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:
May. 02, 2006
Filed:
Dec. 21, 1999
Martin E. Denker, Vadnais Heights, MN (US);
Joseph T. Bartusiak, Osseo, MN (US);
Anthony B. Ferguson, Lake Elmo, MN (US);
Thomas P. Hanschen, St. Paul, MN (US);
Jeffery N. Jackson, Woodbury, MN (US);
William Ward Merrill, White Bear Lake, MN (US);
Susan J. Newhouse, Houlton, WI (US);
Fred J. Roska, Woodbury, MN (US);
Richard J. Thompson, Lino Lakes, MN (US);
Chiu Ping Wong, Vadnais Heights, MN (US);
Martin E. Denker, Vadnais Heights, MN (US);
Joseph T. Bartusiak, Osseo, MN (US);
Anthony B. Ferguson, Lake Elmo, MN (US);
Thomas P. Hanschen, St. Paul, MN (US);
Jeffery N. Jackson, Woodbury, MN (US);
William Ward Merrill, White Bear Lake, MN (US);
Susan J. Newhouse, Houlton, WI (US);
Fred J. Roska, Woodbury, MN (US);
Richard J. Thompson, Lino Lakes, MN (US);
Chiu Ping Wong, Vadnais Heights, MN (US);
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A method of stretching films in which all or a portion of the width of the film is cooled during or just after stretching so as to improve the uniformity of the film. The includes stretching a polymeric film in a tenter that grasps the film with a plurality of clips along the opposing edges of the film and propels the clips to thereby stretch the film. The tenter includes driven clips and idler clips, with at least one idler clip between respective pairs of driven clips. The cooling is done so as to improve the uniformity of the clip spacing relative to the spacing obtained at otherwise identical process conditions without such cooling.