Patents Assigned to 3M
  • Patent number: 10500302
    Abstract: Methods of improving the moisture vapor transmission rate of a pressure sensitive adhesive layer in a medical article with a miscible composition, as well as medical articles including the improved pressure sensitive adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: David R. Holm, Dong-Wei Zhu
  • Patent number: 10500020
    Abstract: A device for powder based additive material manufacturing of dental appliances. The device has a recoater (10) for providing a powder layer to a build area. The recoater (10) has a slide (11) and is adapted for dispensing of the powder to the build area. The recoater (10) has further at least two powder supplies for individually supplying a first and a second powder on the slide (11) and a powder transport section in which the first and second powder are brought in touch with each other for at least partially merging. The invention is advantageous in that it allows providing dental blanks having color gradients in all three dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Malte Korten, Rainer K. Dittmann, Hans R. Schnagl
  • Patent number: 10502869
    Abstract: An optical article includes an optical element, a low refractive index layer disposed on the optical element having an effective refractive index of 1.3 or less and a polymeric protective layer disposed on the low refractive index layer. The low refractive index layer includes a binder, a plurality of metal oxide particles dispersed in the binder, and a plurality of interconnected voids. The polymeric protective layer does not increase an effective refractive index of the optical article by greater than 10%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: William D. Coggio, Ramesh C. Kumar, John A. Wheatley, Michael L. Steiner, William F. Edmonds, Lan H. Liu, Encai Hao, Robert F. Kamrath, John J. Stradinger
  • Patent number: 10501877
    Abstract: Netting (100) comprising an array of polymeric strands (121, 122) periodically joined together at bond regions (113) throughout the array, and methods and dies for making the same. Nettings described herein have a variety of uses, including wound care and other medical applications, filtration, absorbent articles, pest control articles, and geotextile applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Ronald W. Ausen, William J. Kopecky, Thomas P. Hanschen, Wei Zhang
  • Patent number: 10501612
    Abstract: A curable composition is provided comprising a curable rubber comprising: a) 80.0-99.9 wt % of a chloroprene resin; b) 0.06-13 wt % of trimethyl thiourea; and c) 0.06-13 wt % of a benzothiazolesulfenamide, such as N-cyclohexyl-2-benzothiazoles-ulfenamide. The present disclosure additionally provides cured compositions comprising a rubber comprising a crosslinked chloroprene resin and a fire retardant particle system comprising: d) 5-95 wt % particulate magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2); and e) 5-95 wt % particulate aluminum trihydrate (Al(OH)3). In some embodiments the particulate aluminum trihydrate (Al(OH)3) has a mean particle size of greater than 30 microns and less than 400 microns, and more typically a mean particle size of greater than 82 microns. The present disclosure additionally provides sound barrier films comprising the cured compositions according to the present disclosure, in particular fire resistant sound barrier films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Pingfan Wu, Lianzhou Chen, Fredrick W. Vance, Edward E. Cole, Charles W. Hedley, Gregory L. Simon, Michael C. Martin
  • Patent number: 10501591
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a pressure sensitive adhesive assembly suitable for bonding to a substrate provided with an uneven surface, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) assembly comprises a polymeric foam layer comprising a polymeric base material, and having a complex viscosity comprised between 2,000 Pa·s to 80,000 Pa·s, when measured at 120C according to the test method described in the experimental section. The present disclosure is also directed to a method of applying a pressure sensitive adhesive assembly to a substrate provided with an uneven surface, and uses thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jan Heimink, Kerstin Unverhau, Andreas Backes, Adrian T. Jung, Dirk Hasenberg
  • Patent number: 10500801
    Abstract: A polymeric netting includes polymeric strands and first and second polymeric ribbons. The first and second ribbons each independently have a height-to-width aspect ratio of at least three to one and a major surface that is intermittently bonded to a polymeric strand, with first and second edges symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of a center line bisecting the major surface. The netting has first and second opposing major surfaces transverse to the major surfaces of the first and second ribbons. The first major surface of the netting includes the first edges of the first ribbons, and the second major surface includes the second edges of the second ribbons. The first ribbons do not extend to the second major surface, and the second ribbons do not extend to the first major surface. Articles including the netting, an extrusion die, and a method useful for making the netting are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Michelle L. Legatt, Ronald W. Ausen, William J. Kopecky, Wei Zhang, Lori-Ann S. Prioleau, Delony L. Langer-Anderson, Leigh E. Wood, Thomas B. Galush
  • Patent number: 10500089
    Abstract: At least some aspects of the present disclose feature a flow control device to be used between two inflatable sections. The flow control device is a one-way flow control device allowing inflating medium to flow in one direction. In such embodiments, the flow control device is in an open state when a first inflatable section is inflated such that a second inflatable section is also inflated. The flow control device is in close state when the second inflatable section is inflated such that the first inflatable section is not inflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventor: Andrew J. McGregor
  • Patent number: 10502875
    Abstract: Cube corner articles such as retroreflective sheeting utilize multiple cube corner arrays in a tiled configuration, each tile containing one array of canted cube corner elements. The tiles may be long and narrow, and the array in each of at least two or three adjacent tiles, or even in every tile, may include at least one lengthwise groove that is parallel to an edge of the tile and parallel to a fixed in-plane axis. Each tile may have a width that is narrow (e.g. 0.2 to 5 mm), and equal to an integer multiple of a lengthwise groove pitch to avoid or reduce ineffective fragmented cube corners along the tile edge. Each array may have a plane of cant and a primary plane of entrance angularity, and the primary planes of entrance angularity for the multiple tiles may be more evenly distributed in azimuthal angle than the planes of cant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Smith, Todd A. Ballen, Nelson D. Sewall
  • Publication number: 20190366050
    Abstract: Catheter securement systems, kits, and methods. The catheter securement systems include a base article that can be coupled to skin, and a coupling article having an anchor section and one or more legs configured to secure a catheter to the base article. The base article and the coupling article are configured to secure the catheter to the base article while allowing for removal and re-attachment of the catheter and the coupling article between two or more base articles attached to a patient while the base articles remain attached to the patient, or for repositioning of the catheter and coupling article on the same base article. Base articles can remain in position on the skin until it becomes necessary to change the base article or the catheter is removed from the patient. Catheter securement systems can be provided as a kit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jener De OLIVEIRA, Steven B. HEINECKE, Felipe S.R. BIZARRIA, Adriana S.P. LOVON, Elaine Cristina RAMIRES
  • Patent number: 10493473
    Abstract: Provided are air caps for liquid spray head assemblies and/or for liquid spray guns. Specifically provided are molded air caps with face geometry inserts. Face geometry inserts provided herein may be effective to provide refined spray patterns. The face geometry inserts are components that are self-aligning in that location, size, and spacing of air and/or liquid openings are designed into in a single piece. The air caps comprise a base member comprising: a base member body, at least one pair of exit air openings, a nozzle tip opening; and a face geometry insert comprising a pair of shaping air apertures and being retained to the base member body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, John B. Scheibner, Jameel R. Qiblawi
  • Patent number: 10494525
    Abstract: The composition can include a polyamide, hollow glass microspheres having amino groups on at least a portion of their surfaces, and an impact modifier comprising at least one of polyolefin units or polydiene units and at least one of carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid anhydride functional groups. The composition can include a matrix of a polyamide modified with an impact modifier comprising at least one of polyolefin units or polydiene units and hollow glass microspheres dispersed in the matrix. At least some of the impact modifier and the polyamide share at least one of an amide bond, an imide bond, or a carboxyl-amine non-covalent bond, and at least some of the hollow glass microspheres and the matrix share at least one of an amide bond, an imide bond, or a carboxyl-amine noncovalent bond. The impact modifier is present in an amount of at least about 5 weight percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Baris Yalcin
  • Patent number: 10495043
    Abstract: A fuel injector nozzle comprising a plurality of holes formed therethrough connecting one side of the nozzle with an opposite side of the nozzle. Each of the holes comprises a hole entry on the one side of the nozzle having a first shape, a hole exit on the opposite side of the nozzle having a second shape, and a hole wall connecting the hole entry to the hole exit. The hole exit is smaller than the hole entry, and the hole wall comprises a side that is continuously curved from the hole entry to the hole exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Barry S. Carpenter, Jaime B. Willoughby, Jennifer J. Sahlin
  • Patent number: 10492892
    Abstract: A method for aligning digital 3D models of dental arch pairs, including a mandible and maxilla, to bring them into bite alignment. The method estimates representative planes for the mandible and maxilla 3D models and transforms the models such that the representative planes are each aligned with their respective coordinate systems and shown in a horizontal view. The method also transforms the models such that the mandible and maxilla are each aligned with a same coordinate system and shown in a front view. The digital 3D models are then brought into bite alignment such that the mandible is in occlusion with the maxilla or within a distance near to occlusion. The digital models of the bite-aligned arch pairs can also be transformed or rotated to be shown centered in a front view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Guruprasad Somasundaram, Benjamin D. Zimmer, Alexandra R. Cunliffe, Mojtaba K. Elyaderani, Arash Sangari, Evan J. Ribnick
  • Patent number: 10498059
    Abstract: A flat electrical cable is described. The cable includes a plurality of equally spaced substantially parallel electrical conductors lying in a same plane and extending along the length of the cable. Each conductor has a same diameter D. The cable further includes a common unitary electrically insulating layer encapsulating the plurality of conductors. The insulating layer includes a plurality of cover portions where each cover portion is concentric with a corresponding conductor and has a radial thickness t. t/D is in a range from about 0.50 to about 1.25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: John W. Benedict, James G. Vana, Jr., Rocky D. Edwards, Mark T. Palmer, Richard J. Scherer, Steven A. Neu, Ching-Long Tsai
  • Patent number: 10495772
    Abstract: A magneto mechanical resonator device comprises a plurality of ferromagnetic elements disposed in a stacked arrangement, each ferromagnetic element having a first lengthwise end and a second lengthwise end. A first bias magnetic element is disposed adjacent to the first lengthwise end of the stacked arrangement and a second bias magnetic element is disposed adjacent to the second lengthwise ends of the stacked arrangement. A clamping element is disposed in a central lengthwise region of the stacked arrangement to restrict the vertical displacement of the plurality of ferromagnetic elements with respect to each other at the central lengthwise region, wherein the first and second ends experience flaring movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventor: Ziyad H. Doany
  • Patent number: 10496045
    Abstract: In some examples, a system includes a self-retracting lifeline (SRL) comprising one or more electronic sensors, the one or more electronic sensors configured to generate data that is indicative of an operation of the SRL; and at least one computing device comprising one or more computer processors and a memory comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more computer processors cause the one or more computer processors to: receive the data that is indicative of the operation of the SRL; apply the data to a safety model that predicts a likelihood of an occurrence of a safety event associated with the SRL; and perform one or more operations based at least in part on the likelihood of the occurrence of the safety event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jia Hu, Matthew J. Blackford, Keith G. Mattson, Ronald D. Jesme, Nathan J. Anderson
  • Patent number: 10492890
    Abstract: The present invention provides assemblies, kits, and methods including a compressible material. Optionally, a hardenable dental composition (e.g., an adhesive or primer) is in contact with the compressible material for bonding a dental article (e.g., an orthodontic appliance) to a tooth structure. Removal of excess hardenable and/or hardened dental composition, if desired, can be facilitated for embodiments in which the hardenable dental composition is an unfilled or a lightly filled composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: David K. Cinader, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10493738
    Abstract: A graphic film is described comprising a first film layer having a Tg ranging from 30° C. to 60° C. The first film layer comprises a (meth)acrylic polymer and polyvinyl acetal polymer. In typical embodiments, the graphic film further comprises a design, image, graphic, or text. Also described is a method of forming a graphic film comprising providing a film comprising a first film layer having a Tg ranging from 30° C. to 60° C. comprising a (meth)acrylic polymer and polyvinyl acetal polymer and providing a graphic proximate the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Amanda K. Hulke, Keith R. Lyon, Jonathan E. Janoski, Carla S. Thomas, Anthony F. Schultz, Tien Y. H. Whiting
  • Patent number: 10496915
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that includes an antenna having a spiral form disposed on a major surface of a flexible substrate is described. The RFID tag includes a first terminal disposed at a first end of the antenna and a second terminal disposed at the second end of the antenna. The RFID tag may include a pad portion along the length of the antenna between the first and second ends for mounting an integrated circuit. Except for the pad portion, a radius of curvature of the antenna along at least 90 percent of a length of the antenna between the first and second ends is greater than about 0.1 mm and less than about 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: John D. Geissinger, Donald G. Peterson, Robin E. Gorrell, Howard M. Kaplan