US Patent No: 4,895,428

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

High efficiency retroreflective material

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ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)
 

Importance

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Abstract

The present invention provides a retroreflective material which has improved retroreflectivity at high angles of incidence. The retroreflective material comprises a transparent surface layer and an array of reflecting elements, each of the reflecting elements including a rectangular base having a length L, two tetragonal faces nearly perpendicular to each other and having a line of intersection of length Y, the length Y being less than said length L, a triangular face nearly perpendicular to the tetragonal faces; and a non-perpendicular triangular face forming an angle alpha with the plane perpendicular to the base, the angle alpha being preferably about sin.sup.-1 (0.25/n) to sin.sup.-1 (l/n), and more preferably about sin.sup.-1 (0.35/n) to sin.sup.-1 (0.9/n), where n is the refractive index of the reflecting elements, the perpendicular triangular face and the tetragonal face defining an approximate cube corner therebetween and the non-perpendicular triangular face and the tetragonal faces forming a non-orthogonal corner therebetween, the reflecting elements arranged with their base adjacent the surface layer.

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First Claim

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
MINNESOTA MINING AND MANUFACTURING COMPANYST PAUL, MN6643

International Classification(s)

  • [Classification Symbol]
  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Cobb, Jr Sanford Lakeland, MN 43 2635
Nelson, John C The Sea Ranch, CA 53 967

Cited Art

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
FERRO CORPORATION (1)
4,189,209 Retroreflector of integrated light reflecting units of varying configurations 13 1978
 
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (1)
4,349,598 High incidence angle retroreflective material 133 1976
 
STIMSONITE CORPORATION (1)
4,208,090 Reflector structure 74 1976

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cites

Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY (75)
5,600,484 Machining techniques for retroreflective cube corner article and method of manufacture 47 1993
5,696,627 Directly machined raised structure retroreflective cube corner article and method of manufacture 27 1994
6,190,757 Compositions and thermal mass transfer donor elements for use in producing signage articles 7 1995
5,691,846 Ultra-flexible retroreflective cube corner composite sheetings and methods of manufacture 172 1995
6,350,035 Flexible cube-corner retroreflective sheeting 17 1995
5,706,132 Dual orientation retroreflective sheeting 71 1996
5,910,858 Retroreflective sheeting with coated back surface 22 1996
6,200,666 Thermal transfer compositions, articles, and graphic articles made with same 14 1996
5,977,263 Thermal transfer compositions, articles and graphic articles made with same 15 1996
6,080,340 Machining techniques for retroreflective cube corner article and method of manufacture 1 1996
6,021,559 Methods of making a cube corner article master mold 9 1996
6,126,360 Raised retroreflective pavement marker 15 1996
5,981,113 Curable ink composition and imaged retroreflective article therefrom 26 1996
5,988,820 Flexible cube-corner retroreflective sheeting 35 1997
5,936,770 Dual orientation retroreflective sheeting 48 1997
5,914,812 Directly machined raised structure retroreflective cube corner article and method of manufacture 25 1997
5,946,134 Raised structure retroreflective article 19 1997
6,142,643 Electroluminescent retroreflective article 20 1997
5,914,813 Multiple structure cube corner article 6 1997
6,282,026 Retroreflectors having two optical surfaces and varying retroreflectivity 5 1998
6,045,230 Modulating retroreflective article 29 1998
6,120,879 Dual use reflective article 1 1998
6,352,758 Patterned article having alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface regions 40 1998
6,132,861 Retroreflective articles including a cured ceramer composite coating having a combination of excellent abrasion, dew and stain resistant characteristics 35 1998
6,050,691 Method of making randomly oriented cube-corner articles 7 1998
5,959,774 Raised structure retroreflective article 13 1999
6,623,824 Method for making a microreplicated article using a substrate comprising a syndiotactic vinyl aromatic polymer 1 1999
6,326,072 Release liner incorporating syndiotactic vinyl aromatic polymer 13 1999
6,274,221 Angular brightness microprismatic retroreflective film or sheeting incorporating a syndiotactic vinyl aromatic polymer 64 1999
6,172,810 Retroreflective articles having polymer multilayer reflective coatings 60 1999
D422932 Pavement marker 3 1999
6,246,428 Method and system for thermal mass transfer printing 7 1999
6,440,334 Method of making a retroreflective article 6 1999
6,114,009 Asymmetric retroreflective cube corner sheeting mold and sheeting formed therefrom 19 1999
6,156,442 Thermal compositions, articles and graphic articles made with same 3 1999
6,406,787 Digital printable and releasable form construction and composition useful thereto 5 1999
6,265,061 Retroflective articles including a cured ceramer composite coating having abrasion and stain resistant characteristics 17 1999
6,245,833 Ceramer composition incorporating fluoro/silane component and having abrasion and stain resistant characteristics 24 1999
6,232,359 Curable ink composition 8 1999
6,168,275 Retroreflective cube corner article 8 1999
6,277,470 Method of forming cube corner geometric structures in a substrate using both replicating and machining processes 10 1999
6,540,367 Structured surface articles containing geometric structures with compound faces and methods for making same 24 2000
6,350,034 Retroreflective articles having polymer multilayer reflective coatings 13 2000
6,224,219 Method for making retroreflective articles having polymer multilayer reflective coatings 9 2000
6,741,523 Microstructured time dependent indicators 24 2000
6,318,867 Conformable cube corner retroreflective sheeting 4 2000
6,243,201 Retroreflective articles having polymer multilayer reflective coatings 20 2000
6,482,510 Digital printable and releasable form construction and composition useful thereto 4 2000
6,572,977 Fluorescent red composition and articles made therefrom 1 2000
6,312,132 Fluorescent red article and retroreflective article made therefrom 9 2000
6,376,576 Ceramer composition incorporating fluoro/silane component and having abrasion and stain resistant characteristics 8 2000
6,726,982 Thermal transfer compositions, articles, and graphic articles made with same 4 2001
6,551,014 Raised pavement marker with improved lens 4 2001
6,413,615 Cube corner geometric structures in a substrate formed by both replicating and machining processes 10 2001
6,776,935 Continuous process for making glittering cube corner sheeting 2 2001
6,508,559 Conformable cube corner retroreflective sheeting 4 2001
7,185,993 Flexible cube-corner retroflective sheeting 1 2002
6,663,246 Method of making a retroreflective article and a retroreflective article having an aluminum reflector 0 2002
7,261,425 Structured surface articles containing geometric structures with compound faces and methods for making same 2 2003
6,916,116 Time or time-temperature indicating articles 12 2003
7,396,579 Fluorescent red-orange retroreflective sheeting 0 2003
7,252,396 Retroreflective article having at least one valve and method of making same 1 2004
7,195,360 Prismatic retroreflective article and method 2 2004
7,347,571 Prismatic retroreflective article with fluorine- or silicon-containing prisms 1 2005
7,568,807 Flexible cube-corner retroreflective sheeting 0 2006
8,016,467 License plate assembly 1 2007
7,384,161 Structured surface articles containing geometric structures with compound faces and methods for making same 2 2007
7,547,105 Prismatic retroreflective article with cross-linked image layer and method of making same 0 2007
7,562,991 Structured surface articles containing geometric structures with compound faces and methods for making same 2 2007
7,712,904 Structured surface articles containing geometric structures with compound faces and methods for making same 0 2008
8,016,435 Lamina comprising cube corner elements and retroreflective sheeting 0 2010
8,394,485 Compound mold and structured surface articles containing geometric structures with compound faces and method of making same 0 2011
8,251,525 Retroreflective sheeting including cube corner elements 0 2011
8,262,237 Retroreflective sheeting including cube corner elements 1 2011
8,419,197 Retroreflective sheeting including cube corner elements 0 2012
 
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (37)
5,138,488 Retroreflective material with improved angularity 120 1990
5,117,304 Retroreflective article 102 1990
5,069,577 Flexible raised pavement marker 20 1990
5,614,286 Conformable cube corner retroreflective sheeting 57 1993
5,585,164 Dual groove set retroreflective cube corner article and method of manufacture 26 1993
5,564,870 Method of manufacturing an asymmetric cube corner article 46 1994
5,557,836 Method of manufacturing a cube corner article 51 1994
5,591,527 Optical security articles and methods for making same 65 1994
5,706,133 Retroreflective signage articles, kits for producing same, and methods of making signage articles 19 1995
5,677,050 Retroreflective sheeting having an abrasion resistant ceramer coating 55 1995
5,667,335 Fiber reinforced raised pavement marker and method of making 36 1995
5,632,946 Methods of making a conformable cube corner retroreflective sheeting 18 1995
5,639,530 Retroreflective articles comprising a non-thermoplastic hydrocarbon elastomer adhesive layer for life saving devices at sea 6 1995
D397555 Striped surface pattern for retroreflective sheeting 12 1996
D383312 Seal pattern on retroreflective sheeting 11 1996
5,882,796 Bonded structured retroreflective sheeting 26 1996
5,784,197 Ultra-flexible retroreflective sheeting with coated back surface 28 1996
5,721,640 Multiple structure cube corner article and method of manufacture 11 1996
5,840,405 Glittering cube-corner retroreflective sheeting 36 1996
5,814,355 Mold for producing glittering cube-corner retroreflective sheeting 12 1996
5,770,124 Method of making glittering cube-corner retroreflective sheeting 21 1996
5,763,049 Formed ultra-flexible retroreflective cube-corner composite sheeting with target optical properties and method for making same 36 1996
5,831,767 Asymmetric cube corner article 14 1996
5,822,121 Retroreflective cube corner article having scalene base triangles 29 1996
5,812,315 Cube corner articles exhibiting improved entrance angularity in one or more planes 15 1996
5,764,413 Tiled retroreflective sheeting 22 1996
5,861,211 Articles incorporating pressure-sensitive adhesives having improved adhesion to plasticized polyvinyl chloride 36 1996
5,743,981 Optical security articles and methods for making same 21 1996
5,725,935 Signage articles and methods of making same 63 1996
5,759,468 Raised zone retroreflective cube corner article and method of manufacture 16 1996
5,734,501 Highly canted retroreflective cube corner article 32 1996
5,754,338 Structured retroreflective sheeting having a rivet-like connection 34 1996
5,889,615 Dual axis retroreflective articles 21 1997
5,928,827 Signage articles and methods of making same 5 1998
6,136,416 Raised zone retroreflective cube corner article 30 1998
5,926,314 Retroreflective cube corner article having scalene base triangles 19 1998
6,055,108 Imaging articles and methods using dual-axis retroreflective elements 7 1999
 
CLEARINK DISPLAYS LLC (6)
6,452,734 Composite electrophoretically-switchable retro-reflective image display 32 2001
6,574,025 Optical switching by controllable frustration of total internal reflection 31 2002
6,891,658 Wide viewing angle reflective display 38 2002
6,865,011 Self-stabilized electrophoretically frustrated total internal reflection display 12 2003
6,885,496 Wide viewing angle reflective display 5 2003
7,164,536 Optically coupled toroidal lens:hemi-bead brightness enhancer for total internal reflection modulated image displays 5 2005
 
AVERY DENNISON CORPORATION (5)
6,015,214 Retroreflective articles having microcubes, and tools and methods for forming microcubes 78 1996
5,930,041 Method of producing cellular retroreflective sheeting 11 1998
6,767,102 Retroreflective articles having microcubes, and tools and methods for forming microcubes 14 1999
RE40700 Retroreflective articles having microcubes, and tools and methods for forming microcubes 0 2006
RE40455 Retroreflective articles having microcubes, and tools and methods for forming microcubes 0 2006
 
ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC. (5)
6,896,444 Collated road marker assembly, and system and method for automatically applying collated road markers to roadway surfaces 0 2003
6,905,284 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A COLLATED ARRAY OF TEMPORARY RAISED PAVEMENT MARKERS (TRPMS) FOR FACILITATING THE SERIAL APPLICATION OF SUCH TEMPORARY RAISED PAVEMENT MARKERS (TRPMS) TO ROADWAY SURFACES 0 2003
6,908,257 Collated road marker assembly, and system and method for automatically applying collated road markers to roadway surfaces 0 2004
6,902,349 Collated road marker assembly, and system and method for automatically applying collated road markers to roadway surfaces 0 2004
6,902,350 Collated road marker assembly, and system and method for automatically applying collated road markers to roadway surfaces 0 2004
 
SABIC INNOVATIVE PLASTICS IP B.V. (2)
7,341,784 Light management film and its preparation and use 0 2004
7,251,079 Brightness enhancement film, and methods of making and using the same 64 2006
 
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force (2)
5,162,872 Tilt/shear immune tunable fabry-perot interferometer 5 1991
5,189,554 Telescope baffle system 11 1991
 
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA (2)
6,490,778 Multiple uneven plate, multiple uneven plate bending mold, multiple uneven plate manufacturing method and separator using multiple uneven plate 2 1999
6,833,214 Multiple uneven plate and separator using multiple uneven plate 2 2002
 
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY (1)
5,084,782 Decorative tape 11 1990
 
HRL LABORATORIES, LLC (1)
8,274,727 Programmable optical label 0 2007
 
Optid, Optical Identification Technologies Ltd. (1)
6,507,441 Directed reflectors and systems utilizing same 22 2000
 
ORAFOL AMERICAS INC. (1)
6,877,866 Multi-orientation retroreflective structure 2 2002
 
teas SE (1)
7,758,933 Adhesive materials having a high refractive index based on acrylate block copolymers 0 2003
 
TYCO INTERNATIONAL LTD., A CORPORATION OF BERMUDA (1)
6,067,143 High contrast micro display with off-axis illumination 36 1998