3m Innovative Properties Company

Jeffrey J Schwab

Audrey A Sherman

David J Kinning

Wendi J Winkler

Patrick S Seleski

Kevin M Eliason

Gregory D Kostuch

Stephen C P Joseph

James F Pitzen

Dominic M Pitera

Patrick J Hager

John J Rogers

Michael J Ulsh

Steven R Raphaelson

Richard L Peloquin

Roy Stubbs

John I Escoto, Jr

Robert H Heil

John R Jacobson

Jon E Stickrod

Larry Allan Schleif

Gary N Brotherton

Corey J Radloff

Susan M Endle

Colin D Sinclair

Anna B Baker

Kin-Chau Chan

John I Escoto

Provided are devices for coating a contoured surface or a three-dimensional structure, and methods of making and using the same. The devices have geometries that are in point contact with the contoured surface. The geometries are substantially rigid and are provided by a flexible applicator. In this way, the flexible applicator permits conformance to the surface contours, along with rigid point contact that provides uniform and consistent coverage of liquid material. Specifically, the devices comprise a handle and an applicator pliantly affixed to the handle, the applicator comprising a plurality of spaced geometries. The devices meter film-forming coating liquids onto contoured surfaces or three-dimensional structures to form uniform coatings and resulting uniform films.

Devices for coating contoured surfaces

A masking strip for masking the interior surfaces of a gap between two substrates to be painted is provided, the strip comprising: a backing having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having an adhesive region to fix the masking strip to an interior surface of the gap; a gap filler extending from the backing and adapted to prevent paint flow into the gap; wherein the first surface of the backing is also provided with a spacing means adapted to space the backing of the masking strip away from the interior surface of the gap to which the strip is fixed, and wherein the masking strip is pre-formed.

Masking strip

Reinforced articles particularly adapted for use in combination with an adhesive to form reinforced adhesive tape articles that are stretchable as well as hand-tearable along with being highly conformable and cinchable.

Stretchable, hand-tearable, conformable, and cinchable reinforced adhesive tape articles

Provided are tinted or tintable and clear films formed from liquid tint material, and methods of making and using the same. Such films are useful to application to substrates such as glass, specifically windows on vehicles, to reduce glare from the sun, reject heat, provide protection from UV rays, and create a unique or decorative look to the vehicle. The films dry into a smooth and clear thin film. The film-forming liquid tint materials comprise: an aqueous polymeric dispersion; a tinting agent dispersed in the aqueous polymeric dispersion; wherein upon contact with a substrate, the film-forming liquid tint material dries to a film that is clear and tintable. The tinting agents, in particular, photoactive components, can be encapsulated in a plurality of ORMOSIL nanoparticles.

Liquid tint materials and films made therefrom

The invention relates to compatibilized release compositions useful in release layers of release articles (e.g., release liners) and adhesive articles (e.g., pressure sensitive adhesive tapes). The compatibilized release compositions comprise a mixture of a thermoplastic olefin-based polymer comprising an acid or a base functionality and a polymeric release material comprising an acid or a base functionality. The functionality of the thermoplastic olefin-based polymer and the functionality of the polymeric release material are selected to provide an acid-base interaction.

Release compositions and articles made therefrom

Adhesive tapes (e.g., duct tapes) having a backing comprising a compatibilized release composition are reported. The compatibilized release composition comprises a thermoplastic olefin-based polymer comprising an acid or a base functionality and a polymeric release material comprising an acid or a base functionality. The functionality of the thermoplastic olefin-based polymer and the functionality of the polymeric release material provide an acid-base interaction that compatibilizes the release composition.

Adhesive tape

A roll of masking material comprising a coiled elongate thin flexible sheet, which sheet has longitudinal folds defining, in some embodiments with elongate edges of the sheet, edges of longitudinally extending portions of said sheet. Those longitudinally extending portions of the sheet include pleat-like portions of the sheet each having opposite major surfaces generally parallel with the axis of the roll, which pleat-like portions are superimposed major surfaces to major surfaces to form a laminate with outermost ones of the superimposed pleat like portions defining the opposite outer surfaces of the laminate. At least some of the edges of the superimposed pleat like portions are positioned generally radially aligned at the first end of the roll, and the longitudinally extending portions of the sheet further including a first radial portion extending radially along the radially aligned edges at the first end of the roll from the edge of one of the outermost pleat like portions at the first end of the roll, and a first distal portion having one of the elongate edges of the sheet and extending for a short distance along the outer surface of the laminate toward the second end of the roll from the edge of the first radial portion opposite the outer most pleat to which the first radial portion is attached. If the sheet has longitudinal edges they may be separably attached, having been formed by longitudinally scoring a tube of the sheet material during manufacture of the roll. Also, a large percentage of the folded sheet can be positioned adjacent one end of the roll to facilitate cutting it on a dispenser.

Roll of longitudinally folded masking material

Growing community of inventors

Inver Grove Heights, MN, United States of America

Jeffrey J Schwab