3m Innovative Properties Company

Solventum Intellectual Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Neogen Food Safety US Holdco Corporation

Kurt J Halverson

Raj Rajagopal

Sanjay L Patil

Sailaja Chandrapati

Raymond Patrick Johnston

Steven P Swanson

Jerald K Rasmussen

Stephen C P Joseph

James E Aysta

Manjiri T Kshirsagar

Raymond J Kenney

Stephanie J Moeller

Cynthia D Zook

Heather M Webb

Jeffrey C Pederson

Jason W Bjork

Jesse D Miller

Ramasubramani Kuduva Raman Thanumoorthy

Olester Benson, Jr

Patrick R Fleming

Robin Edgar Wright

James Gregory Bentsen

Stephen B Roscoe

Caleb T Nelson

Graham M Clarke

Neil Percy

Matthew D Reier

Brian W Lueck

Gary E Krejcarek

Matthew T Scholz

Audrey A Sherman

Naiyong Jing

Clyde D Calhoun

Jason D Clapper

Cary A Kipke

James I Hembre

Jean Qiu

Myungchan Kang

Peter D Ludowise

Jeffrey D Smith

Bradley W Eaton

Karl J L Geisler

James G Berg

Ai-Ping Wei

Guoping Mao

George Van Dyke Tiers

Michael G Williams

Brent R Hansen

Evan Koon Lun Yuuji Hajime

Randy S Bay

Michael R Plumb

Hyacinth L Lechuga

John Allen Wheatley

Jie Jerry Liu

Martin B Wolk

Moses Mekala David

William Blake Kolb

Chetan P Jariwala

Michael Benton Free

Caroline M Ylitalo

Koichi Sano

Mark Kevitt Debe

Mark A Roehrig

Robert T Fitzsimons, Jr

Scott Melvyn Tapio

Phillip Angelo Bolea

Jia Hu

Daniel E Siltberg

Vivian Wynne Jones

David R Holm

Louis C Haddad

Thomas R Corrigan

Patrick L Coleman

Jeffrey L Solomon

Shawn C Dodds

Daniel C Duan

Masao Yafuso

James P Gardner, Jr

Amy K McNulty

Justin A Riddle

Alan R Dombrowski

Lauren K Carlson

Susannah C Clear

Paul B Armstrong

Claire Hartmann-Thompson

Gary E Gaides

Evan D Brutinel

John E Trend

Peter D Wickert

Michael E Lauters

Dylan T Cosgrove

Kiu-Yuen Tse

Adam J Meuler

Jeremy K Larsen

Alexi J Young

Paul J Cobian

Pierre H LePere

Karl M Kropp

Minghua Dai

Carl A Adams

Films and articles are described comprising a microstructured surface having an array of peak structures and adjacent valleys. For improved cleanability, the valleys preferably have a maximum width ranging from 10 microns to 250 microns and the peak structures have a side wall angle greater than 10 degrees. The peak structures may comprise two or more facets such as in the case of a linear array of prisms or an array of cube-corners elements. The facets form continuous or semi-continuous surfaces in the same direction. The valleys typically lack intersecting walls. Also described are methods of making and methods of use. The microstructured surface of the article can be prepared by various microreplication techniques such as coating, injection molding, embossing, laser etching, extrusion, casting and curing a polymerizable resin; and bonding microstructured film to a surface or article with an adhesive.

Microstructured surface with increased microorganism removal when cleaned, articles and methods

An article (e.g. film, tape or pipe) is described comprising a microstructured surface. The microstructured surface comprises a thermoplastic polymer; and a block copolymer additive comprising a poly(alkylene)oxide block having a molecular weight greater than 250 or 500 g/mole and at least one hydrophobic block. Also described is a method of making such articles. Also described is a triblock copolymer comprising a poly(alkylene oxide) midblock and hydrocarbon end blocks; and compositions comprising a thermoplastic polymer and un to 50 wt. % of the block copolymer.

Microstructured film comprising polyalkylene oxide block copolymer, compositions and methods

A thin film culture device for enumerating mold colonies is provided. The device comprises water-resistant first and second substrates with a growth region disposed therebetween, a dry, cold water-soluble gelling agent disposed in the growth region, and an effective amount of a calcium-chelating compound disposed in the growth region. The effective amount of calcium-chelating compound is capable of reducing a rate of lateral enlargement of the colony-forming unit growing in the culture device relative to the rate of lateral enlargement of a colony of the same mold species growing in an otherwise identical culture device that does not contain the effective amount disposed in the growth region, wherein reducing the rate of lateral enlargement of the colony-forming unit does not substantially delay detection of the colony. A corresponding method is also provided.

Culture device and methods for enumerating mold colonies

A substantially planar self-folding film assembly to generate a folded three-dimensional assembly. The assembly includes a flexible support substrate, adhesive elements, and folding members. The folding members include a base, a folding region, and a hinge adjacent each folding region attached at the base to the flexible support substrate by at least one of the adhesive elements. An array of polymer actuators is co-extensive, or shaped to be not co-extensive, with each of the flexible folding members. Upon activation by a patterned light to heat conversion layer, each polymer actuator is designed and configured to provide a displacement of the corresponding flexible folding member about each hinge.

Self-folding 3D film assemblies

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a self-mating fastener that includes a backing having a first side, and a rail element protruding perpendicularly from the first side of the backing. The rail element extends in a longitudinal direction along the backing. The rail element has a base portion attached to the first side of the backing and a cap portion distal from the backing. The cap portion has a cap width that is greater than a width of the base portion and the cap portion overhangs the base portion on opposing sides. The self-mating fastener includes an electrically conductive contact element proximate to the rail element.

Self-mating mechanical fastener with conductive contact element

The present disclosure provides a device that includes a base comprising a substrate having a first major surface, a pressure sensitive adhesive adhered to at least a portion of the first major surface, a polymeric cover film coupled to the substrate via the adhesive, a plurality of isolated closed compartments disposed between the substrate and the cover film, and an aqueous liquid disposed in two or more of the closed compartments. The cover film is a composite film comprising ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, a linear copolymer of ethylene and a higher alkene, and a tackifier. Each compartment of the plurality is defined by a seal that prevents liquid communication with at least one other compartment of the plurality. Methods of using the device for partitioning a sample, for analyzing a sample, and for culturing a microorganism are also provided.

Devices and methods for sample partitioning and analysis

An optical element includes a porous layer with a network of a plurality of interconnected voids. The porous layer is optically diffusive to at least one wavelength of light when the network of interconnected voids is substantially free of fluid. The porous layer of the optical element undergoes a detectable optical change upon fluid ingress into the network or egress from the network of interconnected voids.

Porous fluid sensor

A condensation management apparatus comprises a microstructured film arranged to condense water vapor on an underside of a substantially horizontal surface. The film comprises channels disposed at least on a first major surface and configured to support capillary movement of condensate. The channels have a channel axis substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the film. A capillary siphon structure of the film comprises a fold in the film, a condensate collection region proximate the fold, and a siphon region between the fold and a condensate release location of the film. At least a portion of a second major surface is attached to the underside of the substantially horizontal surface such that longitudinal openings of the channels of the condensate collection region are oriented towards a direction of gravity and the condensate release location is positioned lower along the direction of gravity than the condensate collection region.

Managing condensation with fluid control film apparatus

An article comprises a structure having an outer surface extending along a longitudinal axis. At least a portion of a cross section of the outer surface is convex. Fluid control channels extend along a channel longitudinal axis along at least a portion the convex surface. The channel longitudinal axis makes an angle between 0 and 90 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the outer surface. The fluid control channels are configured to allow capillary movement of liquid in the channels and across the convex surface.

Managing condensation with angled fluid control features

An article, including a network of interconnected polymeric strands; wherein each of the interconnected polymeric strands has a first surface adapted to contact a tissue site and a second surface opposite the first surface; wherein at least one of the interconnected polymeric stand has a plurality of features extending from the first surface of the interconnected polymeric strands; wherein at least one of the interconnected polymeric strands is non-linear; a plurality of openings between adjacent interconnected polymeric strands; an adhesive layer in contact with the second surface of the interconnected polymeric strands; and a filler in contact with the adhesive layer, the adhesive layer in between the network of interconnected polymeric strands and the filler; wherein the article is a negative pressure wound therapy article.

Negative pressure wound therapy article with features

A condensation management system includes an elongated flexible film configured to be stretched under tension between a first film support and a second film support. The film includes first and second ends that extend laterally across a width of the film. The film includes first and second sides that extend longitudinally between the first and second film ends. The film has a concave surface and an opposing convex surface extending between the first and second sides of the film. Microchannels are disposed in at least one of the concave surface and the convex surface. The microchannels induce a predetermined radius of curvature in the concave and convex surfaces of the film when the film is stretched longitudinally between the first and second film supports.

Condensate management system

Film articles with dual-sided structures are ones in which both of the major surfaces of the film have a structured surface. The structured film articles have a first major surface and second major surface, where each surface has a plurality of spaced apart protrusions forming a repeating pattern. Each repeating pattern has a major axis, where the major axis is one of the major axes in the translational direction of the repeating pattern. The major axis of the repeating pattern on the second major surface forms an oblique angle with the major axis on the first major surface, where the angle is in the range of 10-90% of the angle of rotational symmetry of the repeating pattern. The structured film is a unitary substrate. The structured film articles are prepared by providing a flowable material composition having two major surfaces and simultaneously contacting the major surfaces with a first microstructuring tool, and a second microstructuring tool. Each microstructuring tool has a structured surface including a pattern of a plurality of depressions.

Dual-sided structured film articles

A condensation management manifold includes a first portion having a first elongated channel comprising a first condensate flow channel. A second portion of the manifold has second elongated channel comprising a second condensate flow channel. The second portion is configured to nest at least partially within the first portion such that a first surface of a flexible condensate management film is fluidically coupled to the first flow channel and an oppositely oriented second surface of the condensate management film is fluidically coupled to the second flow channel.

Condensate management manifold and system

Growing community of inventors

Lake Elmo, MN, United States of America

Kurt J Halverson