3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Frank Thomas Sher

Danny Leroy Fleming

David James Yarusso

Michael R Kesti

Robert R Condon

George V Tiers

Ronald S Steelman

Daniel P Pohl

John A Nielsen

Boyd R Beck

Francis V Loncar, Jr

Larry A Meixner

Clyde D Calhoun

David R Whitcomb

James P Endle

John R David

Mitchell A Rossman

Richard L Peloquin

Robert J Balchunis

Patrick J Yeshe

Mung-Lin S Tan

Audrey A Sherman

Michael Benton Free

Jeffrey O Emslander

Dawud H Tan

Bruce A Langager

Stephen J Aden

Joseph A Nielsen

Danny L Fleming

An adhesive-backed film with an adhesive layer having thermoplastic or thermoset filaments partially projecting therefrom, to promote fluid egress and repositionability.

Web with adhesive layer having partially embedded filaments

A method of making an adhesive backed web, wherein the adhesive layer of such web has partially embedded filaments projecting therefrom. The filaments may comprise a thermoplastic material or a hot melt adhesive. The filaments are contacted to a major surface of a liner material then pressed partially thereinto. An adhesive layer, as from an adhesive backed film, is then laminated to the filament-containing liner, allowing the adhesive layer to pick up the filaments.

Method of making web with partially embedded fibers

Methods of forming laminating adhesive articles include providing a multi-layer article, an embossing tool with a structured surface, and a support surface tool. The multi-layer articles include a substrate, an adhesive layer, and a liner or may just include an adhesive layer and a liner. The multi-layer article is placed between the structured surface of the embossing tool and the support surface tool. The embossing tool is pressed against the liner and the support surface tool is simultaneously pressed against the substrate by applying pressure or a combination of pressure and heat. The pressing causes the structures on the surface of the embossing tool to distort the liner and the adhesive layer and the support surface tool modifies the surface of the substrate. The distortion in the liner is retained upon release of the applied pressure. Upon removal of the liner from the adhesive layer, the structures on the adhesive layer are unstable, but do not immediately collapse.

Method for preparing structured adhesive articles

The present application is directed to an article comprising a base substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface and a structured surface comprising a deposited material adhered to a portion of the first major surface of the base substrate, wherein the material has a height over the first major surface of at least 3 micrometers. The structured surface is defined, in part, by the deposited material and the structured surface has at least one continuous structure from one edge of the base substrate to a second edge of the base substrate. The application is additionally directed to a method of manufacturing the article.

Microstructured release liners

Methods of adhering graphic film on an irregular substrate are disclosed. The methods includes providing a polymer film composite having two or more layers with at least one layer having a glass transition temperature of at least about 40&#xb0; C., the polymer film composite having a first side and a second side, and an adhesive layer disposed on the second side. Then the method includes, positioning the adhesive layer against the irregular substrate, heating the polymer film composite, and pressing the heated polymer film against the irregular substrate.

Adhering graphic films on irregular substrates

Adhesive articles are prepared through the use of modified release liners. The modified release liners include a fracturable layer and a release surface partially covering the fracturable layer. The modified release liners may be prepared by selective coating of a release material onto the fracturable layer or by selective treatment of a release surface to expose portions of the fracturable layer. Upon removal of an adhesive layer adhered to the modified release liner, portions of the fracturable layer of the release liner adhere to the adhesive layer to form a modified adhesive layer.

Methods for preparing modified release liners and modified adhesive articles

The present application is directed to adhesive articles and release liners. Namely, the present application is directed to an article comprising an adhesive layer with a structured surface. The structured surface comprises a first groove and a second groove recessed into the adhesive layer from a reference plane defined by the adhesive surface on either rim of the groove. In some embodiments, the second groove is contained within the first groove, and in other embodiments the grooves are separate. The first groove and the second groove have walls. The wall angle of the first groove with respect to the reference plane is non-zero and is smaller than the wall angle of the second groove with respect to the reference plane. The application is also directed to release liners for the adhesive article, wherein the surface of the release liner is the inverse of the adhesive surface.

Adhesive articles and release liners

An adhesive composition includes a blend of a pressure sensitive adhesive and an additive. The pressure sensitive adhesive includes a (meth)acrylate polymer. The additive includes a copolymer with a vinyl polymeric backbone that includes at least one free radically polymerizable vinyl monomer A and at least one reinforcing comonomer B, wherein B is present at 0 to about 20% by weight of the copolymer, and a pendant polysiloxane monomer grafted to the backbone. The adhesive composition may optionally be crosslinked. The adhesive composition may be applied to a film to form a graphic article. These graphic articles may be applied to a substrate without liquid application aids.

Dry apply adhesive graphic films

Methods of applying film to substrates are provided wherein the film matingly conforms to the configuration of the substrate, including areas adjacent protrusions or depressions in the substrate. In certain embodiments, the film is punctured by a probe and a vacuum is applied to the probe in order to aspirate air and urge the film toward a position of compliance with the substrate. Optionally, the film is softened by heat in order to facilitate conformance with the shape of the substrate.

Method of conforming a film to a surface

Adhesives having a microreplicated topography are prepared from contacting a microembossed pattern to a layer of adhesive. When an adhesion interface is established between the layer of adhesive and a supporting substrate, the topography of the adhesive surface controls the performance of the adhesion interface. Articles having microreplicated adhesive surfaces are also disclosed that have an advantage of providing microchannels for fluid egress for an effective period of time. Multiple microeombossed patterns produce microreplicated adhesive surfaces having both microchannels for fluid egress and pegs for improved adhesive properties.

Adhesives having a microreplicated topography and methods of making and using same

Films are closely conformed to substrates by reducing the air pressure to a subatmospheric level in at least one airflow pathway that is present in the film or the substrate. The reduced air pressure enables the film to tightly contact the substrate in locations where protrusions or depressions on the substrate are present. The method is particularly useful for conforming film containing graphics to a variety of substrates such as the sides of semi-trailers or concrete block walls, even in instances where the semi-trailer sides include rivets and/or grooves and where the concrete block wall is relatively rough.

Method of conforming an adherent film to a substrate by application of vacuum

A method for coating includes applying an adhesive to a surface, wherein the surface comprises an arrangement of structures thereon, wherein the structures extend upward from a plane of the surface and have at least one sidewall that makes an angle with respect to the plane of the surface of greater than 0&deg; and less than 90&deg; selected to reduce air bubble formation for a coating solution of a selected rheology.

Method of enhancing coating speed

A release liner includes a surface with an arrangement of structures thereon, wherein the structures extend upward from a plane of the surface, and wherein the structures have at least one sidewall that makes an angle with respect to the plane of the surface of greater than 0&deg; and less than 90&deg; selected to enhance adhesion to a tape.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

Frank Thomas Sher