3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Company

Robert D Kampfer

Michael R Gorman

Alan J Sipinen

Leon Levitt

Kenneth J Perrington

Philip Miller

Thomas R LaLiberte

Jayshree Seth

Leigh E Wood

Jeffrey O Emslander

Dennis G Welygan

Louis S Moren

James J Kobe

Michael D Delmore

Stephen E Krampe

Mark E Napierala

William C Unruh

Cathleen M Arsenault

Brandon T Berg

Francis V Loncar, Jr

Mark R Dupre

Diane L Regnier

Michael W Mills

Gunther H Dierssen

Brian T Hargrett

Victor P Thalacker

Robert W Shipman

William H Hartt

John E Cejka

Randall S Blum

Tool rolls and methods of using the tool rolls to manufacture articles with one or more structured surfaces are disclosed. The tool rolls include an outer surface that, when used in connection with materials of the proper viscosity or formability, can form a structured surface on an article. Because the tools are manufactured in roll-form, they can be advantageously used in continuous manufacturing processes. Alternatively, discrete articles may be processed using the tool rolls. The tool rolls are constructed of a cylindrical base roll and are wrapped with one or more continuous wires in a helical pattern. The wires are used, in essence, to form a structured surface on the tool roll that is the negative of the structured surface to be formed on the articles processed using the tool roll. One of the wires wound around the base roll may include depressions formed therein that, when wound in helical coils about the base roll, form cavities on the outer surface of the tool roll. Alternatively, the helical pattern of one or more wound wires may be used to form a continuous helical structured surface, e.g., a helical groove or grooves.

Wire wound tooling

Bundling strap

Self-engaging bundling strap provided with machine readable code

A method and apparatus for forming a mechanical fastener. A preferred embodiment of the method includes moving a substrate along a web path, where the substrate includes a first major surface and a plurality of stems extending from the first major surface of the substrate and each of the stems includes a stem end, radiantly heating the stem ends to form softened ends, and thereafter deforming the softened ends into convex heads with a deformable surface. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus includes a web conveyor, where the web conveyor defines a web path, a heating source located adjacent the web conveyor and a deformable surface located down the web path from the heating source, where the deformable surface includes a durometer hardness of greater than 10 Shore OO and less than 70 Shore A.

Apparatus and method for making a mechanical fastener

An elastic web of material has a multiplicity of stems extending from at least one side of the web. The web includes a first continuous layer of elastic material having a first side and a second side and a second layer of material. The second layer of material has a first side which faces the first side of the first layer and a second side from which the stems extend. The first and second layers of material are joined together. The second layer of material can be formed of thermoplastic material or melt processable polymeric material. The first and second layers of material are melt formed. They are joined by coextrusion or lamination to form a multiple layer sheet on which a multiplicity of stems are formed on at least the second layer by a process such as embossing the stems into the heated web using a patterned roll or mold.

Elastic fastener

There is provided a method of deforming the hook head portions of hook elements on a web backing. The hook elements on the web backing are fed into a nip formed between a support surface and an upper heated surface having a durameter hardness of less than 90 Shore A. This upper heated surface compressively engages the hook head causing it to turn down and permanently deform. This increases the uniformity of the hook head elements forming a fiber engaging crook region.

Method for forming headed stem mechanical fasteners

A web of material has a plurality of stems extending from at least one side of the web. The web includes a first layer of material having a first side and a second side and a second layer of material. The second layer of material has a first side which faces the first side of the first layer and a second side from which the plurality of stems extend. The first and second layers of material are joined together while they are both molten, before either layer has cooled. The first and second layers of material can be formed of thermoplastic material or melt processable polymeric material. A method of making a web of material includes selecting a first material for a first layer of material and selecting a second material for a second layer of material. The first and second layers of material are melt formed. Then, the first and second layers of material are joined while the layers are in the molten state to form a multiple layer sheet. Next, a plurality of stems are formed on at least the second layer of material. Melt forming can include simultaneously melt forming the first and second layers of material such as by coextrusion.

Coextruded mechanical fastener constructions

There is provided a method of capping mechanical fasteners from a web having an array of upstanding stems. A heated surface member is positioned opposite a support forming a nip into which the web is fed. The heated surface member has a series of laterally spaced elongated peak and valley structures such that more than one peak and valley structure contacts and deforms each stem structure. The peak and valley groove structures provided asymmetric elongation and deformation of top portion of the stem structures forming hook heads.

Superimposed embossing of capped stem mechanical fastener structures

Laser perforation of all types of paper provides paper having sufficient strength characteristics to survive stresses imposed during handling, such as experienced in sheet feed processes. The paper so perforated is readily separable along the perforation line when separation is desired. Carbonless paper products particularly benefit from use of a laser in perforation. The paper, capsule, and capsule fill material are vaporized during the laser process, thus forming clean holes and leaving little residual material on the paper.

Laser perforation of paper

A method of forming edges on contact lenses prepared from laser-machinable, organic polymers wherein the edge is formed by contacting the lens with a laser beam having a wavelength which is absorbed by the polymer. The radiated energy supplied to the polymer by the laser beam is such that the ratio of heat absorbed in vaporization of the polymer to heat absorbed by the polymer bulk is maximized.

Method for forming a peripheral edge on contact lenses

Thermomechanical candle snuffer utilizes staff of material such as 55-Nitinol which, when heated by candle flame, elevates slideably engaged cap which falls over candle extinguishing it.

Thermomechanical candle snuffer

Growing community of inventors

Oakdale, MN, United States of America

Robert D Kampfer