Patents Assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company
  • Publication number: 20240082477
    Abstract: A reduced-pressure system for treating a tissue site on a patient includes a distribution manifold that adheres to a tissue site to allow retention without external support. The distribution manifold includes a porous member and a tissue-fixation element. The tissue-fixation element maintains the porous member substantially adjacent to the tissue site while a sealing member is applied. In one instance, the tissue-fixation element is a soluble adhesive that partially covers either the tissue-facing side of the porous member or a tissue-facing side of a fluid-permeable substrate layer that is on the tissue-facing side of the porous member. Other systems, distributions manifolds, and methods are presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Timothy Mark ROBINSON, Tyler H. SIMMONS, Colin John HALL, Jeanette LOSOLE
  • Publication number: 20240083139
    Abstract: The disclosed reinforced adhesive substrate includes a transparent, flexible, breathable backing with a reinforcing material having open areas to the substrate. The reinforcing material strengthen the breathable backing while maintaining transparency so that overall the substrate is transparent. A transparent adhesive substrate can allow the underlying surface to be visualized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: JOHN J. ROGERS, AUDREY A. SHERMAN, AMANDA C. ENGLER
  • Patent number: 11927783
    Abstract: Optical films, such as reflective polarizer films, and optical systems including the optical films are described. An optical system includes one or more optical lenses having at least one curved major surface, a partial reflector, and a reflective polarizer. For a substantially normally incident light in a predetermined wavelength range extending at least from about 450 nm to about 600 nm: the partial reflector has an average optical reflectance of at least 30%, and the reflective polarizer has an average optical reflectance Rs for a first polarization state, an average optical transmittance Tp for an orthogonal second polarization state, and an average optical reflectance Rp for the second polarization state, where Tp?80%, Rp?1%, and 50%?Rs?95%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: John D. Le, Zhisheng Yun, Timothy L. Wong, Timothy J. Nevitt, Adam D. Haag, Arthur L. Kotz
  • Patent number: 11925232
    Abstract: In some examples, a system (1900) includes a hearing protector (1920); at least one position sensor; at least one sound monitoring sensor; at least one computing device configured to: receive, from the at least one sound monitoring sensor and over a time duration, indications of sound levels to which a worker is exposed; determine, from the at least one position sensor and during the time duration, that the hearing protector is not positioned at one or more ears of the worker to attenuate the sound levels; and generate, in response to the determination that at least one of the sound levels satisfies an exposure threshold during the time duration and the hearing protector is not positioned at one or more ears of the worker to attenuate the sound levels, an indication for output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Steven T. Awiszus, Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Eric C. Lobner, Robert J. Quintero, Micayla A. Johnson, Madeleine E. Filloux, Caroline M. Ylitalo, Paul A. Martinson
  • Patent number: 11925576
    Abstract: An air hose includes a corrugated flexible hose. The air hose also includes a first hose end section mechanically coupled to the corrugated flexible hose. The first hose end section includes a pressure sensor communicatively coupled to a warming unit. The first hose end section is configured to releasably couple to a pneumatic convective device. The air hose also includes a second hose end section mechanically coupled to the corrugated flexible hose. The second hose end section is configured to couple to the warming unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: John R. Stark, Jared J. Balthazor, Philip G. Dion, Jay R. Goetz, Leroy J. Longworth, Melissa T. Nelson, Tyler J. Sandback, Michele A Waldner, Michael J. Woodson
  • Patent number: 11925522
    Abstract: A custom tool for forming a dental restoration in a mouth of a patient includes a first mold body providing for a customized fit with at least one tooth of the patient. The first mold body includes a portion corresponding with at least a first surface of the tooth and an interproximal portion corresponding with an interproximal surface of the tooth, the interproximal portion being of unitary construction. The first mold body is configured to combine with the tooth of the patient to form a mold cavity encompassing a first portion of missing tooth structure of the tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: James D. Hansen, Joseph C. Dingeldein, Mary C. Doruff
  • Patent number: 11925432
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method for mitigating premature light deactivation of light deactivated adhesive drapes. One aspect provides a system comprising a drape, an adhesive layer, and a release agent, where the system is adapted to be coupled to a tissue site and released therefrom upon or after exposure to an external stimulus such as certain wavelengths of light. The system may have a photochromic layer that may transition between a blocking transmittance state and a non-blocking transmittance state to block or allow certain wavelengths of light to pass through. Some systems may use a combination of a photochromic layer and a filter layer to prevent the adhesive from being exposed to deactivation wavelengths prematurely. Another aspect provides a method for application and removal of a drape using by removing one or more of a photochromic layer and a filter layer and applying light to the drape to deactivate the adhesive layer and promote easy, clean, and less painful removal of the drape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Justin Alexander Long, Timothy Mark Robinson, Christopher Brian Locke
  • Patent number: 11925747
    Abstract: A dressing interface includes a base that has an aperture and a plurality of microneedles that are attached to the base and disposed over the aperture. The interface also includes a port that is configured to receive a fluid conductor and a conduit that couples the port and the aperture. Each of the microneedles contains a passageway that is fluidly coupled to the aperture. The interface may be used with a drape that is placed over a tissue site. The interface may provide communication between the tissue site and a reduced-pressure source through the microneedles piercing the drape rather than by cutting a hole in the drape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Prathamesh Madhav Kharkar
  • Patent number: 11925746
    Abstract: One implementation of the present disclosure is a negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) system, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the system includes an instillation system configured to provide instillation fluid to a wound site, and a controller. In some embodiments, the wound site includes a wound and a wound dressing. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to provide a first quantity of instillation fluid for a first instillation cycle. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to determine a second quantity of instillation fluid for a second instillation cycle based on the first quantity and a reduction factor. In some embodiments, the second quantity of instillation fluid is less than the first quantity of instillation fluid. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to adjust an operation of the instillation system to provide the second quantity of instillation fluid to the wound site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Christopher Brian Locke, Benjamin Andrew Pratt
  • Patent number: 11926782
    Abstract: A magnetizable abrasive particle is presented. The magnetizable abrasive particle has a ceramic particle having an outer surface. The magnetizable abrasive particle also has a magnetic coating layer applied to the outer surface of the ceramic particle prior to sintering. The sintered magnetizable particle is responsive to a magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Property Company
    Inventors: Sergei A. Manuilov, Adam D. Milller, Laura M. Lara Rodriguez, Dwight D. Erickson, Anatoly Z. Rosenflanz
  • Patent number: 11927768
    Abstract: A display system including an imager for forming an image, and a projection lens system for projecting the image formed by the imager is described. For each pixel in the plurality of pixels, the imager is configured to emit a cone of light having a central ray having a direction that varies with location of the pixel in the imager. The variation may increase a brightness of an image projected through the projection lens system by at least 30 percent. The display system may include a light guide having a light insertion portion adapted to receive light; a light transport portion disposed to receive light from the light insertion portion; and a light extraction portion disposed to receive light from the light transport portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew J. Ouderkirk, Timothy L Wong, Erin A. McDowell, Zhisheng Yun, Gilles J. Benoit, Jo A. Etter
  • Patent number: 11925526
    Abstract: A custom tool for bonding orthodontic appliances in a mouth of a patient, the custom tool comprising: a facial body for a patient-specific, customized fit with the facial side of a plurality of teeth of the patient, a lingual body for a patient-specific, customized fit with the lingual side of the plurality of the teeth of the patient, wherein the lingual body. wherein the facial body and lingual body are configured to combine with the teeth of the patient to position orthodontic appliances on the plurality of teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: James D. Hansen, Joseph C. Dingeldein, John M. Pilgrim
  • Patent number: 11927926
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining causal models for controlling environments. One of the methods includes repeatedly selecting control settings for the environment based on (i) a causal model that identifies causal relationships between possible settings for controllable elements in the environment and environment responses that reflect a performance of the control system in controlling the environment and (ii) current values of a set of internal parameters; and during the repeatedly selecting: monitoring environment responses to the selected control settings; determining, based on the environment responses, an indication that one or more properties of the environment have changed; and in response, modifying the current values of one or more of the internal parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Brian E. Brooks, Gilles J. Benoit, Peter O. Olson, Tyler W. Olson, Himanshu Nayar, Frederick J. Arsenault, Nicholas A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11926717
    Abstract: Polymer matrix composite comprising a porous polymeric network; and a plurality of thermally insulating particles distributed within the polymeric network structure, wherein the thermally insulating particles are present in a range from 15 to 99 weight percent, based on the total weight of the thermally insulating particles and the polymer (excluding the solvent); and wherein the polymer matrix composite has a density not greater than 3 g/cm3; and methods for making the same. The polymer matrix composites are useful, for example, in electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Derek J. Dehn, Clinton P. Waller, Jr., Bharat R. Acharya
  • Patent number: 11918730
    Abstract: A porous conduit may be suitable for use in treating a tissue site, and may include a central lumen and a porous wall positioned substantially concentric about the central lumen. The porous wall may have an open porous structure that may define a plurality of interconnected pores in fluid communication with one another. As part of a system, the porous conduit may be used with a manifold adapted to be positioned at a tissue site, a sealing drape adapted to cover the manifold to provide a sealed space relative to the tissue site, and a therapy device including a reduced-pressure source. The porous conduit may be disposed in the sealed space and in fluid communication between the sealed space and the reduced-pressure source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Timothy Mark Robinson, Christopher Brian Locke
  • Patent number: 11921299
    Abstract: A display system includes a display panel configured to emit a polarized image light having a first polarization state and at least one emission spectrum having a full width at half maxima (FWHM). The display system includes a reflective polarizer configured to receive and reflect the polarized image light as a first reflected polarized image light. For a first light incident at a first predetermined angle, the reflective polarizer has an average reflectance of greater than about 60% across the at least one emission spectrum for the first polarization state, a transmittance of at least about 50% for at least wavelength outside the FWHM of the at least one emission spectrum for the first polarization state, and an average total transmittance of greater than about 70% across a visible wavelength range including the FWHM of the at least one emission spectrum for an orthogonal second polarization state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Adam D. Haag, Stephan J. Pankratz, Matthew B. Johnson, William F. Edmonds
  • Patent number: 11919027
    Abstract: A spray gun cup lid is disclosed comprising a modular lid base and a modular liquid outlet that is formed independently of the modular lid base and is connected at an interface to the modular lid base. The modular liquid outlet comprises an outlet connection member to allow connection to a compatible spray gun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Dominic M. Pitera, Stephen C. P. Joseph, Scott D. Gullicks
  • Patent number: 11920102
    Abstract: A deposition composition includes a solvent comprising a hydrofluorothioether compound represented by the following general formula (I): Rf—S—Rh where Rf is a fluorinated or perfluorinated group having 2-9 carbon atoms and optionally includes one or more catenated heteroatoms or chlorine atoms, and Rh is a non-fluorinated hydrocarbon group having 1-3 carbon atoms. The deposition composition further includes a coating material that is soluble or dispersible in said solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jason M. Kehren, David J. Lundberg, Zai-Ming Qiu, Michael G. Costello, Michael J. Bulinski, Alexandre R. Monteil
  • Patent number: 11918837
    Abstract: There is provided a fit testing method comprising: providing a respirator donned by a wearer; providing a sensor in electrical communication with a sensing element, where the sensor is configured to monitor a particulate concentration parameter of a gas space within the respirator, and a second particulate concentration parameter of a gas space outside the respirator, where the sensor is attached to the respirator such that the respirator such that the weight of the sensor is supported by the respirator; and providing a reader configured to communicate with the sensor, where the reader is configured to provide a respirator fit parameter based on a comparison of the particulate concentration within the respirator to the particulate concentration parameter outside the respirator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Richard C. Webb, Andrew S. Viner, Daniel B. Taylor, Jessica L. T. Hauge, Jennifer L. Kamarainen, Jacob P. Vanderheyden, Silvia G. Guttmann, Kenneth B. L. Stanford
  • Patent number: D1016497
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventor: Thomas R. Corrigan