Patents by Inventor David Kowitz

David Kowitz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11511522
    Abstract: The present invention is an optically clear, curable adhesive including a polyvinylbutyral, a polyurethane (meth)acrylate, a (meth)acrylate monomer, and a photoinitiator. The polyvinylbutyral has a dynamic viscosity of between about 9 and about 13 mPa·s and a polyvinyl alcohol weight percent of less than about 18%. The polyurethane (meth)acrylate includes the reaction product of a diol, at least one diisocyanate, and a hydroxyfunctional (meth)acrylate or an isocyanatofunctional (meth)acrylate. When the optically clear, curable adhesive is placed between two transparent substrates and made into a laminate, the laminate has a haze of less than about 6%, a transmission of greater than about 88%, and an optical clarity of greater than about 98% when cured. The optically clear, curable adhesive also has a peel adhesion of at least about 100 g/cm based on ASTM 3330 when cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Lan Hong Liu, Jianhui Xia, Thomas P. Klun, David A. Kowitz, Audrey A. Sherman
  • Patent number: 11208576
    Abstract: The present invention is an optically clear, curable adhesive including a polyvinylbutyral, a polyurethane (meth)acrylate, and a photoinitiator. The polyvinylbutyral has a dynamic viscosity of between about 9 and about 13 mPa·s and a polyvinyl alcohol weight percent of less than about 18%. The polyurethane (meth)acrylate includes the reaction product of a diol, at least one diisocyanate, and a hydroxyfunctional (meth)acrylate or an isocyanatofunctional (meth)acrylate. When the optically clear, curable adhesive is placed between two transparent substrates and made into a laminate, the laminate has a haze of less than about 6%, a transmission of greater than about 88% and an optical clarity of greater than about 98% when cured. The optically clear, curable adhesive also has a peel adhesion of at least about 100 g/cm based on ASTM 3330 when cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Lan Hong Liu, Jianhui Xia, Thomas P. Klun, David A. Kowitz, Audrey A. Sherman
  • Publication number: 20200017720
    Abstract: The present invention is an optically clear, curable adhesive including a polyvinylbutyral, a polyurethane (meth)acrylate, a (meth)acrylate monomer, and a photoinitiator. The polyvinylbutyral has a dynamic viscosity of between about 9 and about 13 mPA·s and a polyvinyl alcohol weight percent of less than about 18%. The polyurethane (meth)acrylate includes the reaction product of a diol, at least one diisocyanate, and a hydroxyfunctional (meth)acrylate or an isocyanatofunctional (meth)acrylate. When the optically clear, curable adhesive is placed between two transparent substrates and made into a laminate, the laminate has a haze of less than about 6%, a transmission of greater than about 88%, and an optical clarity of greater than about 98% when cured. The optically clear, curable adhesive also has a peel adhesion of at least about 100 g/cm based on ASTM 3330 when cured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Lan Hong Liu, Jianhui Xia, Thomas P. Klun, David A. Kowitz, Audrey A. Sherman
  • Publication number: 20200002586
    Abstract: The present invention is an optically clear, curable adhesive including a polyvinylbutyral, a polyurethane (meth)acrylate, and a photoinitiator. The polyvinylbutyral has a dynamic viscosity of between about 9 and about 13 mPA·s and a polyvinyl alcohol weight percent of less than about 18%. The polyurethane (meth)acrylate includes the reaction product of a diol, at least one diisocyanate, and a hydroxyfunctional (meth)acrylate or an isocyanatofunctional (meth)acrylate. When the optically clear, curable adhesive is placed between two transparent substrates and made into a laminate, the laminate has a haze of less than about 6%, a transmission of greater than about 88% and an optical clarity of greater than about 98% when cured. The optically clear, curable adhesive also has a peel adhesion of at least about 100 g/cm based on ASTM 3330 when cured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Lan Hong Liu, Jianhui Xia, Thomas P. Klun, David A. Kowitz, Audrey A. Sherman
  • Patent number: 7843637
    Abstract: An article for use in light spreading includes a body having first and second surfaces, and first and second in-plane axes that are orthogonal with respect to each other and a third axis that is mutually orthogonal to the first and second in-plane axes in a thickness direction of the body. A portion of the first surface is a birefringent structured surface. The portion is structured such that, when the article receives a light signal within a particular range of wavelengths, the structured surface causes splitting the light signal into a plurality of divergent light signals. The article can be used for color mixing such as in a cavity providing a backlight for LCD devices or other display devices requiring a backlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Rolf W. Biernath, William W. Merrill, Robert L. Brott, David A. Kowitz
  • Publication number: 20090160738
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical article including a multilayer optical film of alternating layers of first and second optical layers, wherein the first and second optical layers have refractive indices along at least one axis that differ by at least 0.04; and a protective layer disposed on an outer surface of the multilayer optical film, the protective layer having a thickness of less than about 0.5 um and including crosslinked hydroxylated polymer. The optical article may further include a microstructured layer disposed on an outer surface of the multilayer optical film opposite the protective layer. Also disclosed herein are a method of making the optical article and a display device including the optical article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Mark J. Pellerite, Hang K. Loi, James E. Lockridge, Gregory F. King, David A. Kowitz, Eileen M. Haus, Jeffrey A. Peterson, Richard J. Pokorny, Michael L. Steiner
  • Publication number: 20090067048
    Abstract: Films having a structured surface with an engineered feature, such as prism grooves, to be used in displays having a backlight. The films can be arranged in a stack having one or more of the following: birefringent brightness enhancement films, non-birefringent brightness enhancement films, polarizers, diffusers, birefringent turning films, and non-birefringent turning films. Those films can be arranged in any order from the backlight to a viewer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: James M. Battiato, William W. Merrill, Leland R. Whitney, Kenneth A. Epstein, Robert L. Brott, Rolf W. Biernath, Mitsuko T. O'Neill, Stephen A. Johnson, Matthew B. Johnson, Daniel W. Hennen, William B. Black, Mark B. O'Neill, William J. Bryan, Dennis W. Wilson, Martin E. Denker, David A. Kowitz
  • Publication number: 20070297747
    Abstract: An article for use in light spreading includes a body having first and second surfaces, and first and second in-plane axes that are orthogonal with respect to each other and a third axis that is mutually orthogonal to the first and second in-plane axes in a thickness direction of the body. A portion of the first surface is a birefringent structured surface. The portion is structured such that, when the article receives a light signal within a particular range of wavelengths, the structured surface causes splitting the light signal into a plurality of divergent light signals. The article can be used for color mixing such as in a cavity providing a backlight for LCD devices or other display devices requiring a backlight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Rolf W. Biernath, William W. Merrill, Robert L. Brott, David A. Kowitz
  • Publication number: 20060274244
    Abstract: Films having a structured surface with an engineered feature, such as prism grooves, to be used in displays having a backlight. The films can be arranged in a stack having one or more of the following: birefringent brightness enhancement films, non-birefringent brightness enhancement films, polarizers, diffusers, birefringent turning films, and non-birefringent turning films. Those films can be arranged in any order from the backlight to a viewer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Publication date: December 7, 2006
    Inventors: James Battiato, William Merrill, Leland Whitney, Kenneth Epstein, Robert Brott, Rolf Biernath, Mitsuko O'Neill, Stephen Johnson, Matthew Johnson, Daniel Hennen, William Black, Mark O'Neill, William Bryan, Dennis Wilson, Martin Denker, David Kowitz
  • Publication number: 20060204720
    Abstract: An article, such as a film, comprising a body portion and a surface portion is provided. The body portion has (i) a first and a second surface, and (ii) first and second in-plane axes that are orthogonal with respect to each other and a third axis that is mutually orthogonal to the first and second in-plane axis in a thickness direction of the body. The surface portion comprises a linear geometric feature disposed on the first surface of the body in a direction substantially parallel to the first in-plane axis of the polymeric body. The article has (i) a first index of refraction (n1) along the first in-plane axis, (ii) a second index of refraction (n2) along the second in-plane axis, and (iii) a third index of refraction (n3) along the third axis, wherein n2 and n3 are substantially the same but substantially different from n1; and wherein the uniaxially oriented polymeric film has a relative birefringence of 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Rolf Biernath, William Merrill, Andrew Ouderkirk, Olester Benson, David Kowitz, Catherine Tarnowski, Robert Brott
  • Publication number: 20060141220
    Abstract: A process for uniaxially stretching films having a structured surface comprising a geometric feature is described. The process provides a film in which the cross sectional shape of the feature after stretching is substantially identical to the cross sectional shape of the feature prior to stretching. Structured surface articles are also described. The articles have substantially the same uniaxial orientation throughout the film, including the geometric structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: William Merrill, Olester Benson, Andrew Ouderkirk, Rolf Biernath, David Kowitz, Robert Brott
  • Publication number: 20060141218
    Abstract: Uniaxially Oriented Articles Having Structured Surface A process for uniaxially stretching films is having a structured surface comprising a geometric feature is described. The process provides a film in which the cross sectional shape of the feature after stretching is substantially identical to the cross sectional shape of the feature prior to stretching. Structured surface articles are also described. The articles have substantially the same uniaxial orientation throughout the film, including the geometric structure. Uniaxially oriented articles having structured surfaces are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Rolf Biernath, Olester Benson, Andrew Ouderkirk, William Merrill, David Kowitz, Catherine Tarnowski, Robert Brott
  • Publication number: 20060141219
    Abstract: A roll of an article, such as a film, comprising a body portion and a surface portion is provided. The body portion has (i) a first and a second surface, and (ii) first and second in-plane axes that are orthogonal with respect to each other and a third axis that is mutually orthogonal to the first and second in-plane axis in a thickness direction of the body. The surface portion comprises a geometric feature. The roll preferably has a cushioning layer between the plies of the article in the roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Olester Benson, Andrew Ouderkirk, David Kowitz, William Merrill, Rolf Biernath
  • Publication number: 20060138702
    Abstract: A process for uniaxially orienting articles having a structured surface comprising a geometric feature is described. The process comprises a step of orienting the article in a direction substantially parallel to a first in-plane axis of the article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Rolf Biernath, David Kowitz, Olester Benson, Andrew Ouderkirk, William Merrill
  • Publication number: 20060138686
    Abstract: A process for uniaxially stretching films having a structured surface comprising a geometric feature is described. The process provides a film in which the cross sectional shape of the feature after stretching is substantially identical to the cross sectional shape of the feature prior to stretching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Andrew Ouderkirk, Rolf Biernath, William Merrill, Olester Benson, David Kowitz