3m Innovative Properties Company

3m Innovative Properties

Andrew S Viner

James R Betz

Nathan A Abel

Matthew D Reier

Sean M Burke

Michael J Lynch

Richard C Webb

Christopher P Henderson

Andrew P Bonifas

Nicholas G Amell

Caroline M Ylitalo

Desmond T Curran

Neal A Rakow

David M Castiglione

Elfed I Williams

Claire R Donoghue

Audra A Conlan

Brian Cormack

Brandon H Harmon

Malcolm R Watson

Jessica L T Hauge

Scott A Larson

Thomas P Klun

Zai-Ming Qiu

Moses Mekala David

Mark J Pellerite

Suresh Iyer

Laurent Froissard

James P Endle

Jacob P Vanderheyden

Gregory D Clark

David R Stein

Caitlin E Meree

Joseph P Kronzer

Andrew W Long

Oscar S Benz

Craig A Burton

Daniel B Taylor

Henning T Urban

Ambuj Sharma

Deepti Gopalakrishnan

Silvia G Guttmann

Christine L McCool

Gerald R Hofmann

Adam J Mueler

Stephen R Gamble

Kenneth B L Stanford

Karen Cuta

Jennifer L Kamarainen

Christopher J Dujovski

Donald Rust

Gerald RA Hofmann

A method for determining personal protective equipment (PPE) comfort for an individual wearer includes defining a first anatomical shape data representative of an anatomical area of the individual wearer prior to donning a PPE, a second anatomical shape data representative of the anatomical area of the individual wearer after donning the PPE, and comparing the first anatomical shape data with the second anatomical shape data. The method further includes determining a soft skin tissue deformation at a plurality of predetermined anatomical positions based on the comparison between the first anatomical shape data and the second anatomical shape data, and determining a displacement comfort threshold (CTd) value based on the soft skin tissue deformation. The method also includes determining a pressure pain threshold (PPT) value, and determining a comfort metric based on the PPT values and the CTd values. The method also includes generating a notification corresponding to the comfort metric.

System and method for determining personal protective equipment comfort

There is provided a fit testing method comprising: providing a respirator donned by a wearer; providing a sensor in electrical communication with a sensing element, where the sensor is configured to monitor a particulate concentration parameter of a gas space within the respirator, and a second particulate concentration parameter of a gas space outside the respirator, where the sensor is attached to the respirator such that the respirator such that the weight of the sensor is supported by the respirator; and providing a reader configured to communicate with the sensor, where the reader is configured to provide a respirator fit parameter based on a comparison of the particulate concentration within the respirator to the particulate concentration parameter outside the respirator.

Fit-test method for respirator with sensing system

A system includes a respirator, a sensor including a sensing element, and a reader configured to be in wireless communication with the sensor. The sensor is positioned substantially within an interior gas space of the respirator.

Sensing system for respirator

A method of fit testing includes providing a respirator; providing a sensor having a sensing element removably positioned substantially within an interior gas space of the respirator; providing a reader configured to be in wireless communication with the sensor; positioning the respirator over a mouth and a nose of a user while the sensor is positioned substantially within an interior gas space of the respirator; and observing respirator fit assessment data communicated from the sensor to the reader.

A sensing element includes a substrate including an electrically non-conductive surface, at least one high surface energy region, and an electrode pair structure disposed on the electrically non-conductive surface. The electrode pair structure includes at least one pair of electrodes having a gap therebetween. At least one of the electrodes is at least partially within the at least one high surface energy region. The sensing element is configured to sense fluid-soluble particulate matter.

Sensing element for respirator

Methods and tools for evaluating fit of eyewear are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes steps of evaluating coverage provided by an eyewear article on the face of the wearer and evaluating a gap formed between a peripheral edge of the eyewear article and the face of the wearer.

Methods and devices for evaluating eyewear fit

Respirator head harness

A respiratory device includes a face seal and a unitary body that forms an interface with the face seal and includes a lens and a chassis. The chassis includes at least one port for fluidic connection.

Respiratory protection device

A personal safety protective device that includes a lens and a support structure onto which the lens is secured. The lens includes a substrate and a hard-coat layer located on the substrate of the lens. The hard-coat layer has a low surface energy outer surface that is derived from a) an additive that includes at least one of i) a perfluoropolyether urethane that includes hydrolysable silane groups, and ii) an acrylate polymer that includes at least one perfluoropolyether moiety and at least one hydrolysable silane group, and b) a silsesquioxane-based hard-coat composition. The provision of such a lens on a personal safety protective device enables the lens to be durable to abrasion and to be easily cleaned without use of solvents that could shorten the service life of the lens.

Respirator, welding helmet, or face shield that has low surface energy hard-coat lens

Exhale valve cover

Respirator head cradle

Method for making a filter cartridge that is suitable for attachment to a respiratory mask. The method comprises the steps of (a) providing a mass of filter material; (b) providing a filter cartridge housing that has an inlet and outlet and a sidewall that includes sheet material; and (c) thermoforming the sheet material of the housing sidewall around at least part of the mass of filter material to place the housing sidewall in direct contact with the mass of filter material to encapsulate the filter material so that fluid is prevented from passing through the filter cartridge from the inlet to the outlet without being filtered by the mass of filter material.

Method of making a filter cartridge using a thermoforming step

Growing community of inventors

Roseville, MN, United States of America

Andrew S Viner