Patents by Inventor John L. Muehlbauer

John L. Muehlbauer 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).

  • Photographic element containing polymeric particles made by a microsuspension process
    Patent number: 5858634
    Abstract: The present invention is a photographic element which includes a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer; and at least one layer containing a binder and polymer particles. The polymeric particles are prepared by the process of mechanically forming droplets having a size less than 400 nm of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having hydrophobic groups, the hydrophobic groups having a logP.sub.(calc) greater than a logP.sub.(calc) of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer by at least 1 unit, and polymerizing said droplets so that the polymerized droplets have a size of less than 400 nm. The present invention also is a photographic element which includes a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer; and at least one layer containing a binder and polymer particles. The polymeric particles are prepared by the process of mechanically forming droplets having a size less than 400 nm of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a logP.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Yongcai Wang, Dennis E. Smith, Alfred B. Fant, John L. Muehlbauer
  • Process for making photographic polymeric matte bead particles
    Patent number: 5563226
    Abstract: A process of making polymeric matte bead particles for use in photographic elements which comprises forming a suspension of ethylenically unsaturated monomer droplets in an aqueous media, subsequent to the formation of droplets and before commencement of reaction, adding to the aqueous media an effective amount of a hydrophilic colloid to improve adhesion and polymerizing the monomer to form solid polymeric particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John L. Muehlbauer, Dennis E. Smith
  • Method of making polymeric particles
    Patent number: 5492960
    Abstract: A method of making polymeric particles of at least 1.0 micrometer which comprises forming at atmospheric conditions droplets of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer the monomer being liquid at standard conditions of 0.degree. C. and one atmosphere pressure, together with from about 0.01 to about 5 percent by weight, based on the weight of the monomer, of a nonreactive compound in an aqueous medium, the nonreactive compound having a solubility in water less than that of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer, the aqueous medium containing a surfactant or organic hydrophilic colloid, the monomer droplets being formed by using only sufficient energy to achieve a size of 1.0 micrometer or larger, and polymerizing the ethylenically unsaturated monomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John L. Muehlbauer, Dennis E. Smith, Thomas H. Whitesides
  • Method of making polymeric particles
    Patent number: 5455320
    Abstract: A method of making polymeric particles by forming a suspension of ethylenically unsaturated monomer droplets in water, the water containing a particulate suspension agent, the monomer droplets containing a nonreactive hydrophobic compound where the water solubility of the nonreactive compound is less than that of the monomer and polymerizing the monomer droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: John L. Muehlbauer, Dennis E. Smith, Thomas H. Whitesides
  • Photographic light-sensitive elements
    Patent number: 5378577
    Abstract: Photographic elements having at least one light-sensitive layer and at least one layer having polymeric matte particles surrounded by a layer of colloidal inorganic particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Dennis E. Smith, John L. Muehlbauer
  • Photographic light-sensitive elements
    Patent number: 5279934
    Abstract: Photographic elements having at least one light-sensitive layer and at least one layer having polymeric matte particles surrounded by a layer of colloidal organic particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Dennis E. Smith, John L. Muehlbauer