Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Gerald J Niles

Davis W Chamberlin

Carl S Ahlberg

Jacqueline J Forbes

John D Hakanson

Susan K Jongewaard

Jon R Clark

Robert L Hanson

Frank A Sommerfeldt

John A Heveron

Forrest A Johnsen

Wayne H Vannet

Marvin J Niezgocki

Lester M Aseere

Thomas A Sandberg

Thomas P Biebel

F Edward Terwilliger

Norman C Ritter

A system for securing a plurality of tape pancakes includes a compressible core support on which the pancakes can be mounted. An interior rod having a head fits and is received within the core support. A nub on the inside surface of the core support engages a groove on the outside surface of the interior rod to provide a threaded engagement between the interior rod and the core support. Rotation of the interior rod within the core support after the head contacts the end of the core support provides an axial compression load onto the core support to hold together the pancakes. This axial compression also expands the baffles which contact and tighten against the inside of the tape pancake cores and provide a radial force to secure the pancakes in place.

Support for tape pancakes

A parallelepipedal storage container is formed of at least two sections. Each section is foldable to separate the section into a central base wall and two side walls. The adjacent base and side walls can be oriented at right angles to each other. The storage container is formed by mating the sections so that the side edges of the side walls on one section are disposed adjacent the side edges of the side walls of the other section to form edges of the storage container. The sections are secured together using a tongue and groove connection to mate the sections along respective edges. Three and four section containers can be formed.

Reusable, multiple-piece storage container

A parallelepipedal storage container is formed of at least two-sections. Each section is foldable to separate the section into a central base wall and two side walls. The adjacent base and side walls can be oriented at right angles to each other. The storage container is formed by mating the sections so that the side edges of the side walls on one section are disposed adjacent the side edges of the side walls of the other section to form edges of the storage container. The sections are secured together using a tongue and groove connection to mate the sections along respective edges. Three and four section containers can be formed.

Stacking device for containers

A reclosable light-tight container for storing a plurality of sheets of light-sensitive material includes a lower wall, an upper wall, and a plurality of side walls. A door is formed as part of the upper wall, and a door hinge permits the container to be opened and closed. A reclosable light-tight closure is created by an unbroken wall formed on the inner surface of the lower wall and extending around and enclosing the portion of the inner surface corresponding to the door location when the door is closed. A raised platform on the inner surface of the upper wall door has a top surface which abuts the inner surface of the lower wall outside of the unbroken wall when the door is closed. The raised platform blocks light from entering the container by covering the parting line between the unbroken wall on the lower wall and the upper wall. A tab on the unbroken wall blocks light at the door hinge.

Light-tight container

The present invention concerns a filter system for a helical scanner drum of the type having a drum cover provided with an air vent. The filter system includes a replaceable air filter element for entrapping airborne particles when air is drawn through the filter element and means for removably securing the filter element to the drum cover such that the filter element covers the air vent.

Air filter system for helical scanner drum with vented drum cover

A parallelepipedal storage container is formed of two sections. Each section is rectangular and is foldable to separate the section into a central base wall and two side walls. The adjacent base and side walls can be oriented ar right angles to each other to form a U-shape. The storage container is formed by mating the two U-shaped sections so that the side edges of the side walls of the U-shape on one section are disposed adjacent the side edges of the side walls of the other U-shape to form edges of the storage container. The two sections are secured together using a tongue and groove connection to mate the sections along respective edges.

Reusable, two-piece storage container

A system securing a plurality of tape pancakes includes a compressible baffled core support on which the pancakes can be mounted. An interior rod having a head fits and is received within the baffled core support. A nub on the inside surface of the core support engages a groove on the outside surface of the interior rod to provide a threaded engagement between the interior rod and the core support. Rotation of the interior rod within the core support after the head contacts the end of the core support provides an axial compression load onto the core support to hold together the pancakes. This axial compression also expands the baffles which contact and tighten against the inside of the tape pancake cores and provide a radial force to secure the pancakes in place.

A shock shield formed of an annular body having a central axial hole which mounts within a case is disclosed. A cylindrical axial ring is formed around the central axial hole. The shock shield permits a tape reel stored within the case to rotate within the case and absorbs shocks to prevent damage to the tape reel. A tab on the shield mates with the tape reel to prevent relative rotation therebetween. Shock absorption is accomplished by compressible elements formed on the shield body. The compressible elements are annular bearing rings concentric with the annular circumference. The annular bearing rings have a generally V-shaped cross section and an axial height less than the axial height of the axial ring. The shield body preferably is formed of four spaced radial members to enhance flexion.

Shock shield for shipping cases

A container for pancakes of recording tape has an L-shaped base, mandrels extending horizontally from the base on which pancakes are placed, and a cover which encloses the pancakes. A compression ring provides a compression load to hold the pancakes together. The compression ring is placed around and rotated onto the outside of the mandrel. The compression ring includes an inner ring and an outer ring which engage each other. The outer ring is rotated relative the inner ring to apply the pressure on the pancake cores. Alternatively, the compression load is applied by a callapsible, one-piece unit. Two retractable wings are mounted on the free end of the mandrel and extend to engage the pancake cores. Rotation of a shaft forces the wings toward the pancakes to apply the compression load.

Reusable container for tape pancakes

A blow molded box having (1) corner structures including hollow post-like supports against an outer polymeric sheet defining the corner, which supports are formed in inner polymeric sheets defining the inner surfaces of the intersecting walls at the corner; (2) dust resistant hinge that has central parts that engage when the box is opened or closed to retain the relative positions of those central parts against radial movement; and (3) locating portions on the sidewalls of the box that engage mating locating portions on the sidewalls of adjacent similar boxes to restrict slippage between the boxes and facilitate carrying a stack of the boxes, but which are resiliently flexible so that they do not greatly restrict removing the box from between adjacent boxes stored side by side on a shelf or hanging from a support member.

Blow molded box

An over-center toggle latch which can be integrally molded with the first and second members of a case. The over-center toggle latch includes a hinge arm that has first and second spaced ends. A first living hinge attaches the first end of the hinge arm to the first case member. A second living hinge is for coupling a lever arm to the second end of the hinge arm. An engagement member-receiving seat is formed on the second member of the case. An engagement member is mounted to the lever arm and is spaced from the second hinge. The engagement member pivotally engages the seat with the hinge arm in an over-center position with respect to the engagement member. The latch is configured for use with first and second case members that have sides and edges. When the first and second case members are secured by the latch, the edges are generally coplanar and perpendicular to the sides. When latched, the latch arm is positioned within recesses in the edges while the handle is positioned within a recess in the second member.

Integral over-center toggle latch for use with a molded case

A lock assembly for a shipping case includes a rotatable knob received within an aperture of a lid. A latch bar rotatable with the knob is engageable with a ramped ledge in a protruding hub of the base. Rotating the knob secures the shipping case lid to the base. The knob includes a lock operator pivotally attached within a channel formed in a bowl of the knob. A lock beam of the lock operator, upon rotation of the knob, is engageable with any one of a plurality of detents formed in the lid that define the open, closed and locked states of the shipping case. A resilient spring plank formed integrally with the lock operator engages a recess formed in the knob and acts to bias the lock beam into engagement with the detents. A fastener assembly mounts the latch bar to the knob.

Lock for magnetic tape reel shipping case

Reel case

A triple-action latch assembly for a shipping case having first and second housing members includes a U-shaped flexible slide movably received on a T-shaped rail associated with the first housing member. The T-shaped rail includes a notch configured to receive a tab associated with the second housing member. When the slide is moved from an open state to a locked state, the tab is trapped within the notch. The slide includes a first detent engageable with an end portion of the rail to secure the slide against movement. The slide further includes a second detent defined by a latch bar having a latch beam engageable with a first cavity in the rail to further secure the slide against movement relative to the T-shaped rail. When the first detent is lifted out of engagement with the rail and the second detent is simultaneously depressed to lift the latch beam out of engagement with the first cavity, the latch assembly can be slid to the open state. In this position, the latch beam engages a second cavity located within the rail and the first detent engages a third cavity also located in the T-shaped rail. The second and third cavities include sloped and inclined surfaces, respectively, that act to automatically cam the latch beam and first detent out of the second and third cavities, respectively, to permit the slide to be merely moved from the open state to the locked state.

Growing community of inventors

Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

Gerald J Niles