3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Oklahoma State University

Ronald P Swanson

James N Dobbs

Mikhail L Pekurovsky

Shawn C Dodds

Karl K Stensvad

Kara A Meyers

Christopher Stewart Lyons

John W Louks

Matthew S Stay

Nicholas T Gabriel

Daniel H Carlson

Kevin W Gotrik

Jitendra Singh Rathore

Andrew J Henderson

Daniel J Theis

Robert B Secor

Gerald Steven Deeb

Tyler J Rattray

Samad Javid

Peihui Zhang

Steven J Lenius

Joseph B Farley

Brian Kenneth Nelson

Ann M Gilman

Matthew R D Smith

John T Strand

Saagar A Shah

Scott L Ciliske

Lyudmila A Pekurovsky

Glen A Jerry

Kayla C Niccum

David C Mercord

Eugen Will

Samuel Kidane

Yugeun P Yang

Larry D Humlicek

Howard M Kaplan

Grant F Tiefenbruck

David W Osten

Kevin T Reddy

Mark J Zach

Mark A Berman

Richard L Lowery

Angela S McLEAN

James B Cysewski

Joseph W Petrin

Anatoly Akselrod

James K Good

Ameeta R Goyal

Michael J Sinn

Thomas A Mahler

Paul J Cordes

Angela S Mclean

Gerald S Deeb

Methods and apparatuses for roll coating are provided. The roll coating system () includes a coating roll () having a deformable inner layer () with a surface thereof covered by a deformable outer layer (), the inner layer being softer than the outer layer. A substrate () is conveyed to the nip () between the coating roll and a back-up roll (). A metered coating material is transferred from the coating roll to a patterned surface structure () of the substrate at the nip to form a conformal coating on the patterned structure of the substrate.

Roll coating using metered coating roll including deformable layers

Methods and systems of using pocket roller () to place objects on a continuously moving web () are provided. The objects are received in an array of pockets () on a major surface of a roller sleeve (). The roller sleeve () engages with an adhesive surface () of the continuously moving web () to place the objects on the web ().

Methods and systems of using pocket roller to place objects on moving web

Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings on a moving web are provided. A coating die and a back-up roll engage with each other. The back-up roll includes a shell rotatably supported by a pressurized air layer. When a coating material is dispensed from the coating die onto the web to form a liquid coating, the pressure of the air layer is controlled such that the shell translates in space to balance forces from the air layer and the coating bead, while the web is being translated to drive the shell.

Die coating on air supported shell

There is provided a barrier film including a barrier layer having two opposing major surfaces, wherein the barrier layer comprise buckling deformations and non-buckling regions; a first organic layer in direct contact with one of the opposing major surfaces of the barrier layer; a second organic layer in direct contact with the other of the opposing major surfaces of the barrier layer; and a substrate in direct contact with the first organic layer or the second organic layer.

Extensible barrier films, articles employing same and methods of making same

There is provided a barrier film including a barrier layer having two opposing major surfaces, a first organic layer in direct contact with one of the opposing major surfaces of the barrier layer; a second organic layer in direct contact with the other of the opposing major surfaces of the barrier layer; and a substrate in direct contact with the first organic layer or the second organic layer; wherein the barrier layer comprises buckling deformations with average spacing smaller than average spacing of the buckling deformations in the first or second organic layer.

A system and method for controlling curl in multi-layer webs. The method can include providing a coated web, curing the coating to form a multi-layer web, and stretching the web during curing of the coating. Some coatings shrink at least partially when cured such that curing the coating induces a strain in the multi-layer web. Stretching the web occurs during curing to induce an opposing strain that at least partially counteracts the strain induced by curing to form a multi-layer web having a desired curvature. The system can include a curing section configured to cure the coating, and can further include a web stretching section, which can be located proximate the curing section and can be substantially coincident with the curing section, such that the web is stretched while the coating is cured.

System and method for controlling curl in multi-layer webs

An apparatus for steering a web, including a web path having at least one steering roller and an exit roller, each having a mount; wherein the steering roller(s) each have an axis of rotation and wherein the mounts for the steering roller(s) can pivot those axes with a total of two degrees of freedom. An array comprising a plurality of sensors for monitoring the position of the web is present connected to a controller so as to determine the position and angular orientation of the web. The controller adjusts the pivot(s) of the mount(s) so as to control the angular orientation and the lateral position of the web at a particular point along the web path.

Apparatus for guiding a moving web

A web path for conveying a web material includes at least two support rollers contacting a single major surface of the web material, wherein the web material is of indefinite length and has a first and a second edge. A first support roller contacts a first edge region of the web material, and a second support roller contacts a second edge region of the web material such that the web material has a substantial un-contacted region between the first and the second support roller including at least about 50% of the width of the web material. At least one of the first support roller and the second support roller are supported on a bowed shaft such that at least one of the first and second support rollers is angled with respect to the direction of motion of the web.

Edge contact substrate transport method and apparatus

An apparatus () for steering a web (), including a web path having at least one steering roller () and an exit roller (), each having a mount; wherein the steering roller(s) () each have an axis of rotation and wherein the mounts for the steering roller(s) () can pivot those axes with a total of two degrees of freedom. An array () comprising a plurality of sensors () for monitoring the position of the web () is present connected to a controller so as to determine the position and angular orientation of the web (). The controller adjusts the pivot(s) of the mount(s) so as to control the angular orientation and the lateral position of the web () at a particular point along the web path.

A web-handling machine frame, at least partially built from reconfigurable interconnected blocks having precision alignment points. From such blocks, modular equipment web-handling lines for web-handling operations can be constructed ad hoc with their shaft mounted web-contacting devices in tram without the need for separate alignment procedures.

Web-handling machine frame

A method of applying a conductive pattern of metal onto a web of indefinite length material. This method includes applying a metal containing composition onto the web in a predefined pattern, providing a roll having a very low thermal mass, and conveying the patterned web around the roll while simultaneously applying heat energy to the metal containing composition thereby converting the metal to a conductive pattern. This allows for flexible circuitry to be fabricated in an inexpensive roll-to-roll process.

Method for continuous sintering on indefinite length webs

A system and method for controlling curl in multi-layer webs. The method can include providing a coated web, bending the web to induce a strain or pre-curl in the web, and curing the coating to form a multi-layer web. Some coatings at least partially shrink when cured such that curing the coating induces a curl in the multi-layer web. Bending the web occurs prior to curing the coating, and the pre-curl can be configured to at least partially counteract the curl induced by curing to form a multi-layer web having a desired curvature. The system can include a curing section configured to cure a coating, and can further include a web bending section configured to bend the web to induce a strain in the web. The web bending section can be positioned upstream of the curing section such that the web is bent prior to the coating being cured.

A system for flexing a web is disclosed. The web passes over two co-rotating members, such as rollers or belts, which are separated by a small adjustable gap. The web travels around the first rotating member, is peeled off in the vicinity of the gap, bent back on itself in a small radius and reattached on the second co-rotating member. The location of the small radius is fixed with a closed loop control system sensing the radius location and controlling the relative velocity of the two members. Strain in the web is adjusted with the size of the small radius, which is controlled by the adjustable gap and radius location.

System for flexing a web

An apparatus and method for flexing a web is disclosed. The web passes over two co-rotating members, such as rollers or belts, which are separated by a small adjustable gap. The web travels around the first rotating member, is peeled off in the vicinity of the gap, bent back on itself in a small radius and reattached on the second co-rotating member. The location of the small radius is fixed with a closed loop control system sensing the radius location and controlling the relative velocity of the two members. Strain in the web is adjusted with the size of the small radius, which is controlled by the adjustable gap and radius location.

Apparatus for flexing a web

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Ronald P Swanson