Retro-Reflective Assembly and Method of Manufacturing Same

There are many prior patents relating to retro-reflective assemblies. Typical of such patents are U.S. Pat No. 2,948,191 to Hodgeson, Jr. et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,190,178 to McKenzie; U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,140 to Ryan et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,159 to McGrath. The basic structure employed in the prior art comprises a base member having a contiguous layer of exposed retro-reflective elements contained in the surface thereof, with or without a network of upstanding supports, generally without interconnected linear ridges, being a part of the base member but forming discrete divided areas of retro-reflective glass beads at the time the transparent encapsulating film is applied to the base member using heat and embossing pressure acting on the thermo-plastic material in which the retro-reflective elements are held to effect a thermo-plastic bond with the transparent encapsulating film; this bond being sensitive to the temperature used in subsequent processing and use. The completion of the encapsulating step by the application of a transparent thermo-plastic material has necessarily dictated the employment of heat and pressure to effect the bonding. It is well known that there are a number of desirable transparent thermo-setting or thermo-plastic materials which could be utilized as the encapsulating element of a retro-reflective assembly if heat and pressure bonding were not essential, and, more importantly, it is desirable that the assembly of the transparent sheet be accomplished without the application of substantial heat and pressure because this invariably results in a ripple or wave effect being imparted to the outer surface. The ripple effect makes the outer surface far more receptive to accumulating deposits of dust or dirt, and more difficult to clean.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved retro-reflective assembly and a method of manufacturing same.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a retro-reflective assembly wherein the support posts or ridges by which the outer transparent sheet is bonded to the assembly is formed from adhesive material which is precisely deposited on the base sheet by screen printing techniques.

Another object of this invention is to provide a more flexible retro-reflective assembly that is not as sensitive to the normal temperatures encountered in processing and use and where heat is not required to relax the set or curl which inherently exists in thermo-plastic material supplied from a roll.

Another particular object of this invention is to provide an improved retro-reflective assembly wherein the outer encapsulating transparent sheet is formed from an organic thermo-setting material and is assembled to the matrix or base member without the application of any substantial heat or pressure, thus maintaining the planarity of the transparent sheet.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the annexed sheets of drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with portions broken away for clarity, of a retro-reflective assembly constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the assembly of FIG. 1 prior to the application thereto of the transparent encapsulating sheet;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane 2--2 of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a completed retro-reflective assembly comprising a base member 10, having a contiguous layer of exposed retro-reflective elements or beads 12 contained in the surface, each element 12 being partially coated with or in contact with a reflecting material (not shown). Secured to said base member 10 in upstanding relationship is a plurality of supports 11 which are of equal height and such height is approximately equal to, but not less than, the height of the exposed retro-reflective beads 12 which appear in a continuous array intermediate the supports 11. The characteristics of the retro-reflective beads 12 as well known in the art and the methods of securing such beads within the base member 10 so that they form a contiguous layer exposed to the viewed side of the assembly are likewise well disclosed in the art and form no part of this invention.

In accordance with this invention, the supports 11, which in the illustrated embodiment are shown as a plurality of interconnected ridges defining hexagonal spaces therebetween, are formed from an adhesive material which is capable of being deposited on the upper surface of base member 10 by a screen printing technique. The material selected for the support members 11 should preferably have sufficient viscosity to be self-sustaining configuration after being deposited on base member 10, either at ambient temperatures or with the application of minimal amounts of heat thereto. The utilization of screen printing techniques permits the deposition of the ridges 11 in very precise patterns providing a high degree of accuracy of not only the width and location of the ridges 11, but also their height. Such accuracy of deposition is characteristic of the screen printing technique utilizing screens produced by known electro-forming techniques.

A relative thin transparent cover sheet or film 13 is then applied to the sub-assembly and bonded thereto by the adhesive action of the top surface of the adhesive ridges 11. Preferably such bonding is effected with a minimal application of heat and/or pressure, and certainly not sufficient heat or pressure to cause any deformation of the transparent encapsulating film 13. The employment of an adhesive to form the supporting ridges 11 permits the selection of either a thermo-plastic or thermo-setting transparent material for the bonding sheet.

Accordingly, many resinous materials may be used for this purpose. Typical of such materials are the following:

Appropriate resinous adhesives are any of the following:

A preferred example comprises a base member of polyurethane acrylate, in whose surface is contained the exposed retro-reflective elements 12 partially coated with or in contact with a reflecting material. The retro-reflective elements comprise glass beads in the size range of 0.0005 inch in diameter to 0.0035 inch in diameter. Preferred size is 0.0010 to 0.0025 inch in diameter and having a reflective coating of aluminum, silver or other metals used in known metalizing processes. The adhesive material comprises 100 parts of a polyester adhesive known as DuPont 49001, 25 parts of a white pigment such as titania, 10 parts of a conventional curing agent such as a free-radical catalyst like benzoyl peroxide, and 75-125 parts of a solvent blend comprising equal portions of toluene and cyclohexanane which is applied by screen printing at a temperature of about 21.degree. C. which results in a viscosity of approximately 5,000 to 35,000 cps. The transparent cover sheet is formed of extruded polyacrylic resin and applied at a temperature of about 60-66.degree. C. while the top surface of the adhesive supports is still tacky. A minimal pressure sufficient to insure contact of the sheet 13 with the supports 11, is utilized in the sheet assembly operation. Conversely, the adhesive can be applied to the transparent cover sheet and laminated to the base.

While a grid-like pattern of the supports 11 has been illustrated in the drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the employment of the screen printing application technique will permit any desired pattern to be employed. The main criteria is that the supports 11 are spaced across the face of the bottom member 10 and are in sufficient number as to provide adequate structural support for the later applied transparent encapsulating sheet 13, and also forms discrete sealed retro-reflective cells.

While the preferred embodiment utilizes the screen printing technique to lay down the network of supports 11, it will be readily apparent that other methods may be used to establish said network. For example, more conventional printing techniques, involving an embossed roll could be employed.

Other modifications of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is intended that the scope of the invention be determined solely by the following claims.