Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm David B. Patchett
  • Patent number: 7235115
    Abstract: The method of forming pleated filter media includes providing a generally planar web of filter material, folding the web to form a pleated web having a plurality of fold lines, arranging the plurality of pleats in a first spaced configuration defined by a first distance between adjacent pleat tips, applying a continuous strand of adhesive to the web, and adjusting the arrangement of the plurality of pleats into a second spaced configuration defined by a second distance between adjacent pleat tips. The web has a front face and a rear face. Each fold line is intermediate oppositely sloping first and second wall surfaces. The plurality of fold lines form a plurality of pleats having a first plurality of pleat tips and a second plurality of pleat valleys. The second distance is different from the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Dean R. Duffy, Donald E. Young, Lowell E. Christensen, Douglas C. Sundet
  • Patent number: 7235114
    Abstract: A resilient flexible abrasive article includes a continuous backing layer including a support layer coated with foam, the continuous backing layer having opposed major surfaces, at least one of the major surfaces including a three dimensional surface topography including raised and recessed regions, and wherein the raised and recess regions are at least partially coated with abrasive particles, thereby defining an abrasive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Chris A. Minick, Ian R. Owen
  • Patent number: 7236296
    Abstract: A multilayer film article is disclosed. The film includes an infrared light reflecting multilayer film having alternating layers of a first polymer type and a second polymer type and an infrared light absorbing or reflecting layer adjacent the multilayer film. The film includes a multilayer stack composed of alternating optical layers of first and second diverse polymers A, B. The optical layers when counted from one end of a first effective optical packet form a plurality of unit cells each having six optical layers arranged in relative optical thicknesses in a first cyclic permutation of 7A1B1A7B1A1B. At normal incidence the first effective optical packet provides a reflection band at infrared wavelengths and substantially transmits light at visible wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Yaoqi J. Liu, Jerry A. Sievers, Andrew T. Ruff
  • Patent number: 7229687
    Abstract: The invention relates to compatibilized release compositions useful in release layers of release articles (e.g., release liners) and adhesive articles (e.g., pressure sensitive adhesive tapes). The compatibilized release compositions comprise a mixture of a thermoplastic olefin-based polymer comprising an acid or a base functionality and a polymeric release material comprising an acid or a base functionality. The functionality of the thermoplastic olefin-based polymer and the functionality of the polymeric release material are selected to provide an acid-base interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: David J. Kinning, Audrey A. Sherman, Jeffrey J. Schwab, Patrick S. Seleski, Wendi J. Winkler
  • Patent number: 7220172
    Abstract: A hand-held, manually-operated, sanding tool that can be used with conventional rectangular or square shaped sheet-like abrasive media to sand corners or other confined areas includes a base member having at least one tapered end and includes means for securing the sheet-like abrasive media to the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jon A. Kirschhoffer, Eric R. Cybulski, Ryan Patrick Simmers, Jonathan M. Lise, Bernard A. Gonzalez, Ian R. Owen, Jenny L. Hicks
  • Patent number: 7217333
    Abstract: A self-supporting, pleated filter, and method of making the same. The method includes forming a plurality of pleats in a filter media that extend along a front face and a rear face. The pleats include a plurality of pleat tips and sloping side surfaces generally perpendicular to the direction of pleating. At least one planar reinforcing strip oriented in the direction of pleating is bonded to the pleat tips on the front face. At least one reinforcing member is positioned along the rear face of the filter media. The filter media is then cut to size. Frame members are applied for some applications. The reinforcing member may be a reinforcing strip oriented in the direction of pleating and bonded to the rear face of the filter media prior to the step of forming the plurality of pleats. A second planar reinforcing strip may optionally be bonded to the reinforcing strip pleat tips. The reinforcing member, the first reinforcing strip and the second reinforcing strip can be aligned to form a truss structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Douglas C. Sundet, James F. Pitzen
  • Patent number: 7182681
    Abstract: A hand-held, manually-operated, sanding tool for use with a replaceable sheet-like abrasive material, such as sandpaper, includes a base member and clamping mechanisms pivotally connected with opposed ends of the base member. The clamping mechanisms include tensioning members arranged to slidably engage angled contact surfaces provided on the ends of the base member opposite the clamping mechanisms to tighten the sheet-like abrasive material as it is installed on the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jon A. Kirschhoffer, Eric R. Cybulski, Ryan Patrick Simmers, Bernard A. Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 7179529
    Abstract: To provide an adhesive film that can be easily released leaving substantially no adhesive residue and without damaging the adherend surface when released from an adherend. A base material comprising at least a first resin film with a breaking elongation in the lengthwise direction of 300 to 1500% and a breaking strength of at least 2 kg/12 mm, and a second resin film with a lower breaking elongation and a higher flexural modulus than the first resin film is used. The second resin film can break before the first resin film when the base material is stretched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Eiji Mizuno, Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Saho Tanuma
  • Patent number: 7169202
    Abstract: A filter assembly includes a reusable filter frame and a replaceable, pleated, reversibly expandable, self-spacing filter removably arranged in the frame. The self-spacing pleated filter expands uniformly with equal pleat spacing to allow the filter to be easily installed in the reusable filter frame without the aid of a secondary spacing structure. When the filter is expanded to the length of the filter frame, the filter is under tension, thereby allowing the length of the filter to be readily adjusted to match the length of the frame and allowing the pleats to be aligned with corresponding ribs provided in the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: James O. Kubokawa
  • Patent number: 7169029
    Abstract: A resilient hand-held abrasive article suitable, for example, for woodworking, includes a plurality of separated raised abrasive surfaces to allow the article to more effectively conform to a contoured surface. A method of making such an abrasive article is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: John G. Petersen, Chris A. Minick, Jonathan M. Lise, James F. Pitzen
  • Patent number: 7164836
    Abstract: A light-guide light (1) suitable for use in illuminated displays and signs comprises a housing (3) defining an optical cavity having first and second generally parallel major faces (5, 6), and a light source (11) positioned to direct light into the optical cavity from one side. The first major face (5) comprises a material (for example, a prismatic film) having coefficients of reflection and transmission that vary with the angle at which light is incident on the material. The second major face (6) comprises a narrow-scattering reflective material having a reflectance of at least 85%, for example a highly-efficient reflective material provided with a suitable textured pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: John C. Wright, Michael C. Lea
  • Patent number: 7150774
    Abstract: A replaceable, self-spacing, pleated, filter insert that can be easily installed in a reusable filter frame without the aid of a secondary spacing structure includes reversibly collapsible and expandable filter media including a plurality of pleats that expand uniformly when the filter is expanded. When the filter is expanded to the length of the filter frame, the filter is under tension and behaves like a spring, thereby allowing the length of the filter to be readily adjusted to match the length of the frame and allowing the pleats to be aligned with corresponding ribs provided in the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: James O. Kubokawa, John F. Reed
  • Patent number: 7144300
    Abstract: A hand-held, manually-operated sanding tool for use with a replaceable sheet of abrasive material includes a base member and a clamping mechanism. The base member defines first and second ends, a bottom surface extending between the first and second ends, a contact surface formed opposite the bottom surface and extending from the first end, and at least one tooth extending from the contact surface. The clamping mechanism is pivotally connected to the base member at a pivot point, defines a front section opposite the pivot point, and is movable about the pivot point between an open position, in which the front section is spaced from the contact surface for receiving an end portion of a sheet of abrasive material, and a closed position, in which the clamping mechanism is more proximate the contact surface and the front section is more proximate the at least one tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Eric R. Cybulski, Ryan Patrick Simmers, Jon A. Kirschhoffer
  • Patent number: D532233
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Sigurdur Thorsteinsson, Christopher J. Miller, Peter J. Newbould, Pasquale Cirulli
  • Patent number: D532636
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Sigurdur Thorsteinsson, Christopher J. Miller, Peter J. Newbould, Pasquale Cirulli
  • Patent number: D535334
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: James F. Pitzen, Sigurdur Thorsteinsson, Peter Newbould, Mauro Porcini
  • Patent number: D536873
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Sigurdur Thorsteinsson, Christopher J. Miller, Peter J. Newbould, Pasquale Cirulli
  • Patent number: D537156
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Valentino Marengo, Roberto Cini, Carsten Asthelmer, Paolo Pininfarina, Mauro Porcini
  • Patent number: D543837
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Peter Newbould, Sigurdur Thorsteinsson, Mauro Porcini
  • Patent number: D544080
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Casey L. Carlson