Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Speckhard

Thomas A. Speckhard 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).

  • Publication number: 20220389246
    Abstract: A radiation curable inkjet ink which has good surface curability even in air, and is capable of providing a cured product having low odor, good flexibility, and low-temperature impact resistance is described. In particular, radiation curable inkjet ink including from 20 to 40 parts by mass of a bifunctional urethane (meth)acrylate oligomer and from 50 to 80 parts by mass of a monofunctional monomer, based on 100 parts by mass of polymerizable components and an ?-hydroxyketone oligomer and a benzophenone compound as photoinitiators are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Katsuya Ono, Naota Sugiyama, Yoshihiro Kashihara, Koji Saito, Bruce A. Nerad, Thomas A. Speckhard
  • Patent number: 6218021
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a high weight percent of silicone within the silicone-urea block polymer for use with or as a dielectric layer material for electrostatic printing. The high weight percent comprises between about 66 and about 94 weight percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: James F. Sobieski, Patricia J. A. Brandt, Thomas A. Speckhard
  • Patent number: 6137519
    Abstract: A system and method of reducing striations in electrostatic printing is provided by varying plate firing sequences in a pattern of nib groups on the writing head of an electrostatic printer to visually mute the effects of sequence striations. This variation, in combination with other techniques, minimize multiplexing striations that affect adversely the print quality of data emerging from high speed, wide width electrostatic printers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company, Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Speckhard, Takashi Horikawa
  • Patent number: 5963758
    Abstract: A system for substantially maintaining color density in liquid toners for electrographic printers is disclosed. The system includes means for substantially continuously supplying toner concentrate to a printer and means for substantially continuously withdrawing liquid toner from a printer into a waste flowstream. A method to achieve substantially consistent color density of liquid toner in an electrographic printing system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Stewart H. Corn, Brett A. Behnke, Thomas A. Speckhard, Oyvind H. Iversen, Christopher J. Anton, Kenneth W. Olson
  • Patent number: 5832334
    Abstract: A system for substantially maintaining color density in liquid toners for electrographic printers is disclosed. The system includes means for substantially continuously supplying toner concentrate to a printer and means for substantially continuously withdrawing liquid toner from a printer into a waste flowstream. A method to achieve substantially consistent color density of liquid toner in a electrographic printing system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Stewart H. Corn, Brett A. Behnke, Thomas A. Speckhard, Oyvind H. Iversen, Christopher J. Anton, Kenneth W. Olson
  • Patent number: 5815188
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to reduce fogging on electrostatic printing media is disclosed. A negative bias is applied to toning station(s) or vacuum station(s) of the printing apparatus with isolation of that negative bias from the printing media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Speckhard, Jeffrey C. Pederson, Gregory G. Amell
  • Patent number: 5812913
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to improve toner drying on electrostatic printing media is disclosed. A drying apparatus placed between two print stations in a single pass electrostatic printer provides air from two different drying assemblies, one adjacent to one print station and a second adjacent to a second print station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Terry L. Morris, Thomas A. Speckhard, Yoshinori Akichika, Kenneth D. Wilson, Michael E. Kaszynski
  • Patent number: 5701561
    Abstract: A toner station for use in single-pass or multi-pass electrostatic printers includes two or more toner applicators for each color, thereby increasing the printing speed without degrading print quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Thomas A. Speckhard
  • Patent number: 4975327
    Abstract: The adhesion of metal to a polyimide substrate is enhanced by depositing onto at least one surface of the polyimide a thin film of metal such as copper and heating in air to cause the deposited metal to texturize that surface by producing asperities that are at least 0.05 .mu.m in average height and average breadth. In doing so, metal oxide clusters are formed at the textured surface. When the textured surface is metallized, the resulting composite resists delamination even at soldering temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1990
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Nanayakkara L. D. Somasiri, Thomas A. Speckhard