Patents by Inventor William B. Robbins

William B. Robbins 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: 6500568
    Abstract: Described is an article comprising a biaxially textured metal substrate and a layer of palladium deposited on at least one major surface of the metal substrate; wherein the palladium layer has desired in-plane and out-of-plane crystallographic orientations, which allow subsequent layers that are applied on the article to also have the desired orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: William B. Robbins
  • Publication number: 20020197501
    Abstract: Described is an article comprising a biaxially textured metal substrate and a layer of palladium deposited on at least one major surface of the metal substrate; wherein the palladium layer has desired in-plane and out-of-plane crystallographic orientations, which allow subsequent layers that are applied on the article to also have the desired orientations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Inventor: William B. Robbins
  • Patent number: 6416188
    Abstract: Exposed lens retroreflective appliques incorporate a monolayer of beads and a dielectric mirror proximate the beads. A pigmented or otherwise colored bead bond layer in which the beads are partially embedded is visible through the dielectric mirror, giving the article a highly colored daytime appearance. The appliques exhibit an initial reflectivity. By appropriate materials selection, the appliques can be made to retain at least 75%, and in most instances at least 90%, of the initial reflectivity if subjected to fifty home laundering cycles. In one case the dielectric mirror includes zinc sulfide as a relatively high refractive index material and calcium fluoride as a relatively low refractive index material. In another case the dielectric mirror includes zinc sulfide as the relatively high refractive index material and silicon dioxide as the relatively low refractive index material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jeanine M. Shusta, Norman D. Ligtenberg, William B. Robbins
  • Patent number: 5767808
    Abstract: A microstrip patch antenna has a first conductive layer adjacent a dielectric substrate. The first conductive layer has a thickness of less than one skin depth of the material of the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer acts as the ground plane for the first conductive layer and a feed network feeds the radiating patch of the first conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: William B. Robbins, Timothy S. Skogland
  • Patent number: 5660892
    Abstract: A metallic film is disclosed. The film has a layer of an organic polymer substrate having an sulfur-reactive surface, to which is adhered a vapor deposited metallic layer. Optionally, a metallic halide layer is formed on the metallic layer to provide depolarizing capacity for the metallic film. Methods of making and using the metallic film are disclosed. Biomedical electrodes, including radiolucent defibrillation electrodes, window films, optical reflectors, and flexible electronic circuits are articles which can use the metallic film as a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: William B. Robbins, Leif Christensen, Richard E. Volkmann, Rafael M. Yasis, Laura M. Aguilar
  • Patent number: 5637882
    Abstract: A detector plate for use in a radiation imaging system includes a first conductive layer, a dielectric layer, a photoconductive layer and a second conductive layer, arranged as a stack in that order. The first conductive layer and the dielectric layer are substantially transparent to radiation energy so as to allow the energy to pass therethrough to be received by the photoconductive layer. The first conductive layer has a periphery defined by a first edge and the dielectric layer has a periphery defined by a second edge, wherein the first edge is offset inward of the second edge defining a margin between the first and second edges. In use, this margin helps inhibit electrical arcing from the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer when a high voltage is applied between these two layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ranjith Divigalpitiya, Bimsara W. Disanayaka, William B. Robbins, Earl L. Cook, Keith K. McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 5506059
    Abstract: A metallic film is disclosed. The film has a layer of an organic polymer substrate having an sulfur-reactive surface, to which is adhered a vapor deposited metallic layer. Optionally, a metallic halide layer is formed on the metallic layer to provide depolarizing capacity for the metallic film. Methods of making and using the metallic film are disclosed. Biomedical electrodes, including radiolucent defibrillation electrodes, window films, optical reflectors, and flexible electronic circuits are articles which can use the metallic film as a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: William B. Robbins, Leif Christensen, Richard E. Volkmann, Rafael M. Yasis
  • Patent number: 4539572
    Abstract: An optical recording medium containing a light-absorbing film of refractory material less than 60 nm thick and selected from carbides of Al, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ti, V, W, and Zr and alloys herebetween, whereupon localized heating of the light-absorbing film enables information storage in the form of localized features in the heated areas which can subsequently be optically detected and can be used as a master information record for replication purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1985
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: William B. Robbins, Richard F. Willson, Robert P. Freese
  • Patent number: 4470053
    Abstract: An optical recording medium containing a light-absorbing film of a refractary material selected from the group, consisting of boron, borides of carbon, silicon, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, titanium, tugsten, and zirconium, nitrides of boron, hafnium, tantalum and titanium, oxides of hafnium, cerium, magnesium and thorium, and silicides of niobium, tantalum, titanium, and tungsten less than 60 nm thick and which is sufficiently plastic to allow deformation upon localized heating by exposure to a focused laser beam, whereupon the localized heating of the light absorbing film enables information storage in the form of localized protuberances in the heated areas which can be used as a master for replication purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1984
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kent N. Maffitt, William B. Robbins, Richard F. Willson
  • Patent number: 4430659
    Abstract: An optical recording medium containing a light-absorbing film of amorphous carbon less than 60 nm thick and which is sufficiently plastic to allow plastic information upon localized heating is provided for exposure to a focused laser beam, whereupon localized heating of the light-absorbing film enables information storage in the form of localized protuberances in the heated areas which can subsequently be optically detected and can be used as a master information record for replication purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1984
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kent N. Maffitt, William B. Robbins, Richard F. Willson