公开(公告)号：CA2010201A1

公开(公告)日：1990-09-30

申请号：CA2010201

申请日：1990-02-16

Applicant: MINNESOTA MINING & MFG

Inventor： BENSON GERALD M

IPC: G02B5/124

Abstract: Retroreflective elements, such as cube-corner elements or right triangular prisms containing cube-corners, are arranged on articles to define separation surfaces between the elements; in another embodiment, the elements are truncated cube-corners incorporating similar surfaces on the elements themselves. If the surfaces are transparent they will transmit light through the article, rendering it partially transparent and partially retroreflective. The surfaces may be flat or curved. Standard grooving techniques may be employed to construct the elements, using mold cutting tools having flattened or curved tips instead of V-shaped tips; alternatively, electroformed molds may be lapped to include the shape required to produce surfaces. The elements and surfaces may be embodied in sheeting materials or internally illuminated signs.

公开(公告)号：DE69636558T2

公开(公告)日：2007-06-06

申请号：DE69636558

申请日：1996-06-06

Applicant: MINNESOTA MINING & MFG

Inventor： SMITH KENNETH L ,  BENSON GERALD M

IPC: G02B5/124 ,  G09F13/16

Abstract: The invention provides a thin, flexible retroreflective sheeting formed from a substantially optically transparent material. The sheeting comprises a substrate having a base surface disposed in a base plane; a structured surface opposite the base surface that contains at least one array of canted cube corner element matched pairs formed by three intersecting sets of substantially parallel grooves including a primary groove set, and two sets of secondary grooves, each matched pair including a first canted cube corner element and a second canted cube corner element disposed opposite a primary groove from the first element, wherein (a) opposing cube corner elements in a given array have their symmetry axes canted in a first plane and through a predetermined cant angle measuring between 4 DEG and 15 DEG from an axis extending normally from the base; (b) the sheeting of this given array exhibits its broadest range of entrance angularity in a second plane angularly displaced from the first plane, and in a third plane, angularly displaced from the first plane; and substantially each of the cube corner element arrays is oriented such that either the second or third plane is approximately parallel with an edge of the sheeting.

公开(公告)号：DE69636558D1

公开(公告)日：2006-10-26

申请号：DE69636558

申请日：1996-06-06

Applicant: MINNESOTA MINING & MFG

Inventor： SMITH KENNETH L ,  BENSON GERALD M

IPC: G02B5/124 ,  G09F13/16

Abstract: The invention provides a thin, flexible retroreflective sheeting formed from a substantially optically transparent material. The sheeting comprises a substrate having a base surface disposed in a base plane; a structured surface opposite the base surface that contains at least one array of canted cube corner element matched pairs formed by three intersecting sets of substantially parallel grooves including a primary groove set, and two sets of secondary grooves, each matched pair including a first canted cube corner element and a second canted cube corner element disposed opposite a primary groove from the first element, wherein (a) opposing cube corner elements in a given array have their symmetry axes canted in a first plane and through a predetermined cant angle measuring between 4 DEG and 15 DEG from an axis extending normally from the base; (b) the sheeting of this given array exhibits its broadest range of entrance angularity in a second plane angularly displaced from the first plane, and in a third plane, angularly displaced from the first plane; and substantially each of the cube corner element arrays is oriented such that either the second or third plane is approximately parallel with an edge of the sheeting.

公开(公告)号：CA2173232C

公开(公告)日：2004-12-28

申请号：CA2173232

申请日：1994-10-20

Applicant: MINNESOTA MINING & MFG

Inventor： BACON CHESTER A JR ,  BENSON GERALD M

IPC: B29C39/14 ,  B32B3/30 ,  G02B5/124

Abstract: Conformable cube corner retroreflective sheetings (10c) comprising a plurali ty of discrete cube corner segments (12) which are conformably bonded together, each cube corner segment (12) comprising a plas tic body portion (62) having a substantially planar fron t major surface and at least one minute cube corner retroreflective element pr ojecting rearwardly from the body portion and defining a cube corner point side of the cube corner segment. The peripheries of the cube co rner segments can be defined by a plurality of separatio ns (50) extending from the cube corner point sides to the front major surfaces, the separations being disposed between adjacent cube co rner segments. Adjacent cube corner segments are conformably bonded together in t he sense that they are either: (1) separated by a gap of less than about 1 millimeter and bonded together through a conformable carri er layer (52); or (2) separated by a gap which is substa ntially filled with a conformable resin that bonds the side walls of adjacent cube c orner segments together (66). Alternatively a conformabl e cube corner retroreflective sheeting can comprise a plurality of connecting bridg es (70) disposed between adjacent cube corner segments, the connecting bridges being at least one of fractured and frangible, and spanni ng grooves which extend vertically from the cube corner point sides toward the front major surfaces and terminate at the connecting bridge s. Also, methods for making such conformable sheetings.

公开(公告)号：TR199903342T2

公开(公告)日：2001-03-21

申请号：TR9903342

申请日：1997-11-26

Applicant: MINNESOTA MINING & MFG

Inventor： SMITH KENNETH L ,  BENSON GERALD M

IPC: B29C33/00 ,  B29C33/42 ,  B29D11/00 ,  B32B3/00 ,  B32B27/00 ,  G02B5/122 ,  G02B5/124

Abstract: Laminae suitable for use in a mold suitable for use in forming retroreflective sheeting and methods of making such laminae are disclosed. A representative lamina includes a single row of optically opposing cube corner elements disposed on its working surface. The working surface of a lamina is provided with a plurality of cube corner elements formed by the optical surfaces defined by three groove sets. Corresponding surfaces of opposing groove sets intersect substantially orthogonally along a reference edge to define first and second optical surfaces of the respective cube corner elements. The third optical surface of each respective cube corner element is defined by one surface of the third groove set.

公开(公告)号：AU728328B2

公开(公告)日：2001-01-04

申请号：AU7968998

申请日：1998-06-12

Applicant: MINNESOTA MINING & MFG

Inventor： ERWIN ROBERT L ,  BENSON GERALD M ,  SMITH KENNETH L ,  LUTTRELL DAN E

IPC: G02B5/124 ,  B29C33/38 ,  B29D11/00 ,  B29C33/42

Abstract: Laminae suitable for use in molds for forming retroreflective cube corner elements and methods for making such laminae are disclosed. A representative lamina includes a first row of cube corner elements disposed in a first orientation and a second row of optically opposing cube corner elements disposed. The working surface of a lamina is provided with a plurality of cube corner elements formed by the optical surfaces defined by three groove sets. Opposing first and second groove sets are formed in the working surface of a lamina. The first groove set forms a plurality of structures having first and second optical surfaces disposed in mutually perpendicular planes that intersect along a reference edge. The second groove set forms a corresponding plurality of structures on the opposite side of the lamina. A third groove is formed in the working surface of the lamina along an axis substantially perpendicular to the axes of the grooves of the first and second groove sets. The surfaces of the third groove intersect the surfaces of the plurality of structures in substantially mutually perpendicular planes to define a plurality of cube corner elements. A plurality of such laminae can be assembled to form a mold useful in the manufacture of retroreflective products such as cube corner sheeting.

公开(公告)号：TR199903341T2

公开(公告)日：2000-07-21

申请号：TR9903341

申请日：1997-12-09

Applicant: MINNESOTA MINING & MFG

Inventor： BENSON GERALD M ,  KELLIHER JOHN C ,  SMITH KENNETH L

IPC: B29C33/36 ,  B29D11/00 ,  G02B5/124 ,  B29C33/38

Abstract: A method is disclosed for manufacturing a plurality of laminae for use in a mold suitable for use in forming retroreflective cube corner articles. Each lamina has opposing first and second major surfaces defining therebetween a first reference plane. Each lamina further includes a working surface connecting the first and second major surfaces. The working surface defines a second reference plane substantially parallel to the working surface and perpendicular to the first reference plane and a third reference plane perpendicular to the first reference plane and the second reference plane. The method includes orienting a plurality of laminae to have their respective first reference planes parallel to each other and disposed at a first angle relative to a fixed reference axis. At least two groove sets are formed in the working surface. Each groove set includes at least two parallel adjacent V-shaped grooves in the working surface of the laminae. The at least two groove sets form first, second and third groove surfaces that intersect substantially orthogonally to form a plurality of cube corner elements. Each of the plurality of cube corner elements is preferably located on essentially one of the plurality of lamina. The plurality of laminae can be oriented at a second angle relative to the fixed reference axis prior to forming at least one of the groove sets. A mold according to the present invention and a retroreflective article made therefrom are also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：AU5515898A

公开(公告)日：1999-01-25

申请号：AU5515898

申请日：1997-11-26

Applicant: MINNESOTA MINING & MFG

Inventor： SMITH KENNETH L ,  BENSON GERALD M

IPC: B29C33/00 ,  B29C33/42 ,  B29D11/00 ,  B32B3/00 ,  B32B27/00 ,  G02B5/122 ,  G02B5/124

Abstract: Laminae suitable for use in a mold suitable for use in forming retroreflective sheeting and methods of making such laminae are disclosed. A representative lamina includes a single row of optically opposing cube corner elements disposed on its working surface. The working surface of a lamina is provided with a plurality of cube corner elements formed by the optical surfaces defined by three groove sets. Corresponding surfaces of opposing groove sets intersect substantially orthogonally along a reference edge to define first and second optical surfaces of the respective cube corner elements. The third optical surface of each respective cube corner element is defined by one surface of the third groove set.

公开(公告)号：AU5356898A

公开(公告)日：1999-01-25

申请号：AU5356898

申请日：1997-11-20

Applicant: MINNESOTA MINING & MFG

Inventor： SMITH KENNETH L ,  BENSON GERALD M

IPC: B29C33/38 ,  B29D11/00 ,  G02B5/124

Abstract: A method is disclosed for manufacturing a plurality of laminae for use in a mold suitable for use in forming retroreflective cube corner articles. Each lamina has opposing first and second major surfaces defining therebetween a first reference plane. Each lamina further includes a working surface connecting the first and second major surfaces. The working surface defines a second reference plane substantially parallel to the working surface and perpendicular to the first reference plane and a third reference plane perpendicular to the first reference plane. The method includes (a) orienting a plurality of laminae to have their respective first reference planes parallel to each other and disposed at a first angle relative to a fixed reference axis, (b) forming a plurality of cube corner elements on the working surfaces of the plurality of the laminae, wherein the plurality of cube corner elements have three approximately mutually perpendicular lateral faces that mutually intersect to define a cube corner element peak, and (c) removing a plurality of laminae from the assembly to alter the configuration of the mold surface.

公开(公告)号：MX9709397A

公开(公告)日：1998-07-31

申请号：MX9709397

申请日：1996-06-06

Applicant: MINNESOTA MINING & MFG

Inventor： SMITH KENNETH L ,  BENSON GERALD M

IPC: G09F13/16 ,  G02B5/124 ,  G02B05/124

Abstract: La presente invencion proporciona artículos retrorreflectores de esquina de cubo que tienen funcionamientos retrorreflector mejorado en cuando menos un plano, y de preferencia en dos o más planos. Un artículo preferido es un laminado retrorreflector que incluye una superficie estructurada que tiene cuando menos una disposicion de elementos de esquina de cubo orientados a un ángulo predeterminado con relacion al borde del artículo. El ángulo se selecciona para a linear un plano amplio de angularidad de entrada aproximadamente paralelo con el borde del laminado y otro plano amplio de angularidad de entrada aproximadamente perpendicular al borde del laminado. Los elementos de esquina de cubo individuales en la superficie estructurada están inclinados para proporcionar un triángulo de base isosceles o un triángulo de base escaleno. Adicionalmente, la superficie estructurada puede incluir una pluralidad de disposiciones de elementos de esquina de cubo dispuestas en una forma recubierta con loseta para proporcionar más de dos planos de angularidad de entrada amplia.