3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Gerald M Benson

Kenneth L Smith

Mieczyslaw H Mazurek

Chester A Bacon, Jr

Robert K Galkiewicz

John C Kelliher

James C Coderre

Cheryl M Frey

Mark E Gardiner

Bruce Brandon Wilson

Michele A Craton

Michael P Daniels

Robert L Erwin

Dan E Luttrell

Roger E Luehrs

Susan K Nestegard

James E Lasch

Theodore J Szczech

Gary J Geissler

Verlyn H Paulson

Haiyan Zhang

Paul Edward Humpal

James A Laird

Mark D Nachbor

Benjamin T Fellows

Structured surface articles such as molds or sheeting are formed on a compound substrate including a machined substrate and a replicated substrate. In one embodiment, the structured surface is a cube corner element on a compound substrate. In another embodiment, the structured surface is a geometric structure that has a plurality of faces, where one face is located on the machined substrate and another face is located on the replicated substrate. In yet another embodiment, at least some of the faces include a compound face with a portion formed on the machined substrate and a portion formed on the replicated substrate. The method of making a structured surface article including a geometric structure having a plurality of faces includes forming an array of geometric structures in a first surface of a machined substrate; passivating selected locations of the first surface of the machined substrate; forming a replicated substrate of the machined substrate to form a compound substrate; forming an array of second geometric structures on a second surface opposite the first surface on the machined substrate; and removing selected portions from the second surface of the machined substrate.

Compound mold and structured surface articles containing geometric structures with compound faces and method of making same

A structured surface articles such as molds or sheeting are formed on a compound substrate including a machined substrate and a replicated substrate. In one embodiment, the structured surface is a cube corner element on a compound substrate. In another embodiment, the structured surface is a geometric structure that has a plurality of faces, where one face is located on the machined substrate and another face is located on the replicated substrate. In yet another embodiment, at least some of the faces include a compound face with a portion formed on the machined substrate and a portion formed on the replicated substrate. The method of making a structured surface article including a geometric structure having a plurality of faces includes forming an array of geometric structures in a first surface of a machined substrate; passivating selected locations of the first surface of the machined substrate; forming a replicated substrate of the machined substrate to form a compound substrate; forming an array of second geometric structures on a second surface opposite the first surface on the machined substrate; and removing selected portions from the second surface of the machined substrate.

Retroreflective sheeting includes a body layer having a structured surface with recessed faces forming cube corner cavities. A reflective film is disposed at least on the recessed faces, and a fill material fills the cube corner cavities. The fill material comprises radiation-curable materials, adhesives, or both, and preferably transparent radiation-curable pressure-sensitive adhesives. The fill material preferably forms a continuous layer covering both the recessed faces and upper portions of the structured surface. A transparent cover layer preferably contacts the fill material layer.

Cube corner cavity based retroreflectors with transparent fill material

A prepared substrate including an array of cube corner cavities and protrusions interspersed between the cube corner cavities is described herein.

Structured surface articles containing geometric structures with compound faces and methods for making same

Structured surface articles such as molds or sheeting are formed on a compound substrate including a machined substrate and a replicated substrate. In one embodiment, the structured surface is a cube corner element on a compound substrate. In another embodiment, the structured surface is a geometric structure that has a plurality of faces, where one face is located on the machined substrate and another face is located on the replicated substrate. In yet another embodiment, at least some of the faces include a compound face with a portion formed on the machined substrate and a portion formed on the replicated substrate.

Prepared substrate comprising an array of cube corner cavities and protrusions interspersed between the cube corner cavities.

A process for making molds for retroreflective sheeting and like articles includes making a substrate having a structured surface of geometric structures such as cube corner elements. The structured surface is in one embodiment partially replicated from a previous generation structured surface, and partially machined in the substrate. At least one of the faces of the structured surface is a compound face that has one machined portion and one non-machined portion, such as a replicated portion. The process can be used to manufacture substrates with desirable geometry cube corner elements, such as cube corner elements having a hexagonal outline in plan view, without requiring the use of pin bundling techniques or laminae. The process can also be used to manufacture articles having cube corner elements in which at least one face of the cube corner element has two constituent faces disposed on opposed sides of a transition line that is nonparallel to a nondihedral edge of such cube corner element.

The invention provides pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) coated articles, including tapes and transfer coatings, having microstructured surfaces and methods of making pressure-sensitive adhesive articles bearing such microstructured surfaces. The performance properties of the pressure-sensitive adhesive articles can be tailored by independently varying the microstructure and the rheological properties of the pressure-sensitive adhesive.

Pressure-sensitive adhesives having microstructured surfaces

The present invention relates to a method for making a substantially cylindrical tool from a substantially planar substrate, wherein the tooling has at least one patterned surface. The resulting tooling includes a patterned surface with a sufficiently strong weld that is capable of producing an article having a pattern surface that has a relatively narrow and preferably cosmetically pleasing seam line. Such articles include retroreflective sheeting, structured abrasive articles, adhesive articles suitable for use in personal care products, and the like.

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Gerald M Benson