US Patent Issued to 3M Innovative Properties on Jan. 28 for "Coated abrasive article having spacer particles, making method and apparatus therefor" (Minnesota Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 29 -- United States Patent no. 12,208,490, issued on Jan. 28, was assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Co. (St. Paul, Minn.).

"Coated abrasive article having spacer particles, making method and apparatus therefor" was invented by Joseph B. Eckel (Vadnais Heights, Minn.), Aaron K. Nienaber (Lake Elmo, Minn.), Thomas J. Nelson (Woodbury, Minn.), Ann M. Hawkins (Lake Elmo, Minn.) and Amelia W. Koenig (Minneapolis).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Coated abrasive articles having spacer particles are formed by providing a production tool having a dispensing surface with a plurality of cavities, guiding the production tool past an abrasive particle feeder, dispensing shaped abras...