Patents Represented by Attorney William L. Huebsch
  • Patent number: 6497263
    Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing a length of sheet material from a roll of the sheet material. The dispenser includes a first rotatable hub mounted on a dispenser frame that receives the roll of sheet material around its periphery. A first end of an elongate cut-off blade is attached to the frame so that a user of the dispenser can manually tension sheet material being pulled from the roll around a cutting edge on the blade to sequentially transversely sever the sheet material. A locating hub rotatably mounted on one end of a spacing arm is adapted to be received in the roll of sheet material from its end opposite the first hub. An end of the spacing arm opposite the locating hub is mounted on the cut-off blade to space the cutting edge a predetermined distance from the axis of the roll of sheet material at the second end of the roll of sheet material as the sheet material is sequentially transversely cut along the cutting edge on the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: James F. Pitzen
  • Patent number: 6439438
    Abstract: A combination for use in storing and applying moisture curable materials which includes (1) a container assembly with a tubular wall of moisture vapor transmissive polymeric material having an inner surface defining a chamber and a plunger within the tubular wall adapted to move along the wall toward an outlet end in sealing engagement with an inner surface of the wall; (2) a moisture curable material within the chamber which is solid at normal room temperature, is softenable to a suitable viscosity for application of less than 30,000 centipoise when heated to a temperature in the range of about 140 to 230 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 to 110 degrees Centigrade, and has little adhesion to the wall, even when said adhesive is moisture cured; and (3) an envelope of moisture impermeable material around the container assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Gerald P. Schouten, Walter C. Pearson
  • Patent number: 6419573
    Abstract: A resilient flexible sanding sponge including a foam backing layer having a layer of abrasive particles distributed along one of its major surfaces that are adhered together and to the backing layer by a layer of flexible adhesive material. That backing layer has about the same flexibility and conformability as the backing layers on prior art sanding sponges, while having a significantly higher tear strength than prior art sanding sponges. That high tear strength backing layer can either be (1) a layer of felted urethane foam; or (2) a layer of foam that encompasses a reinforcing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Lise, Chris A. Minick
  • Patent number: 6418995
    Abstract: A dispenser from which sheet material may be manually pulled from a supply of the sheet material carried on the dispenser through a passageway defined by a frame of the dispenser. The dispenser includes a cutting member having a sharp cutting edge adapted for transversely cutting the sheet material and an elongate contact surface generally parallel to and spaced from the cutting edge. The cutting member is mounted on the frame for movement between (1) a retracted position to which it is biased at which the cutting edge is positioned to restrict contact between a person using the dispenser and the cutting edge and at which the contact surface extends along the one side of the passageway—and (2) a cutting position to which the cutting member can be moved from its retracted position by manually tensioning sheet material being pulled from the dispenser around the contact surface of the cutting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Philip V. Sadrakula, Leonard Kampa, James F. Pitzen
  • Patent number: 6393805
    Abstract: A container for a stack of sheets (e.g., abrasive coated discs) including a base portion adapted to extend transversely across a bottom surface of the stack of sheets and having opposite ends adapted to be positioned at spaced locations along a side surface of the stack of sheets; and a plurality of stiff elongate retaining portions having proximal portions attached to the base portion at its opposite ends with the retaining portions at spaced locations around the side surface of the stack of sheets. The retaining portions have central parts adapted to extend along the side surface of the stack of sheets from its bottom surface to its top surface at those spaced locations, and have distal parts adapted to extend above the top surface of the stack of sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Michael Sean Bates, Donna C. Rockette, David C. Roeker, David F. Slama
  • Patent number: 6367533
    Abstract: A cut-off blade assembly including a thin metal blade having an attachment portion by which the cut-off blade assembly can be attached to a dispenser, and a plurality of projecting similarly shaped triangular primary teeth. The triangular primary teeth each have two sides terminating in points and have bases adjacent the attachment portion that are aligned in a first direction along the blade so that their points project generally at right angles to that first direction. Edge surfaces on the sides and at the points of the primary teeth intersect a major surface of the primary teeth at an included angle of no greater than about 90 degrees to define a cutting edge at that intersection. The cut-off blade assembly further includes projections along one major surface of the primary teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: James F. Pitzen
  • Patent number: 6321910
    Abstract: A container for a stack of sheets (e.g., abrasive coated discs) including a base portion adapted to extend transversely across a bottom surface of the stack of sheets and having opposite ends adapted to be positioned at spaced locations along a side surface of the stack of sheets; and a plurality of stiff elongate retaining portions having proximal portions attached to the base portion at its opposite ends with the retaining portions at spaced locations around the side surface of the stack of sheets. The retaining portions have central parts adapted to extend along the side surface of the stack of sheets from its bottom surface to its top surface at those spaced locations, and have distal parts adapted to extend above the top surface of the stack of sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Michael Sean Bates, Donna C. Rockette, David C. Roeker, David F. Slama
  • Patent number: 6237774
    Abstract: A method and combination for separating a singular element from a stack of contiguous similar stacked elements intended for individual use. A container for the stack is provided that has a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive firmly attached along one of its surfaces. To separate an individual element the stack is removed from the container, an outer or end element in the stack is pressed against the layer of adhesive, and the stack is pulled away from the layer of adhesive to separate at least a portion of the outer filter from the adjacent filter in the stack. The separated element is then peeled away from the layer of adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Inventor: Wilfred E. Stageberg
  • Patent number: 6223401
    Abstract: An article includes a mating surface fastener portion attached to a surface. The mating surface fastener portion has a land and a plurality of tapered elements and is capable of reattachably and matingly intermeshing with a fastener portion of another article to fasten the respective articles. The fastener portions have a predetermined disengagement pressure for a given engagement pressure. The surface to which the land is attached is at least semi-rigid. The means for attaching has a compliance that is no greater than 0.381 cm. Also, the fastener portions can have a predetermined disengagement pressure for a given engagement pressure; for an engagement pressure of no more than 689,500 N/m2 the fastener portion has a disengagement pressure of at least 137,900 N/M2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Joseph M. D'Sa, Paul E. Humpal, Raymond P. Johnston, Vincent W. King
  • Patent number: 6126707
    Abstract: A disposable air filter comprising a sheet of filter media, at least portions of the major surfaces of which are disposed to define parallel planes along those opposite major surfaces of the sheet intended to be placed normal to the direction of movement of air through the filter; and a frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: James F. Pitzen
  • Patent number: 6120867
    Abstract: A tape laminate comprising a support layer having first and second parts, and an anchor portion of one of its opposite major surfaces on each of the parts. The first and second parts of the support layer are disposed with the anchor portions on opposite sides of the support layer and in generally parallel relationship. The anchor portions can be bonded to the opposed surfaces of rigid objects so that the tape laminate supports one object from the other against a static force generally parallel to the anchor portions. One of those bonds is made by an attachment strip having a portion of its outer major surface defined by pressure sensitive adhesive and its inner major surface bonded to one of the anchor portions, and a manually engageable tab portion at one end. The attachment strip is stretchable by pulling its tab portion to release adhesive engagement of its outer major surface from an object to which it is adhered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Michael D. Hamerski, Robert H. Heil
  • Patent number: 6047901
    Abstract: A support assembly supporting a spray boom assembly from a liquid supply assembly. Spaced support arms have opposite ends pivotably mounted on frames of the liquid supply assembly and the boom assembly to afford movement of the spray boom assembly between raised and lowered positions by a changeable length assembly such as a hydraulic piston, and shocks or bouncing action transmitted from the liquid supply assembly are damped by an assembly comprising an elongate shaft, an elongate tube around the shaft, resiliently elastic shock absorbing strips disposed between the shaft and the tube that with surfaces of the shaft and tube are shaped to restrict rotation of the tube around the shaft without resilient compression of the shock absorbing strips. Either the shaft or tube is fixed to the frame or the support arms, the other has an activating arm fixed to and projecting from it, which activating arm is pivotably attached to one end of the changeable length means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: C. A. P., Inc.
    Inventors: Randy J. Pederson, Steven W. Claussen, Robert L. Claussen
  • Patent number: 6039102
    Abstract: A dispenser from which sheet material may be manually pulled from a supply of the sheet material carried on the dispenser through a passageway defined by a frame of the dispenser. The dispenser includes a cutting member having a sharp cutting edge adapted for transversely cutting the sheet material and an elongate contact surface generally parallel to and spaced from the cutting edge. The cutting member is mounted on the frame for movement between (1) a retracted position to which it is biased at which the cutting edge is positioned to restrict contact between a person using the dispenser and the cutting edge and at which the contact surface extends along the one side of the passageway; and (2) a cutting position to which the cutting member can be moved from its retracted position by manually tensioning sheet material being pulled from the dispenser around the contact surface of the cutting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Philip V. Sadrakula, Leonard Kampa, Michael D. Hamerski, James L. Bries
  • Patent number: 6013149
    Abstract: A pad comprising a plurality of flexible sheets in a stack, and padding means for releasably adhering parts of the major surfaces of adjacent sheets in the stack together to maintain the sheets in the stack. That padding means is provided in that at least some of said sheets having patterns of coadhesive coated on their major surfaces, which patterns of coadhesive are adhered to patterns of coadhesive on adjacent sheets in the stack and releasably adhere parts of the major surfaces of adjacent sheets in the stack together in surface to surface relationship until the patterns of coadhesive are peeled apart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Lee A. Timmerman, Randall M. Mills, Michael S. Groess, Robert P. Molenda
  • Patent number: 6006951
    Abstract: A tank with spin molded unitary polymeric walls. An upper portion of the walls have graduations indicating the amount of liquid required to fill the tank to each of the graduations, and the walls are sufficiently light transmissive to afford visual observation of the level of the liquid in the upper portion of the tank. The tank has a generally funnel shaped portion adjacent its lower end decreasing in area from its upper portion to its lower end, a liquid passage opening at its lower end, a transverse wall at said upper end, and an air passage opening adjacent its upper end. A frame is provided for supporting the tank on a horizontal surface with its upper end uppermost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: C.A.P. Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. O'Dougherty, Steven W. Claussen, Robert L. Claussen
  • Patent number: 5964375
    Abstract: An assembly including a dispenser for flexible sheets from a stack, which dispenser has manually separable top and bottom portions defining a cavity therebetween adapted to receive the stack so that the uppermost sheet in the stack can be manually pulled through an opening in the top wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Casey L. Carlson, Daniel E. Siltberg
  • Patent number: 5954273
    Abstract: A spray assembly for mixing catalyst with a high viscosity material and applying thin coatings of that material to a substrate that is particularly useful for applying body putty to a surface. The spray assembly has first and second through air passageways between an inlet end portion and different portions of an outlet end. The through air passageways each have a straight central axis adjacent the outlet end, the extensions of which axes outside the spray nozzle intersect a short distance from the outlet end of the spray nozzle. A large suction tube for the larger first air passageway has an upper end positioned within a cylindrical portion of the first air passageway. Air streams propelled through the passageways draw high viscosity material through the larger suction tube and catalyst through a smaller suction tube into those air streams. Intersection of those air streams outside of the nozzle mixes the catalyst material with the high viscosity material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Constantin I. Ruta, Alan G. McKown, Russell E. Blette, Robert M. Petrie
  • Patent number: D446844
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Redball, LLC
    Inventors: Steven W. Claussen, Robert L. Claussen
  • Patent number: D462602
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Redball, LLC
    Inventors: Chad A. Simonson, Robert L. Claussen
  • Patent number: D430919
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: C.A.P., Inc.
    Inventor: Steven W. Claussen