Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Properties Company

T3 Innovations, Inc.

James G Berg

Clyde D Calhoun

Jennifer Mary Aamodt

David C Koskenmaki

Robert S Reylek

Kurt J Halverson

William Keith Leonard

Jean Qiu

Ai-Ping Wei

Donley D Rowenhorst

Peter F Cullen

Brian T Hargrett

Todd A Berg

James L White

Raymond Patrick Johnston

Mark Kevitt Debe

James Gregory Bentsen

Peter D Wickert

Michael G Williams

Gary E Krejcarek

Harlan L Krinke

Philip D Hinderaker

Robert M Swinehart

Ta-Sheng Wei

Tamara J Adamson

Richard J Tollefson

A unitary polymer substrate having a plurality of microfibers projecting from a surface is provided. The presence of the microfibers greatly increases the surface area and can impart a cloth-like feel to the surface. The projecting microfibers may have a variety of forms, including frayed-end microfibers, tapered microfibers, microfibers having an expanded cross-sectional shape, and microfibers having a very high aspect ratio. A number of methods of producing unitary polymer structures with a plurality of projecting microfibers are also provided.

Methods for making microstructured polymer substrates

A method for detecting a microorganism in a test sample is described. The method involves distributing microvolumes of a sample to a plurality of microcompartments of a culture device, incubating for a time sufficient to permit at least one cell division cycle of the microorganism, then detecting the presence or absence of the microorganism in the microcompartments. Also disclosed are devices for carrying out these methods.

Method and devices for detecting and enumerating microorganisms

Unitary polymer substrate having napped surface of frayed end microfibers

A mechanical fastener. A preferred embodiment of the invention provides a mechanical fastener including engaging stems having heads with demarcation lines. The present invention also provides a method of making a mechanical fastener that includes placing a layer of heated material on stem ends to soften the stem ends and deforming the softened stem ends into convex heads.

Mechanical fastener and method for making the same

A method for partitioning an aqueous biological liquid sample into discrete microvolumes for detection and enumeration of microorganisms is described. The method involves distributing microvolumes of a sample to a plurality of hydrophilic liquid-retaining zones of a culture device, where each liquid-retaining zone is surrounded by a portion of a hydrophobic &ldquo;land&rdquo; area. Also disclosed are devices for carrying out these methods.

Method and devices for partitioning biological sample liquids into microvolumes

A method of making abrasive particles having a specified shape and abrasive articles containing abrasive particles having a specified shape. The method for preparing such an abrasive particle comprises the steps of: (a) providing a dispersion containing particles of a precursor of alpha alumina, preferably particles of alpha alumina monohydrate, in a liquid, which liquid comprises a volatile component; (b) providing a mold having a first surface and a second surface opposed to said first surface, said first surface having an opening to a mold cavity having a specified shape; (c) introducing the dispersion into said mold cavity; (d) removing a sufficient portion of the volatile component of the liquid from the dispersion while the dispersion is in the mold cavity, to form a precursor of an abrasive particle having approximately the same shape as the shape of the recess of the mold cavity; (e) removing the precursor of the abrasive particle from the recess of the mold; (f) calcining the removed precursor of the abrasive particle; and (g) sintering the calcined precursor to form the desired abrasive particle.

Shaped abrasive particles and method of making same

A fastener and a method of fastening articles employing the fastener are provided. The fastener includes a fastener element adapted to be mated in an interlocking arrangement to a complementary fastener element. The fastener element has a plurality of mating cavities. The mating cavities include a mating surface which is adapted to interlockingly engage a mating element projecting from the complementary fastener element.

Dual structured fastener elements

A tape for adhering to rough surfaces in which an adhesive layer is adhered to a backing in a manner to allow discontinuities of adhesion between the backing and the adhesive layer. The backing is deformable and recoverable to form a generally smooth surface.

Tape for rough surfaces

The present invention provides a method for improving hockey sticks. The method includes the steps of applying a heat shrinkable film cover member to the blade of the hockey stick and exposing the cover member to a source of heat sufficiently hot to shrink it relative to the blade. The cover member is generally tubular, taking the form of an open-ended sleeve, and may include a thickened, textured portion for providing a puck contacting surface. The invention is intended to include a hockey stick carrying a shrunken heat shrinkable cover member.

Hockey stick blade cover and method

A method of making abrasive particles having a specified shape and abrasive articles containing abrasive particles having a specified shape. The method for preparing such an abrasive particle comprises the steps of: (a) providing a dispersion of comprising particles that can be converted into alpha alumina, preferably particles of alpha alumina monohydrate, in a liquid, which liquid comprises a volatile component, preferably water; (b) providing a mold having a first generally planar surface and a second surface opposed to said first surface, said first surface having an opening to a mold cavity having a specified shape; (c) introducing the dispersion into the mold cavity in such a way that no exposed surface of the dispersion that has been introduced into the mold will extend substantially beyond the plane formed by the first surface of the mold; (d) removing a sufficient portion of the volatile component from the dispersion while the dispersion is in the mold cavity, thereby forming a precursor of an abrasive particle having a shape approximately corresponding to the shape of the mold cavity; (e) removing the precursor of the abrasive particle from the mold cavity; (f) calcining the removed precursor of the abrasive particle; and (g) sintering the calcined precursor to form the desired abrasive particle.

An edhesive tape has a flexible carrier web that has a low-adhesion face formed with a predetermined pattern of dimples, each of which contains a plurality of electrically conductive particles that can either be loose or bound together into clusters by a binder. An adhesive layer covers said face and deposited particles and can be a pressure-sensitive adhesive or a heat-activatable adhesive. When the adhesive layer is separated from the carrier web, it carries along the particles. When the particle-bearing adhesive layer is used to bond together two arrays of electrodes, facing pairs of the electrodes are electrically interconnected either by single particles or by clusters of the particles. When a binder is used to bind the electrically conductive particles into clusters, the binder can add to the strength of the adhesive bond between the electrode-bearing surfaces.

Electrically conductive adhesive tape

An anisotropically conductive polymeric matrix comprising a polymeric layer having conductive members extending substantially through the thickness thereof, said conductive members comprising a coating of a conductive material, and a process for making same.

Anisotropically conductive polymeric matrix

Multiple-connector tape has a flexible backing carrying a pattern of longitudinally electrically conductive stripes, each having an overlying adhesive band, each edge of which precisely follows an edge of the underlying conductive stripe. The adhesive bands may contain silver particles having thicknesses exceeding that of the adhesive between particles so that the terminals of an electrical device can be electrically connected through the particles to the longitudinally conductive stripes when the tape is adhered by its adhesive to the device. Electrical connections can be made in the absence of such particles when the stripes are metal foil having embossings which protrude through the adhesive.

Method of making multiple-connector adhesive tape

Insulated sheet material useful for making bonded electrical connections, especially to sets of small side-by-side terminal pads. In one typical form, the sheet material is an elongated tape comprising an elongated insulating web; a plurality of narrow spaced parallel elongated electrically conductive stripes on the web; electrically conductive adhesive disposed over the stripes comprising a layer of adhesive material in which are dispersed a monolayer of rather thick electrically conductive particles; and a thin electrically insulating layer disposed over the conductive adhesive and which is nontacky or poorly tacky at room temperature, provides high electrical resistance throughout the layer to the conductive particles, softens to an adhesive and flowable condition upon heating to an elevated temperature, and upon cooling to room temperature assumes a firm and substantially nonflowable condition. Such a connector tape is readily handleable and free from conductive bonding at room temperature but when laid over a set of adjacent spaced terminal pads with the electrically conductive stripes in registry with the pads, and pressed and heated, the conductive particles penetrate through the insulating layer to make electrical connection to the pads.

Growing community of inventors

Lino Lakes, MN, United States of America

James G Berg