Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Properties Company

3m Innovative Company

Alan J Sipinen

Leigh E Wood

Dennis L Krueger

Thomas P Hanschen

Bradley W Eaton

Stephen W Bany

Robert D Kampfer

John A Miller

Ronald P Leseman

Jobst Tilman Jaeger

Scott G Norquist

Del A Kauss

Victor P Thalacker

Josephine S Brown

Theresa L Carpenter

Diane R Cordes

Jayshree Seth

Ronald Wayne Ausen

Jeffrey O Emslander

Dennis G Welygan

Louis S Moren

Susan K Nestegard

Michael D Delmore

William L Melbye

Mark E Napierala

Stephen E Krampe

William C Unruh

Leon Levitt

Robert H Menzies

Denise R Rutherford

Shou-Lu G Wang

Allen L Noreen

Brandon T Berg

Kirit C Mody

Gene H Shipman

Francis V Loncar, Jr

Mark R Dupre

James C Nygard

Diane L Regnier

Elizabeth C Edblom

Kazunori Kondoh

Robert S Mulder

Hiroto H Katagiri

Robert W Shipman

William H Hartt

John E Cejka

Manley R Johnston

Dean R Crissinger

Eric G Rodgers

Michael W G Mills

Wallace S Rogers

Sharon N Mitchell

Jan Ockeloen

Bundling strap

A die apparatus, a method of using the die apparatus to produce co-extruded polymeric articles, and co-extruded polymeric articles produced using the die apparatus and method are disclosed. The die apparatus includes a hollow vane configured to extrude a material into a chamber within the die, thereby producing a co-extruded web. The co-extruded web has a plurality of distinct, discontinuous phases in the cross-web direction, the phases having a uniform width as shown by a coefficient of variation of less than 8 percent for any three consecutive phases. The phases are substantially continuous down-web and are surrounded by a matrix having two or more layers.

Extrusion die and process

There is provided a mechanical fastener bundling strap comprising a bundling strap having a first face and a second face with a bar code readable through hook elements on a first face. The first face is formed by a thermoplastic hook strip material having a first face and a second face. The hook strip first face has an array of upstanding hook projections which form at least in part the first face of the bundling strap, the second face of the hook strip comprises a film which film is provided with a printed UPC code readable through the hook strip first face.

An elastic web of material has a multiplicity of stems extending from at least one side of the web. The web includes a first continuous layer of elastic material having a first side and a second side and a second layer of material. The second layer of material has a first side which faces the first side of the first layer and a second side from which the stems extend. The first and second layers of material are joined together. The second layer of material can be formed of thermoplastic material or melt processable polymeric material. The first and second layers of material are melt formed. They are joined by coextrusion or lamination to form a multiple layer sheet on which a multiplicity of stems are formed on at least the second layer by a process such as embossing the stems into the heated web using a patterned roll or mold.

Elastic fastener

Package for dispensing sheets

Triangular package for dispensing sheets

A package for dispensing individual oil absorbing polymeric sheets from a stack of such sheets, where the package includes a cover flap repeatedly moveable between an open position and a closed position, a pocket, a plurality of oil absorbing polymeric sheets arranged in a stack and positioned in the pocket, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition disposed on the cover flap such that closing the cover flap positions the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for contact with a major surface of the first sheet of the stack of sheets.

Package for dispensing individual sheets

A die apparatus, a method of using the die apparatus to produce co-extruded polymeric articles, and co-extruded polymeric articles produced using the die apparatus and method are disclosed. The die apparatus includes a hollow vane configured to extrude a material into a chamber within the die, thereby producing a co-extruded web. The co-extruded web has a plurality of distinct, discontinuous phases in the cross-web direction, the phases having a uniform width as shown by a coefficient of variation of less than 8 percent for, any three consecutive phases. The phases are substantially continuous down-web and are surrounded by a matrix having two or more layers.

Polymeric articles having embedded phases

Circular package for dispensing sheets

Dual pocket package for dispensing sheets

Described are anisotropic films comprising a continuous elastic phase comprising a polyolefin elastomer; and a discontinuous phase oriented within the continuous phase such that the film exhibits anisotropic properties.

Anisotropic film

A web of material has a plurality of stems extending from at least one side of the web. The web includes a first layer of material having a first side and a second side and a second layer of material. The second layer of material has a first side which faces the first side of the first layer and a second side from which the plurality of stems extend. The first and second layers of material are joined together while they are both molten, before either layer has cooled. The first and second layers of material can be formed of thermoplastic material or melt processable polymeric material. A method of making a web of material includes selecting a first material for a first layer of material and selecting a second material for a second layer of material. The first and second layers of material are melt formed. Then, the first and second layers of material are joined while the layers are in the molten state to form a multiple layer sheet. Next, a plurality of stems are formed on at least the second layer of material. Melt forming can include simultaneously melt forming the first and second layers of material such as by coextrusion.

Coextruded mechanical fastener constructions

An elastic strand construction comprising a plurality of spaced ribs separated by thin zones is provided. The elastic strand construction is preferred for applications in disposable garments or the like. A method of manufacturing the preferred elastic strand comprises extrusion of polymeric material through a profiled die or the like. In the alternative, a method of formation comprising extrusion between a profiled roller arrangement is described. A preferred disposable garment construction utilizing elastic strands according to the present invention is described.

Elastic strand construction

A pressure-sensitive adhesive closure for a disposable diaper can exhibit high peel resistance both at low and high speeds while its peelability at high speeds is not excessively shocky when it employs a pressure-sensitive adhesive of a certain rheology and it has, covering the fastening area, a polyolefin layer having microtopographical features as in FIGS. 1-6 of the drawing. As seen in FIGS. 1-6, suitable microtopographical features are provided by a large number of closely spaced asperities at least two micrometers in height that have a jagged appearance at 500.times.. A pressure-sensitive adhesive of suitable rheology can be provided by a blend of an AB block copolymer, such as a copolymer of styrene and either isoprene or butadiene, and tackifying resin, preferably a mixture of liquid and solid tackifying resins.

Pressure-sensitive adhesive closure for disposable diaper

Growing community of inventors

North Oaks, MN, United States of America

Alan J Sipinen