Patents Assigned to 3M
  • High transmission light control film
    Patent number: 11940689
    Abstract: A light control film comprises a light input surface and a light output surface opposite the light input surface; alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions disposed between the light input surface and the light output surface, wherein the absorptive regions comprise a core having a first concentration, C1, of a light absorbing material sandwiched between cladding layers having a second concentration, C2, of the light absorbing material, wherein C2<C1, and wherein the cores have an aspect ratio of at least 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel J. Schmidt, Kevin W. Gotrik, Nicholas A. Johnson, Raymond J. Kenney, Caleb T. Nelson, Kenneth A. Epstein
  • Resin blends including phthalonitrile resin and thiadiazole substituted phthalonitrile compound, articles, compounds, and methods
    Patent number: 11932750
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a resin blend containing a blend of a phthalonitrile resin and a thiadiazole substituted phthalonitrile compound. The present disclosure also provides an article including a polymerization product of such a resin blend. Further, a thiadiazole substituted phthalonitrile compound and an article including a polymerization product of the compound are provided. The present disclosure additionally provides a method of making a thiadiazole substituted phthalonitrile compound. Certain thiadiazole substituted phthalonitrile compounds can act as curatives for the phthalonitrile resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Anderson
  • Bonded abrasive article including elongate shaped abrasive particles
    Patent number: 11932580
    Abstract: A bonded abrasive article includes elongate shaped abrasive particles. The elongate shaped abrasive particles comprise an elongate shaped ceramic body having opposed first and second ends joined to each other by at least two longitudinal sidewalls. At least one of the at least two longitudinal sidewalls is concave along its length. At least one of the first and second ends is a fractured surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Dwight D. Erickson
  • Electrically conductive adhesive film and producing method thereof
    Patent number: 11932788
    Abstract: A conductive adhesive film according to an embodiment includes: an adhesive base layer including first and second major surfaces facing each other; and a plurality of discrete individual particles distributed in the adhesive base layer, wherein outer surfaces of the particles are coated with metal at least in part to form metal coatings, and the metal coatings are connected with one another and are extended between the first and second major surfaces, such that an electrically and mechanically continuous three-dimensional porous network of the metal is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeongwan Choi, Taehoon Noh
  • Method and system for detecting self-clearing, sub-cycle faults
    Patent number: 11933834
    Abstract: A method of detecting self-clearing, sub-cycle faults comprises sensing a current condition and a voltage condition at a location along a power cable. The sensed conditions are relayed to an analyzing device, the analyzing device including a current peak detector. The presence of a measured current value is determined. If the measured current value is greater than a current threshold value, a faulted circuit indicator (FCI) analysis is performed to determine the presence or absence of an FCI fault. If an FCI fault is absent, an incipient fault analysis is performed, wherein the RMS current values before and after a threshold event are compared and the voltage total harmonic distortion (THD) before and after the event are compared. If the two current values are within a first predetermined percentage and the THD values differ by a second predetermined percentage, then an incipient fault is reported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Phillip J. Bergeron
  • Hydrofluoroolefins and methods of using same
    Patent number: 11932589
    Abstract: A hydrofluoroolefin compound is represented by the following general formula (I): where RF1 is a hydrogen atom or CH3, and (iii) RF1 is a linear or branched perfluorinated alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and optionally including one or more catenated heteroatoms; and RF2 is a fluorine atom or a linear or branched perfluorinated alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms and optionally including one or more catenated heteroatoms; with the proviso that when RF2 is a fluorine atom, then RF1 includes at least 2 carbon atoms; or (iv) RF1 and RF2 are bonded together to form a ring structure having 4 to 8 carbon atoms and optionally including one or more catenated heteroatoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Toso, Michael J. Bulinski
  • Dust mitigating optical connector
    Patent number: 11934019
    Abstract: A light coupling unit includes a first major surface comprising one or more substantially parallel first grooves oriented along a first direction for receiving one or more optical waveguides. A second major surface for slidably contacting a mating light coupling unit comprises an optically transmitting window for propagating an optical signal therethrough, and a region of second grooves and lands configured to capture particulate contaminants in the second grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: James M. Nelson, Michael A. Haase, Terry L. Smith
  • Method of charging a battery and a system having a dental light irradiation device and a battery charging device
    Patent number: 11931219
    Abstract: A method of charging a battery of a dental light irradiation device has the steps of powering the battery at a first charging current and measuring a first terminal voltage of the battery; powering the battery at a different second charging current and measuring a second terminal voltage of the battery; calculating a battery source voltage; and powering off the battery as soon as the battery source voltage reaches or exceeds the threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Ralf Kelz
  • Film stacks for thin circular polarizers
    Patent number: 11933998
    Abstract: A film stack includes an oriented first layer including polyvinyl alcohol disposed on an oriented second layer including naphthalene dicarboxylate containing copolyester resin. The oriented second layer has in-plane birefringence ?nxy<0.02.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Adam D. Haag, Michael A. Johnson, Michelle L. Toy, Brianna N. Wheeler, David T. Yust
  • Pt—Ni—Ir catalyst for fuel cell
    Patent number: 11936050
    Abstract: Nanoporous oxygen reduction catalyst material comprising PtNiIr. The nanoporous oxygen reduction catalyst material is useful, for example, in fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Andrew J. L. Steinbach, Amy E. Hester, Dennis F. Van Der Vliet
  • Dynamically determining safety equipment for dynamically changing environments
    Patent number: 11933453
    Abstract: A system includes at least one article of personal protective equipment, one or more industrial devices, an industrial controller device configured to output industrial controller data indicative of one or more attributes of the one or more industrial devices, and a computing device. The computing devices is configured to determine a set of one or more safety rules corresponding to a work environment at the first time and determine a change in an attribute of the one or more attributes of the one or more industrial devices. The computing device is further configured to identify an updated set of one or more worker safety rules corresponding to the work environment at the second time and determine whether the status of at least one article of personal protective equipment satisfies the updated set of one or more worker safety rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Brian J. Swift, Andrew W. Long, David R. Stein
  • Determining dimensions for providing a precut window film
    Patent number: 11935261
    Abstract: A system for measuring dimensions of film to be applied to a window includes a plurality of removable cards for placement on the window, each of the plurality of removable cards having a plurality of visible correspondence points at pre-defined positions on the respective removable card. The system further includes a mobile device having an image capture device, and the image capture device is configured to capture an image of the window having a set of correspondence points visible in the image. Additionally, the system includes a server configured to receive the image of the window captured by the mobile device and process the image to determine dimensions of a film to be cut for the window based on the set of correspondence points and the pre-defined positions, and processing the image removes perspective distortions in the image. The system is configured to output the dimensions of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Raghunath Padiyath, Viruru Phaniraj, Jeffrey P. Adolf, Steven P. Floeder
  • Antenna for protective personal equipment
    Patent number: 11937043
    Abstract: A hearing protection device is provided. The hearing protection device includes a first earmuff connected to a second earmuff by a headband. Each of the first and second earmuffs are configured to dampen ambient sound. The hearing protection device also includes an antenna, located within a housing of the first earmuff. The antenna comprises a rigid portion coupled to a flexible portion. Both the rigid portion and the flexible portion are fixed within the housing. The flexible portion is configured to remain substantially in line with a ground plane with respect to the rigid portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Sebastian Eggert-Richter, Michael H. Stalder, Christian Weinmann, Benhard C. Schneider, Paul H. R. Jolly
  • Forming electrical interconnections using capillary microfluidics
    Patent number: 11937381
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electronic device includes providing a substrate with a first major surface having a microchannel, wherein the microchannel has a first end and a second end; dispensing a conductive liquid in the microchannel to cause the conductive liquid to move, primarily by capillary pressure, in a first direction toward the first end of the microchannel and in a second direction toward the second end of the microchannel; and solidifying the conductive liquid to form an electrically conductive trace electrically connecting a first electronic device at the first end of the microchannel to a second electronic device at the second end of the microchannel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Ankit Mahajan, Mikhail L Pekurovsky, Saagar A. Shah, Kayla C. Niccum, Kara A. Meyers, Christopher G. Walker
  • A REINFORCED ADHESIVE SUBSTRATE
    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
  • REDUCED-PRESSURE DRESSINGS EMPLOYING TISSUE-FIXATION ELEMENTS
    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
  • Display system and light guide
    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
  • Determining causal models for controlling environments
    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
  • Magnetizable abrasive particle and method of making the same
    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
  • Battery charging station
    Patent number: D1018445
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Mark A. Yoder, Thomas C. Meier, William P. Atwood