3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Richard L Sheehan, Jr

Donald L Pochardt

Robert A Sainati

Timothy V Stagg

James P McGee

Wayne K Morris

Robert C Francis

Dean A Miner

Sai-Kit K Tong

An object tracking and management system and method using radio-frequency identification (&ldquo;RFID&rdquo;) tags is disclosed. Objects to be moved between locations are outfitted with RFID tags having information relating to the identities of the objects. The locations are also marked by RFID tags containing information on the locations. A transport vehicle for moving the objects is equipped with an RFID interrogator capable of detecting signals from the RFID tags. An onboard processor provides the operator of the vehicle with instructions on the movement of objects. The processor also determines the identities of the objects and locations from the detected signals and provides the operator with feedback as to the identity of an object being moved, the location of the vehicle and any error in carrying out the instructions. Numerous variations of the basic system and method using RFID tags are also described.

Object tracking and management system and method using radio-frequency identification tags

A packaged good article including an article, a packaging material and a tearable tape system. The packaging material is formed about the article. The tearable tape system is secured to the packaging material and includes at least a first section and a second section. The tearable tape system can assume a number of forms. Regardless, the first section is tearable relative to the second section. With this configuration, the tearable tape system is configured to be tearable from an initial, unopened state and an opened state. In the initial, unopened state, an area of the packaging material otherwise contacting the tearable tape system is intact. Conversely, in the opened state, the tearable tape system tears an opening through the packaging material, with the second section remaining secured to the packaging material. The second section, in combination with the packaging material, provides a handle for carrying the packaged good article in the opened state. In this regard, the handle is configured to have sufficient tensile strength to support a weight of the article. Thus, the tearable tape system renders the packaging material easy to open, and provides a convenient handle following opening.

Product packaging with handle-forming tearable tape system

A tape for use in closing a container having opposing ends includes a base layer and a tearable tape strip. The base layer includes a tear resistant backing having a first side and a second side, and an adhesive coated on at least part of the first side of the backing. The tearable tape strip is located on the first side of the backing and has a first side and a second side. The tearable tape strip permits tearing of itself and the tear resistant backing with a given force notwithstanding that the tear resistant backing is otherwise not cleanly tearable. The tearable tape strip tears through the base layer when the tape is removed from the container. The tape can include a tab at one of the ends of the tape. The tab is formed by nicks extending from at least one of the ends of the tape and is located at least partially through the tearable tape strip which facilitate beginning tears. The invention is also a container including the tape and a container having means for adhering its flap to the container to close the container and a tearable tape strip on the flap.

Tear control closing tape and container with tear control closing tape

A method of forming one or more score lines or bands of weakness in a web formed of nonwoven thermoplastic fibers requires the application of sufficient energy such as ultrasonic energy to narrow bands of the web to change the fibers to a film. An envelope formed of tough nonwoven thermoplastic fibers for use in shipping documents may be formed with an easy open device by forming score lines in the envelope and the envelope and, if necessary, may be reinforced in the area of the score lines by a strip of oriented pressure-sensitive adhesive reinforcing tape applied over the bands and adjacent surfaces of the envelope on the interior side of the envelope and a tear tape may be applied to the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape in the area between the bands to afford means for tearing the envelope at the bands. Cuts are conveniently formed at the ends of the tape and bands to increase the ease of opening.

Method affording an easy opening device for nonwoven thermoplastic fiber

An adhesive tape closure for releasably interconnecting container parts including partially overlapping adhesively coated first and second lower tape strips, each for mounting on a container part. An upper tape strip is releasably applied to the lower tape strips and is at least coextensive with the overlapped portion of the lower tape strips. The adhesive tape closure may be disengaged by delaminating the upper tape strip from the first and second lower tape strips and manually separating the lower tape strips from each other to disconnect the container parts.

Growing community of inventors

Stillwater, MN, United States of America

Richard L Sheehan, Jr