Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Other

3M Innovative Properties Company

James F Sanders

Larry D Rich

Clifford Norman MacDonald

Gerard H Kinderman

L Max Hurlocker

David B Olson

William M Lamanna

Mark J Pellerite

Mario Alberto Perez

Edward J Woo

Claire A Jalbert

Elsie Anderson Fohrenkamm

Robert Steven Kody

Gaye K Lehman

Troy K Ista

David J Schreifels

A novel rake minimally consists of: at least two tine frames, each tine frame having a plurality of tines coupled thereto; a tine frame coupling for coupling to proximal ends of each of the tine frames; pivot mechanisms coupled between the tine frames and the tine frame coupling; a rake handle coupled at a proximal end to the tine frame coupling, and adapted for being grasped at a distal end for raking activity; and a locking mechanism adapted to lock the tine frames into an operational raking configuration, and adapted to unlock the tine frames for transition to a non-raking stowage configuration. When the tine frames are unlocked, the tine frames are adapted to have their distal ends pivoted toward the distal end of the rake handle into the stowage configuration with the distal ends of the tine frames being at least in close proximity of the rake handle.

Collapsible rake

The present invention relates to the field of toughening and reinforcing brittle matrix materials, and more specifically to the structural fibers made from an oriented film, which enhance the toughness of matrix materials such as concrete, cement, and other cementitious products.

Toughened cementitious composites

Fiber reinforced brittle matrix composites are disclosed with improved mechanical properties. The composites comprise extensible, somewhat elastic fibers and hardened brittle matrix materials. The fibers are positioned to support the composite in a three dimensional manner. Temporary tension forces are applied to some of the fibers before the matrix has completely hardened. The resulting three dimensional array of aligned fibers acts to improve the properties of the composite by providing self-compression. Self-compression is enabled by the alignment and stored elastic energy resulting from the temporary tension and from other deformations acting with the fiber network. The composites have improved response to challenges such as matrix shrinkage during hardening or bending forces and impacts. The invention is particularly useful with brittle, high modulus matrixes, such as cementitious materials and elastic fibers such as polymeric fibers. The composites are useful as structural members and as barriers to protect materials such as steel or fiberglass and articles such as plastic pipes. Selected composites of this invention can exhibit self-healing after having been damaged by destructive deformations.

Composites under self-compression

A poly-.alpha.-olefin:fluoroalkene diblock polymer useful as a lubricant and having a linking moiety of a heteroatom or a heteroatom-containing group linking a poly-.alpha.-olefin oligomeric unit with a fluoroalkene oligomeric unit and being miscible in hydrofluorocarbons or a mixture of hydrofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons and the miscible composition useful as compressor fluids.

Lubricants for compressor fluids

Methods and articles for reinforcing castable compositions through the use of reinforcing elements maintained in a close-packed alignment in a dispersible containment means.

Reinforcing elements for castable composition

Reinforcing elements for castable compositions

A self-emulsifying, liquid treatment composition comprises the polysiloxane reaction product of (a) at least one alkoxysilane, alkoxysiloxane, or siloxane compound comprising at least one hydrophobic moiety selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, and alkaryl moieties; (b) at least one alkoxysilane, alkoxysiloxane, or siloxane compound comprising at least one hydrophilic moiety selected from the group consisting of protonated and unprotonated azaalkyl and silyl-containing azaalkyl moieties; and (c) at least one fluorine-containing alkoxysilane compound which is capable of reaction with component (a) and/or component (b) and which comprises at least one perfluoroalkyl group having at least four carbon atoms and optionally containing one or more catenary ether oxygen atoms. The composition can be used to render substrates, especially porous substrates (e.g., concrete, wood, or masonry), both water- and oil-repellent.

Masonry treatment composition

This invention is a photoconductive assembly comprising an electroconductive substrate, a photoconductive layer on a surface of the electroconductive substrate, and a release layer over the photoconductive layer wherein the release layer comprises a silicone polymer which has a bimodal distribution of chain lengths between cross-links.

Release layer for photoconductors

The present invention relates to organosilane compounds used for treating porous substrates to render them repellent to water-based and oil-based challenges and to enhance the cleanibility of the protected surfaces from such challenges.

Aqueous dispersable oil and water repellent silane masonry penetrants

A process for producing an imaged article with little or no residual dye stain and with a colored image involving the steps of:

Bleaching of dyes in photosensitive systems

Subbing layers on carrier elements for use with photopolymerizable, photosolubilizable, and photodepolymerizable compositions are advantageously comprised of polyureas and polybiuret polymer.

Subbed supports for imaging materials

Spectral sensitizing dyes which sensitize photoinitiators and disperse in aqueous solutions are desirable in photosensitive systems where precise color rendition is important.

Spectral sensitizing dyes in photopolymerizable systems

Photopolymerizable compositions containing thermally-softenable, developer resistive polymeric binders are particularly useful in image transfer systems and processes.

Resist imageable photopolymerizable compositions

A lithographic concentrate capable of being mixed with water to provide a lithographic fountain solution comprising a low molecular weight polyacrylic acid, colloidal silica and, preferably, phosphate ion.

Growing community of inventors

Houlton, WI, United States of America

James F Sanders