US4605461A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of transferring a retroreflective pattern onto a fabric
Assignee: IDE INDUSTRIES Ltd 12 SEIKAI-CHO SUZAKU SHIMOGYO-KU KYOTO JAPAN A CORP OF JAPAN
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Filing: 1984-12-06
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Granted: 1986-08-12
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Expires: 2004-12-06
Abstract
Abstract A method of transferring a retroreflective pattern onto a fabric, wherein a retroreflective pattern transfer sheet comprising a base film, a temporary holding adhesive, a mass of transparent fine glass spheres partially embedded into the temporary holding adhesive, and a reflective film layer which covers the exposed surface of the transparent fine glass spheres and the exposed surface of the temporary holding adhesive present in the gaps between individual adjacent transparent fine glass spheres, is superposed on the surface of a fabric coated with a compression bonding adhesive in a predetermined pattern, with the reflective film layer side put in contact with the fabric surface, the portion of the transfer sheet which is opposed to the compression bonding adhesive into bond with the fabric, an outer portion of the sheet is subsequently stripped off, whereby only the portion thereof which is in bond with the fabric through the compression bonding adhesive is allowed to remain on the fabric to form the retroreflective pattern with the individual transparent glass spheres present in partially exposed condition.
Inventors
- 👤 Hisao Ogi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 15:32
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/12; G02B5/126; G02B5/128; B; B44; B44C; B44C1/00; B44C1/16; B44C1/165; B44C1/17; B44C1/1733; B44C1/1737; B44F; B44F1/00; B44F1/02; B44F1/04; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/914; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1052; Y10T156/1059; Y10T156/1089; Y10T156/109; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24479; Y10T428/25; Y10T428/252
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
386 words
A method of transferring a retroreflective pattern onto a fabric, which comprises the steps of: coating a compression bonding adhesive on a surface of the fabric in a predetermined adhesive pattern, superposing on the surface of the fabric so coated with said adhesive a retroreflective pattern transfer sheet comprising a mass of transparent fine glass spheres deposited in spaced apart relation on a base film through an intermediary of a temporary holding adhesive so as to allow the fine spheres to be individually more than half exposed and a reflective film layer composed of a colored transparent film and a deposited metal film, which reflective film layer is laid over the exposed surface of said mass of transparent fine glass spheres and over the surface of the temporary holding adhesive present between individual adjacent glass spheres, with the reflective film side of said retroreflective pattern transfer sheet placed in face-to-face relation with the adhesive coated side of the fabric, applying pressure to the retroreflective pattern transfer sheet superposed on the fabric from the base film, thereby bringing the retroreflective pattern transfer sheet opposed to the pattern coat of the compression bonding adhesive into bond with the surface of the fabric through the compression bonding adhesive, applying a peel force to the retroreflective pattern transfer sheet so that the reflective film layer is scissioned at a gap defined by individual transparent fine glass spheres present along a borderline between a first portion of the transfer sheet which is in bond with the fabric through the compression bonding adhesive and a second portion of the transfer sheet including the area of the color transparent film and metal film between the spheres which is not in bond with the fabric and so that said portion of the transfer sheet not in bond with the fabric is stripped off, whilst at least the temporary holding adhesive and the base film are stripped off together from said portion in bond with the fabric of the transfer sheet so that a mass of transparent fine glass spheres, less than half exposed, and the associated reflective film layer at least are retained as retroreflective pattern means on the surface of the fabric the thickness of the adhesive coat being more than sufficient to fill the gaps between individual adjacent transparent fine glass spheres.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
386 words
A method of transferring a retroreflective pattern onto a fabric, which comprises the steps of: coating a compression bonding adhesive on a surface of the fabric in a predetermined adhesive pattern, superposing on the surface of the fabric so coated with said adhesive a retroreflective pattern transfer sheet comprising a mass of transparent fine glass spheres deposited in spaced apart relation on a base film through an intermediary of a temporary holding adhesive so as to allow the fine spheres to be individually more than half exposed and a reflective film layer composed of a colored transparent film and a deposited metal film, which reflective film layer is laid over the exposed surface of said mass of transparent fine glass spheres and over the surface of the temporary holding adhesive present between individual adjacent glass spheres, with the reflective film side of said retroreflective pattern transfer sheet placed in face-to-face relation with the adhesive coated side of the fabric, applying pressure to the retroreflective pattern transfer sheet superposed on the fabric from the base film, thereby bringing the retroreflective pattern transfer sheet opposed to the pattern coat of the compression bonding adhesive into bond with the surface of the fabric through the compression bonding adhesive, applying a peel force to the retroreflective pattern transfer sheet so that the reflective film layer is scissioned at a gap defined by individual transparent fine glass spheres present along a borderline between a first portion of the transfer sheet which is in bond with the fabric through the compression bonding adhesive and a second portion of the transfer sheet including the area of the color transparent film and metal film between the spheres which is not in bond with the fabric and so that said portion of the transfer sheet not in bond with the fabric is stripped off, whilst at least the temporary holding adhesive and the base film are stripped off together from said portion in bond with the fabric of the transfer sheet so that a mass of transparent fine glass spheres, less than half exposed, and the associated reflective film layer at least are retained as retroreflective pattern means on the surface of the fabric the thickness of the adhesive coat being more than sufficient to fill the gaps between individual adjacent transparent fine glass spheres.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein coating of the compression bonding adhesive on the surface of the fabric is effected during the stage of applying pressure to the retroreflective pattern transfer sheet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein coating of the compression bonding adhesive on the surface of the fabric is effected during the stage of applying pressure to the retroreflective pattern transfer sheet and to a thickness such that said adhesive coat is substantially less than sufficient to fill the gaps between individual adjacent transparent fine glass spheres.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein coating of the compression bonding adhesive on the surface of the fabric is effected during the stage of applying pressure to the retroreflective pattern transfer sheet and to different thicknesses such that a part of said adhesive coat is more than sufficient to fill the gaps between individual adjacent transparent fine glass spheres, the remaining part thereof being substantially less than sufficient to fill such gaps.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the compression bonding adhesive is a thermocompression bonding adhesive.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the compression bonding adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-08-11 | 1990-02-10 | 1990-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-08-11 | 1994-02-10 | 1994-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-08-11 | 1998-02-10 | 1998-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |