360{20 {0 Reflex reflector

Claim 1

A reflex reflector body adapted to retro-reflect incident light over an included angle of at least about 360* measured in one plane comprising A. a body having four retro-reflective, generally planar surface portions arranged into two pairs of two portions each, said portions of each such pair of portions being generally in opposed, parallel relationship to each other, one such pair of portions being normally disposed relative to the other thereof, each said portion having at least one region comprised of transparent, solid material and having a region axis normal thereto, B. support means holding each such pair of portions in fixed, substantially non-overlapping adjacent relationship relative to the other thereof, C. each one of said regions having formed therein at least two groups of cube corner reflector elements, all such elements each having a central optical axis, the respective such optical axes of such elements in each such group being disposed substantially parallel to the respective such optical axes of the other such elements in each such group, each one of said regions further being retro-reflective of light directed thereon over an angle extending up to at least about 45* on a pair of opposed sides of said region axis thereof in a first plane extending through said region axis thereof, D. the respective optical axes of such elements in one such group being generally parallel to said region axis in each said region, E. the respective optical axes of such elements in a second such group being inclined at a predetermined angle in one direction relative to said region axis in each said region, and the respective optical axes of such elements in a third such group being inclined at a predetermined angle in a different direction relative to said region axis in each said region, F. the interrelationship between said groups, and said portions, being such that, when said portions are each vertically oriented spatially, incident light rays striking said body anywhere within an included angle of about 360* in a horizontal plane extending horizontally through said body are adapted to be retro-reflected.