Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Gregory A. Evearitt
  • Patent number: 5302423
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a pixelized phosphor having a space between the pixels in the range of about 0.5-25 microns, the process comprising the steps of:(a) depositing a phosphor on a support;(b) exposing the deposited phosphor to a source of electromagnetic radiation through a mask thereby ablating the phosphor segmentally, resulting in a series of structures in both said X and Y directions to produce an array of pixelized phosphors separated by slots;(c) filling the resulting slots between the pixelized phosphors with phosphor material of the same or different composition as utilized in step (a) such that each of the pixelized phosphors on the support are separated by a width of from about 0.5-25 microns; and(d) optionally, planarizing the pixelized phosphors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Nang T. Tran, Kenneth R. Paulson
  • Patent number: 5290660
    Abstract: Blends of poly(caprolactone) and poly(vinyl chloride) have been found to have good dye permeability. They have been incorporated into photothermographic constructions as barrier interlayers and dye-receiving layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Gilbert L. Eian, Takuzo Ishida, Alan M. Miller
  • Patent number: 5278024
    Abstract: A photothermographic composite structure for use in a solvent-free dye thermal positive imaging diffusion-transfer process comprising:(a) an image-receiving element comprising a polymeric dyeable image-receiving layer having a glass transition temperature in the range of 20.degree. to 200.degree. C., and(b) strippably adhered to said image-receiving element, an imageable photothermographic element comprising in at least one layer thereof a binder, a silver source material, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic proximity to said silver source material, and a formazan dye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Richard C. Cotner, David C. Weigel, Kumars Sakizadeh
  • Patent number: 5278023
    Abstract: Laser-addressable thermal transfer materials for producing color proofs, printing plates, films, printed circuit boards, and other media are disclosed. The materials contain a substrate coated thereon with a propellant layer wherein the propellant layer contains a material capable of producing nitrogen (N.sub.2) gas at a temperature of preferably less than about 300.degree. C.; a radiation absorber; and a thermal mass transfer material. The thermal mass transfer material may be incorporated into the propellant layer or in an additional layer coated onto the propellant layer. The radiation absorber may be employed in one of the above-disclosed layers or in a separate layer in order to achieve localized heating with an electromagnetic energy source, such as a laser. Upon laser induced heating, the transfer material is propelled to the receptor by the rapid expansion of gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Richard E. Bills, William V. Dower, Thomas A. Isberg, Stanley C. Busman, Jeffrey C. Chang, Minyu Li, Hsin-hsin Chou
  • Patent number: 5275927
    Abstract: Photothermographic articles containing interfacial barriers comprising a layer of a polymeric organic acid containing carboxyl and/or sulfo groups in direct contact with an adjacent layer comprising a basic polymer capable of forming hydrogen bonds with the polymeric organic acid are disclosed. A crosslinked barrier is formed at the interface between the layers which has substantial impermeability to chemical diffusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Oanh V. Pham, Thomas J. Ludemann
  • Patent number: 5275932
    Abstract: Thermal recording material containing a suitable substrate coated with an image forming layer. The image forming layer contains a thermally reducible source of silver, a 3-indazolinone or urea compound; a polymeric binder; and optionally, an auxiliary reducing agent and toner. Preferably, an anti-stick layer is coated on top of the imaging layer.The 3-indazolinone and urea compounds have been found to enhance the thermal image forming capability of thermal recording material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: David C. Weigel, Oanh V. Pham
  • Patent number: 5264321
    Abstract: Various photothermographic elements are provided containing a transparent substrate; image receiving layers; dry silver layers; interlayers; and a translucent or opacifying layer. The translucent or opacifying layer can occupy a variety of positions in the photothermographic element relative to the dry silver layers. The translucent or opacifying layers serve to help produce a reflection print upon exposure of the photothermographic element to actinic light and subsequent heating of the exposed element for image development and dye transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Raymond J. Kenney, Takuzo Ishida, Richard C. Cotner
  • Patent number: 5262272
    Abstract: Vinyl stearate-vinyl chloride copolymers and blends of polyvinyl stearate and polyvinyl chloride have been found to have good dye permeability. They have been incorporated into photothermographic constructions as barrier interlayers and dye receiving layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Gilbert L. Eian, Alan M. Miller, Takuzo Ishida
  • Patent number: 5240809
    Abstract: The use of copolymers of vinylidene chloride and vinyl pyrrolidone as selective diffusion media in dye-diffusive photothermographic imaging constructions is disclosed. Unoxidized phenolic leuco dye molecules diffuse into a film of these copolyers but do not readily diffuse out. In contrast, their oxidized dye forms, which are quinoidal in nature, readily diffuse through these interlayers resulting in improved image stability and color separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Glenn S. Prementine, Takuzo Ishida
  • Patent number: 5238792
    Abstract: Imageable articles having dye selective interlayers comprising copolymers of styrene and vinylidene chloride are disclosed. The interlayers have sufficient permeability to be useful for constructions in which cationic dyes must be prevented from diffusing away from an image receiving layer. Additionally, the selective interlayers allow unoxidized leuco dye to be diffused away from an image receiving layer, thereby increasing print stability. Use of these interlayers in multicolor dye-diffusive imaging constructions increases image stability and color density in the final image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Glenn S. Prementine, Takuzo Ishida
  • Patent number: 5225316
    Abstract: Photosensitive compositions containing a photoinitiator which generates an acid upon exposure to light and a polymer containing pendant alkoxy alkyl ester groups. Also disclosed are imageable articles containing the photosensitive compositions of the present invention coated on a substrate as well as processes for forming an imaged article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Dennis E. Vogel, John J. Stofko, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5225392
    Abstract: A process for preparing an image utilizing both thermal dye and thermal mass transfer. A thermal transfer receptor element is utilized which contains a substrate and a vinyl chloride-containing copolymer which has a T.sub.g between about 50.degree. and 85.degree. C.; a weight average molecular weight between about 10,000 and 100,000 g/mol; a hydroxyl equivalent weight between 500 and 7,000 g/equiv.; a sulfonate equivalent weight between about 9,000 and about 23,000 g/equiv.; and an epoxy equivalent weight between about 500 and about 7,000 g/equiv., wherein a reactive amino-modified silicone has been chemically bonded to the vinyl chloride-containing copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Chang, Andrew B. Becker
  • Patent number: 5206112
    Abstract: A photothermographic composite structure for use in a solvent-free dye thermal positive imaging diffusion-transfer process comprising:(a) an image-receiving element comprising a polymeric dyeable image-receiving layer having a glass transition temperature in the range of 20.degree. to 200.degree. C., and(b) strippably adhered to said image-receiving element, an imageable photothermographic element comprising in at least one layer thereof a binder, a silver source material, photosensitive silver halide in catalytic proximity to said silver source material, and a formazan dye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Richard C. Cotner, David C. Weigel, Kumars Sakizadeh
  • Patent number: 5185231
    Abstract: Certain fluoran dyes have been found to be effective reducing agents for silver ion in dry silver constructions. The fluoran dyes have the following structure: ##STR1## wherein: R.sup.1 represents methyl or n-butyl;R.sup.2 represents n-butyl or cyclohexyl;R.sup.3 represents hydrogen, methyl, or methoxy; andR.sup.4 represents ##STR2## where X represents halogen (preferably chlorine); and a binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: David C. Weigel
  • Patent number: 5169632
    Abstract: Microcapsules containing a shell wall and a liquid fill are produced by an interfacial polymerization reaction between a polyfunctional aziridine and at least one other polyfunctional organic coreactant selected from the group of polyacid halides, polycarboxylic acids, polyamines, polyhydroxyl-containing compounds, polythiol-containing compounds, polyisocyanates, polyisothiocyanates, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Bradley L. Duell, Daniel B. Pendergrass, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5166326
    Abstract: Disclosed are metal-azo and metal-azomethine materials which are useful as monometric dyes which may be mordanted by polymerization. The inventive dyes contain a central metal; an azo containing ligand; and a ligand having a free-radically polymerizable group (not directly attached to the azo or azomethine containing ligand) bound to the metal, and optionally, a monodentate or bidentate ligand which satisfy the coordination requirements of the central metal. Also disclosed are homopolymers and copolymers of the metal-azo or metal azomethine dyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Terrance P. Smith, David W. Malcomber, Mohammed A. Elmastry
  • Patent number: 5141915
    Abstract: Thermal transfer dyesheets are disclosed containing highly efficient back-side antistick coatings. These are particularly useful in thermal dye transfer printing materials where relatively high temperatures are used in the thermal head and where dye offset from the front of one sheet to the back of an adjacent sheet is often a problem. These coatings comprise at least one polyfluorinated resin having an acrylate functionality, and at least one more resin having an acrylate functionality to provide a crosslinked matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Karl F. Roenigk, Ronald K. Thery, Verna J. LeMire, A. Dale Otteson, Gary L. Holmes
  • Patent number: 5124417
    Abstract: Disclosed are novel compounds which are useful as initiators for cationically polymerizable monomers. The novel compounds comprise a carbon containing cation (e.g., trimethyloxonium) which is capable of initiating cationic polymerization and a non-nucleophilic counterion which is an at least partially fluorinated hydrocarbylsulfonato metallate (e.g. perfluoroethylsulfonato-aluminate). The disclosed initiators are capable of initiating the cationic polymerization of a wide variety of monomers such as epoxides, tetrahydrofuans, oxazolines, vinyls, lactones, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Omar Farooq
  • Patent number: 5109097
    Abstract: Normally solid organic solvent-soluble thermoplastic, polyethylenically-unsaturated polyurethane polymers having pendent cardo (cyclic) groups are disclosed. These polymers can be coated to provide coatings that can be worked (sanded) and that under the influence of activating energy, polymerize to coatings which can have excellent solvent and abrasion resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Thomas P. Klun, David D. Lu, Aida F. Robbins
  • Patent number: 5102771
    Abstract: Photosensitive compositions containing a photoinitiator which generates an acid upon exposure to light and a polymer containing pendant alkoxy alkyl ester groups. Also disclosed are imageable articles containing the photosensitive compositions of the present invention coated on a substrate as well as processes for forming an imaged article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Dennis E. Vogel, John J. Stofko, Jr.