US5754338A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Structured retroreflective sheeting having a rivet-like connection
Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1996-11-08
•
Granted: 1998-05-19
•
Expires: 2016-11-08
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a retroreflective sheeting including a structured film having an array of structured elements and a sealing film attached to the structured film by a plurality of rivet-like connections perforating the sealing film. Preferably, the rivet-like connections form flanges. The preferred sealing film is a thermoplastic polymer with a ductile yield of at least about 20%. The retroreflective sheetings according to the present invention can also include a seal coat located on the sealing film. In some embodiments, the seal coat can be prepared from a seal coat precursor comprising radiation curable components. The present invention also includes methods of manufacturing the various embodiments of the retroreflective sheetings.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruce B. Wilson
- 👤 Cheryl M. Frey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 01:03
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/12; G02B5/122; G02B5/124; B; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/56; B29C65/60; B29C65/606; B29C65/608; B29C65/78; B29C65/7858; B29C65/7888; B29C65/7894; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/20; B29C66/21; B29C66/23; B29C66/234; B29C66/304; B29C66/40; B29C66/41; B29C66/43; B29C66/438; B29C66/45; B29C66/70; B29C66/72; B29C66/723; B29C66/73; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/80; B29C66/83; B29C66/834; B29C66/8341; B29C66/83411; B29C66/83413; B32; B32B; B32B3/00; B32B3/26; B32B3/30; B29C2793/00; B29C2793/0045; B29C65/02; B29C65/08; B29C65/74; B29C65/743; B29C65/7443; B29C66/02; B29C66/022; B29C66/0222; B29C66/50; B29C66/51; B29C66/53; B29C66/534; B29C66/5346; B29C66/53461; B29C66/71; B29C66/7234; B29C66/731; B29C66/7315; B29C66/733; B29C66/7336; B29C66/73365; B29C66/81; B29C66/812; B29C66/8126; B29C66/81264; B29C66/8351; B29C66/83511; B29K; B29K2995/00; B29K2995/0037; B29K2995/0077; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/775; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24479; Y10T428/24612
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A retroreflective sheeting comprising: a) a structured film comprising an array of structured elements; and b) a sealing film attached to the structured film by a plurality of rivet-like connections, wherein a first side of the sealing film faces the structured elements and a second side faces away from the structured elements, and further wherein each of the rivet-like connections comprises a perforation in the sealing film through which a portion of the structured film protrudes to attach the sealing film to the structured film.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
A retroreflective sheeting comprising: a) a structured film comprising an array of structured elements; and b) a sealing film attached to the structured film by a plurality of rivet-like connections, wherein a first side of the sealing film faces the structured elements and a second side faces away from the structured elements, and further wherein each of the rivet-like connections comprises a perforation in the sealing film through which a portion of the structured film protrudes to attach the sealing film to the structured film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the structured film protruding through the perforation in at least one of the rivet-like connections expands to form a flange.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 1, wherein the rivet-like connections are generally located in a predetermined pattern.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 1, wherein the structured film further comprises a land.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 1, wherein the structured film further comprises a raised structure extending between the structured film and the sealing film, and further wherein the rivet-like connections are formed on the raised structure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 5, wherein the portion of the structured film protruding through the perforation in at least one of the rivet-like connections expands to form a flange.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 5, wherein the raised structure further comprises one or more ridges.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 5, wherein the raised structure further comprises one or more ridges located in a predetermined pattern.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 5, wherein the raised structure further comprises elements for perforating the sealing film.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 1, wherein the sealing film comprises a thermoplastic polymer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 1, wherein the sealing film has a ductile yield of at least about 20%.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 11, wherein the sealing film comprises a thermoplastic polymer selected from the group consisting of cast polyethers, cast polyesters, cast polyamides, ionomeric ethylene copolymers, plasticized vinyl halide polymers, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, poly-alpha-olefins, ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers, and combinations or blends thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 12, wherein the sealing film comprises a thermoplastic polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene-propylene-nonconjugated diene ternary copolymers grafted with a mixture of styrene and acrylonitrile, styrene-acrylonitrile graft copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene graft copolymers, extractable styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, and combinations or blends thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 12, further comprising a seal coat on the second side of the sealing film.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 14, wherein the seal coat is prepared from a seal coat precursor comprising a thermally curable component.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 14, wherein the seal coat is prepared from a seal coat precursor comprising a radiation curable component.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 16, wherein the radiation curable component comprises a cationic curable resin, a free radical curable resin, or mixtures thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 16, wherein the radiation curable component comprises a dual-cure resin or a hybrid-cure resin.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 16, wherein the radiation curable component comprises an acrylate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 19, wherein the acrylate is selected from the group consisting of an acrylated epoxy, an acrylated polyester, an acrylated aromatic or aliphatic urethane, an acrylated acrylic, an acrylated silicone, an acrylated polyether, a vinyl acrylate, and an acrylated oil.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 20, wherein the acrylate is an acrylated aliphatic or aromatic urethane.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 21, wherein the acrylate is an acrylated aliphatic urethane.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 22, wherein the seal coat precursor further comprises a monofunctional or multifunctional reactive monomer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 23, wherein the monofunctional or multifunctional reactive monomer is an acrylate monomer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 16, wherein the seal coat precursor comprises a reactive diluent and a film former.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 25, wherein the reactive diluent comprises a monofunctional or multifunctional acrylate monomer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 25, wherein the film former comprises a thermoplastic polymer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 25, wherein the film former comprises a monofunctional or multifunctional acrylate oligomer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 25, wherein the seal coat precursor further comprises a multiphase styrenic thermoplastic copolymer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
73 words
A retroreflective sheeting comprising: a) a cube-corner film comprising an array of cube-corner elements; and b) a sealing film attached to the cube-corner film by a plurality of rivet-like connections, wherein: (i) each of the rivet-like connections comprises a perforation in the sealing film through which a portion of the cube-corner film protrudes to attach the sealing film to the cube-corner film; and (ii) the sealing film comprises a multiphase styrenic thermoplastic copolymer.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
73 words
A retroreflective sheeting comprising: a) a cube-corner film comprising an array of cube-corner elements; and b) a sealing film attached to the cube-corner film by a plurality of rivet-like connections, wherein: (i) each of the rivet-like connections comprises a perforation in the sealing film through which a portion of the cube-corner film protrudes to attach the sealing film to the cube-corner film; and (ii) the sealing film comprises a multiphase styrenic thermoplastic copolymer.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 30, wherein the sealing film thickness is less than about 250 micrometers.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
46 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 30, wherein the multiphase styrenic thermoplastic copolymer is selected from the group consisting of ethylene-propylene-nonconjugated diene ternary copolymers grafted with a mixture of styrene and acrylonitrile, styrene-acrylonitrile graft copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene graft copolymers, extractable styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, and combinations or blends thereof.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 30, further comprising a seal coat on the second side of the sealing film.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
23 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 33, wherein the seal coat is prepared from a seal coat precursor comprising a radiation curable component.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 34, wherein the seal coat precursor comprises a reactive diluent and a film former.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 35, wherein the reactive diluent comprises a monofunctional or multifunctional acrylate monomer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
18 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 35, wherein the film former comprises a monofunctional or multifunctional acrylate oligomer.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
21 words
A retroreflective sheeting according to claim 37, wherein the radiation curable seal coat precursor further comprises a multiphase styrenic thermoplastic copolymer.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
58 words
A method of manufacturing retroreflective sheeting comprising: a) providing a structured film comprising an array of structured elements; and b) attaching a sealing film to the structured film by forming a plurality of rivet-like connections between the structured film and the sealing film, wherein the structured film perforates the sealing film to form each of the rivet-like connections.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
58 words
A method of manufacturing retroreflective sheeting comprising: a) providing a structured film comprising an array of structured elements; and b) attaching a sealing film to the structured film by forming a plurality of rivet-like connections between the structured film and the sealing film, wherein the structured film perforates the sealing film to form each of the rivet-like connections.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 39, wherein the step of attaching further comprises forming a flange in at least one of the rivet-like connections.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 39, wherein the step of attaching further comprises forming the rivet-like connections in a predetermined pattern.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 39, wherein the sealing film comprises a thermoplastic polymer.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 39, wherein the sealing film has a ductile yield of at least about 20%.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 39, wherein the sealing film comprises a thermoplastic polymer selected from the group consisting of cast polyethers, cast polyesters, cast polyamides, ionomeric ethylene copolymers, plasticized vinyl halide polymers, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, poly-alpha-olefins, ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers, and combinations or blends thereof.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 44, further comprising the step of providing a seal coat precursor on the second side of the sealing film.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 45, wherein the seal coat precursor comprises a radiation curable component.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 45, further comprising the step of curing the seal coat precursor using E-beam radiation.
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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) | 2001-05-18 | 2001-11-17 | 2002-05-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-18 | 2005-11-17 | 2006-05-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-18 | 2009-11-17 | 2010-05-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |