Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Properties Company

John J Emmel

Harry A Loder

Alden R Miles

Elmer Blackwell

Bruce E Samuelson

James C Nygard

Theodore F Schwandt

Wayne K Dunshee

James E Nash

David C Windorski

Bruce W Carlson

Daniel A Japuntich

Michael John Annen

Jonathan F Hester

Brent R Hansen

Timothy J O'Leary

Wayne K Darvell

George J Clements

Kim K Tsujimoto

Glen H Bayer, Jr

Lynette M Miles

Timothy L Quinn

Andrew C Lamberson

Mary K Miller-Bruns

Scott E Michel

Paul G Honl

The invention is a display article having a flexible substrate which includes a writing surface capable of being used as a dry erase surface. A peripheral edge extends around the writing surface. A flexible framing strip is affixed to the writing surface at a position proximate to the peripheral edge. One embodiment of the display article can be made by forming a substrate having a writing surface. The substrate defines a periphery edge, a back surface, and a plurality of mushroom shaped hooks extending from the back surface substantially over the entire back surface. The writing surface is capable of being used as a dry erase surface. At least a portion of the periphery of the writing substrate is folded over to form a framing strip having a plurality of exposed mushroom shaped hooks. The framing strip is secured to the writing surface.

Dry erase article

A light tube for use over a light element, wherein the light tube comprises an elongated, generally tubular body having a first end, a second end, a length between the first and second ends, and a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end, a longitudinal slot extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end of the body, the slot having a first side and a second side, and at least a first notch adjacent the longitudinal slot, wherein the first notch extends from the first end of the body toward the second end of the body on one of the sides of the longitudinal slot. The light tube may further comprise a second notch adjacent the longitudinal slot, wherein the second notch extends from the first end of the body toward the second end of the body on the other side of the longitudinal slot.

Light tube

A strip for attaching a document to a binder without punching openings in the document or for reinforcing a document around openings formed in the document through which the document can be mounted in a binder. The strip comprises an elongate layer of thin flexible material, and a coating of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive on one major surface along an inner edge portion. That layer is free of adhesive on both of its side surfaces along an outer edge portion. That outer edge portion is visually distinctive, and the juncture between the inner and outer portions is straight and visibly distinctive. The strip has at least one opening through its outer edge portion adapted to receive a portion of a binders so that a document to which the coating of adhesive along its inner edge portion is adhered with the edge of the document along the juncture between the inner and outer portions can be bound in the binder without punching the document, or, alternatively, so that a punched document having a through opening by which the document is bound in a binder can be reinforced by adhering the coating of adhesive to the document with the opening in the outer edge portion in alignment with the opening in the document.

Attaching strips for documents

A stack of pre-cut sheets and a dispenser for those sheets are disclosed. The sheets include different adhesion levels to afford individual dispensing of the sheets.

Sheet stack

A binding assembly including (1) a plurality of support strips; (2) layers of pressure sensitive adhesive (which could be repositionable, removable or permanent pressure sensitive adhesive) along front surfaces of the support strips; and (3) layers of release material on a rear surfaces of the support strips. The support strips are adhered together to form a support strip stack with inner edges of the support strips in alignment, with the layers of pressure sensitive adhesive on the support strips adhered to the layers of release material on adjacent support strips, and with the front surfaces of the support strips uppermost in the support strip stack. The binding assembly further includes binding means along the inner edges of the support strips that affords separation of the support strips and revolving of the support strips relative to each other around axes generally parallel to their inner edges. Only tension applied through a paper sheet adhered along the full length of the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the uppermost one of the support strips adhered in the support strip stack can be used to separate that one support strip from an adjacent support strip adhered to the layer of release material on the front surface of that one support strip and cause revolving of that one support strip away from the support strip from which that one support strip was separated.

Binding assembly

A pad assembly comprising a multiplicity of flexible sheets each having a band of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive coated on its rear surface adjacent and spaced by a small predetermined spacing from a first edge. The sheets are disposed in a stack with the band of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive on each sheet adhering it to the adjacent sheet in the stack; and a layer of padding compound is disposed over and adhered to aligned first edges of the sheets in the stack. The padding compound allows, after the band of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive on the rear surface of one of the sheets in the stack is separated from the front surface of the adjacent sheet in the stack, that one sheet (and any sheets above it) to be pivoted away from that adjacent sheet while remaining adhered to the adjacent sheets. The small predetermined spacing between the band of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive and the first edge of each sheet provides a tactile feel when the band of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive on the rear surface of one of the sheets in the stack separates from the front surface of the adjacent sheet in the stack that signals the person peeling the sheet away that such separation has occurred, and allows that person to reduce the force he is applying to the sheet, thereby restricting inadvertent separation of that sheet from the padding compound. After a sheet is intentionally separated from the padding compound, the band of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive on the sheet affords adhesion of that sheet to a vertical surface.

Pad assembly

A stack of individual pre-cut sheets and a dispenser for those sheets are disclosed. The dispenser affords reciprocating movement of the stack within the dispenser to afford individual dispensing of the sheets. Optionally, the dispenser may be mounted on the wrist of a user to afford convenient dispensing.

Sheet stack and dispenser package therefor

A sheet including a layer of flexible polymeric material having a coating of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive on a second end portion that is generally transparent when adhered to a substrate, while being free of adhesive along a visually distinctive first end portion. A pad of the sheets in a stack with adjacent ends of the sheets aligned and with the first and second ends of successive sheets adjacent can be disposed in a chamber partially defined by a top wall having a slot through which the first end portion of the uppermost sheet projects. Relative movement is afforded between the top wall and the uppermost sheet to afford, as the uppermost sheet is pulled through the slot, alignment of the slot with successive portions of the uppermost sheet toward its second end as those successive portions are peeled from the stack. In a final relative position between the top wall and the uppermost sheet the slot is along the second end portion of that sheet and the first end portion of the underlying sheet to cause movement of the first end portion of the underlying sheet through the slot with the second end portion of the uppermost sheet to leave the first end portion of the underlying sheet projecting through the slot after the uppermost sheet is removed.

Sheet and dispenser package therefor

A sheet including a layer of flexible polymeric material having a coating of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive on a second end portion that is generally transparent when adhered to a substrate, while being free of adhesive along a visually distinctive first end portion. A pad of the sheets in a stack with adjacent ends of the sheets aligned and with the first and second ends of successive sheets adjacent can be disposed in a chamber partially defined by a top wall having a slot through which the first end portion of the uppermost sheet projects. Relative movement is afforded between the top wall and the uppermost sheet to afford, as the uppermost sheet is pulled through the slot, alignment of the slot with successive portions of the uppermost sheet toward its second end as those successive portions are peeled from the stack. In a final relative position between the top wall and the uppermost sheet the slot is along the second end portion of that sheet and the first end portion of the underlying sheet to cause movement of the first end portion of the underlying sheet through the slot with the second end portion of the uppertmost sheet to leave the first end portion of the underlying sheet projecting through the slot after the uppermost sheet is removed.

A dispenser package for a stack of strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. Each strip is formed with a tab at one end thereof and the strips of tape are aligned in the stack. The package comprises a support member supporting the stack of strips throughout their length and a cover portion which is positioned above the stack of strips and joined to the support member at one end and the cover is provided with an edge portion at the other end extending transversely of the stack at a position adjacent the tabs. The cover is formed of a flexible material to bow between its ends as the top strip is separated from the stack to hold the strip nearly perpendicular to the stack as it is peeled from the stack.

Dispenser for predetermined lengths of tape

A tape dispenser for protected write-on labels from a continuous strip of label stock and transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive tape which is wide enough to cover the label has a frame supporting separate rolls of label stock and tape, a support surface upon which the label is dispensed to permit writing on the label, a pair of blades spaced one above the other such that upon dispensing a length of tape to be laminated to the label the tape may then be grasped to lift the label from the writing surface and sever the label stock against one knife and the transparent tape against the second knife to provide a measured length of tape which will cover the label.

Growing community of inventors

Blaine, MN, United States of America

John J Emmel