Patents by Inventor Vathsala Rajagopal

Vathsala Rajagopal 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: 10272655
    Abstract: A film comprising stripes alternating with strands is disclosed. In some embodiments, the strands have a core and a sheath. The core is more elastic than both the sheath and the strands. In some embodiments, the film has an elongation of at least 75 percent, the width of the strands is in a range from 100 micrometers to 750 micrometers, and a portion of each strand forms part of at least one major surface of the film. An extrusion die useful for making the film and a method for making the film using the extrusion die are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas P. Hanschen, Ronald W. Ausen, Paul S. Wallis, William J. Kopecky, Vathsala Rajagopal, William H. Sikorski, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9944043
    Abstract: An incrementally activated laminate that includes an incrementally activated fibrous web and a film having alternating first and second regions and a laminate of the film and an extensible fibrous web. The first region of the film includes a first polymeric composition, and the second regions include an elastic polymeric composition that is more elastic than the first polymeric composition. In the incrementally activated laminate, the distance between midpoints of two first regions separated by one second region is smaller than the activation pitch, and the first regions are not plastically deformed. In the extensible laminate, a tensile elongation at maximum load of the film is up to 250 percent of the tensile elongation at maximum load of the extensible fibrous web. Methods of making the laminates are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas P. Hanschen, William H. Sikorski, Jr., Ronald W. Ausen, Paul S. Wallis, Vathsala Rajagopal, William J. Kopecky
  • Patent number: 9469091
    Abstract: A method of making extensible web laminates comprising a multilayer film and at least one web layer and the use of such extensible web laminates in personal care articles. The method generally includes activating the multilayer film in a first direction by stretching at least a portion of the multilayer film past the elastic deformation limit of the skin layers and recovering the skin layers with the elastomeric core layer to produce a multilayer film that is elastic in the first direction. The activated multilayer film is subsequently stretched beyond the deformation limit of the skin layers in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. At least one web layer is applied to the multilayer film while in the stretched state. The multilayer film is then recovered to produce an extensible web laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Mary Beth Henke, Rebecca A. Shipman, Gerald S. Deeb, Kent R. Schoenherr, Todd L. Nelson, William H. Sikorski, Jr., Vathsala Rajagopal, Thomas P. Hanschen, Mark A. Peltier
  • Publication number: 20140248471
    Abstract: A film having first segments and second segments arranged across the film's width direction is disclosed. The first and second segments are separated from each other by polymer interfaces. The first segments include a first polymeric composition and the second segments include a second polymeric composition. At least some of the second segments are layered second segments having first and second layers in the film's thickness direction, and one of the first or second layers includes a third polymeric composition different from the second polymeric composition. An extrusion die useful for making the film and a method for making the film using the extrusion die are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas P. Hanschen, Ronald W. Ausen, William J. Kopecky, Vathsala Rajagopal
  • Publication number: 20140093716
    Abstract: A film comprising stripes alternating with strands is disclosed. In some embodiments, the strands have a core and a sheath. The core is more elastic than both the sheath and the strands. In some embodiments, the film has an elongation of at least 75 percent, the width of the strands is in a range from 100 micrometers to 750 micrometers, and a portion of each strand forms part of at least one major surface of the film. An extrusion die useful for making the film and a method for making the film using the extrusion die are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas P. Hanschen, Ronald W. Ausen, Paul S. Wallis, William J. Kopecky, Vathsala Rajagopal, William H. Sikorski, JR.
  • Publication number: 20140093703
    Abstract: An incrementally activated laminate that includes an incrementally activated fibrous web and a film having alternating first and second regions and a laminate of the film and an extensible fibrous web. The first region of the film includes a first polymeric composition, and the second regions include an elastic polymeric composition that is more elastic than the first polymeric composition. In the incrementally activated laminate, the distance between midpoints of two first regions separated by one second region is smaller than the activation pitch, and the first regions are not plastically deformed. In the extensible laminate, a tensile elongation at maximum load of the film is up to 250 percent of the tensile elongation at maximum load of the extensible fibrous web. Methods of making the laminates are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas P. Hanschen, William H. Sikorski, JR., Ronald W. Ausen, Paul S. Wallis, Vathsala Rajagopal, William J. Kopecky
  • Publication number: 20140041786
    Abstract: A method of making extensible web laminates comprising a multilayer film and at least one web layer and the use of such extensible web laminates in personal care articles. The method generally includes activating the multilayer film in a first direction by stretching at least a portion of the multilayer film past the elastic deformation limit of the skin layers and recovering the skin layers with the elastomeric core layer to produce a multilayer film that is elastic in the first direction. The activated multilayer film is subsequently stretched beyond the deformation limit of the skin layers in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. At least one web layer is applied to the multilayer film while in the stretched state. The multilayer film is then recovered to produce an extensible web laminate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Inventors: Mary Beth Henke, Rebecca A. Shipman, Gerald S. Deeb, Kent R. Schoenherr, Todd L. Nelson, William H. Sikorski, JR., Vathsala Rajagopal, Thomas P. Hanschen, Mark A. Peltier