US Patent Issued to 3M Innovative Properties on March 31 for "Polishing pads and systems for and methods of using same" (Minnesota Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 31 -- United States Patent no. 12,589,463, issued on March 31, was assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Co. (St. Paul, Minn.).

"Polishing pads and systems for and methods of using same" was invented by Joseph D. Rule (Woodbury, Minn.), Duy K. Lehuu (Lake Elmo, Minn.) and Eric C. Coad (Woodbury, Minn.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A polishing pad includes a textured polishing layer comprising a working surface and a second surface opposite the working surface. The textured polishing layer comprises a polymeric blend comprising thermoplastic urethane in an amount of between 40 and 95 wt. %, and styrenic copolymer in an amount of between 5 and 60 wt. %, based on the total...