Patent EP0142250A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0142250A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Retroreflective sheeting and methods for making same
Assignee: Cessione stimsonite Corp
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Filing: 1984-09-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-09-19
Abstract
Abstract A relatively flexible retroreflective laminate sheet construction includes a thermoplastic web (26) a light-receiving and transmitting front side (28) and a reverse side (30) co- extensive with the front side (26), a retroreflective pattern being formed on the reverse side (30). A layer (34) is deposited on the reverse side (30) to cover selected portions of the formed retroreflective pattern with the remaining portions of the formed pattern devoid of the granular material. A layer (32) of back coating material is deposited on the reverse side to overlay the granular material (34). The back coating material contacts the remaining portions of the formed pattern and is fixedly secured thereto, thereby encapsulating the granular material between the reverse side (30) and the back coating layer (32).
Inventors
- 👤 Robert M. Pricone
- 👤 William N. Roberts
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:47
CPC Classifications
B; B05; B05D; B05D5/00; B05D5/06; B05D5/061; B05D5/063; B29; B29D; B29D11/00; B29D11/00605; G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/12; G02B5/122; G02B5/124
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 59
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A relatively flexible retroreflective laminate sheet construction including a thermoplastic web with a light-receiving and transmitting first side and a second side coextensive with said first side, and a retroreflective pattern formed on said second side, said construction comprising: a layer of granular material deposited on said second side to cover selected portions of said formed retroreflective pattern with remaining portions of said formed pattern devoid of said granular material; and a layer of back coating material deposited on said second side to overlay said granular material, said back coating material contacting said remaining portions of said formed pattern and fixedly secured thereto, thereby encapsulating said granular material between said second side and said back coating layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
A relatively flexible retroreflective laminate sheet construction including a thermoplastic web with a light-receiving and transmitting first side and a second side coextensive with said first side, and a retroreflective pattern formed on said second side, said construction comprising: a layer of granular material deposited on said second side to cover selected portions of said formed retroreflective pattern with remaining portions of said formed pattern devoid of said granular material; and a layer of back coating material deposited on said second side to overlay said granular material, said back coating material contacting said remaining portions of said formed pattern and fixedly secured thereto, thereby encapsulating said granular material between said second side and said back coating layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The construction of Claim 1, wherein said granular material is deposited in a regular and repeating pattern.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The construction of Claim 1, wherein said granular material is deposited in a discrete, regularly-spaced pattern of elements: each said element being surrounded by contiguous of said remaining portions of said formed pattern devoid of said granular material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The construction of Claim 1 wherein said granular material is hydrophobic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The construction of Claim 4, wherein said granular material is hydrophobic silica.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The construction of Claim 1, wherein said granular material has a particle size of about 18 nanometers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
The construction of Claim 1, wherein said layer of granular material consists initially of a slurry consisting of a hydrophobic granular material, a polar solvent, and a non-polar solvent, said polar solvent and said non-polar solvent present in relative proportions sufficient to allow deposition of said hydrophobic granular material in a well-defined pattern on said thermoplastic web.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The construction of Claim 7, wherein said granular material is hydrophobic silica.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The construction of Claim 7, wherein said polar solvent is an aliphatic alcohol.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
11 words
The construction of Claim 7, wherein said polar solvent is butanal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
ll. The construction of Claim 7, Wherein said non-polar solvent is mineral spirits.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
The construction of Claim 9 or 10, wherein said polar solvent is present in an amount from about 10% to about 30% of said slurry, and said non-polar solvent is present in an amount from about 40% to about 70% of said slurry.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The construction of Claim 9 or 10, wherein said polar solvent is present in an amount of about 15% of said slurry.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
The construction of Claim 7, wherein said slurry consists of from about 15% to about 35% of said hydrophobic granular material, from about 10% to about 30% of said polar solvent, and from about 40% to about 70% of said non-polar solvent.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The construction of Claim 7, wherein said slurry includes a thixotropic thickener.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The construction of Claim 1, wherein said back coating consists principally of a polymeric, water-based system.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The construction of Claim 16, wherein said back coating includes a major proportion of an acrylic/urethane copolymer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The construction of Claim 16, wherein said back coating includes a major proportion of a polymeric acrylic water-borne system.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
91 words
The construction of Claim 16, wherein said back coating consists initially of the following constituents: (a) a water-borne emulsion of an acrylic/urethane copolymer in a proportion from about 69 percent to about 80 percent; (b) a whitening agent in a proportion from about 21 percent to about 24 percent; (c) a defoamer in a proportion from about 0.4 percent to about 0.6 percent; (d) an acrylic-based thickening agent in a proportion from about 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent; and (e) a pH-adjusting agent in a proportion up to about 0.3 percent.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
146 words
The construction of Claim 16, wherein said back coating initially consists of the following constituents: (a) a water-borne polymeric acrylic system in a proportion from about 42 percent to about 62 percent; (b) a water in a proportion from about 2 percent to about 12 percent; (c) an anti-skinning agent in a proportion from about 1.5 percent to about 2.5 percent; (d) a whitening agent in a proportion from about 5 percent to about 36 percent: (e) a flatting agent in a proportion from about 3 percent to about 5 percent; (f) a pH-adjusting agent in a proportion from about 0.3 percent to about 0.5 percent; (g) a defoamer in a proportion from about 0.6 percent to about 1.0 percent; (h) a coalescent solvent in a proportion from about 1.0 percent to 1.6 percent; and (i) a thickener in a proportion from up to 3.6 percent.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The construction set forth in Claim 1, 6, 19 or 20, in which the retroreflective pattern consists of an array of cube-corner type reflecting elements.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The construction set forth in Claim 21, in which said array of cube-corner elements repeats itself in regular intervals.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
150 words
A retroreflective laminate sheet construction comprising: a thermoplastic web having a light-receiving and transmitting first side and second side coextensive with said first side; said second side having a repeating retroreflective pattern of precise detail formed thereon; a layer of granular material disposed on said second side to cover selected portions of said formed pattern and leave the remaining portions of said formed pattern devoid of said granular material; a layer of back coating material deposited on said second side to overlay said granular material; said back coating material contacting said remaining portions of said formed pattern; said back coating material being in secure attachment to said second side at said remaining portions, thereby encapsulating said granular material between said second side and said back coating material; a layer of adhesive applied to and coextensive with said back coating material; and a release sheet releasably secured to said adhesive layer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
150 words
A retroreflective laminate sheet construction comprising: a thermoplastic web having a light-receiving and transmitting first side and second side coextensive with said first side; said second side having a repeating retroreflective pattern of precise detail formed thereon; a layer of granular material disposed on said second side to cover selected portions of said formed pattern and leave the remaining portions of said formed pattern devoid of said granular material; a layer of back coating material deposited on said second side to overlay said granular material; said back coating material contacting said remaining portions of said formed pattern; said back coating material being in secure attachment to said second side at said remaining portions, thereby encapsulating said granular material between said second side and said back coating material; a layer of adhesive applied to and coextensive with said back coating material; and a release sheet releasably secured to said adhesive layer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
52 words
The construction of Claim 23, wherein said granular material is deposited on said second side in a regular and repeating pattern: said regular and repeating pattern including discrete, regularly-spaced pattern elements of selected geometric shape; and each said pattern element surrounded by contiguous portions of said pattern devoid of said granular material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The construction of Claim 23, wherein said back coating material is applied to overlay said granular material and said remaining portions of said formed pattern.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The construction of Claim 23, wherein said granular material is deposited in a regular and repeating array.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
29 words
The construction of Claim 26, wherein said array comprise an array of square pattern elements: said pattern elements defining therebetween a series of paths devoid of said granular material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
The construction of Claim 23, wherein said granular material has a particle size of about 18 nanometers.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
12 words
The construction of Claim 23, wherein said granular material is hydrophobic silica.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
The construction of Claim 23, wherein said back coating includes a major proportion of a water-borne acrylic-urethane copolymer.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
The construction of Claim 23, wherein said back coating includes a major proportion of a polymeric acrylic water-borne system.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
The construction of Claim 23, wherein said back coating initially includes a hydrophobic granular material, a polar solvent, and a non-polar solvent.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
13 words
The construction of Claim 32, wherein said hydrophobic granular material is hydrophobic silica.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
The construction of Claim 32, wherein said polar solvent is an aliphatic alcohol.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
11 words
The construction of Claim 32, wherein said polar solvent is butanal.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
12 words
The construction of Claim 32, wherein said non-polar solvent is mineral spirits.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for producing retroreflective laminate sheet constructions, said method comprising the steps of: (a) applying to a web of thermoplastic material having a retroreflective pattern, on one side, a layer of . granular material deposited in a regular and repeating array on said retroreflective pattern; (b) forming, as part of said array a plurality of paths devoid of said granular material: (c) applying a layer of back coating material to overlay said granular material and to fill said paths; and (d) curing said back coating material to encapsulate said granular material between said embossed side and said cured back coating material.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for producing retroreflective laminate sheet constructions, said method comprising the steps of: (a) applying to a web of thermoplastic material having a retroreflective pattern, on one side, a layer of . granular material deposited in a regular and repeating array on said retroreflective pattern; (b) forming, as part of said array a plurality of paths devoid of said granular material: (c) applying a layer of back coating material to overlay said granular material and to fill said paths; and (d) curing said back coating material to encapsulate said granular material between said embossed side and said cured back coating material.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
141 words
A relatively flexible retroreflective laminate sheet construction including a retroreflective web with a light-receiving and transmitting first side and a second side co-extensive with said first side, and a retroreflective pattern formed on said second side, said construction comprising: a layer of granular material deposited on said second side to cover selected portions of said formed pattern with remaining portions of said formed pattern forming paths devoid of said granular material; a layer of back coating material deposited on said second side to overlay said granular material, said back coating material contacting said remaining portions of said formed pattern and being fixedly secured thereto, thereby encapsulating said granular material between said second side and said back coating layer; and means for adjusting the amount of incident light reflected from said first side of said retroreflective web, without changing said formed pattern.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
141 words
A relatively flexible retroreflective laminate sheet construction including a retroreflective web with a light-receiving and transmitting first side and a second side co-extensive with said first side, and a retroreflective pattern formed on said second side, said construction comprising: a layer of granular material deposited on said second side to cover selected portions of said formed pattern with remaining portions of said formed pattern forming paths devoid of said granular material; a layer of back coating material deposited on said second side to overlay said granular material, said back coating material contacting said remaining portions of said formed pattern and being fixedly secured thereto, thereby encapsulating said granular material between said second side and said back coating layer; and means for adjusting the amount of incident light reflected from said first side of said retroreflective web, without changing said formed pattern.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
30 words
The construction of Claim 38 wherein said reflection adjusting means includes sizing and shaping said paths to cover a selected portion of the surface area of said second web side.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
28 words
The construction of Claim 39, wherein said granular material is deposited in a discrete, regularly-spaced array of elements: each said element being surrounded by contiguous of said paths.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
11 words
The construction of Claim 40 wherein said array elements are square.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
10 words
The construction of Claim 40 wherein said paths are rectangular.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
25 words
The construction of Claim 40 wherein each said element is a square having sides of 0.200 inch and each said path is 0.015 inch wide.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
26 words
The construction of Claim 40 wherein each said element is a square having sides of 0.138 inch wide and each said path is 0.127 inch wide.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
25 words
The construction of Claim 40 wherein each said element is a square having sides of 0.096 inch and each said path is 0.029 inch wide.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
92 words
A water-based back coating for application and attachment to a thermoplastic web, said back coating comprising; (a) a water-borne emulsion of an acrylic/urethane copolymer in a proportion from about 69 percent to about 80 percent; (b) a whitening agent in a proportion from about 21 percent to about 24 percent; (c) a defoamer in a proportion from about 0.4 percent to about 0.6 percent; (d)- an arcylic-based thickening agent in a proportion from about 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent; and (e) a pH-adjusting agent in a proportion up to about 0.3 percent.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
92 words
A water-based back coating for application and attachment to a thermoplastic web, said back coating comprising; (a) a water-borne emulsion of an acrylic/urethane copolymer in a proportion from about 69 percent to about 80 percent; (b) a whitening agent in a proportion from about 21 percent to about 24 percent; (c) a defoamer in a proportion from about 0.4 percent to about 0.6 percent; (d)- an arcylic-based thickening agent in a proportion from about 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent; and (e) a pH-adjusting agent in a proportion up to about 0.3 percent.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
148 words
A water-based back coating for application and attachment to a supporting thermoplastic web, said back coating comprising: (a) a water-borne polymeric arcylic system in a proportion from about 42 percent to about 62 percent; (b) a water in a proportion from about 2 percent to about 12 percent; (c) an anti-skinning agent in a proportion from about 1.5 percent to about 2.5 percent; (d) a whitening agent in a proportion from about 5 percent to about 36 percent: (e) a flatting agent in a proportion from about 3 percent to about 5 percent; (f) a pH-adjusting agent in a proportion from about 0.3 percent to about 0.5 percent; (g) a defoamer in a proportion from about 0.6 percent to about 1.0 percent; (h) a coalescent solvent in a proportion from about 1.0 percent to 1.6 percent; and (i) a thickener in a proportion from up to 3.0 percent.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
148 words
A water-based back coating for application and attachment to a supporting thermoplastic web, said back coating comprising: (a) a water-borne polymeric arcylic system in a proportion from about 42 percent to about 62 percent; (b) a water in a proportion from about 2 percent to about 12 percent; (c) an anti-skinning agent in a proportion from about 1.5 percent to about 2.5 percent; (d) a whitening agent in a proportion from about 5 percent to about 36 percent: (e) a flatting agent in a proportion from about 3 percent to about 5 percent; (f) a pH-adjusting agent in a proportion from about 0.3 percent to about 0.5 percent; (g) a defoamer in a proportion from about 0.6 percent to about 1.0 percent; (h) a coalescent solvent in a proportion from about 1.0 percent to 1.6 percent; and (i) a thickener in a proportion from up to 3.0 percent.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
28 words
A slurry of hydrophobic granular material for application to an embossed thermoplastic web, said slurry including: solids consisting of hydrophobic silica; a polar solvent; and a non-polar solvent.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
28 words
A slurry of hydrophobic granular material for application to an embossed thermoplastic web, said slurry including: solids consisting of hydrophobic silica; a polar solvent; and a non-polar solvent.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
38 words
The construction of Claim 48, wherein said polar solvent is present in an amount from about 15% to about 30% of said slurry and said non-polar solvent is present in an amount from about 40% to about 70%.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
13 words
The construction of Claim 48, wherein said polar solvent is an aliphatic alcohol.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
11 words
The construction of Claim 48, wherein said polar solvent is butanol.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
12 words
The construction of Claim 48, wherein said non-polar solvent is mineral spirits.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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