US5316703A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of producing a lamellar polymeric body
Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Co
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Filing: 1993-01-19
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Granted: 1994-05-31
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Expires: 2013-01-19
Abstract
Abstract A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body is provided and includes the steps of providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, and encapsulating discrete portions of the first polymeric material in the second polymeric material by coextruding the polymeric materials to form a plurality of ribbon-like layers of the first polymeric material within a matrix of the second polymeric material to form the reflective polymeric body. The layers of the first polymeric material are arranged to have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of the body such that at least 30% of light incident on the body is reflected. The ribbon-like layers may be further divided into a series of platelet-like layers to produce layers which are discontinuous in all major planar dimensions by passing the ribbon-like layers through a reciprocating feed plate or valve.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter J. Schrenk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 21:53
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C48/00; B29C48/03; B29C48/07; B32; B32B; B32B3/00; B32B3/10; B32B3/18; B29C48/16; B29C48/25; B29C48/30; B29C48/304; B29C70/00; B29C70/58; B29C70/585; B29D; B29D11/00; B32B27/00; B32B27/06; B32B27/08; B32B3/22; G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/20; G02B5/28; G02B5/285; G02B5/287; G02B5/30; G02B5/3008; G02B5/3025; G02B5/3033; G02B5/3041; G02B5/305; B29C48/08; B29K; B29K2995/00; B29K2995/0018; B29K2995/0031; B32B2250/00; B32B2250/42; B32B2307/00; B32B2307/40; B32B2307/416; B32B2307/70; B32B2307/724; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/913
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, encapsulating discrete portions of said first polymeric material in said second polymeric material by coextruding said polymeric materials to form a plurality of ribbon-like layers of said first polymeric material within a matrix of said second polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, which ribbon-like layers are substantially continuous in a first plane parallel to one of the major surfaces of said body and discontinuous in a second plane transverse to said first plane, and wherein said layers of said first polymeric material have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first polymeric material in said body, and those portions of said second polymeric material sandwiched between said individual layers of said first polymeric material, having an optical thickness of not more than 0.09 micrometers or not less than 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
213 words
A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, encapsulating discrete portions of said first polymeric material in said second polymeric material by coextruding said polymeric materials to form a plurality of ribbon-like layers of said first polymeric material within a matrix of said second polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, which ribbon-like layers are substantially continuous in a first plane parallel to one of the major surfaces of said body and discontinuous in a second plane transverse to said first plane, and wherein said layers of said first polymeric material have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first polymeric material in said body, and those portions of said second polymeric material sandwiched between said individual layers of said first polymeric material, having an optical thickness of not more than 0.09 micrometers or not less than 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said ribbon-like layers are further divided into a series of platelet-like layers to produce layers which are discontinuous in all major planar dimensions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said step of dividing said ribbon-like layers into platelet-like layers is accomplished by passing said ribbon-like layers through a reciprocating valve.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said second polymeric material is an elastomer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first polymeric material is a gas barrier material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 in which said first polymeric material is polymethyl methacrylate and said second polymeric material is polystyrene.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 in which a fluid is present at a plurality of said major interfaces of said first and second polymeric materials.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 in which said polymeric body is thermoformable.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
188 words
A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, coextruding said polymeric materials to form alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials, encapsulating individual ones of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials in a third polymeric material to form a plurality of discontinuous ribbon-like elements of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials within a matrix of said third polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, and wherein said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first and second polymeric materials having optical thicknesses of not more than 0.09 micrometers or not less than 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
188 words
A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, coextruding said polymeric materials to form alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials, encapsulating individual ones of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials in a third polymeric material to form a plurality of discontinuous ribbon-like elements of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials within a matrix of said third polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, and wherein said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first and second polymeric materials having optical thicknesses of not more than 0.09 micrometers or not less than 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said ribbon-like elements are further divided into a series of platelet-like elements to produce elements which are discontinuous in all major planar dimensions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method claim 9 wherein said step of dividing said ribbon-like elements into platelet-like elements is accomplished by passing said ribbon-like elements through a reciprocating valve.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 9 is which said third polymeric material is elastomeric.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 9 in which said polymeric body of thermoformable.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, feeding alternating slugs of said first and second polymeric materials to a flow passage, forming said alternating slugs into discontinuous alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials, encapsulating individual ones of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials in a third polymeric material to form a plurality of discontinuous ribbon-like elements of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials within a matrix of said third polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, and wherein said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first and second polymeric materials having optical thicknesses of not more than 0.09 micrometers or not less than 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
202 words
A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, feeding alternating slugs of said first and second polymeric materials to a flow passage, forming said alternating slugs into discontinuous alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials, encapsulating individual ones of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials in a third polymeric material to form a plurality of discontinuous ribbon-like elements of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials within a matrix of said third polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, and wherein said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first and second polymeric materials having optical thicknesses of not more than 0.09 micrometers or not less than 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the step of feeding alternating slugs of said first and second polymeric materials to a flow passage is accomplished by passing said first and second polymeric materials through a reciprocating valve.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the frequency of reciprocation of said valve is controlled to control the size of said alternating layers.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
208 words
A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, encapsulating discrete portions of said first polymeric material in said second polymeric material by coextruding said polymeric materials to form a plurality of ribbon-like layers of said first polymeric material within a matrix of said second polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, which ribbon-like layers are substantially continuous in a first plane parallel to one of the major surfaces of said body and discontinuous in a second plane transverse to said first plane, and wherein said layers of said first polymeric material have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first polymeric material in said body, and those portions of said second polymeric material sandwiched between said individual layers of said first polymeric material, having an optical thickness of between 0.09 micrometers and 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
208 words
A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, encapsulating discrete portions of said first polymeric material in said second polymeric material by coextruding said polymeric materials to form a plurality of ribbon-like layers of said first polymeric material within a matrix of said second polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, which ribbon-like layers are substantially continuous in a first plane parallel to one of the major surfaces of said body and discontinuous in a second plane transverse to said first plane, and wherein said layers of said first polymeric material have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first polymeric material in said body, and those portions of said second polymeric material sandwiched between said individual layers of said first polymeric material, having an optical thickness of between 0.09 micrometers and 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said ribbon-like layers are further divided into a series of platelet-like layers to produce layers which are discontinuous in all major planar dimensions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said step of dividing said ribbon-like layers into platelet-like layers is accomplished by passing said ribbon-like layers through a reciprocating valve.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said second polymeric material is an elastomer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said first polymeric material is a gas barrier material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 17 in which said first polymeric materials is polymethyl methacrylate and said second polymeric material is polystyrene.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 17 in which a fluid is present at a plurality of said major interfaces of said first and second polymeric materials.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 17 in which said polymeric body is thermoformable.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
183 words
The method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, coextruding said polymeric materials to form alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials, encapsulating individual ones of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials in a third polymeric material to form a plurality of discontinuous ribbon-like elements of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials within a matrix of said third polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, and wherein said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first and second polymeric materials having optical thicknesses of between 0.09 micrometers and 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
183 words
The method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, coextruding said polymeric materials to form alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials, encapsulating individual ones of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials in a third polymeric material to form a plurality of discontinuous ribbon-like elements of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials within a matrix of said third polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, and wherein said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first and second polymeric materials having optical thicknesses of between 0.09 micrometers and 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said ribbon-like elements are further divided into a series of platelet-like elements to produce elements which are discontinuous in all major planar dimensions.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said step of dividing said ribbon-like elements into platelet-like elements is accomplished by passing said ribbon-like elements through a reciprocating views.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 25 in which said third polymeric material is elastomeric.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 25 in which said polymeric body is thermoformable.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, feeding alternating slugs of said first and second polymeric materials to a flow passage, forming said alternating slugs into discontinuous alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials, encapsulating individual ones of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials in a third polymeric material to form a plurality of discontinuous ribbon-like elements of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials within a matrix of said third polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, and wherein said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first and second polymeric materials having optical thicknesses of between 0.09 micrometers and 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for the production of a lamellar reflective polymeric body comprising the steps of: providing a first stream of a first heat plastified polymeric material and a second stream of a second heat plastified polymeric material, feeding alternating slugs of said first and second polymeric materials to a flow passage, forming said alternating slugs into discontinuous alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials, encapsulating individual ones of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials in a third polymeric material to form a plurality of discontinuous ribbon-like elements of said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials within a matrix of said third polymeric material, thereby forming said reflective polymeric body, and wherein said alternating layers of said first and second polymeric materials have their major interfaces aligned substantially parallel to the major surfaces of said body such that at least 30% of light incident on said body is reflected, the individual layers of said first and second polymeric materials having optical thicknesses of between 0.09 micrometers and 0.45 micrometers, and wherein said first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 30 wherein the step of feeding alternating slugs of said first and second polymeric materials to a flow passage is accomplished by passing said first and second polymeric materials through a reciprocating valve.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 31 wherein the frequency of reciprocation of said valve is controlled to control the size of said alternating layers.
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