Patents Assigned to 3M
  • Patent number: 11947138
    Abstract: Broadband visible reflectors are disclosed. In particular, broadband visible reflectors with reduced on-axis blue reflectivity are described. Broadband visible reflectors that appear yellow in reflection are described. Such broadband visible reflectors may be used in backlights and displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Edward J. Kivel, Ryan T. Fabick, Timothy J. Nevitt
  • Patent number: 11949350
    Abstract: At least some embodiments of the present disclosure direct to a flexible device, comprising a flexible component layer, and a jamming device disposed proximate to the flexible component layer. The jamming device permits the flexible component layer to be bent in a first state. The jamming device is configured to resist bending of the flexible component layer in a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Thomas R. Corrigan
  • Patent number: 11945076
    Abstract: An article (100) has a polyester film backing (110) and a primer layer (120) including a carboxylated styrene butadiene copolymer crosslinked with a polyfunctional aziridine disposed on a major surface of the polyester film backing (110). Another article includes a polyester backing (110), a primer layer (120) including a carboxylated styrene butadiene copolymer crosslinked with a polyfunctional aziridine disposed on a major surface of the polyester backing (110), and a phenolic layer (140) disposed on the primer layer (120) on a surface opposite the polyester backing (110). The phenolic layer (120) can include abrasive particles (160). Processes for making the articles are also described, as well as methods for abrading a workpiece and improving adhesion between a polyester film backing (110) and a phenolic layer (120) on the polyester backing (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Amelia W. Koenig, Liming Song, Stephen M. Sanocki, Yu Yang, Yaohua Gao, Aniruddha A. Upadhye, Morgan A. Priolo, Saurabh Batra, Angela S. McLean
  • Patent number: 11945900
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an orthodontic article including the reaction product of the polymerizable composition. Further, the present disclosure provides polymerizable compositions and methods of making an orthodontic article. The method includes obtaining a polymerizable composition and selectively curing the polymerizable composition to form an orthodontic article. Further, methods are provided, including receiving, by a manufacturing device having one or more processors, a digital object comprising data specifying an orthodontic article; and generating, with the manufacturing device by an additive manufacturing process, the orthodontic article based on the digital object. A system is also provided, including a display that displays a 3D model of an orthodontic article; and one or more processors that, in response to the 3D model selected by a user, cause a 3D printer to create a physical object of an orthodontic article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas P. Klun, Zeba Parkar, John M. Riedesel, Richard J. Pokorny, Chad M. Amb, Benjamin R. Coonce, Robert S. Clough, Tianyu Wu, Saswata Chakraborty, Yongshang Lu, Benjamin C. MacMurray, Ahmed S. Abuelyaman, Karl J. L. Geisler, Jodi L. Connell, Ta-Hua Yu
  • Patent number: 11946891
    Abstract: The disclosure describes techniques for detecting a crack or defect in a material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: David H. Redinger
  • Patent number: 11947135
    Abstract: A light control film is described comprising alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions disposed between a light input surface and a light output surface. The absorptive regions have an aspect ratio of at least 30. In some embodiments, the alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions have a transmission as measured with a spectrophotometer at a viewing angle of 0 degrees of at least 35, 40, 45, or 50% for a wavelength of the range 320-400 nm (UV) and/or at least 65, 70, 75, or 80% for a wavelength of the range 700-1400 nm (NIR). In another embodiment, the absorptive regions block light at the light input surface and light output surface and the maximum surface area that is blocked is less than 20% of the total alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions. Also described are various optical communication systems comprising the light control films described herein and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel J. Schmidt, Caleb T. Nelson, Kevin W. Gotrik, Raymond J. Kenney, John A. Wheatley, Kenneth A. Epstein, Gary T. Boyd, Corey D. Balts
  • Patent number: 11945944
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a curable composition comprising: a polymerizable epoxy-acrylate resin composition having a complex viscosity at 25° C. and 1 Hz frequency of at least about 4500 Pa-s and a probe tack peak force of at least about 300 kPa; and abrasive particles partially or fully embedded in the polymerizable epoxy-acrylate resin composition. The disclosure also relates to cured compositions formed from such curable compositions, wherein the abrasive particles are partially or fully embedded in the cured composition. In addition, the disclosure relates to abrasive articles made from such cured compositions as well as methods for making abrasive articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Kathleen S. Shafer, Rebecca A. Putans, Ernest L. Thurber, Cyrus A. Anderson, Corinne E. Lipscomb, Thomas J. Nelson, Gregory P. Sorenson, Chainika Jangu
  • Patent number: 11937998
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a hearing protection device and a method of forming such device are disclosed. The hearing protection device includes a first hearing protector, a second hearing protector, and an elongated connector including a first end that is connected to the first hearing protector and a second end that is connected to the second hearing protector. The device further includes a frangible attachment element disposed between a first portion of the elongated connector and a second portion of the elongated connector that temporarily connects the first portion to the second portion such that the elongated connector is in a compact configuration. The elongated connector is adapted to be disposed in an elongated configuration when the frangible attachment element is broken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Feng Cai, Jeffrey L. Hamer
  • Patent number: 11937893
    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, a photosensitive adhesive layer, a release agent, and an optical fiber mesh layer configured as a light pipe, 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. Another aspect includes a pipe light pipe, as an alternative to the optical fiber mesh layer. The systems may have a removable blocking layer to prevent the photosensitive adhesive from being exposed to deactivation wavelengths prematurely. Another aspect provides a method for application and removal of a drape using the light pipe to transport or route light to the drape to deactivate the photosensitive adhesive layer and promote easy, clean, and less painful removal of the drape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Timothy Mark Robinson, Christopher Brian Locke, Justin Alexander Long, Ashwatha Price
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11940651
    Abstract: A light guide comprising a polymeric layer at least 25 percent transmissive over at least a 30 nm bandwidth in a wavelength range from 180 to 280 nm over a distance of at least 100 micrometers and visible light transparent reflecting layers (UV-C mirror) that are at least 50 percent reflective over at least 30 nm bandwidth in a wavelength range from 180 to 280 nm over an incident light angle of 0 to 90 degrees and that are at least 25 percent transmissive of visible light over at least 30 nm bandwidth in a wavelength range of 400 to 800 nm over an incident light angle of 0 to 90 degrees. The light guide is useful, for example, for antimicrobial surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy J. Hebrink, Stephen P. Maki, Michael E. Griffin, Anna C. Hamlin, Justin M. Mazzoni, Christopher A. Merton, Matthew T. Scholz
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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