Patents Assigned to 3M
  • Patent number: 12189126
    Abstract: Projection systems and components thereof are described that are well suited to miniaturization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew J. Ouderkirk, Erin A. McDowell, Zhisheng Yun
  • Patent number: 12189119
    Abstract: An imaging device is provided including an imaging unit configured to capture an image, and a louver film placed in a visual field of the imaging unit. The louver film includes a light transmissive unit and a non-transmissive unit which are alternately placed. The imaging unit and the louver film are placed so that the optical axis of the imaging unit intersects a principal plane of the louver film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Toyooka
  • Patent number: 12187929
    Abstract: Curable adhesive free-standing films and adhesive systems comprising such films are provided. In some embodiments, a curable adhesive free-standing film comprises a blend of: a) a first film-forming polymer or oligomer; b) a first species comprising first unsaturated free-radically polymerizable groups, which may be a) or a species other than a); c) a first transition metal cation; d) a reducing agent; and no oxidizing agent. In some embodiments, an adhesive system comprises: I) a first curable adhesive free-standing film as described preceding; and II) a second curable adhesive free-standing film comprising a blend of: e) a second film-forming polymer or oligomer; f) a second species comprising second unsaturated free-radically polymerizable groups, which may be e) or may be a species other than e); and g) an oxidizing agent. In some embodiments, the curable adhesive free-standing films may be pressure sensitive adhesives prior to cure. Methods of use are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Shantanu R. Ranade, Alexander J. Kugel, Kai U. Claussen, Rachna Khurana, Dean M. Moren, William H. Sikorski, Jr., Erik M. Townsend
  • Patent number: 12187932
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an adhesive film that can be applied easily to an adherend having a three-dimensional shape. An adhesive film according to the present disclosure is an adhesive film having a three-dimensional molded shape and including: a base layer; an adhesive layer including a fine structure in a surface; and a liner layer covering the adhesive layer. The fine structure of the adhesive layer includes a plurality of convex parts. Each of the plurality of convex parts includes two or more parts joined to each other via an interface. A first part present in a top of the convex part includes a non-adhesive or weak adhesive material, and a second part present below the first part includes a strong adhesive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Haruyuki Mikami
  • Patent number: 12189150
    Abstract: An optical system comprises a turning film and a lenticular diffuser. The lenticular diffuser comprises a structured surface comprising a plurality of microstructures each comprising a lenticular prism having linear end sections connected by a blend section separated by a substantially flat land area, wherein the blend section shape is a segment of an ellipse of 2nd, 4th or 6th order polynomial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert M. Emmons, Kenneth A. Epstein, Bryan V. Hunt
  • Patent number: 12180396
    Abstract: Provided are adhesive articles and related methods of making and use. The adhesive article includes one or more patterned adhesive layers comprising compositionally and spatially distinct adhesives that are laterally disposed relative to each other. The first and second adhesives are optionally capable of being functionally cured to provide a structural adhesive bond with a substrate. These adhesives can provide high fracture toughness and high modulus characteristics not otherwise possible in a homogeneous adhesive composition. These adhesives can provide some degree of crack arrestment and significantly reduce the need for mechanical fasteners in industrial bonding applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Dmitriy Salnikov, Kristin L. Thunhorst, Nathan L. Gergen, Henrik B. van Hengerich
  • Patent number: 12179315
    Abstract: A method of applying magnetizable particles onto an adherent web includes several steps. Step a) provides a magnetizable particle coating apparatus comprising a downward sloping dispensing surface at least partially disposed within an applied magnetic field. Step b) disposes an adherent web between upper and lower magnetic members and beneath the downward sloping dispensing surface, wherein the web comprises a backing having a curable binder precursor layer disposed on a major surface thereof. Step c) disposes magnetizable particles onto at least a portion of the downward sloping dispensing surface within the applied magnetic field, and subsequently disposed onto the curable binder precursor layer while the adherent web is advanced from an upweb position to a downweb position. Step d) at least partially cures the curable binder precursor layer to fix the orientations of the magnetizable particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Joseph B. Eckel, Aaron K. Nienaber, Ronald D. Jesme
  • Patent number: 12183184
    Abstract: Adaptive systems and methods for managing and delivering notifications to workers in a work environment are provided. The adaptive notification system receives and assesses contextual information to adjust notification configurations or to propose options or alternatives of adjustments to guide a user to adjust the notification configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: John M. Kruse, Lori A. Sjolund, Vera Shuman
  • Patent number: 12180068
    Abstract: A substantially planar self-folding film assembly to generate a folded three-dimensional assembly. The assembly includes a flexible support substrate, adhesive elements, and folding members. The folding members include a base, a folding region, and a hinge adjacent each folding region attached at the base to the flexible support substrate by at least one of the adhesive elements. An array of polymer actuators is co-extensive, or shaped to be not co-extensive, with each of the flexible folding members. Upon activation by a patterned light to heat conversion layer, each polymer actuator is designed and configured to provide a displacement of the corresponding flexible folding member about each hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jia Hu, Martin B. Wolk, Thomas R. Corrigan, Mitchell T. Nommensen, Michael Benton Free, Kurt J. Halverson
  • Patent number: 12179046
    Abstract: A fall-protection system including a harness and a fall-protection apparatus with a lifeline bearing a connector configured to be connected to the harness; and, a fall-protection monitoring system with a base unit and with at least one sensor module configured to sense a condition of the connector and to communicate a signal indicative of the condition of the connector to the base unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Lauren K. Carlson, Scott E. Brigham, Christopher W. Coyle, Heidi Lopez-Hidalgo, Jonathan J. Lepp, Stephen D. Shaver, Jeffrey T. Keacher
  • Patent number: 12181862
    Abstract: A defect detection and ranking system for a vehicle assembly line is provided. The system includes an image capture device that captures a plurality of images of a vehicle on the vehicle assembly line. The system also includes a defect detector that analyzes the plurality of captured images and, based on the analysis, detects a plurality of defects on the surface of the vehicle. Each of the plurality of defects has an associated x-y-z coordinate location, a defect type, and a defect severity. The system also includes a datastore containing a vehicle specification, for the vehicle on the vehicle assembly line, and a defect priority based on the vehicle specification. The system also includes a defect prioritization generator configured to: receive the plurality of defects from the defect detector, retrieve the vehicle specification and the defect priority, and apply the defect priority to the plurality of defects, and output a prioritized list of defects, wherein the prioritized list of defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jonathan B. Arthur, Brett R. Hemes, Thomas J. Strey, John J. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 12181649
    Abstract: An optical system for displaying an image to a viewer includes a partial reflector, a reflective polarizer, and a first retarder layer. A light ray propagates along the optical axis and passes through the plurality of optical lenses, the partial reflector, the reflective polarizer, and the first retarder layer without being substantially refracted. For a cone of light incident on the optical system from an object comprising a spatial frequency of about 70, 60, 50, 40, or 30 line pairs per millimeter and filling the exit pupil with a chief ray of the cone of light passing through a center of the opening of the exit pupil of the optical system and making an angle of about 20 degrees with the optical axis, a modulation transfer function of the optical system is greater than about 0.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Zhisheng Yun, Timothy L. Wong, Erin A. McDowell
  • Patent number: 12173182
    Abstract: Coatable metal-polymer hybrid compositions include a polyoxometalate and a siloxane-based polyamine. The coatable composition, upon coating forms a layer, that is optically transparent and has a refractive index of at least 1.42. The polyoxometalate and the amino groups of the siloxane-based polyamine form crosslinks via an acid-base interaction. The layer may also include a fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Claire Hartmann-Thompson, Adam D. Miller
  • Patent number: 12176689
    Abstract: Techniques, systems and articles are described for preparing electrical cables for connections to a power grid. In one example, a cable-cross-section-measurement tool includes a housing defining a cavity, wherein the housing is configured to position an end-face of an electrical cable within the cavity; a camera disclosed within the cavity of the housing, wherein the camera is configured to capture an image of the end-face of the electrical cable; and a telecentric lens optically coupled to the camera, wherein the telecentric lens comprises a non-angular field of view configured to reduce, in the image, distortion from parallax associated with at least one portion of the end-face of the electrical cable that is oriented at an oblique angle relative to an optical axis of the telecentric lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company, Connected Intelligence Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Douglas B. Gundel, Assaf Kaufman, Uri Bar-Ziv, Alexey Haritonov
  • Patent number: 12172417
    Abstract: Organic light emitting diode (OLED) devices are disclosed that include a first layer; a backfill layer having a structured first side and a second side; a planarization layer having a structured first side and a second side; and a second layer; wherein the second side of the backfill layer is coincident with and adjacent to the first layer, the second side of the planarization layer is coincident with and adjacent to the second layer, the structured first side of the backfill layer and structured first side of the planarization layer form a structured interface, the refractive index of the backfill layer is index matched to the first layer, and the refractive index of the planarization layer is index matched to the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Martin B. Wolk, Michael Benton Free, Margaret M. Vogel-Martin, Evan L. Schwartz, Mieczyslaw H. Mazurek, Terry O. Collier
  • Patent number: 12173205
    Abstract: Adhesive sheets that can adhere to both a smooth surface and a rough surface with sufficient adhesive force and that exhibits smooth visual appearance after adhesion regardless of a surface to be applied are described. In particular, adhesive sheets including a rigid sheet having a thickness of 80 ?m or greater and 2 mm or less; and a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer disposed on one surface of the rigid sheet, the first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a thickness of 40 ?m or greater and 1.2 mm or less and including a microstructured surface including irregularities are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Abe, Katsuya Ono
  • Patent number: 12174407
    Abstract: A light control film is described comprising alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions disposed between the light input surface and the light output surface. The absorptive regions have an aspect ratio of at least 30. In some embodiments, an absorptive layer or reflective layer is disposed between the alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions and the light input surface and/or light output surface. In another embodiment, the alternating transmissive regions comprise an absorptive material. The light control film can exhibit low transmission of visible light and high transmission of near infrared light. Also described is a light detection system comprising such light control films and a microstructured film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel J. Schmidt, Caleb T. Nelson, Kevin W. Gotrik, Raymond J. Kenney, Kenneth A. Epstein, Gary T. Boyd, Corey D. Balts, Morgan A. Priolo, John A. Wheatley, Elisa M. Cross
  • Patent number: D1055002
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: David M. Blomberg, Patrick R. McKellips
  • Patent number: D1055218
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew W. G. Horvath, Michael D. Zenner, Ryan D. Erickson, William J. Feil, III, Ryan K. McKenney, Dillon Gentekos
  • Patent number: D1057296
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Benjamin A. Johnson, Paul A. Martinson, Garry J. Walker, David J. Schmidt, David L. Ausen