Patterned pavement marking

Claim 2

A retroreflective sheet comprising: a resilient polymeric base sheet having a front surface; a plurality of integral protrusions projecting from the front surface, each of the protrusions having a top surface and a side surface connecting the top surface to the front surface of the base sheet; a discontinuous layer of bead bond covering a selected set of side surfaces of each of the protrusions; and a plurality of retroreflecting beads partially embedded in the layer of bead bond and partially protruding from the layer of bead bond, and wherein the front surface and the top surfaces are substantially free of the layer of bead bond.

Claim 3

The retroreflective sheet of claim 1 further comprising: a second layer of bead bond covering a second selected set of side surfaces of each of the protuberances; and a plurality of particles partially embedded in the second layer of bead bond.

Claim 4

The retroreflective sheet of claim 2 wherein the embedded particles are retroreflective beads and the bead bond on the first selected set of side surfaces is a different color from the bead bond covering the second set of side surfaces.

Claim 5

The retroreflective sheet of claim 2 wherein the particles are chosen from the group consisting of retroreflecting beads and skid prevention particles.

Claim 6

The retroreflector sheet of claim 2 further comprising: a third layer of bead bond covering the top surfaces of the protuberances; and a plurality of skid prevention particles partially embedded in the third layer of bead bond.

Claim 7

A process for producing a retroreflector sheet, the process comprising the steps of: providing a resilient polymeric base sheet having a back surface and a plurality of protrusions projecting from a front surface of the sheet opposite said back surface, each of the protrusions having a top surface and at least one side surface; applying a discontinuous layer of a liquid bead bond material to selected portions of the side surfaces of the protrusions; partially embedding a plurality of retroreflecting beads in the liquid layer of bead bond material; and solidifying the bead bond layer to form a retroreflector sheet with partially embedded retroreflecting beads on selected portions of the side.

Claim 8

A process for producing a retroreflector sheet, the process comprising the steps of: providing a resilient polymeric base sheet having a back surface and a plurality of protrusions projecting from a front surface of the sheet opposite said back surface, each of the protrusions having a top surface and at least one side surface; applying a discontinuous layer of a liquid bead bond material to selected portions of the side surfaces of the protrusions; partially embedding a plurality of retroreflecting beads in the liquid layer of bead bond material; and solidifying the bead bond layer to form a retroreflector sheet with partially embedded retroreflecting beads on selected portions of the side.

Claim 9

The process of claim 6 wherein the base sheet is a continuous web, and the step of applying a bead bond material is carried out by conveying the web over a roller where the protrusions are pressed against a film of bead bond material, the pressure over the area of web in contact with the bead bond film being sufficient to keep the bead bond material off the top surfaces of the protrusions and force the bead bond material onto selected portions of the side surfaces.

Claim 10

The process of claim 7 wherein the pressure is provided by a backing roller pressing against the back surface of the base sheet, forcing the protrusions into contact with the bead bond film.

Claim 11

The process of claim 6 wherein the liquid bead bond material has a viscosity at 24 o C of about 1800 to 10,000 centipoise.