3m Innovative Properties Company

Other

Samad Javid

James N Dobbs

Mikhail L Pekurovsky

Shawn C Dodds

Kara A Meyers

Tyler J Rattray

Aaron K Nienaber

Ronald David Jesme

Joseph B Eckel

Thomas J Nelson

Robert B Secor

Ronald P Swanson

Scott L Ciliske

Eric A Vandre

Matthew S Stay

John Charles Clark

Christopher Bland Walker, Jr

Satinder K Nayar

Brian D Goers

Alexander J Kugel

Lijun Zu

Karl K Stensvad

Badri Veeraraghavan

Ann M Gilman

Bruce A Sventek

Vivek Krishnan

David G Baird

Saurabh Batra

Yugeun P Yang

Kevin T Reddy

Chris A Pommer

Sheryl A Vanasse

Kevin T Grove

Stephen C Loper

Brittni M Schiewer

Vincent R Jansen

Joseph B Farley

Angela S McLEAN

Wayne D Meredyk

Chrispian E Shelton

Thomas A Mahler

Paul J Cordes

James L Erickson

Angela S Mclean

Christopher B Walker

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

According to one embodiment, a method can comprise: providing a tool that has a first portion that comprises a first material and a second portion that comprises a second material, wherein the second material differs from the first material and the tool is subject to a magnetic field, and wherein the first material and the second material are provided such that the magnetic field is relatively stronger at and adjacent the first portion relative to the magnetic field at and adjacent the second portion; positioning a surface adjacent to the tool so as to be subject to the magnetic field; and disposing magnetizable abrasive particles on the surface, wherein the magnetizable abrasive particles are attracted to an area on the surface adjacent the first portion where the magnetic field is relatively stronger so as to provide for at least one of a desired orientation, placement and alignment of a majority of the magnetizable abrasive particles on the surface.

Magnetically assisted disposition of magnetizable abrasive particles

According to one embodiment, a method of making an abrasive layer on a backing is disclosed. The method can comprise: providing a distribution tool having a dispensing surface with cavities, providing a backing having a first major surface, supplying magnetizable abrasive particles to the dispensing surface such that at least one of the magnetizable abrasive particles is disposed in a respective one of the cavities, applying a magnetic field to retain the magnetizable abrasive particles disposed in the cavities, aligning the backing with the dispensing surface with the first major surface facing the dispensing surface, transferring the magnetizable abrasive particles from the cavities to the backing, sequent to or simultaneous with transferring the abrasive particles, removing or changing a magnetic field so the magnetic field no longer retains the magnetizable abrasive particles in the cavities.

Use of magnetics with magnetizable abrasive particles, methods, apparatuses and systems using magnetics to make abrasive articles

The present disclosure provides abrasive articles that include an abrasive layer having a contact surface, a first layer coupled to the abrasive layer, and a second layer coupled to the first layer. The first layer is configured to provide contact pressure to the abrasive layer, such as through a higher hardness than the second layer. The second layer is configured to provide conformability to the abrasive layer, such as through a higher compressibility than the first layer. The resulting abrasive articles may exert a consistent contact pressure against a substrate with increased conformability around the substrate, reduced hysteresis, improved removal rate consistency, and/or improved lifetime over abrasive articles that do not use the multiple layer construction described above.

Conformable abrasive article

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

A printing system () including a printing roll () is provided. The printing roll () includes an elastically deformable and compressible inner layer () and a thin outer shell () to cover the inner layer (). The thin outer shell () includes a pattern of raised print features () to receive ink material thereon. The inner layer () is softer and thicker than the thin outer shell (), and optionally, the thin outer shell () is removable from the inner layer (). The inner layer () of the printing roll () has a thickness, a compression force deflection value and an elastically-deformable compressibility such that the raised print features () of the printing roll () do not slide or deform with respect to the printed web () in an amount to generate a substantially visible dot gain.

Printing system and method including printing roll having elastically deformable and compressible thick inner layer

Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings () on a moving web () are provided. A slot die () and a back-up roll () engage with each other. The back-up roll has a deformable inner layer () with a surface thereof covered by a deformable outer layer (). The slot die and the flexible web at a contacting area are impressed into the back-up roll with an engagement depth D, which enables formation of a coating having a substantially uniform thickness.

Method of slot die coating over deformable back-up roll

Methods and apparatuses for applying coatings on a baggy web are provided. A Mayer rod and a back-up roll engage with each other to form a nip. The back-up roll has a deformable inner layer with a surface thereof covered by a deformable outer layer. The Mayer rod and the flexible web at a contacting area are impressed into the back-up roll with a machine-direction nip width W and a nip engagement depth D, which enables formation of a coating having a substantially uniform thickness.

Method and apparatus for coating on baggy web

Described herein is decorative article having a coefficient of friction less than 0.3 wherein the decorative articles comprises: (i) a microsphere layer comprising a plurality of microspheres, wherein the microsphere layer comprises a monolayer of microspheres and wherein the plurality of microspheres are in a microscopic periodic pattern; and (ii) a bead bonding layer disposed on the microsphere layer, wherein the plurality of microspheres are partially embedded in the bead bonding layer. Also disclosed herein are transfer articles and methods of making the decorative articles and transfer articles.

Decorative article featuring a microscopic periodic pattern and methods of making the same

A powder deagglomerator includes a vertical flow chamber, a powder inlet tube, and an ultrasonic horn vibrationally coupled to an ultrasonic transducer. The vertical flow chamber includes an outer wall, powder outlet port, and a mounting port sealably engaging an ultrasonic horn. The powder inlet tube extends through the outer wall and is aligned to dispense agglomerated powder in a gaseous stream downward onto a distal end of the ultrasonic horn. A method of using the powder deagglomerator to deagglomerate a powder is also disclosed.

Powder deagglomerator and method of deagglomerating a powder

According to one embodiment, a method of making an abrasive article is disclosed. The method can comprise: providing a surface; disposing magnetizable abrasive particles on the surface; and varying a magnetic field relative to the magnetizable abrasive particles to impart a non-random orientation and/or alignment to the magnetizable abrasive particles relative to the surface.

Manipulation of magnetizable abrasive particles with modulation of magnetic field angle or strength

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Samad Javid