Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Peter L. Olson
  • Patent number: 6494418
    Abstract: A wrist rest assembly for use along the front edge of a device to be operated by a person's hands or fingers, such as in front of a computer keyboard, including an elongate base on which is supported an elongate pad comprising a layer of gel within the covering. The pad has sufficient thickness between its top and bottom surfaces and width between its edges to afford supporting a users wrists on top surface with a portion of the layer of gel beneath and conforming to the supported wrists and to afford significant motion of the top surface of the pad with the supported wrists relative to the bottom surface in a plane generally parallel to the upper surface of the base. The base has a top portion supporting the pad, a bottom portion adapted to be supported on a horizontal surface; and structure that allows the top portion to be supported on the bottom portion with the top surface of the pad at a predetermined one of several different distances above that horizontal surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Wolf, Thomas J. Barnidge, Wayne K. Darvell, Kenneth J. Kirchhoff
  • Patent number: 6486782
    Abstract: A device is disclosed for activating and deactivating magnetic electronic article surveillance (EAS) markers, and particularly those EAS markers that are associated with magnetically recorded media. In one embodiment, the device includes control circuitry comprising a coil, such as a solenoid-type coil, that provides a substantially uniform magnetic field that reliably activates and deactivates the marker, yet doesn't damage the magnetically-recorded media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties
    Inventors: Peter J. Zarembo, Anthony M. Belka
  • Patent number: 6448886
    Abstract: The present invention relates to RFID devices, including handheld RFID devices, and applications for such devices. The devices and applications may be used in connection with items that are associated with an RFID tag, and optionally a magnetic security element. The devices and applications are described with particular reference to library materials such as books, periodicals, and magnetic and optical media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Sharon R. Garber, Bernard A. Gonzalez, Mitchell B. Grunes, Richard H. Jackson, Gerald L. Karel, John M. Kruse, Richard W. Lindahl, James E. Nash, Chester Piotrowski, John D. Yorkovich
  • Patent number: 6437561
    Abstract: A detection system determines the position of an object moving along a first direction. The system includes a magnetic field source generating a magnetic field signal and a magnetic field detection system coupled to the object. The detection system includes a source interface module with magnetic field sensors positioned a known distance apart along a second direction different from the first direction. Each sensor detects the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field source and generates a magnetic field signal. A processing module processes the magnetic field intensity signal produced by the source interface module. The processing module generates data for each sensor in the source interface module, which is made up of points representing peak magnetic field and sensor location along the second direction. The points are compared to determine the distance of the object from the magnetic field source along the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Steven R. Bartingale, Mike E. Hamerly, Jeff D. Haagenstad
  • Patent number: 6438447
    Abstract: An article inventory tracking and control system tracks and controls removal of articles from a secured facility. Exemplary facilities in which the system may be useful include libraries, rental stores and retail stores. Each article is marked with an EAS marker to prevent unauthorized removal. In the system, each user of a facility and each article in the facility is uniquely identifiable. Upon receiving the user and article information, the system queries a central database to ensure that the user is a valid user and that the desired transaction is authorized. A receiving compartment is specifically designed to receive a particular type of article, such as a video or audio cassette. Sensors in the receiving compartment ensure that the article is properly placed within the receiving compartment. Proper placement of the article within the receiving compartment ensures that the marker is properly re/desensitized, and also ensures that only one transaction on one article can be performed at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Anthony M. Belka, Thomas J. Brace
  • Patent number: 6436713
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Fidelis C. Onwumere, Robert A. Pranis, Jack G. Truong
  • Patent number: 6430299
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ronald W. Hall, Harry B. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6424262
    Abstract: The present invention relates to RFID devices, including handheld RFID devices, and applications for such devices. The devices and applications may be used in connection with items that are associated with an RFID tag, and optionally a magnetic security element. The devices and applications are described with particular reference to library materials such as books, periodicals, and magnetic and optical media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Sharon R. Garber, Bernard A. Gonzalez, Mitchell B. Grunes, Richard H. Jackson, Gerald L. Karel, John M. Kruse, Richard W. Lindahl, James E. Nash, Chester Piotrowski, John D. Yorkovich
  • Patent number: 6367521
    Abstract: A dispensing valve cap mountable to a bottle is provided with a first valve part having a tubular portion having an air inlet and a fluid outlet spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the tubular portion to form a constant head valve for dispensing fluid from the bottle. A second valve part of the valve rotatably mounted to the first valve part includes a tubular portion for simultaneously closing both the air inlet and the fluid outlet of the first valve part when fluid dispensing is not desired. The second valve part firther includes an air inlet, and a fluid outlet alignable with the air inlet and the fluid outlet of the tubular portion when fluid dispensing is desired. The dispensing valve cap controls fluid flow from the bottle. The bottle with the valve cap is useable with a dispenser assembly for mixing a concentrated fluid from the bottle with a dilutant. A tamper resistant lock prevents undesired rotation of the second valve part relative to the first valve part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: John J. Dyer, Corry P. Gunderson
  • Patent number: 6354346
    Abstract: A dispensing valve cap mountable to a bottle is provided with a first valve part having a tubular portion having an air inlet, the first valve part further including a fluid outlet spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the tubular portion to form a constant head valve for dispensing fluid from the bottle. A second valve part of the valve movably mounted to the first valve part includes a tubular portion for simultaneously closing both the air inlet and the fluid outlet of the first valve part when fluid dispensing is not desired. The second valve part further includes an air inlet alignable with the air inlet of the tubular portion when fluid dispensing is desired. The dispensing valve cap controls fluid flow from the bottle. The bottle with the valve cap is useable with a dispenser assembly for mixing a concentrated fluid from the bottle with a dilutant. A tamper resistant lock prevents undesired rotation of the second valve part relative to the first valve part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Cathleen M. Arsenault, John J. Dyer
  • Patent number: 6335686
    Abstract: Antenna shelf tape is disclosed for use with items having radio frequency identification elements or tags associated with items of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Edward D. Goff, Bernard A. Gonzalez, Chester Piotrowski, Ching-Long Tsai
  • Patent number: 6321483
    Abstract: A fly fishing line and a method for the manufacture of the line is described. The line comprises a core and an outer coating disposed around the core, the coating comprising polyvinyl chloride polymer, polytetrafluoroethylene and optionally polyacrylate derived from the polymerization of a polyfunctional polymerizable acrylate monomer. The method comprises coating a core with a plastisol comprising a polyvinyl chloride resin polytetrafluoroethylene, and optionally one or more of the foregoing monomers; exposing the plastisol to conditions providing formation of a polymer derived from the polyvinyl chloride resin and having polytetrafluoroethylene dispersed throughout the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Del A. Kauss, Bruce W. Richards
  • Patent number: 6288842
    Abstract: Microlens sheetings with composite images are disclosed, in which the composite image floats above or below the sheeting, or both. The composite image may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Methods for providing such an imaged sheeting, including by the application of radiation to a radiation sensitive material layer adjacent the microlenses, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Florczak, Robert T. Krasa, Stephen P. Maki, Richard M. Osgood, III
  • Patent number: 6284337
    Abstract: A security laminate comprising (1) a protective layer having a first and a second surface, (2) a pattern of low adhesion coating bonded to a portion of the second surface of the protective layer, (3) at least one emblem bonded to a portion of the low adhesion coating/protective layer composite, (4) an adhesive bonded to the emblem layer/low adhesion coating/protective layer composite, and (5) a primer is not included between the low adhesion coating and emblem layers; wherein the bond between the emblem and the protective layer and the bond between the adhesive layer and protective layer are the most tenacious bonds, and the bond between the low adhesion coating and the protective layer is the least tenacious, whereby the emblems and adhesive layers are damaged in the pattern of the low adhesion coating during delamination. Also, secured documents comprising such security laminates and a method for securing documents utilizing such security laminates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Lynn E. Lorimor, Douglas K. Fossum, Frederick J. Fox
  • Patent number: 6243026
    Abstract: For qualification for traffic preemption an area is defined and if the vehicle is in the area it can obtain preemption. The vehicle's position is determined, in one embodiment, by use of differential GPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Gary V. Jones, Kevin Judge, James C. Beck, Richard Keegan
  • Patent number: 6232870
    Abstract: The present invention relates to RFID devices, including handheld RFID devices, and applications for such devices. The devices and applications may be used in connection with items that are associated with an RFID tag, and optionally a magnetic security element. The devices and applications are described with particular reference to library materials such as books, periodicals, and magnetic and optical media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Sharon R. Garber, Bernard A. Gonzalez, Mitchell B. Grunes, Richard H. Jackson, Gerald L. Karel, John M. Kruse, Richard W. Lindahl, James E. Nash, Chester Piotrowski, John D. Yorkovich
  • Patent number: 6210509
    Abstract: Methods and devices for laminating a sheeted topfilm to a sheeted substrate while achieving substantial control over registration between the topfilm and the substrate and reducing the formation of lamination defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Frank A. Sommerfeldt, James B. Jornlin
  • Patent number: D457698
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Marco Susani
  • Patent number: D457994
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Estrella Cabrero Gomez, Carmen Martin Rivera, Jorge Castillo Sebastian
  • Patent number: D465890
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Carmen Martin Rivera, Rafael Cebellan Debon, Estrella Cabrero Gomez