3m Innovative Properties Company

William R Dudley

William Blake Kolb

Naiyong Jing

Robert A Yapel

Paul B Armstrong

Jason T Petrin

Samuel J Carpenter

Karan Jindal

Garry W Lachmansingh

Stephen A Johnson

Michael A Johnson

Audrey A Sherman

James M Nelson

Michael Benton Free

Justin A Riddle

Chris J Tanley

William D Coggio

Michael L Steiner

Raghunath Padiyath

Scott Melvyn Tapio

James N Dobbs

Joan M Noyola

Charles A Marttila

Steven J McMan

Jennifer L Trice

Thomas J Ludemann

John S Huizinga

Robert B Secor

Peter T Benson

Charles N DeVore

John T Strand

Keith R Bruesewitz

Jennifer Rebecca Yi

M Benton Free

Glen A Jerry

Serge Wetzels

Michael L Ruegsegger

Alan Paul Miller

Michael J Tichy

Bruce D Shalles

Andrzej P Jaworski

Emilie L Rexeisen

Peter E Price

Richard M Jendrejack

Alan G Hulme-Lowe

Jennifer R Yi

The present method comprises providing a flexible web substrate (e.g., polymeric flexible web substrates) that forms at least part of a component of a device, coating so as to wet-out on and cover all or a substantial portion of a major surface on one side or both sides of the flexible web substrate with flowable polymeric material, while the flexible web substrate is moving in a down-web direction, and solidifying the polymeric material so as to form one cleaning layer on the major surface of one side or both sides of the flexible web substrate. The present invention can be utilized in a continuous in-line manufacturing process. In applications of the present invention where the flexible web substrate will not form a component of a device, the present invention broadly provides a method for cleaning particles from a flexible web of indefinite length. Each cleaning layer forms a substantially adhesive bond to the major surface that is readily removable without damaging or leaving a substantial residue of cleaning layer material on the major surface. A substantial number of the particles that were on this major surface are captured by and removable with the cleaning layer.

Method of producing a component of a device, and the resulting components and devices

Articles having poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and silica nanoparticle multilayer coatings are provided. More specifically, the articles include a substrate and a multilayer coating attached to the substrate. The multilayer coating includes a silica layer that is the outermost layer, the silica layer containing acid-sintered interconnected silica nanoparticles arranged to form a continuous three-dimensional porous network. The multilayer coating also includes a PVA layer disposed between a surface of the substrate and the outermost silica layer. The PVA and silica nanoparticle coatings can be used on a large variety of substrates and tend to be resistant to impacts, scratches, wet abrasions, soil and fog.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) and silica nanoparticle multilayer coatings and methods

Articles having crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and silica nanoparticle multilayer coatings are provided. More specifically, articles including a substrate, and a multilayer coating attached to the substrate are provided. The multilayer coating includes a first crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) layer and a first silica layer. The first crosslinked PVA layer is an outermost layer of the multilayer coating. The first silica layer comprises a plurality of acid-sintered interconnected silica nanoparticles arranged to form a continuous three-dimensional porous network. The PVA and silica nanoparticle multilayer coatings can be used on a large variety of substrates and tend to be resistant to wet and dry abrasions, scratches, and impacts.

Crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) and silica nanoparticle multilayer coatings and methods

Articles having poly(vinyl alcohol)-containing (PVA-containing) and silica nanoparticle multilayer coatings are provided. More specifically, articles include a substrate and a multilayer coating attached to the substrate. The multilayer coating includes a first silica layer and a first PVA-containing layer. The first silica layer is a primer layer of the multilayer coating, and the silica layer comprises a plurality of acid-sintered interconnected silica nanoparticles arranged to form a continuous three-dimensional porous network. The PVA-containing and silica nanoparticle multilayer coatings can be used on a large variety of substrates and tend to be resistant to wet and dry abrasions, scratches, and impacts.

Poly(vinyl alcohol)-containing and silica nanoparticle multilayer coatings and methods

Optically clear adhesive or coating layers can be prepared by preparing a curable mixture, coating the curable mixture to form a layer, partially curing the curable mixture, drying the coated layer, and fully curing the curable mixture. The curable mixture may also be partially cured and then coated, dried and fully cured. The curable mixture includes two free radically polymerizable monomer compositions that are relatively incompatible and a transient compatibilizer, such as a solvent. Polymers of the two monomer compositions, if polymerized separately and blended, form phase separated domains. The curable mixture provides for adhesive or coating layers that are optically clear.

Methods for preparing optically clear adhesives and coatings

The present disclosure describes a protective coating for a low index material, and a process for preparing a protected low index material. The protective coating partially penetrates the pores of a low index material, providing a seal protecting the pores, and can strengthen the construction by forming a gradient in properties of the protected low index material. The present disclosure further provides a diffusing low index optical element having a protected low index material and a diffusing layer disposed on the low index material.

Protective coating for low index material

It has now been determined that a first coating layer may be applied to a substrate by a first coating die in a much thinner layer than its rheological properties and/or surface properties would normally allow. This is accomplished by using a second coating fluid dispensed from a second coating die acting as a 'dynamic liquid squeegee' to transport, spread, even, or meter the first coating layer on the substrate by varying a gap between the second coating die and the substrate.

Use of a transport coating to apply a thin coated layer

Methods and apparatus () to neutralize the charge on a moving web () by splitting the field present on the web (). One portion of the field is removed by a grounded element () proximate to, and optionally contacting, one side of the web (). Proximate the opposite side of the web, the apparatus includes an ion source (), which provides ions to the web () to neutralize the charge remaining on the web (), and a second grounded element () positioned between the ion source () and the web (). The methods provide a web () that is net neutralized and is also dual-side or bipolar neutralized.

Apparatus and methods for modification of electrostatic charge on a moving web

Computer implemented method for making a die includes: selecting coating uniformity required to produce a particular coated product with the die and a value for one or more dimensions of the die; determining (using a mathematical model determined by regression analysis) total indicated run-out (TIR) of a die surface and dimensions of the die not having a user specified value; and machining die part or parts to the determined TIR and dimensions. A thermal treatment process for reducing the number of finishing (e.g., grinding) cycles needed to produce a desired die flatness is provided. A coating fluid rheological characteristic can be an input to the method.

System and method for designing a die to yield a desired coating uniformity

A keypad having a virtual floating image that appears to a user to be in a plane other than the apparent plane of the keypad surface. More particularly, the indicia on the keypad appear to float above or below the surface of the device. The keypad can be, for example, the keypad on a cell phone. For such an application there would be more than one array of indicia present on the keypad. For example, there might be ten arrays of indicia, which provide the numerals from 0 to 9 and two more arrays to provide virtual images of the * and # keys. In some embodiments, the keypad is integrated with an illumination source that light up the indicia. The present disclosure also provides a method of manufacturing a key pad with a virtual floating image.

Keypad with virtual image

Described are methods and products prepared from the methods, each of which include methods of coating certain materials onto a substrate, including coating a coating material and an edge material onto the substrate in a manner which may provide an improved thickness profile of the overall coating, and that may do so by using the edge material to augment the thickness of the coating material edge, or that may do so by improving the coating material edge by using the edge material to affect the shape of the coating material edge, the products being useful, for example, in electrochemical cells.

Coating edge control

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Geneseo, NY, United States of America

William R Dudley