Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Professional Plating, Inc.

David R Kaar

Harold G Sowman

Craig A Ingalls

Ross William Peterson

A thin walled balloon formed in polymer tubing has a patterned metal layer on its outer surface, created by physical vapor deposition (PVD). The pattern is defined by a stencil mask assembled around the balloon, with the balloon inflated therein. The PVD occurs without deforming or degrading the polymer material of the balloon, by actively pulling heat away from the balloon a) by forming the stencil mask out of metal; b) by providing a metal heat conduction path away from the balloon to a heat sink, such as outside the vacuum chamber, and/or c) by flow of a cooling fluid within the balloon during the PVD process. Proper PVD process parameters are selected to minimize heat generation, such as having argon pressure in the range of 0.8 to 1.2 milli-torr and generating the plasma at a power of less than about 200 watts/square inch of effective target surface area.

Microminiature patterned metal on medical grade balloons

A thin walled balloon formed in polymer tubing has a patterned metal layer on its outer surface, created by physical vapor deposition (PVD). The pattern is defined by a stencil mask assembled around the balloon, with the balloon inflated therein. The PVD occurs without deforming or degrading the polymer material of the balloon, by actively pulling heat away from the balloon a) by forming the stencil mask out of metal; b) by providing a metal heat conduction path away from the balloon to a heat sink, such as outside the vacuum chamber, and/or c) by flow of a cooling fluid within the balloon during the PVD process. Proper PVD process parameters are selected to minimize heat generation, such as having argon pressure in the range of 0.8 to 1.2 milli-torr and generating the plasma at a power of less than about 200 watts/ square inch of effective target surface area.

Homogeneous, nonporous ceramic fibers containing at least one magnetically-unaligned, microcrystaline transition metal oxide spinel phase. The ceramic fibers may be used in polymeric, ceramic and metallic composites. Said ceramic spinel is produced by dispersing soluble inorganic and transition metal compounds in an aqueous mixture, concentrating to produce a viscous concentrate, shaping into the desired article, gelling the shaped article, and heating to produce the transition metal spinel article. Beads, bubbles, flakes, microspheres, films and granules may be made as well as fibers.

Microcrystalline transition metal oxide spinel articles

This invention provides a shaped, graded, cermet article comprising at least one continuous ceramic phase and at least one discontinuous metal phase, the ratio of ceramic/metal being controlled and varied over the thickness of the article. The ceramic phase preferably is microcrystalline.

Growing community of inventors

Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

David R Kaar