Patents by Inventor William R. Dudley

William R. Dudley 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).

  • Publication number: 20110250401
    Abstract: The present method comprises providing a flexible web substrate (e.g., polymeric flexible web substrates) that forms at least part of a component of a device, coating so as to wet-out on and cover all or a substantial portion of a major surface on one side or both sides of the flexible web substrate with flowable polymeric material, while the flexible web substrate is moving in a down-web direction, and solidifying the polymeric material so as to form one cleaning layer on the major surface of one side or both sides of the flexible web substrate. The present invention can be utilized in a continuous in-line manufacturing process. In applications of the present invention where the flexible web substrate will not form a component of a device, the present invention broadly provides a method for cleaning particles from a flexible web of indefinite length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: William R. Dudley, William Blake Kolb, Michael A. Johnson, Stephen A. Jonhson, Chris J. Tanley
  • Patent number: 7830368
    Abstract: A keypad having a virtual floating image that appears to a user to be in a plane other than the apparent plane of the keypad surface. More particularly, the indicia on the keypad appear to float above or below the surface of the device. The keypad can be, for example, the keypad on a cell phone. For such an application there would be more than one array of indicia present on the keypad. For example, there might be ten arrays of indicia, which provide the numerals from 0 to 9 and two more arrays to provide virtual images of the * and # keys. In some embodiments, the keypad is integrated with an illumination source that light up the indicia. The present disclosure also provides a method of manufacturing a key pad with a virtual floating image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Charles A. Marttila, John T. Strand, Alan G. Hulme-Lowe, M. Benton Free, John S. Huizinga, James N. Dobbs, Serge Wetzels, Glen A. Jerry, Jennifer R. Yi, William R. Dudley
  • Publication number: 20100182728
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus (40) to neutralize the charge on a moving web (42) by splitting the field present on the web (42). One portion of the field is removed by a grounded element (55a, 55) proximate to, and optionally contacting, one side of the web (42). Proximate the opposite side of the web, the apparatus includes an ion source (57a, 57b, 57c), which provides ions to the web (42) to neutralize the charge remaining on the web (42), and a second grounded element (50a, 50b, 50c) positioned between the ion source (57a, 57b,57c) and the web (42). The methods provide a web (42) that is net neutralized and is also dual-side or bipolar neutralized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventors: Richard M. Jendrejack, William B. Kolb, Robert A. Yapel, Peter T. Benson, William R. Dudley, Raghunath Padiyath
  • Publication number: 20100168894
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer implemented system and method for selecting dimensions of a die is disclosed. The method may include prompting a user to select a coating uniformity required to produce a particular coated product with the die. The user may also be prompted to select a slot height of the die. In some embodiments, the user may specify a value for one or more dimensions of the die. The method may then determine the total indicated run-out (TIR) of the coated product as a function of the dimensions of the die not having a user specified value. In certain embodiments, the method provides a thermal treatment process for reducing the number of finishing (e.g., grinding) cycles needed to produce a desired die flatness. In another embodiment, a computer implemented method for designing a coating die to achieve a desired coating uniformity with a particular coating fluid having a specified rheological characteristic is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Robert A. Yapel, Robert B. Secor', Michael J. Tichy, Bruce D. Shalles, Charles N. DeVore, Jennifer L. Trice, James M. Nelson, Andrzej P. Jaworski, William R. Dudley, Keith R. Bruesewitz
  • Patent number: 7097673
    Abstract: Described are methods and products prepared from the methods, each of which include methods of coating certain materials onto a substrate, including coating a coating material and an edge material onto the substrate in a manner which may provide an improved thickness profile of the overall coating, and that may do so by using the edge material to augment the thickness of the coating material edge, or that may do so by improving the coating material edge by using the edge material to affect the shape of the coating material edge, the products being useful, for example, in electrochemical cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: William R. Dudley, Alan P. Miller, Robert A. Yapel
  • Patent number: 6561317
    Abstract: The invention is embodied in a commercial foodservice system having a primary counter unit constructed and arranged to perform a direct or related foodservice function, and an independent peripheral unit constructed and arranged in juxtaposition with the counter unit to perform a non-foodservice function. The foodservice system encompasses arrangements of multiple counter units disposed in-line and/or at selective angularity, and intermediate free-standing pylon peripheral units and bridging canopy peripheral units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: William R. Dudley
  • Publication number: 20020197535
    Abstract: Described are methods and products prepared from the methods, each of which include methods of coating certain materials onto a substrate, including coating a coating material and an edge material onto the substrate in a manner which may provide an improved thickness profile of the overall coating, and that may do so by using the edge material to augment the thickness of the coating material edge, or that may do so by improving the coating material edge by using the edge material to affect the shape of the coating material edge, the products being useful, for example, in electrochemical cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Inventors: William R. Dudley, Alan P. Miller, Robert A. Yapel
  • Patent number: D457016
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: William R. Dudley
  • Patent number: D457020
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: William R. Dudley
  • Patent number: D457361
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: William R. Dudley
  • Patent number: D457362
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: William R. Dudley
  • Patent number: D458059
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: William R. Dudley
  • Patent number: D461073
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Duke Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: William R. Dudley