Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Oh-Seung Kwon

Jerald K Rasmussen

Larry R Krepski

Steven M Heilmann

David B Olson

Christopher Stewart Lyons

Dean S Milbrath

Patrick L Coleman

Gary J Drtina

David R Gagnon

John T Capecchi

Julie B Stahl

A device for delivering an aerosol, comprising: a casing member, a valve stem, and a diaphragm. The diaphragm is made of an ethylene-propylene-diene rubber ('EPDM') and is stable to dimensional change when exposed to 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane or 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoroethane.

Seals for use in an aerosol delivery device

A device for delivering an aerosol, comprising: a casing member, a valve stem, and a diaphragm. The diaphragm contains a blend of (a) 100 parts by weight of a polyolefin random copolymer of about 80 to about 95 mole percent ethylene and a total of about 5 to about 20 mole percent of 1-butene, and (b) at least 10 parts by weight of a rubber comprising a styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene block copolymer based on 100 parts by weight of polyolefin. The styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene block copolymer is substantially uniformly dispersed within the polyolefin. The blend preferably has a Shore A hardness of 65 to 85.

Supports having azlactone-functional surfaces, adduct supports prepared from such azlactone-functional supports, and methods of preparing both are disclosed. Azlactone functionality is introduced to surfaces of a pre-existing support in a manner which retains useful physical and chemical characteristics of the pre-existing support. One method involves exposing surfaces with high energy radiation to generate free radical reaction sites on the surfaces and causing azlactone-functional moieties to react with the free radical reaction sites. Another method involves coating surfaces with azlactone monomers, crosslinking monomers, and optionally co-monomers and polymerizing the monomers to form a polymerized coating of azlactone-functionality on the surfaces. Another method involves dispersion polymerization of azlactone-functional moieties to produce azlactone-functional particles within pores and interstices of a pre-existing support. Adduct supports are formed by coupling nucleophilic reagents, such as biologically active materials, to azlactone-functional moieties of the support.

Supports having azlactone-functional surfaces, adduct supports, and

Azlactone-functional substrates, (especially hydrogels), mammalian body implants, and methods of making and using them are disclosed. The azlactone-functional substrates are the reaction product of substrates having azlactone-reactive nucleophilic surfaces and a multi-functional azlactone composition having at least two azlactone moieties, where at least one moiety covalently couples to the azlactone-reactive nucleophilic surface and at least one moiety remains available for further nucleophilic reaction, such as with a biologically active material. A preferred use of azlactone-functional hydrogel is as the optical element of a corneal prosthesis which enhances epithethial cell growth.

Azlactone-functional substrates, corneal prostheses, and manufacture and

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Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Oh-Seung Kwon