheet and causes the liquid adhesive to bind the sheets together. The method of binding the stack of a plurality of sheets of paper includes positioning a plurality of sheets between the clamping plates, vibrating the sheets to square and align their edges, clamping the aligned sheets of paper, presenting the aligned edge of the paper to the heating platen, placing an adhesive hot melt material sheet on the edge of the sheets, heating and melting the hot melt adhesive material sheet onto the edge, and removing the bound sheets from the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Luhman, Gary K. Kuhn, Kenneth J. Perrington, Karl M. Kropp, Michael W. Gruber
  • Patent number: 5312501
    Abstract: An automatic application device for dispensing an adhesive transfer tape with the liner removed includes a hub for rotatably supporting a roll of adhesive transfer tape and an application head for pressing the adhesive transfer tape unwound from the roll onto a product to which it is to be applied. An idler roller is disposed above the application head to pull the liner away from the application head. A motor driven take-up roller and corresponding nip roller are provided to pull the liner along its path over said idler roller away from the application head. A brake roller is provided along the path of the transfer tape between the roll and the application head to selectively stop the tape's advance. When the brake roller is released, the product to which the adhesive is applied pulls the tape underneath the application head, unwinding it from the roll. When the brake roller is stopped, the tape stops advancing and the adhesive strip carried on the liner is broken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Michael W. Gruber, Robert A. Luhman
  • Patent number: 5152654
    Abstract: An apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets of paper together is disclosed. A pair of clamping plates presents one edge of the sheets for binding after a jogging plate aligns the edges. After a solid hot melt adhesive material sheet is placed along the edge of the sheets, a heating platen heats and melts the hot melt adhesive material sheet and causes the liquid adhesive to bind the sheets together. The method of binding the stack of a plurality of sheets of paper includes positioning a plurality of sheets between the clamping plates, vibrating the sheets to square and align their edges, clamping the aligned sheets of paper, presenting the aligned edge of the paper to the heating platen, placing an adhesive hot melt material sheet on the edge of the sheets, heating and melting the hot melt adhesive material sheet onto the edge, and removing the bound sheets from the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robert A. Luhman, Gary K. Kuhn, Kenneth J. Perrington, Karl M. Kropp, Michael W. Gruber
  • Patent number: 4980011
    Abstract: An automatic application device for dispensing an adhesive transfer tape with the liner removed includes a hub for rotatably supporting a roll of adhesive transfer tape and an application head for pressing the adhesive transfer tape unwound from the roll onto a product to which it is to be applied. An idler roller is disposed above the application head to pull the liner away from the application head. A motor driven take-up roller and corresponding nip roller are provided to pull the liner along its path over said idler roller away from the application head. A brake roller is provide along the path of the transfer tape between the roll and the application head to selectively stop the tape's advance. When the brake roller is released, the product to which the adhesive is applied pulls the tape underneath the application head, unwinding it from the roll. When the brake roller is stopped, the tape stops advancing and the adhesive strip carried on the liner is broken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Michael W. Gruber, Robert A. Luhman