Patents by Inventor Malcolm F. Douglas
Malcolm F. Douglas 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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Publication number: 20090001999Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a capacitive sensor film (50) for mounting to a body, said film comprising a backing layer (2) having, on one side, a rear major surface (2a) facing, in use, the body and, on the other side, a front major surface (2b), said rear major surface (2a) bearing a guard conductor (1) and said front major surface (2b) bearing a sensor conductor (7), and at least on through-going hole (10) extending through the backing layer to enable electrical contact to be made to one of the conductors from the respectively opposite side of the film, wherein the inner wall of the through-going hole is covered, at least partly, by an electrically-insulating film (11).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2007Publication date: January 1, 2009Inventor: Malcolm F. Douglas
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Publication number: 20080297176Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a capacitive sensor film (50) for mounting to a body. The film comprises a dielectric backing layer (2) having, on one side, a rear major surface (2a) facing, in use, the body and, on the other side, a front major surface (2b) bearing a front conductor (4) at least partly surrounding a sensor conductor (7) which is electrically isolated against the front conductor (4) by zones where the front conductor (4) is removed and the front major surface (2b) of the backing layer (2) or another layer beneath the front conductor (4) is exposed. A guard conductor (1) is provided on at least one of the major surfaces (2a, 2b) of the backing layer, to provide an electrical shield for the sensor conductor. The guard conductor may comprise the said front conductor (4).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2007Publication date: December 4, 2008Inventor: Malcolm F. Douglas
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Patent number: 7374111Abstract: A spray gun (1) has a fluid reservoir (11) with a removable liner (13) received in a container (12) having a detachable lid (15). The liner (13), which may be thermo/vacuum-formed from a planar material, has a shape that corresponds to and is a close fit within the interior of the container (12) and collapses as fluid is withdrawn from within the liner (13) during operation of the spray gun (1). The lid (15) has an outlet (16) connected to an inlet on the spray gun (1) for transfer of liquid from the reservoir (11) to the spray gun (1) and the container (12) has a vent (12A) in the base end for admitting air between the container (12) and the liner (13) as liquid is withdrawn from within the liner (13).Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2006Date of Patent: May 20, 2008Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Malcolm F. Douglas, Alan F. Butler
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Patent number: 7188785Abstract: A paint reservoir has a fluid outlet (115) connectable to a spray gun (101) and a fluid inlet (131) provided with a removable screw cap (132) whereby the fluid inlet (131) is directly accessible for introducing paint to the reservoir while attached to the spray gun (101). The fluid outlet (115) and fluid inlet (131) may both be provided in an end wall of the reservoir with outlet (115) located on the longitudinal axis of the reservoir or offset to allow the size of the fluid inlet (131) to be increased for easier filling of the reservoir. The outlet (115) can be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the reservoir or it can be inclined relative to the longitudinal axis to provide greater clearance for access to the fluid inlet (131) when the reservoir is attached to the spray gun (101).Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2002Date of Patent: March 13, 2007Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Michael J. R. Adams, Antonio Bacciocchi, Malcolm F. Douglas, Daniel E. Siltberg
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Patent number: 7143960Abstract: A single use, disposable reservoir of low volume for use in conjunction with a spray gun for spray painting small areas, for example ‘spray out’ cards for color matching a paint mix for spray painting a vehicle. The reservoir is in the form of a syringe body with a plunger having a sealing member slidable within the body for drawing paint into the body via an open end. The body has an aperture adjacent to a closed end and the plunger can be moved to position the sealing member between the aperture and closed end for releasing a partial vacuum created when the paint is drawn into the body and allow the paint to be withdrawn, in use, when the reservoir is connected to a spray gun without actuating the plunger. In other embodiments, the reservoir comprises a concertina-type body or a pipette body.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2002Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Malcolm F Douglas
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Patent number: 6942126Abstract: A reservoir for use with a spray gun has a body and a flexible diaphragm that define a chamber for liquid to be supplied to the spray gun. The body has an outlet opening leading to a spout connectable to the spray gun and the diaphragm deflects to reduce the volume of the chamber as liquid is withdrawn from the reservoir. The diaphragm gradually conforms to the internal surface of the body as the liquid is withdrawn to prevent pockets forming in which the liquid may be trapped so that substantially all the liquid can be dispensed. The reservoir may be supplied pre-filled with the liquid.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2003Date of Patent: September 13, 2005Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Malcolm F. Douglas, Phillip J. Bouic, Stephen C. P. Joseph
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Publication number: 20040256484Abstract: A spray gun (1) has a fluid reservoir (11) which contains a removable liner (13). The liner (13), which may be thermo/vacuum-formed from a plastic material, is a close fit within the interior of the reservoir and collapses as fluid is withdrawn from within the liner during operation of the gun. Preferably, the liner has a comparatively-rigid base and is capable of standing, unsupported, outside the reservoir. The side walls of the liner are preferably thin in comparison to the base and can be collapsed for disposal of the liner. The reservoir (11) has a removable lid (15) and is capable of standing, inverted, on its own so that it can be filled with fluid. The lid (15) also functions to secure the liner (13) in the reservoir and, at the end of a spraying operation, the lid (15) and the liner (13) are removed together from the reservoir (11) and discarded, thereby simplifying the cleaning of the spray gun.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2004Publication date: December 23, 2004Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Malcolm F. Douglas, Alan F. Butler
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Patent number: 6820824Abstract: A spray gun has a fluid reservoir that contains a removable liner. The liner, which may be thermo/vacuum-formed from a plastics material, is a close fit within the interior of the reservoir and collapses as fluid is withdrawn from within the liner during operation of the gun. Preferably, the liner has a comparatively-rigid base and is capable of standing, unsupported, outside the reservoir. The side walls of the liner are preferably thin in comparison to the base and can be collapsed for disposal of the liner. The reservoir has a removable lid and is capable of standing, inverted, on its own so that it can be filled with fluid. The lid also functions to secure the liner in the reservoir and, at the end of a spraying operation, the lid and the liner are removed together from the reservoir and discarded, thereby simplifying the cleaning of the spray gun.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 1999Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Stephen C. P. Joseph, Malcolm F. Douglas, Alan F. Butler, David R. Bastow, Jerry E. Salhus, Margaret A. Hartfel
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Publication number: 20040164182Abstract: A paint reservoir has a fluid outlet (115) connectable to a spray gun (101) and a fluid inlet (131) provided with a removable screw cap (132) whereby the fluid inlet (131) is directly accessible for introducing paint to the reservoir while attached to the spray gun (101). The fluid outlet (115) and fluid inlet (131) may both be provided in an end wall of the reservoir with outlet (115) located on the longitudinal axis of the reservoir or offset to allow the size of the fluid inlet (131) to be increased for easier filling of the reservoir. The outlet (115) can be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the reservoir or it can be inclined relative to the longitudinal axis to provide greater clearance for access to the fluid inlet (131) when the reservoir is attached to the spray gun (101).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2004Publication date: August 26, 2004Inventors: Stephen C.P. Joseph, Michael J.R. Adams, Antonio Bacciocchi, Malcolm F. Douglas, Daniel E. Siltberg
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Publication number: 20040118941Abstract: A single use, disposable reservoir (30) of low volume for use in conjunction with a spray gun (1) for spray painting small areas, for example ‘spray out’ cards for colour matching a paint mix for spray painting a vehicle. The reservoir (30) is in the form of a syringe body (32) with a plunger (34) having a sealing member (54) slidable within the body (32) for drawing paint (57) into the body (32) via an open end (38). The body (32) has an aperture (42) adjacent to a closed end (36) and the plunger (34) can be moved to position the sealing member (54) between the aperture (42) and closed end (36) for releasing a partial vacuum created when the paint (57) is drawn into the body (32) and allow the paint (57) to be withdrawn, in use, when the reservoir (30) is connected to a spray gun (1) without actuating the plunger (34). In other embodiments, the reservoir (60;80) comprises a concertina-type body (66) or a pipette body (82).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2004Publication date: June 24, 2004Inventors: Stephen C.P. Joseph, Malcolm F Douglas
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Publication number: 20040058129Abstract: Articles such as elongate strips for use as masking materials when spray painting a vehicle are formed from a compressible polymer material and provided with a surface pattern in an area that has been deformed under pressure to retain a desired shape when the pressure is removed. The surface pattern may be decorative to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the article. Alternatively, the surface pattern may be functional to provide the article with desired properties and/or to present information to the user. The information may be in the form of letters, numbers, symbols, pictures or a combination of any of these to identify the article, its source or to provide instructions for its use. The surface pattern may be formed during the shaping process or applied separately after the shaping operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2003Publication date: March 25, 2004Inventors: Phillip J. Bouic, Malcolm F. Douglas, Martyn V. Hagedorn
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Publication number: 20030209568Abstract: A reservoir for use with a spray gun has a body and a flexible diaphragm that define a chamber for liquid to be supplied to the spray gun. The body has an outlet opening leading to a spout connectable to the spray gun and the diaphragm deflects to reduce the volume of the chamber as liquid is withdrawn from the reservoir. The diaphragm gradually conforms to the internal surface of the body as the liquid is withdrawn to prevent pockets forming in which the liquid may be trapped so that substantially all the liquid can be dispensed. The reservoir may be supplied pre-filled with the liquid.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2003Publication date: November 13, 2003Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Malcolm F. Douglas, Phillip J. Bouic, Stephen C.P. Joseph
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Patent number: 6013222Abstract: Sheet material which incorporates selected particulate is produced using a blown film die (1); polymer containing the selected particulate is supplied to the die inlet so that, when the polymer is extruded through the die and expanded to form a blown film (6), the selected particulate is incorporated in the blown film; and the selected particulate is added to a part only of the polymer supplied to the die, so that the particulate will be present in only a certain part, for example a surface, of the blown film and of sheet material produced from the blown film.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 1997Date of Patent: January 11, 2000Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Malcolm F. Douglas, Graham V. Jackson, Steven J. Lenius
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Patent number: 5057433Abstract: An indicator element which provides a visual indication when subjected to correct steam sterilization conditions in an autoclave, the element comprising a substrate having coated thereon an ink formulation comprising as the primary visual change component: (i) a sulfur-containing compound capable of decomposition to yield a metal sulfide under steam sterilization conditions, or (ii) the precursors of which a sulfur-containing compound which will yield said sulfur-containing compound under aqueous conditions.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 1990Date of Patent: October 15, 1991Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing CompanyInventor: Malcolm F. Douglas