Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Michaele Hakamaki
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Patent number: 6953596Abstract: A method is provided for producing individual dough products, comprising the steps of conveying a continuous dough sheet along a travel path, engaging a first die cutter with a first portion of the dough sheet to cut a first portion of the peripheral shape of at least one dough product, then conveying the continuous dough sheet along the travel path and engaging the second die cutter with the first portion of the dough sheet to cut a second portion of the peripheral shape of at least one dough product.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2002Date of Patent: October 11, 2005Assignee: General Mills, Inc.Inventors: Douglas C. Maniak, Susan Y. deWerff, Amy B. Larson Kolbe, Sherri A. Slocum
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Patent number: 6883518Abstract: A unidirectional valve, wherein the valve comprises a valve body including a frame, a valve opening through the frame, and a valve seat extending from the frame and at least partially surrounding the valve opening. The valve further includes a valve flap having a first portion attached to the frame and an adjacent second portion free to move from a first position where the second portion is in contact with at least a part of the valve seat to a second position where at least part of the second portion is spaced from the valve seat, wherein the valve flap has a nonuniform thickness. The thickness variations may occur between sides of the valve flap, and may also occur between the ends of the valve flap.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2001Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: William A. Mittelstadt, David M. Castiglione
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Patent number: 6666209Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating the air flow in a respirator system is provided. The method provides for the establishment of control set points in a true calibration protocol through the simple triggering of the microprocessor of a controller. When the trigger is initiated, the microprocessor engages and provides the logic for the calibration cycle. The calibration cycle proceeds until a second trigger terminates the process and establishes the control set points. The calibration sequence of the method relies only on an initiation and termination trigger that is facilitated by components integral to the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2001Date of Patent: December 23, 2003Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Michael R. Bennett, David Cook
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Patent number: 6632311Abstract: A method of making a roll of adhesive tape that comprises providing a length of tape having a leading end, a trailing end, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the second side of the tape is at least partially covered with pressure sensitive adhesive and providing a tab having first and second opposite ends having a length between them, a first side, and a second side, wherein at least a portion of the second side of the tab is covered with pressure sensitive adhesive. The method further comprises advancing the length of tape along a tape path, positioning the leading tape end about a central tape roll axis, and circumferentially winding the length of tape about the axis until a penultimate tape layer having a circumference is wound.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1998Date of Patent: October 14, 2003Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Christopher M. Glenna, Paul J. Richtman
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Patent number: 6544640Abstract: A method of applying repositionable pressure-sensitive adhesive sheets to moving articles includes aligning a plurality of articles for sequential movement through a sheet application station. Each article has at least two different sheet landing areas defined on a common surface thereof A repositionable pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet from a first applicator is applied at the sheet application station onto a first landing area of every other article as it passes the sheet application station. A repositionable pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet from a second applicator is applied onto a second different landing area on all of the remaining articles as they pass through the sheet application station. The resultant stack of articles formed in this way does not have all of the note sheets aligned vertically in the stack, thus reducing the overall height of the stack by dispersing horizontally the added thicknesses of the note sheets on the articles.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2000Date of Patent: April 8, 2003Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Alden R. Miles, Timothy A. Mertens
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Patent number: 6536728Abstract: An adjustable keyboard support assembly, which generally includes a housing comprising a first side panel having a first guide rail system and a second side panel spaced from the first side panel and having a second guide rail system. The assembly further includes a generally U-shaped member comprising a support member with first and second ends, a first side arm attached to the first guide rail system and extending from the first end of the support member, wherein the first side arm comprises at least one notch, and a second side arm attached to the second guide rail system and extending from the second end of the support member, wherein the second side arm comprises at least one notch. The first and second side arms have rotatable and slideable connections with the guide rail system of their respective side panels. A keyboard platform is rotatably attached to the support member of the U-shaped member.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2001Date of Patent: March 25, 2003Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Joel K. Hagglund, Kenneth J. Kirchhoff, James E. Nash
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Patent number: 6436713Abstract: The invention relates to methods for determining whether or not to discard a sample of oil based on the presence of polar compounds in oil and devices to be used to determine the presence of polar compounds in oil. In a preferred embodiment, a test strip comprising an adsorbent affixed to a backing is spotted with a polar indicator. A sample of oil is positioned on a heat conducting device supporting the test strip and the oil is allowed to migrate over the adsorbent material, thereby displacing the polar indicator in an amount related to the amount of polar compounds in the oil. This displacement is correlated to the amount of polar compounds in the sample.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 1999Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Fidelis C. Onwumere, Robert A. Pranis, Jack G. Truong
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Patent number: 6430299Abstract: A headset assembly includes an electronics housing and a replaceable battery. The battery includes a recessed region for limiting contact between the battery housing and the electrical contacts of the electronics housing. The contacts of the battery include raised regions for concentrating the electrical contact regions between the battery and the electronics housing, and to further clean the electrical contacts of the electronics housing during slideable insertion of the battery into the electronics housing.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2000Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Ronald W. Hall, Harry B. Taylor
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Patent number: 6383591Abstract: A method and apparatus for sequentially and precisely registering cut sheets for application onto advertising signatures at high speeds employs an initial roll of sheeting material. The sheeting material is unwound to track a process path, where eyemarks on the sheeting material are detected for use in registering the sheeting material to be cut into discrete sheets and to be aligned with a moving advertising signature for affixation thereto. The sheeting material has a repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive along one side edge thereof for use in adhering the cut sheet to the advertising signature. In one embodiment, the sheeting material is generally opaque adjacent one side edge and is sufficiently transparent adjacent its other side edge so that when a sheet cut from the sheeting material is adhered to an advertising signature, images on the advertising signature are visible through at least a portion of the sheet.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1996Date of Patent: May 7, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Alden R. Miles, Timothy A. Mertens
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Patent number: 6382206Abstract: A speech transmission adapter and a respirator mask comprising a speech transmission adapter. The respirator mask comprises an inhalation port, an exhalation port, and a speech transmission adapter in detachably sealed engagement with the inhalation port. The adapter comprises a peripheral housing, a speech reception means supported by the peripheral housing, and a speech transmission means operably coupled to the speech reception means. The speech reception means receives sound pressure generated by a wearer of the respirator mask, and the speech transmission means conveys signals representative of such sound pressure to an external speech transducer. The adapter mates to the inhalation port of a respirator mask and expands the clean air envelope defined within the mask to include the speech reception means within the clean air envelope without requiring structural modification of the respirator mask.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1997Date of Patent: May 7, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Joyce B. Palazzotto, Harold R. Carpenter
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Patent number: 6367085Abstract: A head suspension for use with a flexible hood is disclosed. The hood is used with supplied air sources in situations when a full face or half face respirator is inconvenient. The head suspension includes a headband that is preferably adjustable in circumference and a lens mount attached to the headband at the ends of the lens mount and with at least two braces. The braces are positioned to be non-parallel to each other. The lens of the hood is mounted from the lens mount. The brace provides added stability to the lens and hood.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1998Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventor: Richard C. Berg
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Patent number: D456505Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2000Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Jon R. Wolf, Paul K. Johnson, Brian S. McGinley, David M. Castiglione, Benjamin J. Cullen, Raymond Odell
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Patent number: D456849Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2001Date of Patent: May 7, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Craig D Thompson, Kevin C. Coullahan, Chris Green, Treasure L. Hinds, Milind V. Pawar
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Patent number: D457132Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2000Date of Patent: May 14, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Ian T. Petherbridge, Benjamin J. Cullen, David Cook
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Patent number: D457698Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2000Date of Patent: May 21, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventor: Marco Susani
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Patent number: D457994Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2000Date of Patent: May 28, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Estrella Cabrero Gomez, Carmen Martin Rivera, Jorge Castillo Sebastian
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Patent number: D460117Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2001Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Craig D. Thompson, Casey L. Carlson, Kevin C. Coullahan, Chris Green, Treasure L. Hinds, Milind V. Pawar
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Patent number: D464725Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2000Date of Patent: October 22, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Ian T. Petherbridge, James R. Betz
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Patent number: D467656Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2001Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: William A. Mittelstadt, David M. Castiglione, Casey L. Carlson
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Patent number: D471627Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2001Date of Patent: March 11, 2003Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: William A. Mittelstadt, David M. Castiglione, Casey L. Carlson