Patents by Inventor Paul E. Marecki

Paul E. Marecki 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).

  • Patent number: 7658980
    Abstract: A tamper-indicating printable sheet. A preferred embodiment of the invention provides a tamper-indicating printable sheet comprising a retroreflective layer comprising a plurality of microbeads partially embedded in an inkjet receptive beadbond layer; and a reflector layer between one of the microbeads and the inkjet receptive beadbond layer. The present invention provides a method of making a tamper-indicating printable sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Kuo, Mathias Detjen, Brian W. Dunne, Paul E. Marecki, Tadesse G. Nigatu, Kenneth M. White
  • Patent number: 7252396
    Abstract: A retroreflective article having at least one valve is disclosed. Each valve may include a channel extending from a first major surface to a second major surface of the retroreflective material, and at least one movable member proximate the channel. The at least one movable member is movable between a closed position and an open position. When in the closed position, the at least one movable member obstructs at least a portion of the channel. A method of making a retroreflective article having at least one valve is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Paul E. Marecki, James G. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 6030682
    Abstract: A container for aerosols which contains 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane, or a mixture thereof as a propellant, wherein the container has at least one elastomeric sealing member comprising a thermoplastic copolymer of about 80 to about 95 mole percent ethylene and a total of about 5 to about 20 mole percent of one or more comonomers which may be 1-butene, 2-hexene, and 1-octene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Paul E. Marecki
  • Patent number: 6006745
    Abstract: A device for delivering an aerosol comprises a casing member, a valve stem, and a sealing member, wherein the sealing member comprises a thermoplastic elastomer comprising of a copolymer of about 80-95 mole % ethylene and about 5-20 mole % of at least one comonomer wherein the comonomer(s) are 1-butene, 1-hexene, or 1-octene. The device is used with pharmaceutical formulations containing 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane and/or 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane as the propellant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Paul E. Marecki
  • Patent number: 5948488
    Abstract: A glittering non-retroreflective sheeting 60 includes an array of cube-corner elements 30 that are arranged in the array such that the sheeting glitters when light is incident thereon. The glitter is in the form of many discrete points of light 68 that tend to blink off and on. The array may be configured such that a dihedral angle .alpha. varies between adjacent cube faces 31 of adjacent cube-corner elements 30 in each groove in one of the groove sets 45, 46, or 47 and such that the base plane 36 are not parallel to each other when the sheeting 60 is laid flat. Preferably, the dihedral angle .alpha. between faces 31 of adjacent cube-corner elements 30 varies in essentially all of the grooves such that the cube-corner elements are randomly tilted throughout the array. The glitter can make the sheeting very useful for aesthetic or decorative applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Paul E. Marecki, Jeanine M. Shusta, Matthew R. Atkinson, Cheryl M. Frey, Olester Benson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5840405
    Abstract: A cube-corner retroreflective sheeting 60 includes an array of cube-corner elements 30 that are defined by three sets of intersecting parallel grooves 45, 46, 47. The cube-corner elements 30 are arranged in the array such that the sheeting 60 glitters when exposed to light. The glitter is in the form of many discreet points of light that tend to blink on and off when viewed by the naked eye. The array may be configured such that a dihedral angle .alpha. varies between adjacent cube faces 31 of adjacent cube-corner elements 30 in each groove in one of the groove sets 45, 46, or 47 and such that base planes are not parallel to each other when the sheeting 60 is laid flat. Preferably, the dihedral angle .alpha. between faces 31 of adjacent cube-corner elements 30 varies in essentially all of the grooves such that the cube-corner elements are randomly tilted throughout the array. The sheeting glitters very well under daytime viewing conditions and also to some extent under nighttime or retroreflective conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Jeanine M. Shusta, Paul E. Marecki, Matthew R. Atkinson, Cheryl M. Frey, Olester Benson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5837347
    Abstract: A retroreflective applique is provided that includes a layer of optical lens elements partially embedded in and protruding from a transfer adhesive layer prepared from ingredients comprising a vinyl plastisol and a substantially nonhydrolyzed aminosilane adhesion promoter; wherein the aminosilane adhesion promoter is used in an amount effective to produce an applique capable of:(a) retaining at least about 60% of its initial retroreflectivity after being laminated to 65/35 polyester/cotton blend fabric (100 g/m.sup.2) at about 174.degree. C. and about 2.8 Kg/cm.sup.2 pressure for about 20 seconds and subjected to home laundering conditions five times; and(b) retaining at least about 40% of its initial retroreflectivity after being laminated to 65/35 polyester/cotton blend fabric (100 g/m.sup.2) at about 174.degree. C. and about 2.8 Kg/cm.sup.2 pressure for about 20 seconds and subjected to home laundering conditions twenty-five times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Paul E. Marecki
  • Patent number: 5814355
    Abstract: A mold 79 that includes an array of cube-corner elements 80 that are arranged in the array such that a retroreflective cube-corner sheeting 60 that is formed thereon is capable of glittering when light is incident on the sheeting. The array may be defined by three sets of intersecting grooves 25, 26, 27 where each groove set includes two or more generally parallel grooves. At least one groove in at least one of the sets has faces 22 of adjacent cube-corner elements 30a, 30b arranged such that a dihedral angle .alpha. located between adjacent faces varies along the groove(s) in the set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Jeanine M. Shusta, Paul E. Marecki, Matthew R. Atkinson, Cheryl M. Frey, Olester Benson, Jr., Harlan L. Krinke
  • Patent number: 5770124
    Abstract: A method of making a glittering cube-corner sheeting, which method includes: (a) providing a first retroreflective sheeting that includes an array of cube-corner elements arranged in a repeating pattern; and (b) exposing the first retroreflective sheeting to heat, pressure, or a combination thereof to produce a second retroreflective sheeting that comprises an array of cube-corner elements that are randomly tilted; or which method may comprise: (a) providing a mold that has a structured surface that includes a multiplicity of cube-comer elements, the cube-corner elements each including a base plane and three faces, the cube-corner elements being arranged such that the base planes do not reside in the same plane when the sheeting is laid flat; and (b) forming a cube-corner sheeting from the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Paul E. Marecki, Jeanine M. Shusta, Matthew R. Atkinson, Cheryl M. Frey, Olester Benson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5763049
    Abstract: A retroreflective sheeting having a multiplicity of discrete, cube-corner elements cured in situ on a transparent, polymeric overlay film deformed into a three-dimensional structure so that base edges of a plurality of cube-corner elements are non-planar with respect to one another. The retroreflective article preferably has at least one target optical property. The present invention is also directed to a method of deforming the retroreflective sheeting to form a retroreflective article in which the base edges of a plurality of cube-corner elements are non-planar with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Cheryl M. Frey, Olester Benson, Jr., Joseph R. Zwack, Paul E. Marecki, Jeanine M. Shusta, Matthew R. Atkinson
  • Patent number: 5674605
    Abstract: A retroreflective applique is provided that includes a layer of optical lens elements partially embedded in and protruding from a transfer adhesive layer prepared from ingredients comprising a vinyl plastisol and a substantially nonhydrolyzed aminosilane adhesion promoter; wherein the aminosilane adhesion promoter is used in an amount effective to produce an applique capable of:(a) retaining at least about 60% of its initial retroreflectivity after being laminated to 65/35 polyester/cotton blend fabric (100 g/m.sup.2) at about 174.degree. C. and about 2.8 Kg/cm.sup.2 pressure for about 20 seconds and subjected to home laundering conditions five times; and(b) retaining at least about 40% of its initial retroreflectivity after being laminated to 65/35 polyester/cotton blend fabric (100 g/m.sup.2) at about 174.degree. C. and about 2.8 Kg/cm.sup.2 pressure for about 20 seconds and subjected to home laundering conditions twenty-five times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Paul E. Marecki
  • Patent number: 5631064
    Abstract: The present invention relates to retroreflective transfer sheets and graphic images produced therefrom, i.e., appliques. The retroreflective applique includes: a layer of optical lens elements partially embedded in and protruding from the front surface of a binder resin layer and a transfer adhesive layer comprising a vinyl plastisol disposed on the rear surface of the binder resin layer. The binder resin layer is prepared from ingredients comprising an isocyanate-functional hardener and a resin selected from the group consisting of a polyester resin and a polyurethane resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Paul E. Marecki
  • Patent number: 5290539
    Abstract: A device for delivering an aerosol, comprising: a casing member, a valve stem, and a diaphragm, wherein the diaphragm comprises a thermoplastic elastomer comprising a ethylene/1-butene copolymer. Also disclosed are sealing members comprising such an elastomer and thermoplastic polymer blends, e.g., for use in sealing members of the invention. The devices of the invention are particularly useful with formulations containing 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane or 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane as the propellant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Paul E. Marecki
  • Patent number: 4461772
    Abstract: At least one compound defined by one of the following formulae: ##STR1## where X represents Cl, Br, ##STR2## NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3, ##STR3## or --SCH.sub.3, and n is 1 or 2; andCH.sub.3 SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CN (II)have been administered to animals to improve the efficiency of food utilization by these animals. These compounds can be administered orally by combining the compounds with feed compositions and fed to animals such as ruminants with a developed rumen function as well as other animals that ferment fibrous material and vegetable matter in the cecum or colon. These compounds effect the rumen metabolism to increase the production of propionate relative to other volatile fatty acids, particularly acetate and to inhibit methanogenesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1984
    Assignee: SDS Biotech Corporation
    Inventors: Paul E. Marecki, John M. Weaver
  • Patent number: 4423224
    Abstract: At least one compound defined by one of the following formulae: ##STR1## where X represents Cl, Br, ##STR2## or--SCH.sub.3, and n is 1 or 2; andCH.sub.3 SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CN (II)have been administered to animals to improve the efficiency of food utilization by these animals. These compounds can be administered orally by combining the compounds with feed compositions and fed to animals such as ruminants with a developed rumen function as well as other animals that ferment fibrous material and vegetable matter in the cecum or colon. These compounds effect the rumen metabolism to increase the production of propionate relative to other volatile fatty acids, particularly acetate and to inhibit methanogenesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1983
    Assignee: SDS Biotech Corporation
    Inventors: Paul E. Marecki, John M. Weaver
  • Patent number: D444953
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Paul E. Marecki, Jeanine M. Shusta
  • Patent number: D446946
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jeanine M. Shusta, Paul E. Marecki