Patents by Inventor Robin E. Wright

Robin E. Wright 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: 5332646
    Abstract: A method of making a colloidal metal dispersion that is useful as a toner fluid. The method involves reducing a palladium and/or platinum metal of a metallo-organic palladium and/or platinum metal salt in a dispersing medium that contains a soluble surfactant and a carrier liquid. The palladium and/or platinum metal of the metallo-organic metal salt is reduced in the dispersing medium to form elemental metal particles. The soluble surfactant is present in the dispersing medium in an amount sufficient to charge and stabilize the elemental metal particles as a colloidal metal dispersion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robin E. Wright, Hsin H. Chou
  • Patent number: 5328756
    Abstract: A composite article comprising a fibrillated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) matrix, electrically conductive particles, and energy expandable, electrically nonconductive hollow polymeric particles, which composite is conductive and allows for the flow of electricity and which, upon attaining a temperature which causes expansion of the expandable polymeric particles, becomes insulating and causes the flow of electricity to cease. The articles are thin and can be used as electrical circuit breaking elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robin E. Wright, William V. Balsimo
  • Patent number: 5322751
    Abstract: A metallic toner fluid composition that contains (A) electrostatically charged, colloidal elemental metal particles dispersed in an electrically nonconductive organic carrier liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 3.5 and a volume resistivity greater than about 10.sup.12 ohm-cm, (B) a soluble surfactant in an amount sufficient to charge and stabilize the colloidal metal dispersion, and (C) an effective amount of organosol particles and/or a soluble polymer that is not a soluble surfactant (B). Also disclosed at a substrate coated with elemental metallic toner fluid particles. The coated substrate can act as a donor substrate for thermal mass transfer of images to a secondary receiving substrate by performing either or both of the following steps, in any order:a) transferring the elemental metal coating from the primary substrate to the secondary receiving substrate;b) contacting the elemental metal coated primary or secondary substrate with an electroless metal plating solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Hsin H. Chou, Wu-Shyong Li, Robin E. Wright
  • Patent number: 5248428
    Abstract: A composite article comprising, in the unexpanded form, a fibrillated PTFE matrix and a combination of energy expandable hollow polymeric particles and sorptive particles, which composite, on applying energy such as steam, heat, or laser energy, provides an expanded article having increased void volume and decreased density. The expanded articles are porous and efficient articles for separation and purification applications. In flat or rolled form, the composite article can be used in separation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Donald F. Hagen, William V. Balsimo, Robin E. Wright, Craig G. Markell
  • Patent number: 5240768
    Abstract: A slurry comprises a ferromagnetic fiber having an aspect ratio of 10 to 10,000 and an organic liquid medium that is unreactive with the metal fibers.The metal fibers are provided by preparing a mixture comprising a thermally unstable metal complex compound, comprising at least one ferromagnetic metal, in a liquid medium, applying energy to said mixture in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field to decompose said complex compound, and isolating the deposited metal fibers.Articles are provided by the impregnation of metal fibers of the invention into and onto a porous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robin E. Wright, Peter A. Bellus
  • Patent number: 5238621
    Abstract: A composite article comprising, in the unexpanded form, a fibrillated PTFE matrix and a combination of energy expandable hollow polymeric particles and sorptive particles, which composite, on applying energy such as steam, heat, or laser energy, provides an expanded article having increased void volume and decreased density. The expanded articles are porous and efficient articles for separation and purification applications. In flat or rolled form, the composite article can be used in separation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Donald F. Hagen, Robin E. Wright, William V. Balsimo, Craig G. Markell
  • Patent number: 5209967
    Abstract: An electrically nonconductive composite article comprising a fibrillated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) matrix, electrically conductive particles, and electrically nonconductive, energy expanded polymeric particles, which composite upon application of pressure thereto becomes electrically conductive and allows for the flow of electricity through the article. The articles are thin and can be used as a pressure sensitive pad or an interconnect for an electronic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Robin E. Wright, William V. Balsimo
  • Patent number: 5106533
    Abstract: A dispersion and a method therefor wherein the dispersion has composition A or B, whereinA is a nonaqueous dispersion comprising pigment particles having an average size of less than 0.1 micrometer dispersed in an organic medium, andB is an aqueous dispersion comprising certain classes of inorganic pigment particles having an average size of less than 0.1 micrometer dispersed in an aqueous medium, wherein said classes of inorganic pigment particles are selected from the group consisting of metal oxides and metal salts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: William A. Hendrickson, Robin E. Wright, Richard C. Allen, James A. Baker, William M. Lamanna
  • Patent number: 5089362
    Abstract: A metallic toner fluid composition that contains (A) electrostatically charged, colloidal elemental metal particles dispersed in an electrically nonconductive organic carrier liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 3.5 and a volume resistivity greater than about 10.sup.12 ohm-cm, (B) a soluble surfactant in an amount sufficient to charge and stabilize the colloidal metal dispersion, and (C) an effective amount of organosol particles and/or a soluble polymer that is not a soluble surfactant (B). Also disclosed is a substrate coated with elemental metallic toner fluid particles. The coated substrate can act as a donor substrate for thermal mass transfer of images to a secondary receiving substrate by performing either or both of the following steps, in any order:(a) transferring the elemental metal coating from the primary substrate to the secondary receiving substrate;(b) contacting the elemental metal coated primary or secondary substrate with an electroless metal plating solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Hsin H. Chou, Wu-Shyong Li, Robin E. Wright
  • Patent number: 5030669
    Abstract: A dispersion and a method therefor wherein the dispersion has composition A or B, whereinA is a nonaqueous dispersion comprising pigment particles having an average size of less than 0.1 micrometer dispersed in an organic medium, andB is an aqueous dispersion comprising certain classes of inorganic pigment particles having an average size of less than 0.1 micrometer dispersed in an aqueous medium, wherein said classes of inorganic pigment particles are selected from the group consisting of metal oxides and metal salts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: William A. Hendrickson, Robin E. Wright, Richard C. Allen, James A. Baker, William M. Lamanna
  • Patent number: 4985321
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for thermal mass transfer of metallic images, the process comprising the steps of(a) providing(1) a toner fluid dispersion comprising electrostatically charged, colloidal elemental metal particles dispersed in an electrically nonconductive organic carrier liquid and an amount of a soluble surfactant effective to charge and stabilize said dispersion,(2) a dielectric or photoconductive substrate, and(3) a thermoplastic receptor substrate,(b) electrophoretically depositing the charged colloidal elemental metal particles of the toner fluid in a uniform or imagewise fashion on the dielectric or photoconductive substrate using standard electrographic techniques to provide a donor substrate bearing an electrically nonconductive, colloidal, elemental metal coating thereon;(c) transferring, by application of energy, said metal coating from said donor substrate to said thermoplastic receptor substrate, to provide a metallic image on said receptor substrate,(d) optionally, subjec
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1991
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Hsin-Hsin Chou, William M. Lamanna, Robin E. Wright
  • Patent number: 4940596
    Abstract: A slurry comprises a ferromagnetic fiber having an aspect ratio of 10 to 10,000 and an organic liquid medium that is unreactive with the metal fibers.The metal fibers are provided by preparing a mixture comprising a thermally unstable metal complex compound, comprising at least one ferromagnetic metal, in a liquid medium, applying energy to said mixture in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field to decompose said complex compound, and isolating the deposited metal fibers.Articles are provided by the impregnation of metal fibers of the invention into and onto a porous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1990
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Robin E. Wright
  • Patent number: 4892798
    Abstract: The present invention relates to toner fluid dispersions comprising electrostatically charged colloidal elemental metal particles dispersed in nonconductive organic liquid media of low dielectric constant and containing a charge-inducing surfactant. In other aspects, processes are disclosed for electrophoretically depositing the colloidal elemental metal particles of the toner fluid to produce nonconductive, continuous coatings or patterns and methods of enhancing the coatings or patterns to make them electrically conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: William M. Lamanna, Robin E. Wright, Hsin-Hsin Chou
  • Patent number: 4871790
    Abstract: A polymeric composition of matter comprises a polymer having dispersed therein at least one of colloidal metal and metal oxide particles in the submicrometer size range, said composition being aqueous-free and free of aliphatic hydrocarbon polymers and their halogenated derivatives. Methods for preparing the dispersions of the invention are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: William M. Lamanna, Fred B. McCormick, Robin E. Wright
  • Patent number: 4503140
    Abstract: Radiation-sensitive polymeric compositions containing metal-carbonyl complexes and the cured insoluble crosslinked resin produced therefrom are disclosed. When coated as a layer on a substrate, the composition is useful as an element in the graphic arts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1985
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Robin E. Wright