Patents by Inventor John C. Kelliher
John C. Kelliher 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: 10618234Abstract: The present application relates generally to retroreflective sheeting and the tools and methods used to make retroreflective sheeting. Microreplication tools and sheeting include controlled surface structure or haze. The surface structure or haze can be introduced, for example, by chemical etching of the tool surface and/or electroplating.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2017Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Kenneth L. Smith, James R. Imbertson, John C. Kelliher, John A. Worrell, Sidney A. Ellingstad
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Publication number: 20180117863Abstract: The present application relates generally to retroreflective sheeting and the tools and methods used to make retroreflective sheeting. Microreplication tools and sheeting include controlled surface structure or haze. The surface structure or haze can be introduced, for example, by chemical etching of the tool surface and/or electroplating.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2017Publication date: May 3, 2018Inventors: Kenneth L. Smith, James R. Imbertson, John C. Kelliher, John A. Worrell, Sidney A. Ellingstad
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Patent number: 9878507Abstract: The present application relates generally to retroreflective sheeting and the tools and methods used to make retroreflective sheeting. Microreplication tools and sheeting include controlled surface structure or haze. The surface structure or haze can be introduced, for example, by chemical etching of the tool surface and/or electroplating.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2014Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Kenneth L. Smith, James R. Imbertson, John C. Kelliher, John A. Worrell, Sidney A. Ellingstad
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Publication number: 20140285890Abstract: The present application relates generally to retroreflective sheeting and the tools and methods used to make retroreflective sheeting. Microreplication tools and sheeting include controlled surface structure or haze. The surface structure or haze can be introduced, for example, by chemical etching of the tool surface and/or electroplating.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2014Publication date: September 25, 2014Inventors: KENNETH L. SMITH, JAMES R. IMBERTSON, JOHN C. KELLIHER, JOHN A. WORRELL, SIDNEY A. ELLINGSTAD
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Patent number: 8783879Abstract: The present application relates generally to retroreflective sheeting and the tools and methods used to make retroreflective sheeting. Microreplication tools and sheeting include controlled surface structure or haze. The surface structure or haze can be introduced, for example, by chemical etching of the tool surface and/or electroplating.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2009Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Kenneth L. Smith, James R. Imbertson, John C. Kelliher, John A. Worrell, Sidney A. Ellingstad
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Patent number: 8371703Abstract: The present application relates generally to retroreflective sheeting and the tools and methods used to make retroreflective sheeting. Microreplication tools and sheeting include controlled surface structure or haze. The surface structure or haze can be introduced, for example, by chemical etching of the tool surface and/or electroplating.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2009Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Kenneth L. Smith, James R. Imbertson, John C. Kelliher, John A. Worrell, Sidney A. Ellingstad
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Publication number: 20110255165Abstract: The present application relates generally to retroreflective sheeting and the tools and methods used to make retroreflective sheeting. Microreplication tools and sheeting include controlled surface structure or haze. The surface structure or haze can be introduced, for example, by chemical etching of the tool surface and/or electroplating.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2009Publication date: October 20, 2011Inventors: Kenneth L. Smith, James R. Imbertson, John C. Kelliher, John A. Worrell, Sidney A. Ellingstad
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Publication number: 20100103521Abstract: The present application relates generally to retroreflective sheeting and the tools and methods used to make retroreflective sheeting. Microreplication tools and sheeting include controlled surface structure or haze. The surface structure or haze can be introduced, for example, by chemical etching of the tool surface and/or electroplating.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2009Publication date: April 29, 2010Inventors: Kenneth L. Smith, James R. Imbertson, John C. Kelliher, John A. Worrell, Sidney A. Ellingstad
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Patent number: 5959774Abstract: A cube corner article and method of manufacturing the article from a series of directly machinable unitary substrates. The method of manufacture comprises the first step of providing an initial unitary directly machinable substrate of material suitable for forming retroreflective surfaces. Then, a first cube corner element array zone is formed having a plurality of geometric structures including cube corner elements. The zone is created by directly machining at least two sets of parallel grooves in the substrate. A replica of the cube corner element array zone is formed as an additional unitary substrate suitable for forming retroreflective surfaces. Portions of the replica substrate material are removed. The removal of these portions forms at least two intersecting cavities bounded by side walls in the replica at a depth at least that of the cube corner elements formed by the groove sets.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 1999Date of Patent: September 28, 1999Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Gerald M. Benson, Kenneth L. Smith, John C. Kelliher, Mark E. Gardiner
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Patent number: 5946134Abstract: A cube corner article and method of manufacturing the article from a series of directly machinable unitary substrates. The method of manufacture comprises the first step of providing an initial unitary directly machinable substrate of material suitable for forming retroreflective surfaces. Then, a first cube corner element array zone is formed having a plurality of geometric structures including cube corner elements. The zone is created by directly machining at least two sets of parallel grooves in the substrate. A replica of the cube corner element array zone is formed as an additional unitary substrate suitable for forming retroreflective surfaces. Portions of the replica substrate material are removed. The removal of these portions forms at least two intersecting cavities bounded by side walls in the replica at a depth at least that of the cube corner elements formed by the groove sets.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1997Date of Patent: August 31, 1999Assignee: Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Gerald M. Benson, Kenneth L. Smith, John C. Kelliher, Mark E. Gardiner
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Patent number: 5936770Abstract: A cube corner retroreflective sheeting construction comprising alternating zones of cube corner element arrays disposed at approximately ninety degrees orientations to provide exactly two principal plane of improved retroreflective performance in response to light incident on the sheeting at high entrance angles is disclosed. According to one embodiment the sheeting includes a body layer which has an elastic modulus less than 7.times.10.sup.8 pascals and cube corner elements formed from a material which has an elastic modulus greater than 16.times.10.sup.8 pascals. According to a second embodiment the sheeting includes an overlay film having two major surfaces and comprising a first polymeric material and a plurality of arrays of substantially independent cube corner elements bonded to a major surface of the overlay film having a minimal, fractured land.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 1997Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Susan K. Nestegard, Gerald M. Benson, Cheryl M. Frey, John C. Kelliher, James E. Lasch, Kenneth L. Smith, Theodore J. Szczech
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Patent number: 5914812Abstract: A cube corner article and method of manufacturing the article from a series of directly machinable unitary substrates. The method of manufacture comprises the first step of providing an initial unitary directly machinable substrate of material suitable for forming retroreflective surfaces. Then, a first cube corner element array zone is formed having a plurality of geometric structures including cube corner elements. The zone is created by directly machining at least two sets of parallel grooves in the substrate. A replica of the cube corner element array zone is formed as an additional unitary substrate suitable for forming retroreflective surfaces. Portions of the replica substrate material are removed. The removal of these portions forms at least two intersecting cavities bounded by side walls in the replica at a depth at least that of the cube corner elements formed by the groove sets.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 1997Date of Patent: June 22, 1999Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Gerald M. Benson, Kenneth L. Smith, John C. Kelliher, Mark E. Gardiner
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Patent number: 5706132Abstract: A cube corner retroreflective sheeting construction comprising alternating zones of cube corner element arrays disposed at approximately ninety degrees orientations to provide exactly two principal plane of improved retroreflective performance in response to light incident on the sheeting at high entrance angles is disclosed. According to one embodiment the sheeting includes a body layer which has an elastic modulus less than 7.times.10.sup.8 pascals and cube corner elements formed from a material which has an elastic modulus greater than 16.times.10.sup.8 pascals. According to a second embodiment the sheeting includes an overlay film having two major surfaces and comprising a first polymeric material and a plurality of arrays of substantially independent cube corner elements bonded to a major surface of the overlay film having a minimal, fractured land.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 1996Date of Patent: January 6, 1998Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Susan K. Nestegard, Gerald M. Benson, Cheryl Frey, John C. Kelliher, James E. Lasch, Kenneth L. Smith, Theodore J. Szczech
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Patent number: 5696627Abstract: A cube corner article and method of manufacturing the article from a series of directly machinable unitary substrates. The method of manufacture comprises the first step of providing an initial unitary directly machinable substrate of material suitable for forming retroreflective surfaces. Then a first cube corner element array zone is formed having a plurality of geometric structures including cube corner elements. The zone is created by directly machining at least two sets of parallel grooves in the substrate. A replica of the cube corner element array zone is formed as an additional unitary substrate suitable for forming retroreflective surfaces. Portions of the replica substrate material are removed. The removal of these portions forms at least two intersecting cavities bounded by side walls in the replica at a depth at least that of the cube corner elements formed by the groove sets.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 1994Date of Patent: December 9, 1997Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Gerald M. Benson, Kenneth L. Smith, John C. Kelliher, Mark E. Gardiner