Patents by Inventor Mark D. Fiegen

Mark D. Fiegen 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).

  • Publication number: 20100071240
    Abstract: The present application generally relates to methods, materials, and equipment for manufacturing a signs. Some embodiments of the present application relate to methods of manufacturing a digitally printed, multi-panel sign. Some embodiments of the present application relate to a laminator for use in laminating optically active sheeting to a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventors: Mark D. Fiegen, Mark D. Zender, Jeffrey D. Janovec, David H. Deiss, David R. Kniffin
  • Publication number: 20090249969
    Abstract: A printer for digital printing in which ink is deposited in metered amounts on a substrate. The printer includes a wheel rotatable by a shaft of a motor, an idler disposed in a paint reservoir, and a segment of wire disposed around the wheel and the idler. A computer controls movement of the wire by controlling the rotation of the wheel. As the motor rotates the wheel, ink contained within the paint reservoir coats the wire and is drawn by the wire in front of an air stream, which pulls the ink from the wire and carries it toward the substrate. The wire has features to increase a solution volume of the ink on the wire. The ink is applied to the substrate in vector mode to form well defined fine lines an image and a raster mode to form wider lines less well defined than the fine lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: M. Benton Free, Daniel W. Hennen, John S. Huizinga, Mark D. Fiegen
  • Patent number: 6120879
    Abstract: A reflective article has a structured surface which includes a first and second array of reflective elements. The first array includes elements which have at least a first, second, and third reflecting face arranged to retroreflect incident light in a retroreflected beam. The second array includes elements which have at least a fourth, fifth, and sixth reflecting face arranged to reflect incident light in a second beam at an observation angle greater than 2 degrees. In signing applications, the second beam can be light originating from a stationary light source, the second beam having a direction and beam width suitable for illuminating an observation zone of interest. The retroreflected beam can be light originating from a moving light source such as a vehicle headlamp. Sheeting comprising such an article can be used both where external lighting from a suitable stationary light source is available and where it is not available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Theodore J. Szczech, Toshitaka Nakajima, Mark D. Fiegen