3m Innovative Properties Company

Randy S Bay

Martin B Wolk

Mikhail L Pekurovsky

Graham M Clarke

Olester Benson, Jr

Brent R Hansen

Mieczyslaw H Mazurek

Kurt J Halverson

Michael Benton Free

Sergey Lamansky

Evan L Schwartz

David F Slama

Vivian Wynne Jones

Raymond J Kenney

Cristina U Thomas

Kathryn M Spurgeon

Margaret M Vogel-Martin

Michael R Plumb

Gary L Curtis

Richard T Paxton

Jonathan J Mattson

Timothy J Hebrink

James M Jonza

Ta-Hua Yu

James N Dobbs

Terry O Collier

Daniel J Theis

Brian Kenneth Nelson

Raymond L Lucking

Todd G Pett

Elisa J Collins

Ilyess H Romdhane

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

Lamination transfer films and methods for transferring a structured layer to a receptor substrate. The transfer films include a carrier substrate having a releasable surface, a sacrificial template layer applied to the releasable surface of the carrier substrate and having a non-planar structured surface, and a thermally stable backfill layer applied to the non-planar structured surface of the sacrificial template layer. The sacrificial template layer is capable of being removed from the backfill layer, such as via pyrolysis, while leaving the structured surface of the backfill layer substantially intact.

Structured lamination transfer films and methods

Lenticular microstructures and methods of making the same is disclosed. The lenticular microstructures include composite lenticular microstructures having a first light transmissive polymeric layer, a second light transmissive polymeric layer, and an interface therebetween, wherein the first light transmissive polymeric layer has a first index of refraction, the second light transmissive polymeric layer has a second index of refraction, and the first and second indices of refraction have an absolute difference of at least 0.0002.

Article having composite lenticular microstructures and method of making

Retroreflective articles and methods of making the same, wherein the retroreflective articles () include composite cube-corner elements () having a first light transmissive polymeric layer (), a second light transmissive polymeric layer (), and an interface therebetween, wherein the first light transmissive polymeric layer has a first index of refraction, the second light transmissive polymeric layer has a second index of refraction, and the first and second indices of refraction have an absolute difference of at least 0.0002.

Retroreflective articles having composite cube-corners and methods of making

It has now been determined that an internal optical defect can be eliminated by controlling the relative speed mismatch between the resilient roll and the casting roll in a film extrusion coating process. In particular, slowing down the surface speed of the resilient roll relative to the casting roll when coating a biaxially orientated film was found to remove the optical defect. Conversely, speeding up the surface speed of the resilient roll relative to the casting roll when coating a uniaxially orientated film was found to remove the optical defect.

Method of eliminating defects while extrusion coating film using speed control of the nip roll

Disclosed herein is an optical article having a top layer with a structured surface that collimates light, a core layer secured to the top layer opposite the structured surface, and a bottom layer secured to the core layer opposite the top layer. Either the top layer or the core layer includes a first extrudable polymer having a flexural modulus of greater than 2.5 GPa, and the other layer includes a second extrudable polymer having a flexural modulus of 2.5 GPa or less, an impact strength of greater than about 40 J/m, and tensile elongation at break of greater than about 5%. The bottom layer includes a third extrudable polymer. The bottom layer of the optical article may be structured to diffuse light. One or two optical articles may be secured to an optical film such as a polarizer film. Methods and display devices are also disclosed herein.

Optical article and method of making

In general, techniques are described for the creation and execution of accurate models for the manufacture of complex, multi-layered materials. The techniques may be used to calculate variations of a process parameter within the material during the manufacturing process. A method comprises receiving segment data that partitions a manufacturing process into a set of segments having at least one layer of a material. For example, the segment data may partition the manufacturing processes along a path traversed by the material within the manufacturing process. The method further comprises receiving curvature data for the layers, and calculating values for a process parameter through the layers of the segments as a function of the curvature data. The method may comprise invoking a one-dimensional model, such as a one-dimensional finite difference model, to calculate the values for the defined segments and layers.

One-dimensional modeling of the manufacture of multi-layered material

An apparatus for capping a stem web including a cooled roll, a first heated nip roll positioned to form a first nip with the cooled roll, and a second heated nip roll positioned to form a second nip with the cooled roll. The cooled roll has a diameter that is at least% larger than a diameter of the first or second heated nip roll. In an embodiment, the two nips are on opposite sides of a larger central cooled roll positioned between the heated rolls. In an embodiment, the reaction forces between the rolls are measured and controlled at each end of each of the heated rolls. The invention is particularly adapted to making abrasive particles that are attached to a driving mechanism via headed stem fasteners formed by the method.

Apparatus for capping wide web reclosable fasteners

A method for capping a stem web including passing the stem web through a first nip against a first heated nip roll so as to partially cap the stems; cooling the web; and passing the stem web through a second nip against a second heated nip roll to completely cap the stems to a diameter 'D'. In preferred embodiments the two nips are on opposite sides of a larger central cooled roll positioned between the heated rolls. Preferably, the reaction forces between the rolls are measured and controlled at each end of each other heated rolls. The invention is particularly adapted to making abrasive particles that are attached to a driving mechanism via headed stem fasteners formed by the method.

Apparatus and method for capping wide web reclosable fasteners

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Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Randy S Bay