Patents Represented by Attorney Richard Francis
  • Patent number: 4677182
    Abstract: Ionene elastomers are prepared by reaction of polymeric diamines and certain dihalide linking agents. These elastomers have utility in coating compositions, adhesive compositions, and in the fabrication of elastomeric articles. Certain novel dihalide linking agents are also claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Charles M. Leir, John E. Stark
  • Patent number: 4669163
    Abstract: Acid- and caustic- resistant rolls are prepared by forming a nonwoven web of randomly laid entangled polyolefin fibers, stacking a multiplicity of segments of the web into a pile, compacting the pile under a compaction force equivalent to a room temperature compaction force of about 20.times.10.sup.5 to 55.times.10.sup.5 Pa, restraining the pile on its compacted configuration, and, if needed, dressing the sides of the compacted pile to form a smooth cylindrical surface. The preferred polyolefin fibers are formed of polyethylene, polypropylene or polybutylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ronald E. Lux, Eugene J. Miller
  • Patent number: 4654309
    Abstract: An article for testing liquid for free fatty acid comprises a substantially nonreactive, neutral and non-buffering, porous, absorbant support material having at least one portion thereof which contains a composition comprising an effective amount of acid-base indicator capable of changing color, when the predetermined amount of base has reacted with the known amount of free fatty acid, in a pH range on the order of 6-10, a predetermined amount of base compound reactive with free fatty acid and being present in an amount equivalent to a known concentration of free fatty acid, and about 30-99.5 parts by weight of non-volatile material of a substantially colorless, substantially neutral, humectant polyalkylene glycol organic solvent which is substantially non-volatile under ambient conditions. An organic liquid to be tested is contacted with the article and any color change in the article after the passage of sufficient time is observed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Jerry W. Mlinar, John Neumayer
  • Patent number: 4634485
    Abstract: An article is provided comprising a plurality of straight spaced parallel extruded elements separated by a regularly undulated extruded element having an aspect ratio of at least about two, with undulations having opposed apexes on either side thereof, with apexes on one side of the undulated element being bonded to one of the parallel extruded elements and the apexes on the other side of the undulated element being bonded to the other of said parallel extruded elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Dennis G. Welygan, Ronald O. Zemke
  • Patent number: 4631215
    Abstract: An article is provided comprising a plurality of straight spaced parallel extruded elements separated by a regularly undulated extruded element having an aspect ratio of at least about two, with undulations having opposed apexes on either side thereof, with apexes on one side of the undulated element being bonded to one of the parallel extruded elements and the apexes on the other side of the undulated element being bonded to the other of said parallel extruded elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1986
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Dennis G. Welygan, Ronald O. Zemke
  • Patent number: 4629648
    Abstract: The invention provides an extruded caulk strip comprising a shaped caulk body in melt fusion contact with one major surface of a protective strip formed of substantially amorphous, non-tacky, conformable, thermoplastic, film-forming polymeric material. The extruded caulk strip is formed by melt extruding the thermoplastic film-forming polymeric material to form a continuous plastic strip, melt extruding a caulk mass to form a shaped caulk body, and contacting one of the major surfaces of the strip with the shaped caulk body while the contacting surfaces of the strip and the caulk body are in a plastic state capable of self fusion on contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1986
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Chris A. Minick, Gerald E. Mueller
  • Patent number: 4624889
    Abstract: An aqueous fabric treating composition or sizing has been developed for application on laundered fabrics which provides excellent sizing together with oil and water repellency and improved soil release during laundering. The composition comprises a water soluble sizing, hybrid copolymer containing water-solvatable polar groups and fluoroaliphatic groups, and water. A method of treating fabrics and treated fabrics are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1986
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: James L. Bries
  • Patent number: 4614630
    Abstract: An improved mold, apparatus and method for injection molding is provided. The apparatus is of the type which includes a means for opening and closing a multi-part injection molding mold, means for supplying molten material under high pressure into the mold cavity when the mold is closed and means for removing articles molded in the cavity on cooling. The improvement is provided by a new multi-part mold which is made up of at least two parts. Each part of the mold comprises a mold block portion having a ceramic mold cavity insert. The ceramic mold cavity inserts define the walls of the mold cavity when the mold is closed. Each mold cavity insert comprises a shaped ceramic body having a mounting surface adapted to fit under compressive stress throughout the entire molding operation within a mounting cavity of the mold block portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1986
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: Arthur W. Pluim, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4613544
    Abstract: A waterproof, moisture-vapor permeable unitary sheet material comprises a microporous polymeric matrix having pores comprising continuous passages extending through its thickness and opening into the opposite surfaces thereof, the passages being sufficiently filled with a moisture-vapor permeable, water-impermeable, hydrophilic material to prevent the passage of water and other liquids through the unitary sheet material while readily permitting moisture vapor transmission therethrough rendering the sheet material breathable. The unitary sheet is made by causing a liquid composition comprising the hydrophilic material or precursor thereof to flow into the pores of the matrix, then causing the conversion thereof to solid hydrophilic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: Malcolm B. Burleigh
  • Patent number: 4609380
    Abstract: An abrasive wheel comprised of abrasive granules dispersed throughout and adhered in a matrix with a binder system which comprises a blend of a tough adherent binder and a smear-reducing quantity of a smear-reducing compatible polymer. An abrasive wheel having abrasive granules adhered by the binder without the compatible polymer has a tendency to smear onto the surface of a workpiece when rotated thereagainst under heat-generating conditions such as high wheel to workpiece pressure and surface speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1986
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Scott L. Barnett, Gary M. Fariss
  • Patent number: 4604203
    Abstract: A cooking oil filtering apparatus has a frame and a filter supported therein. The filter is an assembly of juxtaposed layers including a filter layer formed of a uniformly porous web comprising randomly distributed, randomly interentangled, synthetic polymeric blown microfibers that are less than 10 microns in diameter and a support layer of highly porous, relatively stiff, light weight sheet material, more porous than the filter layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1986
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: Robert C. Kyle
  • Patent number: 4599273
    Abstract: Surfactants which are blocked against surfactant action (identified herein as "photolabile blocked surfactants") by a photolabile protective or masking group but which, on exposure to actinic radiation, become unblocked are provided. Coating compositions in which surfactant is formed on irradiation are provided by blending the photolabile blocked surfactant with polymeric film-forming materials.Compositions containing the photolabile blocked surfactants are useful when employed as protective coatings on various substrates or as the adhesive in a pressure sensitive adhesive tape. Although initially well adhering to a substrate, such compositions may be readily removed from the substrate following exposure of the same to suitable radiation which unblocks the surfactant to permit it to regain its surfactant activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1986
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Gilbert L. Eian, John E. Trend
  • Patent number: 4595313
    Abstract: A boat hoist has a frame with forward part including spaced upright posts, a rearward part including spaced upright posts, spaced to permit the passage of a boat therebetween, and an inclined track assembly attached to the frame between the pairs of spaced upright posts, a boat platform mounted for movement up and down of the track assembly, means for moving the boat platform upward along the track assembly, means for moving the boat platform downward along the track assembly, and means for holding the platform at a lower position and at an upper position on the track assembly. The hoist requires much less effort to lift and lower a boat because of the inclined plane and provides a convenient safer means of removing the boat from the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1986
    Inventor: Edwin J. Kotke
  • Patent number: 4589894
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner disposable filter, preferably in the form of a closed container having an inlet for connection to the air discharge outlet of a vacuum cleaner, comprises an assembly of layers including an inner filter layer provided by a non-woven micro-fiber web formed of randomly entangled synthetic polymeric micro-fibers and highly porous outer support layers each preferably comprising spun-bonded non-woven webs on either side of the inner layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Vincent M. Gin, Gene E. Tharp
  • Patent number: 4574003
    Abstract: The sol-gel process for forming dense, alumina-base ceramics, the process comprising1. preparing a dispersion of aluminum oxide monohydrate containing a precursor of a modifying additive in the form of a soluble salt;2. gelling the dispersion;3. drying the gel dispersion to form a solid;4. calcining the solid; and5. sintering the calcined solid,is improved by adding to the dispersion at least about 10 weight percent, based on the oxide equivalent of the soluble salt precursor, of at least one densification aid selected from the group consisting of alcohols, glycols and polyether compounds having a vaporization point in excess of the temperature at which the dispersion is dried. This improved process is particularly useful for manufacturing abrasive grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1986
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: Alvin P. Gerk
  • Patent number: 4554324
    Abstract: The invention provides normally tacky and pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions comprising a polymer having an inherent viscosity greater than 0.2 and having in its backbone at least a major portion by weight of polymerized monomeric acrylic or methacrylic acid ester of a non-tertiary alcohol and, having attached to the backbone, polymeric moieties having a weight average molecular weight of above about 2,000 and a T.sub.g of above about 20.degree. C. The number and composition of the attached moieties in the polymer is such as to provide the adhesive composition with a shear holding value of at least 50 minutes. Sheet materials coated with the adhesive composition are also provided. Preferred adhesive composition comprises a copolymer monomeric acrylic or methacrylic acid ester of non-tertiary alcohol and macromolecular monomer. The copolymer may also include up to 12% by weight of a copolymerizable polar monomer such as acrylic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: James R. Husman, James N. Kellen, Rebecca E. McCluney, Michael L. Tumey
  • Patent number: 4553982
    Abstract: The use of an aromatic amine salt of a substituted pentafluoroantimonic acid as a curing agent for epoxy resins, and the use of the epoxy resin compositions as binders for abrasives in abrasive sheet products, are disclosed. The aromatic amines are selected from aniline and hindered aromatic amines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventors: Gerald E. Korbel, Janis Robins, Harold E. Rude
  • Patent number: 4554424
    Abstract: A normally-open pressure actuatable switchmat comprising first and second electrically conductive members separated by non-conductive material having a failsafe safety switch is provided. When the switchmat is subjected to an actuation load, there is relative movement between the first and second electrically conductive members to complete an electrically conductive path therebetween. The safety switch comprises a bridging member which includes an electrically conductive spring which is held in a compressed state by frangible restraining element such that, when the switchmat is subjected to a predetermined minimum overload, the frangible restraining element is broken allowing the spring to relax thereby completing an electrically conductive path between the conductive members. This path is maintained after removal of the overload thereby allowing the switchmat to failsafe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: Ronald G. Tye
  • Patent number: 4539256
    Abstract: A method of making a microporous material is provided which comprises the steps of melt blending crystallizable thermoplastic polymer with a compound which is miscible with the thermoplastic polymer at the melting temperature of the polymer but phase separates on cooling at or below the crystallization temperature of the polymer, forming a shaped article of the melt blend, cooling the shaped article to a temperature at which the polymer crystallizes to cause phase separation to occur between the thermoplastic polymer and the compound to provide an article comprising a first phase comprising particles of crystallized thermoplastic polymer in a second phase of said compound, orienting the article in at least one direction to provide a network of interconnected micropores throughout. The microporous article comprises about 30 to 80 parts by weight crystallizable thermoplastic polymer and about 70 to 20 parts by weight of the compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1985
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: Gene H. Shipman
  • Patent number: 4523411
    Abstract: A rotatable element and a surface treating device including the same are provided. The rotatable element is capable of being mounted on the end of the output shaft of a conventional surface treating device, such as an orbiting disc sander, an orbital sander, a polisher (e.g., hand-held or floor polisher), floor buffer or scrubber etc., to provide a device modified according to the invention. The element comprises a first surface including a shaft mounting means for rotation of the element about an axis generally transverse to the first surface and an opposite second surface comprising or being capable of including a surface treating means. The first surface also includes a basin-like recess having a bottom surface which is generally transverse to the axis and substantially free of radial undulations and the first surface also includes sidewalls defining a channel opening toward and extending around the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1985
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Conrad T. Freerks