Daniel Robert Theis

8486593, Jul 16, 2013

Dec 17, 2009

13/141108

Michael A. Haase - St. Paul MN, US
Jeffrey H. Tokie - Scandian MN, US
Daniel J. Theis - Mahtomedi MN, US
Brian K. Nelson - Shoreview MN, US

3M Innovative Properties Company - St. Paul MN

G03F 9/00

430 22, 430 30

Methods of making flexible circuit films include providing a polymer film or other flexible substrate having a plurality of alignment marks and a photosensitive material thereon. The substrate passes around a suitable roller, belt, or other inelastic conveyor such that the substrate and the conveyor move together at least from a first location to a second location. Positions of a first set of the alignment marks on a first portion of the substrate are measured when such portion is at the first location, and the measured positions can be used to calculate a distortion of the substrate. The photosensitive material is then patternwise exposed when the first portion of the substrate has moved to the second location. The patternwise exposing is based on the measured positions of the first set of alignment marks, and may include exposing the web with a distortion-adjusted pattern. Related systems and articles are also disclosed.

20100119730, May 13, 2010

Jun 5, 2008

12/597198

Brian K. Nelson - Shoreview MN, US
David L. Philips - White Bear Lake MN, US
Donald J. McClure - Siren WI, US
Daniel H. Carlson - Arden Hills MN, US
James N. Dobbs - Woodbury MN, US
Scott M. Schnobrich - Cottage Grove MN, US
Daniel J. Theis - Mahtomedi MN, US

B05C 9/14
H05B 6/46

427543, 118 46

An apparatus and method for fabricating electronic devices on a polymeric substrate provide for positionally constraining a polymer substrate on a platen, and heating the constrained polymer substrate to at least a glass transition temperature of the polymer substrate. A heat processable ink is applied to the constrained polymer substrate to form at least a portion of a layer of an electronic device thereon.

20100304309, Dec 2, 2010

May 27, 2009

12/472618

Daniel J. Theis - Mahtomedi MN, US
Levent Biyikli - Cedar Park TX, US
Jeffrey H. Tokie - Scandia MN, US
David L. Hofeldt - Oakdale MN, US

G03F 7/20
G03B 27/54

430325, 430322, 355 67

A method includes providing a substrate having a layer of photosensitive material thereon and a mask having contiguous first, second, and third portions; and sequentially: i) scanning the first portion with a light beam at a first rate and subsequently impinges on the photosensitive material at an exposure zone; ii) fixing the scanning within the second portion; and iii) resuming scanning through the third portion. Throughout the process the substrate moves through the exposure zone. An apparatus for carrying out the process includes a light beam source, a mask mount, a mask stage, a conveyor assembly, and at least one optical element for manipulating the light beam into a rectangular light beam.

20110067234, Mar 24, 2011

May 20, 2009

12/993138

Daniel J. Theis - Mahtomedi MN, US
Brian K. Nelson - Shoreview MN, US
James N. Dobbs - Woodbury MN, US
Samuel Kidane - St. Paul MN, US
Ronald P. Awanson - Woodbury MN, US
Daniel H. Carlson - Arden Hills MN, US
Grant F. Tiefenbruck - Cottage Grove MN, US
Karl K. Stensvad - Grove Heights MN, US

H05K 3/10

29846

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.

20110247511, Oct 13, 2011

Dec 9, 2009

13/130610

Daniel H. Carlson - Arden Hills MN, US
Daniel J. Theis - Mahtomedi MN, US
Brian K. Nelson - Shoreview MN, US

3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY - Saint Paul MN

B41J 2/01
B26D 3/00
G03B 27/00
B26D 3/08

101327, 83879, 83861, 101483, 355 18

Fiducials having substantially continuous portions made on a substrate allow the position of the substrate to be determined. An approach for making fiducials involves moving first and second fiducial devices together back and forth across the substrate along a trajectory having a component along the lateral axis of the substrate while the substrate and the first and second fiducial devices are in relative motion along the longitudinal axis of the substrate. The first fiducial device operates to make one fiducial on the substrate during the movement along the trajectory and the relative motion. The second fiducial device operates to make another fiducial on the substrate during the movement along the trajectory and the relative motion. The fiducials may be formed so that they have a constant spatial frequency with the first fiducial being out of phase with respect to the second fiducial.

20130251945, Sep 26, 2013

Dec 1, 2011

13/988962

Randy S. Bay - Woodbury MN, US
Brian K. Nelson - Shoreview MN, US
Mikhail L. Pekurovsky - Bloomington MN, US
Ilyess H. Romdhane - Woodbury MN, US
Daniel J. Theis - Mahtomedi MN, US
Olester Benson, JR. - Woodbury MN, US

3M Innovative Properties Company - St. Paul MN

B44F 1/02
B29C 39/14

428141, 264299, 264495

An article having a first major surface with at least first and second regions, the first region comprising a plurality of first structures having a first surface roughness, the second region comprising a plurality of second structures having a second surface roughness, wherein at least a portion of the at least first and second regions have a surface roughness difference between them that together exhibit at least a portion of a first image. Exemplary uses of the articles include tool-less macro-patterning of transflectors, customized appearance for retroreflective sheeting, incorporation of security features, decorative patterns for lighting diffusers, images or logos in medical films without inks or contamination.

20130286367, Oct 31, 2013

Jun 27, 2013

13/929505

Jeffrey H. Tokie - Scandian MN, US
Daniel J. Theis - Mahtomedi MN, US
Brian K. Nelson - Shoreview MN, US

G03F 7/20

355 52

A system for making flexible circuit films includes an inelastic conveyor, a web handling apparatus configured to pass a flexible substrate around the inelastic conveyor, an image acquisition apparatus configured to measure positions of a first set of alignment marks on the flexible substrate at a first conveyor location, an exposure apparatus configured to patternwise expose a photosensitive material on the flexible substrate at a second conveyor location, and an image processor configured to receive the measured positions of the first set of alignment marks, and to compare the measured positions with reference positions of the first set of alignment marks. The exposure apparatus is configured to patternwise expose the photosensitive material based on the comparison between the measured positions and the reference positions.

20220260760, Aug 18, 2022

Jul 7, 2020

17/628673

- St. Paul MN, US
Tri D. Pham - Woodbury MN, US
Matthew S. Stay - Bloomington MN, US
Matthew R.D. Smith - Woodbury MN, US
Daniel J. Theis - Mahtomedi MN, US
Serena L. Schleusner - Roberts WI, US
Jathan D. Edwards - Afton MN, US

G02B 3/00
G02B 5/00

An optical system is disclosed and includes an image sensor (), a plurality of microlenses (), at least one microlens of the plurality of microlenses defining a microlens height and a microlens diameter. The optical system also includes a plurality of light-blocking structures (), at least one light-blocking structure of the plurality of light-blocking structures defining a light-blocking structure height and a light-blocking structure width. An aperture array () includes a plurality of apertures (), each aperture being aligned with a microlens of the plurality of microlenses, and the microlenses and the light-blocking structures extend from the aperture array toward the image sensor. The systems, structures and features disclosed herein can improve a signal-to-noise ratio when detecting images, via the optical sensor, from behind a display.