Patents by Inventor Nelson D. Sewall
Nelson D. Sewall 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: 11806795Abstract: The present disclosure relates to end milling methods for making microstructures, a tool comprising such microstructures, the microstructures, and replications thereof, where the microstructures are part of a structured surface configured as a security article. Some of the microstructures are configured differently from others to define an optically detectable indicia in the structured surface. Microstructures in a first group may for example differ from microstructures in a second group in terms of one or more of size, orientation, cube corner type, and dihedral angle value(s), to define the indicia or a portion thereof. The microstructures may comprise full or truncated cube corner elements, and the article may be a retroreflective sheeting.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2018Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Nelson D. Sewall, Christopher S. Grinde
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Publication number: 20230201932Abstract: The present disclosure relates to end milling methods for making microstructures, a tool comprising such microstructures, the microstructures, and replications thereof, where the microstructures are part of a structured surface configured as a security article. Some of the microstructures are configured differently from others to define an optically detectable indicia in the structured surface. Microstructures in a first group may for example differ from microstructures in a second group in terms of one or more of size, orientation, cube corner type, and dihedral angle value(s), to define the indicia or a portion thereof. The microstructures may comprise full or truncated cube corner elements, and the article may be a retroreflective sheeting.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2018Publication date: June 29, 2023Inventors: Nelson D. SEWALL, Christopher S. GRINDE
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Publication number: 20220126381Abstract: A new technique for making cube corner elements that involves end milling is used in the fabrication of cube corner elements having non-orthogonal dihedral angles and dihedral angle errors, and arrays of such cube corner elements. A given optical face of a cube corner element may be a compound face with two constituent faces. In some cases, the constituent faces may be parallel and coplanar such that a given dihedral angle error pertains to the entire optical face, while in other cases, the two constituent faces may not be parallel, and may be associated with different dihedral angle errors.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2022Publication date: April 28, 2022Inventors: Nelson D. Sewall, Christopher S. Grinde, Todd A. Ballen, Kenneth L. Smith
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Patent number: 11253933Abstract: A new technique for making cube corner elements that involves end milling is used in the fabrication of cube corner elements having non-orthogonal dihedral angles and dihedral angle errors, and arrays of such cube corner elements. A given optical face of a cube corner element may be a compound face with two constituent faces. In some cases, the constituent faces may be parallel and coplanar such that a given dihedral angle error pertains to the entire optical face, while in other cases, the two constituent faces may not be parallel, and may be associated with different dihedral angle errors.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2018Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Nelson D. Sewall, Christopher S. Grinde, Todd A. Ballen, Kenneth L. Smith
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Publication number: 20200038969Abstract: A new technique for making cube corner elements that involves end milling is used in the fabrication of cube corner elements having non-orthogonal dihedral angles and dihedral angle errors, and arrays of such cube corner elements. A given optical face of a cube corner element may be a compound face with two constituent faces. In some cases, the constituent faces may be parallel and coplanar such that a given dihedral angle error pertains to the entire optical face, while in other cases, the two constituent faces may not be parallel, and may be associated with different dihedral angle errors.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2018Publication date: February 6, 2020Inventors: Nelson D. SEWALL, Christopher S. GRINDE, Todd A. BALLEN, Kenneth L. SMITH
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Patent number: 10502875Abstract: Cube corner articles such as retroreflective sheeting utilize multiple cube corner arrays in a tiled configuration, each tile containing one array of canted cube corner elements. The tiles may be long and narrow, and the array in each of at least two or three adjacent tiles, or even in every tile, may include at least one lengthwise groove that is parallel to an edge of the tile and parallel to a fixed in-plane axis. Each tile may have a width that is narrow (e.g. 0.2 to 5 mm), and equal to an integer multiple of a lengthwise groove pitch to avoid or reduce ineffective fragmented cube corners along the tile edge. Each array may have a plane of cant and a primary plane of entrance angularity, and the primary planes of entrance angularity for the multiple tiles may be more evenly distributed in azimuthal angle than the planes of cant.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Kenneth L. Smith, Todd A. Ballen, Nelson D. Sewall
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Publication number: 20190358918Abstract: The present disclosure relates to end milling methods for making microstructures, and articles containing such microstructures. The end milling process comprises rotating an end mill (1410r) around an axis of rotation (1409) and translating the rotating end mill (1410r) in a working surface (1407) to form a first recess (1420) such that end mill (1410r) moves along an inclined path (1411) relative to the working surface (1409), or to a reference plane along which the working surface (1407) extends. The method forms flat faces (1441a, 1441b) that meet along a rounded edge (1451), the edge (1451) being inclined to the reference plane. Both truncated cube corner elements (see for instance FIGS. 47 and 48) and full cube corner elements (see for instance FIG. 56A) can be made in a substrate (4705, 4805, 5605) by forming at least part of an optical face of the cube corner element (4780, 4880, 5680) by cutting the substrate (4705, 4805, 5605) with a rotating end mill (1410r).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2018Publication date: November 28, 2019Inventors: Nelson D. SEWALL, Christoper S. GRINDE, Kenneth L. SMITH, Todd A. BALLEN
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Publication number: 20170299787Abstract: Cube corner articles such as retroreflective sheeting utilize multiple cube corner arrays in a tiled configuration, each tile containing one array of canted cube corner elements. The tiles may be long and narrow, and the array in each of at least two or three adjacent tiles, or even in every tile, may include at least one lengthwise groove that is parallel to an edge of the tile and parallel to a fixed in-plane axis. Each tile may have a width that is narrow (e.g. 0.2 to 5 mm), and equal to an integer multiple of a lengthwise groove pitch to avoid or reduce ineffective fragmented cube corners along the tile edge. Each array may have a plane of cant and a primary plane of entrance angularity, and the primary planes of entrance angularity for the multiple tiles may be more evenly distributed in azimuthal angle than the planes of cant.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2017Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventors: Kenneth L. Smith, Todd A. Ballen, Nelson D. Sewall
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Patent number: 9703023Abstract: Cube corner articles such as retroreflective sheeting utilize multiple cube corner arrays in a tiled configuration, each tile containing one array of canted cube corner elements. The tiles may be long and narrow, and the array in each of at least two or three adjacent tiles, or even in every tile, may include at least one lengthwise groove that is parallel to an edge of the tile and parallel to a fixed in-plane axis. Each tile may have a width that is narrow (e.g. 0.2 to 5 mm), and equal to an integer multiple of a lengthwise groove pitch to avoid or reduce ineffective fragmented cube corners along the tile edge. Each array may have a plane of cant and a primary plane of entrance angularity, and the primary planes of entrance angularity for the multiple tiles may be more evenly distributed in azimuthal angle than the planes of cant.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Kenneth L. Smith, Todd A. Ballen, Nelson D. Sewall
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Publication number: 20160033694Abstract: Cube corner articles such as retroreflective sheeting utilize multiple cube corner arrays in a tiled configuration, each tile containing one array of canted cube corner elements. The tiles may be long and narrow, and the array in each of at least two or three adjacent tiles, or even in every tile, may include at least one lengthwise groove that is parallel to an edge of the tile and parallel to a fixed in-plane axis. Each tile may have a width that is narrow (e.g. 0.2 to 5 mm), and equal to an integer multiple of a lengthwise groove pitch to avoid or reduce ineffective fragmented cube corners along the tile edge. Each array may have a plane of cant and a primary plane of entrance angularity, and the primary planes of entrance angularity for the multiple tiles may be more evenly distributed in azimuthal angle than the planes of cant.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2014Publication date: February 4, 2016Inventors: Kenneth L. Smith, Todd A. Ballen, Nelson D. Sewall
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Patent number: 7510462Abstract: In one embodiment, a cutting tool assembly used for creating grooves in a microreplication tool is described. The cutting tool assembly includes a mounting structure and multiple diamonds mounted in the mounting structure. For example, first and second tool shanks having first and second diamond tips can be positioned in the mounting structure such that a cutting location of a diamond cutting tip of the first tool shank is a defined distance from a cutting location of a diamond cutting tip of the second tool shank. The defined distance may correspond to an integer number of pitch spacings, and may be accurate to within a tolerance of less than approximately 10 microns.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2006Date of Patent: March 31, 2009Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: William J. Bryan, Nelson D. Sewall, Jeffrey E. Clements, Greg E. Schrank, Jennifer L. Trice, Timothy L. Hoopman, Charles N. DeVore
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Patent number: 7401396Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of making microstructured laminae for replication and apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to machining V-shaped grooves on individual lamina forming cube-corner microstructures.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2006Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Lars A. Smeenk, Conrad V. Anderson, Nelson D. Sewall, Kenneth L. Smith
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Patent number: 7174619Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of making microstructured laminae for replication and apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to machining V-shaped grooves on individual lamina forming cube-corner microstructures.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2003Date of Patent: February 13, 2007Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Lars A. Smeenk, Conrad V. Anderson, Nelson D. Sewall, Kenneth L. Smith
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Patent number: 7140812Abstract: In one embodiment, a tool used for creating grooves in a microreplication tool is described. The tool includes a mounting structure and a multi-tipped diamond mounted in the mounting structure. The different tips of the diamond may correspond to different grooves to be created in the microreplication tool. In this manner, the creation of a microreplication tool using a diamond can be simplified and/or improved.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2002Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: William J. Bryan, Nelson D. Sewall, Jeffrey E. Clements
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Patent number: 6935756Abstract: The invention relates to articles comprising a sheeting having a microstructured surface that reflects light in a moiré-like pattern. The invention further relates to methods of making a master and replicas thereof including tooling that results in sheeting having such pattern. A preferred method comprises forming V-shaped grooves in a substrate (e.g. metal plate) wherein the intersections of three grooves form cube-corner elements. The cube-corner elements are formed in such a manner that adjacent parallel grooves have substantially the same groove spacing and groove depth throughout the array. The master as well as corresponding tooling and sheeting preferably have a groove spacing within the range of about 0.0005 inches (0.0127 mm) to about 0.007 inches (0.1778 mm) throughout the array and more preferably a groove spacing of less than about 0.004 inches (0.1016 mm).Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2002Date of Patent: August 30, 2005Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Nelson D. Sewall, Kenneth L. Smith, David W. Meitz, Madeleine B. Fleming, John C. Nelson
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Patent number: 6843571Abstract: The invention relates to methods of making a master and replicas thereof including tooling and retroreflective sheeting. The invention further relates to the corresponding master, tooling and in particular retroreflective sheeting. The method comprises forming V-shaped grooves in a substrate (e.g. metal plate) wherein the intersections of three grooves form cube-corner elements. The cube-corner elements are substantially the same size throughout the array. The master as well as corresponding tooling and sheeting preferably have an average groove spacing within the range of about 0.0005 inches (0.0127 mm) to about 0.007 inches (0.1778 mm) throughout the array and more preferably an average groove spacing of less than about 0.004 inches (0.1016 mm).Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2002Date of Patent: January 18, 2005Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Nelson D. Sewall, Kenneth L. Smith, David W. Meitz, Madeleine B. Fleming, John C. Nelson
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Publication number: 20040175541Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of making microstructured laminae for replication and apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to machining V-shaped grooves on individual lamina forming cube-corner microstructures.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2003Publication date: September 9, 2004Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Lars A. Smeenk, Conrad V. Anderson, Nelson D. Sewall, Kenneth L. Smith
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Publication number: 20040045419Abstract: In one embodiment, a cutting tool assembly used for creating grooves in a microreplication tool is described. The cutting tool assembly includes a mounting structure and multiple diamonds mounted in the mounting structure. For example, first and second tool shanks having first and second diamond tips can be positioned in the mounting structure such that a cutting location of a diamond cutting tip of the first tool shank is a defined distance from a cutting location of a diamond cutting tip of the second tool shank. The defined distance may correspond to an integer number of pitch spacings, and may be accurate to within a tolerance of less than approximately 10 microns.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2002Publication date: March 11, 2004Inventors: William J. Bryan, Nelson D. Sewall, Jeffrey E. Clements, Greg E. Schrank
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Publication number: 20030227682Abstract: The invention relates to methods of making a master and replicas thereof including tooling and retroreflective sheeting. The invention further relates to the corresponding master, tooling and in particular retroreflective sheeting. The method comprises forming V-shaped grooves in a substrate (e.g. metal plate) wherein the intersections of three grooves form cube-corner elements. The cube-comer elements are substantially the same size throughout the array. The master as well as corresponding tooling and sheeting preferably have an average groove spacing within the range of about 0.0005 inches (0.0127 mm) to about 0.007 inches (0.1778 mm) throughout the array and more preferably an average groove spacing of less than about 0.004 inches (0.1016 mm).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2002Publication date: December 11, 2003Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Nelson D. Sewall, Kenneth L. Smith, David W. Meitz, Madeleine B. Fleming, John C. Nelson
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Publication number: 20030227683Abstract: The invention relates to articles comprising a sheeting having a microstructured surface that reflects light in a moiré-like pattern. The invention further relates to methods of making a master and replicas thereof including tooling that results in sheeting having such pattern. A preferred method comprises forming V-shaped grooves in a substrate (e.g. metal plate) wherein the intersections of three grooves form cube-corner elements. The cube-corner elements are formed in such a manner that adjacent parallel grooves have substantially the same groove spacing and groove depth throughout the array. The master as well as corresponding tooling and sheeting preferably have a groove spacing within the range of about 0.0005 inches (0.0127 mm) to about 0.007 inches (0.1778 mm) throughout the array and more preferably a groove spacing of less than about 0.004 inches (0.1016 mm).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2002Publication date: December 11, 2003Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Nelson D. Sewall, Kenneth L. Smith, David W. Meitz, Madeleine B. Fleming, John C. Nelson