Patents Represented by Attorney Colene H. Blank
  • Patent number: 8268428
    Abstract: The present application is directed to adhesive articles and release liners. Namely, the present application is directed to an article comprising an adhesive layer with a structured surface. The structured surface comprises a first groove and a second groove recessed into the adhesive layer from a reference plane defined by the adhesive surface on either rim of the groove. In some embodiments, the second groove is contained within the first groove, and in other embodiments the grooves are separate. The first groove and the second groove have walls. The wall angle of the first groove with respect to the reference plane is non-zero and is smaller than the wall angle of the second groove with respect to the reference plane. The application is also directed to release liners for the adhesive article, wherein the surface of the release liner is the inverse of the adhesive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Danny L. Fleming, Michael R. Kesti, John A. Nielsen, Richard L. Peloquin, Frank T. Sher, David J. Yarusso
  • Patent number: 8246220
    Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) array comprises an array of LEDs mounted to a substrate. The LEDs emit light in a direction generally perpendicular to the substrate. An optical sheet is disposed over the LEDs. At least a portion of light entering one side of the optical sheet from the LEDs is guided within the optical sheet in a direction generally parallel to the substrate. Light extraction features direct light from the optical sheet in a generally forward direction. Such an array is useful for several applications, including space lighting, direct information display and backlighting of liquid crystal displays. The light spreading effect of the optical sheet reduces the amount of black space between LED pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Epstein, Hung T. Tran, John C. Schultz, Robert M. Emmons
  • Patent number: 8236429
    Abstract: Polydiorganosiloxane polyoxamide, linear, block copolymers and methods of making the copolymers are provided. The method of making the copolymers involves reacting a diamine with a polydiorganosiloxane precursor having oxalylamino groups. The polydioroganosiloxane polyoxamide block copolymers are of the (AB)n type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Audrey A. Sherman, Richard G. Hansen, Wendi J. Winkler, Charles M. Leir, Mieczyslaw H. Mazurek, Karl E. Benson, Mark D. Purgett, Albert I. Everaerts
  • Patent number: 8158739
    Abstract: Branched polydiorganosiloxane polyamide, block copolymers and methods of making the copolymers are provided. The method of making the copolymers involves reacting one or more amine compounds including at least one polyamine with a precursor having at least one polydiorganosiloxane segment and at least two ester groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Audrey A. Sherman, David B. Olson, Stephen A. Johnson, Craig E. Hamer, David S. Hays, Richard G. Hansen
  • Patent number: 8114502
    Abstract: The present application is directed to substrates comprising light shielding areas and light transmitting areas. In one embodiment, the present application is directed to a substrate comprising a film comprising a light shielding additive. The film comprises a structured surface resulting in thick light shielding areas and relatively thin light transmitting areas. In another embodiment, the present application is directed to a substrate comprising a film comprising a first major surface that is structured with a series of microstructure features and he substrate has light shielding layer is on the first major surface in the light shielding areas. In another embodiment, the light transmitting areas are series of holes through the film having at least two lateral dimensions less than 1.4 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey O. Emslander, Kenneth B. Wood, Paul L. Acito
  • Patent number: 8063166
    Abstract: Polydiorganosiloxane polyamide, block copolymers having organic soft segments and methods of making the copolymers are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Audrey A. Sherman, Stephen A. Johnson, Richard G. Hansen
  • Patent number: 8013098
    Abstract: Branched polydiorganosiloxane polyamide, block copolymers and methods of making the copolymers are provided. The method of making the copolymers involves reacting one or more amine compounds including at least one polyamine with a precursor having at least one polydiorganosiloxane segment and at least two ester groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Audrey A. Sherman, David B. Olson, Stephen A. Johnson, Craig E. Hamer, David S. Hays, Richard G. Hansen
  • Patent number: 7997771
    Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) array comprises an array of LEDs mounted to a substrate. The LEDs emit light in a direction generally perpendicular to the substrate. An optical sheet is disposed over the LEDs. At least a portion of light entering one side of the optical sheet from the LEDs is guided within the optical sheet in a direction generally parallel to the substrate. Light extraction features direct light from the optical sheet in a generally forward direction. Such an array is useful for several applications, including space lighting, direct information display and backlighting of liquid crystal displays. The light spreading effect of the optical sheet reduces the amount of black space between LED pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Epstein, Hung T. Tran, John C. Schultz, Robert M. Emmons
  • Patent number: 7947376
    Abstract: Polydiorganosiloxane polyoxamide, linear, block copolymers and methods of making the copolymers are provided. The method of making the copolymers involves reacting a diamine with a polydiorganosiloxane precursor having oxalylamino groups. The polydiorganosiloxane polyoxamide block copolymers are of the (AB)n type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Audrey A. Sherman, Richard G. Hansen, Wendi J. Winkler, Charles M. Leir, Mieczyslaw H. Mazurek, Karl E. Benson, Mark D. Purgett, Albert I. Everaerts
  • Patent number: 7943681
    Abstract: Low viscosity, radiation curable fluid formulations that can be used advantageously as radiation curable, inks. The formulations are easily prepared for use in ink jet systems. The viscosity of the compositions is low enough so that conventional solvent is not required in order to satisfy the requisite low ink jet viscosity specifications. After curing, the compositions form durable, weatherable, abrasion resistant, printed images on a wide variety of porous and nonporous substrates. The formulations are very suitable for outdoor printing applications, especially for printing outdoor graphics onto a variety of surfaces, including vinyl or other polymer films commonly used for signage, retroreflective signage or other retroreflective items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jennifer L. Lee, Ronald K. Thery, Caroline M. Ylitalo, Richard L. Severance, Dong Wu, Bruce A. Nerad, Verna J. LeMire, James G. Carlson, William J. Hunt
  • Patent number: 7922950
    Abstract: A building element may be formed from a first cementitious mixture and a second cementitious mixture containing a photocatalytic cementitious mixture. The first cementitious mixture and the photocatalytic cementitious mixture may be co-formed into a shaped uncured two layer monolith having a base layer of the first cementitious mixture and a top layer of the photocatalytic cementitious mixture. The shaped uncured two layer monolith is then cured. The resulting building element may be algae-resistant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Mark T. Anderson, Rachael A. T. Gould, Jeffry L. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 7915370
    Abstract: Branched polydiorganosiloxane polyamide, block copolymers and methods of making the copolymers are provided. The method of making the copolymers involves reacting one or more amine compounds including at least one polyamine with a precursor having at least one polydiorganosiloxane segment and at least two ester groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Audrey A. Sherman, David B. Olson, Stephen A. Johnson, Craig E. Hamer, David S. Hays, Richard G. Hansen
  • Patent number: 7883652
    Abstract: Polydiorganosiloxane polyoxamide, linear, block copolymers and methods of making the copolymers are provided. The method of making the copolymers involves reacting a diamine with a precursor having at least one polydiorganosiloxane segment and at least two oxalyamino groups. The polydiorganosiloxane polyoxamide block copolymers are of the (AB)n type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Charles M. Leir, Karl E. Benson, Richard G. Hansen, Mark D. Purgett, Albert I. Everaerts, Audrey A. Sherman
  • Patent number: 7807754
    Abstract: An adhesive composition includes a blend of a pressure sensitive adhesive and an additive. The pressure sensitive adhesive includes a (meth)acrylate polymer. The additive includes a copolymer with a vinyl polymeric backbone that includes at least one free radically polymerizable vinyl monomer A and at least one reinforcing comonomer B, wherein B is present at 0 to about 20% by weight of the copolymer, and a pendant polysiloxane monomer grafted to the backbone. The adhesive composition may optionally be crosslinked. The adhesive composition may be applied to a film to form a graphic article. These graphic articles may be applied to a substrate without liquid application aids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Audrey A. Sherman, David J. Yarusso, Frank T. Sher
  • Patent number: 7791562
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of displaying an image on a display device having first and second sides, said image including an light restricting silhouette pattern having a plurality of first transparent or translucent areas, and at least one design layer having at least one color, said at least one design layer being visible from one side of said display device and substantially less visible from the other side, said image being substantially transparent or translucent as viewed from the other side, comprising the steps: 1) providing at least a definition of said design layer to a computer; 2) generating a computerized version of said design layer with the computer; 3) outputting the computerized version of said design layer to said display device, the computerized version of said design layer being modified to subdivide said design layer into a plurality of second discrete transparent or translucent areas and other areas, and 4) displaying said modified design layer and said silhouette pattern
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Bruno Mueller, William E. Bird
  • Patent number: 7745545
    Abstract: Polymer bonding compositions having greater than about 1 milliequivalent primary amine/100 grams of the polymer, more preferably greater than about 3 milliequivalent non-tertiary amine/100 grams of the polymer. Preferably the polymer is not significantly crosslinked. These bonding compositions may be especially useful for bonding fluropolymers. Processes for making the novel polymers and the resulting multilayer bonded articles are described. The polymers include polymer-bonded ZNHLSi(OP)a(X)3-a-b(Y)b units. The bonding composition may be used for making multi-layer polymer laminates such as tubes and films and containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Naiyong Jing, George Van Dyke Tiers, Mark W. Muggli, Kathryn M. Spurgeon
  • Patent number: 7713604
    Abstract: Curable adhesive articles having topographical features and methods of making curable adhesive articles are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jie Yang, Kenneth J. Callahan, Ying-Yuh Lu, Yaoqi J. Liu
  • Patent number: 7705103
    Abstract: Polydiorganosiloxane polyoxamide, linear, block copolymers and methods of making the copolymers are provided. The method of making the copolymers involves reacting a diamine with a precursor having at least one polydiorganosiloxane segment and at least two oxalyamino groups. The polydiorganosiloxane polyoxamide block copolymers are of the (AB)n type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Audrey A. Sherman, Stephen A. Johnson, Craig E. Hamer, Wendi J. Winkler
  • Patent number: 7705101
    Abstract: Branched polydiorganosiloxane polyamide, block copolymers and methods of making the copolymers are provided. The method of making the copolymers involves reacting one or more amine compounds including at least one polyamine with a precursor having at least one polydiorganosiloxane segment and at least two ester groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Audrey A. Sherman, David B. Olson, Stephen A. Johnson, Craig E. Hamer, David S. Hays, Richard G. Hansen
  • Patent number: 7701648
    Abstract: When using an acrylic resin with a refractive index of 1.494, for example, the structure of the Fresnel lens is such that in a segment where a deviation angle of 19.5° or less is required, refraction-only prisms which do not cause any reflections are used, while in a segment where a deviation angle of 31.0° or larger is required, single-step total reflection prisms in which light is totally internally reflected once and then refracted are used and, in a segment where a deviation angle not smaller than 19.5° but not larger than 31.0° is required, two-step total reflection prisms in which light is totally internally reflected twice and then refracted are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Takashi Amano, Tsunehisa Nakamura