3m Innovative Properties Company

David C Kramlich

Matthew H Frey

Scott R Culler

John L Vandenberg

Alan Paul Miller

Kathleen M Schakel-Carlson

Donald George Peterson

James N Dobbs

Eric Joseph Hanson

John R Jacobson

Lynn E Lorimor

Jeffrey J Missling

John R Wheeler

David B Pritchard

Shandon Dee Hart

Robert L Brott

Patrick R Fleming

James M Jonza

Eric J Hanson

William J Kopecky

James P Endle

Alan C Miller

Bruce Brandon Wilson

Gregory L Bluem

Joan M Frankel

A process for making inorganic, metal oxide spheres that includes exposing solidified, molded microparticles that include a glass precursor composition to a temperature sufficient to transform the molded microparticles into molten glass and cooling the molten glass to form inorganic, metal oxide spheres.

Method of making inorganic, metal oxide spheres using microstructured molds

Polymer fibers are formed with concentric alternating layers of different polymer materials. The layers pairs have cross-sectional thicknesses selected for reflecting light at a selected visible wavelength. A cross-sectional dimension of the core is at least ten times an average of the selected thicknesses of the alternating layers. Some articles formed by the fibers are formed by attaching one fiber to another: the color of the fibers at the point of attachment is different from the colors of the fibers elsewhere. The fibers may be deformed to change its color properties by elongating the cross-section of the polymer fiber along a first cross-sectional axis. In some embodiments, the fibers are polarization sensitive.

Color shifting multilayer polymer fibers and security articles containing color shifting multilayer polymer fibers

Microlens sheetings with different types of composite images are disclosed, in which the composite image floats above, in, or below the sheeting, or some combination. One type of composite image may be viewable to the unaided eye or an observer and another type of composite image is viewable only to the aided eye of an observer. Methods for providing such an imaged sheeting are also disclosed.

Methods of forming sheeting with composite images that float and sheeting with composite images that float

A unique discontinuous cathode sheet structure is incorporated within thin-film electrochemical halfcells and full cells. A thin-film electrochemical cell structure includes a cathode sheet layer comprising a series of discontinuous cathode sheets. In a monoface configuration, each of the cathode sheets includes one cathode layer in contact with a current collector layer. In a biface configuration, each of the cathode sheets includes a pair of cathode layers each contacting a current collector layer. A gap is defined between adjacent ones of the cathode sheets. A solid electrolyte layer contacts a surface of one or both cathode layers, depending on the configuration, and extends across the gaps defined between the adjacent cathode sheets. The cathode sheets may be arranged in a number of rows to define a matrix of the cathode sheets.

Discontinuous cathode sheet halfcell web

An apparatus and method provides for rotatably cutting and/or laminating layered structures or sheet material supported by webs. A rotary converting apparatus and method of the present invention converts a web comprising a cathode layered structure and a web comprising an anode layered structure into a series of layered electrochemical cell structures supported by a release liner. Employment of a rotary converting process of the present invention provides, among other benefits, for the creation of a product having a finished size, without need for downstream or subsequent cutting.

Rotary converting apparatus and method for laminated products and packaging

A product stacking apparatus and method employs one or more stations, each including a stationary stacking platform or a conveyor upon which spaced-apart pucks are coupled for travel thereon. A product delivery apparatus drives one or more movable webs to which segmented product sheets are removably affixed. The product delivery apparatus includes one or more rotatable lamination interfaces associated with each of the stations for transferring product sheets from the webs to the pucks on a repetitive basis to produce a stack of product sheets on the respective pucks. Each of the segmented product sheets may define all or a portion of an electrochemical cell, all or a portion of a pad including layers of film or sheet material, wherein a portion of each of the layers is provided with a bonding feature, or all or a portion of a pack comprising layers of medical dressing. A puck need not be in motion during the transfer of the product sheet from the lamination roll to the puck. The puck may or may not be attached to a conveyor, but the conveyor need not be in motion during the lamination or stack building process. In this case, a roller is moved across the puck and simultaneously rotated so a point on the surface of the roller interfaces with the puck at the same location on each pass.

Stacking apparatus and method for laminated products and packaging

Growing community of inventors

Roseville, MN, United States of America

David C Kramlich