Granted Patent B2

US 12,434,427 · App. 18/447,807 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Inventors: Jodi L. Connell (St. Paul, MN); Raymond P. Johnston (Lake Elmo, MN); John J. Sullivan (Hudson, WI); Karl J. L. Geisler (St. Paul, MN); Vivian W. Jones (Woodbury, MN); Gordon A. Kuhnley (St. Paul, MN); Patrick G. Zimmerman (Mendota Heights, MN); Bradley W. Eaton (Woodbury, MN); Kurt J. Halverson (St. Paul, MN); Brian W. Lueck (Houlton, WI); Alexander C. Eldredge (Mahtomedi, MN); Hyacinth L. Lechuga (St. Paul, MN)

Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company

B29C59/022B08B17/065B29C51/02B29C51/14B29C2059/023B29L2031/756B32B37/12B32B2307/754

Abstract

Claims (24)

1. An article comprising a surface that is exposed to the environment and is subject to be touched or otherwise coming in contact with people and/or animals, wherein the surface comprises a microstructured surface comprising peak structures and adjacent valleys, wherein:

the valleys have a maximum width ranging from 5 microns to 250 microns;

the peak structures have a side wall angle of greater than 10 degrees;

the microstructured surface comprises less than 30% of flat surface area that is parallel to a planar base layer; and

wherein the microstructured surface can provide a mean log 10 reduction of bacteria of at least 2 after cleaning.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein the peak structures comprise two or more facets and the facets form continuous or semi-continuous surf aces in the same direction.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein the microstructured surface comprises a linear array of prisms or an array of cube-corners elements including preferred geometry cube corner elements.

4. The article of claim 1 wherein peak structures have an apex that is sharp, rounded or truncated.

5. The article of claim 1 wherein the peak structures have an apex angle ranging from 20 to 120 degrees.

6. The article of claim 1 wherein the microstructured surface comprises less than 50% of flat surface area.

7. The article of claim 1 wherein the valleys lack intersecting walls.

8. The article of claim 1 wherein the article is not a sterile implantable medical article, an orthodontic appliance or orthodontic brackets.

9. The article of claim 1 wherein the microstructured surface is provided on the article by coating, injection molding, embossing, laser etching, extrusion, or casting and curing a polymerizable.

10. The article of claim 1 wherein the microstructured surface is provided on the article by providing a film comprising the microstructured surface and bonding the film to the article with the pressure sensitive adhesive.

11. The article of claim 1 wherein the article is a component of a vehicle; a housing or a case of an electronic device; a food packaging article; a biomedical packaging, a medical facility article; furniture, a handle; an article for children utensil; a desktop, flooring, a countertop, a window sill, a railing, a component of a lavatory, a toothbrush, protective athletic equipment, or playground equipment.

12. The article of claim 1 wherein a pressure sensitive adhesive layer is disposed between the article and the microstructured surface.

13. The article of claim 1 wherein the peak structures comprise a crosslinked organic polymeric material or a cured epoxy resin.

14. The article of claim 1 wherein the microstructured surface can provide a log 10 reduction of microorganism of at least 3 after cleaning.

15. The articles claim 1 wherein the microstructured surface provides a reduction in microorganism touch transfer of at least 50%.

16. The article of claim 10 wherein the film is a graphic film.

17. The article of claim 1 wherein at least 50% of the microstructured surface comprises cleaning solution 1-3 minutes after applying the cleaning solution to the microstructured surface.

18. The articles of claim 1 wherein the microstructured surface has a Sbi/Svi of greater than 3 and less than 90.

19. The articles of claim 1 wherein the microstructured surface can provide a mean log 10 reduction of bacteriophage or virus after cleaning.

20. The article of claim 1 wherein the microstructured surface does not comprise a fluorinated material or polydimethylsiloxane material.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (7)

References Cited (208)