Patents by Inventor Timothy Merten

Timothy Merten 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: 5744207
    Abstract: An article that is capable of accepting and anchoring printed indicia and yet, maintains good release properties. The article of the present invention is coated with a release agent on a substrate such as paper. Release coatings receptive to toner particles emitted by electrophotoconductive devices comprise a polymer having at least one vinyl polymeric segment having a T.sub.g between -10.degree. C. and 65.degree. C. and at least one siloxane polymeric segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Joseph T. Bartusiak, Steven S. Kantner, Ramesh C. Kumar, Timothy A. Mertens
  • Patent number: 5618062
    Abstract: A method for making custom printed notes or note pads. One or more sheet assemblies are provided which have first and second sheets and a pattern of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the rear major surface of each of the sheets that contacts and is releasably adhered to the rear major surface of the other sheet only in nonadhesive areas. Indicia is printed on the front major surfaces of the sheets using a conventional copy machine. The sheets can either be cut along predetermined lines to form the custom printed notes, or the sheets of a plurality of such printed sheet assemblies can be separated, stacked to adhere the patterns of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the rear major surfaces of the sheets to the front major surfaces of the sheets with the edges of the sheets in a predetermined orientation with respect to each other, and the stacked sheets can be cut along predetermined lines to form custom printed note pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Timothy A. Mertens, Mark S. Vogel
  • Patent number: 5575574
    Abstract: A sheet composite adapted to be printed in printers of the type commonly used with personal or other types of computers including lasers printers, ink jet printers and impact printers. The sheet composite comprises (1) a primary sheet portion having opposite first and second major surfaces of a size adapted to be received by the printers and having first and second opposite edges; (2) a secondary sheet portion having first and second opposite major surfaces and having first and second opposite edges, which secondary sheet portion has a width between its first and second edges that is no more than half the width of the primary sheet portion between its first and second opposite edges; and (3) a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive that is firmly adhered on the first surface of one of the sheet portions along its first edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Timothy A. Mertens
  • Patent number: 5551595
    Abstract: A thin dispenser package including a housing having a peripheral edge portion with through openings that can be mounted in a ring binder or a hook like projection that can be engaged in pocket folders, portfolios or the like. The dispenser package includes a stack of flexible sheets adhered together by layers of pressure sensitive adhesive with first and second ends of successive sheets in the stack adjacent; and the enclosure in which the stack of sheets is positioned that has a slotted top wall. The first end portion of the uppermost sheet on the stack projects through the slot. As that uppermost sheet is pulled through the slot, the first end portion of the first underlying sheet moves through the slot with the second end portion of the uppermost sheet to leave, after the uppermost sheet is fully peeled from the first portion of the first underlying sheet, the first end portion of the first underlying sheet in a position projecting through the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Timothy A. Mertens, Alden R. Miles
  • Patent number: 5411168
    Abstract: A sheet dispenser or sheet dispenser subassembly including a coherent stack of tape flags or other adhesive-bearing sheets that can be unobtrusively permanently or removably adhered on a page of a book, catalog, brochure, etc., because it has a supple cover layer that is a thin, tear-resistant polymeric film. The dispenser subassembly has a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on a peripheral portion of the cover layer by which it can be adhered to the page which then serves as a back layer for the dispenser, whereas the dispenser includes a bottom layer on an outer surface of which is a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive layer by which the dispenser can be adhered to a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Timothy A. Mertens, Alden R. Miles, Wayne K. Darvell, David C. Windorski
  • Patent number: 5397117
    Abstract: A sheet dispenser including a coherent stack of adhesive-bearing sheets that can be unobtrusively permanently or removably adhered on a page of a book, catalog, brochure, etc. The dispenser has a supple cover layer that is a thin, tear-resistant polymeric film that has opposite retaining peripheral portions extending around the sides of the stack and attached to a backing sheet for the dispenser, and has a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on one or two attachable peripheral portions of the cover layer by which the dispenser can be adhered to the page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Timothy A. Mertens
  • Patent number: 5382055
    Abstract: A method for making custom printed notes or note pads. One or more sheet assemblies are provided which have first and second sheets and a pattern of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the rear major surface of each of the sheets that contacts and is releasably adhered to the rear major surface of the other sheet only in nonadhesive areas. Indicia is printed on the front major surfaces of the sheets using a conventional copy machine. The sheets can then either be cut along predetermined lines to form the custom printed notes, or the sheets of a plurality of such printed sheet assemblies can be separated, stacked to adhere the patterns of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the rear major surfaces of the sheets to the front major surfaces of the sheets with the edges of the sheets in a predetermined orientation with respect to each other; and the stacked sheets can be cut along predetermined lines to form custom printed note pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Timothy A. Mertens, Mark S. Vogel
  • Patent number: 5366776
    Abstract: A pad assembly comprising a multiplicity of flexible sheets each having (1) a similarly sized body portion that has pressure sensitive adhesive on its rear surface and is sized and adapted so that its front surface can be written on, and (2) a smaller tab projecting beyond an edge of the body portion that can be positioned to project from the edge of a sheet to which the sheet is adhered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Timothy A. Mertens
  • Patent number: 5154962
    Abstract: Pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having low adhesion backsizes and release coatings that can be written on with solvent and water-based inks, the indicia remaining firmly bonded and resisting smearing. The coatings comprise copolymers of (A) free radically polymerizable vinyl monomer, (B) polar monomer in sufficient amount to impart a hydrated Tg of -15.degree. C. to 35.degree. C. and a difference of at least 20.degree. C. between the hydrated and actual Tgs, and (C) siloxane-based polymer of a type and in an amount that will impart a satisfactory release value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Timothy A. Mertens, Steven S. Kantner, Kurt C. Melancon
  • Patent number: 5050909
    Abstract: A stack of sheet assemblies, each of which sheet assemblies comprises first and second sheets each having front and rear major surfaces and first and second opposite edges, a first layer of adhesive adhering a portion of the rear surface of the first sheet adjacent the first edge of the first sheet to the front surface of the second sheet adjacent the first edge of the second sheet with the first edges generally aligned, the first layer of adhesive extending a first predetermined distance from the first edges toward the second edges of the sheets, and a second layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the rear surface of the second sheet. The second layer of pressure sensitive adhesive comprises a first portion adhering the rear surface of the second sheet of the sheet assembly to the front surface of the first sheet on the sheet assembly beneath it in the stack within the first distance from the first edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Timothy A. Mertens, Donn R. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4895746
    Abstract: A stack of aligned sheets, each of which sheets includes a backing, a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive on a lower surface of the backing by which the sheet is adhered to the sheet beneath it in the stack, which coating extends along and within at least 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Timothy A. Mertens
  • Patent number: 4768810
    Abstract: A writing tablet is formed from a substantially continuous, fanfolded web of uniform width having transverse paths of weakness, along which the web can be torn evenly into individual sheets of uniform size. One face of the web bears a series of pressure-sensitive adhesive patterns, one pattern on each sheet, which pattern contacts the adhesive-bearing face of an adjacent sheet only in nonadhesive areas. The pressure-sensitive adhesive and nonadhesive areas are so prepared that each sheet can be cleanly peeled from the adjacent sheet without adhesive transfer, even after prolonged storage. After the tablet has been formed, its sheets can be conveniently and efficiently imprinted in a printer or copier and then returned to tablet form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Timothy A. Mertens
  • Patent number: 4653666
    Abstract: Notepaper dispensers formed from inexpensive card stock material tend to weaken and tear when subjected to concentrated forces, and the dispenser of the present patent is provided with lengths of polymeric material adjacent the edges of the dispensing opening which will bend and flex more reliably, and a biasing member is disposed in the container for biasing the notepaper toward the dispensing opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Timothy A. Mertens