Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3M Innovative Properties Company

3M Company

Other

David C Koskenmaki

Clyde D Calhoun

James G Berg

David W Kuhns

Robert L Lambert, Jr

Naiyong Jing

Michael Nevin Miller

Pamela S Tucker

Jennifer Mary Aamodt

Mieczyslaw H Mazurek

David Jon Lundin

Kyung H Moh

Randolph D Schueller

Donald M Yenni, Jr

Robert P McCollam

Robert M Swinehart

Paul D Prichard

Brett E Huff

Conductive circuits and methods of making conductive circuits are disclosed.

Method for making conductive circuits using powdered metals

A unitary polymer substrate having a plurality of microfibers projecting from a surface is provided. The presence of the microfibers greatly increases the surface area and can impart a cloth-like feel to the surface. The projecting microfibers may have a variety of forms, including frayed-end microfibers, tapered microfibers, microfibers having an expanded cross-sectional shape, and microfibers having a very high aspect ratio. A number of methods of producing unitary polymer structures with a plurality of projecting microfibers are also provided.

Methods for making microstructured polymer substrates

A method for making a fine electrically conductive grid embedded in a polymer substrate. The method includes the steps of providing a polymer substrate, forming a pattern of grooves in the substrate, filling the grooves with electrically conductive powder, and then applying heat and/or pressure to the substrate. The application of heat and/or pressure to the substrate causes the grooves to collapse inward against the conductive powder. Collapsing the grooves compacts the conductive powder within the groove, thereby establishing a continuously conductive grid line or circuit. The narrow grid lines that result allow more light to transmit through the substrate. The method allows grid lines to be made with higher aspect ratios (ratio of line depth to line width) than is possible by previous methods.

Embedded electrical traces

Manufacturing techniques are described for forming electrical components. For example, a layer of a metal powder composition is deposited onto at least a portion of a substrate. Pressure is applied to the metal powder composition by hydraulic press that has one or more projections in order to capture a pattern on the substrate. The metal powder composition compressed by the projections of the hydraulic press adhere to the substrate to form the captured pattern. The metal powder composition in regions not compressed by the projections of hydraulic press do not adhere to the substrate and may be removed. The metal powder composition may be compressed to form electrical components, such as antennae, capacitor plates, conduction pads and the like, for use in an electronic surveillance system (EAS), a radio frequency identification (RFID) system, or the like.

Forming electromagnetic communication circuit components using densified metal powder

The invention provides abrasive articles with optimally oriented abrasive particles and a method of making the same. The method involves contacting a substrate with the contact and mating surfaces of tools to provide an embossed substrate with perforated depressions, distributing abrasive particles within the depressions of the substrate, optimally orienting each abrasive particle in the depression containing the abrasive particle, creating a differential pressure between the top surface and the back surface of the embossed, perforated sheet wherein a lower pressure is applied to the back surface to hold the oriented abrasive particles within its depression while removing at least a major portion of abrasive particles not within the depressions from the top surface of the sheet and permanently bonding the abrasive particles in the depressions after they are optimally oriented to provide the abrasive product.

Abrasive article with optimally oriented abrasive particles and method of making the same

Unitary polymer substrate having napped surface of frayed end microfibers

Method for making embedded electrical traces

The present invention relates to a method for making an array of metal balls. The method includes the step of generating a first pattern on a metal foil which includes a plurality of foil projections. The method also includes the step of generating a second pattern on a carrier substrate. The second pattern includes a plurality of carrier recesses that are arranged and configured to correspond with the foil projections of the first pattern. The method further includes the steps of placing the metal foil and the carrier substrate together such that the foil projections of the metal foil fit within the carrier recesses of the carrier substrate, and melting the metal foil such that the foil projections form metal balls positioned within the carrier recesses of the carrier substrate. The invention also relates to metal ball arrays constructed via the above method.

Patterned array of metal balls and methods of making

A carrier web having at least one surface that is multiple, sequentially embossed, wherein depressions created from the prior embossing patterns(s) are preserved during the subsequent embossing pattern(s) even though the subsequent embossing pattern(s) are superimposed on the depressions from the prior embossing pattern(s). The patterns of embossing can be Euclidean or fractal created from machine tools produced using microreplication and other techniques. The carrier webs are useful for release liners for pressure sensitive adhesives and a number of other industrial and consumer applications.

Multiple embossed webs

A thermoformable add-on EMI shielding sheet comprising a carrier material selected from polymeric films and fibrous webs having the capability of becoming porous when thermoformed, having a metal mat at least partially embedded therein, comprising a plurality of fine, randomly-oriented metal fibers, the carrier material having a softening temperature lower than the highest temperature reached during the thermoforming process.

Metal fibermat/polymer composite

The present invention provides adhesive articles that include more than one adhesive, or if one adhesive is used, include more than one adhesive portion, where, in each portion, the extent of cure of the adhesive is varied in a predetermined manner so that each adhesive portion behaves as if it were two or more different adhesives. The adhesive articles of the present invention are typically provided as adhesive tapes, often in the form of a tape having a longitudinal dimension (down-web dimension) that far exceeds its width (cross-web dimension).

Composite adhesive tape

A heat-activatable adhesive article is provided. The article, preferably a tape, includes a substantially laterally stable heat recoverable carrier film having at least one surface comprising a recessed surface portion and a raised surface portion therein; and an adhesive layer in the recessed surface portion in an amount such that the adhesive does not extend above the raised surface portion thereby forming an exposed raised surface portion. In use, the carrier film recovers upon exposure to heat thereby allowing the adhesive in the recessed surface portion to contact a substrate. The heat-activatable adhesive article can be positionable, repositionable, or both.

Heat-activatable adhesive article

The present invention provides metal/polymer composites including a plastic substrate having longitudinally extending conductive members, adapted to make bonded electrical connections to an array of closely spaced conductive terminal pads. In general terms, the metal/polymer composites include a thin, flexible sheet-like plastic substrate having a plurality of longitudinally extending, regularly spaced, metal pathways or members on one major surface thereof.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

David C Koskenmaki