3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Anthony J Piekarczyk

Michael Alan Meis

Gordon D Henson

Martin B Wolk

Rolf W Biernath

Craig R Schardt

David G Freier

Nicholas A Lee

William J Bryan

Thomas R Hoffend, Jr

Martin Kristoffersen

Scott E Brigham

Kathy L Hagen

Vadim N Savvateev

Stephanie B Castiglione

Raymond P Johnson

A sound absorbing luminaire providing lighting for an interior space environment and managing the acoustics within the environment. The luminaire includes a frame holding an acoustic film and a lighting element, forming a resonant cavity between them. The acoustic film is used for absorbing sound within the resonant cavity, and the lighting element provides light from a light source, such as LEDs, through the acoustic film. An optical film can be mounted in the frame between the acoustic film and the lighting element for providing a desired distribution of light.

Acoustic light panel

Illumination devices whose function are to inject light into backlights, particularly into backlights that incorporate a recycling cavity formed by a front () and back () reflector, are described. In some embodiments, the device includes a light source () disposed proximate the back reflector, and first () and second () reflecting structures. The first reflecting structure includes an inner reflective surface () at least a portion of which is inclined to form a wedge with the back reflector. The wedge partially collimates and directs light from the light source generally away from the recycling cavity. The second reflecting structure receives light exiting the wedge and redirects such light into an injection beam directed into the recycling cavity.

Collimating light injectors for edge-lit backlights

3D stereoscopic viewing enabled by the use of a fast switching speed LCD panel, dynamic backlight, and low cost glasses. The system utilizes an LCD panel with an LED backlight and wavelength selective glasses to isolate each channel by color. The system is based on alternating left and right image frames on an LCD panel. The left and right frames are illuminated by two slightly different red-green-blue light sources that are synchronized sequentially. The light sources are designed to emit light of different spectral composition. The viewer wears glasses where the left lens or filter passes only the spectrum of light used for the left channel of data, and the right lens or filter passes only the spectrum of light used for the right channel of data.

Stereoscopic 3D display device

A compact optical fiber distribution center has a housing provided by a pair of stackable containers. One container encloses a fiber connector zone in which a plurality of card-like modules are slidably mounted, normally aligned in single file, and each extending vertically when the distribution center is in use. The other container has a jumper routing zone at the front, a fiber routing zone at the rear, and an intermediate fiber storage zone which is divided by partitions, each of which is aligned with a space between adjacent modules. Each module carries a row of optical fiber connectors. At one side of the housing, the rear ends of the connectors can be connected to optical fibers of one or more feeder cables, and at the other side, the rear ends can be connected to optical fibers of one or more distribution cables. The front ends of the connectors at said one side can be connected by optical fiber jumpers to the front ends of connectors at said other side, thus interconnecting any feeder fiber with any distribution fiber. Easy access to the connectors is afforded by sliding individual modules out of the single file toward a front or a rear opening in the housing, which openings are closable by hinged doors.

Optical fiber distribution center

A fiber optic connector for coupling an optical fiber to an optoelectronic component mounted near the edge of a circuit card. The connector includes a housing, a frame and a plug. The housing is mounted to the circuit card and contains the optoelectronic components. The front edge of the housing, which is flush with the edge of the circuit card, has an alignment block with a plurality of holes therein. The frame is attached to a support bar adjacent the edge of the circuit card. The plug, which has several ferrules each containing the terminal end of an optical fiber, is received by the frame and the ferrules are thereby aligned with the holes in the housing. A tongue-and-groove arrangement may be used to align the plug with the frame, and the plug is preferably polarized. A novel torsion member is used to releasably secure the plug in the frame at one of two positions, an operative position and a storage position. In one embodiment the connector is provided with a shuttle interposed between the housing and the frame. The shuttle maintains the proper orientation of a tip of an elongated actuator tool which is used to engage and disengage electrical connectors which are located on the same circuit card adjacent the fiber optic connector.

Fiber optic edge card connector

Growing community of inventors

Fridley, MN, United States of America

Anthony J Piekarczyk