Patents by Inventor Gregory E. Gilligan
Gregory E. Gilligan 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).
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Patent number: 7967443Abstract: A projection system comprising a first imaging component, at least a second imaging component, and a color combiner. The first and second imaging components each comprise an imager and a reflective polarizer that is configured to at least partially separate a light beam from the imager into a first portion and second portion, where the first portion and the second portion have substantially orthogonal polarization states. The first portions of the light beams are directed in the same direction above or below a plane defined by the second portions of the light beams. The color combiner is configured to combine the second portions of the light beams, where the second portions of the light beams have substantially orthogonal polarization states prior to entering the color combiner.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2010Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Jiaying Ma, Gregory E. Gilligan
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Publication number: 20100118400Abstract: A projection system comprising a first imaging component, at least a second imaging component, and a color combiner. The first and second imaging components each comprise an imager and a reflective polarizer that is configured to at least partially separate a light beam from the imager into a first portion and second portion, where the first portion and the second portion have substantially orthogonal polarization states. The first portions of the light beams are directed in the same direction above or below a plane defined by the second portions of the light beams. The color combiner is configured to combine the second portions of the light beams, where the second portions of the light beams have substantially orthogonal polarization states prior to entering the color combiner.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2010Publication date: May 13, 2010Inventors: Jiaying Ma, Gregory E. Gilligan
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Patent number: 7673993Abstract: A projection system comprising a first imaging component, at least a second imaging component, and a color combiner. The first and second imaging components each comprise an imager and a reflective polarizer that is configured to at least partially separate a light beam from the imager into a first portion and second portion, where the first portion and the second portion have substantially orthogonal polarization states. The first portions of the light beams are directed in the same direction above or below a plane defined by the second portions of the light beams. The color combiner is configured to combine the second portions of the light beams, where the second portions of the light beams have substantially orthogonal polarization states prior to entering the color combiner.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2005Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Jiaying Ma, Gregory E. Gilligan
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Patent number: 7405784Abstract: An optical stack includes a first liquid crystal layer and a j-retarder disposed on the liquid crystal layer. The j-retarder includes a simultaneous biaxally stretched polymeric film being substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The j-retarder has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal, an in-plane retardance being 100 nm or less and an out-of-plane retardance being 50 nm or greater.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2003Date of Patent: July 29, 2008Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Fred J. Roska, Richard C. Allen, Matthew B. Johnson, Steven J. Rhyner, William W. Merrill, Joan M. Strobel, Kevin M. Hamer, Gregory E. Gilligan
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Patent number: 7110072Abstract: An optical stack includes a first liquid crystal layer and a j-retarder disposed on the liquid crystal layer. The j-retarder includes a simultaneous biaxially stretched polymeric film being substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The j-retarder has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal, an in-plane retardance being 100 nm or less and an absolute value for an out-of-plane retardance being 55 nm or greater.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2004Date of Patent: September 19, 2006Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Fred J. Roska, Richard C. Allen, Matthew B. Johnson, Steven J. Rhyner, William W. Merrill, Joan M. Strobel, Kevin M. Hamer, Gregory E. Gilligan
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Publication number: 20040183973Abstract: An optical stack includes a first liquid crystal layer and a j-retarder disposed on the liquid crystal layer. The j-retarder includes a simultaneous biaxially stretched polymeric film being substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The j-retarder has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal, an in-plane retardance being 100 nm or less and an absolute value for an out-of-plane retardance being 55 nm or greater.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2004Publication date: September 23, 2004Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Fred J. Roska, Richard C. Allen, Matthew B. Johnson, Steven J. Rhyner, William W. Merrill, Joan M. Strobel, Kevin M. Hamer, Gregory E. Gilligan
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Publication number: 20040156000Abstract: An optical stack includes a first liquid crystal layer and a j-retarder disposed on the liquid crystal layer. The j-retarder includes a simultaneous biaxally stretched polymeric film being substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The j-retarder has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal, an in-plane retardance being 100 nm or less and an out-of-plane retardance being 50 nm or greater.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2003Publication date: August 12, 2004Inventors: Fred J. Roska, Richard C. Allen, Matthew B. Johnson, Steven J. Rhyner, William W. Merrill, Joan M. Strobel, Kevin M. Hamer, Gregory E. Gilligan
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Publication number: 20030198814Abstract: The invention relates to retroreflective sheeting and articles suitable for pavement marking comprising a retroreflective layer and a thin continuous hardcoat layer comprising an inorganic oxide material or diamond-like carbon material on the outermost exposed surface. Preferably, at least one intermediate layer is provided between the retroreflective layer and hardcoat layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2002Publication date: October 23, 2003Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Sithya S. Khieu, Gregory E. Gilligan, Moses M. David
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Patent number: 6624936Abstract: A polarizer has low color shift and is particularly well suited to use in an LCD display. The polarizer has a double pass color shift of |&Dgr;x|≦0.005 and |&Dgr;y|≦0.005 for illumination by a C-illuminant, and a double pass contrast modulation of at least 90%. The display includes two or more layers stacked together, at least one of the layers being an absorbing polarizer having a double pass color shift of |&Dgr;x|≦0.005 and |&Dgr;y|≦0.005 for illumination by a C-illuminant. A polarizer with a selected color shift is also used with a rear projection screen having a dispersing layer stacked together with first absorbing polarizer. The polarizer has a single pass color shift with at least one of &Dgr;x and &Dgr;y being negative under illumination by a C-illuminant, and a polarization co-efficiency greater than 90%.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2001Date of Patent: September 23, 2003Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Keith M. Kotchick, Ikuko Ebihara, Gregory E. Gilligan
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Patent number: 6551014Abstract: The present disclosure relates to improved raised pavement markers having a totally-internal-reflective lens. The disclosure also relates to methods of manufacturing the raised pavement marker. The raised pavement markers described below include a housing connected to a totally-internal-reflective lens. The totally-internal-reflective lens includes a retroreflective element having a smooth surface generally opposite a plurality of cube corner elements. A film is attached to the retroreflective element at the apexes of the cube corner elements to form spaces, i.e., an air gap, between the film and the cubes. The film and retroreflective element cooperate to form the totally-internal-reflective lens. Light entering the retroreflective element through the smooth surface is retroreflected at the cube/air interface. Methods of manufacturing include, for example, forming a shell with the retroreflective element and attaching the film to the apexes of the cube corner elements.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2001Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Sithya S. Khieu, Gregory E. Gilligan, Thomas R. Borden
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Publication number: 20020110685Abstract: A tie layer film, comprising an admixture of polyvinyl alcohol and a water dispersible polyester, for bonding a support film to a topcoat layer. The preferred tie layer comprises a sulfopolyester, preferably including terephthalate groups or isophthalate groups. Most preferred are sulfopolyesters produced from ingredients comprising monomers selected from the group consisting of dimethyl 5-sodiosulfoisophthalate, dimethyl terephthalate, dimethyl isophthalate, ethylene glycol, and polycaprolactone diol. Alternatively the support film may be a layered film. In a preferred embodiment, the topcoat layer is formed from the same PVA material as the tie layer and the support film includes at least a portion of the same sulfopolyester as the tie layer. The tie layer is capable of maintaining the bond between the support film and the topcoat layer when heat stretched to a stretch ratio in the range of 2 times to 10 times its original dimension.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2001Publication date: August 15, 2002Inventors: Ikuko Ebihara, Guy M. Kallman, Gregory E. Gilligan, William L. Kausch, Brian H. Williams, Robert W. Horn
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Patent number: 6431788Abstract: A pavement marking and methods of making pavement markings are disclosed in which the pavement markings exhibit enhanced wear resistance to, e.g., snowplow blades. The pavement markings include elongated protuberances in which successive elongated protuberances overlap along at least the longitudinal direction and may also overlap in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. Other protuberances are interspersed between the elongated protuberances to improve retroreflectivity. The elongated protuberances are provided to support, e.g., a snowplow blade moving over the pavement marking.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 1998Date of Patent: August 13, 2002Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Thomas P. Hedblom, Eric E. Rice, Curtis W. Meverden, Gregory E. Gilligan, Thomas D. Krech
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Publication number: 20010055153Abstract: A polarizer has low color shift and is particularly well suited to use in an LCD display. The polarizer has a double pass color shift of |&Dgr;x|≦0.005 and |&Dgr;y|≦0.005 for illumination by a C-illuminant, and a double pass contrast modulation of at least 90%. The display includes two or more layers stacked together, at least one of the layers being an absorbing polarizer having a double pass color shift of |&Dgr;x|≦0.005 and |&Dgr;y|≦0.005 for illumination by a C-illuminant. A polarizer with a selected color shift is also used with a rear projection screen having a dispersing layer stacked together with first absorbing polarizer. The polarizer has a single pass color shift with at least one of &Dgr;x and &Dgr;y being negative under illumination by a C-illuminant, and a polarization co-efficiency greater than 90%.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2001Publication date: December 27, 2001Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Robert S. Moshrefzadeh, Keith M. Kotchick, Ikuko Ebihara, Gregory E. Gilligan
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Publication number: 20010048847Abstract: The present disclosure relates to improved raised pavement markers having a totally-internal-reflective lens. The disclosure also relates to methods of manufacturing the raised pavement marker. The raised pavement markers described below include a housing connected to a totally-internal-reflective lens. The totally-internal-reflective lens includes a retroreflective element having a smooth surface generally opposite a plurality of cube corner elements. A film is attached to the retroreflective element at the apexes of the cube corner elements to form spaces, i.e., an air gap, between the film and the cubes. The film and retroreflective element cooperate to form the totally-internal-reflective lens. Light entering the retroreflective element through the smooth surface is retroreflected at the cube/air interface. Methods of manufacturing include, for example, forming a shell with the retroreflective element and attaching the film to the apexes of the cube corner elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2001Publication date: December 6, 2001Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Sithya S. Khieu, Gregory E. Gilligan, Thomas R. Borden
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Patent number: 6265061Abstract: A retroreflective article comprising a substrate and a cured ceramer coating provided on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate. The coated portion of the surface is retroreflective and can be dew-resistant. The ceramer is derived from a free-radically-curable binder, colloidal inorganic oxide and fluoro/silane component comprising a hydrolyzable silane moiety and a fluorinated moiety.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 1999Date of Patent: July 24, 2001Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Soonkun Kang, John L. Ethen, Gregory E. Gilligan, Christopher J. Gustafson, Sithya Seda Khieu, Kanta Kumar, Thomas W. Rambosek, Tzu Li Joseph Huang
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Patent number: 6132861Abstract: A retroreflective article comprising a substrate and a cured ceramer coating provided on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate. The coated portion of the surface is retroreflective. The coating comprises a cured ceramer composite derived from ingredients comprising a free radically curable binder precursor and a plurality of surface treated, colloidal inorganic oxide components. The colloidal inorganic oxide components are surface treated with a surface treatment agent comprising a fluoro/silane component comprising a hydrolyzable silane moiety and a fluorinated moiety, and a crosslinkable silane component comprising a hydrolyzable silane moiety and a free radically crosslinkable moiety. The weight ratio of the crosslinkable silane component to the fluoro/silane component is from about 4:1 to 20:1, and the weight ratio of the free radically curable binder precursor to the colloidal inorganic oxide components is from about 1:10 to 8:10.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 1998Date of Patent: October 17, 2000Assignee: 3M Innovatives Properties CompanyInventors: Soonkun Kang, John L. Ethen, Gregory E. Gilligan, Christopher J. Gustafson, Tzu Li Joseph Huang, Sithya Seda Khieu, Kanta Kumar, Thomas W. Rambosek
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Patent number: D422932Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 1999Date of Patent: April 18, 2000Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Sithya S. Khieu, Gregory E. Gilligan