Donald I Hirsch, 708520 75Th St S, Cottage Grove, MN 55016

6868890, Mar 22, 2005

Apr 3, 2002

10/115778

Donald Ivan Hirsch - Cottage Grove MN, US

3M Innovative Properties Company - Saint Paul MN

B32B035/00

156584, 156344

A method and apparatus are provided for peeling a thin film, typically 100 microns or less in thickness, from a liner by use of a rotatable peel rod supported in an air bearing. The air bearing comprises a support plate having arcuate surfaces which are substantially coaxial with a cylindrical film-bearing segment of the peel rod. Air openings in the arcuate surfaces conduct a flow of air into an air bearing gap between the arcuate surfaces and the peel rod.

7022207, Apr 4, 2006

Oct 6, 2004

10/959848

Donald Ivan Hirsch - Cottage Grove MN, US

3M Innovative Properties Company - Saint Paul MN

B32B 35/00

156344, 156584

A method and apparatus are provided for peeling a thin film, typically 100 microns or less in thickness, from a liner by use of a rotatable peel rod supported in an air bearing. The air bearing comprises a support plate having arcuate surfaces which are substantially coaxial with a cylindrical film-bearing segment of the peel rod. Air openings in the arcuate surfaces conduct a flow of air into an air bearing gap between the arcuate surfaces and the peel rod.

7432009, Oct 7, 2008

Apr 3, 2002

10/115523

Scott Alan Ripley - River Falls WI, US
Donald Ivan Hirsch - Cottage Grove MN, US
William Frederic Bader - Oakdale MN, US

3M Innovative Properties Company - Saint Paul MN

H01M 4/00

429 41, 429 42, 429 43, 429 44, 429 45

Components for the manufacture of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells are provided, as well as apparatus and automatable methods for their manufacture by rotary die cutting and by lamination of various layers to form membrane electrode assemblies. A method and apparatus for performing the method are provided for making a membrane electrode assembly comprising the steps of providing a web of polymer electrolyte membrane material and a laminating station, where the web of polymer electrolyte membrane material is drawn between a pair of laminating rollers in the laminating station which form a laminating nip; die-cutting a first and second web of catalyst decal materials or electrode materials to make first and second workpieces at first and second rotary die stations; which typically have a shape other than a four-sided parallelogram; holding the die-cut workpieces by action of sub-ambient air pressure to an endless perforated belt of first and second vacuum conveyors, typically before they are fully cut from the first and second webs; transporting first and second workpieces to opposing sides of the membrane in the laminating station; concurrently feeding the first and second workpieces into the laminating nip adjacent to the membrane, typically before they are fully released by the first and second vacuum conveyors; and laminating the first and second workpieces to the membrane, advantageously in accurate registration.

8309218, Nov 13, 2012

Aug 27, 2008

12/198998

Scott Alan Ripley - River Falls WI, US
Donald Ivan Hirsch - Cottage Grove MN, US
William Frederic Bader - Oakdale MN, US

3M Innovative Properties Company - St. Paul MN

B32B 7/12
H01M 4/38

428352, 428344, 428356, 428355 RA, 429483, 429485, 429487

Components for the manufacture of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells are provided, as well as apparatus and automatable methods for their manufacture by rotary die cutting and by lamination of various layers to form membrane electrode assemblies. A method and apparatus for performing the method are provided comprising die-cutting webs of catalyst decal materials or electrode materials to make first and second workpieces at first and second rotary die stations; holding the die-cut workpieces by action of sub-ambient air pressure to an endless perforated belt of first and second vacuum conveyors, typically before they are fully cut from the first and second webs; transporting first and second workpieces to opposing sides of a membrane in a laminating station; concurrently feeding the first and second workpieces into the laminating nip adjacent to the membrane, and laminating the first and second workpieces to the membrane.

8480838, Jul 9, 2013

Sep 13, 2012

13/614744

Scott Alan Ripley - River Falls WI, US
Donald Ivan Hirsch - Cottage Grove MN, US
William Frederic Bader - Oakdale MN, US

3M Innovative Properties Company - St. Paul MN

B29C 37/00
B32B 37/00
B32B 38/04

156263, 156265, 156285, 156303

Components for the manufacture of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells are provided, as well as apparatus and automatable methods for their manufacture by rotary die cutting and by lamination of various layers to form membrane electrode assemblies. A method and apparatus for performing the method are provided comprising die-cutting webs of catalyst decal materials or electrode materials to make first and second workpieces at first and second rotary die stations; holding the die-cut workpieces by action of sub-ambient air pressure to an endless perforated belt of first and second vacuum conveyors, typically before they are fully cut from the first and second webs; transporting first and second workpieces to opposing sides of a membrane in a laminating station; concurrently feeding the first and second workpieces into the laminating nip adjacent to the membrane, and laminating the first and second workpieces to the membrane.

2006010, May 18, 2006

Jan 26, 2006

11/275732

Donald Hirsch - Cottage Grove MN, US

B29C 63/00

156344000, 156584000

A method and apparatus are provided for peeling a thin film, typically 100 microns or less in thickness, from a liner by use of a rotatable peel rod supported in an air bearing. The air bearing comprises a support plate having arcuate surfaces which are substantially coaxial with a cylindrical film-bearing segment of the peel rod. Air openings in the arcuate surfaces conduct a flow of air into an air bearing gap between the arcuate surfaces and the peel rod.