Reflex light reflectors

Claim 2

AN IMPROVED REFLEX LIGHT REFLECTOR OF THE TYPE COMPRISING A MULTIPLICITY OF CLEAR REFLEX REFLECTIVE SPHERES AFFIXED TO A LIGHT REFLECTIVE SURFACE AND ARRANGED SO THAT LIGHT STRIKING THE SPHERES PASSES THERETHROUGH AND IS REFLECTED BY THE LIGHT REFLECTIVE SURFACE BACK THROUGH THE SPHERES TOWARD THE SOURCE OF LIGHT WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES USING AS THE REFLEX REFLECTIVE SPHERES POLYESTER BESDS PREPARED BY SUSPENSION POLYMERIZING A CURABLE RESIN COMPOSITION TO AN ETHYLENICALLY UNSATURATED POLYESTER AND A VINYL MONOMERIC CROSSLINKING AGENT IN AN AQUEOUS SUSPENSION MEDIUM CONTAINING A WATER SOLUBLE SALT.

Claim 3

A reflex reflector as in claim 1 wherein the salt is present in concentrations of at least 1.0 percent by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium.

Claim 4

A reflex reflector as in claim 1 wherein the diameter of the polyester beads is from about 0.003 to about 0.005 inch.

Claim 5

A reflex reflector as in claim 1 wherein the aqueous suspension medium contains a suspending agent in a concentration of from about 0.005 percent to about 5.0 percent by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium.

Claim 6

A reflex reflector as in claim 1 wherein the curable resin composition comprises from about 10 to about 90 percent by weight of the unsaturated polyester and from about 90 to about 10 perCent by weight of the vinyl monomer.

Claim 7

A reflex reflector as in claim 2 wherein the curable resin composition comprises from about 10 to about 90 percent by weight of the unsaturated polyester and from about 90 to about 10 percent by weight of the vinyl monomer.

Claim 8

A reflex reflector as in claim 1 wherein the curable resin composition comprises from about 20 to about 75 percent by weight of the unsaturated polyester and from about 25 to about 80 percent by weight of the vinyl monomer.

Claim 9

A reflex reflector as in claim 2 wherein the curable resin composition comprises from about 20 to about 75 percent by weight of the unsaturated polyester and from about 25 to about 80 percent by weight of the vinyl monomer.

Claim 10

A reflex reflector as in claim 1 wherein the water soluble salt is selected from the inorganic alkaline and alkaline earth metal halides.

Claim 11

A reflex reflector as in claim 2 wherein water soluble salt is selected from the inorganic kalkine and alkaline earth metal halides.

Claim 12

A method as in claim 1 wherein the unsaturated polyester is comprised of dipropylene glycol and maleic anhydride and the vinyl monomer is styrene.

Claim 13

A method as in claim 2 wherein the unsaturated polyester is comprised of dipropylene glycol and maleic anhydride and the vinyl monomer is styrene.

Claim 14

A method as in claim 1 wherein the salt is sodium chloride and the suspending agent is polyvinyl alcohol.

Claim 15

A method as in claim 1 wherein the salt is sodium chloride and the suspending agent is polyvinyl alcohol.

Claim 16

An improved reflex light reflection of the type comprising a multiplicity of clear reflex reflective spheres affixed to a light reflective surface and arranged so that striking the spheres passes therethrough and is reflected by the light reflective surface back through the spheres toward the source of light wherein the improvement comprises using as the reflex reflective spheres polyester beads which are substantially spherical in shape and which are substantially free of internal voids, encapsulated matter and surface irregularities which are prepared by polymerizing a curable resin composition of from about 10 percent to about 90 percent by weight of an unsaturated polyester and from about 10 percent to about 90 percent by weight of a vinyl monomeric crosslinking agent in an aqueous suspension medium containing at least about 1.0 percent by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium of a water soluble salt and from about 0.01 percent to about 2 percent by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium of a suspending agent.

Claim 17

An improved reflex light reflection of the type comprising a multiplicity of clear reflex reflective spheres affixed to a light reflective surface and arranged so that striking the spheres passes therethrough and is reflected by the light reflective surface back through the spheres toward the source of light wherein the improvement comprises using as the reflex reflective spheres polyester beads which are substantially spherical in shape and which are substantially free of internal voids, encapsulated matter and surface irregularities which are prepared by polymerizing a curable resin composition of from about 10 percent to about 90 percent by weight of an unsaturated polyester and from about 10 percent to about 90 percent by weight of a vinyl monomeric crosslinking agent in an aqueous suspension medium containing at least about 1.0 percent by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium of a water soluble salt and from about 0.01 percent to about 2 percent by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium of a suspending agent.

Claim 18

A reflex reflector as in claim 15 wherein the diameter of the polyester beads is from about 0.003 to about 0.05 inch.

Claim 19

An improved reflex light reflection of the type comprising a multiplicity of clear reflex reflective spheres affixed to a light reflective surface and arranged so that light striking the spheres passes therethrough and is reflected by the light reflective surface back through the spheres toward the source of light wherein the improvement comprises using as the reflex reflective spheres polyester beads which are substantially spherical in shape and which are substantially free of internal voids, encapsulated matter and surface irregularities which are prepared by suspension polymerizing a curable resin composition of from about 20 percent to about 75 percent by weight of an unsaturated polyester and from about 25 percent to about 80 percent by weight of a vinyl monomeric crosslinking agent in an aqueous suspension medium containing at least about 1.0 percent by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium of a water soluble salt and from about 0.01 to about 2.0 percent by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium of a suspending agent.

Claim 20

An improved reflex light reflection of the type comprising a multiplicity of clear reflex reflective spheres affixed to a light reflective surface and arranged so that light striking the spheres passes therethrough and is reflected by the light reflective surface back through the spheres toward the source of light wherein the improvement comprises using as the reflex reflective spheres polyester beads which are substantially spherical in shape and which are substantially free of internal voids, encapsulated matter and surface irregularities which are prepared by suspension polymerizing a curable resin composition of from about 20 percent to about 75 percent by weight of an unsaturated polyester and from about 25 percent to about 80 percent by weight of a vinyl monomeric crosslinking agent in an aqueous suspension medium containing at least about 1.0 percent by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium of a water soluble salt and from about 0.01 to about 2.0 percent by weight based on the weight of the aqueous medium of a suspending agent.

Claim 21

A reflex reflector as in claim 17 wherein the suspending agent is an oRganic polymeric suspending agent.

Claim 22

A reflex reflector as in claim 17 wherein the salt is sodium chloride and the suspending agent is polyvinyl alcohol.

Claim 23

A reflex reflector as in claim 17 wehrein the unsaturated polyester is comprised of dipropylene glycol and maleic anhydride and the vinyl monomer is styrene.

Claim 24

A reflex reflector as in claim 17 wherein said crosslinking agent is about 40 to about 95 percent by weight of styrene and about 5 to about 60 percent by weight of a lower alkyl acrylate or methacrylate.

Claim 25

A reflex reflector as in claim 17 which contains a U.V. stabilizer.

Claim 26

A reflex reflector as in claim 22 wherein the U.V. stabilizer is a lower alkyl acrylate or methacrylate.