3m Innovative Properties Company

Other

James N Dobbs

Daniel H Carlson

John S Huizinga

John T Strand

Ronald P Swanson

Gregory F King

William Vogel Dower

Mikhail L Pekurovsky

Shawn C Dodds

David W Kuhns

Samad Javid

Satinder K Nayar

Karl K Stensvad

Kara A Meyers

Tyler J Rattray

Serge Wetzels

Donald L Pochardt

Dennis Earl Ferguson

Stanley Rendon

Larry D Humlicek

Thelma E Hunter, Legal Representative

Thomas B Hunter

Olester Benson, Jr

Donald George Peterson

Peter T Benson

Jeremy K Larsen

M Benton Free

Glen A Jerry

Vincent W King

Haiyan Zhang

Daniel J Theis

Robert B Secor

Eric Joseph Hanson

Brian W Lueck

Scott L Ciliske

Luther E Erickson

David C Kramlich

John R Jacobson

Alan Paul Miller

Eric A Vandre

Jeffrey J Missling

John R Wheeler

Samuel W Hunter

Samuel Hunter, Legal Representative

David B Pritchard

Vincent W S King

Michael Benton Free

Robert L Brott

Matthew S Stay

Eric J Hanson

Jon A Kirschhoffer

Alan C Miller

Charles A Marttila

Dale L Ehnes

Michael J Sykora

Stephen K Eckhardt

Graham M Clarke

Brian Kenneth Nelson

Ann M Gilman

Michele A Craton

Matthew R D Smith

William C Egbert

Jennifer Rebecca Yi

Katherine A Brown

William R Dudley

Randy S Bay

David L Hofeldt

Andrew J Henderson

Gary A Shreve

Frank William Klink

Saurabh Batra

Samuel Kidane

Yugeun P Yang

Jane K Wardhana

Kevin T Reddy

Elisa J Collins

John Scott Edwards

Grant F Tiefenbruck

Amy J Hite

Brian E Schreiber

Kevin T Grove

Mark J Zach

Andrzej P Jaworski

Brittni M Schiewer

Joseph B Farley

Angela S McLEAN

Alan G Hulme-Lowe

Samual W Hunter, Legal Representative

Adam W Kiefer

Thelma Hunter

Matthew R Smith

Wayne D Meredyk

Chrispian E Shelton

Ameeta R Goyal

Thomas A Mahler

Paul J Cordes

Angela S Mclean

Jennifer R Yi

Methods and apparatuses for roll coating are provided. The roll coating system () includes a coating roll () having a deformable inner layer () with a surface thereof covered by a deformable outer layer (), the inner layer being softer than the outer layer. A substrate () is conveyed to the nip () between the coating roll and a back-up roll (). A metered coating material is transferred from the coating roll to a patterned surface structure () of the substrate at the nip to form a conformal coating on the patterned structure of the substrate.

Roll coating using metered coating roll including deformable layers

Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings on a moving web are provided. A coating die and a back-up roll engage with each other. The back-up roll includes a shell rotatably supported by a pressurized air layer. When a coating material is dispensed from the coating die onto the web to form a liquid coating, the pressure of the air layer is controlled such that the shell translates in space to balance forces from the air layer and the coating bead, while the web is being translated to drive the shell.

Die coating on air supported shell

A printing system () including a printing roll () is provided. The printing roll () includes an elastically deformable and compressible inner layer () and a thin outer shell () to cover the inner layer (). The thin outer shell () includes a pattern of raised print features () to receive ink material thereon. The inner layer () is softer and thicker than the thin outer shell (), and optionally, the thin outer shell () is removable from the inner layer (). The inner layer () of the printing roll () has a thickness, a compression force deflection value and an elastically-deformable compressibility such that the raised print features () of the printing roll () do not slide or deform with respect to the printed web () in an amount to generate a substantially visible dot gain.

Printing system and method including printing roll having elastically deformable and compressible thick inner layer

Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings () on a moving web () are provided. A slot die () and a back-up roll () engage with each other. The back-up roll has a deformable inner layer () with a surface thereof covered by a deformable outer layer (). The slot die and the flexible web at a contacting area are impressed into the back-up roll with an engagement depth D, which enables formation of a coating having a substantially uniform thickness.

Method of slot die coating over deformable back-up roll

Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings on a baggy web are provided. A Mayer rod and a back-up roll engage with each other to form a nip. The back-up roll has a deformable inner layer with a surface thereof covered by a deformable outer layer. The Mayer rod and the flexible web at a contacting area are impressed into the back-up roll with a machine-direction nip width W and a nip engagement depth D, which enables formation of a coating having a substantially uniform thickness.

Method and apparatus for coating on baggy web

A powder deagglomerator includes a vertical flow chamber, a powder inlet tube, and an ultrasonic horn vibrationally coupled to an ultrasonic transducer. The vertical flow chamber includes an outer wall, powder outlet port, and a mounting port sealably engaging an ultrasonic horn. The powder inlet tube extends through the outer wall and is aligned to dispense agglomerated powder in a gaseous stream downward onto a distal end of the ultrasonic horn. A method of using the powder deagglomerator to deagglomerate a powder is also disclosed.

Powder deagglomerator and method of deagglomerating a powder

Methods and apparatuses for applying liquid coatings are provided. A first roll (), a second roll (), and a nip () formed between the first and second rolls are provided. A coating liquid () is supplied to the nip. The coating liquid is smoothed, via the nip, into a substantially uniform layer () of liquid coating which is transferred to a substrate (). The second roll () includes a thin metal shell () and a resilient layer (), the thin metal shell encases the resilient layer therebeneath, and the thin metal shell is capable of deflecting in unison with the resilient layer such that the thin metal shell is elastically deformable at the nip when in contact with the first roll ().

Liquid coating method and apparatus with a deformable metal roll

A system and method for controlling curl in multi-layer webs. The method can include providing a coated web, curing the coating to form a multi-layer web, and stretching the web during curing of the coating. Some coatings shrink at least partially when cured such that curing the coating induces a strain in the multi-layer web. Stretching the web occurs during curing to induce an opposing strain that at least partially counteracts the strain induced by curing to form a multi-layer web having a desired curvature. The system can include a curing section configured to cure the coating, and can further include a web stretching section, which can be located proximate the curing section and can be substantially coincident with the curing section, such that the web is stretched while the coating is cured.

System and method for controlling curl in multi-layer webs

An apparatus for steering a web, including a web path having at least one steering roller and an exit roller, each having a mount; wherein the steering roller(s) each have an axis of rotation and wherein the mounts for the steering roller(s) can pivot those axes with a total of two degrees of freedom. An array comprising a plurality of sensors for monitoring the position of the web is present connected to a controller so as to determine the position and angular orientation of the web. The controller adjusts the pivot(s) of the mount(s) so as to control the angular orientation and the lateral position of the web at a particular point along the web path.

Apparatus for guiding a moving web

A web path for conveying a web material includes at least two support rollers contacting a single major surface of the web material, wherein the web material is of indefinite length and has a first and a second edge. A first support roller contacts a first edge region of the web material, and a second support roller contacts a second edge region of the web material such that the web material has a substantial un-contacted region between the first and the second support roller including at least about 50% of the width of the web material. At least one of the first support roller and the second support roller are supported on a bowed shaft such that at least one of the first and second support rollers is angled with respect to the direction of motion of the web.

Edge contact substrate transport method and apparatus

A manufacturing system includes a sensing system that provides high-resolution feedback for web guiding and tension control. The system may be especially useful for web material that is manufactured to include micro-replicated structures with micron size scale. A micro-replication station forms a pattern of micro-replicated lenses on a web material. The sensing system illuminates a measurement area on the web material and detects an angular distribution of light exiting a set of the micro-replicated lenses within the first measurement area. A control system that adjusts at least one process control parameter of the transport system based on the detected angular distribution.

Precision control of web material having micro-replicated lens array

An apparatus () for steering a web (), including a web path having at least one steering roller () and an exit roller (), each having a mount; wherein the steering roller(s) () each have an axis of rotation and wherein the mounts for the steering roller(s) () can pivot those axes with a total of two degrees of freedom. An array () comprising a plurality of sensors () for monitoring the position of the web () is present connected to a controller so as to determine the position and angular orientation of the web (). The controller adjusts the pivot(s) of the mount(s) so as to control the angular orientation and the lateral position of the web () at a particular point along the web path.

Injection molding parts onto a carrier web located between mold halves, each mold half having a cavity, resulting in molded articles having parts on both sides of the carrier web. Polymer flow into the cavities is assisted by application of ultrasonic energy to the mold. After the molding operation, mold halves are separated, and the carrier web is advanced, or indexed, to a next position for another molding sequence. Articles produced include lenses with part of the carrier web between lens halves, and a carrier web bearing an array of molded parts.

Web with molded articles on both sides

A roofing system and article for installation on a roof deck. The roofing article includes a body having an upper portion and an underside. A first channel is defined within the upper portion. The first channel includes an inlet. A second channel is defined intermediate the underside of the body and the roof deck. The second channel is operably connected to the first channel through an orifice, such that the outside air can enter the second channel through the orifice.

Above-deck roof venting article

A web-handling machine frame, at least partially built from reconfigurable interconnected blocks having precision alignment points. From such blocks, modular equipment web-handling lines for web-handling operations can be constructed ad hoc with their shaft mounted web-contacting devices in tram without the need for separate alignment procedures.

Web-handling machine frame

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

James N Dobbs