3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

James J Kobe

Leon Levitt

Bradley D Zinke

Zhiming Zhou

Raymond Patrick Johnston

Rolf W Biernath

Shih-Lai Lu

Cathleen M Arsenault

Junkang Jacob Liu

Susan K Nestegard

Paul D Graham

John G Petersen

John D Moon

Kimberly K Harmon

Bradley S Momchilovich

Forrest J Rouser

Cameron T Murray

Robert V Heiti

Charles D Wright

Raymond R Rivera

Thomas E Boettcher

Rodger J Pereyra

Scott J Tuman

David James Yarusso

Jason A Chesley

Graham M Clarke

Dennis Earl Ferguson

Nathan J Anderson

Robert D Kampfer

Steven E Turch

Maurice E Freeman

Thomas B Galush

Timothy N Narum

Douglas A Davis

Thomas E Pahl

Brian T Hargrett

John T Simpson

J Thomas Simpson

Patrick J Fischer

Frank J Armatis, Jr

Robert G Shaw

Brian W Lueck

Charles R Wald

Roger T Hager

James D LaPerre

Stephanie B Castiglione

Yugeun P Yang

Thomas L Tompkins

Jonathan T Kahl

Sara B Mortenson

Vern E Radewald

Carey J Eckhardt

Taylor J Kobe

Gene R Ward

Christopher J Lee

Cheryl D Jones

Philip D Black

John A Harrison

Alesia A Stowman

Eric V Malmberg

Jolin A Harrison

Marti Marie Joyer Platta

Kaitlyn M Lahti

Chase M O'BRIEN

Victor F Vance

Ann Marie Przepasniak

Damien Latron

Bridget E Nyland

Various embodiments disclosed relate to an abrasive sheet. The abrasive sheet includes a first layer including an abrasive major surface and an opposite second layer defining a second major surface. The second major surface includes a plurality of protrusions extending outwardly from the second major surface. The protrusions include a first polymer component having at least one of a Shore A hardness ranging from about 5 to about 100 and a Shore D hardness ranging from about 1 to about 70. The first layer and the second layer are directly joined to each other.

Abrasive sheet including a plurality of protrusions

An abrasive article is provided that has a backing having opposed first and second major surfaces, an abrasive layer disposed on the first major surface, and a plurality of protrusions extending outwardly from the second major surface. The protrusions comprise a polymer having a Shore A hardness ranging from 5 to 90. These articles provide an alternative sanding solution enabling abrasive articles lacking an attachment layer to be handled effectively and efficiently, providing for a technically superior abrasive sheet on the marketplace that does not use or require an attachment layer.

Abrasive articles, assemblies, and methods with gripping material

Systems and methods for optimizing body and object interactions are provided. Based on obtained contact pressure maps and coefficient of friction (COF) maps at a contact interface where at least a portion of a body is in physical contact with a surface of an object, friction force maps can be determined, which can be used to optimize body and object interactions.

System and method for optimizing body and object interactions

A stem web is disclosed that comprises a backing layer having a first surface and a second surface, and an array of 600 to 20000 upstanding stems projecting from the first surface of the backing. The stems comprise a height from 0.3 and 2.0 millimeters and a shore hardness less than 90A. In one embodiment, the stem web further comprises a reinforcing layer secured to the second surface. In one embodiment, the stem web is secured to a tool to be passed across a surface to be cleaned to capture lint and hair.

Stem web

In one aspect, the invention provides a foam thermal interface material comprising a foamed film, the film comprising a blend of polymeric hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive having a number average molecular weight of greater than 25,000 and at least 25 percent by weight of thermally conductive filler, said film having a void volume of at least 5 percent of the volume of said foamed film.

Thermally conducting foam interface materials

In one aspect, the invention provides a method of making a thermal interface material comprising the steps of: (a) providing a polymeric hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive having a number average molecular weight of greater than 25,000; (b) melt-blending the polymer with at least 25 weight percent of a thermally conductive filler to form a mixture; and (c) forming the mixture of hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive and thermally conductive filler as a film. In another aspect, the invention may further comprise the steps of: providing a fire retardant and/or microfiber forming material; and/or irradiating the film with gamma or electron beam (E-beam) radiation or a combination of both to form a thermal interface material.

Thermal interface materials and method of making thermal interface materials

A foam adhesive article is provided comprising a polymeric foam material having an outer surface, the outer surface of the polymeric foam material having adhesive properties; and fibrous reinforcing material, the fibrous reinforcing material dispersed within the polymeric foam material and imparting stretch release properties to the article. A method for preparing the foam adhesive article is also described comprising (a) melt mixing a foamable polymer composition, and a fiber forming resin to form an expandable extrudable composition; and (b) extruding the expandable extrudable composition through a die to provide the foam adhesive article.

Stretch releasable foams, articles including same and methods for the manufacture thereof

A friction control article including a backing layer having a first surface with an array of at least 100 upstanding stems per square inch and a second surface. At least a portion of the upstanding stems is an elastomeric material and the stems have an aspect ratio of at least 1.25. The first surface has a static coefficient of friction when dry of at least 0.6 and a static coefficient of friction when wet within 20% of the static coefficient of friction when dry. The first surface has a peel strength and a tensile strength of substantially zero when engaged with another slip control article. The first surface has a relatively high shear strength when engaged with another slip control article. The high shear forces are due primarily to the frictional properties of the elastomeric materials, not a mechanical interlock of the stems, such as on a mechanical fastener.

Method for defining a frictional interface

The present invention provides a multi-layer tape, comprising: a first adhesive layer comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive; a core layer having an outer surface, the first adhesive layer adhered to at least a portion of the outer surface; and fibrous reinforcing material dispersed within the core layer, the fibrous reinforcing material imparting stretch release properties to the tape. The tape may comprise a second adhesive layer wherein the outer surface comprises a first major surface and a second major surface, the first adhesive layer being adhered to the first major surface, and the second adhesive layer being adhered to the second major surface. A fire retardant may be disposed in any of the first adhesive layer, the second adhesive layer, and the core layer. The tape may be cleanly removable. The fibrous reinforcing material typically comprises substantially continuous viscoelastic microfibers having a yield strength and a tensile break strength, and the tensile break strength is at least about 150% of the yield strength. In another aspect, the tapes of the invention may be formulated to be cleanly removable without including fibrous reinforcing material therein. The invention also provides a method for the manufacture of the foregoing tape as well as an assembly comprising: a substrate; a carpet overlying the substrate; and a tape according to the invention disposed between the carpet and the substrate and adhering the carpet to the substrate.

Cleanly removable tapes and methods for the manufacture thereof

A method of producing an adhesive article including the steps of applying release coating compound(s) to a second side of a liner backing; applying an adhesive onto a first side of said coated liner backing; crosslinking said adhesive with E-Beam radiation applied through the second side of said liner backing; and winding said article into a roll.

Method of preparing an adhesive article

The invention provides an assembly for the control and removal of fluids, the assembly comprising: A fluid control layer having a top side and a bottom side, the top side constructed to facilitate the evaporation or the flow of a fluid disposed thereon; a fire retardant material having a first major surface and a second major surface, the first major surface associated with the bottom side of the fluid control layer, the fire retardant material comprising a polymer; and an adhesive layer associated with the second major surface of the fire retardant material. A fluid management system for aircraft and a method for the use of the system in aircraft are also described.

Fluid transport assemblies with flame retardant properties

This disclosure relates to a method for making a polymeric article mold, a method for making a polymeric article with that mold, and improved surface topography features for a polymeric article. A prototype article is formed and then coated with a thin conductive layer. The coated prototype article is then electroformed until nickel plated to a sufficient depth to define a nickel plating tool. After the prototype article has been removed from the mold face of the nickel tool, the tool can be used as a mold for forming finished polymeric articles which replicate the original prototype article. The use of fine topography features such as a dense upstanding stem array on the surface of the prototype article facilitates accurate and complete electroforming by increased surface area presentation. The disclosure also presents improvements to microreplicated surface structures such as stem arrays. The improvements include the formation on a stem array having separate zones of stems of differing heights, and the formation of directional microreplicated features (e.g., stems) which are oriented and shaped to promote or restrict frictional interaction in one or more particular directions.

Method for making a molded polymeric article

An adhesive article including a liner having a first side and a second side; and an adhesive having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface of the adhesive contacts the first side of the liner, wherein the article has been exposed to E-Beam radiation through the second side of the liner, and wherein the article has been wound upon itself causing the second side of the liner to come into contact with the first surface of the adhesive, and wherein the second side of the liner to the first surface of the adhesive have a release value that is less than the release value of the first side of the liner to the second surface of the adhesive. A method of producing an adhesive article including the steps of applying release coating compound(s) to a second side of a liner backing; applying an adhesive onto a first side of said coated liner backing; crosslinking said adhesive with E-Beam radiation applied through the second side of said liner backing; and winding said article into a roll.

Adhesive article and method of preparing

Friction control article for wet and dry applications

A method and apparatus for forming a mechanical fastener. A preferred embodiment of the method includes moving a substrate along a web path, where the substrate includes a first major surface and a plurality of stems extending from the first major surface of the substrate and each of the stems includes a stem end, radiantly heating the stem ends to form softened ends, and thereafter deforming the softened ends into convex heads with a deformable surface. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus includes a web conveyor, where the web conveyor defines a web path, a heating source located adjacent the web conveyor and a deformable surface located down the web path from the heating source, where the deformable surface includes a durometer hardness of greater than 10 Shore OO and less than 70 Shore A.

Apparatus and method for making a mechanical fastener

Growing community of inventors

Newport, MN, United States of America

James J Kobe