The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 15, 2004
Filed:
Jul. 31, 1998
Kathryn R. Bretscher, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Sumita B. Mitra, St. Paul, MN (US);
Olester Benson, Jr., Woodbury, MN (US);
James M. Jonza, Woodbury, MN (US);
William W. Merrill, White Bear Lake, MN (US);
Andrew J. Ouderkirk, Woodbury, MN (US);
Michael F. Weber, Shoreview, MN (US);
Janis R. Gust, Minneapolis, MN (US);
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
Dental articles including at least one optical surface formed of a multilayer optical film including layers of at least one strain-induced birefringent material are disclosed. The multilayer optical films included in the dental articles is preferably post-formed into desired non-planar shapes in manners that result in some deformation of the optical stack of the multilayer optical films. A variety of dental implements can be constructed with multilayer optical film including dental mirrors, light guides for use in connection with photo-curing dental materials, and matrix bands for use in molding photo-curing dental restoratives.